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Summary: Previous research on the motivational factors of safety performance has predominantly focused on one's willingness to directly enact safety behaviors or safety‐specific motivation. The current study extends beyond this view and examines an additional motivational force, altruistic motivation, as a main predictor of employees' safety performance at both individual and team levels. Further, we provide that servant leadership serves as a critical precursor of employee altruistic motivation. A sample of 416 nurses in 42 workgroups and their respective supervisors from a hospital in China completed a two‐wave survey. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that altruistic motivation was positively related to safety performance at both individual and team levels, with a stronger effect at the team level, supporting a proportional theory of homology. Multilevel mediation results showed that servant leadership was positively related to altruistic motivation, which in turn positively led to safety performance at both individual and team levels. These findings highlight both the theoretical and practical importance of encouraging altruistic motivation to improve workplace safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro.) Hack.) is a species originating in China and is an excellent warm-season turfgrass. As a native species in southern China, it is naturally distributed in the phosphorus-deficient and aluminum-toxic acid soil areas. It is important to research the molecular mechanism of centipedegrass responses to phosphorus-deficiency and/or aluminum-toxicity stress. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) is a common method for gene expression analysis, and the accuracy of qRT-PCR results depends heavily on the stability of internal reference genes. However, there are still no reported stable and effective reference genes for qRT-PCR analysis of target genes under the acid-soil-related stresses in different organs of centipedegrass. For scientific rigor, the gene used as a reference for any plant species and/or any stress conditions should be first systematically screened and evaluated. This study is the first to provide a group of reliable reference genes to quantify the expression levels of functional genes of Eremochloa ophiuroides under multiple stresses of P deficiency and/or aluminum toxicity. In this study, centipedegrass seedlings of the acid-soil-resistant strain 'E041' and acid-soil-sensitive strain 'E089' were used for qRT-PCR analysis. A total of 11 candidate reference genes (ACT, TUB, GAPDH, TIP41, CACS, HNR, EP, EF1α, EIF4α, PP2A and actin) were detected by qRT-PCR technology, and the stability of candidate genes was evaluated with the combination of four internal stability analysis software programs. The candidate reference genes exhibited differential stability of expression in roots, stems and leaves under phosphorus-deficiency and/or aluminum-toxicity stress. On the whole, the results showed that GAPDH, TIP41 and HNR were the most stable in the total of samples. In addition, for different tissues under various stresses, the selected reference genes were also different. CACS and PP2A were identified as two stable reference genes in roots through all three stress treatments (phosphate deficiency, aluminum toxicity, and the multiple stress treatment of aluminum toxicity and phosphate deficiency). Moreover, CACS was also stable as a reference gene in roots under each treatment (phosphate deficiency, aluminum toxicity, or multiple stresses of aluminum toxicity and phosphate deficiency). In stems under all three stress treatments, GAPDH and EIF4α were the most stable reference genes; for leaves, PP2A and TIP41 showed the two highest rankings in all three stress treatments. Finally, qRT-PCR analysis of the expression patterns of the target gene ALMT1 was performed to verify the selected reference genes. The application of the reference genes identified as internal controls for qRT-PCR analysis will enable accurate analysis of the target gene expression levels and expression patterns in centipedegrass under acid-soil-related stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sense-making theory of creativity is extended by identifying failure feedback as a process that shapes creative interpretations and actions. We also consider the moderating effect of goal orientation on the relationship between failure feedback and individual creativity, according to the sense-making theory. A 2-waves survey data from 345 R&D employees and their supervisors in five Chinese high-tech companies indicated: (a) supervisors' failure feedback positively correlates with incremental and radical creative performance, (b) learning goal orientation strengthens the relationship between failure feedback and creativity, and (c) avoidance goal orientation attenuates the relationship between failure feedback and creativity. The findings suggest that goal orientations play roles in optimizing failure feedback effects on creativity outcomes.

