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This study was set to investigate the prevalence of problematic internet use (PIU) among college students and the possible factors related to this disorder. About 4400 college students, ranging from freshmen to juniors, from eight different universities in Wuhan, China were surveyed. Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction (YDQ) and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale were used to define PIU and depression accordingly. Data was analysed with "chi-squared" testing and logistic regression. Out of the 3496 participants, 9.58% (male 13.54%, female 4.88%) met the criteria of PIU. Factors such as heavy internet use habits, poor academic achievement, lack of love from the family, etc. were found to be significantly associated with PIU. About 48.51% (1696) of the students were light internet users, who use the internet less than 5 h/week, while 16.36% (572) were heavy users who use it more than 15 h/week, though heavy users were more likely to develop PIU. Also, 25.53% of the students with depression developed PIU, in comparison with 8.91% of PIU among those without depression (p less than 0.001). Being male, frequent internet use, poor academic achievement, poor family atmosphere and lack of love from parents were predictors of PIU among college students. The habit and purpose of using the internet is diverse, which influences the susceptibility of PIU as well. There was a correlation between depression and the development of PIU as well. (Contains 4 tables.)

Aims: We explored the factors promoting long-term mental health among adolescent survivors of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. We examined the associations of their long-term mental health with disaster-related storytelling and school-based psychoeducation, and of school-based psychoeducation with disaster-related storytelling. Methods: A secondary school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted 6 years after the disaster. Participants with traumatic experiences such as injury, loss, witnessing someone's death/injury and home destruction (N = 1028, mean age 15, standard deviation 1.38, male 51%) were eligible. Mental health/disaster education (MHE/DE) was defined as taking one or more lessons in MHE and/or DE at school since the earthquake. Experiences of storytelling about the disaster involved expressing distressing memories and feelings regarding the earthquake since the disaster happened, according to four groups: never expressed distressing memories and feelings, expressed them through writing/drawing, expressed them through talking to lay supporters and expressed them through talking to health professionals. Analysis of covariance was used to compare mean scores on five selected subscales of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and the Psychotic-Like Experiences (PLEs) scale among the four storytelling groups. Linear regression analysis was used to identify the relationships between MHE/DE and current mental health as measured by the SCL-90, AIS and PLEs. The relationship between education and storytelling was probed by χ2 test. Results: The talked-to-lay-supporters group showed better mental health on the SCL-90 (p ⩽ 0.001), AIS (p < 0.001) and PLEs (p = 0.004), while the consulted-health-professionals group showed worse mental health on the three dimensions of the SCL-90: depression (p = 0.05), anxiety (p = 0.02) and fear (p = 0.04), and on PLEs (p = 0.02) compared with the never-expressed group. MHE and DE were inversely associated with SCL-90, AIS and PLE scores. Participants who received these forms of education talked about their disaster experiences to lay supporters more than those who did not. Conclusions: MHE and DE at school may promote adolescents' mental health after a disaster. Experience of storytelling about the disaster to lay supporters may be helpful for long-term psychological recovery, and may be a potential mediating factor for school-based education and better mental health. Because of the cross-sectional nature of this study, causality cannot be inferred; therefore, further prospective intervention studies are needed to elucidate the effect of these factors on adolescent survivors' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On January 3, 2019, the Chang'e-4 (CE-4) probe successfully landed in the Von Kármán crater inside the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin. With the support of a relay communication satellite "Queqiao" launched in 2018 and located at the Earth-Moon L2 liberation point, the lander and the Yutu-2 rover carried out in-situ exploration and patrol surveys, respectively, and were able to make a series of important scientific discoveries. Owing to the complexity and unpredictability of the lunar surface, teleoperation has become the most important control method for the operation of the rover. Computer vision is an important technology to support the teleoperation of the rover. During the powered descent stage and lunar surface exploration, teleoperation based on computer vision can effectively overcome many technical challenges, such as fast positioning of the landing point, high-resolution seamless mapping of the landing site, localization of the rover in the complex environment on the lunar surface, terrain reconstruction, and path planning. All these processes helped achieve the first soft landing, roving, and in-situ exploration on the lunar farside. This paper presents a high-precision positioning technology and positioning results of the landing point based on multi-source data, including orbital images and CE-4 descent images. The method and its results have been successfully applied in an actual engineering mission for the first time in China, providing important support for the topographical analysis of the landing site and mission planning for subsequent teleoperations. After landing, a 0.03 m resolution DOM was generated using the descent images and was used as one of the base maps for the overall rover path planning. Before each movement, the Yutu-2 rover controlled its hazard avoidance cameras (Hazcam), navigation cameras (Navcam), and panoramic cameras (Pancam) to capture stereo images of the lunar surface at different angles. Local digital elevation models (DEMs) with a 0.02 m resolution were routinely produced at each waypoint using the Navcam and Hazcam images. These DEMs were then used to design an obstacle recognition method and establish a model for calculating the slope, aspect, roughness, and visibility. Finally, in combination with the Yutu-2 rover mobility characteristics, a comprehensive cost map for path search was generated.By the end of the first 12 lunar days, the Yutu-2 rover has been working on the lunar farside for more than 300 days, greatly exceeding the projected service life. The rover was able to overcome the complex terrain on the lunar farside, and travelled a total distance of more than 300 m, achieving the "double three hundred" breakthrough. In future manned lunar landing and exploration of Mars by China, computer vision will play an integral role to support science target selection and scientific investigations, and will become an extremely important core technology for various engineering tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's first unmanned spacecraft to collect lunar surface samples and return them to Earth, the Chang'E-5 detector is a crucial probe that will complete lunar surface sampling in China's lunar exploration project. This lunar sampling will be the first successful lunar surface sampling return mission in China. Sampling decisions needs to be made based on topographical analysis results and characteristics of the area to be explored. Due to the unknown extraterrestrial terrain and uncertainty of sampled objects, we propose a sampling feasibility estimation for safely implementing lunar surface sampling.Our strategy took into account the influence of factors that may interfere with the sampling process, and provided quantitative assessment of the sampling feasibility for the area to be explored. We combined the three-dimensional topography of the lunar surface with five parameters of the sampling area, flatness, slope, slope aspect, accessibility of the mechanical arm distal end, and safety of sampling conditions. The first three values were calculated based on a digital elevation model (DEM) of the landing area generated using stereo images. The other values were computed based on the mechanical properties of the arm and kinematic analysis of its articulated joints. Based on the above-mentioned quantitative parameters, they were weighed to obtain an evaluation value for the sampling feasibility of each DEM pixel. Meanwhile, a multichannel sampling area analysis graph was generated that combined all the above indicators as well as the sampling feasibility values, which provides a visualization for determining detection targets in the Chang'E-5 sampling mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studies in animal models have indicated that Pellino 1 is involved in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The current study was designed to determine whether PELI1 confers genetic susceptibility to SLE in humans, as assessed in a Chinese Han population. Methods: Blood samples were drawn from patients diagnosed with SLE and healthy volunteers. Three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci with a minor allele frequency of at least 0.05 were chosen to evaluate the correlation between PELI1 genotype and the incidence of SLE. Results: There was a significant difference in the frequency distribution of the rs329497 allele between the SLE patients and the healthy controls (A vs. G; Bonferroni corrected p = 0.036, odds ratio = 0.75, 95% confidence interval = 0.60–0.94). No differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of other SNP loci were observed between the two groups. Furthermore, the alleles and genotypes of the three SNPs were not associated with lupus nephritis. Conclusion: In the Chinese Han population, PELI1 SNPs may be associated with SLE susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and human activity are two important factors in regulating organic matter (OM) accumulation in the lake environment. However, when and how anthropogenic impacts have affected lacustrine OM accumulation in southwest China during the late Holocene have not yet been well defined. Here, a 16.3-kyr n-alkane record derived from Erhai Lake was used to trace OM sources and explore their connections to climate and human activity. The n-alkane distributions indicated that the dominant sediment sources shifted from terrestrial and aquatic plants to algae in the late Holocene. OM accumulation was closely related to catchment soil erosion, sediment transport, and deposition processes regulated by climate conditions before 5.0 cal. kyr B.P., following the patterns that stronger monsoon precipitation favoured more terrestrial and less aquatic OM input, and vice versa. From 5.0 to 2.0 cal. kyr B.P., the synchronous downwards trends in terrestrial OM input and precipitation intensity indicated that climate remained a major driving force for OM accumulation. However, sediment sources experienced large-magnitude and centennial-scale oscillations between allochthonous and autochthonous inputs, reflecting early human impacts appeared and lake ecosystems retained the self-regulated ability to recover from the basin-wide early moderate human disturbances. Afterwards, the increased (decreased) OM contributions from terrestrial (aquatic) plants contradicted the weakening monsoon precipitation since 2.0 cal. kyr B.P., indicating a dominant effect of human activities on OM accumulation. This change was accompanied by highly improved algae productivity and gradually elevated lacustrine trophic status, and the lake ecosystem eventually shifted into another state largely deviating from its climate-driven background due to intensified deforestation and agricultural cultivation. Regional comparison indicated that anthropogenic disturbances have temporal differences in southwest China. This study will further improve our understanding of past climate-human-environment interactions in southwest China., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Incongruent perceptions of parental emotional expressivity between parents and adolescents may signify relational challenges, potentially impacting adolescents' socioemotional adjustment. Direct evidence is still lacking and father-adolescent discrepancies are overlooked. This study employed a multi-informant design to investigate whether both mother-adolescent and father-adolescent discrepancies in perceptions of parental expressivity are related to adolescents' mental well-being, specifically focusing on loneliness and depression. Analyzing data from 681 families (mean age of adolescents = 15.5 years old, 51.2% girls, 40% only-children) in China revealed that adolescents tended to perceive paternal and maternal emotional expressivity more negatively than their parents, particularly fathers. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis showed significant links between parent-adolescent congruence and incongruence and adolescent loneliness. (In)Congruence between adolescents and mothers or fathers predicted later adolescent depression, mediated by adolescent loneliness and varied by the dimension of emotional expressivity. These findings provide insights into the roles of mothers' and fathers' emotional expressivity in shaping children's mental well-being during adolescence., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Hypertension is an established risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly individuals. Nevertheless, the impact of different levels of blood pressure on the progression of MCI remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between blood pressure and MCI in the elderly and detect the critical blood pressure threshold, thus, improving blood pressure management for individuals at high risk of MCI., Methods: Data was obtained from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) cohort. We chose normal cognitive elderly individuals who entered the cohort in 2014 for a 5-year follow-up to observe the progression of MCI. Subsequently, we utilized the Cox regression model to identify risk factors for MCI and conducted a Cox-based restricted cubic spline regression (RCS) model to examine the non-linear relationship between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with MCI, determining the critical blood pressure threshold for MCI progression., Results: In the elderly population, female (HR = 1.489, 95% CI: 1.017-2.180), lacking of exercise in the past (HR = 1.714, 95% CI: 1.108-2.653), preferring animal fats (HR = 2.340, 95% CI: 1.348-4.061), increased age (HR = 1.061, 95% CI: 1.038-1.084), increased SBP (HR = 1.036, 95% CI: 1.024-1.048), and increased DBP (HR = 1.056, 95% CI: 1.031-1.081) were associated with MCI progression. After adjusting factors such as gender, exercise, preferred types of fats, and age, both SBP (P non-linear  < 0.001) and DBP (P non-linear  < 0.001) in elderly individuals exhibited a non-linear association with MCI. The risk of MCI rose when SBP exceeded 135 mmHg and DBP was in the range of 80-88 mmHg. However, when DBP exceeded 88 mmHg, there was a declining trend in MCI progression, although the HR remained above 1. The identified critical blood pressure management threshold for MCI was 135/80 mmHg., Conclusion: In this study, we discovered that risk factors affecting the progression of MCI in elderly individuals comprise gender (female), preferring to use animal fat, lack of exercise in the past, increased age, increased SBP, and increased DBP. Additionally, a non-linear relationship between blood pressure levels and MCI progression was confirmed, with the critical blood pressure management threshold for MCI onset falling within the prehypertensive range., (© 2024. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Background: Permanent left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has been established as an effective means to correct left bundle branch block. Right bundle branch block (RBBB), emerge as a distinct form of cardiac conduction abnormality, can be seen in the context of LBBAP procedure. However, the correction potential of LBBAP in patients with RBBB remains largely unexplored., Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of permanent LBBAP in patients with RBBB., Methods: Ninety-two consecutive patients who underwent successful permanent LBBAP were recruited from May. 2019 to Dec. 2022 in Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital. Among them, 20 patients with RBBB were included in our analysis. These patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-LBBAP. The QRS duration (QRSd) on the V1 lead of the 12-lead elctrocardiogram was measured and compared before and after the LBBAP procedure. Additionally, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation and cardiac function were assessed using transthoracic echocardiography, specifically focusing on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and mitral regurgitation severity. The acute pitfills and delayed complications associated with the LBBAP procedure were recorded to evaluate its safety. SPSS 23.0 was used to perform statistical analysis with Student's t test or one way ANOVA or nonparametric tests (paired Wilcoxon test). A p value less than 0.05 was defined as significant., Results: The demographic breakdown of the RBBB cohort revealed a mean age of 66.35 ± 11.55 years, 60% being male. Comorbidities were prevalent, including severe atrioventricular block (AVB) in 75%, sick sinus syndrome (SSS) in 20%, heart failure in 25%, atrial fibrillation in 30%, coronary heart diseases in 45%, hypertension in 35%, and diabetes mellitus in 15%. Regarding the LBBAP procedure, the average operation time was 106.53 ± 2.72 min, with 45% of patients (9 individuals) requiring temporary cardiac pacing during the surgery. Notably, the LBBAP procedure significantly narrow the QRS duration in RBBB patients, from 132.60 ± 31.49ms to 119.55 ± 18.58 ms (P = 0.046). Additionally, at the 12-month follow-up, we observed a marked improvement in LVEF, which increased significantly from 55.15 ± 10.84% to 58.5 ± 10.55% (P = 0.018). Furthermore, mitral regurgitation severity improved, with a median reduction from 4.46 (0.9, 7.3) to 2.29 (0, 3.49) cm 2 (P = 0.033). Importantly, no cases of ventricular septum perforation or pericardial effusion were reported during the LBBAP procedure or during the follow-up period., Conclusion: LBBAP provides an immediate reduction in QRS duration for patients suffering from RBBB, accompanied by improvements in mitral regurgitation and cardiac function as evident in the 12-month follow-up period., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

"Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" (CLas) is a phloem-limited alpha-proteobacteria causing Citrus Huanglongbing, the destructive disease currently threatening global citrus industry. Genomic analyses of CLas provide insights into its evolution and biology. Here, we sequenced and assembled whole genomes of 135 CLas strains originally from 20 citrus cultivars collected at ten citrus-growing provinces in China. The resulting dataset comprised 135 CLas genomes ranging from 1,221,309 bp to 1,308,521 bp, with an average coverage of 675X. Prophage typing showed that 44 strains contained Type 1 prophage, 89 strains contained Type 2 prophage, 44 strains contained Type 3 prophage, and 34 of them contained more than one type of prophage/phage. The SNP calling identified a total of 5,090 SNPs. Genome-based phylogenetic analysis revealed two major clades among CLas strains, with Clade I dominated by CLas strains containing Type 1 prophage (79/95) and Clade II dominated by CLas strains containing Type 1 or Type 3 prophage (80/95). This CLas genome dataset provides valuable resources for studying genetic diversity and evolutionary pattern of CLas strains., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: In context of COVID-19 as a collective trauma and the intense involvement of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the pandemic, perceived stress continues to have a tremendous impact on their psychological well-being. However, few studies have attempted to delineate the underlying mechanisms. This study examined whether COVID-19-related traumatic stress symptoms and mentalization act as mediators., Methods: A sample of HCWs (N = 2610) from 22 hospitals in Beijing, China participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Data on their perceived stress, psychological well-being, the impact of event, and reflective function during the COVID-19 pandemic were collected using self-report questionnaires. Different mediating models were tested., Results: COVID-19-related stress symptoms and mentalization independently mediate the association between perceived stress and psychological well-being. These two mediators also compose a serial mediation model. In particular, higher perceived stress inhibits the psychological well-being of HCWs through increased severity of traumatic stress symptoms, which in turn is associated with hypomentalizing., Conclusion: These findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying the relationship between perceived stress and psychological well-being in HCWs. We strongly recommend incorporating a mentalization framework with trauma-informed practice in prevention and intervention work with this population during this and future healthcare crisis., Competing Interests: No authors have competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Wang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Importance: Anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody has been reported to have a close relationship with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares and participates in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis (LN) as well as causing damage to other organs. However, whether early use of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) could prevent SLE flares is not clear., Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of MMF plus prednisone and hydroxychloroquine sulfate compared with prednisone and hydroxychloroquine sulfate alone in patients with SLE., Design, Setting, and Participants: This investigator-initiated, multicenter, observer-blinded randomized clinical trial enrolled 130 participants aged 18 to 65 years and was conducted in 3 hospitals across China. Treatment-naive patients with newly diagnosed SLE, a high titer of anti-dsDNA antibody, and no major organ involvement were included. The study was started September 1, 2018, and the follow-up was completed September 30, 2021. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022., Interventions: Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive oral prednisone (0.5 mg/kg/d) and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (5 mg/kg/d) (control group) or prednisone (0.5 mg/kg/d) and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (5 mg/kg/d) plus MMF (500 mg twice daily) (MMF group) for 96 weeks., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients presenting with flares according to the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) Flare Index. The secondary outcomes included the proportion with lupus low disease activity state at week 96, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores before and after treatment, proportion of adverse events (AEs), and changes in SLEDAI-2000 scores and prednisone doses., Results: Among 130 randomized patients (mean [SD] age, 34.5 [12.5] years; 112 [86.2%] women), 119 (91.5%) completed the follow-up. The risk of severe flare was significantly lower in the MMF group (7 of 65 [10.8%]) vs the control group (18 of 65 [27.7%]) (relative risk [RR], 0.39 [95% CI, 0.17-0.87]; P = .01). Additionally, 1 of 65 patients in the MMF group (1.5%) and 9 of 65 in the control group (13.8%) manifested LN (RR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.01-0.85]; P = .008). Most common serious study drug-related AEs were infections (20 of 65 [30.8%] in the control group and 22 of 65 [33.8%] in the MMF group)., Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this randomized clinical trial suggest that MMF may reduce the rate of severe flare and lower the incidence of LN in patients with new-onset SLE and a high titer of anti-dsDNA antibody without major organ involvement., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800017540.

