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The effects of long-term fertilization on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and soybean yield stability were studied in semiarid areas of China for optimizing soil fertilization and obtaining stable and efficient soybean yield. SOC, TN, and soybean yields in different soil layers were measured after performing nine fertilization treatments for 5 consecutive years. The results showed that CK treatment (1,264.2 kg·hm-2) was significantly lower than other treatments. Under the combination of organic and inorganic treatments, the interannual variation of soybean yield under treatment with organic fertilizer combined with nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer was smaller, while the stability and sustainability indices were higher. The organic carbon and TN contents in surface soil (0-20 cm) showed an increasing trend with different fertilization. There was a significant positive linear correlation between SOC and TN contents in topsoil (0-20 cm) (P < 0.01; correlation coefficient = 0.947**). The yield of soybean increased with the increase of SOC and TN contents in topsoil (0-20 cm), with a significant positive correlation between them (P < 0.05). The yield of soybean increased with the increase of SOC and TN contents in surface soil (20-40 cm), although no significant positive correlation between SOC and TN contents was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To define the role of organic or inorganic fertilizers in the stability and sustainability of soil organic carbon (SOC) and crop yield, we examined changes in SOC and crop yield, as well as their correlation, in nine different fertilization treatments (sheep manure [M], sheep manure and urea [MN], sheep manure and diammonium phosphate [MP], sheep manure, urea, and diammonium phosphate [MNP], urea and diammonium phosphate [NP], urea and potassium sulfate [NK], diammonium phosphate and potassium sulfate [PK], diammonium phosphate, urea, and potassium sulfate [NPK], no fertilizer [CK]) from 2015 to 2018 on the Loess Plateau. The organic carbon content was higher in organic fertilizer (M, MNP, MP, MN) than in inorganic fertilizer treatments (NP, NPK, NK, PK) and the control. Crop yield was higher for organic than for inorganic fertilizers, whereas that of the control was always lower than those in the fertilization treatments. The highest crop yield was obtained in MNP. Crop yield and soil organic matter quality score correlated positively, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.5994 to 0.7151. Our results provide a theoretical basis for organic and inorganic fertilizer application in dry farming areas on the Loess Plateau and aid the long-term healthy development of soil in cultivated areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are a group of common diseases with a high incidence that cause tremendous pressure on the healthcare system globally. Patrinia Herba (Bai Jiang Cao) has a long history of use in China. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Patrinia Herba for ARTIs. We searched the Chinese and English databases from their inception to March 2022 for clinical studies that tested single-herb preparations or formulae containing Patrinia Herba for ARTIs. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and non-randomised studies as intervention tools for quality assessment. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021260330). Six trials (2 107 participants) were identified. Two trials were pooled. The results showed that, in adults and children with influenza, single Patrinia Herba granules or injections improved the participants' feelings of aversion to cold, general malaise, nasal obstruction, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, and dizziness after a two-day treatment. For adults and children with pneumonia, Patrinia Herba compound preparations plus antibiotics appeared better than antibiotics alone in relieving fever, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain. The overall methodological quality of the included randomised controlled trials was rated as unclear, low, or moderate for controlled clinical trials. No severe adverse events were reported. Low- or moderate-quality evidence demonstrates that single herb or compound preparations of Patrinia Herba may be effective for ARTIs in terms of symptom remission. Further high-quality studies are needed to confirm their potential for treating ARTIs. • This systematic review reviewed the controlled clinical trials and the randomised controlled trials of the clinical effectiveness and safety of Patrinia Herba in acute respiratory tract infections. • One trial indicated that single Patrinia Herba granules or injection improved the influenza participants' feeling of fever, aversion to cold, general malaise, nasal obstruction, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, and dizziness. • Four trials showed herbal mixtures containing Patrinia Herba improved the feeling of fever and cough for patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia. • One trial showed that herbal mixtures containing Patrinia Herba treating children with Pneumonia improved their resolution time of fever and cough. • During the treatment of Patrinia Herba , the adverse events observed included gastrointestinal reactions, headache, dizziness, and skin itching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brucellosis is an occupational disease affecting workers in butcher shops, the milking and dairy product industry, causing more than 500 000 new cases around the world. As a national statutory B infectious disease in China, morbidity of brucellosis is rapidly increasing in recent years. We report an occupational outbreak