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The simplification operation has always been a challenging research problem in the field of cartography generalization and expression. Continuous tessellation area data of land cover, whose source data come from high-resolution remote sensing satellite sensors, are an important type of remote sensing application data to express the spatial distribution information of natural and artificial objects on Earth's surface. In this paper, a novel and practical simplification method for continuous tessellation area data is proposed. The first step is area discretization, in which a general topological structure containing semantic features is established, and land patches are divided into multiple arcs on the basis of this topological structure. The second step is arc simplification, in which arcs are classified into artificial and natural types according to their semantic and morphological features, and corresponding simplification algorithms are assigned. The final step is area reconstruction, based on the semantic and topological information, and simplified arcs are reconstructed to patch polygons. The geography and national conditions census data of a city in Guizhou Province, China, are used to verify the rationality and effectiveness of the method. Experimental results showed that the method proposed in this article is suitable for the simplification processing of artificial and natural land features. The simplification results can maintain the overall shape of the patches and reduce the complexity of the arcs effectively, and the semantic information of each patch after simplification is also correct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift to digital lifestyles after the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behaviour, including tourist behaviour. With information technology, tourists are able to replace physical vacations with virtual tourism at lower financial costs. Industry players need digital technology for marketing destinations, but it is uncertain how usage of information technology by tourism consumers could motivate them to actually travel for vacations. In addressing today's tourist behaviour, this study evaluates the mediating role of information searching and information sharing on the linkage between information technology usage, travel motivation and travel intention. Using convenience sampling, 305 useable data-sets were collected from outbound tourists in China. Adopting the Stimulus-Organism-Response concept, constructs are measured on 5-point Likert scale instrument. Data analysis using SmartPLS 4.0 involves structural model analysis for hypotheses testing and model fit. The findings show that information searching positively mediates the linkage between information technology usage and travel motivation, which drives travel intention. Information sharing has no significant mediating influence in the linkage between information technology usage and travel motivation. These findings provide pointers for tourism marketers and policymakers on strategizing today's information technology as a search tool to drive travel motivation and travel intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributed Grid-Xin'anjiang (Grid-XAJ) model is very sensitive to the spatial and temporal distribution of data when used in humid and semi-humid small and medium catchments. We used the successive correction method to merge the gauged rainfall with rainfall forecasted by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to enhance the spatiotemporal accuracy of rainfall distribution. And we used the Penman–Monteith equation to calculate the potential evapotranspiration (PEPM). Then, we designed two forcing scenarios (WRF-driven rainfall (Wr) + PEPM, WRF-merged rainfall (Wm) + PEPM) to drive the Grid-XAJ model for flood forecasting. We found the WRF-driven Grid-XAJ model held significant potential in flood forecasting. The Grid-XAJ model provided only an approximation of flood hygrographs when driven by scenario Wr + PEPM. The results in scenario Wm + PEPM showed a high degree-of-fit with observed floods with mean Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) values of 0.94 and 0.68 in two catchments. Additionally, scenario Wm + PEPM performed better flood hygrographs than scenario Wr + PEPM. The flood volumes and flow peaks in scenario Wm + PEPM had an obvious improvement compare to scenario Wr + PEPM. Finally, we observed that the model exhibited superior performance in forecasting flood hydrographs, flow peaks, and flood volumes in humid catchments compared with semi-humid catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate detection of void defects in ballastless track structures has become a core problem that needs urgent resolution for the maintenance and repair of high-speed railway (HSR) line structures in China. In this study, the root mean squaresynthetic aperture focusing technique (RMS-SAFT) ultrasound imaging method, which is suitable for the void defects of multi-layer structures, is proposed by combining the RMS velocity method and SAFT ultrasound imaging. First, a multi-layer sound velocity model (the relationship model between sound propagation time and sound propagation distance) of the HSR ballastless track is established. The sound propagation time is expressed as a function of the RMS of sound propagation speed as an independent variable. Second, the propagation time of the sound wave in the HSR ballastless track is calculated in accordance with the multi-layer sound velocity model and the obtained propagation time is substituted into the SAFT ultrasound imaging method for imaging. Lastly, the accuracy of the method is verified through a finite element simulation and an experiment. The results show that for the HSR ballastless track with minimal differences in the sound propagation speed at each layer, the sound propagation time calculated by the multi-layer sound wave model has high accuracy. The proposed RMS-SAFT ultrasound imaging method improves the accuracy of traditional SAFT imaging and realises accurate imaging of the void defects of HSR ballastless track. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction in ungauged basins (PUB) is as crucial as it is challenging. Thus far, there have been abundant regionalization studies on PUB, whereas "regionalization" is the main research method. In order to estimate Xinanjiang model parameters in ungauged areas and improve the accuracy of flood simulation for small and medium-sized ungauged catchments, the Xinanjiang model was applied on 33 mountainous small- and medium-sized catchments in south China. This study investigated the relative benefits of traditional regionalization methods (physical similarity and parameter regression) and physically consistent parameter estimation method. The latter can directly estimate three sensitive parameters of the Xinanjiang model without the need of regionalization. In addition, the effect of the number of donor catchments was addressed. The results show that the prediction accuracy of the traditional regionalization methods did not obtain satisfactory prediction results. However, the integrated schemes, which combine the regionalization methods with physically consistent methods, performed considerably better than the traditional regionalization methods, indicating that directly performing a parameter estimation from underlying surface data of ungauged catchments can improve the transferability of the Xinanjiang model in these catchments. On the other hand, the best accuracy was obtained when the number of donor catchments was equal to five in the integrated schemes. The integrated parameter estimation schemes proposed in this study support