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The controlling factors of organic-rich shale accumulation is essential for the exploration and development of shale oil and gas resources. The sedimentary environment plays a vital role in the formation of organic-rich sediments in lacustrine facies. This article unravels the mineralogy, geochemistry, and paleoenvironmental evolution during the deposition of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation (Es3 L). It discusses the effects of paleoclimate, paleosalinity, paleoredox conditions, paleowater depth, and paleoproductivity on organic matter (OM) enrichment. Finally, the OM enrichment model was established. The results show that the mineralogical compositions are mainly composed of calcite (avg. 40.13%), quartz (avg. 21.64%) and clay minerals (avg. 24.07%), accompanied by dolomite (avg. 7.07%), feldspar (avg. 6.36%) and pyrite (avg. 2.95%). The Es3 L shale has a high abundance of OM, with total organic carbon (TOC) ranging from 1.07% to 5.12%. The organic matter type is mainly composed of type I-II1 kerogen, which is generally considered a good-quality source rock. The source of OM is a mixture of lower bacteria, algae, and plants. During the early sedimentary period, the paleoclimate was dry and cold, with high salinity, intense reducibility, and relatively low productivity. During the late sedimentary period, the climate became warmer and more humid. As a result, the salinity decreased to a level that was suitable for biological reproduction, and productivity increased gradually due to the input of terrigenous plants. Paleosalinity and paleoclimate determined the environment of the sedimentary period, in addition, paleoproductivity and paleoredox condition indicated the formation and preservation conditions of OM. The warm and humid climate, brackish water, suitable reduction conditions and high productivity are the favorable conditions for the generation and preservation of organic matter. The research results may have implications for the genetic mechanisms of organic matter accumulation. They will provide theoretical and technical insights into the exploration and development of shale oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To preliminarily summarize the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of functional movement disorder (FMD) based on movement disorders clinic in China. Methods and Results A total of 593 patients with movement disorders newly diagnosed in movement disorders clinic of 22 clinical medical centers from August to September in 2023 were included, including 37 patients (6.24%) with FMD and 556 patients (93.76%) with organic movement disorder. Comparison of the epidemiological characteristics of the 2 groups, the proportions of corona virus disease (COVID-19) infection (χ² = 4.217, P = 0.040) and psychopsychological symptoms (χ² = 18.694, P = 0.000) in the FMD group were higher than those in the organic movement disorder group, while age (t = 3.757, P = 0.000), age of onset (t = 3.720, P = 0.000) and proportion of hypertension (χ² = 4.736, P = 0.030) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Comparison of the clinical characteristics of the 2 groups, the FMD group had higher proportions of tremor (χ² = 3.955, P = 0.047) and myoclonus (Fisher's exact probability: P = 0.011) than the organic movement disorder group, and the proportions of parkinsonism (χ² = 8.491, P = 0.004) and gait disorder (χ² = 5.028, P = 0.025) were lower than those in the organic movement disorder group. Conclusions The age and age of onset, as well as the proportions of COVID-19 infection, hypertension, psychopsychological symptoms, tremor, myoclonus, parkinsonism and gait disorder with FMD were different from those with organic movement disorder in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive phosphorus (P) fertilization in intensive rice‐cultivation areas in China has caused serious environmental problems. However, relatively little research has been done on investigating the soil P balance in rice production systems based on different fertilizer regimes. Our study investigated the dynamic variation of soil P balance and rice P use efficiency and productivity from 2014 to 2018 in the paddy fields under synthetic fertilizer (CF) and manure application (OF) regimes based on the practices of local farmers. Flooding water on the paddy fields tends to cause P loss via runoff and leaching. A lysimeter system was used to monitor P loss from paddy fields, which overcame the limitations of real‐time monitoring discharge volume and sample‐collection. The results with relatively higher rainfall intensity in 2014 and 2015, in total, 4.69 kg P ha−1 under CF and 8.39 kg P ha−1 under OF were lost via runoff in 2014, with 13.6 kg P ha−1 under CF and 17.8 kg P ha−1 under OF in 2015, whereas from 2015 to 2018, no more than 5 kg P ha−1 was lost in CF or OF via runoff. Leaching showed a similar, varying trend for both CF and OF. Furthermore, during the 5 years, a continuous soil P deficit was observed, except in 2017 and 2018 for CF and 2018 for OF. The net P retention ranged from −15.31 to 6.2 kg ha−1 for CF and from −23.65 to 2.64 kg ha−1 for OF. The continuous P deficit in paddy soils might have reduced soil P storage. These huge P losses undermined rice yield production. In parallel, after 2014, the grain yield decreased from 10,885.7 in 2014 to 6266.7 kg ha−1 in 2017 under CF and from 10,607.6 to 6649.6 kg ha−1 under OF. Overall, these results reveal a risk of declining P storage in paddy soils and a potential menace on food safety under the current fertilizer management, suggesting that novel fertilizer strategies need to be developed for reserving P storage in paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Rampant morphological homoplasy in Mantodea has confused systematists for a long time. The leaf-like pronotum was long thought to be one of the key characteristics of Rhombodera in Hierodulinae. In this study, we describe a new species of Rhombodera and discuss the phylogeny as well as complex convergent evolution of leaf-like pronotum in Hierodulinae based on the combination of morphological and mitogenome data. The results reveal the unnatural grouping of the current classification in Hierodula and Rhombodera, rendering the well-developed lateral expansion invalid as the diagnosis of Rhombodera. Mapping the pronotal-foliaceous trait onto our phylogenetic tree show that the origin in multiple lineages of this trait in Hierodulinae may have adaptive significance. The congruent results of the group division between mitochondrial phylogenomics and morphology of male genitalia also highlight the capacity of the use of mitogenomes in resolving the derived mantodean phylogenetic relationship. Hierodulinae is a species-rich mantid subfamily, with some species bearing a notable leaf-like pronotum. However, the evolutionary pattern and taxonomic significance of the leaf-like pronotum are largely unknown. Here, we present a phylogenomic analysis of the Hierodulinae genera Rhombodera Burmeister, 1838, and Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 based on mitochondrial genomes. We also describe a new species, namely Rhombodera hyalina sp. nov. from Guangxi, China. Our phylogenetic result, together with the evidence from male genitalia, suggests the division of the Oriental Hierodula and Rhombodera complex into three clades. We find a complex pattern on the evolution of the leaf-like pronotum, which is present in at least five lineages, respectively, of the above three clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reported regional variations in in-hospital acute coronary syndrome (ACS) mortality, but the reasons for that were not clearly defined. We explored whether differences in patient characteristics could explain regional variation. The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China (CCC)-ACS project is an ongoing national registry and quality improvement project, involving 150 tertiary hospitals from 30 provinces across China. We applied a prediction model that included patient-specific variables to calculate the expected in-hospital mortality. For each province, we reported the observed, expected in-hospital