Search

In order to address the rising concerns about undergraduates' plagiarism in academic writing practices, a blended learning scenario (a combination of face-to-face learning with online learning) was designed and the effectiveness of it was tested. Results indicated that the students became more capable of distinguishing plagiarism cases in different scenarios, and their writing performance significantly improved by engaging in the blended learning scenario, i.e. the extent of plagiarism substantially decreased and writing quality greatly increased. Furthermore, the students mostly provided positive feedback towards the learning intervention. This study contributes to existing literature on instructional solutions to plagiarism issues by focusing on how students' understandings of plagiarism and source use can be achieved during their writing in a blended learning scenario.

Among persons born in China before 1980 and tested for vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (VVT), 28.7% (137/478) had neutralizing antibodies, 71.4% (25/35) had memory B-cell responses, and 65.7% (23/35) had memory T-cell responses to VVT. Because of cross-immunity between the viruses, these findings can help guide mpox vaccination strategies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mud crab Scylla paramamosain is a key species in China due to its high nutritional value and great economic worth and has grown in popularity. Myo-inositol can modulate versatile physiological functions in aquatic animals. In the present study, S. paramamosain megalopa were given graded concentrations of myo-inositol (0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 ppm) by water immersion to explore how their metamorphosis would be affected. The results showed that supplementing with myo-inositol remarkably increased transformation and survival rate from megalopa to crablet by at least 1.16 and 1.26 times, respectively. To decipher the molecular mechanism of how myo-inositol increases metamorphosis and survival rate, we further performed transcriptome-based gene expression profiling of both megalopa and crablet treated with myo-inositol. The integrative transcriptome analyses predicted that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in chitinase activity, structural constituent of cuticle, and chitin binding, which are associated with the decomposition and reconstruction of cuticle. qPCR results confirmed that myo-inositol mediated gene expression levels of the above cuticle-related pathways. Considering the importance of the cuticle in exoskeleton formation and molting, it can be concluded that myoinositol-induced changes in the cuticle decomposition and reconstruction might have accelerated the transformation from megalopa to crablet of S. paramamosain. Besides, numerous DEGs were significantly enriched in protein digestion and absorption, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. It implies that myo-inositol may improve survival by regulating energy or nutrient absorption. Additionally, the accelerated metamorphosis by myo-inositol may improve survival from megalopa to crablet of S. paramamosain. Overall, this study will provide the first insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms by which myo-inositol increases metamorphosis and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social impact assessment is a practical requirement for the construction of the national park system, but there is still a lack of comprehensive conceptual frameworks, theoretical explanations, and systematic evaluations. Considering the distinctive characteristics of China's national park system construction, this study improves the existing framework and indicator system for social impact assessment. It conducts a comparative analysis of three typical communities--the inside community, gateway community, and fringe community--surrounding the Giant Panda National Park (Tangjiahe area). Through questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews, factor analysis, and One-way ANOVA analysis, we find that the comprehensive perception value of social impacts by the Giant Panda National Park was relatively negative. Respondents' perception values ranked from high to low were social relations, local culture, equity and rights, economy and livelihoods, and knowledge and education. Moreover, except the dimension of economy and livelihoods, there were significant differences in the perception of impacts by the three types of communities. Specifically, the gateway community has the most positive perception of social relations, local culture, and equity and rights; the inside community has the most positive perception of knowledge and education; while the fringe community perceived the most negative impacts in all four dimensions. Furthermore, the primary causes of social impact perception are conservation policies, economic development, and location and transportation. This study suggests that non-economic social impacts should be given more attention, such as equity and rights, and knowledge and education. Also, to ensure that the fringe communities can benefit from the construction and development of national parks, more attention and support from the governments and management agencies are necessary. This study can provide theoretical insights and case-based evidence for the improvement of social impact discussions on protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning system is widely used in commercial and residential buildings for space cooling and heating. However, some practical VRF systems used in high-rise buildings cannot work efficiently or even stop working because of the relatively high ambient temperature, caused by thermal plume effect of exhaust heat from outdoor units. In this paper, the thermal plume air flow of layer-based VRF systems is investigated through computational fluids dynamics (CFD) simulation. Moreover, an illustrative example in a 30-storey office building in China is conducted to optimize the layout of VRF outdoor units. Preliminary results show that the exhaust heat of outdoor units can cause ascending thermal plume flow, leading to higher inlet temperatures for VRF air conditioners on upper floors. It also indicates that enlarging the distance between outdoor units on different floors is an effective way to impair such thermal plume effect and improve the system thermal performance. For the studied case, a modified layout of VRF outdoor units is presented with floor interval, and the average inlet temperatures can be decreased by 22%. This work can provide guidance to the optimization layout design of practical VRF air conditioning systems used in high-rise buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While many studies have examined multidisciplinary interventions for swallowing disorder, most have focused on acute stroke patients. It is essential to confirm the efficacy of multidisciplinary interventions for all causes of swallowing disorder. Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of a nurse-led, multi-disciplinary intervention for hospitalized elderly patients with swallowing disorder. Methods: One hundred and forty-five elderly patients with swallowing problems from a well-respected affiliate hospital of a university were studied. Patients were randomly allocated using cluster sampling and opaque envelop into either the multi-disciplinary intervention group (n = 73) or the control group (n = 72). The participants were interviewed at baseline and at 30 and 90 days after the intervention. The questionnaires included: a demographics datasheet, Charlson Comorbidity index, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, short portable mental status questionnaire, Barthel Index, Standardized Swallowing Assessment, Short-form min-nutritional assessment, and aspiration pneumonia. Results: The intervention group showed a significantly higher ratio of SSA (67.1% vs. 44.5%, p < .05), lower aspiration pneumonia (5.5% vs. 23.6%, p < .05), and lower incidence of malnutrition (2.7% vs. 11.1%, p < .05) at 90 days than the intervention group. Moreover, the intervention group showed a significantly higher ADL (activities of daily living) score at 90 days (83.3 ± 22.1 vs. 81.1 ± 22.1, p < .017) than the control group (p < .05). Conclusions: A nurse-led, multi-disciplinary intervention is a potential option for elderly patients with deglutition disorder to improve swallowing function and ADL and to reduce the incidence of inhaled pneumonia and malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficiency of the organs is a vital pathophysiologic characteristic in the elderly. A core TCM aging theory is known as aging caused by spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS) that can be found in ancient and modern literature.The key objectives of this study were to establish a full-scale trial to evaluate the prevalence, symptom severity, frequency, and distribution of SDS in different age groups as related to health status (healthy, sub healthy, and chronic disease) to elucidate the role of spleen deficiency in the aging process and deterioration of health status. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 4 hospitals in China. 1390 participants aged 20-79 were interviewed by investigators who completed questionnaires recording prevalence, severity, and frequency of symptoms as well as other relevant information. The results revealed that prevalence and symptom characteristics of SDS showed regularities with increasing age and deteriorating health status. It supports the TCM concept that spleen deficiency is an important mechanism of aging, subhealth, and chronic diseases. Early recognition of the warning signs and symptoms of SDS may lead to intervention and even prevention strategies for subhealth and chronic diseases as well as promotion of healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the precision of forecasting extreme temperature time series, a refined rank set pair analysis model with a refined rank transformation function is proposed to improve precision of its prediction. The measured values of the annual highest temperature of two China's cities, Taiyuan and Shijiazhuang, in July are taken to examine the performance of a refined rank set pair model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Major strike-slip and normal faults are prominent features of Eastern Asia during the Meso-Cenozoic and they are critical to understanding the intracontinental deformation. Among others, the northeast-striking Zuunbayan Fault in southeastern Mongolia is usually documented as a strike-slip fault, but it may be a normal fault during the Late Mesozoic. However, its southwestern extension from Mongolia to China is still uncertain. The northeast-striking Yingba shear zone in