more effective hourly flood event simulation for small- and medium-sized ungauged catchments in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity and poor survival rate. Its prognosis remains unsatisfactory, with a 5-year survival rate of <30%. Studies have indicated that Huaier granules have good antitumor efficacy and safety in several solid malignant tumors. Recent studies have also found that Huaier polysaccharides can promote apoptosis in numerous tumor cells, although only few studies have focused on the effects of Huaier granules on gastric cancers and the mechanisms underlying their antitumor role. We retrospectively evaluated stage IIb gastric cancer patients at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, through our outpatient system from January 2013 to December 2015. Fifty-four patients were in the Huaier+Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium (TGOP) group and 72 in the TGOP group. Further, we conducted CCK8, colony formation, Annexin V-FITC/PI, Western blot, RT-PCR, and plasmid transfection assays to analyze the mechanism by which Huaier polysaccharides play an antitumor role. We confirmed that Huaier granules combined with Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium could promote patient prognosis, with a better disease-free survival rate (51.32 ± 2.23 vs. 44.19 ± 2.26 , p = 0.034) and overall survival rate (56.81 ± 1.32 vs. 51.32 ± 1.69 , p = 0.020). Moreover, through cell proliferation assays, Western blot, RT-PCR, and detection of Livin expression at the mRNA and protein levels, we found that Huaier polysaccharides could promote gastric cancer cell apoptosis and inhibit gastric cancer cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Finally, we demonstrated that Huaier polysaccharides promote gastric cancer cell apoptosis through the regulation of Livin expression. Overexpression of Livin reversed the gastric cell apoptosis induced by Huaier polysaccharides. Huaier granules combined with Tegafur Gimeracil Oteracil Potassium ameliorated stage IIb gastric cancer prognosis and induced gastric cancer cell apoptosis by regulating Livin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Characterizing the spray characteristics of casting nozzles. • Investigating the metallurgical transport under different nozzle configurations. • Morphological change process of the solidification profiles. • Revealing the formation of W-shape solidification and segregation. • Industrial trials, model validation, and prospects conducted for the dual nozzle. Solidification and segregation in a W-shape pattern are critical quality issues that have not been adequately addressed in the continuous casting of slabs. In this paper, we propose an innovative method for characterizing the spray characteristics of casting nozzles in terms of the heat transfer conditions of the width and narrow faces in the secondary cooling zone. Using a segmented numerical coupling model, we investigate the temperature transfer, solute transport, and solidification profile of liquid steel under three different nozzle configurations. Our results show that the distribution of carbon concentration in the turbulent zone is mainly influenced by the flow trajectory of the liquid steel, and that the initial positive and negative segregation caused by turbulent flow can be inherited into the final solidified slab. In the mushy zone, the distribution characteristics of carbon segregation are consistent with the solidification profiles in the natural convection zone. The solidified end zone does not solidify uniformly, and the morphology of the solidification profiles varies across different nozzle configurations. Specifically, from the eighth of the width direction of the slab to the center, the maximum temperature differences of case 1, case 2 and case 3 are 69.61, 27.60, and 63.83 K, respectively. Moreover, the carbon segregation standard deviations of case 1, case 2, and case 3 are 0.0028, 0.0013, and 0.0032, respectively. The findings suggest that the occurrence of W-shape solidification and segregation is a complex and lengthy process that depends on the metallurgical transport behavior in the secondary cooling zone, rather than the mold process parameters. Finally, we demonstrate that the proposed dual nozzle configuration (case 2) can effectively improve W-shape quality issues and enhance economic benefits, as it has been successfully implemented in the slab continuous casting caster of a state-owned steel enterprise in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Increasing attention is being paid to Sb as a primary hazardous substance, and further systematic studies of Sb behavior in freshwater wetlands are required. The plain wetlands in Lake Taihu basin located in lower Yangtze River valley, are heavily populated and economically developed area in China. The plain wetlands receive polluted water from point sources (textile and printing plants). In this study, Sb speciation in plain wetlands was investigated and the potential ecological risk of 8 metal(loid)s (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Sb) were assessed. The mean Sb concentration in the wetlands water is 7.03 μg L−1, which consist of pentavalent, trivalent, organic Sb dissolved in water and a great part that attached to suspend solids (SS). Statistical analysis indicated that Sb(Ⅲ) is dissolved from SS and then further oxided to Sb(V) accompanied with tailing water discharged into wetlands; presence of organic Sb is related to microorganic in eutrophic environment; precipitation of SS is the dominant factor for distribution of bioavailable Sb in surficial sediment. The toxicity coefficient factor for Sb is proposed as 10 and ambient background of 8 metal(loid)s are set up. The potential ecological risk for plain wetlands was 135, which was low level. As, Cd and Sb were main contributors to the ecological risks. The wetlands are threatened by Sb pollution, which should be restrict by reducing the concentration of SS and Sb in tailing water from local water treatment facilities. Graphical abstract Image 10115 Highlights • Sb's toxicity coefficient of 10 was determined and was used to evaluate potential ecological risk of plain wetlands. • Sb speciation in water and sediment of plain wetlands were performed. • The factors affecting the distribution of Sb species in water were analyzed. • The fate of Sb pollutants from textile mill and printing industries plain wetlands was illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence, distribution and bioaccumulation of six endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) were investigated in water, sediment and biota samples from Luoma Lake, a shallow Chinese freshwater lake. Total concentrations of ∑phenolic EDCs were much higher than ∑estrogens EDCs in both waters and sediments. There were not obvious differences on the concentrations of target compounds [except nonylphenol (NP)] in upstream, lake and downstream locations, these may be suggested that they were mainly affected by non-point discharges in this area. However, the high concentration of NP in water may be associated with the discharge of rural domestic wastewater without thorough treatment. Furthermore, concentrations of NP were about 2–3 order magnitude higher than those of OP in both water and sediment compartments. Relatively higher bioaccumulation factors (BAF) were obtained for DES and EE2. Ecological risk assessment revealed greater risk of NP in surface water, which may pose a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems. The estrogen equivalent concentration (EEQ) of male were higher than those in female, and occurred in the order of city >rural-urban>countryside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social change, intensified by industrialization and globalization, has not only changed people's work lives but also their personal lives, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to provide evidence and recommendations regarding family structure, function, and mental health to actively respond to rapid social change. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted face-to-face and door-to-door from July 2011 to September 2012 in Hubei Province, central China. Family structure comprised alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family; family function was measured using the family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve) scale, and mental health was measured using the Chinese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Results: The urban-vs-rural difference of family structure among alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family was statistically significant (5.21% vs 4.62%; 27.36% vs 13.14%; 33.22% vs 27.74%; 34.20% vs 54.50%, respectively; p < 0.0001); and those difference of family function was not statistically significant (8.11 ± 2.13 vs 8.09 ± 2.27, p = 0.9372). The general linear regression showed that the effect of family structure on mental health, whether urban or rural, was not significant, however, the effect of family function was significant, especially regarding better family functioning with better mental health. Conclusions: Combined the effects of family structure and function on mental health, the external form of family (family structure) may not be important; while the internal quality of role (family function) might be key. Improving the residents' family function would be a priority strategy for family practice with their mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (OH-PBDEs) have been frequently observed in marine aquatic environments; however, little information is available on the occurrence of these compounds in freshwater aquatic environments, including freshwater lakes. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and spatial distribution of typical OH-PBDEs, including 2′-OH-BDE-68, 3-OH-BDE-47, 5-OH-BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47 in surface sediments of Taihu Lake. 3-OH-BDE-47 was the predominant congener, followed by 5-OH-BDE-47, 2′-OH-BDE-68, and 6-OH-BDE-47. Distributions of these compounds are drastically different between sampling site which may be a result of differences in nearby point sources, such as the discharge of industrial wastewater and e-waste leachate. The positive correlation between ∑OH-PBDEs and total organic carbon (TOC) was moderate ( r = 0.485, p < 0.05), and site S3 and S15 were excluded due to point source pollution, suggesting that OH-PBDEs concentrations were controlled by sediment TOC content, as well as other factors. The pairwise correlations between the concentrations of these compounds suggest that these compounds may have similar input sources and environmental behavior. The target compounds in the sediments of Lake Taihu pose low risks to aquatic organisms. Results show that OH-PBDEs in Lake Taihu are largely dependent on pollution sources. Because of bioaccumulation and subsequent harmful effects on aquatic organisms, the concentrations of OH-PBDEs in freshwater ecosystems are of environmental concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction is increasing. This study aims to evaluate the clinicopathological features of Chinese patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and to define prognostic factors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a database of 382 consecutive patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2005 to March 2010. All patients were classified according to the Siewert's classification and staged according to the latest edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer categories. Results: Six of the 382 patients had type I adenocarcinoma, 220 had type II, and 156 had type III. There was no significant difference in the overall survival of different Siewert subtypes. According to the multivariate analysis, pathological lymph node stage, age, and the existence of lymphovascular invasion were the independent factors of prognosis of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction following surgery. Conclusions: On the data, the distribution of the three types of tumor was found to be different from that reported in Western countries. Lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular invasion, and age were significant and independent factors for poor prognosis after R0 resection for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xin'anjiang model is a conceptual hydrological model, which has an essential application in humid and semi-humid regions. In the model, the parameters estimation of runoff routing has always been a significant problem in hydrology. The quantitative relationship between parameters of the lag-and-route method and catchment characteristics has not been well studied. In addition, channels in Muskingum method of the Xin'anjiang model are assumed to be virtual channels. Therefore, its parameters need to be estimated by observed flow data. In this paper, a new routing scheme for the Xin'anjiang model is proposed, adopting isochrones method for overland flow and the grid-to-grid Muskingum–Cunge–Todini (MCT) method for channel routing, so that the routing parameters can be estimated according to the geographic information. For the new routing scheme the average overland flow velocity can be determined through the land cover and overland slope, and the channel routing parameters can be determined through channel geometric characteristic, stream order and channel gradient. The improved model was applied at a 90 m grid scale to a nested watershed located in Anhui province, China. The parent Tunxi watershed, with a drainage area of 2692 km2, contains four internal points with available observed streamflow data, allowing us to evaluate the model's ability to simulate the hydrologic processes within the watershed. Calibration and verification of the improved model were carried out for hourly time scales using hourly streamflow data from 1982 to 2005. Model performance was assessed by comparing simulated and observed flows at the watershed outlet and interior gauging stations. The performance of both original and new runoff routing schemes were tested and compared at hourly scale. Similar and satisfactory performances were achieved at the outlet both in the new runoff routing scheme using the estimated routing parameters and in the original runoff routing scheme using the calibrated routing parameters, with averaged Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.92 and 0.93, respectively. Moreover, the new runoff routing scheme is also able to reproduce promising hydrographs at internal gauges in study catchment with the mean NSE ranging from 0.84 to 0.88. These results indicate that the parameter estimation approach is efficient and the developed model can satisfactorily simulate not only the streamflow at the parent watershed outlet, but also the flood hydrograph at the interior gauging points without model recalibration. This study can provide some guidance for the application of the Xin'anjiang model in ungauged areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological modelling is a critical tool for preventing and mitigating severe flood disasters. This study aims to assess the applicability of a physically based distributed hydrological model, CASCade Two Dimensional SEDiment (CASC2D‐SED), for flood forecasting in four typical medium and small watersheds across three hydroclimatic zones (semi‐arid, semihumid, and humid) in China. CASC2D‐SED model has the