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Schima superba is a precious timber and fire-resistant tree species widely distributed in southern China. Currently, there is little knowledge related to its growth traits, especially with respect to molecular breeding. The lack of relevant information has delayed the development of modern breeding. The purpose is to identify probable functional genes involved in S. superba growth through whole transcriptome sequencing. In this study, a total of 32,711 mRNAs, 525 miRNAs, 54,312 lncRNAs, and 1522 circRNAs were identified from 10 S. superba individuals containing different volumes of wood. Four possible regulators, comprising three lncRNAs, one circRNA, and eleven key miRNAs, were identified from the regulatory networks of lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA and circRNA–miRNA–mRNA to supply information on ncRNAs. Several candidate genes involved in phenylpropane and cellulose biosynthesis pathways, including Ss4CL2, SsCSL1, and SsCSL2, and transcription factors, including SsDELLA2 (SsSLR), SsDELLA3 (SsSLN), SsDELLA5 (SsGAI-like2), and SsNAM1, were identified to reveal the molecular regulatory mechanisms regulating the growth traits of S. superba. The results not merely provide candidate functional genes related to S. superba growth trait and will be useful to carry out molecular breeding, but the strategy and method also provide scientists with an effective approach to revealing mechanisms behind important economic traits in other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development and the increasing importance of the consumer market of prepared dishes in China, it is imperative to study the formation mechanism of Chinese consumers' continuous consumption intention (CCI) toward prepared dishes for promoting the sustainable development of Chinese prepared dishes industry. The aim of this study is to study the formation mechanism and the role of perceived risk and trust in it. Based on the Expectation Confirmation Model, this study constructed a model of continuous consumption intention of prepared dishes by introducing perceived risk and trust. 381 adult consumers were surveyed and the data was analyzed by an Exploratory Factor Analysis and the Partial Least Squares Structure Equation Model. The results showed that: (1) The confirmation of expectation had a significant positive impact on trust and satisfaction, a significant negative impact on the perceived risk (PR). Trust and satisfaction had a significant positive, while PR had a significant negative, impact on CCI. (2) The dimensions of PR included social, health, quality, psychological and purchasing risk, among which quality risk had a significant negative impact on CCI. (3) All dimensions of trust (ability, integrity, benevolence and government trust) had a significant positive impact on CCI, among which integrity trust played the most important role. (4) Overall, trust had a significant negative impact on PR. Benevolence trust could mitigate all dimensions of PR, integrity trust could mitigate all dimensions of PR except health risk, and ability trust, government trust could only mitigate quality risk. Therefore, the enterprises should pay high attention to the quality of their products and the establishment and maintenance of consumer trust, and the government should establish an authoritative image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of an aero control experiment apparatus (ACEA) for use in aerospace control practical courses. The ACEA incorporates a systematic multihierarchy learning and teaching method, and was designed to improve aerospace engineering students' understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control systems. It offers a number of standard experimental modules at three levels: component, system, and simulation and evaluation. The software and hardware design methods used in the modules were chosen to allow students to conduct experiments in a simple, more hands-on manner. As a result, they were able to select or reconfigure their experiments and so continuously improve their skills and extend the ACEA itself. The practical curriculum module-s-grouped in three skill levels of basic experiments, case study, and independent design--were applied in a 3-year M.Sc. course, UAV Control Systems. The marking criteria created to evaluate students' achievements are presented, along with some results of this evaluation.