This study is among the first to examine how individuals' cultural value orientations impact 2 separate stages of creativity: idea generation and idea implementation. A total of 247 Chinese employees completed questionnaires including individualism-collectivism culture orientation and their idea generation behavior. Supervisor ratings of idea implementation were obtained to avoid single-source bias. Partial correlation results showed that both horizontal individualism and horizontal collectivism had positive influences on idea generation, but vertical collectivism had a positive impact on idea implementation. Although vertical individualism was not correlated to either idea generation or idea implementation, it moderated the relationship between these two stages such that idea generation predicted idea implementation better among high vertical individualists than among low vertical individualists. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

Businesses are gradually reopening as lockdown measures for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are being relieved in many places across the globe. It is challenging but imperative for businesses to manage the risk of infection in the workplace and reopen safely. Drawing on risky decision-making theory and the job demands-resource model of workplace safety, we examined the influences of employees' COVID-19 risk perception on their safety performance at work. On the one hand, COVID-19 risk perception motivates employees to perform safely; on the other hand, COVID-19 risk perception could also undermine safety performance through triggering anxiety. In an effort to find ways that alleviate the negative implications of risk perception, we also tested a cross-level interaction model where the risk perception–anxiety relation is weakened with a favorable team safety climate as well as low abusive supervision. Our data were collected from car dealership employees located in China in March 2020, when businesses just started to reopen in locations where these data were collected. Results showed that COVID-19 risk perception was positively related to anxiety, which in turn undermined safety performance. This negative effect canceled out the direct positive effects of COVID-19 risk perception on safety performance. In addition, cross-level interaction results showed that the buffering effect of team safety climate on the risk perception–anxiety relation was diminished with an abusive supervisor. Our findings provide valuable and timely implications on risk management and workplace safety during a public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-tillage (NT) can enhance the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC), thereby aiding in climate change mitigation and improving soil fertility. However, the relations of soil microbial abundance, composition, and necromass to SOC increase under NT are still unclear, limiting the knowledge of SOC stabilization. We performed a 5-year paddy field experiment in southern China including NT, reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil microbial necromass C (MC, including fungal and bacterial necromass C, FC, and BC) were analyzed, as well as soil bacterial and fungal community composition. At a depth of 0–10 cm, NT increased FC (by 48.6 %–50.2 %, P < 0.05), BC (28.6 %–41.7 %), and MC (38.5 %–45.1 %, P < 0.05) but did not significantly alter the FC/BC and MC/SOC ratios. The increase rate of MC (NT vs. CT and RT) was 12.8–16.2 % higher than that of total SOC. Compared with 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm, the MC/SOC ratio was 12.5 %–14.1 % lower at 20–30 cm. Linear regression indicated significant positive correlations of SOC with MC, BC, and FC, whereas no significant correlation was found between bacterial (or fungal) α-diversity (expressed by Shannon index) and BC (or FC). The Random Forest Model showed that several important fungal and bacterial Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) explained 14 %–73 % of the FC and BC variations. Therefore, the composition of the microbial community may play a pivotal role in driving the accumulation of MC. Short-term NT in rice paddies resulted in increased levels of both MC and SOC. Notably, the rate of increase in MC exceeded that of SOC, suggesting the potential for SOC stabilization. • 5-Year no-tillage increased microbial-derived C in paddy soil. • Microbial composition explained 14–73 % of microbial-derived C variation. • The SOC is positively related with fungal and bacterial necromass C. • 5-Year no-tillage did not change microbial-derived C/SOC ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: In many grasslands under grazing pressure, unpalatable plants have become abundant and these areas are refuges for plant diversity. We hypothesize that unpalatable plants may also serve as refuges for soil microbes. Methods: We tested this hypothesis by investigating soil fungal diversity and community composition, soil properties, and plant parameters in areas dominated by the unpalatable drunken horse grass (Achnatherum inebrians), and areas without this toxic grass, in three types of natural rangelands in northern China. Results: Our results showed that the areas dominated by A. inebrians had a higher fungal diversity, higher microbial biomass, higher abundance of plant pathogens in soil, and higher plant biomass than areas that did not contain A. inebrians. Soil fungal community composition was positively correlated with plant community composition across the three study sites. Fungal diversity and microbial biomass were positively correlated with higher plant biomass. Abundance of soil plant pathogens was positively correlated with coverage of A. inebrians. Conclusions: The results indicated that plant community composition significantly correlated with soil fungal community composition, and refuge effects of A. inebrians drive higher fungal diversity, microbial biomass and abundance of plant pathogens in the soil. Increased abundance of A. inebrians potentially has considerable effects on the soil fungal community in grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent transportation systems have seen a very great increase in research contribution especially with the advent of cloud and internet of things for handling big data. With the increasing need to monitor, manage effectively with available set of resources, a majority of concerns have been on a migration pattern towards cloud networks. The proposed research paper has investigated and framed an intelligent cloud based transportation cluster model for effective and efficient delivery of transportation and management data to the server and client. The case study has been taken up for the city of Macau in China which is observed to have a complicated and sophisticated system of transportation with the ever increasing growth of tourism in the country. Vehicular traffic monitoring and management using a fuzzy C means algorithm for effectively reducing the computational overhead in terms of complexity and time has been proposed, implemented and tested with results validated against recent intelligent transportation models found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of a coping-focused orientation program called "Realistic Orientation Program for Entry Stress" (ROPES; Wanous & Reichers, 2000) in reducing newcomers' experience of psychological contract breach. Based on previous socialization