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Background: Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) has a short growth period, long suitable sowing period, drought and barren tolerance, wide adaptability, nitrogen fixation and other characteristics. China is one of the original centers of mung bean, with a cultivation history of more than 2000 years. The current study aimed to assess the present mung bean germplasm in Liaoning Province scientifically, to provide a theoretical basis for collection, preservation, innovative and usage of mung bean germplasm resources. Methods: This study was conducted during 2011-2015 and 170 mung bean germplasm collections were selected from the germplasm resource bank of Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Forty six agronomic traits, including 34 quality traits and 12 quantitative traits, were observed and recorded. Data were comprehensively evaluated by multivariate analysis, i.e., diversity analysis, principal component analysis, correlation analysis, grey relational analysis and cluster analysis. Result: It was observed that mung bean resources have abundant diversity for exploitation in breeding programs. The traits pod-bearing capacity and vegetative growth capacity of plants were found closely related to yield. Germplasm lines with superior performance for yield characteristics, growth period, plant height and grain size were selected which included one high-yield and one early-matured and high-yield resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important indicator of soil quality and crop production. In order to optimize management practices and balance agronomic and environmental interests, we conducted physicochemical fractionation to determine the effect of different fertilization treatments on a maize-wheat field in southern China. The fertilization treatments include unfertilized control (CK), nitrogen fertilizer alone (N), balanced fertilizer (NPK) and application of fertilizer plus manure (NPKM). SOC in CK was 6.5 g kg-1 lower than that in the NPKM treatment and 1.4 g kg-1 higher than that in the N treatment. The proportions of C fractions to SOC in unprotected pool, physically protected pool and stably protected pool (chemically protected pool plus biochemically protected pool) were 22.2~43.9%, 4.8~6.9%, and 49.4~71.6%, respectively. Soil organic carbon was mainly contained in the unprotected C pool. In addition, the biochemically protected C showed changing saturation levels in different fertilization treatments. Therefore, the application of fertilizer plus manure might be the best option in order to improve soil TOC and C fractions in the maize-wheat cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the evolutionary process and the driving forces of the meliorization model (MM) for sustainable land use is the focus of landsenses ecology. Among different landsenses, the relationships between landscape preference changes and land-use dynamics have not been fully explored. Taking Fujian Province as an example, we investigated landscape preference changes during urbanization, which represents the most prominent driver and key process of land-use dynamics in China. Mix-marching data from a survey questionnaire of 2044 residents at different urbanization levels were used to reveal landscape preference changes during urbanization. The findings demonstrated that urbanization, rather than naturalness, was a better predictor of a person's preferences for natural landscapes. The more urbanized the area that a person resides in, the more they prefer natural landscapes. Furthermore, the younger the population, the higher the preference for natural landscapes is. Teenagers always prefer landscapes with high naturalness regardless of the level of urbanization of where they live. Older people had a lower preference for natural landscapes. There was also greater variation with respect preference for different levels of urbanization: Males less preferred natural landscape compared with females. This study presents potential development patterns of landscape preferences during urbanization considering demographic differences, which may expand our understanding of the dynamic development of the MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labile soil organic carbon (SOC) plays key roles in the assessment of improving soil fertility and structure for agricultural land sustainability, but changes in labile SOC fractions at different soil profiles with long-term fertilization are limited. In this study, we investigated the effect of long-term fertilization on the labile SOC fractions with various potassium permanganate oxidizable C (KMnO4–C) concentrations at three different long-term experimental sites. Soil depths were 0-40cm at GZL and 0-100cm at ZZ and QY. The four fertilization treatments included cropping without fertilization (CK),inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), inorganic fertilizer with manure (NPKM) and inorganic fertilizer with straw (NPKS). Results showed that SOC storage in 0-20cm soil layer increased under all treatments in the order of NPKM > NPKS >NPK relative to CK at all sites except GZL (NPKM>NPKS, NPK). The SOC storage in whole soil profile was greater under all treatments in the order of NPKM >NPKS> NPK relative to CK at GZL, ZZ and QY. Moreover, long-term fertilization increased topsoil (0-20 cm)labile SOC storage pool which declined sharply with the increasing soil depth at each experimental site. The average SOC storage of less, mid and highly labile fraction in manure with balanced fertilizer (NPKM) increased by113.3, 183.7 and 274.5% at 0-40cm depth of GZL and by 153.4, 76.0, 67.6, 105.5, 129.8 and 118.7% at depth of 0-100 cm of ZZ and QY, respectively, as compared to CK. Consequently, this study suggested that the application of combined NPK with manure or straw can improve soil carbon storage and SOC liable fraction along soil profile across various upland region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although a large number of fish species have been introduced into Guangdong Province in Southern China, a few species, such as tilapia (Tilapia spp.), North African catfish Clarias gariepinus Burchell, mrigal carp, Cirrhinus mrigala (Bloch) and the sucker mouth catfish (Hypostomus sp.), have established natural populations and can be considered “successful invaders” in large rivers. The specific mechanisms underlying these contrasting results among different introduced fish species remain understudied. The relationship between multiple abiotic–biotic factors and the success of four invasive species was investigated using survey data for the Guangdong Province river ecosystem. In contrast to previous studies that have considered species‐specific traits, the focus was on economic, ecological and anthropogenic factors to predict invasion success. Four main predictive indicators were found: (1) successful invaders were of low or no commercial value; (2) successful invaders tolerated a wide range of environmental conditions, including poor water quality; (3) biodiversity loss accelerated the growth of non‐native populations; (4) human disturbance facilitated population growth and spread of invasive fish species. To lessen the impacts of invasive fish species, the selection of breeding species and breeding areas, maintenance of water quality and reduction in water pollution, protection of the diversity of fish species and reduction of human interference should be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma synoviae can cause worldwide respiratory diseases, synovitis, or subclinical symptoms in poultry. M. synoviae infection occurs throughout the yr and causes significant economic losses, including increased mortality, condemnations, medication, and live production cost. In the present study, the seroprevalence of M. synoviae among 44,395 non-vaccinated chickens from 21 provinces in China from 2010 to 2015 was estimated using ELISA. The overall seroprevalence was 41.19%. Seropositive rates in different yr ranged between 24.70 and 57.20%; the highest seropositive rate was observed in 2010, and the lowest was observed in 2013. The prevalence rates varied greatly in different provinces from 5.10 to 100%. Of the 463 commercial flocks tested, 375 (80.99%) were positive for M. synoviae by ELISA. The seasonal distribution ranged between 26.83% (in October) and 53.98% (in July). An investigation of chickens according to age further showed that M. synoviae can infect chickens at any age. Our findings indicate that M. synoviae infection is very common in China and should prompt further research into its prevalence to develop effective control and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic macroinvertebrates are organisms primarily living in the streambed. The stability of the streambed is of vital importance to macroinvertebrate assemblages. Measurement of the streambed stability and sampling of macroinvertebrates were performed from 2005 to 2011 in four mountain streams: the Shengou, Diaoga, Jiangjia and Dabaini Rivers, which have different stability and are all located in the Yunnan plateau in southwestern China. The Shengou, Diaoga and Jiangjia Rivers are composed of gravels and cobbles, and the Dabaini River is mainly composed of gravels. The streambed stability was determined by the ratio of time over the sum of erosion and deposition areas of sediment per unit streambed width at each measured cross-section. The Shengou River had the highest stability, followed by the Diaoga and Jiangjia Rivers. The Dabaini River had the lowest stability. A total of 70 taxa of macroinvertebrates belonging to 45 families and 68 genera were identified in these streams. Arthropods were the dominant taxonomic group. Collector gatherers had the highest density. Taxa richness, Shannon-Weaver index and K-dominance curve were used to assess the biodiversity of macroinvertebrates. Results showed that the Shengou River had the highest biodiversity, followed by the Diaoga and Jiangjia Rivers. The Dabaini River had the lowest biodiversity. The detrended correspondence analysis ordination indicated that the streambed stability was the main factor that influenced macroinvertebrate assemblages, counting for 22.7% of the variance. The biodiversity and wet weight of the macroinvertebrates were highly dependent on the streambed stability. The biodiversity increased with the streambed stability and reached equilibrium when the stability was over 20 year m−1. The wet weight of macroinvertebrates showed an increasing trend with the streambed stability. However, no clear relation was identified between the density of macroinvertebrates and the streambed stability. It was concluded from this study that, in order to improve the ecological condition within the mountain streams, erosion and sedimentation must be controlled to enhance the streambed stability. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To examine the association between depression and impaired glucose regulation, newly diagnosed diabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes in middle-aged and elderly Chinese people, and whether depression was associated with different treatment regimens or durations of diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed among 229 047 adults living in the community aged ≥ 40 years from 25 centres in China. The self-reported depression rating scale Patient Health Questionnaire 9 ( PHQ-9) was used to diagnose probable and sub-threshold depression. Glucose metabolism status was determined according to World Health Organization 1999 diagnostic criteria. Results The numbers of participants with normal glucose regulation, impaired glucose regulation, newly diagnosed diabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes were 120 458, 59 512, 24 826 and 24 251, respectively. The prevalence of sub-threshold depression in the total sample of participants was 4.8% (4.8%, 4.8%, 4.4% and 5.6% from normal glucose regulation to previously diagnosed diabetes, respectively), and the prevalence of probable depression was 1.1% (1.1%, 1.0%, 0.9% and 1.8% from normal glucose regulation to previously diagnosed diabetes, respectively). Compared with participants with normal glucose regulation, those with previously diagnosed diabetes had increased odds of probable depression [odds ratio ( OR) = 1.61, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.39-1.87] and sub-threshold depression ( OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.24), after adjustment for multiple confounding factors. Newly diagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose regulation was not associated with depression. Among those with previously diagnosed diabetes, insulin treatment was associated with greater odds of depression compared with no treatment or oral anti-diabetic medicine. Conclusion Previously diagnosed diabetes, but not newly diagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose regulation, was associated with a higher prevalence of depression. Patients receiving insulin were more likely to have depression than those not receiving treatment or being treated with oral anti-diabetic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT It is widely accepted that riverine ecosystems are influenced by the landscape pattern changes of their corresponding watersheds, but few studies have identified the most sensitive and nonsensitive biotic indices, the most influential landscape metrics and the relationship between aquatic biota and landscape patterns. To address this problem, Taizi river basin of Northeast China is taken as a case study, in which GIS technology and landscape ecology method are adopted. The study is performed at both the basin scale (entire drainage area upstream from certain sample point) and the riparian scale (a certain width buffer on each side of sample point extending the length of drainage network) to direct future landscape pattern design at the corresponding scales. The results show that at the basin scale, the species richness of benthic macroinvertebrate (B-S) and the fish index of biotic integrity (F-IBI) are the most sensitive biotic indices to landscape metrics, whereas the species richness of phytoplankton (P-S), the Shannon-Weaver diversity index of phytoplankton (P-H), zooplankton (Z-H), benthic macroinvertebrate (B-H) and fish density (F-D) are not sensitive to landscape pattern changes; at the riparian scale, F-IBI, B-S and zooplankton density (Z-D) have significant correlations with 9 of 10 landscape metrics calculated in this study, whereas P-S, P-H, Z-H, B-H, F-D and species richness of fish have very low correlations with riparian landscape pattern changes. At the basin scale, no landscape pattern metrics show obviously more influence on the riverine ecosystems than other metrics. At the riparian scale, Shannon's diversity index is a very influential factor. As to both of the two scales, B-S and F-IBI are correlated with most landscape metrics. The information derived above can help understand the impacts of landscape change on river ecosystems more clearly and provide useful scientific information on river ecosystem protection from the viewpoint of landscape. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental/ecological models are widely used for lake management as they provide a means to understand physical, chemical, and biological processes in highly complex ecosystems. Most research has focused on the development of environmental (water quality) and ecological models, separately. Limited studies were developed to couple the two models, and in these limited coupled models, a lake was regarded as a whole for analysis (i.e. considering the lake to be one well-mixed box), which is appropriate for small-scale lakes but is not sufficient to capture spatial variations within middle-scale or large-scale lakes. In response to this problem, this paper seeks to establish a zoning-based environmental--ecological coupled model for a lake. Hierarchical cluster analysis was adopted to determine the number of zones in a given lake based on hydrological, water quality, and ecological data analysis. The MIKE 21 model was used to construct 2-D hydrodynamics and water quality simulations. STELLA software was used to create a lake ecological model that can simulate the spatial variations of ecological condition based on flow field distribution results generated by MIKE 21. Baiyangdian Lake, the largest freshwater lake in northern China, was adopted as the study case. The results showed that the new model is promising for predicting spatial variations of ecological conditions in response to changes in lake water quantity and quality, and could be useful for lake management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a non-cytolytic, neurotropic RNA virus that can infect a wide variety of vertebrate species from birds and primates to humans. Several studies have been carried out to investigate whether BDV is associated with neuropsychiatric diseases. However, this association is still inconclusive. Two panels of subjects consisting of 1,679 various neuropsychiatric patients and healthy people from three western China provinces were enrolled in this study. BDV p24 or p40 RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected in the first panel of 1,481 subjects using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from the BDV RNA-positive individuals were subjected to BDV p24 antibodies testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). BDV p24 or p40 RNA in PBMCs and p24 antibodies in plasma were detected in the second panel of 198 subjects by RT-qPCR and Western blot. A higher prevalence for BDV RNA was demonstrated in patients with viral encephalitis (6.70 %), Guillain-Barré syndrome (6.70 %), schizophrenia (9.90 %) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (12.70 %) compared to healthy controls in the first panel. CSF p24 antibodies were demonstrated in three viral encephalitis patients, two schizophrenia patients and two major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. The prevalences of p24 antibodies in plasma from patients with viral encephalitis (13.24 %), multiple sclerosis (25.00 %) and Parkinson's disease (22.73 %) were significantly higher than healthy controls. This study demonstrates that BDV infection also exists in humans from three western China provinces, and suggests the involvement of the contribution of BDV in the aetiology of Chinese patients with some neuropsychiatric disorders, including viral encephalitis, schizophrenia, CFS, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a retrospective, observational study that examines the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in airway management during tracheal surgery in Shanghai Chest Hospital between 2008 and 2012. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The study also shows that extracorporeal circulation plays an important role in high-risk cases.

