Search

Background/Aim: Mandibular condylar fractures in pediatric patients may exhibit distinct epidemiological characteristics attributed to their unique growth and development phase, as well as various anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, and behavioral factors that differentiate them from adults. This study aimed to investigate the demographics, injurious factors, classifications, clinical manifestations, and treatments of pediatric mandibular condylar fractures, as well as the concomitant injuries in maxillofacial and other body parts. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 189 pediatric patients with mandibular condylar fractures between 2011 and 2022. Variables investigated included age, gender, timing of onset, causes, classification of condylar fracture, concomitant injuries, clinical manifestations, and treatment modalities. Results: A total of 189 patients, a higher proportion of boys compared to girls was observed, with the highest incidence rate in children aged 1–3 years. They occurred primarily in July, June, and September as well as on Saturdays and Sundays. The most prevalent cause of mandibular condylar fractures was falls from heights in 73 patients (38.62%). Pediatric patients exhibited a higher susceptibility to condylar head fractures. A significant majority (81.48%) of these fractures were accompanied by soft tissue injuries in the maxillofacial region, with the chin being particularly vulnerable to injury. In addition, 61.90% of pediatric patients experienced fractures in other areas of the maxillofacial region, with the mandibular symphysis being the most commonly affected site. Dental trauma predominantly occurred in the anterior region (44.97%). Notably, a substantial proportion (28.04%) of cases also presented with multiple systemic injuries. Conclusions: The characteristics of pediatric mandibular condylar fractures exhibit distinct features in terms of age, gender, timing of onset, etiology, location and type, the presence of concomitant maxillofacial soft/hard tissue injuries and multiple systemic injuries, as well as clinical manifestations and treatment modalities. Therefore, clinicians should pay special attention to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric condylar fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Due to the government's liberalization of epidemic control, the current 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has started to spread widely within China. This study aimed to use the fetal heart quantification (fetal HQ) technique to assess the cardiac function and morphology of the fetuses of pregnant women diagnosed with COVID‐19 in the early stages of pregnancy. Methods: Exactly 86 pregnant women diagnosed with COVID‐19 infection in early pregnancy (COVID‐19 group) and 90 healthy pregnant women (control group) who underwent fetal echocardiography were prospectively included in this study. The fetal HQ technique was applied to compare the differences in the global sphericity index (GSI), global strain values (GS), fractional area change (FAC), and 24‐segment fractional shortening (FS) of the left and right ventricles, between the COVID‐19 group and the control group. Results: Compared with the control group, the differences in GS and 24‐segment FS of the left ventricle in the COVID‐19 group were not statistically significant. However, the COVID‐19 group showed lower GSI values compared with the control group (1.24 vs 1.28). FAC (48.12%) of the left ventricle and GS (−23.55%), FAC (41.74%) of the right ventricle in the COVID‐19 group were reduced compared with FAC (50.50%) of the left ventricle and GS (−27.63%), FAC (46.01%) of the right ventricle in the control group. Segmental analysis revealed reduced FS in segments 20–24 in the COVID‐19 group compared with the control group. Right ventricular GS was an independent predictor of adverse pregnancy outcome with an optimal cutoff value of −18.66%. Conclusions: The results suggest that COVID‐19 infection in early pregnancy may have a negative impact on fetal cardiac morphology and function. Fetal HQ may offer a new assessment method for the early identification of fetal cardiac alterations in pregnant women infected with COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dicranopteris dichotoma is a pioneer herbaceous plant species that is tolerant to barrenness and drought. Mapping its biomass spatial distribution is valuable for understanding its important role in reducing soil erosion and restoring ecosystems. This research selected Luodihe watershed in Changting County, Fujian Province, China, where soil erosion has been a severe problem for a long time, as a case study to explore the method to estimate biomass, including total and aboveground biomass, through the integration of field measurements, handheld laser scanning (HLS), and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. A stepwise regression model and an allometric equation form model were used to develop biomass estimation models based on Lidar-derived variables at typical areas and at a regional scale. The results indicate that at typical areas, both total and aboveground biomass were best estimated using an allometric equation form model when HLS-derived height and density variables were extracted from a window size of 6 m × 6 m, with the coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.64 and 0.58 and relative root mean square error (rRMSE) of 28.2% and 35.8%, respectively. When connecting HLS-estimated biomass with ALS-derived variables at a regional scale, total and aboveground biomass were effectively predicted with rRMSE values of 17.68% and 17.91%, respectively. The HLS data played an important role in linking field measurements and ALS data. This research provides a valuable method to map Dicranopteris biomass distribution using ALS data when other remotely sensed data cannot effectively estimate the understory vegetation biomass. The estimated biomass spatial pattern will be helpful to understand the role of Dicranopteris in reducing soil erosion and improving the degraded ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of hyperuricemia in China has been consistently increasing, particularly among the younger generation. The excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with hyperuricemia. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese young adults regarding sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the correlation with hyperuricemia. Methods: This cross-sectional investigation was conducted from June 28th, 2023, to July 21st, 2023, and enrolled Chinese young adults. Demographics and KAP were evaluated using a questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.787). Factors influencing KAP scores were analyzed using multivariable analyses. Results: A total of 1288 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The median knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 16 (12,19)/22, 22 (20,24)/30, and 27.5 (23,31.75)/40. The multivariable analysis showed that bachelor's/associate education (OR = 1.912, 95%CI: 1.128–3.239), white collar/employee (OR = 0.147, 95%CI: 0.105–0.206), educator (OR = 0.300, 95%CI: 0.174–0.518), healthcare worker (OR = 0.277, 95%CI: 0.188–0.407), not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.253–0.590), and not having gout (OR = 0.456, 95%CI: 0.282–0.736) were independently associated with knowledge. Age 26–30 (OR = 1.470, 95%CI: 1.052–2.052), age 31–35 (OR = 1.489, 95%CI: 1.097–2.022), age 36–40 (OR = 0.328, 95%CI: 1.010–1.746), age 41–44 (OR = 1.548, 95%CI: 1.091–2.198), and not having hyperuricemia (OR = 0.512, 95%CI: 0.345–0.760) were independently associated with attitude. White collar/employee (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.285–0.521), educator (OR = 0.534, 95%CI: 0.317–0.899), healthcare worker (OR = 0.341, 95%CI: 0.236–0.493), having siblings (OR = 0.725, 95%CI: 0.573–0.917), and not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.442, 95%CI: 0.296–0.659), were independently associated with practice. Conclusion: Chinese young adults display moderate KAP toward sugar-sweetened beverages. Notably, an association was observed between hyperuricemia and each KAP dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decontamination of oil‐affected soil is an urgent worldwide issue. In this study, a microcosm experiment was conducted to explore the effect of combined utilization of urea and biochar on oil‐contamination remediation in an eastern China oil‐field soil and explored their impact on soil physicochemical properties, organic pollutants degrading‐related enzyme and functional genes, microbiome, and metabolome. Then, a pot experiment was conducted to verify the impact of the remediation experiment. Results showed that a combined application of biochar and nitrogen reduced 78.6% of total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. Combined treatment enhanced soil dehydrogenase and catalase activities, alkB, and CYP gene abundances relative to Control. Moreover, nitrogen input reduced soil microbial α‐diversity, while improving the relative abundances of Alcanivorax and Pseudogym. In addition, the pathways of glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, naphthalene and anthracene degradation, butanoate metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and glycolysis or gluconeogenesis were up‐regulated in combined treatment relative to Control. Besides, both biochar and nitrogen addition can increase the number of edges and clustering coefficient of the microbial network, and improve the network robustness. The pot experiment showed that combined treatments enhanced ryegrass shoot length, root length, and biomass by 57.8%, 38.5%, and 42.8%, respectively. Overall, this study proved the feasibility of combined biochar and urea co‐application in remedying oil‐contaminated soil and shed light on the inner mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses a wide range of computer science disciplines, including image recognition, machine learning, human−computer interaction, robotics