Protected area are the cornerstone of biodiversity and ecosystem service conservation at the local, regional, and global levels. In 2019, China proposed the establishment of a nature reserve system (NRS)centered on national parks, integrating and improving various existing protected areas. This study focuses on the Qinling‒Daba Mountains, an area crucial for both biodiversity and ecosystem services. Through assessments of carbon storage (CS), water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), and habitat quality (HQ), different conservation scenarios are considered in the context of Systematic conservation planning (SCP). An optimization scheme for the NRS in the Qinling-Daba Mountains is proposed, incorporating ecosystem services and comparing them with the existing system. Research indicates that the main protected areas are concentrated in the Min Mountain‒Motian Mountain‒Longmen Mountain region, the central Qinling region, and the Shennongjia‒Daba Mountain region. Compared with the original system, the area of protected regions in the NRS expanded by 52,000 km 2 after the SCP scheme was incorporated. The number of patches decreased to 50, and the patch density reduced from 2.1 × 10 -4 (/100 ha) to 1.7 × 10 -4 (/100 ha), thereby reducing the fragmentation of the conservation system. Additionally, the optimized scheme achieved a conservation ratio of over 30% for CS, WY, SC, and HQ, with the conservation efficiency for WY and HQ increasing by 0.18 and 0.22, respectively. The study results provide support for optimizing the Qinling-Daba Mountains NRS and offer a reference for constructing NRSs in other regions. Considering ecosystem services in the optimization of the NRS helps enhance the supply capacity of ecological products, maintain national ecological security, and achieve harmonious coexistence and sustainable development between humans and nature., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) has been advocated for all healthcare students, and readiness for interprofessional learning significantly influences its effectiveness. It is essential to explore the antecedent factors of readiness for interprofessional learning among nursing students to promote IPE. While a proactive personality might impact readiness for interprofessional learning, its specific role has remained unspecified., Objective: To examine the mediation effects of perceived social support and professional identity on the association between proactive personality and readiness for interprofessional learning among nursing students., Design: The study utilised a cross-sectional design., Settings: Research was conducted at two universities and two vocational schools in Hainan Province, China., Participants: On-campus nursing students were invited to participate between March and May 2023., Methods: A flyer was distributed to the participants with a QR code to scan to voluntarily complete the online survey, including the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), Proactive Personality Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale and Professional Identity Status Questionnaire Scale 5d. Descriptive analysis, Pearson associations and mediation analysis were conducted using SPSS software version 26.0 and PROCESS version 4.2 for SPSS., Results: The participants' average RIPLS score was 66.93 ± 9.28. Proactive personality (r = 0.633, p < 0.01), perceived social support (r = 0.605, p < 0.01) and professional identity (r = 0.549, p < 0.01) were all positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning. Meanwhile, the relationship between proactive personality and readiness for interprofessional learning was partly mediated by perceived social support (25.15 %), professional identity (13.35 %) and the chain effects (9.48 %) of perceived social support and professional identity., Conclusions: The nursing students in Hainan, China demonstrated a medium level of readiness for interprofessional learning. Compound strategies that foster proactive personality, provide social support and boost positive professional identity are warranted to improve nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Epidemiologic studies have reported the relationships between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and breast cancer incidence, yet the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This study aimed to elucidate the mediation role of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) in the relationships between PFASs exposure and breast cancer risk. We conducted a case-cohort study within the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort, involving 226 incident breast cancer cases and a random sub-cohort (n = 990). Their plasma concentrations of six PFASs [including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)], and peripheral blood levels of mtDNAcn, were detected at baseline by using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. Linear regression and Barlow-weighted Cox models were employed separately to assess the relationships of mtDNAcn with PFASs and breast cancer risk. Mediation analysis was further conducted to quantify the mediating effects of mtDNAcn on PFAS-breast cancer relationships. We observed increased blood mtDNAcn levels among participants with the highest PFNA and PFHpA exposure [Q4 vs. Q1, β(95%CI) = 0.092(0.022, 0.162) and 0.091(0.022, 0.160), respectively], while no significant associations were observed of PFOA, PFDA, PFOS, or PFHxS with mtDNAcn. Compared to participants within the lowest quartile subgroup of mtDNAcn, those with the highest mtDNAcn levels exhibited a significantly increased risk of breast cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer [Q4 vs. Q1, HR(95%CI) = 3.34(1.80, 6.20) and 3.71(1.89, 7.31)]. Furthermore, mtDNAcn could mediate 14.6 % of the PFHpA-breast cancer relationship [Indirect effect, HR(95%CI) = 1.02(1.00, 1.05)]. Our study unveiled the relationships of PFNA and the short-chain PFHpA with mtDNAcn and the mediation role of mtDNAcn in the PFHpA-breast cancer association. These findings provided insights into the potential biological mechanisms linking PFASs to breast cancer risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza rates in childcare centers and schools in Wuxi, China, collecting 1,760 environmental samples and 9,214 throat swabs from 593 students (regardless of symptoms) in weekly collections during February-June 2023. We estimated a cumulative infection rate of 124.8 (74 episodes)/1,000 persons for SARS-CoV-2 and 128.2 (76 episodes)/1,000 persons for influenza. The highest SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was in persons 18 years of age, and for influenza, in children 4 years of age. The asymptomatic proportion of SARS-CoV-2 was 59.6% and 66.7% for influenza; SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic proportion was lower in 16-18-year-olds than in 4-6-year-olds. Only samples from frequently touched surface tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (4/1,052) and influenza (1/1,052). We found asynchronous circulation patterns of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, similar to trends in national sentinel surveillance. The results support vaccination among pediatric populations and other interventions, such as environmental disinfection in educational settings.

Background: Evidence on the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and health care utilisation among Chinese older adults is scarce. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of HGS with health care utilisation and to identify whether these associations varied by gender., Methods: The analytic sample of this prospective cohort study included 6007 Chinese older adults (≥60 years) from 2011 to 2018 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A handgrip dynamometer was used to measure HGS. We measured health care utilisation by outpatient visits, inpatient visits, and unmet hospitalisation needs. We used covariates-adjusted general estimating equations for the analyses., Results: Longitudinal results showed that participants with weakness increased the likelihood of outpatient visits (odds ratio (OR) = 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.27), inpatient visits (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.32-1.73), and unmet hospitalisation needs (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.19-1.79) than their counterparts. Participants with weakness increased the number of outpatient visits (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.29; 95% CI = 1.11-1.51) and the number of inpatient visits (IRR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.10-1.61). Participants with HGS asymmetry increased the likelihood of unmet hospitalisation needs (OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.03-1.43) than their counterparts. The results of the impact of every one-kilogramme (kg) increase in HGS on health care utilisation indicated consistent results. The associations were similarly observed irrespective of gender., Conclusions: Chinese older adults with weakness or HGS asymmetry used more health care. Interventions for improving muscle strength and correcting strength asymmetry are highly recommended, with the potential to considerably save households and health care systems., Competing Interests: Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and disclose no relevant interests., (Copyright © 2024 by the Journal of Global Health. All rights reserved.)