mortality and the risk-adjusted ratio which is based on the observed divided by the expected mortality. From 2014 to 2018, 79 585 ACS patients were enrolled. The average in-hospital mortality was 1.8%. There was a wide variation in the in-hospital mortality among different provinces (0.2-3.9%). Patient characteristics explained part of this variation because of differences in the expected in-hospital mortality (0.7-2.8%). There was a substantial variation in the risk-adjusted ratio among provinces (0.2-3.5), which suggests that the variations in the mortality cannot be completely explained by the differences in patient characteristics. In conclusion, we observed a wide regional variation in mortality for ACS, part of which could be explained by the difference in patient characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gout is initiated by the precipitation of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals within the joints and soft tissues, and it can eventually cause acute or chronic arthritis. MSU crystals trigger, amplify, and maintain a strong inflammatory response through promoting proinflammatory activity. In this study, the therapeutic effects of Stephania hainanensis (S. hainanensis) total alkaloid (SHA) were tested and evaluated on MSU-induced acute gouty arthritis in a mouse model. Methods: After oral administration of SHA (10 or 20 mg/kg) or the antigout medicine colchicine (0.5 mg/kg) once daily for 3 consecutive days, MSU crystals suspended in saline (2.5 mg/50 μl) were intradermally injected into the right paw of the mice. Then, SHA and colchicine were administered for another 2 days. During this period, swelling of the ankle and clinical scores were measured at 12, 24, and 48 h postinjection. After the mice were euthanized, inflammatory cytokine expression and paw tissue inflammation-related gene and protein expression, and a histopathological analysis was performed. Results: SHA had obvious therapeutic effects on MSU-induced acute gouty arthritis in mice. SHA alleviated ankle swelling and inhibited the production of cytokines, such as IL-1β and TNF-α. In addition, NLRP3, Caspase-1 and IL-1β, which are activated by MSU were also suppressed by SHA. The histological evaluation showed that SHA relieved the infiltration of inflammation around the ankle. Conclusions: These results suggest that SHA is capable of anti-inflammatory activities and may be useful for treating gouty arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the confluence of China's rise and International Recognition Theory through a quantitative content analysis of 166 joint statements on state visits between China's heads of state and the representatives of 80 partners. China's partnership diplomacy is a continuous, comprehensive, and dynamic diplomatic strategy for the 21st century. Yet, extraordinarily little research has explored the substance of China's partnerships and the international experience that they offer. To investigate these dimensions, this article develops a typology of international recognition within which to situate China's partnership diplomacy. We find that partnership documents exhibit a gradation of sovereign recognition that is transformed into "Comprehensive Sovereign Agency": a type of sovereignty with Chinese characteristics that establishes the agency of the Chinese government over the comprehensive spectrum of China's foreign relations. In contrast to earlier international experiences that ground sovereign agency in the functions of security, China's partnership diplomacy yields a network that emphasizes the productive (economic, scientific, and cultural) functions of state capacity and international interaction. China's partnership diplomacy reproduces the bilateral relations of preference and solidarity that ground China's regime legitimacy in economic development. Its partnerships operate outside of the liberal multilateral security communities that generate international affinity through a difference-blind multilateral framework, constituting instead a difference-sensitive bilateral framework that provides a source of international recognition and sovereign agency that circumvent the liberal international experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The story of International Relations (IR) has always been recounted with a language endemic to the Anglo-liberal political and international experience. This vernacular depicts all states as self-interested expansionists seeking to either promote or antagonise the liberal international order. To advance the meta-theoretical debate on cultural pluralism in IR, this article explores the projection of liberal ontological paradigms onto the historiography of China's "rise". The narrative frames from "theories of foreign policy" depict China as a rational calculator seeking material maximisation. The narrative frames from "theories of international politics" depict China as a revisionist state to be evaluated, managed and contained according to the standards set by Anglo-liberal orthodoxy. This article explores China's "rise" as a struggle for narrative autonomy: a mission to identify and express itself in its own terms. In IR theory, this struggle manifests itself in the concepts of wangquan, zhongyong and tianxia that articulate China's political and international experience using an indigenous vernacular. By situating these different perspectives in a context of cultural relativity, we provide a conceptual detour around the conventional binary discourse that regulates the present debate: one that seeks to acknowledge ontological difference without descending into historiographical antagonism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) activation, especially at a high spatial resolution, in paddy soils with a high geogenic Cd background is yet to be understood. To investigate the temporal and spatial patterns of Cd activation in rice rhizosphere, pot and rhizotron experiments were conducted using four paddy soils with high geogenic Cd (0.11–3.70 mg kg−1) from Guangxi, southwestern China. The pot experiment results showed that porewater Cd concentrations initially decreased and then increased over the complete rice growth period, reaching its lowest value during the late-tillering and early-filling stages. Besides, correlation analysis identified organic matter and root manganese (Mn) content as the main factors affecting rice Cd uptake, with Mn having a negative effect and organic matter having a positive effect. Sub-millimeter two-dimensional chemical imaging revealed that the distribution of labile Cd in the rhizosphere (by diffusive gradients in thin-films, or DGT) was influenced by the root system and soil properties, such as pH (by planar optode) and acid phosphatase activity (by soil zymography). Soil acid phosphatase activity increased under Cd stress. The overall pH at rice rhizosphere decreased. Moreover, a close relationship was found between the spatial distributions of soil labile Mn and Cd at the rhizosphere, with higher Mn being associated with lower Cd lability. This study highlights Mn as a key element in regulating rice Cd uptake and enlightens future Mn-based strategies for addressing Cd pollution in rice paddy soils, especially in karst areas with high geochemical background. [Display omitted] • Pot and rhizotron experiments were conducted using paddy soils with geogenic Cd. • DGT, PO and zymography were used to obtain the 2D chemical images in rhizosphere. • Contrary to organic matter, Mn has a negative effect on Cd phyto-availability. • Rhizosphere Cd distribution was linked to root system, pH and enzyme activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The spatial extension of the climatic impact caused by the reservoir is approximately 5 ∼ 20 km. • Land-lake breezes and mountain-valley winds act synergistically to enhance local wind anomalies reaching up to 2 ∼ 3 m/s. • The hotter and drier air phenomenon in the plain area lasts several hours around noon, exacerbating the heatwave conditions. The impact of large reservoirs on regional climate extremes, such as heatwaves, is not yet well understood, primarily due to the complex interactions of heat, moisture, and momentum over mountainous terrains and the dynamic nature of water surfaces. In this study, we investigate the role of the Miyun Reservoir (MYR), one of the largest reservoirs in northern China, covering an extensive water surface area of 180 km2, in influencing a severe heatwave event that occurred southwest of MYR from 2nd to 6th July 2010. Using high-resolution simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, our findings reveal contrasting thermodynamic effects of MYR on near-surface air temperatures, with up to three degrees of warming during night-time and up to five degrees of cooling during daytime, with a spatial extent of impact reaching up to 20 km away from the reservoir. These impacts are attributed to a combination of synergized land-lake breeze and mountain-valley winds during the night, leading to the transport of warm air plumes downwind towards the plain and intensifying the heatwave. Furthermore, we observe an increase in surface water vapor brought to higher atmospheric levels due to strong vertical mixing, resulting in lowered surface-specific humidity. Our study emphasizes the dual role of large reservoirs in exacerbating remote heatwaves while providing cooling effects in their proximity. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interactions between reservoirs, topography, and regional climate extremes is of paramount importance for accurate climate risk assessments and the formulation of effective mitigation strategies.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the association between demographic characteristics, health behaviors, self-management abilities, and disease severity among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study was conducted from January to December 2015 in 4 hospitals in China. The DOSE index was assessed by grade of dyspnea (D), airflow obstruction (O), current smoking status (S), and frequency of exacerbation in the last year (E). Self-management abilities were assessed by the COPD self-management scale. DOSE index associations with demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and self-management abilities were examined with multiple regression analysis. In total, 100 participants were recruited into the study. In univariate analysis, higher symptom management, lower daily life management, and lower self-efficacy in self-management abilities were significantly related to higher DOSE index. In multiple regression analysis, physical activity, body mass index, and gender were negatively related to DOSE index. The study highlighted the importance of physical activity, nutritional status, and gender difference in managing disease severity in COPD. Professional nurses should develop individualized intervention programs and specifically increase physical activity for men and poor nutritional status for patients with COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nematode community in jujube ( Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) rhizosphere soil under monoculture and jujube/wheat ( Triticum aestivum Linn.) intercropping systems were investigated for three years in Hetian arid area, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest of China. The results showed that the density of soil nematodes in jujube orchards became larger when wheat was planted between the lines of jujube trees, mainly due to the higher numbers of Rhabditis and Acrobeloides . The bacterivores of cp-1 and cp-2 ( c – p , colonizer–persister) guilds, and fungivores of cp-2 guilds were much more in jujube/wheat intercropping system than those in jujube monoculture system, while other nematode groups had no significant difference between the two ecosystems. Although Shannon–Weaver index ( H′ ), genus dominant index ( Ig ) and species richness ( SR ), showed no differences between the two systems, still lower maturity index ( MI ) and modified maturity index ( ∑MI ) with higher PPI / MI presented enriched but unstable soil food web in jujube/wheat intercropping system. Higher nematode channel ratio ( NCR ) and Wasilewska index ( WI ) in the intercropping system indicated that bacterial decomposition channel was dominant channel with higher level of soil total nitrogen content in both layers but lower organic matters in surface layer. We concluded that jujube/wheat intercropping system is good for young tree growing, but jujube monoculture system is preferred if cultivated land is sufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The total flavonoids from ethanol extract of the aerial part of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. (Lamlaceae) (Xintahua) showed protective activities against rat acute myocardial ischemia in rats. This study aims to isolate acacetin, a flavonoid, from the aerial part of Z. clinopodioides, to develop an HPLC method for its detection, and to evaluate its protective effects on neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Methods Sephadex LH-20 silicagel and pillar layer chromatography silica gel were applied for the isolation and purification of acacetin and its structure was elucidated on the basis of ¹H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The content of acacetin in Z.clinopodioides collected from three different origins was determined by HPLC. The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro to establish a hypoxia/reoxygenation injury model. The viability of cardiomyocytes was measured by the MTT method. Changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the medium were also determined. Results The acacetin content in various batches of Z. clinopodioides ranged from 45.50 to 47.41 µg/g. Acacetin of 25, 10, 5 µg/mL significantly decreased the MDA content in a model of hypoxia/reoxygenation injury (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.033, respectively). Conclusions Acacetin protects neonatal cardiomyocytes from the damage induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation stress through reduction of lipid peroxidation and enhancement of the antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the Oriental fishfly genus Ctenochauliodes van der Weele, 1909 is presented. Except for C. punctulatus, where the male is unknown, all species of Ctenochauliodes and two outgroups ( Archichauliodes chilensis Kimmins and Protochauliodes bullocki Flint) were scored for 24 adult morphological characters, 21 of which were obtained from the male genitalia. The monophyly of Ctenochauliodes is corroborated by a series of synapomorphic characters. The pectinate female antenna was proposed as a diagnostic character. Two main clades within Ctenochauliodes were found based on the present phylogenetic analysis. All 12 Ctenochauliodes species are keyed, described and illustrated, with five species new to science. Ctenochauliodes forcipatus Kimmins is a junior synonym of C. friedrichi Navás, and C. moganshanus Yang & Yang is a junior synonym of C. griseus Yang &; Yang. All Ctenochauliodes species were recorded from southern China, including 11 endemic species. Hence, there is no doubt that southern China should be acknowledged as the distribution centre of Ctenochauliodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liu, X. Y., Yang, D., Ge, S. Q. & Yang, X. K. (2005). Phylogenetic review of the Chinese species of Acanthacorydalis (Megaloptera, Corydalidae). — Zoologica Scripta, 34, 373– 387. The dobsonfly genus Acanthacorydalis Weele is a small genus which only occurs in Asia and comprises eight species. Seven species are restricted to the Oriental realm, while A. orientalis (McLachlan) extends into the Palaearctic realm. There are five species in China, four of which are endemic. In the present paper, the Chinese species are redescribed, illustrated, keyed, and subjected to phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses for the first time. Geographic distributions are updated. The cladistic analysis for the Chinese species was constructed by using Hennig86, based on 17 adult morphological characters. The phylogenetic relationships obtained are ( A. orientalis+ A. yunnanensis+ A. unimaculata+ ( A. fruhstorferi+ A. sinensis)). Six areas of endemism are identified based on Acanthacorydalis distributions: north, south-west, central and south China, north-eastern India and