research, we identified two unique routes through which the ROPES program may exert its influence on the perception of psychological contract breach: (a) reducing newcomer work stress and (b) boosting perceived organizational support (POS). Further, drawing on the interactionist perspective of socialization, we posited that newcomers' adjustment self-efficacy should strengthen the treatment–newcomer work stress link, and that newcomers' sense of abundance should accentuate the treatment – POS link. Seventy-three newly hired nurses from a large hospital in a northern city in China were randomly assigned to either a ROPES condition (n = 36) or a control condition (n = 37). Follow-up surveys occurred at 6- and 12-months post-entry. The results indicated that: (a) POS (but not newcomer work stress) at Month 6 mediated the treatment effect on psychological contract breach at Month 12; (b) the treatment – POS link was stronger for newcomers with high (vs. low) sense of abundance; and (c) the treatment – perceived work stress link was non-significant for newcomers with high adjustment self-efficacy but positive and significant for newcomers with low adjustment self-efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. • POS mediated the effect of ROPES on reducing newcomers' psychological contract breach. • Newcomers' sense of abundance accentuated the ROPES treatment – POS link. • A field experimental design with two follow-up surveys increased the internal and external validity of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sense-making theory of creativity is extended by identifying failure feedback as a process that shapes creative interpretations and actions. We also consider the moderating effect of goal orientation on the relationship between failure feedback and individual creativity, according to the sense-making theory. A 2-waves survey data from 345 R&D employees and their supervisors in five Chinese high-tech companies indicated: (a) supervisors’ failure feedback positively correlates with incremental and radical creative performance, (b) learning goal orientation strengthens the relationship between failure feedback and creativity, and (c) avoidance goal orientation attenuates the relationship between failure feedback and creativity. The findings suggest that goal orientations play roles in optimizing failure feedback effects on creativity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] We assessed the psychometric properties of the DAS on a Chinese sample. [•] CFA results supported the original six-factor structure of the DAS. [•] Differences on age groups and countries supported the discriminant validity. [•] Anger from police presence contributed to most of variances in subjective aggression. [•] Anger from slow driving contributed to most of variances in aggressive actions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of the current study is to test the efficacy of the Proactivity Orientation Program (POP) in facilitating university freshmen's proactive socialization. A longitudinal field experiment was designed to test the hypotheses. Based on action regulation theory, the 8-h POP included training on developing goals, collecting information, generating and executing plans, and processing feedback. A total of 148 freshmen from a comprehensive university in China were randomly assigned to a control group (N = 74) or an experimental POP intervention group (N = 74). Questionnaires regarding four proactive socialization behaviors (i.e., feedback seeking, relationship building with instructors, general socializing, and positive framing), social integration, and anxiety were administered. The Office of Educational Administration provided freshmen's GPAs for the first semester. Compared with those in the control group, freshmen in the POP group (a) reported more proactive socialization behaviors (i.e., feedback seeking, relationship building with instructors, general socializing, and positive framing), (b) experienced higher levels of social integration and lower levels of anxiety in the first three and four months after entering the university, and (c) had better academic performance for the first semester. Proactive socialization behaviors were found to mediate the POP's treatment effects on some of the adjustment outcomes. Furthermore, the intervention effects of the POP did not materialize immediately, but rather, emerged over time. The findings provide preliminary support for the POP intervention in facilitating freshmen's proactive socialization behaviors and adjustment outcomes. Our findings also suggest the importance of proactivity for freshmen adjustment and academic success. • A longitudinal field experiment was used to test the efficacy of Proactivity Orientation Program for proactive socialization. • Freshmen of POP group report more feedback seeking, relationship building, general socializing, and positive framing. • Freshmen of POP group report better academic performance, higher levels of social integration, and lower levels of anxiety. • Intervention effects of POP emerge over time rather than immediately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Individuals’ development is a multilayered affair. The influence of family relationship on personality, such as Sulloway’s model (1996, 2001) focusing on birth order, is subject to influence from other social systems in which the families are situated. The current research examined the relation of birth order to personality and life satisfaction in China, where only children have become the majority because of national policy. Across two studies with both between-family data (N =1468) and within-family data (N =171), onlyborns and laterborns surpassed firstborns on openness to experience. In addition, only-child participants were more satisfied with their own lives than were sibling participants, especially laterborns. The results offer new insights into the dynamic relations between ecology and personality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Infrared spectroscopy has been used to characterize and compare four palygorskite mineral samples from China. The position of the main bands identified by infrared spectra is similar, but there are some differences in intensity, which are significant. In addition, several additional bands are observed in the spectra of palygorskite and their impurities. This variability is attributed to differences in the geological environment, such as the degree of weathering and the extent of transportation of the minerals during formation or deposition, and the impurity content in these palygorskites. The bands of water and hydroxyl groups in these spectra of palygorskite samples have been studied. The characteristic band of palygorskite is observed at 1195cm−1. Another four bands observed at 3480, 3380, 3266 and 3190cm−1 are attributed to the water molecules in the palygorskite structure. These results suggest that the infrared spectra of palygorskites mineral from different regions are decided not only by the main physicochemical properties of palygorskite, but also by the amount and kind of impurities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Luoyang is one of the eight ancient capitals in China. During Empress Wu's period, Luoyang boasted of strong political color. She spent 49 years of her life in Luoyang. In the following 15 years after she assumed the title of Empress regnant, she lived in Luoyang for 13 years. As Empress Wu