best performance in Xianbeigou (semi‐arid), followed by Luanchuan (semihumid), and Shujia (humid), while has the relatively lowest performance in Chengcun (humid). It tends to underestimate a large portion of the discharges in the watersheds, indicating that the Green‐Ampt infiltration‐excess model, the only runoff generation scheme in CASC2D‐SED model, imposes restrictions on hydrological simulation without further accounting for subsurface and groundwater flows. This limitation is particularly obvious in the semihumid and humid regions. Our analysis suggests that combining infiltration‐excess and saturation‐excess runoff generation mechanisms and accounting for subsurface and groundwater flows in CASC2D‐SED will further enhance its capacity for flood forecasting and hydrological simulation for semihumid and humid hydroclimatic zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (M. bovis BCG) is the only vaccine available against tuberculosis (TB). In an effort to standardize the vaccine production, three substrains, i.e. BCG Danish 1331, Tokyo 172–1 and Russia BCG-1 were established as the WHO reference strains. Both for BCG Tokyo 172–1 as Russia BCG-1, reference genomes exist, not for BCG Danish. In this study, we set out to determine the completely assembled genome sequence for BCG Danish and to establish a workflow for genome characterization of engineering-derived vaccine candidate strains. Results: By combining second (Illumina) and third (PacBio) generation sequencing in an integrated genome analysis workflow for BCG, we could construct the completely assembled genome sequence of BCG Danish 1331 (07/270) (and an engineered derivative that is studied as an improved vaccine candidate, a SapM KO), including the resolution of the analytically challenging long duplication regions. We report the presence of a DU1-like duplication in BCG Danish 1331, while this tandem duplication was previously thought to be exclusively restricted to BCG Pasteur. Furthermore, comparative genome analyses of publicly available data for BCG substrains showed the absence of a DU1 in certain BCG Pasteur substrains and the presence of a DU1-like duplication in some BCG China substrains. By integrating publicly available data, we provide an update to the genome features of the commonly used BCG strains. Conclusions: We demonstrate how this analysis workflow enables the resolution of genome duplications and of the genome of engineered derivatives of the BCG Danish vaccine strain. The BCG Danish WHO reference genome will serve as a reference for future engineered strains and the established workflow can be used to enhance BCG vaccine standardization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An assimilation scheme with error estimation on a distributed model is developed. • MAP provides effective error parameter estimation for EnKF of a distributed model. • Tests under different forcing show its potential to overcome poor rainfall forcing. • Tests in catchments with different features show mixed results. For flood simulation in small- and medium-sized catchments, discharge observations may be used to update model states of a distributed hydrological model to improve performance. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been widely used for hydrological assimilation due to its relative simplicity and robustness. An advantage of the EnKF is that it is easy to include different sources of uncertainty, therefore the choice of error model is crucial for the application of the EnKF assimilation. This paper describes an EnKF assimilation scheme for estimating error models using the maximum a posteriori estimation method (MAP). We test this scheme in two small and medium-sized catchments in China with different characteristics, and in addition compared the performance differences under two kinds of rainfall forcing. We show that MAP is beneficial in specifying error models and providing reliable ensemble spread. The assimilation scheme can effectively ameliorate the degradation of distributed hydrological model performance due to uncalibrated model parameters and/or poor quality of input data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of in-depth, qualitative interviews with students, faculty, and administrators shows that Chinese minorities face substantial obstacles in higher education access. The article identifies several factors that limit ethnic minority student access including background education, limited government funding, and low entrance examination scores and concludes with recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed a new runoff generation algorithm based on a dual free-water reservoir. • Modified the Muskingum method to characterize the impact of the reservoir on the runoff concentration process. • Developed the Grid Xin'anjiang-Haihe Model to simulate rainfall-runoff processes under above- and below-ground human impacts. In the past decades, human activities, including hydraulic structure construction and operation, and groundwater overexploitation have largely changed the land surface conditions and correspondingly altered the natural rainfall-runoff processes. These changes make the traditional operational flood forecasting models without considering these anthropogenic impacts fail to capture these changes, leading to a downgraded forecasting capability. To improve the accuracy of flood forecasting in semi-humid watersheds under strong aboveground and underground anthropogenic impacts, the widely used operational flood forecasting model, the Xin'anjiang model, was chosen as a basis to build a new distributed hydrological model accounting for these anthropogenic impacts. To characterize the runoff generation process under the condition of a thick unsaturated zone caused by groundwater overexploitation, this study developed a runoff generation algorithm based on an idea that conceptualizes the soil free-water storage into two virtual reservoirs. To characterize the impacts of manmade reservoirs on the runoff concentration process, we modified the Muskingum method. In addition, we further developed a priori estimation method for deriving the spatial distribution of the tension water storage capacity by considering the anthropogenic impacts and geographical conditions. Based on the above work, a Grid Xin'anjiang-Haihe model (GXH) was developed. In this study, the Qingshui River, which is a tributary of the Haihe River Basin and a typical semi-humid medium-sized watershed in China with poor flood forecasting accuracy, was selected as the study area to test the effectiveness of the model. The results show that the GXH model can simulate the flood peak flow and peak time with higher accuracy than the current operational flood forecasting models and several other models. In addition, the parameter estimation method developed in this study has also proven to be superior in theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The statistical model selection procedure favors strictly allopatric speciation. • Ecological niche modeling suggests climatic niche conservatism. • Divergence without gene flow might have been driven by niche conservatism. • Ecology can have a dynamic role in diversification of sky island species complex. • Genetic and behavioral data suggest two full species in traditionally defined Pyrrhula erythaca. Increasing evidence of post-divergence gene flow between taxa is shifting our understanding on the mode of speciation. A fundamental question arises concerning the circumstances under which strict allopatric speciation still holds true. Sky island populations might undergo reduced gene flow by niche conservatism to highland habitats and follow divergence in an allopatric manner. In this study, we tested this