and so on. Recently, AI, especially deep learning algorithms, has shown excellent performance in the field of image recognition, being able to automatically perform quantitative evaluation of complex medical image features to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. AI has a wider and deeper application in the medical field of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurs frequently in southern China and Southeast Asian countries and is the most common head and neck cancer in the region. Detecting and treating NPC early is crucial for a good prognosis. This paper describes the basic concepts of AI, including traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms, and their clinical applications of detecting and assessing NPC lesions, facilitating treatment and predicting prognosis. The main limitations of current AI technologies are briefly described, including interpretability issues, privacy and security and the need for large amounts of annotated data. Finally, we discuss the remaining challenges and the promising future of using AI to diagnose and treat NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 100 agricultural soil samples, collected in the Yellow River Delta, China, were analyzed for six U.S. Environmental Protection Agency priority phthalate esters (PAEs), focusing on the characteristics of PAEs contamination and potential health risks. The detection frequencies of ∑6PAEs were 100%, where the concentration ranged from 1.087 to 14.391 mg·kg−1, with a mean value of 4.149 mg·kg−1. The most abundant PAEs were di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP). The areas with higher contents of ∑6PAEs are distributed in the western and central parts of the Yellow River Delta region and around Laizhou Bay. PAEs in the Yellow River Delta agricultural soil were attributed to pollutant emissions from petrochemical industries, plasticizers or additives, fertilizers, and pesticides. The non-carcinogenic risk of human exposure to PAEs in agricultural soils is relatively low, but the non-carcinogenic risk is higher in children than in adults, and children are a sensitive group. Under the dietary route, both DEHP and ∑2PAEs (BBP, and DEHP) pose some degree of carcinogenic risk to both local adults and children. Efforts must be made to enhance the prevention and control of PAEs contamination of agricultural soils in the Yellow River Delta region to reduce the potential risk to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Passive smoking is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We tested whether the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type D (PTPRD) gene rs17584499 single-nucleotide polymorphism is associated with (T2DM) and whether its interaction with passive smoking affects women's susceptibility to T2DM. Methods: The subjects were from a community-based survey conducted in Nanchang, China, between May 2017 and June 2018. The study included 160 women with 79 T2DM patients as the T2DM group and 81 healthy volunteers without diabetes as the control group. Peripheral blood genomic DNA was extracted to detect the genotype of the target site of the PTPRD gene. Logistic regression analysis was performed to study the association between the rs17584499 SNP and the risk of T2DM and to analyse the influence of the interaction between genes and passive smoking on susceptibility to T2DM. Results: After adjusting for age, LDL-C, HDL-C, TC, TG, FINS, IL-18, hs-CRP, and cotinine, binary logistic regression analysis did not find a significant association between rs17584499 and susceptibility to diabetes. After stratifying according to passive smoking, we found that passive smoking women with the CT/TT genotype had a higher risk of T2DM compared with the CC genotype (OR = 3.50, 95 % CI = 1.18~10.44, p = 0.02), but no significant difference was found in non-passive smoking. Conclusions: This study shows that the T allele of rs17584499 may be a risk factor for female T2DM and that there is a synergistic effect between passive smoking and PTPRD rs17584499 on the susceptibility to T2DM among females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric cable shovel (ECS) is one of the core pieces of equipment used in open-pit mining, and the prediction of its excavating resistance is the basis and focus of optimization design, such as excavation trajectory planning and structure optimization of the ECS. Aiming to predict the excavating resistance of an ECS, a computer simulation method for the excavating resistance based on EDEM-RecurDyn bidirectional coupling simulation is proposed herein. Taking the China-made WK series ECS as the research object, a 1/30 scale model of the ECS was set up, a prototype model test bench of the ECS was built, and the kinematics solution and force analysis of the excavating process were carried out. According to the actual excavation conditions and excavating process of the ECS, a discrete element model of the material stack and a multibody dynamics model of the ECS prototype were established. The EDEM-RecurDyn bidirectional coupling simulation of the excavating process were realized using interface technology, and the excavating resistance levels under different speed combinations and different material repose angles were simulated and analyzed. In order to verify the accuracy of the simulation results, the feasibility and reliability of the EDEM-RecurDyn bidirectional coupling simulation were verified by physical experiments. The results show that the simulated excavating resistance is basically consistent with the excavating resistance measured in the experiment in terms of peak value and change trend, which verifies the feasibility and reliability of the EDEM-RecurDyn bidirectional coupling simulation to study the excavating resistance of an ECS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In-hospital strokes account for 4–17% of all strokes and usually lead to urgent and severe conditions. However, features of in-hospital strokes have been scarcely reported in China, and the management systems of in-hospital strokes are unestablished. The study aims to analyze the characteristics of in-hospital strokes in comparison to community-onset strokes and provides evidence for the development of national in-patient stroke care systems. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with in-hospital strokes (IHS group) and community-onset strokes (COS group) hospitalized in our hospital between June 2012, and January 2022. Clinical characteristics, care measures, and outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 1162 patients (age 61 ± 16 and 65% male) were included, of whom 193 (16.6%) had an in-hospital stroke and 969 (83.4%) had community-onset stroke. Compared with COS group, patients in IHS group had higher NIHSS at onset (7.25 vs 5.96, P = 0.054), higher use of endovascular therapy (10.4% vs 2.0%, P < 0.001), and lower use of intravascular thrombolysis (1.6% vs 7.2%, P = 0.003). Also, in-hospital strokes were associated with lower rate of mRS0-2 at discharge (OR[95%CI] = 0.674[0.49, 0.926], P = 0.015) and increased in-hospital mobility (OR[95%CI] = 3.621[1.640, 7.996], P = 0.001), after adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusion: Compared with community-onset strokes, the patients with in-hospital stroke had insufficient urgent treatment and poorer outcomes, reflecting the need for increased awareness of in-patient stroke, and strategies to streamline in-hospital acute stroke care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the rising domestic demand and increasing global prices of corn and soybean, China is looking for alternatives for these imports to produce animal fodder. Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) has great potential as a new forage source, due to abundant proteins, phenols and flavonoids in its leaves. However, few studies have evaluated the mechanism of protein synthesis in kenaf leaves. In the current work, compared with kenaf material "L332," the percentage of crude protein content in leaves of material "Q303" increased by 6.13%; combined with transcriptome and proteome data, the kenaf samples were systematically studied to obtain mRNA-protein correlation. Then, the genes/proteins related to protein synthesis in the kenaf leaves were obtained. Moreover, this work detected mRNA expression of 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Meanwhile, 20 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) related to protein synthesis were performed parallel reaction monitoring. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP), nitrite reductase (NirA), prolyl tRNA synthase (PARS) and glycine dehydrogenase (GLDC) presented increased mRNA and protein levels within kenaf leaves with high protein content. Based on the obtained findings, FBP , NirA , PARS , and GLDC genes may exert a vital function in the protein synthesis of kenaf leaves. The results provide a new idea for further studying the potential genes affecting the quality trait of protein content in kenaf leaves and provide gene resources and a theoretical foundation for further cultivating high protein kenaf varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of research on the nature of drug-related problems (DRPs) in older adult communities in China and the impact of home medication review on DRP reduction and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) improvement.Objectives: To identify and categorize DRPs in older adults in China and to assess the impact of home medication review.Methods: The prospective study was conducted in 2 community health service centers in Shanghai, China from December 2018 to December 2019. Eligible patients received a home medication review by a clinical pharmacist to assess for DRPs and adherence, propose pharmaceutical interventions, and measure outcomes of HRQoL. All enrolled patients were followed up for 3 months.Results: Medication use in 412 patients was analyzed. A total of 362 DRPs were identified, an average of 0.88 per patient. Treatment effectiveness was the primary DRP type (249; 68.8%). The