was deeply in love with Luoyang, Luoyang was not only transformed into the western capital of Tang Dynasty but also developed into an international metropolis next only to the eastern capital--Chang' an. The prosporous city promoted the development of urban tourism. Colorful festival tourism, different social strata of tourist subjects and various types of tourism service displayed highlights of urban tourism in Louyang during Empress Wu's period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Upward counterfactual thinking (CFT) was positively related to safety behavior. • Safety knowledge mediated the upward CFT-safety behavior relationships. • Locus of control strengthened the mediations of safety knowledge on such relationships. • Upward CFT has a stronger relationship with safety behavior than downward CFT. Introduction: Information processing theories of workplace safety suggest that cognition is an antecedent of safety behavior. However, little research has directly tested cognitive factors as predictors of workplace safety within organizational psychology and behavior research. Counterfactuals (cognitions about "what might have been") can be functional when they consist of characteristics (e.g., "upward' – focusing on better outcomes) that alter behavior in a manner consistent with those outcomes. This field study aimed to examine the influence of counterfactual thinking on safety behavior and explanatory mechanisms and boundary conditions of that relationship. Method: A sample of 240 medical providers from a hospital in China responded to three surveys over a four-month time frame. Results: Results showed that upward counterfactuals were positively related to supervisor ratings of safety compliance and participation. These relationships were mediated by safety knowledge but not by safety motivation. Upward counterfactuals were more strongly related to safety behavior and knowledge than downward counterfactuals. As expected, safety locus of control strengthened the mediating effects of safety knowledge on the relationship between upward counterfactuals and safety behavior. Conclusions and Practical Applications: The findings demonstrated that counterfactual thinking is positively associated with safety behavior and knowledge, thus expanding the variables related to workplace safety and laying some initial groundwork for new safety interventions incorporating counterfactual thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands, the largest carbon pool in China, possess enormous potential for carbon sequestration. Increasing the stomatal aperture to increase the CO 2 absorption capacity is a potential method to improve plant photosynthetic efficiency and ultimately enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of grass plants. Research on stomatal aperture regulation has focused mostly on Arabidopsis or crops, while research on grass plants in these areas is scarce, which seriously restricts the implementation of this grassland carbon sequestration strategy. Here, a widely used ecological grass, centipedegrass, was used as the experimental material. First, a convenient method for observing the stomatal aperture was developed. The leaves were floated in a potassium ion-containing open solution (67 mM KCl, pH 6.0) with the adaxial surface rather than the abaxial surface in contact with the solution and were cultivated under light for 1.5 h. Then, nail polish was applied on the adaxial surface, and a large number of open stomata were imprinted. Second, with the help of this improved method, the concentration‒response characteristics of the stomatal aperture to eleven environmental stimuli were tested. The stomatal aperture is dependent on these environmental stimuli in a concentration-dependent manner. The addition of 100 μM brassinolide led to the maximal stomatal aperture. This study provided a technical basis for manipulating stomatal opening to increase the carbon sequestration capacity of centipedegrass. • Established a convenient method for detecting the stomatal aperture of centipedegrass. • Optimal open solution for the stomatal aperture investigation is 67 mM KCl at pH 6.0 • The addition of 100 μM brassinolide led to the maximal stomatal aperture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia reticulata Lindl., also known as Yunnan Camellia, is an important ornamental plant in China, especially for its large and stunning flowers. A comprehensive understanding of their coloration mechanisms can aid breeders in developing new cultivars and improving their ornamental value; however, it is still unclear in Yunnan Camellia, especially in mixed-color flowers. In this study, we conducted metabolic and transcriptomic comparison analyses to investigate the coloration differences in three Yunnan Camellia cultivars: C. reticulata 'Shizitou' (SZT), C. reticulata 'Damanao' (MN), and C. reticulata 'Tongzimian' (TZM). Our results revealed that the initial flowering stage may play a critical role in the color change of MN. Metabolome analysis demonstrated that cyanidin was the primary anthocyanin in SZT and MN's red region, while its content was low in TZM and MN's white region. According to the transcriptome analysis, the anthocyanins biosynthesis pathway was reconstructed in Yunnan Camellia, and the low expression of CHS was detected in TZM and MN's white region, while ANR maintained a high expression level, which may lead to the low content of cyanidin in them. Transcription factors MYBs, bHLH, and bZIP may play a key role in regulating anthocyanin-structural genes. The co-expression analysis showed that the meristem tissue may play a crucial role in the formation of the mixed white-red color in MN. Our study enriched the genetic basis of flower coloration differences in Yunnan Camellia which will be a valuable genomic resource to understanding the biology of coloration formation and for breeding the Camellia cultivars., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: About 1/3 of tibial plateau fractures are associated with proximal fibula fractures, but most proximal fibula fractures are often ignored. The aim of this study was to precisely explain the classification and treatment strategies of six injury types of the fibular column associated with tibial plateau fractures., Methods: Patients with ipsilateral proximal fibula and tibial plateau fractures treated in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed from Aug 2007 to Mar 2020. Two experienced surgeons and two radiologists divided fibular column injury into 6 injury types according to the AO classification and four-column nine-segment classification. The treatment scheme (surgically treated or conservatively treated) was also recorded., Results: In total, 355 proximal fibula fractures were included. Type 2 fibular head fracture was the most common type of injury in 122, and the segregate of superior tibiofibular syndesmosis was the rarest type in 3. In avulsion injury proximal of fibular pattern, the proportion of patients who need surgical intervention is the highest., Conclusions: Six injury types in the four-column nine-segment classification covered all types of bony and soft tissue injuries of the fibular column and concisely explained the injury mechanism. The classification is helpful for the precise judgement and decision-making of the concomitant fibular column injuries in tibial plateau fractures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Xiang Yao et al.)