hypothesis in the sky island Grey-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythaca) species complex via statistical analyses of both genetic and ecological data. Results of coalescent-based analysis of multiple nuclear loci suggested that P. e. owstoni likely colonized Taiwan island during the severe mid-Pleistocene glacial climate followed by strictly allopatric divergence from P. e. erythaca distributed in Himalayas-Hengduan mountains and central North China. Results of ecological niche modeling suggested that their speciation may be attributed to the niche conservatism of these birds and the lack of a suitable ecological corridor during subsequent milder glacial episodes. In addition, we delimited the traditionally defined P. erythaca into two full species, P. erythaca in the Asian mainland and P. owstoni on the island of Taiwan, based on both genetic and behavioural evidences. These results suggest that ecology can have a dynamic role in allowing highland populations to expand their ranges and isolated by habitat barriers to diversify in a strictly allopatric manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive understanding of the mobility of both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and the inter-relationships between P, N, and iron (Fe) in sediments is important for controlling the "internal loadings" of nutrients in lakes. In this research, diffusive gradients in thin film (DGT) assemblies with binding layers (ZrO-AT, chelex, and ZrO) were designed for PO 4 -P, Fe, ammonium (NH 4 -N), and nitrate (NO 3 -N) at sediment/water interface (SWI) in Western Lake Taihu (China). The biogeochemical processes of N and P related to the physicochemical properties, the dynamic P transfer, the distribution characteristics of P microniches, and the estimation of the release risks in sediments in Western Lake Taihu were simultaneously revealed by the passive sampling technique-DGT with the high spatial resolutions (millimeter and sub-millimeter). Based on DGT concentration (C DGT ) related to physicochemical properties in sediments, (1) P biogeochemical reactions included P release from Fe-bound P during Fe reduction, algae biomass decomposition, and phosphatase enzyme activity increased by NH 4 -N; (2) denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) led to exchangeable ammonium (NH 4 ex) enrichment and NH 4 -N release; anammox depleted NH 4 -N transfer; organic matter (OM) mineralization favored NH 4 -N release; and (3) aerobic nitrification led to NO 3 -N remobilization; denitrification and DNRA reduced NO 3 -N release. Redox status, OM, Fe, aluminum, or calcium influenced mobilization of nutrients. The numerical model of DGT-induced fluxes in sediments was used for dynamic P transfers with resupply types ("slow" ~ "fast") controlled by labile P pool, resupply constant, response time, and Dspt rate. The formation of P microniches in two dimensions was revealed. Sediment P release risk index (0.49 ~ 36.85 [lg (nmol cm -3 d -1 )]) with "light" ~ "high" risks and diffusive fluxes across SWI (µg m -2 d -1 ) of 15.0 ~ 639 (PO 4 -P), - 1403 ~ 5010 (NH 4 -N), and - 1395 ~ 149 (NO 3 -N) were derived and lake management strategies were provided. The DGT technique provides the characterization of the mobilization of nutrients and evidence for biogeochemical processes at the fine spatial scales for control of internal loadings in sediments., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

To compare the efficacy and safety of 755-nm picosecond alexandrite laser and topical tranexamic acid (TTA) combination therapy with laser monotherapy, for the treatment of melasma and facial rejuvenation. This multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, split-face study enrolled 37 patients who presented with melasma and photoaging. Facial halves were randomized to receive either laser and TTA combination therapy or laser monotherapy. Three treatments were delivered at 4-5 weeks intervals. Patients were followed up for 1, 3, and 6 months post-final treatment and evaluated by blinded investigators for hemi-Melasma Area and Severity Index (hemi-MASI), facial dyschromia, skin texture, laxity, and rhytids. Daily diaries rating healing progress for 7 days posttreatment and satisfaction grading were performed by all patients. Adverse events were recorded. Thirty-six patients completed the follow-up. Compared with the baseline, hemi-MASI, dyschromia, and skin texture on both halves improved significantly through the follow-up (p = 0.000). A significant difference in hemi-MASI and dyschromia between combination therapy halves and monotherapy halves was noticed at 1- and 3-month follow-ups (p < 0.05). The laser monotherapy halves displayed significantly less redness and sensitivity during the 7-day posttreatment recovery period (p < 0.05). Patients' satisfaction ratings for the combination therapy halves were higher than the monotherapy halves at 1-month follow-up (p < 0.05). No severe adverse events were observed. The picosecond alexandrite laser and TTA combination therapy demonstrated synergistic efficacy for hemi-MASI and dyschromia improvements over laser monotherapy. The optimization of the picosecond laser and TTA combination regimen needs further investigation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Albuvirtide is a once-weekly injectable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 fusion inhibitor. We present interim data for a phase 3 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of albuvirtide plus lopinavir-ritonavir in HIV-1-infected adults already treated with antiretroviral drugs., Methods: We carried out a 48-week, randomized, controlled, open-label non-inferiority trial at 12 sites in China. Adults on the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended first-line treatment for >6 months with a plasma viral load >1000 copies/mL were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive albuvirtide (once weekly) plus ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (ABT group) or the WHO-recommended second-line treatment (NRTI group). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a plasma viral load below 50 copies/mL at 48 weeks. Non-inferiority was prespecified with a margin of 12%., Results: At the time of analysis, week 24 data were available for 83 and 92 patients, and week 48 data were available for 46 and 50 patients in the albuvirtide and NRTI groups, respectively. At 48 weeks, 80.4% of patients in the ABT group and 66.0% of those in the NRTI group had HIV-1 RNA levels below 50 copies/mL, meeting the criteria for non-inferiority. For the per-protocol population, the superiority of albuvirtide over NRTI was demonstrated. The frequency of grade 3 to 4 adverse events was similar in the two groups; the most common adverse events were diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections, and grade 3 to 4 increases in triglyceride concentration. Renal function was significantly more impaired at 12 weeks in the patients of the NRTI group who received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate than in those of the ABT group., Conclusions: The TALENT study is the first phase 3 trial of an injectable long-acting HIV drug. This interim analysis indicates that once-weekly albuvirtide in combination with ritonavir-boosted lopinavir is well tolerated and non-inferior to the WHO-recommended second-line regimen in patients with first-line treatment failure., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02369965; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.Chinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR-TRC-14004276; http://www.chictr.org.cn/enindex.aspx., (Copyright © 2020 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.)