Soil organic carbon ( SOC) modelling is a useful approach to assess the impact of nutrient management on carbon sequestration. Roth C was parameterized and evaluated with two long-term experiments comparing different fertilizer treatments in north ( Zhengzhou) and northeast ( Gongzhuling) China. Four nutrient application treatments were used: no fertilizer ( Control), mineral nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers ( NPK), NPK mineral fertilizer plus manure ( NPKM), and NPK mineral fertilizer plus straw return ( NPKS). The comparison between simulated and observed data showed that the model can adequately simulate SOC contents in the Control, NPK and NPKM treatments but overestimated in the NPKS treatment at both sites. By changing the value of decomposable plant material:resistant plant material (DPM:RPM) ratio from the default value to 3.35 for the NPKS treatment at the Zhengzhou site, dynamics of simulated SOC agreed with measured values. A pseudo-parameter, straw retention factor was introduced to adjust the amount of straw incorporated into soils. Using the inverse simulation method and the modified value of the ratio, the best-fitted value was 0.24 for the NPKS treatment at the Gongzhuling site. This result indicated that retaining straw on the soil surface makes less contribution to carbon sequestration than if it is incorporated. With this modification for straw, the model produced reasonable predictions for the two sites. The model was run for another 30 years with the modified parameter values and current average climatic conditions for different fertilizer treatments at both sites. The results suggested that the NPK application plus the addition of manure or straw would be better management practices for carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five provinces of southwestern China, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi, frequently suffer from droughts, especially the recent severe drought of five consecutive months from autumn 2009 to spring 2010, which caused serious water shortages, huge economic losses and adverse social consequences. With increasing human activity in the last 200 years, the wetland areas have decreased and their ecological functions such as water conservation, climate regulation have declined, which has a direct impact on climate and the ecological environment. Using satellite images, changes in wetland areas of the five provinces of southwestern China have been mapped from 1970 to 2008. Our detailed analysis shows that the wetland area in the 1970s, 1990, 2000 and 2008 occupy an area of 20822.9, 18386.16, 19904.22 and 17269.72 km2, respectively, which indicate that the wetland areas have a downtrend, at an accelerating rate, from 2000 to 2008. Considering the complexity between wetland change and drought, the correlation between spatial and temporal wetland change and drought have been analysed using monthly ground meteorological data from 1971 to 2009, obtained from the China Meteorological Data Sharing Service Network. The analysed results show that the decrease of the wetland area, damage to biological resources and decline in climate regulation function are closely related to serious drought problems in the five provinces of southwestern China. Finally the corresponding solutions are discussed by analysing the problems faced by the wetland ecological system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing optimal grain yields while reducing adverse environmental impacts of over-fertilization is essential in intensive, but sustainable, farming systems. We investigated the effects of long-term (1982-2005) application of chemical nitrogen (N), N + chemical phosphorus (P) and N + P + chemical potassium (K) on grain yield, nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE) and N losses in two rice-wheat sites in subtropical China where pig manure was applied (Suining and Wuchang). Four (Suining) or five (Wuchang) treatments were examined: no-fertilizer, chemical N plus manure (NM), chemical NP plus manure (NPM), chemical NPK plus manure (NPKM) or chemical NPK plus 1.6 times manure (NPKhM, Wuchang only). Fertilizers resulted in 1.5-2.5 times higher grain yields than no-fertilizer, which led to a NRE in the range from 21.0 to 58.3%. Grain yields of rice and wheat were significantly increased by 22.6-25.9 and 34.4-37.5%, respectively, under NPM and NPKM (similar to each other) compared to NM at Suining. Yields were similar for NM, NPK, NPKM and NPKhM at Wuchang. The N accumulation and NRE among fertilizers were in the order NM < NPM = NPKM at the low amount of manure-applied site (Suining), but NM = NPM = NPKM at the high amount of manure-applied site (Wuchang). The ratio of N losses to total N input was 21.4-49.1% at the studied sites. Soil total N accumulated at a rate of 0.01-0.04 g/kg/yr during 1982-2005 with fertilizers and decreased or was constant in soil without fertilizer. Application of chemical P and K fertilizers could be reduced or eliminated after long-term manure application at these two sites, while maintaining optimal grain yields and enhancing soil N accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organochlorine contaminants (OCs) in fish were determined to evaluate the potential risk to humans consuming fish originating in Baiyangdian Lake, North China. Relatively low levels of PCBs, HCHs and DDTs were observed, with mean concentrations ranging from 0.28 to 3.28 ng/g, wet weight. Among various fish species tested, the highest burden of OCs was recorded in northern snakehead (7.39 ng/g, wet weight) and the lowest was in grass carp (2.04 ng/g, wet weight). The hazard ratios (HRs), based on noncancer risk were all less than 1.0, while the HRs based on cancer risk exceeded 1.0 only for PCBs based on the 90th percentile concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer on total organic carbon (C), water-soluble organic C (C), microbial biomass C (C), particulate organic C (C), labile organic C (C), C storage and sequestration, and C management index (CMI) in surface soil (0-20 cm) were investigated in a 20-yr field experiment under a greenhouse vegetable system in northeast China. The treatments included unfertilized control (CK), N fertilizer (N), balanced NPK fertilizer (NPK), organic manure alone (M) and the NPK fertilizer combined with the manure (MNPK). Under the treatments of N and NPK, C content and C storage were not significantly changed over the experimental period, while C, C, C, C concentrations and CMI were significantly increased compared with the unfertilized control. In comparison with the control, the manure treatments, M and MNPK, significantly increased C content and C storage, sequestrating organic C of 8.9 and 9.2 Mg/ha, respectively. The M and MNPK treatments showed higher C, C, C and C concentrations and CMI than the other three treatments. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to show that C, C, C, C and CMI could be useful indicators for assessing soil quality and total C changes. The M treatment is effective in sequestrating soil C, but resulted in lower crop yield compared with the NPK treatment. The MNPK treatment showed the greatest increases in crop yield and C sequestration in the greenhouse vegetable system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now, prevention of earthquakes is rarely achieved and earthquakes continue to pose an increasing threat to life and property. For search and rescue operations, rapid, accurate and reliable information about the building damage and damage distribution is in great need in the critical post-event hours. Fortunately, remote sensing data from satellites and airborne platforms can provide valuable information for detecting the building damage due to earthquakes. In this study, satellite and airborne images were processed to assess the degree of building damage caused by the Yushu, China earthquake on 14 April 2010. The selected study area enclosed part of Jiegu town, which was one of the areas most strongly hit by the earthquake. Combining with the pre-earthquake data of Yushu County from a Google Earth screenshot, we visually interpreted post-earthquake and pre-earthquake buildings in every region, and acquired the degree of building damage. The result shows that in every region of the study area, buildings with brick-clay or brick-wood structures showed characteristics of complete damage over a large area. The alluvial cone has a flat and solid surface but the lower soil is soft, so its structure is not stable enough to withstand a serious earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) cover up to 60–70% of the soil surface in grasslands rehabilitated during the “Grain for Green” project implemented in the hilly Loess Plateau region in 1999. As biocrusts fix nitrogen (N), they are an important part of restoring soil fertility. We measured nitrogenase activity (NA) in biocrusts from sites rehabilitated at six different time periods to estimate 1) the effects of moisture content and temperature on NA in biocrusts of different ages and 2) the potential N contribution from biocrusts to soils and plants in this region. Results show that NA in the biocrusts was mostly controlled by the species composition, as the activity of biocrusts dominated by free-living soil cyanobacteria was significantly higher than that of moss-dominated biocrusts. Nitrogenase activity was also influenced by soil moisture content and ambient temperature, with a significant decline in activity when moisture levels were decreased to 20% field water-holding capacity. The optimal temperature for NA was 35–40 °C and 30–40 °C for cyanobacteria- and moss-dominated biocrusts, respectively. Biocrust fixed N is likely an important source of N in this ecosystem, as we estimated annual potential N inputs per hectare in these grasslands to be up to 13 kg N ha−1 and 4 kg N ha−1 for cyanobacteria- and moss-dominated biocrusts, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Soil carbon sequestration is a complex process influenced by agricultural practices, climate and soil conditions. This paper reports a study of long-term fertilization impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamic from six long-term experiments. The experiment sites are located from warm-temperate zone with a double-cropping system of corn (Zea mays L.) - wheat (Triticum Aestivium L.) rotation, to mild-temperate zones with mono-cropping systems of continuous corn, or a three-year rotation of corn-wheatwheat. Mineral fertilizer applications result in an increasing trend in SOC except in the arid and semi-arid areas with the mono-cropping systems. Additional manure application is important to maintain SOC level in the arid and semi-arid areas. Carbon conversion rate is significant lower in the warmtemperate zone with double cropping system (6.8%-7.7%) than that in the mild-temperate areas with mono-cropping systems (15.8%-31.0%). The conversion rate is significantly correlated with annual precipitation and active accumulative temperature, i.e., higher conversion rate under lower precipitation and/or temperature conditions. Moreover, soil high in clay content has higher conversion rate than soils low in clay content. Soil carbon sequestration rate ranges from 0.07 to 1.461 t ha-1 year-1 in the upland of northern China. There is significantly linear correlation between soil carbon sequestration and carbon input at most sites, indicating that these soils are not carbon-saturated thus have potential to migrate more CO2 from atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABCA1, ABCG1) and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) are the three most important cellular cholesterol transporters/receptor in regulating cholesterol efflux. We have investigated whether the expression of these transporters/receptor is altered in overweight and obese patients, and the potential association with the circulating adipokines.Methods:Adiponectin, leptin and resistin were assayed in two groups of healthy controls, overweight and obese patients. The expression of ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-BI in monocytes was measured. Cholesterol efflux from monocyte-derived macrophages was also determined.Results:Circulating adiponectin was decreased, whereas leptin and resistin were increased in overweight and obese patients compared with healthy controls. ABCA1 expression was significantly decreased in overweight and obese patients (P<0.01), whereas the levels of ABCG1 and SR-BI were comparable between the two groups. Adiponectin was correlated with ABCA1 (r=0.44, P<0.001), but not with ABCG1 and SR-BI. No associations between leptin, resistin and the expression of ABCA1, ABCG1 and SR-BI were found. Cholesterol efflux from monocyte-derived macrophages to apolipoprotein AI or to autologous serum was significantly impaired in overweight and obese patients, which were correlated with ABCA1 expression (r=0.47, P<0.001; r=0.43, P<0.001, respectively).Conclusion:The expression of ABCA1 in monocytes is reduced in overweight and obese patients, and the reduction in ABCA1 is associated with the impairment of cholesterol efflux from monocyte-derived macrophages.International Journal of Obesity (2009) 33, 851–856; doi:10.1038/ijo.2009.120; published online 16 June 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) data were collected from six long-term experiment sites in the upland of northern China. Various fertilization (e.g. inorganic fertilizations and combined inorganic-manure applications) and cropping (e.g. mono- and double-cropping) practices have been applied at these sites. Our analyses indicate that long-term applications of inorganic nitrogen-phosphorus (NP) and nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) result in a significant increase in SOC at the sites with the double-cropping systems. The applications of inorganic NP and/or NPK combined with manure lead to a significantly increasing trend in SOC content at all the sites. However, the application of NPK with crop residue incorporation can only increase SOC content in the warm-temperate areas with the double-cropping systems. Regression analyses suggest that soil carbon sequestration responds linearly to carbon input at all the sites. Conversion rates of carbon input to SOC decrease significantly with an increase of annual accumulative temperature or precipitation, showing lower rates (6.8%-7.7%) in the warm-temperate areas than in the mid-temperate areas (15.8%-31.0%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gene Yr26 confers resistance to all races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (PST), the casual pathogen of wheat stripe rust in China. Here, we report development of a molecular marker closely linked to Yr26 using a resistance gene-analog polymorphism (RGAP) technique. A total of 787 F2 plants and 165 F3 lines derived from the cross Chuanmai 42/Taichung 29 were used for linkage analysis. Eighteen near-isogenic lines (NILs) and 18 Chinese wheat cultivars and advanced lines with different genes for stripe rust resistance were employed for the validation of STS markers. A total of 1,711 RGAP primer combinations were used to test the parents and resistant and susceptible bulks. Five polymorphic RGAP markers were used for genotyping all F2 plants. Linkage analysis showed that the five RGAP markers were closely linked to Yr26 with genetic distances ranging from 0.5 to 2.9 cM. These markers were then converted into STS markers, one, CYS-5, of which was located 0.5 cM to Yr26 and was closely associated with the resistance gene when validated over 18 NILs and 18 Chinese wheat cultivars and lines. The results indicated that CYS-5 can be used in marker-assisted selection targeted at pyramiding Yr26 and other genes for stripe rust resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been thought to infect only domestic avian species, with waterfowl such as geese either not being infected, even by virulent strains, or developing only in apparent infection. In 1997, a new infectious disease producing high morbidity and mortality among geese broke out in many provinces of China, which was caused by a serotype I avian paramyxovirus (APMV-1)—NDV. To investigate how NDV spreads between chickens and geese, the complete genome of one NDV strain isolated from a goose was cloned and analyzed. The results indicate that there is conservation in NDV structural genetic evolution but that there are also considerable differences between goose and chicken NDV strains. Separate patterns of NDV evolution exist among wild bird species. Meanwhile, there is evidence indicating that the goose NDV may have evolved from chicken NDV strain Herts/33. In addition, the possibility was investigated that this new strain of NDV may bind to different sialic acid receptor binding sites than the normal NDV strains that have been investigated so far. This might provide clues to the evolution of the goose NDV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum IGF-I level was negatively correlated with OPG and OPG/RANKL ratio, but positively correlated with RANKL. Serum OPG level in the highest quintile of IGF-I was significantly lower than that in the lowest. We conclude that the effect of IGF-I on bone remodeling may be mediated by the OPG/RANKL system. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is an important factor in coupling bone remodeling, activating both formation and resorption. Compared with the many studies on the role of IGF-I in bone formation, the information regarding its effects on bone resorption is limited and conflicting. The balance of the two peptides produced by osteoblasts, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), is critical for the bone resorption process. Our study was designed to analyze the relationships of serum concentrations of IGF-I with OPG, RANKL, OPG/RANKL ratio as well as BMDs in healthy Chinese women. BMDs at lumbar spine and proximal femur in 504 pre- and postmenopausal women were measured by DXA. Serum levels of IGF-I, OPG and RANKL were also measured. Pearson’s correlation and partial correlation analysis, ANOVA, covariance analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used as appropriate. Age was negatively correlated with serum levels of IGF-I (r = −0.702, p < 0.001). IGF-I was negatively correlated with OPG and OPG/RANKL ratio, but positively correlated with RANKL. The relationship between IGF-I and BMDs disappeared after adjustment for age. In postmenopausal women, IGF-I was lower in women with osteoporosis than in those with normal BMD ( p = 0.056), but no differences were found among OPG, RANKL and OPG/RANKL ratio. Serum levels of OPG in the highest quintile of IGF-I were significantly lower than those in the lowest quintile of IGF-I, while no difference was found in RANKL. In the multiple regression analysis model, serum levels of IGF-I were the main determinants of the bone mass in Chinese women. In conclusion, the relationship between decreasing IGF-I and BMDs in healthy Chinese women influenced by age, whereas the effect of IGF-I on bone remodeling (bone resorption) may be mediated by the OPG/RANKL system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By comparing the outpatient volume of paediatric patients and the outpatient volume of respiratory tract infections in Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children in China from 2017 to June 2020, the changes in the outpatient volume of paediatric patients and the outpatient volume of respiratory tract infections during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were summarized and analysed to provide a basis for disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Night-time sleep duration was associated with FPG, modified by sex. • Napping duration was associated with FPG, without modifications by sex or age. • Bedtime was associated with FPG, modified by sex and age. The present study examined the associations between night-time sleep duration, midday napping duration and bedtime, and fasting glucose levels, and whether or not such associations are dependent on gender and age. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 172,901 adults aged ≥ 40 years living in mainland China. Sleep duration was obtained by self-reports of bedtime at night, waking-up time the next morning and average napping duration at midday. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 7.0 mmol/L was defined as hyperglycaemia. Independent associations between night-time sleep duration, midday naptime duration and bedtime with hyperglycaemia were evaluated using regression models. Compared with night-time sleep durations of 6–7.9 h, both short (< 6 h) and long (≥ 8 h) night-time sleep durations were significantly associated with an increased risk of hyperglycaemia in women [odds ratio (OR): 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.29 and OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08–1.21, respectively], and revealed a U-shaped distribution of risk in women and no significant association in men. Long midday nap durations (≥ 1 h) were significantly but weakly associated with hyperglycaemia (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09) compared with no napping without interactions from gender or age, whereas the association between bedtime and fasting glucose levels did vary according to gender and age. Night-time sleep duration, midday napping duration and bedtime were all independently associated with the risk of hyperglycaemia, and some of the associations between these sleep characteristics and hyperglycaemia were gender- and age-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Metabolic rearrangement has been shown to be an important characteristic for stomach adenocarcinomas. Here we aimed to improve our understanding of the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer by means of gene and protein expression profile analysis with a focus on metabolic genes and pathways. Methods Array-based gene expression profiling of fresh frozen cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from 8 patients with gastric cancer at early stage by using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarray. Assays targeted 179 unique genes related to cancer metabolism. The raw expression data were normalized using nSolver Analysis Software 3.0 and a dataset of gene expression ratios for GC vs. controls was generated. The p values were calculated using a paired t-test, and the threshold for up- and down-regulated genes was set at p value < 0.05. The protein expression of the dysregualted genes were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks. The signal was quantified by the Allred score system which represented the estimated intensity and proportion of positive-staining cells. Results Our microarray results showed increased expression of 20 metabolic genes and decreased expression of 6 metabolic genes in all cases of gastric cancer at early stage. Besides of the undetected NOX4, the protein levels of all the others dysregualted genes, detected by IHC, showed consistently results. Half of all dysregulated genes (AKT2, EGLN3, G6PD, GLS, HIF1A, HK2, HRAS, MAP2K1, NTRK3, PGK1, PLCG1, RET and RPS6KB1) are implicated in Carbon Metabolism, a pivotal metabolic approach involving in nucleic acid biosynthesis. Five genes (ARNT, EGLN1, EGLN3, HIF1A and NOX4) are molecules implicated in hypoxia signaling. Besides, the upregulated HIF1A is a cancer metabolism driver, which means that HIF1A may induce the oncogenesis of gastric cancer. Conclusions The gastric mucosa in gastric cancer at early stage is characterized by dysregulated expression of a limited repertoire of metabolic genes. The nature of the corresponding metabolic rearrangement and pathways may help guide further investigations into its etiology. Legal entity responsible for the study Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Funding National Human Genetic Resources Sharing Service Platform (2005DKA21300), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81602078),. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background DNA repair genes can be used as prognostic biomarkers in many types of cancer. We aimed to identify prognostic DNA repair genes in patients with gastric cancer (GC) by systematically bioinformatic approaches using web-based database. Methods Global gene expression profiles from altogether 1,325 GC patients' samples from six independent datasets were included in the study. Clustering analysis was performed to screen potentially abnormal DNA repair genes related to the prognosis of GC, followed by unsupervised clustering analysis to identify molecular subtypes of GC. Characteristics and prognosis differences were analyzed among these molecular subtypes, and modular key genes in molecular subtypes were identified based on changes in expression correlation. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to find the independent prognostic gene. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test was used to estimate correlations of key DNA repair genes with GC patients'overall survival. Results There were 57 key genes significantly associated to GC patients' prognosis, and patients were stratified into three molecular clusters based on their expression profiles, in which patients in Cluster 3 showed the best survival (P < 0.05). After a three-phase training, test and validation process, the expression profile of 13 independent key DNA repair genes were identified can classify the prognostic risk of patients. Compared with patients with low-risk score, patients with high risk score in the training set had shorter overall survival (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, we verified equivalent findings by these key DNA repair genes in the test set (P < 0.0001) and the independent validation set (P = 0.0024). Conclusions Our results suggest a great potential for the use of DNA repair gene profiling as a powerful marker in prognostication and inform treatment decisions for GC patients. Legal entity responsible for the study The authors. Funding This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81602081, 81602078). Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new linear plasma device LEAD (Linear experimental advanced device) has been built in Southwest Institute of Physics (SWIP) in China. One of the most notable features of LEAD is the highly flexible and customizable magnetic field configurations, such as highly-uniform field, convergent field, divergent field and cusp field. In this article, we present the design of the magnetic configurations, taking the topology of the magnets, the three-stage vacuum chamber and the magnetic requirements of plasma sources into account. The interplay between the magnetic shielding box of the matching network and the main magnetic field inside the vacuum chamber is evaluated to ensure both a tolerable influence on main magnetic field and an effective magnetic shielding for the automatic impedance matching box in helicon source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the protocol efficacy and prognostic factors for paediatric hepatoblastoma in a multidisciplinary model in our centre. Consecutive hepatoblastoma patients (<18 years old) treated at Shanghai Children's Medical Center in China from August 2011 to October 2017 were analysed retrospectively for clinical features, chemotherapy courses, surgical treatment and outcomes. One hundred and four cases of paediatric hepatoblastoma (64 males, 40 females; median age at diagnosis 1.64 years) had a median follow-up of 30.68 months (range 8.3–73.3 months). First complete remission was achieved in 95 cases, 85 of which achieved continuous complete remission. Another three cases were lost to follow-up after a median of 24.73 months in complete remission. Seven cases relapsed later, with two achieving a second complete remission and four deaths. Nine cases did not achieve complete remission and five of them died. In general, the 5-year overall survival rate and 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rate were 86.3 ± 5.0% and 81.8 ± 4.3%, respectively. Thirty-two cases were classified as standard risk and 72 as high risk with 5-year EFS of 96.8 ± 3.2% and 75.7 ± 5.7% (P = 0.029) and 5-year overall survival of 100% and 80.5 ± 7.0%, respectively. The mean platelet count (P = 0.0036), lactate dehydrogenase (P = 0.0443) and ferritin level (P = 0.0006) at diagnosis were much higher in the high-risk group than in the standard-risk group. Univariate analysis showed that patients <5 years of age (P = 0.018), with higher α-fetoprotein (AFP) level (>100 ng/ml, P = 0.008), without metastases at diagnosis (P = 0.001) and postoperative AFP recovery after no more than three chemocycles (P = 0.014) had better overall survival. In addition, the above factors, except metastases at diagnosis and risk group, were associated with prognosis in the multivariate analysis. The result of this protocol had similar overall survival and EFS rates compared with those in developed countries. Normal postoperative AFP levels after three chemocycles has prognostic value. • The 5-year overall and event-free survival rates of this protocol were 86.3% and 81.8% for paediatric hepatoblastoma patients. • The mean platelet count, lactate dehydrogenase and ferritin levels at diagnosis were much higher in the high-risk group. • Normal postoperative α-fetoprotein levels after three chemocycles have a prognostic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This cross-sectional study investigated potential factors impacting quality of life in 125 recipients after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured by using the Chinese version of Medical Outcomes Study Short Form–36 (SF-36), and psychologic symptoms by using the Symptom Checklist–90–Revised (SCL-90-R). Clinical and demographic data were collected from the records of the Chinese Liver Transplant Registry and via questionnaire. A total of 102 recipients (81.6%) completed the questionnaires. All SF-36 domain scores (except the mental health score) were lower in the study than in the general population of Sichuan. The mental quality of life was significantly lower in female than in male subjects (P = .000). Regarding the role-physical (P = .016), social functioning (P = .000), and role-emotional (P = .004) domains, recipients >1 year after transplantation scored higher than those <1 year. Bodily pain scores were lower in recipients with prior acute liver failure than those with hepatic carcinoma or hepatic