western Inner Mongolia, China, just lies in the place where the Zuunbayan Fault probably strikes through southwestward. The gentle northwest-dipping foliation and lineation and top-to-the-northwest shear sense in the granitic mylonite indicate that the Yingba shear zone is a northwest-dipping, low-angle normal fault. The mylonitization occurred mainly at 400–500°C, as a result of the Early Cretaceous intracontinental extension, as bounded by the zircon U–Pb ages of 145Ma from two deformed (pre-tectonic) pegmatite veins and of 134Ma from one undeformed (post-tectonic) pegmatite vein, all of which definitely crosscut the shear zone. The Yingba normal faulting was coeval with the Late Mesozoic extensional phase of the Zuunbayan Fault in southeastern Mongolia, which is characterized by northwest-dip and NW–SE extension from at least 155 to 126Ma. Therefore, the Yingba shear zone is considered as the southwestern segment of the Zuunbayan Fault in China. The Late Mesozoic intracontinental extension, which was possibly triggered by the Jurassic thrusting in the South Gobi area of Mongolia, generated the Yingba shear zone and the Yagan metamorphic core complex on the Sino-Mongolian border. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: This study aims to analyse the epidemiologic characteristics of severe burn in the elderly in Shanghai and to discusses a possible prevention programme for this population. Methods: A retrospective review of all medical records of elderly patients (aged 60 and older) admitted with acute burns to the Burn Center of the RuiJin Hospital between January 1996 and December 2004 was carried out. Patient demographics, etiology of burn, mechanism of injury, burn extent, anatomical areas burned, number of operations, and outcomes were reviewed. Results: A total of 201 (5.8% of hospitalised patients) elderly patients (mean age (±SD) of 69.3±7.1 years (range 60–90 years)) were admitted. Majority of the patients were men (62.2%) and the most common etiologies were flames (52.7%) and scalds (39.8%). The majority of burns occurred at home (73.6%), followed by burns at workplace (15.9%) and public areas (10.5%). The median total body area burned was 11.7% (range 0–84%), and the majority of burns were classified as mild (60.2%) and moderate (32.8%). Predominant anatomical areas involved were the legs (76.1%), arms (67.2%), head and neck (49.8%) and hands (49.3%). The most common pre-injury conditions were cardiovascular diseases (25.9%), diabetes (8.5%) and neurological diseases (6%). Eighty-seven patients (43.3%) required surgical treatment. The most common complications were multiple organ failure (2%), pneumonia (1%) and wound infection (1%). Sixteen patients (8%) died: half of them in hospital, and the rest at home. There was a significant correlation between post-injury complications and death (r =0.69, p <0.001). The mean total hospitalisation cost was ¥22993.09 (US$ 3381.34). Conclusions: Domestic and workplace burns with devastating consequences are very common in the elderly population in Shanghai. Burn prevention education and implementation of safety measures at home and at workplace would help reduce such incidences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Free emission of mine gas brings out serious environmental pollution. Abundance of coalbed methane resource should be exploited, so cognition of coal adsorption characteristic has significance on the exploration and development of coalbed methane. Preparation of water injection coal sample and its isothermal adsorption experiment were carried out under simulated reservoir condition using coal samples from Feicheng mine in Shandong province of China. The experimental results indicated liquid water in coal has remarkable influence on coalbed methane adsorption. Then on the view of physics and chemistry, the essence of coal matrix adsorbing methane and the influence mechanism of gaseous and liquid water were analyzed, and the differences on adsorbing methane abilities of dry coal samples, equilibrium moisture samples and water injection samples were explained quantitatively. The conclusion is that the change of wetted coal matrix adsorbability is the fundamental reason for liquid water influencing coal adsorbability, comparing with dry or equilibrium moisture coal, which also effects on coalbed methane adsorption volume. The surface potential of wetted coal matrix, the long range force between coal and methane and methane density all can prove the change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study proposes a decomposition framework for quantifying contributions of the determinants of poverty to spatial differences or temporal changes in poverty. This framework is then applied to address the issue why poverty incidence is higher in inland than in coastal China. The empirical application requires household or individual income observations which, generally speaking, are not available. Thus, a data-generation method developed by Shorrocks and Wan is introduced to construct such observations from grouped income data. It is found that inland China is poorer than coastal China, mainly due to lower efficiency in resource utilization rather than less endowment of resources. Also, trade became poverty-reducing in coastal China in the late 1990s but remained poverty-inducing in inland China. Policy implications are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has