The contents and sources of 15 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in 59 surface soil samples (0-10 cm depth) collected from six functional zones, including cultural and educational area, park, residential area, vegetable garden, gas station, and industrial area, in Yangzhou City. The toxicity equivalent content of benzo[a]pyrene (TEQ BaP ) was adopted to assess PAH risks in soils. The results showed that the contents of Σ15PAHs in soil samples ranged from 21 to 36118 μg·kg -1 , with a median value of 295 μg·kg -1 . The composition of PAHs was dominated by 4-6 ring PAHs. The average contents of Σ15PAHs in various functional zones in Yangzhou City was in the order of industrial area > gas station > cultural and educational area > vegetable garden > residential area > park. Correlation analysis showed that the contents of Σ15PAHs were significantly positively correlated with the contents of both TOC ( P <0.05) and BC ( P <0.01) in soil samples from whole Yangzhou City. However, the contents of Σ15PAHs had no significant correlations with the contents of both TOC and BC in soil samples within each functional zone except gas station, in which the contents of Σ15PAHs had a significant correlation with those of BC ( P <0.01). The results of PAH ratios showed that the sources of PAHs in soils of various functional zones were mainly from oil leakage and the combustion of oil, coal, and biomass, although there were some differences among them. The values of ΣTEQ BaP of 15 PAHs ranged from 2 to 4448 μg·kg -1 in the soil samples of Yangzhou City. According to the standard value of 33 μg·kg -1 of ΣTEQ BaP for 10 PAHs in the soil environmental standard of Netherland, 45.8% of soil samples exceeded the standard in Yangzhou City. The percentages of soil samples exceeding the standard of various functional zones in Yangzhou City were in the order of industrial area (70%) > gas station (60%) > cultural and educational area (55.6%) > vegetable garden (50.0%) > residential area (30%) > park (10%). Hence, in all the functional zones of Yangzhou City, there were some soil samples with potential ecological risks, which was relatively higher in industrial area and gas station, and relatively lower in residential area and park.

Background: The purpose of this research was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functional abilities of Yi and Han elderly who resided in Yi Autonomous prefecture or Counties in Yunnan Province, as well as to compare their differences in HRQOL, functional abilities and other factors., Methods: A total of 1636 older subjects, which included 863 Han and 773 Yi, were recruited from 10 Yi Autonomous regions. Their HRQOL and functional capabilities were assessed by the MOS 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), activities of daily living (ADL), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales., Results: The Han elderly performed better in every domain of SF-36 than the Yi elderly. Both of the two ethnic groups could perform their ADL independently but the Yi elderly showed greater dependency in IADL abilities. The HRQOL was positively associated with their ADL, IADL, and education levels. Moreover, age, health insurance status, and living arrangement were negatively correlated with HRQOL., Conclusion: The HRQOL and IADL capabilities of the Han elderly were higher than that of the Yi counterparts in the Yi Autonomous regions. The HRQOL of both the two ethnic groups was positively connected with ADL, IADL abilities as well as education levels, whereas it was negatively correlated with age and health insurance. The elderly-care policy on the Yi autonomous areas should focus more on the HRQOL, ADL improvement, education background, age needs, and health insurance, etc.

Background: We previously demonstrated an association between placental leptin (LEP) methylation levels and macrosomia without gestational diabetes mellitus (non-GDM). This study further explored the association between LEP methylation in cord blood and non-GDM macrosomia., Method: We carried out a case-control study of 61 newborns with macrosomia (birth weight ≥4000 g) and 69 newborns with normal birth weight (2500-3999 g). Methylation in the LEP promoter region was mapped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry., Results: Average cord blood LEP methylation levels were lower in macrosomia newborns than in control newborns (P < 0.001). Eleven CpG sites were associated with macrosomia. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that low LEP methylation levels [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.72-4.17], high pre-pregnancy body mass index (AOR = 7.44, 95% CI: 1.99-27.75), long gestational age (AOR = 3.18, 95% CI: 1.74-5.79), high cord blood LEP concentration (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.34-3.77), and male newborn gender (AOR = 3.91, 95% CI: 1.31-11.69) significantly increased the risk of macrosomia., Conclusions: Lower cord blood LEP methylation levels and certain maternal and fetal factors are associated with non-GDM macrosomia.