northern Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Water extract from cbFeD contains hundreds of chemicals which enriched in organic acid and its derivatives, flavone, amino acid derivatives, nucleotide and its derivatives, carbohydrates etc. • Water extract of cbFeD showed hepatoprotective activities and attenuated liver fibrogenesis against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced chronic liver injury. • cbFeD suppressed the intrahepatic recruitment of inflammatory cells and inhibited the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The root of Codonopis bulleynana Forest ex Diels (cbFeD), a tonic food widely used in Yunnan Province of China, was found to have a wide range of pharmacological effects. The present study was designed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of water extracts of cbFeD in chronic liver injury mice model induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) and to explore its underlying mechanisms. Phytochemical analysis revealed multiple components were present in the water extract of cbFeD and the compounds were mostly enriched in organic acid and its derivatives, flavone, amino acid derivatives, nucleotide and its derivatives, carbohydrates etc. Treatment with cbFeD significantly attenuated liver injury and fibrosis in CCl 4 -administered mice evidenced by improved liver histology, ameliorated apoptosis of hepatocytes, and decreased transaminase levels in the serum. Decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were markedly reversed upon treatment with cbFeD while levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were significantly restored towards normal values. cbFeD also suppressed intrahepatic inflammatory cell infiltration and Kupffer cell activation. Furthermore, our study revealed an inhibitory effect of cbFeD on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, cbFeD could exert a protective role against liver fibrosis in mice model induced by CCl 4 that is comparable to the positive control silymarin and might be developed into a promising anti-fibrotic drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms are consumed worldwide as they constitute a part of traditional cuisine culture in many countries. However, chromium (Cr) accumulation in mushrooms may constitute a potential pathway for its chronical exposure to humans. In this work, the Cr contents, distribution and bioaccessibility in 140 cultivated mushrooms from 14 species in 10 top-producing provinces in China were examined. Total Cr contents were 0.09–4.71 mg·kg−1 dw (mean 0.74 mg kg−1), with 59% exceeding the 0.5 mg kg−1standard. Additionally, less Cr was accumulated in the caps than stipes, with Cr ratio in caps/stipes being 0.28–2.6, averaging 0.91. Based on the Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium (SBRC) assay, the mean Cr bioaccessibility in the mushrooms was 24.8% and 50.1% in the gastric phase (GP) and intestinal phase (IP). However, samples from Guizhou show the lowest Cr bioaccessibility at 12.5% in GP and 24.8% in IP. Further, a negative correlation between total Cr contents and Cr bioaccessibility suggests that Cr bioaccessibility is critical for accurate assessment of Cr exposure. In addition, drying mushrooms increased their bioaccessibility in the gastric phase. This study shows a high Cr exceeding rate of cultivated mushrooms, which may indicate a potential exposure risk, with Cr contents and bioaccessibility showing species and regional variation. [Display omitted] • 140 mushrooms were from 14 species in 10 top-producing provinces in China. • Total Cr contents were 0.09–4.71 mg·kg−1, with 59% exceeding 0.5 mg kg−1 standard. • More Cr was concentrated in the stipes than caps (1.11 vs. 0.92 mg·kg−1). • Cr bioaccessibility negatively correlated with Cr contents via SBRC assay. • Greater Cr bioaccessibility in the gastric phase in dried mushrooms than in fresh samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different soil microbial communities play distinct key roles in regulating forest ecosystem processes and functions. However, the differences in spatial variability and assembly mechanisms of various taiga forest soil microbial taxa remain poorly understood. Here, we assessed the spatial patterns of bacterial and fungal communities, their assembly processes, and the influencing factors in taiga forest ecosystems in Xinjiang, China. A significant distance decay pattern was observed in the similarity of bacterial and fungal communities, with bacterial communities exhibiting a more pronounced pattern than fungal communities. Stochastic and deterministic processes governed together to drive soil bacterial community assembly, whereas stochastic processes dominated fungal community assembly. The coexistence networks revealed that the interactions of bacterial and fungal networks in the four regions are primarily based on interspecies symbiosis, with fungal coexistence networks demonstrating greater stability than bacterial networks. Additionally, the study identified a positive relationship between the modularity of bacterial networks and dispersal limitation. Analysis of environmental factors revealed that soil pH primarily affects the characteristics and assembly mechanisms of bacterial communities, while vegetation conditions primarily affect fungal diversity and composition, with other unconsidered environmental variables influencing the fungal community assembly process. This study emphasized the distinct ways in which bacteria and fungi respond to environmental factors and interspecies interactions. Our results suggested that distinct restoration measures should be implemented for bacteria and fungi in future conservation efforts for forest soil microorganisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: We have limited knowledge on the impact of hydrometeorological conditions on dengue incidence in China and its associated disease burden in a future with a changed climate. This study projects the excess risk of dengue caused by climate change-induced hydrometeorological conditions across mainland China., Methods: In this modelling study, the historical association between the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and dengue was estimated with a spatiotemporal Bayesian hierarchical model from 70 cities. The association combined with the dengue-transmission biological model was used to project the annual excess risk of dengue related to PDSI by 2100 across mainland China, under three representative concentration pathways ([RCP] 2·6, RCP 4·5, and RCP 8·5)., Findings: 93 101 dengue cases were reported between 2013 and 2019 in mainland China. Dry and wet conditions within 3 months lag were associated with increased risk of dengue. Locations with potential dengue risk in China will expand in the future. The hydrometeorological changes are projected to substantially affect the risk of dengue in regions with mid-to-low latitudes, especially the coastal areas under high emission scenarios. By 2100, the annual average increased excess risk is expected to range from 12·56% (95% empirical CI 9·54-22·24) in northwest China to 173·62% (153·15-254·82) in south China under the highest emission scenario., Interpretation: Hydrometeorological conditions are predicted to increase the risk of dengue in the future in the south, east, and central areas of mainland China in disproportionate patterns. Our findings have implications for the preparation of public health interventions to minimise the health hazards of non-optimal hydrometeorological conditions in a context of climate change., Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the impact of socioeconomic status and productive aging on the frailty index of urban elderly population in China, and to provide reference for improving their health level., Methods: We obtained data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) and included 1890 urban elderly people aged 60 and over in the study. Multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of the productive aging and the frailty index of the urban elderly population in China. A structural equation model was constructed to explore the relationship between socioeconomic status, productive aging, and frailty index., Results: Elderly people with high socioeconomic status ( β =0.082, P <0.001) had higher level of productive aging. Elderly people with high socioeconomic status ( β =－0.091, P <0.001) and high level of productive aging ( β =－0.330, P <0.001) had lower frailty index. Productive aging played an intermediary role ( β =－0.259, 95% CI : －0.380--0.181) between socioeconomic status and frailty index., Conclusion: The socioeconomic status and productive aging of the elderly people are important predictors of their frailty index. The government should exert its leadership functions to encourage the elderly, especially those with low education and income levels, to actively learn knowledge and skills, and to provide support for the elderly to participate in productive activities., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