been the largest foreign direct investment recipient among developing countries, and Australia's direct investment in China is also growing steadily. This article investigates the trends and determinants of Australia's direct investment in China. Evidence presented in this paper indicates that Australia's direct investment in China is above the equilibrium level and that its regional distribution is correlated with economic and policy factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relevance of the Chinese experience of a socialist market economy (SME) to the idea and viability of market socialism (MS). It starts by reviewing the defining characteristics of MS as well as the key policy challenges in the transition from state socialism to market socialism and the debates around them. This is followed by an examination of the formulation of an SME by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the actual implementation of an SME in China. Focusing on reform of the state industrial sector, especially through gufenzhi (shareholding) reform and stock market listing, the article then analyzes this experience in terms of the policy measures implemented and their impact on the sector and beyond. It concludes that the Chinese SME not only falls short of the aspiration of MS in terms of equality, but also suffers from a fundamental contradiction between the attempt to maintain the dominance of public ownership, which is integral to both MS and the SME, and the need to develop a full-fledged competitive market economy. The implications of these findings are discussed in the conclusion.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper represents a first attempt to study China's business cycles using a formal analytical framework; namely, a structural VAR model. It is found that (i) demand shocks were the dominant source of macroeconomic fluctuations, but supply shocks had gained more importance over time; (ii) driving forces of demand shocks were consumption and fixed investment in the first cycle of 1985–1990, but shifted to fixed investment and world demand in the second cycle of 1991–1996 and the post-1997 deflation period; and (c) macroeconomic policies did not play an important part either in initiating or counteracting cyclical fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes central-provincial fiscal relationship in China during the reform era. Characteristics of Chinese central-provincial fiscal relations; Nature and causes of the fiscal decline in China; Implementation of fiscal reform efforts in 1994; Connection of fiscal decline with the central-provincial relations.

Posner-Schlossman syndrome (PSS) and viral keratitis have a shared pathogen and are common diseases in China, but there are few case reports on whether these two diseases occur concurrently or alternately. After long-term clinical observations, six patients with alternating episodes of PSS and viral keratitis were confirmed at our hospital in the past 10 years. Of the six patients, three were female and three were male. Four patients had monocular PSS with ipsilateral monocular viral keratitis, one had monocular PSS with bilateral viral keratitis, and one had bilateral PSS with bilateral viral keratitis. Of the six cases, three had epithelial viral keratitis and three had endothelial viral keratitis. In four cases, the interval between the onset of the two diseases ranged from 8 days to 3 years, and two cases showed overlapping manifestations of the two diseases in 3 to 6 days, both with incomplete absorption of keratic precipitates. The six cases had intermittent episodes of both diseases and significant loss of corneal sensation during the onset of viral keratitis, and were effectively treated with antiviral therapy. PSS and viral keratitis may alternate episodically, and clinical attention should be paid to these conditions. The mechanism of the alternate episodes might be associated with viral infection and the use of glucocorticoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The research aimed to study occurrence rule, reason and defense measures of the thunderstorm in Liaocheng in the past 50 years. [Method] By using meteorological observation records at 8 observatories of Liaocheng during 1963 -2012, occurrence rule of the thunderstorm was studied. Occurrence reason and defense measures were also analyzed. [Result] Annual thunderstorm days presented decreasing trend in Liaocheng. The earliest thunderstorm occurred in February, while the latest thunderstorm occurred in November. Thunderstorm mainly appeared in June, July and August, which occupied 77. 6% of that in whole year. Thunderstorm days among each county had small difference. Thunderstorm days in Dong'e County reached the minimum, which was related to local underlying surface. Occurrence reason of the thunderstorm was analyzed from objective and subjective aspects. By combining the actual situation of Liaocheng, corresponding prevention countermeasures were put forward. [Conclusion] The research could provide reference basis for thunderstorm disaster prevention and reduction in Liaocheng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outlines the project for treating municipal solid waste in China. Technical process and production line; Environmental and sanitary monitoring and analysis; Quality and applicability of the composting products; Conclusions.

Quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) are frequently observed in solar flares, which may reveal some essential characteristics of both thermal and nonthermal energy releases. This work presents multi-wavelength imaging observations of an M8.7 flare in active region AR 12242 on 2014 December 17. We found that there were three different QPPs: UV QPPs with a period of about 4 minutes at 1600 Å images near the center of the active region lasting from the preflare phase to the impulsive phase; EUV QPPs with a period of about 3 minutes along the circular ribbon during the preflare phase; and radio QPPs with a period of about 2 minutes at frequencies of 1.2–2.0 GHz around the flaring source region during the impulsive phase. The observations include the radio images observed by the Mingantu Spectral Radioheliograph in China at frequencies of 1.2–2.0 GHz for the first time, microwave images by the Nobeyama Radioheliograph, UV and EUV images by AIA/SDO, and a magnetogram by HMI/SDO. We suggest that the 4 minute UV QPPs should be modulated by the sunspot oscillations, and the 3 minute EUV QPPs are closely related to the 2 minute radio QPPs for their source regions connected by a group of coronal loops. We propose that the intermittent magnetic reconnecting downward and upward plasmoids may be the possible trigger of both the preflare 3 minute EUV QPPs and the impulsive 2 minute radio QPPs. The other possible mechanism is LRC oscillation, which is associated with the current-carrying coronal loops. The latter mechanism implies that the existence of preflare QPPs may be a possible precursor to solar flares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heightened surveillance of acute febrile illness in China since 2009 has led to the identification of a severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) with an unknown cause. Infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum has been suggested as a cause, but the pathogen has not been detected in most patients on laboratory testing. Methods: We obtained blood samples from patients with the case definition of SFTS in six provinces in China. The blood samples were used to isolate the causal pathogen by inoculation of cell culture and for detection of viral RNA on polymerase-chain-reaction assay. The pathogen was characterized on electron microscopy and nucleic acid sequencing. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and neutralization testing to analyze the level of virus-specific antibody in patients' serum samples. Results: We isolated a novel virus, designated SFTS bunyavirus, from patients who presented with fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, and multiorgan dysfunction. RNA sequence analysis revealed that the virus was a newly identified member of the genus phlebovirus in the Bunyaviridae family. Electron-microscopical examination revealed virions with the morphologic characteristics of a bunyavirus. The presence of the virus was confirmed in 171 patients with SFTS from six provinces by detection of viral RNA, specific antibodies to the virus in blood, or both. Serologic assays showed a virus-specific immune response in all 35 pairs of serum samples collected from patients during the acute and convalescent phases of the illness. Conclusions: A novel phlebovirus was identified in patients with a life-threatening illness associated with fever and thrombocytopenia in China. (Funded by the China Mega-Project for Infectious Diseases and others.) N Engl J Med 2011;364:1523-32. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic impacts on sunspot number (SSN), solar radio flux at 10.7 cm (F10.7) and amplitude antipodal (aa) index influencing long-term trends of total column ozone (TCO) obtained from three stations; Xianghe (39.975°N, 116.37 ° E), Linan (30.3°N, 119.73 ° E), and Kunming (25.03°N, 102.683 ° E) over China have been studied. Descriptive, regression and neural network training techniques are used from 1980 to 2018. The annual mean TCO concentrations are 333.61 ± 1.15 DU, 280.87 ± 0.58 DU, and 260.33 ± 0.49 DU at Xianghe, Linan, and Kunming stations, respectively. The mean monthly peak TCO values are ~417.13 DU (March), 316.79 DU (April), and 291.03 DU (April) at Xianghe, Linan, and Kunming, respectively. Irrespective of the decreasing seasonal trend during spring at Xianghe, the springtime TCO amount is greater than the TCO values in other seasons at all stations. Our analyses show direct forcing of SSN, F10.7, and aa on TCO changes throughout the different periods considered. At Xianghe, the value of r ranges between 0.09 and 0.48 and the p-value < 0.05 whereas the most contributing factor is aa index (about 40 %) to ozone enhancement. There is a dramatic improvement of the impact of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO)-modulated (70 hPa and 50 hPa) SSN, F10.7, and aa on TCO during winter in all the stations particularly the aa, which appreciated from ~40 % to 66 %. Ozone is affected