Investigations of the phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos and aquatic vegetation in Lake Qiluhu were carried out in February, 2009. Over the whole lake, 13 sampling sites were set up for the analysis of phytoplankton and zooplankton, and 22 profiles for the collection of macrophytes and zoobenthos. In the survey, 7 phyla, 65 algae species were identified. The average abundance of phytoplankton was 7.16 × 10(8) cells/L, and the dominant specie was Limnothrix redekei. No obvious surface accumulation of algae was detected. The concentration of Chlorophyll a ranged from 85 to 101 μg/L, and the average value was 93 μg/L. Nineteen species of zooplankton were observed, including 4 species of rotifers, 6 species of cladocerans and 9 species of copepods. Copepods were the dominant species, their abundance reaching 68%, whilst Cladocerans took second place with an abundance proportion of 28%. Six species of submerged vegetation were identified: Potamogeton Pectinatus, Myriophyllum, Elodea Canadensis, Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton crispus. Amongst them, the dominant vegetation was P. Pectinatus, the biomass of which was up to 63% of the total biomass. Emerged macrophytes were cluster distributed across the whole lake, mainly consisting of Scirpus tabernaemontani, phragmites communis and cane shoots. Unfortunately, no living zoobenthos were found at the sites. The results indicated that, in Lake Qiluhu, the abundance of phytoplankton was maintained at a high level. The ecological function of submerged vegetation was gradually being lost because of its low standing crop and coverage, and the benthic animal habitat was severely damaged.

Three new polyhydroxysterols, named muriflasteroids A-C (1-3) were isolated from the South China Sea gorgonian Muriceopsis flavida, together with sixteen known analogs, cholest-3β,5α,6β-triol,3β-acetate (4), 5α-methoxycholest-3β,6β-diol (5), (22E)-cholest-22-en-3β,5α,6β-triol (6), cholest-3β,5α,6β-triol (7), (22E)-24-norcholest-22-en-3β,5α,6β-triol (8), (22E,24S)-ergost-22-en-3β,5α,6β-triol (9), ergost-24(28)-en-3β,5α,6β-triol (10), (22E)-cholest-7,22-dien-3β,5α,6β-triol (11), cholest-7-en-3β,5α,6β-triol (12), (22E)-24-norcholest-7,22-dien-3β,5α,6β-triol (13), ergost-7,24(28)-dien-3β,5α,6β-triol (14), (22E,24R)-ergost-7,22-dien-3β,5α,6β-triol (15), (22E)-cholest-22-en-1β,3β,5α,6β-tetrol (16), (22E)-24-norcholest-22-en-1β,3β,5α,6β-tetrol (17), cholest-1β,3β,5α,6β-tetrol (18), and (24ξ)-ergost-1β,3β,5α,6β-tetrol (19). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis in combination with comparison of reported data. All the compounds are reported for the first time from the animal. In the bioassay in vitro, these compounds exhibited different levels of growth inhibition activity against A549 and MG63 cell lines. In particular, compound 18 displayed a considerable activity, being similar as that of positive control adriamycin. An annexin V analysis indicated that compounds 7 and 18 can significantly induce apoptosis in A549 cell, and compound 7 is more potent in the induction of apoptosis. Preliminary structure-activity analysis suggests that the acetylation on 3-OH and appearance of Δ⁷ may decrease the activity while substitution of 1-OH and the nature of side chain may also play an important role in the activity. Methylation of 5-OH contributed a little to the activity., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although some studies have reported relationships between cytogenetic subgroups, molecular markers and age in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), conclusions based on data from a Chinese population are lacking. In the present study, we evaluated 640 patients with de novo AML. The patients were divided into 8 age groups, i.e. 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and ≥70 years, and were then classified into cytogenetic groups based on normal, balanced and unbalanced karyotypes.

Background: Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) dates back to the 1990s and has been successfully applied in neurosurgery but they were low-field iMRI (< 1.0T). This paper reports the clinical experience with a 3T iMRI-integrated neurosurgical suite in Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China., Methods: From September 2010 through March 2012, 373 consecutive patients underwent neurological surgery under guidance with 3T iMRI. A retrospective analysis was conducted regarding clinical efficiency., Results: All surgery in the 373 patients was safe. The ratio of gross total resection for cerebral gliomas (n = 161) was increased from 55.90% to 87.58%. The ratio of benefit in extent of resection was 39.13%. One hundred and fifty eight of the 161 glioma patients accomplished follow-up at 3 months postoperatively. Twenty of 161 patients (12.42%) suffered from early motor deficit after surgery. Late motor deficit was however observed in five of 158 patients (3.16%). Twenty-one of 161 patients (13.04%) had early speech deficit and late speech deficit was only observed in six of 158 patients (3.80%). The ratio of gross total resection for pituitary adenomas (n = 49) was increased from 77.55% to 85.71%. The ratio of benefit in extent of resection was 10.2%. There were no iMRI-related adverse events even for patients who underwent awake craniotomy., Conclusion: The 3T iMRI integrated neurosurgical suite provides high-quality intraoperative structural and functional imaging for real-time tumor resection control and accurate functional preservation, resulting in an improvement in maximal safe brain surgery.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecule is an integral component of the immune response on which the majority of host genetic studies have concentrated. Many different HLA-II alleles have been demonstrated to play roles in HBV infection. PCR-SSOP methods were applied to determine the HLA-DRB1 genotypes of 769 unrelated healthy individuals from Han Chinese of Northeast China. The frequencies of HLA-DRB1*09 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected subjects were higher compared to those in the control group. Frequencies of HLA-DRB1*04 and *13 in the HBV-infected group were significantly lower compared to those in the healthy control group. Frequencies of HLA-DRB1*12 in the cirrhosis and liver cancer groups were significantly higher than those in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. The frequency of LA-DRB1*03 in the CHB patient group was significantly higher compared to that in the asymptomatic hepatitis B carrier patients. The above results suggest that the host HLA-II gene is an important factor in the determination of the outcome of HBV infection.