DNA methylation (DNAm) has been implicated in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but the causality remains unclear in cross-sectional studies. Here, we conduct a prospective epigenome-wide association study of incident ACS in two Chinese cohorts (discovery: 751 nested case-control pairs; replication: 476 nested case-control pairs). We identified and validated 26 differentially methylated positions (DMPs, false discovery rate [FDR] <0.05), including three mapped to known cardiovascular disease genes (PRKCZ, PRDM16, EHBP1L1) and four with causal evidence from Mendelian randomization (PRKCZ, TRIM27, EMC2, EHBP1L1). Two hypomethylated DMPs were negatively correlated with the expression in blood of their mapped genes (PIGG and EHBP1L1), which were further found to overexpress in leukocytes and/or atheroma plaques. Finally, our DMPs could substantially improve the prediction of ACS over traditional risk factors and polygenic scores. These findings demonstrate the importance of DNAm in the pathogenesis of ACS and highlight DNAm as potential predictive biomarkers and treatment targets., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to reveal the diversity and variation in panicle traits of the Chinese prickly ash and clarify their influence on the its systematic classification to provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient utilization of Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources and breeding. Sixteen panicle traits were identified from 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources from 2021 to 2022. The diversity of these panicle traits and their role in the plant's systematic classification were studied using variance, correlation, cluster, and principal component analyses. Cluster analysis showed that the 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources could be divided into two groups with Euclidean distances of 25. Further analysis showed that yield traits such as panicle length, panicle width, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle were significantly positively correlated with grain chlorophyll content, while grain anthocyanin content was negatively correlated with both panicle (panicle length, panicle width, panicle length to width ratio, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle) and grain characteristics (single grain weight, thousand-grain weight, grain length, grain width and fruit shape index). In conclusion, Chinese prickly ash germplasms have diverse panicle traits. Z. armatum has dark green grains, long and wide panicles, a long conical shape, many primary branches, high grain weight, and high grain number per panicle. In contrast, Z. bungeanum has bright red seeds, a panicle width larger than its length, short and conical panicles, a small number of primary branches, and low grain weight per panicle and number of grains per panicle. Overall, Z. armatum had a significant yield advantage over Z. bungeanum., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Backgroud: A systematic analysis was conducted to investigate the molecular etiology of fetal cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and the association between various types of CL/P and copy number variations (CNVs), as well as their impact on birth outcomes., Methods: In this retrospective study conducted between January 2016 and July 2022, a cohort of pregnancies diagnosed with fetal CL/P was enrolled and comprehensive clinical data for all cases were extracted from our medical record database, including demographic data about the pregnancies, ultrasound findings, results of Chromosomal microarray (CMA), as well as relevant pregnant and perinatal outcomes., Results: Among the 358 cases, 32 clinically significant variants in 29 (8.1%) fetuses with CL/P were detected by CMA. In 338 singleton pregnancies, the diagnostic yield of CMA in the context of CL/P fetuses was determined to be 7.7% (26/338). CP cases exhibited a relatively higher prevalence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs at a rate of 25% (3/12), followed by CLP cases at 8.0% (23/288). Notably, the CL group did not demonstrate any pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNV findings among the examined cases (0/38). The diagnostic rate of clinically significant variants was notably higher in the non-isolated CL/P group than in the isolated CL/P group (11/33, 33.3% vs. 15/305, 4.9%, p < 0.001). Within the remaining 20 twin pregnancies, three clinically significant variants (15%) were observed., Conclusions: This study provides powerful evidence supporting the efficacy of CMA as a valuable tool for facilitating the prenatal genetic diagnosis of fetal CL/P. The presence of CP and CLP in fetal cases demonstrated a relatively higher incidence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs. Moreover, when these cases were accompanied by additional ultrasound abnormalities, the likelihood of identifying diagnostic CNVs significantly increased. Conversely, cases of CL alone might not be associated with positive CNVs. The present data may significantly enhance prenatal diagnosis accuracy and facilitate informed genetic counseling for cases of fetal CL/P., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency disease in preterm infants, significantly affecting their growth and development. For preterm infants to flourish physically and neurologically, timely iron supplementation is essential. The main goals of this study were to determine whether the present iron supplementation regimen results in iron overload in late preterm infants and whether it can meet the growth requirements of early preterm infants for catch-up., Methods: We conducted a prospective follow-up study on preterm infants at the Department of Child Health, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, from January 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020. In this study, 177 preterm infants were divided into two groups based on gestational age-early preterm infants (gestational age < 34 weeks) and late preterm infants (gestational age ≥ 34 weeks and < 37 weeks)-to compare the incidence of iron deficiency, iron status, and physical growth of preterm infants receiving iron supplements (2-4 mg/kg/d)., Results: Iron supplementation considerably reduced the incidence of iron deficiency in preterm infants. The prevalence of iron deficiency in early preterm infants and late preterm infants was 11.3% and 5.1%, respectively, at the corrected gestational age of 3 months; at the corrected gestational age of 6 months, the prevalence was 5.3% and 6.3%, respectively. No preterm infants with iron deficiency were detected in either group at the corrected gestational age of 12 months. Ferritin was substantially lower in early preterm infants (36.87 ± 31.57 ng/ml) than in late preterm infants (65.78 ± 75.76 ng/ml) at the corrected gestational age of 3 months (p < 0.05). A multifactorial regression analysis of factors influencing iron metabolism levels in preterm infants revealed a positive relationship between log 10 hepcidin, birth weight, and ferritin, with higher birth weights resulting in higher ferritin levels., Conclusions: Postnatal iron supplementation at 2-4 mg/kg/d in preterm infants significantly decreases the incidence of ID. There were substantial differences in iron levels across preterm infants of varying gestational ages. A tailored iron supplementation plan based on growth, birth weight, and gestational age may be a more suitable route for iron supplementation. Although the current study found that the postnatal iron status of early preterm infants differed from that of late preterm infants, the actual mechanism of action remains unknown, and large-sample, multicenter clinical studies are required to investigate this further., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Drawing upon data from the 2018 CHARLS, this paper utilizes MEPI and a 10% threshold indicator to, respectively, assess the energy poverty (EP) status among middle-aged and older adults in China, focusing on the unavailability and unaffordability of energy services. Additionally, an econometric model is constructed to investigate the effects of EP on the health and welfare of middle-aged and older adults. Regression results indicate that EP exerts a significant negative impact on the health and welfare of middle-aged and older adults. This conclusion remains robust after conducting endogeneity and robustness tests, demonstrating its validity. Finally, based on the calculation results, we propose relevant policy recommendations including enhancing energy services for older adults in rural areas, integrating household energy alternatives with targeted poverty alleviation, enhancing monitoring mechanisms, and conducting energy education activities to alleviate EP and improve the quality of life of middle-aged and older adults., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Wu, Wang, Li, Lei, Wu and Qu.)

Discrimination in the labor market hinders efficient labor allocation, impeding socio-economic health. With the rapid population aging in China, addressing multifaceted discrimination to enhance labor allocation efficiency emerges as a crucial area of research. To explore the relationship between five types of discrimination (age, gender, hukou, educational background, and occupation) and labor misallocation, this paper based on intersectionality theory, employs the fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method to conduct a configurational analysis of data from China. The research findings indicate that none of the five forms of discrimination can be deemed a necessary condition for achieving high-level labor misallocation. The study identifies five distinct pathways of multiple discrimination to form high-level labor misallocation, which can be classified into four interaction modes: age-hukou, gender-hukou, gender-occupation, and age-gender-educational background. Meanwhile, there are four configuration paths for the absence of labor misallocation. This study reveals the intricate mechanisms by which multiple forms of discrimination contribute to labor misallocation in China's labor market, and provides valuable insights for addressing employment discrimination and improving the efficiency of labor allocation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Guo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Since the social cognitive model of well-being in academic\work settings was proposed, more and more studies have supported its validity. Nevertheless, most studies failed to test the temporal precedence of its core variables related to individual career development. Thus, we aimed to test this model among 1512 Chinese college students with a longitudinal perspective. They completed the Career-related Parental Support Inventory, Career Exploration and Decision Self-Efficacy-Brief Decision Scale, Career Commitment Making Scale, and Multiple Happiness Questionnaire three times being a four-month interval. The result indicated that there were more positive predicting associations between career-related parental support, career decision self-efficacy (CDSE), career commitment making, and well-being. Moreover, the longitudinal mediation analyses indicated that T1 career-related parental support was linked to T3 well-being via T2 career commitment making, and that T1 CDSE was linked to T3 well-being via T2 career commitment making. The implications of these findings for further