Assessment of river water quality is very important for understanding the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems. As the second-largest river in China, the Yellow River's water environment is closely related to the social development and water security of northern China. The Huangshui River is a major tributary of the upper Yellow River, and it supplies water to cities in the lower reaches. In this study, a Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy neural network was used to evaluate water quality of the Huangshui River, and pollutant sources were analyzed. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) was calculated to assess the heavy metal pollution level, and the health risks posed by heavy metal elements were assessed. The results indicated that the main contaminants in the Huangshui River were ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and total phosphorus (TP), which was affected by various activities of industry, agriculture, and urbanization, and the maximum concentration of NH 3 -N and TP was 5.90 mg/L and 0.36 mg/L, respectively. The T-S evaluation results of some points in the middle reaches were 3.317 and 3.197, which belonged to Level Ⅳ and the water quality was poor. The concentrations of Cu, Zn and Cr in the river were 0.57-44.58 μg/L, 10-122.50 μg/L and 2-28.67 μg/L, respectively, and they were relatively large. The T-S fuzzy neural network could evaluate water quality, avoiding extreme evaluation results by using fuzzy rules to reduce the influence of pollutant concentrations that are too high or too low. In addition to qualitative categorization of water quality, this approach can also quantitatively assess water quality within a single category. The results of water quality assessment could provide a scientific data support for river management., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Subjective cognitive decline-questionnaire 9 (SCD-Q9) was developed to detect SCD complaints at risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, our previous findings indicated that its coverage might be insufficient. To test this hypothesis, we recently translated SCD-Q21., Objective: To examine the reliability and validity of this translated SCD-Q21 and to explore its effectiveness for discriminating MCI from controls., Methods: Item analysis was performed to understand its item discrimination and homogeneity. The Cronbach's α and Spearman-Brown's split-half coefficients were calculated to test its reliability. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value, Bartlett's sphericity test, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to examine its construct validity. The content validity was evaluated using five-grade Likert scale. Finally, the SCD-Q21 scores in MCI and controls were compared., Results: The difference of each item between the extreme groups was significant. The Cronbach's α coefficient was .913 and Spearman-Brown's split-half coefficient was .894. When performing holding one-out approach, the Cronbach's α coefficient ranged from .906 to .914. The KMO value was .929 and the difference of Bartlett's Sphericity test was significant. All experts scored 5 points when assessing its content. Finally, a significant difference of score was found between MCI and NC groups., Conclusions: The reliability and validity of the SCD-Q21 are good, which may pave a way for its application in a wider Chinese-speaking population., (© 2022 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

In China, excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is common in intensive apple production. To resolve issues of benefit reduction and environmental pollution caused by excessive N, a two-year trial was conducted in an apple orchard with a split-plot design, in which the main factor was the N level (500, 400, 300, and 200 kg N ha -1  year -1 , expressed as TN, TN80%, TN60%, and TN40%, respectively) and the deputy factor was whether or not to add 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP, expressed as +D). The effects of N reduction combined with DMPP on soil N transformation, fruit quality, economic benefits, and environmental effects were investigated. The results showed that DMPP reduced the production of nitrate and its vertical migration by inhibiting the abundance of AOB amoA and decreased N 2 O emission by reducing nirKC1 levels. Moreover, N reduction combined with DMPP improved N use efficiency (26.67-49.35%) and reduced N loss rate (15.25-38.76%). Compared with TN, TN60% + D increased the content of anthocyanin and soluble sugar by 21.15% and 13.09%, respectively, and decreased environmental costs caused by NH 3 volatilization and N 2 O emission by 33.84%, while maintaining yield and N utilization rate at relatively high levels. Considering the agronomic, economic and environmental benefits, on the basis of traditional N application rate, 40% N reduction combined with DMPP (TN60% + D) could ensure target yield, corresponding quality and economic benefits, maintain soil N fertility, and reduce the risk of N losses to the environment. The present research could provide references for green, efficient, and sustainable development of apple production., 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 © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of the study was to examine the relations of individual lifestyle factors and its composite score with healthy ageing among Chinese adults., Method: We included 14 159 participants aged 45-74 years at baseline from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based prospective cohort. A protective lifestyle score (0-5 scale) was calculated at baseline (1993-1998) and updated at the second follow-up visit (2006-2010) on the basis of optimal body mass index (18.5-22.9 kg/m2), healthy diet (upper 40% of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index score), being physically active (≥2 h/wk of moderate activity or ≥0.5 h/wk of strenuous activity), nonsmoking (never smoking), and low-to-moderate alcohol drinking (>0 to ≤14 drinks/wk for men and >0 to ≤7 drinks/wk for women). Healthy ageing was assessed at the third follow-up visit (2014-2016) and was defined as absence of specific chronic diseases, absence of cognitive impairment and limitations in instrumental activities of daily living, good mental and overall self-perceived health, good physical functioning, and no function-limiting pain., Results: About 20.0% (2834) of the participants met the criteria of healthy ageing after a median follow-up of 20 years. Each 1-point increase in the protective lifestyle score computed at baseline and second follow-up visits was associated with higher likelihood of healthy ageing by 25% (95% CI: 20%-30%) and 24% (18%-29%), respectively. The population-attributable risk percent of adherence to 4-5 protective lifestyle factors was 34.3% (95% CI: 25.3%-42.3%) at baseline and 31.3% (23.0%-38.7%) at second follow-up visits for healthy ageing. In addition, positive increase in lifestyle scores from baseline to second follow-up visits was also significantly associated with a higher likelihood of healthy ageing with an odds ratio of 1.18 (95% CI: 1.12%-1.24%) for each increment in protective lifestyle score., Conclusions: Our findings confirmed that adopting healthy lifestyle factors, even after midlife, was associated with healthy ageing at old age., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background & Aims: Nucleotides with add-on interferon treatment (NUC-IFN) provide significantly higher rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to investigate the sustainability of HBsAg loss and the prevention of clinical relapse., Methods: Patients with CHB who achieved HBsAg loss and HBV DNA levels <20 IU/ml after IFN or NUC-IFN therapy were enrolled and followed up for 96 weeks. The primary outcome was HBsAg negativity without viremia at week 96. Secondary outcomes included virological or clinical relapse and predictors of relapse., Results: 420 patients were included in intention-to-treat analysis with 290 and 130 in the IFN and NUC-IFN groups respectively. At week 96, the intention-to-treat analysis revealed similar outcomes between groups, including HBsAg seroreversion (24.83% vs. 23.08%, P = .70), viremia (16.90% vs 13.08%, P = .32) and clinical relapse (11.38% vs 10.00%, P = .68); the per-protocol analyses also showed HBsAg seroreversion, viremia and clinical relapse in IFN group (15.50%, 6.59% and 0.39%) did not differ from those in NUC-IFN group (15.25%, 4.24% and 0.85%, P > .05). These outcomes were similar between patients who received entecavir and those who received telbivudine/lamivudine/adefovir before the combination therapy. In NUC-IFN-treated patients, fibrosis regression was observed at week 96. Baseline HBsAb negativity was independent predictors of HBsAg sero-reversion and recurrence of viremia in IFN treated group., Conclusion: NUC-IFN and IFN therapies are equally effective in achieving sustained functional cure and fibrosis regression. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number NCT02336399)., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To examine the associations between dietary patterns in midlife and likelihood of future healthy ageing in Chinese older adults., Design: Prospective population-based study., Setting and Participants: We included 14,159 participants aged 45-74 years who were free from cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes at baseline (1993-1998) from the Singapore Chinese Health Study., Methods: Dietary intakes in midlife were assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Diet quality was scored according to the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)-2010, overall plant-based diet index (PDI), and healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI). Healthy ageing was assessed at the third follow-up visit (2014-2016), which occurred about 20 years after the baseline visit, and was defined as the absence of 10 chronic diseases, no impairment of cognitive function, no limitations in instrumental activities of daily living, no clinical depression at screening, good overall self-perceived health, good physical functioning, and no function-limiting pain among participants who had survival to at least 65 years of age. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between each dietary pattern score and healthy ageing., Results: About 20.0% of participants met the healthy ageing criteria. The OR (95% CI) for healthy ageing comparing the highest with the lowest quartile of diet quality scores was 1.52 (1.31-1.77) for aMED, 1.53 (1.35-1.73) for DASH, 1.39 (1.23-1.57) for AHEI-2010, 1.34 (1.18-1.53) for PDI, and 1.45 (1.27-1.65) for hPDI (all P-trend < .001). Each standard deviation increment in different diet quality scores was associated with 12% to 18% higher likelihood of healthy ageing., Conclusions and Implications: In this Chinese population, adherence to various healthy dietary patterns at midlife is associated with higher likelihood of healthy ageing at later life., (Copyright © 2020 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is a rare and aggressive tumor. This study aims to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CCSK patients in one of the largest pediatric medical centers in China., Methods: We included all patients diagnosed with CCSK between January 2008 and March 2019 at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China. The patients' demographics, clinical presentation, and management were reviewed. Follow-up was continued until December 2019., Results: In total, 41 CCSK patients (66% male) with a median age of 24 months (range 3-108 months) were identified. The stage distributions of stages I, II, III and IV were 42%, 34%, 24% and 0%, respectively. Preoperative chemotherapy was administered to 7/41 patients. All patients underwent radical nephrectomy and postoperative chemotherapy. The median number of lymph nodes sampled was 4 (range 1-12). Radiotherapy was applied in 8/41 patients. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 63.9% and 78.8%, respectively. Of the 41 patients, 11 patients experienced relapse at a median time of 19 months (range 5-72 months). The most common site of recurrence was the tumor bed (9/11). Young age was a significant adverse prognostic factor for EFS., Conclusions: The overall outcome of CCSK patients in our hospital is poorer than that in developed regions. More research is needed to clarify the underlying causes of poorer outcomes in young patients and improve outcomes., Type of Study: Retrospective study., Level of Evidence: LEVEL IV., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: The aim of this review is to explore the effects of the seminar teaching method versus lecture-based learning (LBL) in the education of medical students by meta-analysis., Method: Data and information available on PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, China Science Periodical Database, and Chinese BioMedical were searched and examined from the inception up to January 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of the seminar teaching method versus LBL in medical education were included., Results: A total of 16 RCTs were included, with a total sample size of 1122 medical students. The seminar teaching method significantly improved knowledge scores (SMD = 1.38, 95%CI 0.92-1.84; p  < 0.001) and skill scores (SMD = 1.46, 95%CI 1.00-1.91; p  < 0.001) and the seminar teaching method significantly improved teaching effects, including active learning ability, learning interest, scientific innovation, and independent thinking ability, expression and communication ability, clinical thinking ability, teamwork, teacher-student interaction, and classroom atmosphere., Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that the seminar teaching method is an effective method for improving knowledge scores, skill scores, active learning ability, student collaboration, classroom atmosphere, and interaction between teachers and students.

Previous studies have suggested that pathogenic variants in interferon regulatoryse factor 6 (IRF6) can account for almost 70% of familial Van der Woude Syndrome (VWS) cases. However, gene modifiers that account for the phenotypic variability of IRF6 in the context of VWS remain poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to report a family with VWS with variable expressivity and to identify the genetic cause. A 4‑month‑old boy initially presented with cleft palate and bilateral lower lip pits. Examination of his family history identified similar, albeit milder, clinical features in another four family members, including bilateral lower lip pits and/or hypodontia. Peripheral blood samples of eight members in this three‑generation family were subsequently collected, and whole‑exome sequencing was performed to detect pathogenic variants. A heterozygous missense IRF6 variant with a c.1198C>T change in exon 9 (resulting in an R400W change at the amino acid level) was detected in five affected subjects, but not in the other three unaffected subjects. Moreover, subsequent structural analysis was indicative of damaged stability to the structure in the mutant IRF protein. Whole‑transcriptome sequencing, expression analysis and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis were conducted on two groups of patients with phenotypic diversity from the same family. These analyses identified significant differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways in these two groups. Altogether, these findings provide insight into the mechanism underlying the variable expressivity of VWS.

Systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 130 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg has been defined as stage I hypertension by the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines. Drug treatment is recommended for stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease in the 2017 Hypertension Clinical Practice Guidelines but not in the 2018 Chinese guidelines. However, the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment among this subgroup of Chinese patients is unclear. This study developed a microsimulation model to compare costs and effectiveness of drug treatment and nondrug treatment for the subgroup of stage I hypertensive patients over a lifetime horizon from a government affordability perspective. Event rates of mortality and cardiovascular complications were estimated from 3 cohorts in the Chinese population. Costs and health utilities were obtained from the national statistics report and published literature. The model predicted that drug treatment generated quality-adjusted life-years of 13.52 and associated with expected costs of $6825 in comparison with 13.81 and $7328 produced by nondrug treatment over a lifetime horizon among stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $8836/quality-adjusted life-year (the GDP per capita in 2017), drug treatment only had a 1.8% probability of being cost-effective compared with nondrug treatment after 10 000 probabilistic simulations. Sensitivity analysis of treatment costs, benefits expected from treatment, health utilities, and discount rates did not change the results. Our results suggested that drug treatment was not cost-effective compared with nondrug treatment for stage I hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years without cardiovascular disease in China.

Urban greenspace, which serves as a place for residents to connect with nature and relax, provides important ecosystem services. Access to greenspace is often related to the socio-economic characteristics of residents, which received a lot attention from researchers and practitioners. Previous studies have mostly focused on single city to analyze the spatial relationship between greenspace distribution and residents' characteristics. We conducted a meta-analysis with global studies. The objectives were to classify findings from different cases and investigate the impacts from the location of research area, indicator and analytical method, and summarized major factors influen-cing the relationship between greenspace distribution and residents' characteristics. The results showed that more than half of the cases (58.2%) found that the socially advantaged population benefited more from greenspace. About a quarter cases (25.4%) revealed the opposite, that was, the disadvantaged population benefited more from greenspace. The remaining case studies (16.4%) did not find significant correlation between them. The studies reviewed here were diverse in terms of scale, indicator selection, and analytical method. Overall, we found no connection between finding and the choice of scale/indicator/analytical method. The reviewed case studies were mostly conducted in cities of western countries, which differed in their development trajectories and urban characteristics from cities in China. To understand association between urban greenspace and residents' characteristics in China, we urged to carry out more local studies, which would potentially provide scientific evidence for building sustainable cities during rapid urbanization.

Objective: To systematically review the current status of application of acupuncture in low back pain guidelines., Methods: The computer retrieval was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, China Journal Full Text Database (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP, Wanfang, guidelines databases, and the official websites of WHO and academic organizations (American Pain Society, American College of Physicians, etc.). After screening, the basic information and acupuncture-related issues in the guidelines that met the inclusion criteria were extracted and compared by using Excel software., Results: A total of 35 low back pain guidelines were included. ① One guideline was published before 2000, 16 guidelines were published from 2000 to 2010, and 18 guidelines were published from 2011 to 2017; 17 guidelines were published by the United States, 4 by Canada and China, 2 by New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and 1 by Netherlands, Philippines, Denmark and Italy. ② Twenty-three guidelines were evidence-based guidelines, which was developed mainly by system review, meta-analysis and expert consultation, involving diagnosis, treatment, primary care of low back pain. ③ Acupuncture was mentioned in 23 guidelines, of them, 7 guidelines recommended acupuncture, 6 guidelines indicated that acupuncture might be considered under certain conditions such as combined with other therapies or patients were interested in acupuncture, however, 10 guidelines did not recommended acupuncture for low back pain., Conclusion: The guidelines of low back pain are mainly developed by Europe countries and the United States, and the majority is published in the last 20 years. Among them, 20% of the guidelines have recommend acupuncture for low back pain.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the effect of a modified approach on severe congenital ptosis treatment., Methods: Through anterior approach, Müller muscle was preserved, meanwhile the upper tarsus was suspended to combined fascia sheath (CFS) and levator muscle (LM) complex. The main outcome measures included marginal reflex distance1 (MRD1), palpebral fissure height (PFH), MRD1 regression, MRD1 improvement, and patient self-satisfaction., Results: There were 70 patients (90 eyelids) with severe congenital ptosis received treatment of modified operation, including 20 bilateral and 50 unilateral ptosis. The average LF was 2.53 ± 1.06 mm. The preoperative MRD1 and PFH was -0.06 ± 0.76 mm and 4.25 ± 0.85 mm, respectively. The follow-up was at least 6 months with average of 12.67 ± 4.92 months. The immediate postoperative MRD1 and PFH average was 4.52 ± 0.39 mm and 9.24 ± 0.26, respectively. The last follow-up MRD1 and PFH average was 2.43 ± 0.57 mm and 7.16 ± 0.69 mm, respectively, which was improved significantly (P < 0.01). There were variety degrees of MRD1 regression especially in the first month after operation, and the last follow-up MRD1 regression was 2.09 ± 0.67 mm. The lagophthalmos was obvious immediately after operation and regularly released after 6 months. Objective curative effect assessment showed 78 (86.7%) satisfactory eyes, 4 (4.4%) improved eyes, and 8 (8.9%) noneffective eyes. Two noneffective eyes required reoperation of frontalis suspension. Self-satisfaction rate was 93.3%. Parameters analysis showed that LF had positive correlation with last follow-up MRD1 and negative correlation with MRD1 improvement (P < 0.01). Five eyes had levator shorten history, which was associated remarkably with CFS + LM curative effect (P < 0.01). Mean swelling time was 0.53 ± 0.41 months, and no complications were observed until the last visit., Conclusions: This modified method gives powerful correction and vivid eyelid contour, featured with simple surgical procedures, few complications, and satisfactory effect, which is worth to wide application.

To characterize the associations between the cleft palate (CPO) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2). We recruited 241 CPO and performed a case-control study with 242 controls. Concurrently, 103 of the patients and their normal parents were recruited to perform a case-parent trio study. Sixteen selected SNPs were genotyped. Furthermore, A meta-analysis was used to enhance the robustness of our conclusions. The case-control study provided no support for the hypothesis that any of the 16 selected SNPs played a significant role in CPO. In the meta-analysis, we also did not find that the SATB2 was associated with nonsyndromic cleft palate risk, in Asians or in Caucasians. The 16 selected SNPs do not contribute to the development of CPO.