cirrhosis (P = .032). Social functioning was poorer in recipients with than in those without complications (P = .039). Mental component summary scale (MCS) scores and some of physical component summary scale (PCS) significantly correlated with symptom dimension scores of the SCL-90-R (P < .05). In conclusion, gender, time since transplant, etiology of disease, complications, occupation, and some psychologic symptoms were possible factors influencing postoperative HRQoL of LDLT recipients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most reported data on posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) are from Western countries with patients who underwent deceased donor liver transplantation. A retrospective study was performed to assess the prevalence and predictive factors of PTDM in the context of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in the Chinese population using the definition of PTDM proposed in 2003 by the World Health Organization and the American Diabetes Association. The prevalence of DM after LDLT in our study was 25% (21/84), and the incidence of PTDM was 14.9% (11/74) with 64% of cases diagnosed within 3 months after LDLT; 9.5% were observed to show impaired fasting glucose postoperatively. Multivariate analysis identified body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 before LDLT as the only independent risk factor for developing PTDM. Only one patient was operated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related diseases were common in our study population, accounting for 78.6% of all patients. Both HCV and HBV infection status were not independent risk factors for developing PTDM. In addition, a greater tacrolimus trough blood level in the PTDM group versus no-DM group was observed at 3 months post-LDLT (11.03 ng/mL vs 4.87 ng/mL). The mean tacrolimus dose was not significantly different between the two groups. In conclusion, PTDM was prevalent among Chinese LDLT recipients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Traditional open donor nephrectomy (ODN) is associated with good outcomes and excellent allograft function; nevertheless, it causes too much injury to the donor. Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (HLDN) may accomplish these goals with less damage. We compared the outcomes of the hand-assisted with the traditional open approach. We also investigated whether the availability of the HLDN approach affected a donor''s decision and why he or she selected HLDN versus ODN. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed donor and allograft outcomes for the first 65 patients undergoing HLDN at our institution compared with those of 32 patients undergoing traditional ODN. Patient data were obtained from medical record reviews and telephone interviews. Results: HLDN and ODN were successfully completed in 97 (100%) donors. No conversion to open operation occurred among the HLDN group. The mean (standard deviation) operative durations were 157.92 (23.79) minutes for HLDN and 103.21 (19.63) minutes for ODN (P = .000), and hospital stays were 5.00 (1.54) days for the HLDN group and 6.59 (0.79) days for the ODN group (P = .000). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in postoperative donor (P = .541) and recipient (P = .337) renal functions. The primary reason encouraging donors was family obligations and bonds (70.1%); the availability of HLDN did encourage the decision (29.9%). Although all renal donors were aware of the option of HLDN, 28 selected ODN because of financial reasons, another 4 patients due to safety concerns. The main reasons for choosing HLDN instead of ODN were less postoperative pain (60%) and cosmetic concerns (29.2%). Conclusions: HLDN was safe and feasible to procure a normally functional organ for live donor transplantation. The availability of the HLDN approach did affect a donor''s decision. The main reason for choosing HLDN instead of ODN was less postoperative pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Barium (Ba) is a significant contaminant from shale gas extraction and is also used in various other industries. However, there has been very limited attention paid to Ba. Elucidating the Ba in soil-crop system are of great significance for both human health risk assessment and pollution control. In this study, the bioavailability of Ba in soils was studied by using various characterization methods. Then the major factors dominating the transfer of Ba in soil-bok choy system and a suitable predicted model was derived. The results showed that Ba was mainly accumulated in the roots (transfer factor < 0.3). The relationships between Ba in shoots and the bioavailability of Ba characterizing with different methods increased in the order of CH 3 COOH (R 2  = 0.81) < ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (R 2  = 0.87) < pore water (R 2  = 0.89) < diffusive gradients in thin film (R 2  = 0.90) < CaCl 2 (R 2  = 0.91). The major soil properties affecting Ba in shoots were pH (r = -0.32, P > 0.05), cation exchange capacity (r = -0.43, P < 0.01) and labile Al (r = 0.38, P < 0.05). Bioavailability of Ba can preferably model the Ba transfer in soil-bok choy system. The best reliable model was LogBa[shoot] = 0.591LogBa[soil-Pore water] + 1.749 (R 2  = 0.963, P < 0.001). This model without measuring soil physicochemical properties, making it easier and more convenient to use in practice. Overall, these results highlight the role of metal bioavailability in predicting their transfer in soil-plant systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exits in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors for publication. This paper is our original unpublished work and it has not been submitted to Science of the Total Environment or any other journals., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Particulate matter (PM) and its harmful components are significant contributors to respiratory diseases and impaired lung function, especially in children. Club cell secretory protein (CC16) is a maker of lung epithelium or club cell injuries. To date, the relationship between metals related with PM and CC16 and lung function impairment has been overlooked in children. We enrolled 603 schoolchildren exposed to different levels of PM in China. We found per doubling increase, urinary thallium, and iron was associated with a 3.42 % (95 % CI: 0.01, 6.72) and 3.09 % (95 % CI: 0.55, 5.56) decrease of serum CC16, respectively, whereas urinary cadmium was associated with a 4.74 % (95 % CI: 1.29, 8.31) increase of serum CC16. The Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model confirmed these associations and showed a potential synergistic interaction between thallium and cadmium. Urinary metal mixtures were associated with lower CC16 when they were below the 35th percentile compared with their median. Serum CC16 mediated 11.47 % (95 % CI: 0.06, 45.00) of the association between urinary thallium and FEV 1 /FVC decline. The inverted U-shaped association with CC16 and the mediation role of CC16 on associations with lung function provide insight into the mechanisms underlying lung injury induced by metals related with PM., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety within food service establishments, effectively reducing the risk of foodborne diseases. This study focused on assessing the risk of microbe contamination in poultry-based cook-served food during meal preparation in four restaurants and five selected HACCP-certified hotels in eastern China. We examined samples collected from 26 poultry-based cooked dishes, 248 food contact surfaces, 252 non-food contact surfaces, and 121 hand swabs. Our findings indicated a favorable trend of compliance with Chinese national standards, as Escherichia coli and Campylobacter were not detected in any cooked food samples. However, the microbiological assessments revealed non-compliance with total plate count standards in 7 % of the cooked samples from restaurants. In contrast, both dine-in hotels and restaurants exhibited significant non-compliance with guidance concerning food and non-food contact surfaces. Furthermore, our study found that chefs' hand hygiene did not meet microbiological reference standards, even after washing. Notably, Campylobacter persisted at 27 % and 30 % on chefs' hands, posing a significant risk of cross-contamination and foodborne diseases. These findings emphasize the urgent necessity for enhanced supervision of hygiene procedures and process monitoring in the HACCP-certified establishments engaged in the preparation and serving of food. Targeted interventions and food safety education for different chef subgroups can enhance food handling practices and reduce the risk of foodborne diseases in independent food establishments., 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. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Estuary harbors the active sediment denitrification and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission, while the knowledge of environmental controls on the denitrification-derived N 2 O yield remains underexplored. Here, we quantitatively assess the potential and in situ rates of N 2 O production during sediment denitrification in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), China. Organic matter determines the product stoichiometry and capacity of nitrogen removal. In particular, labile organic matter (LOM) reduces N 2 O yield via enhancing the complete coupled nitrification-denitrification. Our results reveal that the chain processes, primary production-LOM settling-sedimentary respiration-coupled nitrification-denitrification, control the sediment denitrification and N 2 O production, linking the carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles in the atmosphere-water column-sediment continuum. The PRE sediments serve as nitrogen removal hotspots but with low efficiency (~25 % of riverine input) and strong N 2 O release (~66 % of daily sea-air N 2 O efflux). These findings contribute to policy makers to develop knowledge-based management actions for achieving sustainable coastal environments and mitigating N 2 O emission., 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.)