research, practices, and policy-making were discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Plant-based diets (PBDs) and planetary-health diets (PHDs) are recommended for their potential health and environmental benefits, but population-based evidence in diverse cultures is scarce., Methods: We included 9364 adults aged 45 years and older (52·3% female, 47·7% male) from the open cohort of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day 24 h dietary recalls combined with weighing methods from 1997 to 2011, and mortality was documented from 1997 to 2015. We calculated the overall PBD index (PDI), healthful PBD index (hPDI), and unhealthful PBD index (uPDI; ranges 18-90), and the PHD score (range 0-140). We also estimated the related greenhouse gas emissions, land appropriation, and total water footprint and examined their associations with mortality., Findings: PBD indices were inversely related to greenhouse gas emissions, land appropriation, and total water footprint, whereas higher PHD score was related to higher environmental burdens (p<0·0001). During follow-up (mean 9·2 years), 792 (8·5%) death cases were documented. PDI (HR 1·08 [95% CI 0·88-1·32]) and hPDI (0·98 [0·80-1·21]) were not significantly associated with mortality, whereas higher uPDI was related to a higher mortality risk (1·55 [1·26-1·91]). In contrast, higher PHD score was associated with lower mortality risk (0·79 [0·63-0·99])., Interpretation: The PBDs showed environmental benefits, but are not necessarily associated with lower mortality risk. The PHD, developed mainly in western populations, was related to lower mortality risk but higher environmental burdens in the Chinese population., Funding: Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Zhejiang University Global Partnership Fund, and National Natural Science Foundation of China., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Paired box 7 ( PAX7 ) has been considered as a candidate gene for non-syndromic cleft lip with or without palate (NSCL/P). However, there is no research for the XXX, and previous studies concentrated on limited variants. This study aimed to conduct sufficiently dense and powerful scans of variants at PAX7 and explored the roles of variants at PAX7 in NSCL/P among the XXX., Design: Targeted region sequencing was performed to thoroughly screen variations, followed by a two-phase association analysis. 159 NSCL/P cases and 542 controls were analyzed in phase 1. Then in phase 2, the validation study was performed using 1626 cases and 2255 controls. We also explored the roles of variants at PAX7 gene in NSCL/P subtypes. Additionally, indirect associations were found by calculating LD and haplotypes., Setting: The study was conducted in XXX., Patients, Participants: 159 NSCL/P cases and 542 controls were analyzed in phase 1. Then in phase 2, the validation study was performed using 1626 cases and 2255 controls., Interventions: Blood samples were collected., Main Outcome Measures: To explore the association analysis between variants at PAX7 and NSCL/P in XXX., Results: The results showed that rs2236810, rs114882979 and rs2236804 were significantly associated with NSCL/P, which were predicted to have regulatory functions. Besides, variants at PAX7 function differently in the NSCL/P subtypes. We also discovered a PAX7 missense variant, NM&#95;001135254 p.A369 V (NM&#95;002584.2:c.1106C > T)., Conclusions: In summary, we confirmed 3 SNPs at PAX7 were significantly associated with NSCL/P in XXX and identified a missense variant, NM&#95;001135254 p.A369 V (NM&#95;002584.2:c.1106C > T)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Considering the rise of new SARS-CoV-2 variants that have reduced the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, the development of new antiviral medications for the disease has become increasingly necessary. In this study, ASC10, a novel antiviral prodrug, was studied in a phase 1 trial in healthy Chinese participants., Research Design and Methods: Part 1 involved 60 participants, receiving 50-800 mg ASC10 or placebo twice daily for 5.5 days. Part 2, with 12 participants, explored ASC10 dosing in the fed/fasting states., Results: ASC10-A, the main pharmacologically active metabolite, rapidly appeared in plasma (T max : 1.00-2.00 h) and decreased (t 1/2 : 1.10-3.04 h) without accumulation. The C max and area under the plasma concentration - time curve (AUC) of ASC10-A increased dose-dependently (50-800 mg BID) over 5.5 days, with no accumulation. The T max was slightly delayed in the fed state; however, the C max and AUC were similar between the fed and fasting states. Adverse events (AEs) were comparable (ASC10/placebo, 66.7%) and mostly mild (95%)., Conclusion: ASC10 was demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated and exhibited dose-proportional exposure and minimal food effects., Clinical Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier is NCT05523141.

Heavy metal(loid) (HM) pollution in agricultural soils has become an environmental concern in antimony (Sb) mining areas. However, priority pollution sources identification and deep understanding of environmental risks of HMs face great challenges due to multiple and complex pollution sources coexist. Herein, an integrated approach was conducted to distinguish pollution sources and assess human health risk (HHR) and ecological risk (ER) in a typical Sb mining watershed in Southern China. This approach combines absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) models with ER and HHR assessments. Four pollution sources were distinguished for both models, and APCS-MLR model was more accurate and plausible. Predominant HM concentration source was natural source (39.1%), followed by industrial and agricultural activities (23.0%), unknown sources (21.5%) and Sb mining and smelting activities (16.4%). Although natural source contributed the most to HM concentrations, it did not pose a significant ER. Industrial and agricultural activities predominantly contributed to ER, and attention should be paid to Cd and Sb. Sb mining and smelting activities were primary anthropogenic sources of HHR, particularly Sb and As contaminations. Considering ER and HHR assessments, Sb mining and smelting, and industrial and agricultural activities are critical sources, causing serious ecological and health threats. This study showed the advantages of multiple receptor model application in obtaining reliable source identification and providing better source-oriented risk assessments. HM pollution management, such as regulating mining and smelting and implementing soil remediation in polluted agricultural soils, is strongly recommended for protecting ecosystems and humans., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Type 2 diabetes(T2DM) is a global health problem which is accompanied with multi-systemic complications, and associated with long-term health burden and economic burden. Effective health seeking behavior (HSB) refers to reasonably utilize health resources, effectively prevent and treat diseases, and maintain health. Effective health seeking behavior (HSB) is vital to mitigate the risk of T2DM complications. However, health seeking behavior for T2DM patients remains sub-optimal worldwide., Objective: The study aimed to explore the internal logic of how health seeking behavior of T2DM patients develops and the influencing factors of health seeking behavior. With a view to provide a reference basis for improving the health seeking behavior situation of T2DM patients., Methods: This study was conducted at an integrated tertiary hospital in China. People who were diagnosed with T2DM, capable of expressing clearly and had no mental illness, were approached based on a purposive sampling. The experience of T2DM and health seeking behavior were collected via in-depth interviews. A theory-driven thematic analysis based on Health Belief Model (HBM) was applied for data analysis. Inductive reasoning was used to identify emerging themes which were not included in HBM., Results: 26 patients with T2DM were included in the current study. Seven themes were identified, including: (1) T2DM diagnosis and severity; (2) T2DM treatment and management; (3) Perceived susceptibility of diabetes progression; (4) Perceived severity of diabetes progression; (5) Perceived benefits of health seeking behavior; (6) Perceived barriers of health seeking behavior; (7) Perception of behavioral cues. Generally, patients with T2DM lacked reliable sources of information, considered T2DM to be slow-progressing and without posing an immediate threat to life. Consequently, they did not fully grasp the long-term risks associated with T2DM or the protective effects of health seeking behavior., Conclusion: This study highlighted the challenges in health seeking behavior for patients with T2DM. It suggested that future interventions and strategies should involve multi-faceted approaches, targeting healthcare providers (HCPs), patients with T2DM, and their support networks. This comprehensive strategy can help patients better understand their condition and the importance of effective health seeking behavior. Ultimately, enhancing their capacity for adopting appropriate health-seeking practices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Du, Zhang, Yang, Luo, Liu and Jia.)

As the most widely distributed scavenger birds on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Himalayan vultures ( Gyps himalayensis ) feed on the carcasses of various wild and domestic animals, facing the dual selection pressure of pathogens and antibiotics and are suitable biological sentinel species for monitoring antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study used metagenomic sequencing to comparatively investigate the ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of wild and captive Himalayan vultures. Overall, the resistome of Himalayan vultures contained 414 ARG subtypes resistant to 20 ARG types, with abundances ranging from 0.01 to 1,493.60 ppm. The most abundant resistance type was beta-lactam (175 subtypes), followed by multidrug resistance genes with 68 subtypes. Decreases in the abundance of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS) resistance genes were observed in the wild group compared with the zoo group. A total of 75 genera (five phyla) of bacteria were predicted to be the hosts of ARGs in Himalayan vultures, and the clinical (102 ARGs) and high-risk ARGs (35 Rank I and 56 Rank II ARGs) were also analyzed. Among these ARGs, twenty-two clinical ARGs, nine Rank I ARG subtypes, sixteen Rank II ARG subtypes were found to differ significantly between the two groups. Five types of MGEs (128 subtypes) were found in Himalayan vultures. Plasmids (62 subtypes) and transposases (44 subtypes) were found to be the main MGE types. Efflux pump and antibiotic deactivation were the main resistance mechanisms of ARGs in Himalayan vultures. Decreases in the abundance of cellular protection were identified in wild Himalayan vultures compared with the captive Himalayan vultures. Procrustes analysis and the co-occurrence networks analysis revealed different patterns of correlations among gut microbes, ARGs, and MGEs in wild and captive Himalayan vultures. This study is the first step in describing the characterization of the ARGs in the gut of Himalayan vultures and highlights the need to pay more attention to scavenging birds., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Zhai et al.)