Objectives: Renal risk score (RRS) and chronicity score (CS) are both newly proposed tools to predict end stage renal disease (ESRD) which could be applicable in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated renal vasculitis patients. Their predictive value has not been fully studied and compared., Methods: 252 patients with newly biopsy-proven ANCA-associated renal vasculitis were retrospectively studied at the Department of Nephrology, Ruijin Hospital, China. Patients were evaluated with RRS and CS for clinical factors, pathological lesions and outcome. Their predictive value of renal survival was also compared., Results: The median RRS score point at diagnosis was 6 (interquartile range [IQR] 0-9) and CS score point was 4 (IQR 3-7). In accordance with severity of RRS category and CS grade, percentage of hypertensive patients, dialysis dependency, and level of proteinuria increased accordingly. Significant differences were found regarding dialysis dependency within RRS and CS groups (p<0.001 and p<0.01 respectively). The addition of RRS or CS scoring scheme to the base model of dialysis dependency significantly improved discrimination. The C statistic, integrated discrimination improvement and net reclassification improvement were significantly increased by adding either RRS/CS or both. Furthermore, RRS had better ROC., Conclusions: Among ANCA associated renal vasculitis patients, RRS and CS achieved similar discrimination, but the discrimination of RRS was superior.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most important global public health issue that we currently face. We aimed to explore the clinical features of patients with COVID-19 and compared them with those of hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients caused by influenza virus during the same period.From Jan 1, to Mar 4, 2020, patients with COVID-19 or CAP caused by influenza virus who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University were consecutively screened for enrollment.A total of 35 COVID-19 patients and 22 CAP patients caused by influenza virus were included in this study. Most of COVID-19 patients had characteristics of familial clustering (63%), however, in the other group, there was no similar finding. The percentages of patients with a high fever (the highest recorded temperature was ≥39.0°C; 11% vs 45% [COVID-19 vs CAP groups, respectively]), dyspnea (9% vs 59%), leukocytosis (3% vs 32%), elevated C-reactive protein concentrations (>10 mg/L, 48% vs 86%), elevated procalcitonin levels (>0.1 ng/ml, 15% vs 73%), PaO2/FiO2 <200 mm Hg (4% vs 22%), and infiltration on imaging (29% vs 68%) in the COVID-19 group were less than those same indices in the hospitalized CAP patients caused by influenza virus. Ground-glass opacity with reticular pattern (63%) and interlobular septal thickening (71%) in chest CT were commonly observed in the COVID-19 group.COVID-19 and CAP caused by influenza virus appear to share some similarities in clinical manifestaions but they definitely have major distinctions. Influenza infection remains a health problem even during COVID-19 pandemic.

In this study, we investigated the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of enteroviruses associated with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Shenzhen, China, during 2014-2018. A total of 137 fecal specimens from patients with severe HFMD were collected. Enterovirus (EV) types were determined using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), RT nested PCR, and sequencing. Sequences were analyzed using bioinformatics programs. Of 137 specimens tested, 97 (70.8%), 12 (8.8%), and 10 (7.3%) were positive for EV-A71, coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6), and CVA16, respectively. Other pathogens detected included CVA2 (2.9%, 4/137), CVA10 (2.9%, 4/137), CVA5 (0.7%, 1/137), echovirus 6 (E6) (0.7%, 1/137) and E18 (0.7%, 1/137). The most frequent complication in patients with proven EV infections was myoclonic jerk, followed by aseptic encephalitis, tachypnea, and vomiting. The frequencies of vomiting and abnormal eye movements were higher in EV-A71-infected patients than that in CVA6-infected or CVA16-infected patients. Molecular phylogeny based on the complete VP1 gene revealed no association between the subgenotype of the virus and disease severity. Nevertheless, 12 significant mutations that were likely to be associated with virulence or the clinical phenotype were observed in the 5'UTR, 2A pro , 2C, 3A, 3D pol and 3'UTR of CVA6. Eight significant mutations were observed in the 5'UTR, 2B, 3A, 3D pol and 3'UTR of CVA16, and 10 significant mutations were observed in the 5'UTR, VP1, 3A and 3C pro of CVA10. In conclusion, EV-A71 is still the main pathogen causing severe HFMD, although other EV types can also cause severe complications. Potential virulence or phenotype-associated sites were identified in the genomes of CVA6, CVA16, and CVA10.