most common causes of DRPs were patient-related (35.1%) and drug selection (31.0%). Pharmacists made 733 interventions, an average of 2 per DRP. A total of 82.1% of these interventions were accepted. At a 3-month follow-up, home medication review led to a statistically significant reduction in the mean number of DRPs (0.4 vs. 0.88, P < 0.001) and an increase in medication adherence (1.42 vs. 0.85, P < 0.001). Both HRQoL indicators also improved, EuroQol 5 Dimension scale (0.75 vs. 0.78, P < 0.001) and EuroQol-visual analog scale (70 vs. 77.65, P < 0.001).Conclusion: Home medication review is a practical means to optimize drug therapy and improve patients' HRQoL in community settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on data from in-depth interviews with twenty-one founder-CEOs of social work organisations (SWOs) in Mainland China, this article develops the concept of 'strategic resource mobilisation' and investigates how founder-CEOs' professional backgrounds influence their mobilisation of resources in three areas—funding, human resources and government relations. We find that founder-CEOs adopt different strategies in mobilising resources, presenting distinct advantages and disadvantages according to their professional background. In particular, founder-CEOs affiliated with universities are viewed with trust and respect by the government and have social work students as human resources but report a lack of management skills; founder-CEOs from a business background have wider access to financial support and make good use of their management experiences and skills but are challenged by frontline social workers; and founder-CEOs with prior government experience rely on connections with officials to secure funding but face greater administrative constraints. The findings provide valuable insights for SWO executives to better assess their organisational capacity, leadership and management. The research further suggests that, to ensure the sustainable development of SWOs in Mainland China, government policies could be introduced to help diversify the funding sources, and efforts should be made to improve the partnership between the government and SWOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Hengli® Chinese botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A; 100 U) in Chinese patients with overactive bladder. Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Chinese patients who were inadequately managed with anticholinergic medications. Eligible patients were randomized 2:1 to receive intradetrusor injections of Hengli® BTX-A (n = 144) or placebo (n = 72). The primary endpoint was the change in the number of daily micturition episodes at week 6 from baseline. The secondary efficacy endpoints included the average frequency of urgency and urinary incontinence (UI) episodes per day, urgency score, average micturition volume per day, OABSS, and QoL score. Results: In the Hengli® BTX-A group, there was a significantly greater reduction in the average number of micturition episodes per 24 h compared with the placebo group (3.28 vs. 1.43; p = 0.003). Moreover, there was a significantly greater improvement in the daily number of urgency episodes, micturition volume and OABSS score. An increased post-void residual urine volume, dysuria, and urinary tract infection represented adverse events (AEs) in the Hengli® BTX-A group. Most AEs were mild or moderate in severity. One patient in the BTX-A group initiated clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) during treatment. Conclusion: Hengli® BTX-A treatment was well-tolerated and resulted in significant improvements in OAB symptoms among Chinese patients inadequately managed by anticholinergics. Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/clinicaltrials.prosearch.dhtml, Identifier: CTR20131190. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an important oxidoreductase in the anaerobic metabolic pathway. The role of LDH in arterial stiffness (AS) and 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD10) risk has not been established. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, and observational study evaluated the relationships between the LDH level and AS and CVD10 risk in 12,597 health-examined people (6988 men and 5609 women; mean age, 49.49 years) in China. Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was used to estimate AS. The Framingham CVD 10-year risk prediction model was used to calculate the CVD10 risk score. Results: In both sexes, an increased LDH level was associated with increased AS and CVD10 (men: β = 0.032, P < 0.001; women: β = 0.025, P < 0.001). Half of the population with a high LDH level (≥ 172 U/L) showed significantly increased AS and CVD10 risk score. Men and women with baPWV ≥ 1400 cm/s had a higher LDH level, and the latter was significantly different from that of the group with baPWV < 1400 cm/s (men: 176.93± 30.99 vs 173.00± 33.36, P < 0.001; women: 189.10± 34.20 vs 171.39± 31.08, P < 0.001). In both sexes, a higher level of LDH was noted in groups with higher CVD10 risk score (men: 176.65± 32.51 vs 172.94± 32.46, P < 0.001; women: 202.51± 44.05 vs 175.73± 32.39, P < 0.001). Discussion: An increased LDH level may be associated with AS and CVD10 risk. The LDH level could be a new predictor of AS and CVD10 risk in health-examined populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being one of the most important factors in deep oil and gas exploration, the preservation mechanisms of ultradeep carbonate reservoirs remain poorly understood. This study performed thin-section, geochemistry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, fluid inclusion, and basin model analysis of samples from two boreholes over 8,000 m deep in the Sichuan Basin to determine the pore features and preservation mechanism of the Sinian (Ediacaran) Dengying Formation carbonate reservoirs. The reservoir of CS well #1 is characterised by pore diameters larger than a centimetre (average porosity 7.48%; permeability 0.8562 mD), and the pores are mainly filled with dolomite or bitumen. In contrast, the reservoir of MS well #1 is predominantly composed of micron-scale residual pores (average porosity 1.74%; permeability 0.0072 mD), and the pores are typically filled with dolomite, bitumen, and multistage quartz. The burial thermal histories suggest that both reservoirs were subjected to high pressure (i.e., pressure coefficient > 1.5) before the Late Cretaceous. However, the pressure coefficient of the reservoir of MS well #1 has decreased to less than 1.0 owing to strong structural adjustment this well since the Late Cretaceous, which allowed other ore-forming fluids to enter and fill the pores, resulting in further compaction of the pores. In contrast, the pressure coefficient of CS well #1 is 1.1–1.2, which effectively prevented other ore-forming fluids from entering and filling the pores. The findings show that the dynamic adjustment of the Dengying Formation palaeo-gas reservoir indirectly affects the preservation or failure of the reservoir. The occurrence and geometry of bitumen in the Dengying reservoir exhibit good consistency with the pressure changes in both boreholes. In particular, bitumen with an annular shape and contraction joints in reservoir pores is widespread in CS well #1, which is attributed to the continuous preservation of palaeo-gas fields. Conversely, bitumen with a broken particle shape is located among the epigenetic minerals widespread in MS well #1, which is attributed to failure and depletion of the palaeo-gas fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a new definition for liver disease associated with known metabolic dysfunction. Based on new diagnostic criteria, we aimed to investigate its prevalence and risk factors in Chinese population.Methods: We conducted this study in a health examination population who underwent abdominal ultrasonography in China. The diagnosis of MAFLD was based on the new diagnostic criteria. The characteristics of the MAFLD population, as well as the associations between MAFLD and metabolic abnormalities, were explored. Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were performed to compare different variables. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors for MAFLD.Results: Among 139,170 subjects, the prevalence of MAFLD was 26.1% (males: 35.4%; females: 14.1%). The prevalence based on female menopausal status, that is, premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal, was 6.1%, 16.8%, and 30.2%, respectively. In different BMI groups (underweight, normal, overweight and obese), the prevalence was 0.1%, 4.0%, 27.4% and 59.8%, respectively. The proportions of abnormal metabolic features in the MAFLD group were significantly higher than those in the non-MAFLD group, as was the proportion of elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (42.5% vs. 11%, P < 0.001). In nonobese individuals with MAFLD, the proportions of abnormal metabolic features were also all significantly higher than those in nonobese individuals without MAFLD. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), dyslipidaemia, and hyperuricaemia, respectively, in the MAFLD group (53.2%, 80.0%, and 45.0%) was significantly higher than that in the non-MAFLD group (10.1%, 41.7%, and 16.8%). Logistic regression revealed that age, BMI, waist circumference, ALT, triglycerides, fasting glucose, uric acid and platelet count were associated with MAFLD.Conclusions: MAFLD is prevalent in China and varies considerably among different age, sex, BMI, and female menopausal status groups. MAFLD is related to metabolic disorders, especially obesity, while metabolic disorders also play important roles in the occurrence of MAFLD in nonobese individuals. MAFLD patients exhibit a high prevalence of MS, dyslipidaemia, hyperuricaemia, and elevated liver enzymes. MAFLD tends to coexist with systemic metabolic disorders, and a deep inner relationship may exist between MAFLD and MS. Metabolic disorders should be considered to improve the management of MAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although freshwater ecological restoration (FER) has undergone an immense development over the past two decades in China either in the number of projects or in the spatial scale of implementations, a dearth of clear and comprehensive trends in this field is still a particular concern. We conducted a literature survey through searching the database of Web of Science between 1997 and 2017 to investigate the driving force behind FER practice and to summarize the restoration outcomes. Results: A total of 2047 publications were hit and 198 of them were finally retained after manual screening. The number of studies in this field has been steadily increasing in recent years and their provincial distribution is positively correlated with GDP growth and the investment to pollution control and environmental protection, suggesting that economic development is a key driving factor of FER practice. Among the remaining articles, nearly half (46.5%) focus on lake ecosystems, and 34.8% and 32.8% of the studies indicate that land reclamation and eutrophication are the predominant causes of freshwater ecosystem degradation. The overarching target of the restoration is biodiversity increase (31.4%), followed by water quality improvement (24.7%) and ecosystem services (23.9%). Revegetation is a dominant restoration approach (40.9%). Reference sites for assessment of restoration projects are normally control locations without intervention (60%), or the status of the targeted sites before the interventions. For the restoration outcome evaluation, 86% of the studies present positive outcomes in terms of water quality improvement, and 79% have improvement in biological features. The most frequently monitored organisms are macrophytes (31%), followed by benthos as indicators of ecological condition. Conclusions: Economic growth, water pollution and investment into environmental protection are the main driving factors of FER practice in China. The effort of restoration and evaluation over the past two decades has not been limited to improving hydrological function and water quality, but also pay increasingly more attention to biological processes and ecological integrity, and further the ecosystem services in recent years. However, the lack of long-term monitoring and socioeconomic attributes considered in restoration success assessments are still particular issues that need to be addressed in the future FER researches and projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to investigate lung cancer patients and attitudes of their caregivers toward advance directives (ADs) in China. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Oncology outpatient clinic in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. A questionnaire was used to survey the attitudes of lung cancer patients and caregivers toward ADs. Results: A total of 148 lung cancer patients and 149 caregivers were enrolled into the study. Of these, 94.6% and 89.9% of patients and caregivers had not heard of AD and none of those in the study had ever signed an AD. A total of 79.7% patients and 75.2% caregivers were willing to sign ADs after they were provided with information. Patients who preferred the end of life period to sign ADs were 5.4 times more likely to have ADs than patients who chose to sign ADs when their disease was diagnosed (P < 0.05, 95%CI [1.27–22.93]). Caregivers who were reluctant to undergo chemotherapy when diagnosed with cancer were 2.16 times more likely to sign ADs than those willing to receive chemotherapy (P < 0.05, 95%CI [1.20–3.90]). Conclusions: In China, lung cancer patients and their caregivers showed lack of knowledge about ADs, and the completion rate of ADs was extremely low. However, participants were positive about ADs and public education on ADs may help to increase the completion rate of ADs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important protein in the lectin pathway of the immune system. This study explores the association between MBL polymorphism and the susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB). The association between the MBL2 polymorphisms and serum MBL levels is also analyzed in the present study.Methods: A total of 112 inpatients with pulmonary TB and 120 healthy controls were recruited to participate in this case-control study. Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) technology was used to genotype MBL gene (variants in -221Y/X and exon l codons 54 A/B). Serum MBL level was assayed by human MBL ELISA kit. Demographic data and exposure information were also obtained from the study participants.Results: Genotypes YA/YA of MBL gene were more prevalent in the healthy control group than in the TB patient (P =0.038, OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.34-0.97) and genotypes XA/XA were less frequent in the healthy control group (P =0.007, OR, 6.42; 95% CI, 1.39-29.67). The resistant diplotype was more frequently found in the younger patients and retreatment cases with TB in MBL gene sites -221Y/X or codon 54 A/B. X/Y and A/B polymorphisms were strong determinants of serum MBL levels.Conclusion: The polymorphisms of MBL gene may be associated with susceptibility to TB and the recurrence of TB. The YA/YA may be a protected diplotype against TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern foot of Helan mountain is a famous production area of high-end wine grapes in China. Excessive application of NPK fertilizer induced deficiency in trace elements, such as calcium, and seriously affected the properties of wine grapes. A vineyard in the eastern foot of Helan mountain was selected to investigate the influence of five different concentration treatments of 15 (T1), 30 (T2), 45 (T3), 60 (T4), and 75 (T5) kg·ha-1 of water-soluble calcium fertilizer (Ca(NO3)2·4H2O) application on grape calcium content, yield and fruit properties. The application of calcium fertilizer significantly increased the calcium content in leaves but reduced that in stems and fruits. The highest grape production of 6560.83 kg·ha-1 was achieved at T5 calcium fertilizer application, corresponding to increase of 30.92% than that for the control (CK, normal fertilization) treatment. The minimum titratable acid of 4.63 g·L-1 in grapes was detected at T2 calcium fertilizer application, which was 16.38% lower than CK, however, 13.40% increase in sugar-to-acid ratio was observed at T2. At 45 kg·ha-1 calcium fertilizer concentration, the anthocyanins content was 6.47 mg·L-1, indicating an increase of 53.23% than CK. This study showed that the optimal calcium fertilizer concentration was 30 kg·ha-1 with the lowest °Brix, titratable acidity, anthocyanins, the highest total phenols, reducing sugar, sugar-to-acid ratio, and an acceptable concentration of the soluble sugar and tannins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We report a rare case of the periodontal Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (pEDS) associated with severe periodontitis and tooth loss in a Chinese family. Material and Methods: The proband complained of gingival bleeding and mobility, which were also reported in his mother, and maternal uncle and his maternal grandmother and great‐grandfather in the past. All family members underwent oral, physical, dermatological, and genetic examinations. Results: Oral manifestation of family members affected with pEDS presented severe periodontitis with multiple or total tooth loss. The proband displayed unique clinical manifestations including a characteristic facial appearance and thin, translucent skin with easily visible venous patterns on feet. Whole‐exome sequencing identified missense mutation c.265T>C in C1R in all affected family members tested and frameshift mutation c.1322delG in COL3A1 in the proband alone. None of the unaffected members showed any marked oral, physical, dermatological, or genetic findings. Conclusion: We reported an extremely rare case of pEDS with a missense mutation in C1R in a Chinese family, with coexistence C1R and COL3A1 mutations in the proband who was suspected to suffer from vascular EDS as well. To our knowledge, this is the first case of coexistence of two forms of EDS in a single individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coking is one of the most important emission sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in China. Investigation of the contamination, distribution, and sources of PAHs in agricultural soils around Rong Xin coking plant, China, was conducted, and the potential human health risks were addressed. The total concentration of the 16 PAHs (∑16PAHs) on the United States Environmental Protection Agency priority list had a range from 1774 to 4621 µg/kg (mean 3016 µg/kg). Meanwhile, seven carcinogenic PAHs (∑PAH7c) owned the total concentrations of 684–2105 µg/kg, and they had the benzo[a]pyrene equivalent (BaPeq) concentrations at 139.616–1672.850 µg/kg. All soil samples were dominated by PAHs with two to four rings. Data analyses for the potential sources of PAHs showed that the PAHs in soils were principally from pyrogenic sources. Ecological risk assessment of soil PAHs showed that the BaPeqconcentrations of ∑PAH7caccounted for 99% of the total ∑16PAHs, being a major carcinogenic contributors of ∑16PAHs. Higher levels of PAHs and higher total BaPeqconcentrations in this study indicate a potential carcinogenic risk for humans. Therefore, long-term exposure to coking plants may increase the PAH concentrations in the environment and further raise a potential risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As part of the construction of ecological civilization, the development of under-forest economy has been paid more and more attention. This paper uses DEA model to measure the development of under-forest economy. The results show that the development of the under-forest contributes to the increase of the output value, and thus promotes the growth of the farmers’ income. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Vegetation severely degraded and even disappeared in the water bodies of Chaohu Lake basin, which is the fifth largest freshwater lake in the Yangtze flood plain in China, because of water pollution and eutrophication. Vegetation restoration projects have been carried out. However, the influences of water quality and hydrology on vegetation restoration from seed banks have been rarely investigated. This experiment aimed to identify the effect of water level and nitrogen loading (ammonium and nitrate) on seedling emergence and recruitment from the riparian seed bank of the river in this basin. Most of the species in the seed bank germinated under moist conditions. Under flooding conditions, however, the growth of aquatic species, especially Vallisneria natans (Lour.) Hara, was inhibited when the nitrogen concentration increased. At 0.37 mg/L NH -N in the water column, the growth of V. natans was inhibited. The results suggested that flooding was a primary limiting factor of seedling emergence. The inhibitory effect of high nitrogen loading on the growth of aquatic species was one of the main driving mechanisms of macrophyte degradation under flooding conditions; nevertheless, competitive advantage might determine the community pattern in moist habitats. Therefore, water level control and water quality improvement should be the key aspects of vegetation restoration in degraded rivers or lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in soil (n=196) and vegetable (n=30) collected from greenhouses, and also in the soil (n=27) collected from agriculture fields close to the greenhouses in Shandong Province, China. The total PAH concentration (∑ 16 PAH) ranged from 152.2 µg/kg to 1317.7 µg/kg, within the moderate range in agricultural soils of China. Three-ring PAHs were the dominant species, with Phe (16.3%), Ace (13.1%), and Fl (10.5%) as the major compounds. The concentrations of low molecular weight (LMW ≤3 rings) PAHs were high in the east and north of Shandong, while the concentrations of high molecular weight (HMW ≥4 rings) PAHs were high in the south and west of the study area. The PAH level in soils in industrial areas (IN) was higher than those in transport areas (TR) and rural areas (RR). No significant difference in concentration of ∑ 16 PAH and composition was observed in soils of vegetable greenhouses and field soils. PAH concentration exhibited a weakly positive correlation with alkaline nitrogen, available phosphorus in soil, but a weakly negative correlation with soil pH. However, no obvious correlation was observed between PAH concentration and organic matter of soil, or ages of vegetable greenhouses. ∑ 16 PAH in vegetables ranged from 89.9 µg/kg to 489.4 µg/kg, and LMW PAHs in vegetables positively correlated with those in soils. The sources of PAHs were identified and quantitatively assessed through positive matrix factorization. The main source of PAHs in RR was coal combustion, while the source was traffic in TR and IN. Moreover, petroleum source, coke source, biomass combustion, or mixed sources also contributed to PAH pollution. According to Canadian soil quality guidelines, exposure to greenhouse soils in Shandong posed no risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sichuan Basin is a typical superimposed basin, which experienced multi-phase tectonic movements, meanwhile Sinian-Cambrian underwent complex hydrocarbon accumulation processes, causing exploration difficulties in the past 60 years. Based on the microscopic evidence of fluid inclusions, combined with basin-modelling, this paper determines stages and time of hydrocarbon accumulation, reconstructs evolution of formation pressure and dynamic processes of hydrocarbon accumulation in Sinian Dengying Formation-Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation of Gaoshiti-Moxi structure. Three stages of inclusions are detected, including a stage of yellow-yellowgreen fluorescent oil inclusions, a stage of blue fluorescent oil-gas inclusions and a stage of non-fluorescent gas inclusions, reflecting the study area has experienced a series of complex hydrocarbon accumulation processes, such as formation of paleo-oil reservoirs, cracking of crude oil, formation of paleo-gas reservoirs and adjustment to present gas reservoirs, which occurred during 219-188, 192-146 and 168-0 Ma respectively. During the period of crude oil cracking, Dengying Formation-Longwangmiao Formation showed weak overpressure to overpressure characteristics, then after adjustment of paleo-gas reservoirs to present gas reservoirs, the pressure in Dengying Formation changed into overpressure but finally reduced to normal pressure system. However, due to excellent preservation conditions, the overpressure strength in Longwangmiao Formation only slightly decreased and was still kept to this day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitous occurrence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in agricultural soil results in their inevitable accumulation in crops, potentially increasing the risk of human exposure to PAEs via daily food intake. Dietary health risk of PAEs not only depends on locally produced food but also the imported food from other regions. However, the impact of interregional food trade on human dietary exposure to PAEs has been seldom assessed. Herein, we investigated the impact of interregional food trade on the dietary exposure to PAEs that contributed from soil contamination in China. The average daily dietary intake of PAEs for the Chinese general population was 24.3 μg/kg/day when assuming the total consumption of crops from local market only, while the average daily dietary intake of PAEs for the Chinese general population was decreased by 2.9% when the effects of interregional food trade were involved into the calculation. Additionally, the interregional food trade remarkably increased the daily dietary intake of PAEs in the regions of Beijing-Tianjin region (47.8%), North (21.4%) and Central (4.26%). As a result, the hazard quotient value of PAEs in the regions of Beijing-Tianjin region, North and Central increased by 29.4%, 11.0% and 5.0%, respectively, owing to the consumption of imported crops from the highly PAEs contaminated regions. In contrast, the daily intake and hazard quotient value of PAEs in the regions of Central Coast, Northwest, Northeast and South Coast decreased due to the interregional trade. These results indicated that the interregional food trade promoted the transfer of PAEs between regions and thus altered the potential risk to the local population. Overall, this study highlights the importance of taking the interregional food trade into account to provide a more accurate risk assessment of dietary exposure to pollutants. [Display omitted] • The spatial occurrence of PAEs in soil across China was investigated. • The regional concentrations of PAEs in vegetables and rice in China were estimated. • The regional exposure risk to PAEs was influenced by the interregional food trade. • Interregional food trade decreased the nationwide daily intake and risk of PAEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niu Huang Jie Du prescription (NHJD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) widely used in patients suffering from excessive inner fire toxin (Huo Du Nei Sheng) syndrome, such as sore throat, gingival swelling, and pain, mouth and tongue sores, etc. This formula contains realgar (As 4 S 4) which is one of the 28 toxic medicinal materials promulgated by the Chinese Ministry of Health. Many studies reported its toxicity on the liver and kidney, and the detoxification effect of NHJD. However, its detoxification mechanism is still unclear. To clarify the detoxification mechanism of NHJD to realgar, this study evaluated the detoxification effect of NHJD on realgar exposure in mice, and analyzed differences in mRNA expression profiles in liver tissues and associated functional predictions. ICR mice were administered with NHJD, realgar, and CMC-Na as blank control for 12 weeks, respectively. Liver injury was evaluated by histopathologic examination and liver mRNA gene were sequenced by Illumina. Differentially expressed gene, functionally enrichment and protein association network analysis were conducted. 43 genes were screened out, among which 15 genes in the realgar group were decreased, but the extent of the decline has been restored in the NHJD group. The remaining 28 genes have exactly the opposite trends. Functional module analysis revealed that those detoxification function-related genes were primarily for positive regulation of glutathione metabolism, P450 on the metabolism of exogenous compounds, oxidative stress and immune-related, etc. The results indicated that realgar mainly causes liver damage by changing the common enzymes of drug metabolism, especially the expression of genes related to CYPs, GSTs family, oxidative stress, and complement immunity, while the TCM prescription NHJD has a regulatory effect on the abnormal expression of corresponding genes. Our results will provide some clues for the detoxification mechanism of arsenic-containing TCM prescriptions. [Display omitted] • We focused on the detoxification mechanism of realgar-containing NHJD in mice. • RNA expression, KEGG, GO analysis and protein association network were conducted. • Enzymes of drug metabolism may be involved in the detoxification mechanism of NHJD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article briefly summarized research-oriented practice teaching ideas, construction and implementations of the nearly five years ' teaching system at the School of Agriculture and Biology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University ( SJTU ). The authors started by arousing and cultivating students ' interest in studying agricultural science when considering top-level design of practical teaching system and cultivated students ' innovative spirit by launching entrepreneurship pulpit, freshman seminar, and advanced research platform in a comprehensive university surrounding. Furthermore, the authors initiated the teaching methods of putting teaching into research, promoted science research through teaching, enriched teaching contents through research results, and encouraged teachers