The findings on the relationship between prenatal exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) and its constituent and children's growth trajectories are inconsistent. This association's sensitive exposure time window and possible gender differences remain unclear. Our aim was to determine the association between prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 and its component and children's growth trajectories by the age of two. From 2015 to 2021, 6407 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the study. The PM 2.5 include sulfate (SO 4 2- ), nitrate (NO 3 - and its components on child growth. Sex-stratified analyses estimated sex differences. Median concentrations [interquartile ranges (IQRs)] were 57.46(17.3), 10.59(3.8), 14.26(4.4), 8.69(2.8), 13.05(3.4), and 2.53(0.7) μg/m 4 + ), organic matter (OM), and black carbon (BC), from the ChinaHighAirPollutants (CHAP) datasets. Children were followed at birth, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. Population-based and individual-based methods were used to simulate child growth trajectories: slow growth, normal growth, and rapid growth. The distributed lags modeling was used to identify sensitive time windows for the effects of prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 and its components on child growth. Sex-stratified analyses estimated sex differences. Median concentrations [interquartile ranges (IQRs)] were 57.46(17.3), 10.59(3.8), 14.26(4.4), 8.69(2.8), 13.05(3.4), and 2.53(0.7) μg/m 3 for PM 2.5 , SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , NH 4 + , OM, and BC, respectively. Compared with the normal growth trajectory group, exposure to PM 2.5 was significantly associated with a higher risk of rapid growth trajectory in boys (ORs with 95% CI for the entire, first trimester, and second trimester of pregnancy, respectively: 1.016[1.006,1.025], 1.007[1.002,1.011], 1.007[1.002,1.011]). Exposure to PM 2.5 was significantly associated with a higher risk of slow growth trajectory in girls (ORs with 95% CI for the entire, second trimester, and third trimester of pregnancy, respectively: 1.010 [1.001,1.018], 1.006 [1.001,1.011], 1.007 [1.002,1.012]). Prenatal PM 2.5 and its composition exposure was positively associated with BMI peak in boys (βs with 95% CI for PM 2.5 , SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , NH 4 + , OM, BC: 0.004[0.000,0.007], 0.025[0.006,0.044], 0.012[0.002,0.023], 0.022[0.004,0.039], 0.016[0.001,0.031], 0.082[0.005,0.159]), and not statistically significant in girls. We observed a more pronounced BC effect in our cohort. Prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 and its component, especially at 10-22 weeks of gestation, is associated with a higher risk of rapid growth in boys and a risk of slow growth in girls., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The impact of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle in improving the timeliness of electronic medical record documentation (EMRd) remains uncertain. EMRd that is completed beyond the specified time is classified as late EMRd, while unqualified EMRd refers to electronic medical records with important sections that are not completed on time according to the Chinese Basic Norms of Medical Records Writing. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PDCA management in improving the timeliness of EMRd among resident doctors., Method: This study utilized a before and after design. Resident doctors rotating in the Head and Neck Oncology Department of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, from November 2021 to August 2022 were classified as the control group and did not receive specific training on the timeliness of EMRd. Those rotating from September 2022 to June 2023 were assigned to the PDCA group, which was managed using the PDCA cycle. The effectiveness of PDCA cycle management was evaluated by comparing the incidence of late EMRd and unqualified EMRd between two groups. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were conducted tocontrol for confounding factors., Results: A total of 245 resident doctors were included, with 162 doctors in the PDCA group and 152 doctors in the control group. The incidences of late EMRd (5.40% vs. 2.56%, P = 0.005) and unqualified EMRd (1.05% vs. 0.00%, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the PDCA group than those in the control group. After adjusting confounding factors, PDCA management still significantly reduced the occurrence of unqualified EMRd (P < 0.001) with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.166 (95% CI 0.067-0.416) and late EMRd (P < 0.001) with an adjusted OR of 0.318 (95% CI 0.181-0.557)., Conclusion: This study successfully developed PDCA management and demonstrated its effectiveness in improving the timeliness of EMRd while concurrently reducing the incidence of unqualified and late entries among resident doctors., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Written informed consent was obtained from the individual participants or their guardians. The study was approved by the medical ethics committee of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, with the approval number 2024 − 1658. All procedures involving human participants performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Accelerated vehicle retirement is recognized as crucial for managing fleet emissions effectively. However, the emergence of new energy vehicles introduces complexities in assessing their environmental impacts. This study developed a dynamic fleet-based life cycle assessment model to analyze the effects of four distinct scrappage strategies in China from 2021 to 2060. The results underscore the importance of a meticulously chosen retirement strategy that harmonizes fleet characteristics with advancements in vehicle technology to promote sustainable mobility. Accelerated retirement strategies are demonstrated to enhance vehicle sales and expedite the incorporation of new energy vehicles into the fleet. Although these policies reduce greenhouse gas and carbon monoxide emissions, they may exacerbate other air pollutants, necessitating vigilant management. Additionally, the temporal distribution of environmental impacts reveals the critical need for long-term assessments. By evaluating six negative externalities of emissions, the research indicates that targeted scrappage policies, which advocate for the retirement of older vehicles, could potentially generate economic benefits of 6.81 to 7.29 billion dollars in reduced losses. However, an overly aggressive scrappage policy could increase negative externalities, leading to additional costs ranging from 0.84 to 3.31 billion dollars. This study reveals the intricate long-term environmental consequences of scrappage strategies accompanying the rise of new energy vehicles and lays a methodological groundwork for ongoing research into the most effective retirement scheme.