Background: Timely diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a prerequisite for treatment and prevention. The serology characteristics and complement diagnosis value of the antibody test to RNA test need to be demonstrated., Method: Serial sera of 80 patients with PCR-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were collected at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Total antibody (Ab), IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected, and the antibody dynamics during the infection were described., Results: The seroconversion rates for Ab, IgM and IgG were 98.8%, 93.8% and 93.8%, respectively. The first detectible serology marker was Ab, followed by IgM and IgG, with a median seroconversion time of 15, 18 and 20 days post exposure (d.p.e.) or 9, 10 and 12 days post onset (d.p.o.), respectively. The antibody levels increased rapidly beginning at 6 d.p.o. and were accompanied by a decline in viral load. For patients in the early stage of illness (0-7 d.p.o), Ab showed the highest sensitivity (64.1%) compared with IgM and IgG (33.3% for both; p<0.001). The sensitivities of Ab, IgM and IgG increased to 100%, 96.7% and 93.3%, respectively, 2 weeks later. When the same antibody type was detected, no significant difference was observed between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and other forms of immunoassays., Conclusions: A typical acute antibody response is induced during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Serology testing provides an important complement to RNA testing in the later stages of illness for pathogenic-specific diagnosis and helpful information to evaluate the adapted immunity status of patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Bin Lou has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ting-Dong Li has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Shu-Fa Zheng has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ying-Ying Su has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Zhi-Yong Li has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Wei Liu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Fei Yu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Sheng-Xiang Ge has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Qian-Da Zou has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Quan Yuan has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Sha Lin has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Cong-Ming Hong has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Xiang-Yang Yao has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Xue-Jie Zhang has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ding-Hui Wu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Guo-Liang Zhou has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Wang-Heng Hou has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ting-Ting Li has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ya-Li Zhang has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Shi-Yin Zhang has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Jian Fan has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Jun Zhang has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Ning-Shao Xia has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Yu Chen has nothing to disclose., (Copyright ©ERS 2020.)

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder with four causative genes (SLC20A2, PDGFRB, PDGFB, and XPR1) that have been identified. Here, we aim to describe the mutational spectrum of four causative genes in a series of 226 unrelated Chinese PFBC patients. Mutations in four causative genes were detected in 16.8% (38/226) of PFBC patients. SLC20A2 mutations accounted for 14.2% (32/226) of all patients. Mutations in the other three genes were relatively rare, accounting for 0.9% (2/226) of all patients, respectively. Clinically, 44.8% of genetically confirmed patients (probands and relatives) were considered symptomatic. The most frequent symptoms were chronic headache, followed by movement disorders and vertigo. Moreover, the total calcification score was significantly higher in the symptomatic group compared to the asymptomatic group. Functionally, we observed impaired phosphate transport induced by seven novel missense mutations in SLC20A2 and two novel mutations in XPR1. The mutation p.D164Y in XPR1 might result in low protein expression through an enhanced proteasome pathway. In conclusion, our study further confirms that mutations in SLC20A2 are the major cause of PFBC and provides additional evidence for the crucial roles of phosphate transport impairment in the pathogenies of PFBC., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) of the genotypes B1a and B1b have co-circulated in mainland China in the past decades. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 3,008 specimens from 3,008 patients with mild hand, foot, and mouth disease were collected in the present study. Viral RNA was tested for CV-A16 by a real-time RT-PCR method, and complete VP1 sequences and full-length genome sequences of CV-A16 strains from this study were determined by RT-PCR and sequencing. Sequences were analyzed using a series of bioinformatics programs. The detection rate for CV-A16 was 4.1%, 25.9%, 10.6%, 28.1% and 12.9% in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Overall, the detection rate for CV-A16 was 16.5% (497/3008) in this 5-year period in Shenzhen, China. One hundred forty-two (142/155, 91.6%) of the 155 genotype B1 strains in the study belonged to subgenotype B1b, and 13 (13/155, 8.4%) strains belonged to subgenotype B1a. Two strains (CVA16/Shenzhen174/CHN/2017 and CVA16/Shenzhen189/CHN/2017) could not be assigned to a known genotype. Phylogenetic analysis of these two strains and other Chinese CV-A16 strains indicated that these two CV-A16 strains clustered independently in a novel clade whose members differed by 8.4%-11.8%, 8.4%-12.1%, and 14.6%-14.8% in their nucleotide sequences from those of Chinese B1a, B1b, and genotype D strains, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of global CV-A16 strains further indicated that the two novel CV-A16 strains from this study grouped in a previously uncharacterized clade, which was designated as the subgenogroup B3 in present study. Meanwhile, phylogenetic reconstruction revealed two other new genotypes, B1d and B4, which included a Malaysian strain and two American strains, respectively. The complete genome sequences of the two novel CV-A16 strains showed the highest nucleotide sequence identity of 92.3% to the Malaysian strain PM-15765-00 from 2000. Comparative analysis of amino acid sequences of the two novel CV-A16 strains and their relatives suggested that variations in the nonstructural proteins may play an important role in the evolution of modern CV-A16.