to transfer research results into practice programs. Up to now, 20 specialized experimental projcts have been listed in the educational reform projects of SJTU and applied into students' practical skiils as well. Besides thesis projects, teachers' research facilities have supported 312 innovative projects, with 670 students' participation. And meanwhile utilized verified experiments to make students truly believe science when designing curriculum system. By establishing comprehensive and open experiments to develop students ' exploring ability, for the moment the class hours of comprehensive experiments and self-designed experiments in the School of Agriculture and Biology account for 78% of afl experimental time. It shows that carrying out research-oriented practice teaching is effective for cultivating innovative talents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been a number of studies shedding light on the characteristics of business angels and their investment behavior across the world, but few are in the Chinese context. This study provides an initial profile of Chinese business angels via a questionnaire survey. Based on a sample of 78 respondents, this paper describes the characteristics and investment behavior of business angels in China. An international comparison is made between the findings reported in this paper and those from the USA, the UK, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. Chinese business angels are comparable to those in foreign countries in terms of age, educational background and business experience. The key differences lie in the fact that Chinese business angels are not all high net worth individuals and are less involved in hands-on involvement, having large-sized investments and co-investing in many of the deals within their cities with a short holding period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As an important component of restorations of polluted and/or degraded rivers, vegetation recovery has become a research highlight in the last two decades. Seed bank have been used as the best tool to allow natural recolonization of indigenous plants probably occurring before the degradation of the water bodies. To illustrate the relationship between water pollution and distribution of seed bank and evaluate the potential application of seed bank in vegetation restoration of polluted rivers, an urban river, Nanfeihe River was selected as the investigation target. A total of 27 species from 17 families with dominant families of Poaceae (5 species) and Polygonaceae (4 species) were identified in 38 channel bed samples. The observed species included 4 aquatic, 7 wetland and 16 terrestrial species, which occupied 15%, 26% and 59% of the total species, respectively. The species richness at the 10 sampling sites varied from 7 to 19, and the seed densities varied from 804 to 1.48×104 seedlingsm−2. Species richness and seed density in the river margin were significantly higher than those in the mid-channel (P <0.05), and those in upper sediment layers were also higher than those in sub-layers. The species richness and Shannon Index of seed bank were significantly related to total nitrogen (TN) concentration in the sediment by Gauss regression (R 2 =0.94, P <0.001 and R 2 =0.91, P <0.001). Increasing TN concentrations in sediment eventually led to the decline of species richness and diversity. CCA ordination suggested that water depth and NH4 +–N concentration in water column played an important role in shaping the pattern of seed bank in the river. Perhaps water pollution not only caused degradation or even disappearance of standing vegetations, but also influenced the storage and distribution of seed bank. In addition, nitrogen-loading gradient along the river was probably capable of determining the pattern of seed bank at certain extend. The quantitative relations between the pattern of seed bank and water pollution give us insight to evaluate the potential application of seed bank in vegetation recovery in polluted urban rivers, and it would also contribute to urban riverine management, diversity conservation and ecological assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the past three decades, the fast development of economy and urbanization has caused increasingly severe pollutions of urban water bodies in China. Consequently, eutrophication and deterioration of aquatic ecosystem, which is especially significant for aquatic vegetation, inevitably became a pervasive problem across the Yangtze River Basin. To rehabilitate the degraded urban water bodies, vegetation replanting is an important issue to improve water quality and to rehabilitate ecosystem. As a case study, a representative polluted urban river, Nanfeihe River, in Hefei City, Anhui Province, was chosen to be a rehabilitation target. In October 2009 and May 2010, 13 species of indigenous and prevalent macrophytes, including seven species emergent, one species floating leaved, and five species submersed macrophytes, were planted along the bank slopes and in the river. Through 1.5 years' replanting practice, the water quality and biodiversity of the river had been improved. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) declined by 46.0, 39.5, and 60.4 %, respectively. The species of macrophytes increased from 14 to 60, and the biodiversity of phytoplankton rose significantly in the river ( p < 0.05). The biomasses of zooplankton and benthos were also improved after the vegetation replanting. The study confirmed that vegetation replanting could alleviate the increasing water pollution and rehabilitate the degraded aquatic ecosystem. The case study would be an example for polluted urban waters restoration in the middle-downstream area of Yangtze River Base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In many ecological restoration projects conducted in eutrophic waters of China, vegetation recovery is usually restricted by highly organic sediment characterized with anoxic conditions. The effects of sediment anoxia on growth and root respiratory metabolism of Iris pseudacorus were investigated using modified rhizobox systems with sediment anoxia simulated through sucrose/agar addition into sediment. The anoxia levels simulated included control (without sucrose addition), moderate anoxia (MA, 0.5% sucrose addition) and high anoxia (HA, 1.0% sucrose addition). The results indicated that the total biomass, relative growth rate (RGR), number and mean length of leaves and tiller number did not differ between the three anoxia levels (p >0.05). However, the redox condition of sediment significantly affected the biomass allocation, root:shoot ratio (R:S ratio) was 18.9% and 50.3% higher in the MA and HA treatments, and the roots were denser and shorter in anoxic conditions than in controls. There were no significant differences in physicochemical properties (redox potential and pH) between rhizospheric and non-vegetated sediment (p >0.05). The present study indicated that I. pseudacorus has a strong resistance to sediment anoxia through increasing root production and anaerobic respiration, which enables it to be an appropriate pioneer species in vegetation restoration engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yixing Zisha pottery is one of the most representative and influential traditional tea sets in ancient and even contemporary China. Chemical and phase composition, microstructure and performance of Yixing Zisha pottery samples from the late Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty (1573 A.D.–1911 A.D.) unearthed for the first time in the Shushan Mountain Zisha pottery kiln sites in the western and southern hills of Shushan Mountain, Dingshu Town, Yixing City, China, were systematically analyzed. The chemical composition variations of Yixing Zisha pottery of the above-mentioned periods were studied. Porous structure of Yixing Zisha pottery body was discovered and the relationships among the unique performance of Yixing Zisha pottery, its raw material and the special technological process were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the over-exploitation of water resources, water pollution and poor management of water infrastructures are exacerbated. Ecosystem degradation is apparent at the basin level. The Tarim River Basin in northwest China has seen intensive confrontation between environmental protection and economic development over the past five decades. Ambitious agricultural development and land reclamation projects implemented by the Chinese government in the early 1960s led to several influences. For example, the construction of dams like the Daxihaizi Reservoir disrupted the stream-flow to the lower reaches. Water resource reproducible ability (WRRA) refers to the ability of water resources to be continually added by the natural water cycle. It includes the supplementation of water quantity and the self-purification of water quality in the natural cycle of water resources. This study discusses the WRRA index and introduces the computational method for calculating the WRRA index for the Tarim River Basin. The following conclusions are observed: (1) from 1956 to 2005, the indices of WRRA in the Hotan River Basin, Yarkand and Aksu River Basin are 0.26, 0.55, 0.58, respectively, which are between 0 and 1. The results indicate that the hydrological cycle in these three sub-basins is in a reproducible state. (2) The WRRA index in the Kaidu-Kong River Basin is 1.23 > 1, which indicates that floods may occur in the Kaidu-Kong River Basin. (3) The index of WRRA in the main stream is 0, which indicates that the WRRA is very weak at this location, and zero-flow may occur. Calculating the WRRA of a basin can provide a basis for corresponding basin water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine whether surgery for patients with spinal metastasescould improve the quality of remaining life and prolong survival. METHODS: In total, 96 patients who had spinal metastases were recruited from Changzheng Hospital at the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai, China, overthe period from July 2007 