In Huangshan City, schistosomiasis surveillance from 1994 to 2010 showed that there were no patients and livestock newly infected with schistosome, no infected Oncomelania snails, but the snail status was stable. It is suggested that the schistosomiasis control strategy with emphasis on snail surveillance is effective, and snail surveillance is still a key measure of schistosomiasis surveillance in the future.

The treatment of gliomas is highly individualized. Surgery for gliomas is essentially for histological diagnosis, to alleviate mass effect, and most importantly, to favor longer survival expectancy. During the past two decades, many surgical techniques and adjuvants have been applied to glioma surgery in China, which lead to a rapid development in the field of cerebral glioma surgery. This article broadly and critically reviewed the existing studies on cerebral glioma surgery and to portrait the current status of glioma surgery in China. A literature search was conducted covering major innovative surgical techniques and adjuvants for glioma surgery in China. The following databases were searched: the Pubmed (January 1995 to date); China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (January 1995 to date) and VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (January 1995 to date). A selection criterion was established to exclude duplicates and irrelevant studies. The outcome measures were extracted from included studies. A total of 3307 articles were initially searched. After excluded by abstracts and full texts, 69 studies conducted in the mainland of China were included and went through further analysis. The philosophy of surgical strategies for cerebral gliomas in China is undergoing tremendous change. Nowadays Chinese neurosurgeons pay more attention to the postoperative neurofunctional status of the patients. The aim of the glioma surgery is not only the more extensive tumor resection but also the maximal safety of intervention. The well balance of longer overall survival and higher quality of life should be judged with respect to each individual patient.

Allopatry is conventionally considered the geographical mode of speciation for continental island organisms. However, strictly allopatric speciation models that assume the lack of postdivergence gene flow seem oversimplified given the recurrence of land bridges during glacial periods since the late Pliocene. Here, to evaluate whether a continental island endemic, the Taiwan hwamei (Leucodioptron taewanus, Passeriformes Timaliidae) speciated in strict allopatry, we used weighted-regression-based approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to analyse the genetic polymorphism of 18 neutral nuclear loci (total length: 8500 bp) in Taiwan hwamei and its continental sister species, the Chinese hwamei (L. canorum canorum). The nonallopatry model was found to fit better with observed genetic polymorphism of the two hwamei species (posterior possibility = 0.82). We also recovered unambiguous signals of nontrivial bidirectional postdivergence gene flow (N(e)m >> 1) between Chinese hwamei and Taiwan hwamei until 0.5 Ma. Divergence time was estimated to be 3.5 to 2 million years earlier than that estimated from mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. Finally, using the inferred nonallopatry model to simulate genetic variation at 24 nuclear genes examined showed that the adiponectin receptor 1 gene may be under divergent adaptation. Our findings imply that the role of geographical barrier may be less prominent for the speciation of continental island endemics, and suggest a shift in speciation studies from simply correlating geographical barrier and genetic divergence to examining factors that facilitate and maintain divergence, e.g. differential selection and sexual selection, especially in the face of interpopulation gene flow.

The determination of fatty acids and organic acids in Chinese medicinal plant Ranunculus ternatus Thunb using GC-MS was studied. The Ranunculus ternatus Thunb from Henan province was cut into less than 20 mesh pieces, then extracted by petroleum ether or ether in refluxing and esteried, and finally was determined using GC-MS. The results show that there are 23 kinds of organic compounds in the Chinese medicinal plant Ranunculus ternatus Thunb from Henan, among which 15 kinds of fatty acids were identified, including myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, eicosanoic acid, docosanoic acid etc. The unsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid account for 58.19% and 35.68% of the total organic compounds respectively. The kinds of fatty acid in petroleum ether extract and ether extract are the same.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and drug resistance of Streptococcus (S.) pneumoniae in patients infected in communities and molecular epidemiology with BOX-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Chongqing areas., Methods: A total of 680 clinical specimens from sputum and throat/nasal swabs were collected from patients seen from September 2000 to March 2001. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by agar dilution test. BOX-PCR was used for molecular typing of S. pneumoniae., Results: A total of 39 isolates of S. pneumoniae were collected with the isolation rate of 5.7%. Of the 34 S. pneumoniae strains, two showed low-level resistance to penicillin (MIC 0.125 mg/L), one to levofloxacin, but many to macrolide and clindamycin (nearly 70%). All the strains were susceptible to beta-lactams and vancomycin. BOX-PCR typing demonstrated a high discriminatory potential and easy to be accurately analysed. 35 S. pneumoniae strains (include ATCC49619) were divided into 25 distinct types, representing 29 subtypes with A (n = 3) as the predominant type. 2 penicillin-resistant strains were shown to be different types., Conclusion: Penicillin resistant rate of S. pneumoniae was low in Chongqing, but macrolide and clindamycin resistant strains were common while BOX-PCR typing was a suitable technique to type S. pneumoniae. No dominant antibiotic resistant strains were found in Chongqing.

The determination of twenty one kinds of constant and trace elements in Chinese herb Ranunculus ternatus thunb was performed by ICP-AES. The results show that K, Fe, Ca, Cr, Mg, Mn, Zn, Co, Cu, Ni, Se and Sr are relatively rich in Ranunculus ternatus and the content of Pb, Cd and As are very low. The ratio of the content of Zn to that of Cu is about 3, which is consistent with the relative content level of Zn and Cu contained in many anticancer Chinese traditional plants.