of brucellosis infection in a pharmaceutical factory. Exposure was a result of manual operation in the process line, close contact with sheep placentas, insufficient disinfection and repeated using of protective suits and infected by aerosol dissemination. Improved preventive methods, appropriate public health measures and spread of health education would be helpful to prevent the occupational outbreak of brucellosis in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine whether the critical leaf N/P ratios (of 14, 16) are valid to test nutrient limitation in the context of semi-arid sandy grasslands, an experiment was conducted on a Keerqin sandy grassland in North-east China to investigate the responses of plant biomass and nutrient concentrations to fertilization. Plant biomass production and leaf nutrient concentrations were measured after five consecutive years of fertilization with N (20 g N m year) and/or P (10 g PO m year). Nitrogen fertilization increased the shoot biomass by twofold and consequently the shoot/root ratio, whereas P fertilization had little effect on either shoot biomass or shoot/root ratio. Leaf N/P ratio varied among species with an average of 5·6 in the control, while the mean leaf N/P ratio (7·5) under the N fertilization treatment remained below the threshold of 14. Our results suggest that the critical N/P ratio (14, 16) is not applicable as a test for nutrient limitations in the context of semi-arid, sandy grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) level during the first trimester of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A total of 1 276 participants, who underwent scheduled prenatal examination and normal singleton delivery at the Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai and Hospital of Intergrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Minhang District, from January 2016 to May 2018 were included. There were 99 cases of GDM (GDM group) and 1 177 cases of normal (control group) pregnant women.Based on the serum Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, participants were divided into three groups, 236 cases of low Hb level group (Hb<110 g/L), 868 cases of normal Hb level group (110 g/L≤Hb<130 g/L), and 172 cases of high Hb level group (Hb≥130 g/L). Maternal clinical data were collected, including Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, three-point blood glucose (BG) of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and fasting insulin during the second trimester of pregnancy. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic β cell function index (HOMA-β) were used to evaluate insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function. Results: (1) Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy in GDM group was significantly higher than that in control group [(123±10),(119±11) g/L, P <0.05]. There were no significant difference in gravidity, parity, index of liver and renal function (all P> 0.05). (2) Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of OGTT were significantly increased in the high Hb level group during the first trimester of pregnancy, which were (23±4) kg/m(2), (7.3±2.0) mmol/L, and (6.5±1.4) mmol/L ( P <0.05), respectively. The pre-pregnancy BMI, 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of the normal or low Hb level group were (22±3) kg/m(2), (6.7±1.6) mmol/L, (6.1±1.2) mmol/L; (22±3) kg/m(2), (6.5±1.5) mmol/L, (5.9±1.1) mmol/L, respectively. There were no statistically significant difference in levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β within 3 groups (all P> 0.05). (3) In the high Hb level group, prevalence of pregnancy overweight or obesity and GDM were the highest, which were 37.2%(64/172) and 15.1%(26/172), respectively; the differences were statistically significant (all P <0.05). (4) The serum Hb level in the first trimester was positively related with pre-pregnancy BMI ( r =0.130, P <0.05), 1-hour BG ( r =0.129, P <0.05), 2-hour BG ( r =0.134, P <0.05), fasting insulin ( r =0.096, P <0.05), and HOMA-IR ( r =0.101, P <0.05).Logistic regression indicated that Hb≥130 g/L during the first trimester of pregnancy was an independent risk factor for GDM ( OR =2.799, 95% CI : 1.186-6.604; P <0.05). Conclusion: The high level of Hb (Hb≥130 g/L) during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with GDM.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with heterogeneous clinical manifestations influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Five novel susceptibility genes (TNIP1, SLC15A4, ETS1, RasGRP3 and IKZF1) for SLE have been identified in a recent genome-wide association study of a Chinese Han population. This study investigated their relationships with disease subphenotypes, including renal nephritis, photosensitivity, antinuclear antibody (ANA), age at diagnosis, malar rash, discoid rash, immunological disorder, oral ulcer, hematological disorder, neurological disorder, serositis, arthritis and vasculitis. Significant associations were found for the single nucleotide polymorphism rs10036748 of TNIP1 with photosensitivity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.87, p = 0.01) and vasculitis (OR = 1.18, p = 0.04); rs10847697 of SLC15A4 with discoid rash (OR = 1.18, p = 0.02); rs6590330 of ETS1 with SLE of age at diagnosis <20 years (OR = 1.24, p = 8.91 x 10(-5)); rs13385731 of RasGRP3 with malar rash (OR = 1.20, p = 0.01), discoid rash (OR = 0.78, p = 0.02) and ANA (OR = 0.72, p = 0.004); rs4917014 of IKZF1 with renal nephritis (OR = 1.13, p = 0.02) and malar rash (OR = 0.83, p = 0.00038), respectively. The study suggested that these susceptibility genes might not only play important roles in the development of SLE, but also contribute to the complex phenotypes of SLE.