Viral gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in humans, and it is primarily caused by rotaviruses (RVs), astroviruses (AstVs), adenoviruses (AdVs), noroviruses (NoVs), and sapoviruses (SaVs). In this study, we determined the distribution of viral gastroenteritis and human calicivirus (HuCVs) in acute gastroenteritis patients in Shenzhen, China, during 2011. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus (NoV), group A rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (AdV), and astrovirus (AstV). From a total of 983 fecal samples, NoV was detected in 210 (21.4 %); RoV in 173 (17.6 %); AstV in 10 (1.0 %); and AdV in 15 (1.5 %). Mixed infections involving two NoVs were found in 21 of the 387 pathogen-positive stool specimens. NoV and SaV genotypes were further tested using RT-PCRs and molecular typing and phylogenetic analysis were then performed based on the ORF1-ORF2 region for NoV and a conserved nucleotide sequence in the capsid gene for SaV. Of the 68 typed strains that were sequenced and genotyped, five were NoV G1 (7.5 %) and 63 were NoV GII (96.6 %). GII strains were clustered into five genotypes, including GII.4 (65.1 %; 36 GII.4 2006b and five GII.4 New Orleans), GII.3 (28.6 %), GII.2 (3.2 %), GII.6 (1.6 %), and GII.1 (1.6 %). While all fecal specimens were tested for SaVs, 15 (1.5 %) were positive, and of these, 12 isolates belonged to G1.2, and the remaining three SaV strains belonged to the SaV GII genogroup. Although various HuCVs were detected in acute gastroenteritis patients, NoV GII.4 2006b was more prevalent than the other HuCVs.

Sporadic hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks and other infectious diseases in recent years have frequently been associated with certain human enterovirus (HEV) serotypes. This study explored the prevalences and genetic characteristics of non-HEV71 and non-coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) human enterovirus-associated HFMD infections in Shenzhen, China. A total of 2,411 clinical stool specimens were collected from hospital-based surveillance for HFMD from 2008 to 2012. The detection of HEV was performed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and RT-seminested PCR, and spatiotemporal phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the VP1 genes. A total of 1,803 (74.8%) strains comprising 28 different serotypes were detected. In the past 5 years, the predominant serotypes were HEV71 (60.0%), followed by CV-A16 (21.2%) and two uncommon serotypes, CV-A6 (13.0%) and CV-A10 (3.3%). However, CV-A6 replaced CV-A16 as the second most common serotype between 2010 and 2012. As an emerging pathogen, CV-A6 became as common a causative agent of HFMD as HEV71 in Shenzhen in 2012. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that little variation occurred in the Chinese HEV71 and CV-A16 strains. The genetic characteristics of the Chinese CV-A6 and CV-A10 strains displayed geographic differences. The CV-A6 and CV-A10 strains circulating in Shenzhen likely originated in Europe. It was found that human enteroviruses have a high mutation rate due to evolutionary pressure and frequent recombination (3.2 × 10(-3) to 6.4 ×10(-3) substitutions per site per year for HEV71, CV-A6, CV-A16, and CV-A10). Since certain serotypes are potential threats to the public health, this study provides further insights into the significance of the epidemiological surveillance of HFMD.

Idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (IBGC) is a rare neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by bilateral and symmetric cerebral calcifications. Recently, SLC20A2 was identified as a causative gene for familial IBGC, and three mutations were reported in a northern Chinese population. Here, we aimed to explore the mutation spectrum of SLC20A2 in a southern Chinese population. Sanger sequencing was employed to screen mutations within SLC20A2 in two IBGC families and 14 sporadic IBGC cases from a southern Han Chinese population. Four novel mutations (c.82G>A p.D28N, c.185T>C p.L62P, c.1470&#95;1478delGCAGGTCCT p.Q491&#95;L493del and c.935-1G>A) were identified in two families and two sporadic cases, respectively; none were detected in 200 unrelated controls. No mutation was found in the remaining 12 patients. Different mutations may result in varied phenotypes, including brain calcification and clinical manifestations. Our study supports the hypothesis that SLC20A2 is a causative gene of IBGC and expands the mutation spectrum of SLC20A2, which facilitates the understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlation of IBGC., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model in explaining the relationship of job demands and resources with safety outcomes (i.e., workplace injuries and near-misses). We collected self-reported data from 670 crude oil production workers from three sub-companies of a major oilfield company in China. The results of a structural equation analysis indicated that job demands (psychological and physical demands) and job resources (decision latitude, supervisor support and coworker support) could affect emotional exhaustion and safety compliance, and thus influence the occurrence of injuries and near-misses. The implications of the present findings regarding both the JD-R model and occupational safety research were discussed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the genetic evolution for the common causative agent of hand, foot and mouth disease(HFMD) that VP4 of human enterovirus 71 in Shenzhen district., Method: 491 sttol specimen were collected from, children with hand, foot and mouth diease in Shenzhen Children's Hospital 2009. After cell culture, VP4 gene of eight EV71 strains were amplified by reverse-transcriptase PCR( RT-PCR), phylogenetic analysis of the VP4 gene was constructed by using MEGA 4. 0., Result: The VP4 gene of eight EV71 strains encoding 69 amino acids with full length 207 bp. The nucleotide homology of VP4 gene among eight EV71 strains was 94. 2% -98. 1%, compared with VP4 gene of EV71 strains retrieved from Shenzhen 2001 to 2004 and GenBank was 89. 1%-98. 1% and 79.2%-100% respectively. Asian epidemic strain Fuyang had the highest nucleotide homology, representative strain C4 and Shenzhen strain (AY895144) with 94. 2% -98. 1% secondly. Except for the 54th amino acid of VP4 gene of India reported strain and one of the eight EV71 strains, the homology of the rest amino acids between the eight EV71 strains and those in GenBank was 100%. Compared with representative strain C4,there were seventeen differences in nucleotide sequences of VP4 of the eight EV71 strains. All of the different nucleotides were located at the degenerate password sites except one. There was no significant difference in VP4 gene between the severe and the mild cases of strainS. The eight Shenzhen EV71 strains were classified as sub-genotype C4 in the phylogenetic tree., Conclusions: The epidemic of EV71 in Shenzhen 2009 was sub-genotype C4. VP4 gene of EV71 was very conservative which dose not belong to the variation section. The variation of most of nucleotide was invalid variation. The amino acids encoded by VP4 gene which variation was almost zero.

Genetic characteristics of enterovirus type 71 in Shenzhen from 2005 to 2008 were analyzed. All samples were detected by RT-PCR using EV71-specific primers. The VP1s of EV71 strains were amplified and sequenced. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by comparison of the sequences with those of subgenotype A, B and C using DNASTAR, BioEdit and Mega 3.1 softwares. The VP1 nucleotide sequences of 17 strains of Shenzhen shared 95.3%-99.4% identities with cluster C4a, and one strain shared 93.0%-95.6% identities with cluster C4b. The homogeneity of the VP1 nucleotide sequence with subgenotype A and B was 81.8%-86.0%. Among 18 strains, the homogeneity of the VP1 nucleotide sequence was between 92.5%-100%. All EV71 strains circulating in Shenzhen were of subgenotype C4. The predominant strain of EV71 belonged to cluster C4a, also there was cluster C4b.

Objective: To isolate and identify the pathogen of Dengue fever from Shenzhen city in 2005 - 2006, and to analyze the molecular characteristics of the isolated Dengue virus strain as well as to explore its possible origin., Methods: IgM and IgG of serum samples taken from 60 suspected Dengue fever patients were detected by ELISA and immunochromatography, and 9 specimens were positive. Nine samples from patients with early stage Dengue fever were used to isolate virus with C6/36 cell line and the positive cell cultures were identified by MGB fluorescent PCR. The type of isolated virus strain was determined by RT-semi-nested-PCR and fluorescent PCR. E gene of isolated virus strain was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Homology and phylogenetic tree of E gene of Shenzhen Dengue virus with the strains isolated from other areas were constructed., Results: Of nine antibody-positive serum samples, one strain of Dengue virus was successfully isolated. The isolated virus strain was confirmed as Dengue virus type 2 and designated as DEN2-SZ0521. The homology of nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence of E gene of SZ0521 with standard type 2 Dengue virus NGC strain was 94.2% and 98.2%, but the homology with standard Dengue virus 1, 3, 4 in the same fragment were 59.1%, 57.2%, 58.5% and 68.1%, 66.7%, 63.2%, respectively. The phylogenetic tree indicated that SZ0521 had the greatest similarity with the Malay0412a/Tw strain and they lied in the same branch of the phylogenetic tree. The corresponding homology of nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence was 99.8% and 100%, respectively. The isolated Dengue virus type 2 belonged to genotype IV with Indonesia-76, Somalia-84 and Sri Lanka-90., Conclusion: Dengue virus was isolated from Shenzhen for the first time, and it was classified as type 2. It was confirmed that the type 2 Dengue virus may come from the epidemic area in Malaysia.