to June 2009. The patients received treatments with or without spinal surgery (surgerygroup, n = 46 patients; nonsurgery group, n = 50 patients), and all patients received adjuvant therapies according totheir original cancer and individual conditions. Patients' quality of life (QOL) was assessed at 5 time points-at theinitial diagnosis (baseline) and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months of followup-using theFunctional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General QOL questionnaire. Information on survival also was collected.RESULTS: Sixty-seven of 96 patients completed all 5 follow-up assessments, including 33 patients in the surgerygroup and 34 patients in the nonsurgery group. The other 29 patients died within 9 months after the initial diagnosis.At the end of the study (June 2009), 22 patients (47.8%) remained alive in the surgery group, and with 16 patients(32%) remained alive in the nonsurgery group. The surgery group had significantly higher total QOL scores, physicalwell being scores, emotional well being scores, and functional well being scores than the nonsurgery group over the9-month assessment period. There was no statistically significant difference in survival between the 2 groups (P =.056). CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that surgical treatment greatly improved and maintained the QOL of patients who had spinal metastases over the 9-month assessment period and that surgery is an effectivetreatment for spinal metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Inflammation induced by H.pylori colonization in the stomach is related to the development of gastric cancer and the genetic variations of the genes involved in the immune responses modify the host response to the infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether polymorphisms in the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene, a key regulator of both innate and adaptive immunity, were related to the susceptibility to gastric cancer in a Chinese population. Methods: Two variations in the 5′-flanking region of TLR4 (rs1927914 T > C and rs10759932 T > C) were genotyped by using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay in a case-control study of 1,053 incident gastric cancer cases and 1,100 cancer-free controls in a Chinese population. Results: Individuals carrying the C allele of rs10759932 had a significantly reduced risk of gastric cancer (adjusted OR = 0.81; 95%CI = 0.67-0.96), compared with the wild-type homozygote (TT), and the protective effect was not significantly different among subgroups stratified by age, sex, smoking, drinking and H.pylori infection status (P for heterogeneity > 0.05). No significant association was observed between rs1927914 and gastric cancer risk in this study population. Conclusion: The T to C allele substitution of rs10759932 may play a protective role in gastric carcinogenesis in a Chinese population. Large studies with different ethnic populations are warranted to confirm these findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, 11 extreme precipitation indices were selected to examine the spatiotemporal variation of extreme precipitation in the Poyang Lake Basin during 1960–2017. The responses of extreme precipitation indices to El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events of different Pacific Ocean areas were further investigated. The results show that the temperature in the Poyang Lake Basin has increased significantly since the 1990s, and the inter-decadal precipitation fluctuated. Most extreme precipitation indices showed an increasing trend with abrupt changes occurring around 1991. Spatially, most of the extreme precipitation indices decreased from northeast to southwest. The increasing trend of most indices in the center and south of the basin was relatively prominent. The linear correlations between the extreme precipitation indices and Nino 1 + 2 were the most significant. On the timescale of 2–6 years, a common oscillation period between the extreme precipitation of the basin and the four ENSO indices can be observed. After 2010, the positive correlation between the precipitation of the Poyang Lake Basin and the SST (sea surface temperature) anomalies in the equatorial Pacific increased significantly. Additionally, annual total wet–day precipitation in most areas of the Poyang Lake Basin increased with varying degrees in warm ENSO years. The results of this study will improve the understanding of the complex background and driving mechanism of flood disasters in the Poyang Lake Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small brown planthoppers, Laodelphax striatellus Fallén, were collected from six provinces in China, and their resistance to common insecticides surveyed. The strains collected from Jiangsu province were found to be the most resistant, and showed high resistance to imidacloprid and moderate resistance to chlorpyrifos, acephate and deltamethrin (resistance factors, RF ranged 66 - 108, 31 - 50, 17 - 24 and 12 - 21, respectively). Another two strains collected from Fujian and Guangdong provinces also displayed moderate or low level resistance to imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos and acephate (RF ranged 27 - 29, 10 - 12, and 9 - 13, respectively). However, the strains collected from Shandong and Yunnan provinces showed little resistance to any of the insecticides tested (RF < 6). The sensitivity of the strain collected from Hebei province (the most sensitive one) was similar to that of the susceptible strains previously reported. In all the strains tested, no obvious resistance to fipronil and carbosulfan was found, although the sensitivity of Jiangsu strains decreased by 5 - 8-fold. Biochemical analysis proved that the enhanced activity of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (MFO) and esterase, as well as the AChE insensitivity, could all contribute to multiple resistance in this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice bran and wheat bran are high-yield but low-utilization agricultural by-products in China. Rice and wheat brans were used as substrates of fermentation by Grifola frondosa JSULY2020 strains. Two novel intracellular polysaccharides (GFP-W1 and GFP-W2) and one exopolysaccharides (EP-X1) were obtained following purification. GFP-W1 (Mw 9.161 × 105 Da), GFP-W2 (Mw 2.733 × 107 Da), and EP-X1 (Mw 2.564 × 104 Da) were composed of arabinose, fucose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose. GFP-W1 and GFP-W2 comprised mainly glucose, while EP-X1 was mainly arabinose. All three polysaccharides exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic ability. This study demonstrates that rice and wheat brans are feasible fermentation substrates for the production of polysaccharides from G. frondosa , and these polysaccharides could be a promising ingredient for health-beneficial functional foods. • Rice bran and wheat bran were used as fermentation substrates for G. frondosa strain to obtain polysaccharides • Structural properties of GFP-W1, GFP-W2 and EP-X1 were investigated by GC, AFM, FT-IR, SEM and other analyses. • GFP-W1, GFP-W2 and EP-X1 exhibited remarkable antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution, congener patterns, possible sources, and ecological risks of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated in the surface sediments of 20 fishing ports along the coast of Bohai Sea. PBDEs are widespread pollutants in fishing ports, and the total concentrations of 14 PBDEs (∑ 14 PBDEs) are 4.23–20.59 ng/g with a mean value of 12.56 ng/g. BDE-209 was the dominant congener. The fishing ports with high PBDE concentrations were located near Liaohe River, Haihe River, manufacturing plants of BFRs near Laizhou Bay, and tipping areas of marine garbage. BDE-209 and BDE-47 were the most important congeners that discriminate PBDE pollution. The possible sources of PBDEs included the input of commercial mixtures of penta-BDE, octa-BDE, and deca-BDE, the debromination of BDE-209, and the atmospheric transport of the low brominated diphenyl ethers. The ecological risks in surface sediments were attributed to the congeners of tetra-BDE, penta-BDE, and deca-BDE with low or medium levels. • Levels of PBDE contamination in fishing ports in Bohai Sea were moderate. • Land-based pollutants and fishing vessels played an important role in PBDEs. • BDE-209 and BDE-47 were important congeners that discriminate PBDE pollution. • Possible sources were commercial mixtures, debromination, atmospheric transport. • Risks were attributed to tetra-, penta- and deca-BDEs with low or medium levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortages and the presence of point and diffuse source pollution have caused a serious deterioration in water quality in two tributaries (the Tangxi River and Shiwuli River) of Chaohu Lake, China. To reduce nutrient pollution and suppress harmful algal blooms (HABs), hard engineering and ecological remediation projects were implemented. A post-project investigation from 2013 to 2016 was carried out to evaluate the outcome of the remediation projects by monitoring the seasonal and spatial variations in water quality and the phytoplankton community. In the Tangxi River, the average total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the four seasons were below 0.5 mg L−1, with the lowest concentration (0.29 ± 0.12 mg L−1) found in autumn. Remediation measures including sediment dredging, riparian buffer zone creation, downstream wetland park construction, and water augmentation using reclaimed water and filtered lake water might combine to promote P source mitigation. Moreover, the percentage of bloom-forming cyanobacteria (i.e., Microcystis , Aphanizomenon , Anabaena , Oscillatoria , Phormidium and Planktothrix) in the phytoplankton assemblage and the biomass of the dominant species indicated successful HAB control. In the Shiwuli River, water quality improvements and phytoplankton responses have been observed since 2015 after the upgrading of a local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) with effluent that was used for flow augmentation. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement via increasing the river self-purification ability (e.g., the creation of downstream wetlands and riparian buffer zones) and promoting water augmentation according to the experience gained in the remediation projects of the Tangxi River. • Integrated remediation measures jointly contribute to P mitigation in Tangxi River. • Nutrient mitigation lead to successful manipulation of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. • Combination of hard engineering and ecological remediation projects is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Key factors influencing ecological effect was analyzed based on DPSIR model. • River restoration positively influenced the polluted urban river ecosystem. • A trend of parallel increase between biodiversity and ecosystem services was found. • Relationship between ecosystem services and restoration age was roughly positive. Abstract Urban rivers play an important role in the sustainable development of cities. With increasing attention being given to the implementation of urban river restoration, a more integral and reliable method to evaluate the ecological effect (restoration effect, i.e., effect of restoration on both biodiversity and ecosystem services) of the restoration practice is needed. To fill this gap, a comprehensive assessment index system, based on the "driving forces-pressures-state-impacts-responses" (DPSIR) model was established to holistically evaluate the overall ecological effect of a polluted urban river (the Nanfei River) during restoration. Our results revealed that the greatest influence on the river ecosystem came from: cultivated areas, gross domestic product, ammonia nitrogen (NH 4 +-N) and total phosphorus (TP) emissions from large-scale aquaculture, non-point rainfall runoff, and municipal sectors. In addition, the river restoration implementation positively influenced the polluted urban river ecosystem. During our study period, a trend of parallel increase between biodiversity and ecosystem services was existed, and an approximate positive relationship between ecosystem services and restoration age was found. However, the detailed relationship patterns between biodiversity, ecosystem services and restoration age should be revealed by long-term monitoring. Overall, the method proposed in our study would improve the understanding of restoration practice, and provide guidance for future restoration practice assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• To schedule maintenance task with multiple priorities efficiently, a two-layer optimization strategy is proposed in this paper. • A lumped general task for each well cluster is considered in upper layer optimization, and a time length for general task is obtained. • In lower layer model, general tasks are further scheduled, taking the obtained time length in upper layer as the constraint. • The application results at a coalbed methane field in China are provided and demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method. Timely and effective maintenance scheduling is the key to the safe and stable operation in oil and gas fields. Large-scale maintenance tasks with multiple priorities are difficult to complete in an acceptable time. To accelerate computation, a two-layer strategy is proposed. At the upper layer, a lumped general task for each well cluster is generated. This lumping allows the upper layer model to concentrate on the urgent and important tasks, and thus a significantly reduced-scale mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model can be resulted to determine the dispatch and time length assigned for each technician. At the lower layer, a small-scale MILP model is established for each technician, utilizing the reserved time in the upper layer as the constraint. The results demonstrate that our approach significantly outperforms the complete MILP model in efficiency. The method is presently being implemented in real-world scenarios through our collaboration with the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Massive amounts of pig manure are produced by intensive pig farm in China, and the composition of pig manure has changed much due to the use of feed additives. However, little is known about the exact Cu (copper) feed as additives or present as contaminants in pig feed and the residues in feces. One hundred and thirty-seven feeds and one hundred and forty-two fecal samples from 48 pig farms were collected in Beijing and Fuxin cities in 1999 and 2005, respectively. The concentrations of Cu were in the range of 6.86-395.19 mg/kg in the feed samples, and the mean values were in the order of weaner>grower-finisher>sow''s feeds. The high concentrations over EU recommendations implied that excessive levels of Cu are fed on many pig farms in Beijing and Fuxin. Cu was also present in high concentrations in feces, and concentrations were highly variable. Cu concentrations in the feces from grower-finisher and weaner pigs were significantly greater than feces of sows. The super-intensive and small-scale farms had higher levels of Cu in feces than the middle farms. Cu concentrations in pig feces were approximately 5-times greater than in pig feeds. Feed management in grower-finisher pigs on super-intensive and small-scale pig farms is needed to reduce high Cu concentrations in feces and risks to soil contamination while feces are land-applied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A novel facultative anaerobic strain Chelatococcus daeguensis HB-4 was first isolated from Oilfield. • The strain HB-4 can degrade long chain hydrocarbons to shorter chains. • Core flooding tests demonstrated 20.5% oil recovery by microbial enhancement, and 59.8% viscosity reduction. • Strain HB-4 can be used for microbial enhanced oil recovery in heavy oil reservoirs. Biodegradation of crude heavy oil was investigated with Chelatococcus daeguensis HB-4 that was isolated from the produced fluid of Baolige Oilfield in China. Batch growth characterization and crude oil degradation tests confirmed HB-4 to be facultative anaerobic and able to degrade heavy oil. The oil degradation was found to occur through degrading long hydrocarbons chains to shorter ones, resulting in oil viscosity reduction. By mixing crude oil with glucose, or using sole crude oil as carbon source, the content of light fractions (C 8 -C 22) increased by 4.97% while heavy fractions (C 23 -C 37) decreased by 7.98%. It was also found that bioemulsifiers were produced rather than commonly observed biosurfactants in the fermentation process, which was attributed to the extracellular degradation of hydrocarbons. Core flooding tests demonstrated 20.5% oil recovery by microbial enhancement, and 59.8% viscosity reduction, showing potential of strain HB-4 for application in the oil industry, especially in enhanced heavy oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to review echocardiography-based diagnosis of persistent fifth aortic arch (PFAA) in children., Methods: From January 2015 to December 2022, we retrospectively analyzed the echocardiographic findings and the relevant clinical data during follow-up of patients with PFAA who were treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography angiography or surgery., Results: Seven PFAA cases included two Weinberg type A and five Weinberg type B. The anatomical details of PFAA were assessed using a combination of the long-axis view of the left ventricular outflow tract (from the left high parasternal window) and the long-axis view of the aortic arch (from the suprasternal window). In Weinberg type A, the distal fifth and fourth aortic arches were connected to the descending aorta, which was associated with aortic coarctation. In Weinberg type B, the upper arch of the fourth aorta was interrupted, and only the lower arch of the fifth aorta was connected to the descending aorta. Surgical repair of PFAA was indicated in five patients with blood flow disruption, among which four had good postoperative results and one refused surgery. Two patients with unobstructed PFAA blood flow required follow-up rather than surgery., Conclusions: It is feasible to diagnose PFAA by echocardiography. Combined application of the high parasternal left ventricular outflow tract view and the suprasternal aortic arch view can improve timely detection of different types of PFAA in children., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Salmonella is a primary cause of foodborne diseases globally. Despite food contamination and clinical infections garnering substantial attention and research, asymptomatic Salmonella carriers, potential sources of infection, have been comparatively overlooked. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of serotype distribution, antimicrobial resistance phenotypes, and genetic profiles of archived Salmonella strains isolated from food (26), asymptomatic carriers (41), and clinical cases (47) in Shiyan City, China. Among the 114 Salmonella strains identified, representing 31 serotypes and 34 Sequence Types (STs), the most prevalent serovars included Typhimurium, Derby, Enteritidis, Thompson, and London, with the most predominant STs being ST11, ST40, ST26, ST34, and ST155. Antimicrobial resistance testing revealed that all strains were only sensitive to meropenem, with 74.6% showing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and 53.5% demonstrating multidrug resistance (MDR). Strains resistant to five and six classes of antibiotics were the most common. Pearson's chi-square test showed no statistically significant difference in the occurrence of AMR (p = 0.105) or MDR (p = 0.326) among Salmonella isolates from the three sources. Our findings underscore associations and diversities among Salmonella strains isolated from food, asymptomatic carriers, and clinical patients, emphasizing the need for increased vigilance towards asymptomatic Salmonella carriers by authorities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Lv et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)