Background: For patients with COPD, physical activity (PA) is recommended as the core component of pulmonary rehabilitation, but there is lack of a validated questionnaire for assessing the PA effectively., Aim: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE-C) in patients with COPD., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 167 outpatients aged 60 years or older with COPD. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's coefficient α, respectively. Validity was evaluated by correlation with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short (IPAQ-S), data of pedometer, Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale (SES6), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), grip strength, and disease characteristics., Results: The PASE-C had an excellent seven-day test-retest reliability (ICC=0.98) and an acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.71). The content validity was supported by an item-content validity index, a scale-content validity index/universal agreement, and a scale-content validity index/average value of 0.70-1, 0.70, and 0.93, respectively. Concurrent validity was tested by correlation with IPAQ-S ( r =0.651). Criterion validity was confirmed by correlation with the walking steps ( r =0.611) and energy expenditure ( r =0.493). For construct validity, PASE-C had correlations with SES6 ( r =0.396), HADS for depression ( r =-0.234), seven subscales of SF-36 ( r =0.182-0.525), grip strength ( r =0.341), and disease characteristics including the duration of COPD ( r =-0.215), modified British Medical Research Council scale ( r =-0.354), forced expiratory volume in one second as percentage of predicted ( r =0.307), and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease grade ( r =-0.264), with a good construct validity (all P <0.05)., Conclusion: The PASE-C has acceptable reliability and validity for patients aged 60 years or older with COPD, and it can be used as a valid tool to measure the PA of patients with COPD in the People's Republic of China., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

To further explore the clinical effect of massage therapy on navel,the related ancient literatures were arranged and analyzed,and several methods in ancient clinical were introduced, including stroking navel, rubbing navel, pushing navel, tapping navel and puffing navel. In addition, the theoretical basis of massage therapy on navel were discussed. The results revealed ancient literatures offered abundant theoretical basis to modern clinical practice, and there were evidences of treating gastroenteric and gynecological diseases with this therapy. Comprehensively, through the study of ancient literatures and modern research, therapy of massage on navel is believed to be promising and will gain popularity in the future.

The X-linked form of Alport syndrome is associated with mutations in the COL4A5 gene, which is located at Xq22.3 and encodes the α5 chain of type IV collagen. Here we clinically characterized a Chinese family with Alport Syndrome, but no ocular or hearing abnormalities have been observed in any patient in the family. Through Linkage analysis and direct DNA sequencing, a novel complex deletion/insertion mutation c.359&#95;363delGTATTinsATAC in the COL4A5 gene was identified in the family. The mutation was found in all affected family members, but was not present in the unaffected family individuals or the 200 controls. The predicted mutant protein in the family is a truncated protein consisting of only 153 residues. Our report for the first time revealed that the frameshift mutation in the type IV collagen chain α5 causes only renal disease, without extrarenal lesion. Our study broadens genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of COL4A5 mutations associated with Alport syndrome., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG1) mutations were associated with levodopa-responsive Parkinsonism. POLG1 gene contains a number of common nonsynonymous SNPs and intronic regulatory SNPs which may have functional consequences. It is of great interest to discover polymorphisms variants associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), both in isolation and in combination with specific SNPs., Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study and genotyped twenty SNPs and poly-Q polymorphisms of POLG1 gene including in 344 Chinese sporadic PD patients and 154 healthy controls. All the polymorphisms of POLG1 we found in this study were sequenced by PCR products with dye terminator methods using an ABI-3100 sequencer. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium (LD) for association between twenty POLG1 SNPs and PD were calculated using the program Haploview., Principal Results: We provided evidence for strong association of four intronic SNPs of the POLG1 gene (new report: c.2070-12T>A and rs2307439: c.2070-64G>A in intron 11, P = 0.00011, OR = 1.727; rs2302084: c.3105-11T>C and rs2246900: c.3105-36A>G in intron 19, P = 0.00031, OR = 1.648) with PD. However, we did not identify any significant association between ten exonic SNPs of POLG1 and PD. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that c.2070-12T>A and c.2070-64G>A could be parsed into one block as Haplotype 1 as well as c.3105-11T>C and c.3105-36A>G in Haplotype 2. In addition, case and control study on association of POLG1 CAG repeat (poly-Q) alleles with PD showed a significant association (P = 0.03, OR = 2.16) of the non-10/11Q variants with PD. Although intronic SNPs associated with PD didn't influence POLG1 mRNA alternative splicing, there was a strong association of c.2070-12T>A and c.2070-64G>A with decreased POLG1 mRNA level and protein levels., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that POLG1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of PD in Chinese populations.

The occurrence and distribution of four quinolones and four sulfonamides in swine and cattle feces sampled from twenty large-scale feeding operations in different areas of Guangdong province were detected using solid phase extraction (SPE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quinolone and sulfonamide compounds were observed in all pig dung samples. Their total concentrations ranged from 24.5 microg/kg to 1516.2 microg/kg (F. W.) with an average of 581.0 microg/kg and ranged from 1925.9-13399.5 microg/kg with an average of 4403.9 microg/kg respectively. The dominant compounds in pig feces were ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin for quinolones and sulfamerazine and sulfamethoxazole for sulfonamides. Quinolone compounds which dominated with norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin were also observed in all cattle dung samples, its total concentrations ranged from 73.2 microg/kg to 1328.0 microg/kg which averaged 572.9 microg/kg. While the positive rates of sulfonamide compounds detected in cattle dung samples were above 90%, predominated by sulfamethoxazole and sulfamerazine. Concentration and distribution of both quinolone and sulfonamide compounds in swine and cattle dungs of different feeding operations varied greatly. Relatively high concentrations of the two kinds of antibiotics were found in both swine and cattle dungs from Guangzhou area, while sulfameter and sulfamethazine in cattle dungs from Foshan and Shenzhen areas were below the limit of detection.

Purpose: To increase opportunities for advanced clinical training, a few medical schools in China have created U.S.-style, temporary-contract residency programs for medical graduates, but nearly nothing is known about what proportion of residents successfully complete these programs or what factors affect attrition., Method: By directly surveying and interviewing residents who withdrew voluntarily, the authors examined attrition from 16 medical specialties in the residency program of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, from the start of the program in 2003 through 2008., Results: During the study period, 562 trainees matriculated into the program, and 127 (22.6%) withdrew before completing it; 106 (18.9%) withdrew voluntarily. Those who left voluntarily most frequently cited three reasons: (1) permanent employment in other hospitals, (2) pursuit of a higher academic degree, and (3) personal reasons. Nearly 90% (n = 92) of the residents who left voluntarily did so within two years of obtaining their medical license. Women were 1.82-fold more likely than men to leave (95% CI 1.20-2.76, P = .005). Attrition by specialty ranged from 3.7% to 42.9% over the study period. Surgery had one of the lowest attrition rates., Conclusions: Attrition is a challenge for the West China residency program just as it is for U.S. residency programs, but the factors behind attrition in each country differ significantly. To reduce attrition from temporary-contract residency programs in China, the programs themselves and government policies may need to change so that completing such residencies is as competitive an option as taking permanent hospital positions immediately after graduation.