To explore the formula for calculating the haemoglobin glycation index (HGI) in an appropriate Chinese population. Evaluating the applicability of the HGI calculation formula proposed by Hempe et al. in the Chinese population; according to the data from CHARLS 2011, 10,587 self-reported nondiabetics aged 20 years and older were selected as the study subjects, regression equations were constructed to fit the linear relationship between HbA1c and FPG in the population, and the profile characteristics of the resultant population were analysed. The standardized HGI formula put forth by Hempe and colleagues has been found unsuitable for application to the Chinese population. Leveraging CHARLS dataset, we derive a novel HGI calculation formula tailored to the Chinese demographic: HGI = Measured HbA1c-Predicted HbA1c, where Predicted HbA1c = 0.011×FPG + 4.032. We found statistically significant differences in HGI among obese individuals; those with higher waist circumference, total cholesterol levels, LDL levels, diastolic blood pressure and those with lower HDL levels. The HGI calculation formula proposed using CHARLS data is more applicable to the Chinese population and can be used as a standardised HGI to Chinese., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Data for this study were obtained from CHARLS. CHARLS was approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University (Ethics number: IRB00001052-11015). Informed consent was obtained from participants or their family members. All participants provided written informed consent. Our study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All methods are carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Consent for publication All authors agreed to publish the manuscript. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Maladaptive illness perception and coping strategies have been linked to illness-related quality of life in patients with chronic diseases. However, the impact of illness perception and coping strategies on vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR), a significant microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the associations among illness perception, coping styles, and VRQOL in Chinese patients with DR, and to explore the mediating role of coping styles in the relationship between illness perception and VRQOL., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 303 adult Chinese with DR recruited from a general Grade-A tertiary hospital in Hunan, China. All participants completed clinical and demographic questionnaires. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25), and the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire were respectively adopted to assess the illness perception, VRQOL and coping styles. The BIPQ total scores were converted to logit scores using Rasch analysis. The NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores were converted to estimated person measures based on Rasch analysis and the method of successive dichotomizations. The relationships among these variables were assessed through independent-sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analysis, while SPSS Process model and the bootstrap analysis were utilized to evaluate the mediating effect., Results: Illness perception was positively correlated with resignation coping style (r = 0.33, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with VRQOL (r = -0.43, P < 0.001). Resignation coping style was negatively correlated with VRQOL (r = -0.38, P < 0.001). Illness perception significantly predicted resignation coping style (t = 5.91, P < 0.001) and resignation coping style significantly predicted VRQOL (t = -5.30, P < 0.001). The mediating effect through resignation coping was - 0.49 (95% CI: -0.75 to -0.27), accounting for 21.08% of the total effect of illness perception on VRQOL., Conclusion: The study revealed that the resignation coping style partially mediated the relationship between illness perception and VRQOL among DR patients. Specifically, DR patients may accept their worsening circumstances without attempting to change them due to their perception that their illness is threatening and beyond control. This resignation coping strategy could, in turn, lead to poorer VRQOL. These findings suggest that interventions targeting the improvement of illness perception and coping strategies could enhance the VRQOL of DR patients., Competing Interests: Statements & declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The study received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of Xiangya School of Nursing at Central South University, China (Ethical approval number: E2020109). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) play a vital role in biogeochemical cycles by facilitating extracellular electron transfer. They demonstrate remarkable adaptability to river sediments that are characterized by pollution and poor water quality, significantly contributing to the sustainability of river ecosystems. However, the distribution and diversity of EAMs remain poorly understood. In this study, 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to assess EAMs in 160 samples collected from eight rivers within the Pearl River Delta of Southern China. The results indicated that specialized EAMs communities in polluted sediments exhibited variations in response to water quality and sediment depth. Compared to clean sediment, polluted sediments showed a 4.5% increase in the relative abundances of EAMs communities (59 genera), with 45- and 17-times higher abundances of Geobacter and cable bacteria. Additionally, the abundance of cable bacteria decreased with increasing sediment depth in polluted sediments, while the abundance of L. varians GY32 exhibited an opposite trend. Finally, the abundances of Geobacter, cable bacteria, and L. varians GY32 were positively correlated with the abundance of filamentous microorganisms (FMs) across all samples, with stronger interactions in polluted sediments. These findings suggest that EAMs demonstrate heightened sensitivity to polluted environments, particularly at the genus (species) level, and exhibit strong adaptability to conditions characterized by high levels of acid volatile sulfide, low dissolved oxygen, and elevated nitrate nitrogen. Therefore, environmental factors could be manipulated to optimize the growth and efficiency of EAMs for environmental engineering and natural restoration applications., 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.)

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of bedside case-based learning on critical thinking and capacity for self-directed learning in a group of midwifery students in China., Background: Bedside teaching is a well-established educational tool to improve the clinical practice of medical, nursing, and midwifery students. A new pedagogical approach; bedside case-based learning (BCBL) is an interactive teaching approach involving small-group, student-educator discussion to describe the etiology and management of a patient case. This new approach has been gradually integrated into Chinese midwifery education programs to promote clinical problem-solving skills, knowledge application, teamwork, and collaboration., Design: A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test group design., Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test group design. A convenience sample of 67 third-year students majoring in midwifery at the university were prospectively enrolled in this study. Pre- and post-BCBL class surveys were conducted using the Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning (SRSSDL) and the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory-Chinese Version (CTDI-CV) to assess changes in self-learning and critical thinking abilities before and after the intervention., Results: Following bedside case-based learning, the total scores for self-directed learning capacity and critical thinking increased, although there were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Although there were no statistically significant differences between pre- and post-test results, students' self-assessed scores in self-directed learning and critical thinking improved between pre- and post-test., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval and consent to participate This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee at the Nursing School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and conducted according to the Helsinki Declaration. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A series of experiments was performed to elucidate the effects of the adsorption and interaction of different concentrations of P and Cd on the availability of P and Cd. First, the sediments before and after maturation were subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results revealed that the composition and main components of the sediment were unchanged by maturation. The adsorption results fitted by the Freundlich equation revealed that the maximum concentration of Cd in the sediment changed from 979.12 mg/L to 980.92 mg/L and 1215 mg/L after the addition of 1 mg/L and 2 mg/L P, respectively. The maximum concentration of P in the sediments increased from 397.57 mg/L to 403.19 mg/L and 422.89 mg/L after the addition of Cd concentrations of 5 mg/L and 50 mg/L, respectively. A batch experiment was subsequently performed with multiple groups of P and Cd at the same concentration. The results revealed that the content of available Cd was the highest when the content of P was 180 mg/kg and that the content of available P was the highest when the content of Cd was 1 mg/kg. However, when the concentrations of P and Cd exceeded a certain level, Cd 3 (PO 4 ) 2 precipitated. Finally, the experimental results were reverified by XPS, and the results revealed that the contents of P and Cd in the sediments increased through adsorption and precipitation between P and Cd., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) induced by fowl adenovirus serotype 8b (FAdV-8b) infection is an important avian infectious disease circulating around the globe, posing significant losses to the poultry industry. In this study, a FAdV-8b strain, CH/SDQD/2021, was isolated from IBH-affected chickens in Shandong province, China and the genetic properties of CH/SDQD/2021 were characterized. The full genome length of CH/SDQD/2021 is 44,000 bp, with a G+C content of 58 % and 32 open reading frames (ORF). Sequencing alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the genome identity of CH/SDQD/2021 compared to 30 other FAdV-E strains retrieved from GenBank ranges from 89.72 % to 96.71 %. Animal regression test indicated that CH/SDQD/2021 infection induced IBH in one-week-old SPF chickens. Subsequently, a reverse genetic system was developed to facilitate rapid genome manipulation of FAdV-8b for gene function study and vaccine development. To explore potential foreign gene insertion sites in FAdV-8b, ORF0-1-2, ORF11 and ORF19 of CH/SDQD/2021 were substituted by the green fluorescent gene ZsGreen, respectively, and the corresponding recombinant viruses were successfully rescued. The results showed that comparing with the parental FAdV-8b, the replication efficiency of the ORF0-1-2-substituted recombinant was reduced, while the replication efficiency of the ORF11-substituted recombinant was promoted. The findings of this study enrich the epidemiological data for the prevalent FAdV strains in China. Furthermore, the establishment of the FAdV-8b reverse genetic system will provide an efficient technique platform for FAdV-8b gene function research at the whole virus level and developing related multivalent vaccine candidates., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)