negatively during descending and low solar cycle (SC) phases whereas it enhances during ascending and high SC phases with 30 hPa QBO as the most active force of enhancement. Our finding is a profitable tool for atmospheric model development, which could be used to predict future phenomena. • At the higher latitude station, the springtime ozone is greater than the values in other seasons at all stations. • Analyses show direct forcing of SSN, F10.7, and Aa on TCO changes. • Improved impact of QBO-modulated SSN, F10.7 and Aa on TCO during winter particularly Aa which appreciated from ~40 % to 66 %. • Ozone is affected negatively during descending and low SC phases whereas it enhances during ascending and high phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The West Junggar, northwestern China, is located in the southwest of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and consists of Paleozoic ophiolitic mélanges, arcs and accretionary complexes. The Mayile Mountain ultramafic–mafic mélange in the southern West Junggar is the northeastern part of the Mayile ophiolitic mélange. The Mayile Mountain mélange is represented by a ca. 30km long, 5km wide, north–northeast-striking serpentinite-matrix mélange, which encloses serpentinized harzburgite, dunite, chromitite, wehrlite, clinopyroxenite, gabbro, rodingite, and chert blocks. It is overlain by the Middle Silurian greenschist facies and Early–Middle Devonian unmetamorphic volcano-sedimentary strata. Chemically, chromian spinel from peridotite and clinopyroxenite is similar to those of island arc lava and depleted peridotite from supra-subduction zone (SSZ). Clinopyroxene from the ultramafic–mafic rocks shows the affinities of island arc tholeiite and boninite. The ultramafic–mafic rocks also show the subduction-related geochemical signatures, such as flat REE patterns with slight LREE depletion ((La/Yb)N =0.66–0.89), LILE enrichment and HFSE depletion. The ultramafic–mafic mélange is crosscut by intrusions. Zircon U–Pb dating reveals four phases of magmatism: Late Cambrian (501–493Ma), Early Ordovician (488–485Ma), Early Silurian (444–439Ma), and Late Carboniferous–Early Permian (318–296Ma). The Late Cambrian gabbro, diorite and granite, Early Ordovician diorite and Early Silurian granodiorite intrude the mélange in places and predate the overlying Middle Silurian and Early–Middle Devonian successions. They are I-type calc-alkaline and show strong island arc affinities, with LILE and LREE enrichment ((La/Yb)N =3.77–21.45) and HFSE depletion. On the contrary, the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian I-type diorite, granodiorite and granite and A-type alkali-feldspar granite crosscut both the mélange and overlying strata. They are coeval with the widespread post-collisional granitoids in the West Junggar. Our data for the mélange and intrusions suggest that this mélange might be a highly mixed SSZ-type ophiolitic mélange generated in the earliest stage of south-dipping subduction–accretion during the Early–Middle Cambrian, and then an island arc was successively built in the south in the Late Cambrian (501–493Ma), in the center in the Early Ordovician (488–485Ma) and in the north in the Early Silurian (444–439Ma), as a result of northward arc migration. In the Middle Silurian, the mélange and island arc intrusions might be exposed and covered by deep or hemi-deep sea volcano-sedimentary strata in a back-arc setting, and they might have been accreted southward to another arc and continental margin before the Early–Middle Devonian. After the ocean was ultimately closed at the end of the Early Carboniferous, the mélange and island arc as well as other tectonic units in the West Junggar were stitched together by the Late Carboniferous–Permian post-collisional granitoids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To investigate the bacterial epidemiology of blood cultures taken during the treatment of critically ill burn patients, the use of antibiotics at admission and before the observation of positive blood cultures, and their effect on prognosis. A retrospective study method was used. From January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019, burn patients who met the inclusion criteria and were treated at the Burn Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from the patients' electronic medical records. General patient information, including length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, in-hospital mortality, the bacteria epidemiological characteristics of blood cultures, and the use of antibiotics within 24 h after admission and before a positive blood culture was observed, was collected. Independent sample t tests and χ 2 tests were used to compare the effects of a positive blood culture and the use of appropriate antibiotics within 24 h after admission and before the observation of a positive blood culture on prognosis. (1) The three most frequently detected bacteria in the blood cultures