Stegosaurs are a minor but iconic clade of ornithischian dinosaurs, yet due to a poor fossil record, their early evolution is poorly understood. Here, we describe a new stegosaur, Baiyinosaurus baojiensis, gen. et sp. nov. from the Middle Jurassic Wangjiashan Formation of the Pingchuan District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, China. The frontal of Baiyinosaurus possesses a unique characteristic among Stegosauria: it is wider than long and contributes to both the medial and anterior margins of the supratemporal fenestra. The character combinations of dorsal vertebrae of Baiyinosaurus are also different to other stegosaurs: its neural arches are not greatly elongated, its parapophyses are well developed, and its neural spines are axially expanded in lateral. The features of the frontal and vertebrae of Baiyinosaurus are reminiscent of basally branching thyreophorans, indicating that Baiyinosaurus is transitional in morphology between early thyreophorans and early-diverging stegosaurs. Systematic analysis shows that Baiyinosaurus is an early-diverging stegosaur., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The novel allele HLA-B*51:413 differs from HLA-B*51:92:02 by one nucleotide substitution in exon 3., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study investigates the distribution of rare earth elements (REEs) within the Beijing water system, specifically examining the Yongding, Chaobai, Beiyun, Jiyun, and Daqing rivers. Results indicate that the Beiyun River exhibits the highest REE concentrations, ranging from 35.95 to 59.78 μg/mL, while the Daqing River shows the lowest concentrations, ranging from 15.79 to 17.48 μg/mL. LREEs (La to Nd) predominate with a total concentration of 23.501 μg/mL, leading to a notable LREE/HREE ratio of 7.901. Positive Ce anomalies (0.70-1.11) and strong positive Eu anomalies (1.38-2.49) were observed. The study suggests that the Beijing water system's REEs may originate from geological and anthropogenic sources, such as mining and industrial activities in neighboring regions, including Inner Mongolia. These findings underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and effective water management strategies to address REE-related environmental concerns., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Social learning theory has been widely implemented to understand cyber deviance. Nevertheless, the antecedent scholarship homogenously nested in the perspective of offending specification, leaving the offending versatility thesis unattained. The lack of such studies may undermine the capability of comprehensively understanding the social learning patterns of online offending. Using a sample of 3741 Chinese college students, this study estimated an array of binary logistic regressions to compare the effects of traditional and online social learning in four types of online offending (online sexual harassment, cyberbullying, hacking, and digital piracy). The results suggest that offending versatility and offending specification co-exist in the social learning process of cyber deviance, while offending specification explains a marginally greater variance. Besides, online learning variables act as potential mediators in the relationships between traditional learning and cyber deviance. Furthermore, traditional social learning shows greater predictive power in cyber-enabled crimes than in cyber-dependent crimes. Our study provides fresh empirical evidence for the non-exclusive association between offending versatility and offending specification in the social learning process of cyber deviance., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Can the information technology revolution lead to carbon emission reduction for firms? This study extends the limited evidence in the literature and investigate the role and mechanism of digital inclusive finance on enterprises' carbon emissions using panel data of 247 prefectural-level cities and 6019 industrial enterprises in China. Our findings indicate that digital inclusive finance can promote enterprise carbon emission reduction, and this effect remains significant after the instrumental variable estimation test. The effect has regional heterogeneity and the development of digital inclusive finance in the area east of Hu Huanyong line has a significant impact on reducing enterprise carbon emission. The role of digital inclusive finance is heterogeneous in enterprise ownership, with a remarkable effect in non-state-owned enterprises. Sub-dimension analysis indicates that the breadth of coverage, depth of use, and degree of digitalization of digital inclusive finance have differential effects on reducing enterprise carbon emissions. The stepwise regression method shows that the impact of digital inclusive finance on enterprise carbon emissions can be passed through effect of technological progress, environmental protection investment and financing constrain. This study has significant reference value for evaluating the impact of financial inclusion and policy implications in formulating differentiated strategies for achieving carbon emission reduction efficiency in enterprises., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Peng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The Chinese government has pursued comprehensive ecological conservation and restoration by establishing an ecological barrier system. However, the majority of international research tends to focus on the connectivity between habitats, overlooking the functions that ecological barriers play in ecological conservation and restoration. The existing literature lacks a systematic exploration of the theory and practice of ecological barriers. This study employed the literature analysis tool CiteSpace to present the theoretical and developmental trends in ecological barriers from various perspectives, including research fields, historical evolution, research hotspots, and major research nations. By analyzing the differences in the understanding of ecological barriers between China and other countries, examining the ecological barriers construction history in China, and exploring the types and functions of ecological barriers, this study summarizes the framework of China's ecological barriers construction system as "features-functions-problems." Constructing an ecological barrier system can help achieve ecological conservation and restoration goals in China., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.)

Purpose: In this prospective study, the diagnosis accuracy of nanopore sequencing-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detection was determined through examining bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) -suspected patients. Compared the diagnostic performance of nanopore sequencing, mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture and Xpert MTB/rifampin resistance (MTB/RIF) assays., Methods: Specimens collected from suspected PTB cases across China from September 2021 to April 2022 were tested then assay diagnostic accuracy rates were compared., Results: Among the 111 suspected PTB cases that were ultimately diagnosed as PTB, the diagnostic rate of nanopore sequencing was statistically significant different from other assays (P < 0.05). Fleiss' kappa values of 0.219 and 0.303 indicated fair consistency levels between MTB detection results obtained using nanopore sequencing versus other assays, respectively. Respective PTB diagnostic sensitivity rates of MGIT culture, Xpert MTB/RIF and nanopore sequencing of 36.11%, 40.28% and 83.33% indicated superior sensitivity of nanopore sequencing. Analysis of area under the curve (AUC), Youden's index and accuracy values and the negative predictive value (NPV) indicated superior MTB detection performance for nanopore sequencing (with Xpert MTB/RIF ranking second), while the PTB diagnostic accuracy rate of nanopore sequencing exceeded corresponding rates of the other methods., Conclusions: In comparison with MGIT culture and Xpert MTB/RIF assays, BALF's nanopore sequencing provided superior MTB detection sensitivity and thus is suitable for testing of sputum-scarce suspected PTB cases. However, negative results obtained using these assays should be confirmed based on additional evidence before ruling out a PTB diagnosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The study aims to summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with ectopic gastric mucosa in the small intestine, comparing clinical presentation differences between domestic and foreign patients through literature review. The clinical characteristics of cases diagnosed with ectopic gastric mucosa in the small intestine at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2000 to January 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. By searching databanks, such as PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Wanfang, VIP, CNKI, and etc (the inclusion period was from the establishment of the database to January 1, 2024). The literature review was conducted on ectopic gastric mucosa in the small intestine. A total of 10 cases were included, all male, age [ M ( Q 1 )] was 27 (13-69) years old. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the first manifestation in most cases, with severe cases leading to hemorrhagic shock. Abdominal CT indicated local intestinal wall thickening and luminal narrowing in 3 cases. Four cases lesions were located at the beginning of the jejunum and 6 lesions were located in the end segment of ileum. All cases underwent local lesion resection, with postoperative pathology confirming ectopic gastric mucosa. Symptoms disappeared postoperatively, with a follow-up period of 0.5-3.0 years. Literature review indicates that the main clinical manifestation of gastric mucosa ectopia in the small intestine in China is gastrointestinal bleeding, while foreign patients are often complicated with intestinal duplication and intussusception, with abdominal pain and vomiting as the primary and main symptoms. The occurrence rate of intestinal obstruction in female patients, both domestically and abroad, is higher than that in male patients. The occurrence rate of ileal lesions with intestinal obstruction and small intestinal duplication is higher than that of duodenal lesions in both domestic and foreign patients. Local small intestine resection is an effective treatment method with generally good prognosis. Ectopic small intestinal mucosa is relatively rare, with symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding and intestinal obstruction being common presentations, which can serve as one of the differential diagnoses for unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding.Q 3 )] was 27 (13-69) years old. Gastrointestinal bleeding was the first manifestation in most cases, with severe cases leading to hemorrhagic shock. Abdominal CT indicated local intestinal wall thickening and luminal narrowing in 3 cases. Four cases lesions were located at the beginning of the jejunum and 6 lesions were located in the end segment of ileum. All cases underwent local lesion resection, with postoperative pathology confirming ectopic gastric mucosa. Symptoms disappeared postoperatively, with a follow-up period of 0.5-3.0 years. Literature review indicates that the main clinical manifestation of gastric mucosa ectopia in the small intestine in China is gastrointestinal bleeding, while foreign patients are often complicated with intestinal duplication and intussusception, with abdominal pain and vomiting as the primary and main symptoms. The occurrence rate of intestinal obstruction in female patients, both domestically and abroad, is higher than that in male patients. The occurrence rate of ileal lesions with intestinal obstruction and small intestinal duplication is higher than that of duodenal lesions in both domestic and foreign patients. Local small intestine resection is an effective treatment method with generally good prognosis. Ectopic small intestinal mucosa is relatively rare, with symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding and intestinal obstruction being common presentations, which can serve as one of the differential diagnoses for unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) represents