were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, and the amount of K. pneumoniae detected increased gradually. (2) Compared with the group of patients who were negative for bloodstream infection , the positive bloodstream infection group had a larger total body burn surface area (TBSA) (t = - 5.097, P = 0.000) and third-degree burn area (t = - 5.133, P = 0.000), a significantly longer length of hospital stay (t = 3.003, P = 0.003) and the length of ICU stay (t = 4.258, P = 0.000), and a significantly higher rate of in-hospital mortality (χ 2  = 8.485, P = 0.004). When K. pneumoniae was detected, the length of hospital stay (t = 2.148, P = 0.035) and the length of ICU stay (t = 2.880, P = 0.005) were significantly prolonged. (3) The two antibiotics that were most frequently used in patients with acute burns within 24 h after admission were lincomycin (90 cases, 29.32%) and carbapenems (79 cases, 25.73%). Comparing the clinical characteristics of the lincomycin group and the carbapenem group, the TBSA (t = - 3.34, P = 0.001) and the third-degree burn area (t = - 6.08, P = 0.000) of the patients in the carbapenem group were larger, and the length of hospital stay (t = - 2.136, P = 0.035) and length of ICU stay (t = - 5.18, P = 0.000) were longer, but the difference in in-hospital mortality was not statistically significant (χ 2  = 1.983, P = 0.159). (4) Comparing the group with appropriate initial antibiotic use within 24 h of admission to the inappropriate use group, the TBSA (t = - 0.605, P = 0.547), the third-degree burn area (t = 0.348, P = 0.729), the length of hospital stay (t = - 0.767, P = 0.445), the length of ICU stay (t = - 0.220, P = 0.827) and in-hospital mortality (χ 2  = 1.271, P = 0.260) were not significantly different. (5) Comparing the group with appropriate antibiotic use before a positive blood culture was observed to the group with inappropriate antibiotic use, the TBSA (t = - 0.418, P = 0.677), the third-degree burn area (t = 0.266, P = 0.791), the length of hospital stay, the length of ICU stay (t = 0.995, P = 0.322) and in-hospital mortality (χ 2  = 1.274, P = 0.259) were not significantly different. We found that patients with a positive blood culture had a larger burn area and a worse prognosis; that the greater the amount of K. pneumoniae in the bloodstream of burn patients was, the longer the hospital and ICU stays were; that whether appropriate antibiotics were administered to acute critical burn patients 24 h after admission had no effect on the prognosis; and that whether appropriate antibiotics were administered before a positive blood culture was observed had no effect on prognosis., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Previous studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have a greater risk for psoriasis than a typical person. This suggests that there might be a shared genetic etiology between the 2 conditions. We aimed to characterize the potential shared genetic susceptibility between schizophrenia and psoriasis using genome-wide marker genotype data., Methods: We obtained genetic data on individuals with psoriasis, schizophrenia and control individuals. We applied a marker-based coheritability estimation procedure, polygenic score analysis, a gene set enrichment test and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model to estimate the potential shared genetic etiology between the 2 diseases. We validated the results in independent schizophrenia and psoriasis cohorts from Singapore., Results: We included 1139 individuals with psoriasis, 744 with schizophrenia and 1678 controls in our analysis, and we validated the results in independent cohorts, including 441 individuals with psoriasis (and 2420 controls) and 1630 with schizophrenia (and 1860 controls). We estimated that a large fraction of schizophrenia and psoriasis risk could be attributed to common variants ( h 2 SNP = 29% ± 5.0%, p = 2.00 × 10 -8 ), with a coheritability estimate between the traits of 21%. We identified 5 variants within the human leukocyte antigen ( HLA ) gene region, which were most likely to be associated with both diseases and collectively conferred a significant risk effect (odds ratio of highest risk quartile = 6.03, p < 2.00 × 10 -16 ). We discovered that variants contributing most to the shared heritable component between psoriasis and schizophrenia were enriched in antigen processing and cell endoplasmic reticulum., Limitations: Our sample size was relatively small. The findings of 5 HLA gene variants were complicated by the complex structure in the HLA region., Conclusion: We found evidence for a shared genetic etiology between schizophrenia and psoriasis. The mechanism for this shared genetic basis likely involves immune and calcium signalling pathways.

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric burn patients in Shanghai and to determine the targets for a pediatric burn prevention program, a retrospective review of all medical records of acute pediatric burn patients (age