a substantial global health challenge, with a disproportionately high disease burden in low-income and middle-income countries. RSV exhibits seasonality in most areas globally, and a comprehensive understanding of within-country variations in RSV seasonality could help to define the timing of RSV immunisation programmes. This study focused on China, and aimed to describe the geographical distribution of RSV seasonality, identify distinct RSV transmission zones, and evaluate the potential suitability of a seasonal RSV prevention strategy., Methods: We did a systematic analysis of RSV seasonality in China, with use of data on RSV activity extracted from a systematic review of studies published on Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Information, and SinoMed, from database inception until May 5, 2023. We included studies of any design in China reporting at least 25 RSV cases, which aggregated RSV case number by calendar month or week at the province level, and with data covering at least 12 consecutive months before the year 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). Studies that used only serology for RSV testing were excluded. We also included weekly data on RSV activity from open-access online databases of the Taiwan National Infection Disease Statistics System and Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection, applying the same eligiblity requirements. Across all datasets, we excluded data on RSV activity from Jan 1, 2020, onwards. We estimated RSV seasonal epidemic onset and duration using the annual average percentage (AAP) approach, and summarised seasonality at the provincial level. We used Pearson's partial correlation analysis to assess the correlation between RSV season duration and the latitude and longitude of the individual provinces. To define transmission zones, we used two independent approaches, an infant-passive-immunisation-driven approach (the moving interval approach, 6-month interval) and a data-driven approach (k-means), to identify groups of provinces with similar RSV seasonality. The systematic review was registered on PROSPERO, CRD42022376993., Findings: A total of 157 studies were included along with the two online datasets, reporting data on 194 596 RSV cases over 442 study-years (covering the period from Jan 1, 1993 to Dec 31, 2019), from 52 sites in 23 provinces. Among 21 provinces with sufficient data (≥100 reported cases), the median duration of RSV seasonal epidemics was 4·6 months (IQR 4·1-5·4), with a significant latitudinal gradient (r=-0·69, p<0·0007), in that provinces on or near the Tropic of Cancer had the longest epidemic duration. We found no correlation between longitude and epidemic duration (r=-0·15, p=0·53). 15 (71%) of 21 provinces had RSV epidemics from November to March. 13 (62%) of 21 provinces had clear RSV seasonality (epidemic duration ≤5 months). The moving interval approach categorised the 21 provinces into four RSV transmission zones. The first zone, consisting of five provinces (Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Yunnan), was assessed as unsuitable for seasonal RSV immunisation strategies; the other three zones were considered suitable for seasonal RSV immunisation strategies with the optimal start month varying between September (Hebei), October (Anhui, Chongqing, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai, Sichuan, and Xinjiang), and November (Beijing, Gansu, Guizhou, Hunan, and Zhejiang). The k-means approach identified two RSV transmission zones, primarily differentiated by whether the province was on or near the Tropic of Cancer (Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Yunan, and Hunan) or not (the remaining 15 provinces)., Interpretation: Although substantial variations in RSV seasonality were observed across provinces of China, our study identified distinct transmission zones with shared RSV circulating patterns. These findings could have important implications for decision making on RSV passive immunisation strategy. Furthermore, the methodological framework in this study for defining RSV seasons and identifying RSV transmission zones is potentially applicable to other countries or regions., Funding: Nanjing Medical University., Translation: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests XW reports grants from GSK, outside the submitted work. YL reports grants from WHO, the Wellcome Trust, and GSK, and personal fees from Pfizer, outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The purpose of our study is to further understanding of the depression symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients in Guilin, Guangxi via exploring whether there is a mediating effect of sleep quality on medical-social support and depression symptoms and therefore provide a theoretical basis for application of medical-social support to alleviate depression symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients., Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to select 200 HIV/AIDS patients for the study. Depression symptoms, sleep quality, and medical-social support of the study participants were investigated using The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and The Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), respectively. Predictors of depression symptoms were explored by multiple linear regression, and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship between sleep quality, medical-social support, and depression symptoms. Mediating effect analysis was performed by nonparametric Bootstrap test., Results: In this study, the incidence of depression symptoms was 54.4%. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that leanness (β = 0.161, P = 0.008), obesity (β = 0.186, P = 0.002), sleep quality score > 7 (β = 0.331, P < 0.001), and medical-social support score > 56 (β = -0.247, P < 0.001) could influence depression symptoms of HIV and Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a two-way correlation between sleep quality, medical social support and depression symptoms (P < 0.05). In addition, Bootstrap tests showed that medical-social support might affect depression symptoms not only directly but also indirectly through the mediating effect of sleep quality with the direct and mediating effects accounting for 77.25% and 22.75% of the total effect, respectively., Conclusion: The prevalence of depression symptoms is high among HIV/AIDS patients in Guilin City. The depressive symptoms of PLWHs(people living with HIV) are related to their sleep quality and medical-social support, and sleep quality partially mediates the relationship between medical-social support and depression symptoms. Therefore, interventions to improve sleep quality and medical-social support have the potential to allay the depression symptoms of HIV/AIDS patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the gender differences in the correlation between physical activity (PA) and cognitive subdomains in elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: The research was carried out in communities located in Fuzhou, Fujian Province and Beijing Municipality., Participants: Community-dwelling elders with T2D and MCI aged 60 years or older were eligible for this study., Primary Outcome Measures and Analyses: The weekly PA score was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The cognitive subdomains were evaluated through a battery of cognitive assessments, including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Trail Making Test Part B, Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT). Multiple linear regression models were employed to examine the association between PA and cognitive subdomains in both male and female individuals., Results: In older men, higher total IPAQ score was positively correlated with higher RAVLT ( P =0.011) and SCWT ( P =0.049). There was a significant interaction between the total PA score and gender in relation to RAVLT ( P =0.008) and SCWT ( P =0.027). Moreover, there was a positive correlation between moderate-vigorous PA level and RAVLT in older men ( P =0.007). Additionally, a positive correlation was found between moderate-vigorous PA level and DSST in older women ( P =0.038)., Conclusion: In older individuals with T2D and MCI, the association between PA and cognitive subdomains differs between men and women. This discrepancy may impact the customisation of exercise recommendations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The rapid growth of internet users in China presents opportunities for advancing the "Healthy China 2030" initiative through online health education. Platforms like "Shanghai Health Cloud" and "National Health Information Platform" improve health literacy and management, enhancing overall public health. However, challenges such as the digital divide and the spread of unverified health information hinder progress. Addressing these issues requires enhancing digital infrastructure, employing advanced technologies for information validation, and setting high standards for online health services. Integrated efforts from various sectors are essential to maximize the benefits of online health education in China., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cerebral infarction is a common neurological disease with high rates of morbidity, mortality, and recurrence, posing a great threat to human life and health. Cerebral infarction is the second leading cause of death in the world and the leading cause of long-term disability in humans. The results of the third national retrospective sampling survey on causes of death in 2008 showed that cerebral infarction has become the leading cause of death in China and its mortality rate is 4-5 times that of European and American countries. Therefore, this article proposed a study on the predictive value of Cmmi-MHR combined with thromboelastography parameters that was performed for acute cerebral infarction. This paper mainly proposed a high frame rate imaging technology and analyzed its algorithm. In this article, in the experimental part, an in-depth analysis of the predictive value of the Monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) combined with thromboelastography parameters was performed for acute cerebral infarction. The final experimental results showed that HDL (OR = 1.695%, P-trend = 0.049) had a probability of death within 90 days of hospitalization (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 1.06-3.11, P-trend = 0.523). There were no significant differences in mortality rate after 90 days. Regardless of adjusting for confounders such as age, gender, and NIHSS score, there was no significant difference in the risk of MHR or monocyte count within 90 days of hospitalization. The conclusion indicates that the combination of Cmmi-MHR and thromboelastography parameters provides a new perspective and method for the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral infarction, and provides important support for personalized treatment and management of cerebral infarction., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life-threatening complication in patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), yet SFTS-associated IPA (SAPA)'s risk factors remain undefined. A multicenter retrospective cohort study across Hubei and Anhui provinces (May 2013-September 2022) utilized least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression for variable selection. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of SAPA, Cox regression highlighted mortality-related risk factors. Of the 1775 screened SFTS patients, 1650 were included, with 169 developing IPA, leading to a 42-day mortality rate of 26.6% among SAPA patients. Multivariable logistic regression revealed SAPA risk factors including advanced age, petechia, hemoptysis, tremor, low albumin levels, elongated activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, glucocorticoid usage, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and prolonged hospital stays. Cox regression identified predictors of 42-day mortality, including ecchymosis at venipuncture sites, absence of ICU admission, elongated prothrombin time (PT), vasopressor and glucocorticoid use, non-antifungals. Nomograms constructed on these predictors registered concordance indexes of 0.855 (95% CI: 0.826-0.884) and 0.778 (95% CI: 0.702-0.854) for SAPA onset and 42-day mortality, respectively. Lower survival rates for SAPA patients treated with glucocorticoids (p < 0.001) and improved 14-day survival with antifungal therapy (p = 0.036). Improving IPA management in SFTS-endemic areas is crucial, with effective predictive tool., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Bruchidius coreanus is a serious pest on Gleditsia sinensis Lam during seed storage, causing significant losses to their yield in southwest China. To gain insight into their behavioral mechanisms, the external morphology, ultrastructure, and distribution of sensilla on antennae, maxillary palps, and labial palps of both male and female B. coreanus were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The results revealed that both male and female adults had serrated antennae comprising a scape, a pedicel, and nine flagellomeres (F1-F9). There were eight types and seven subtypes of antenna sensilla observed in both sexes, including Böhm sensilla (BS), two subtypes of sensilla chaetica (SC1 and SC2), two subtypes of sensilla trichodea (ST1 and ST2), three subtypes of sensilla basiconica (SB1, SB2, and SB3), sensilla auricillica (SA), sensilla styloconicum (SS), capitate pegs (CP), and sensilla cavity (SCa). The average length of BS and ST (ST1 and ST2) showed significant differences between males and females. Furthermore, the number of SC (SC1 and SC2), ST1, and SCa differed significantly between the sexes. Four types of sensilla were found on the maxillary palps and labial palps, with the length of ST on these palps significantly differing between males and females. Additionally, SS on male labial palps was significantly longer than in females. The number of SC significantly differed between the male and female maxillary palps and labial palps, while ST and SS showed significant differences in the maxillary palps. These findings will contribute to further electrophysiological recording and behavioral research. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The external morphology and distribution of various sensilla on the antennae, maxillary palps, and labial palps of Bruchidius coreanus were described. Eight types and seven subtypes of antenna sensilla were observed on the antennae, while four types of sensilla were observed on the maxillary palps and labial palps. The capitate pegs were found exclusively on the antennae of female B. coreanus., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Exposure to heavy metals alone or in combination can promote systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between multiple plasma heavy metals and markers of systemic immune inflammation., Methods: Using a cross-sectional study, routine blood tests were performed on 3355 participants in Guangxi, China. Eight heavy metal elements in plasma were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Immunoinflammatory markers were calculated based on peripheral blood WBC and its subtype counts. A generalised linear regression model was used to analyse the association of each metal with the immunoinflammatory markers, and the association of the metal mixtures with the immunoinflammatory markers was further assessed using weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression., Results: In the single-metal model, plasma metal Fe (log10) was significantly negatively correlated with the levels of immune-inflammatory markers SII, NLR and PLR, and plasma metal Cu (log10) was significantly positively correlated with the levels of immune-inflammatory markers SII and PLR. In addition, plasma metal Mn (log10 conversion) was positively correlated with the levels of immune inflammatory markers NLR and PLR. The above associations remained after multiple corrections. In the mixed-metal model, after WQS regression analysis, plasma metal Cu was found to have the greatest weight in the positive effects of metal mixtures on SII and PLR, while plasma metals Mn and Fe had the greatest weight in the positive effects of metal mixtures on NLR and LMR, respectively. In addition, blood Fe had the greatest weight in the negative effects of the metal mixtures for SII, PLR and NLR., Conclusion: Plasma metals Cu and Mn were positively correlated with immunoinflammatory markers SII, NLR and PLR. While plasma metal Fe was negatively correlated with immunoinflammatory markers SII, NLR, and PLR., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Dyslipidemia, a significant risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), is influenced by genetic variations, particularly those in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of LDLR polymorphisms on baseline serum lipid levels and the therapeutic efficacy of atorvastatin in an adult Han population in northern China with dyslipidemia., Methods: In this study, 255 Han Chinese adults receiving atorvastatin therapy were examined and followed up. The 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the LDLR gene was sequenced to identify polymorphisms. The associations between gene polymorphisms and serum lipid levels, as well as changes in lipid levels after intervention, were evaluated using the Wilcoxon rank sum test, with a P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Assessment of linkage disequilibrium patterns and haplotype structures was conducted utilizing Haploview., Results: Eleven distinct polymorphisms at LDLR 3' UTR were identified. Seven polymorphisms (rs1433099, rs14158, rs2738466, rs5742911, rs17249057, rs55971831, and rs568219285) were correlated with the baseline serum lipid levels (P < 0.05). In particular, four polymorphisms (rs14158, rs2738466, rs5742911, and rs17249057) were in strong linkage disequilibrium (r 2  = 1), and patients with the AGGC haplotype had higher TC and LDL-C levels at baseline. Three polymorphisms (rs1433099, rs2738467, and rs7254521) were correlated with the therapeutic efficacy of atorvastatin (P < 0.05). Furthermore, carriers of the rs2738467 T allele demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels post-atorvastatin treatment (P = 0.03), indicating a potentially crucial genetic influence on therapeutic outcomes. Two polymorphisms (rs751672818 and rs566918949) were neither correlated with the baseline serum lipid levels nor atorvastatin's efficacy., Conclusions: This research outlined the complex genetic architecture surrounding LDLR 3' UTR polymorphisms and their role in lipid metabolism and the response to atorvastatin treatment in adult Han Chinese patients with dyslipidemia, highlighting the importance of genetic profiling in enhancing tailored therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, this investigation advocates for the integration of genetic testing into the management of dyslipidemia, paving the way for customized therapeutic approaches that could significantly improve patient care., Trial Registration: This multicenter study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital Central South University (ethics number K22144). It was a general ethic. In addition, this study was approved by The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University (ethics number 20220418)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Currently, numerous population pharmacokinetic (popPK) models for methotrexate (MTX) have been published for estimating PK parameters and variability. However, it is unclear whether the accuracy of these models is sufficient for clinical application. The aim of this study is to evaluate published models and assess their predictive performance according to the standards of scientific research. A total of 237 samples from 74 adult patients who underwent high-dose MTX (HDMTX) treatment at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital were collected. The software package NONMEM was used to perform an external evaluation for each model, including prediction-based diagnosis, simulation-based diagnosis, and Bayesian forecasting. The simulation-based diagnosis includes normalized prediction distribution error (NPDE) and visual predictive check (VPC). Following screening, 7 candidate models suitable for external validation were identified for comparison. However, none of these models exhibited excellent predictive performance. Bayesian simulation results indicated that the prediction precision and accuracy of all models significantly improved when incorporating prior concentration information. The published popPK models for MTX exhibit significant differences in their predictive performance, and none of the models were able to accurately predict MTX concentrations in our data set. Therefore, before adopting any model in clinical practice, extensive evaluation should be conducted., (© 2023, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.)

Freshwater lakes play a vital role in global hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, serving various functions and maintaining ecological balance. However, freshwater resources are more vulnerable to deterioration due to multiple stressors. Gaoyou Lake is one of the impounded lakes of the Eastern route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, and as an important source of drinking water, the lake has been routinely monitored. Long-term monitoring of water quality in Gaoyou Lake showed that concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a as well as trophic state in the water column increased while water transparency decreased, indicating that the water quality has declined during the last 12 years. Specifically, there was a notable and statistically significant increase in chlorophyll a concentrations, averaging an annual rate of 9.9%. Despite a slight decline in trophic level index until 2014, subsequent years saw an upward trend, ranging from 50.7 to 56.4 and indicating a light eutrophic state. Spatially, the western area displayed higher nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations. Changes in hydro-meteorological variables and nutrients from inflowing rivers were the main factors correlated with water quality in Gaoyou Lake. Thus, pollution source apportionment and management within Huaihe River basin should be considered to reduce the external loadings of nutrients in order to improve and sustain long-term water quality., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks, commonly found in East Asia, can transmit various pathogenic viruses, including the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) that has caused febrile diseases among humans in Hubei Province. However, understanding of the viromes of H. longicornis was limited, and the prevalence of viruses among H. longicornis ticks in Hubei was not well clarified. This study investigates the viromes of both engorged (fed) and free (unfed) H. longicornis ticks across three mountainous regions in Hubei Province from 2019 to 2020. RNA-sequencing analysis identified viral sequences that were related to 39 reference viruses belonging to unclassified viruses and seven RNA viral families, namely Chuviridae, Nairoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Phenuiviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Totiviridae. Viral abundance and diversity in these ticks were analysed, and phylogenetic characteristics of the Henan tick virus (HNTV), Dabieshan tick virus (DBSTV), Okutama tick virus (OKTV), and Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) were elucidated based on their full genomic sequences. Prevalence analysis demonstrated that DBSTV was the most common virus found in individual H. longicornis ticks (12.59%), followed by HNTV (0.35%), whereas JMTV and OKTV were not detected. These results improve our understanding of H. longicornis tick viromes in central China and highlight the role of tick feeding status and geography in shaping the viral community. The findings of new viral strains and their potential impact on public health raise the need to strengthen surveillance efforts for comprehensively assessing their spillover potentials., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest Professor Fei Deng is an editorial board member for Virologica Sinica and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)