Background: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of geptanolimab (GB226), a fully humanized, recombinant anti-programmed cell death-1 monoclonal antibody, in Chinese patients with refractory or relapsed (r/r) primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase II study (Gxplore-003), conducted at 43 hospitals in China (NCT03639181). Patients received geptanolimab intravenously at a dose of 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks until documented confirmed disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or any other cessation criteria was met. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in the full analysis set assessed by the independent review committee (IRC) according to the Lugano Classification 2014. Results: This study was prematurely terminated due to the slow rate of patient accrual. Between Oct 15th, 2018 and Oct 7th, 2020, 25 patients were enrolled and treated. By the data cutoff date on Dec 23rd, 2020, the IRC-assessed ORR was 68.0% (17/25; 95% confidence interval [CI] 46.5–85.1%), with the complete response rate of 24%. The disease control rate was 88% (22/25; 95%CI 68.8–97.5%). Median duration of response was not reached (NR) (95%CI, 5.62 months to NR), with 79.5% of patients having response durations of more than 12 months. Median progression-free survival was NR (95%CI, 6.83 months to NR). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 20 of 25 (80.0%) patients, and grade 3 or higher TRAEs occurred in 11 of 25 (44%) patients. No treatment-related deaths occurred. The immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of any grade were observed in 6 (24.0%) patients, and no grade 4 or grade 5 irAEs were reported. Conclusion: Geptanolimab (GB226) demonstrated promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile in Chinese patients with r/r PMBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic shed vegetable (PSV) cultivation has become an important vegetable production system in China, which accounts for about 1/4 of the total vegetable production of China. Shandong is the largest facility vegetable growing area in China. Continued years of high-input, high-output planting methods have brought some problems to the surrounding environment. Salinization has not only affected the soil and groundwater environment, but also the growth of vegetables. A comprehensive understanding of soil salinization in plastic shed vegetable fields is important for the sustainable development of the vegetable farming industry. In this paper, random survey sampling was used to collect soil samples from representative PSV production areas in Shandong Province, and the soil salinization status, acidification status, salt ion composition, and the main causes of soil salinity were studied in the survey area. Our study found that the salinized soils (mild, moderate, and severe levels) in the surveyed areas accounted for 40% of the total samples, and the total soluble salt (TSS) increased with the increase of the planting years. After continuous planting for 10 years, the soil pH showed a downward trend, indicating that salinization and acidification occurred simultaneously. A significant positive correlation was observed between TSS and soil organic matter (SOM) (r = 0.4773**). Principal component analysis found that , , , , Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, and Na+ had higher positive loads on principal component 1, the factor loads were 0.557–0.927, and the contribution rate reached 34.928%. Correlation analysis also showed that TSS was positively correlated with the concentrations of these ions (P < 0.01). The soil salinization status should be closely monitored and regulated by regulatory authorities to improve environment and soil health through balanced fertilization, thereby improving the yield and quality of vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castanopsis hystrix is a valuable native, broad-leaved, and fast-growing tree in South China. In this study, 15 phenotypic traits and 32 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of a natural population of C. hystrix and to construct a core germplasm collection by a set of 232 accessions. The results showed that the original population of C. hystrix had relatively high genetic diversity, with the number of alleles (Na), effective number of alleles (Ne), observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), Shannon's information index (I), and polymorphism information content (PIC) averaging at 26.188, 11.565, 0.863, 0.897, 2.660, and 0.889, respectively. Three sub-populations were identified based on a STRUCTURE analysis, indicating a strong genetic structure. The results from the phylogenetic and population structures showed a high level of agreement, with 232 germplasms being classified into three main groups. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) test indicated that 96% of the total variance was derived from within populations, which revealed a low differentiation among populations. A core collection composed of 157 germplasms was firstly constructed thereafter, of which the diversity parameters non-significantly differed from the original population. These results revealed the genetic diversity and population structure of C. hystrix germplasms, which have implications for germplasm management and genome-wide association studies on C. hystrix, as well as for core collection establishment applications in other wood-producing hardwood species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar production from biomass is a promising solution to tackle the energy and environmental challenges of rural China such as air pollution, soil contamination and degradation, sustainable agricultural waste management, and climate change. Small- and medium-scale (a few kW to 3 MW) gasification systems consisting of a gasification reactor and a gas engine had an energy efficiency of 15–20% and large-scale (>5 MW) systems via an integrated gasification combined cycle had an electrical efficiency of 26–30%. Low system efficiencies and high costs incurred by collection, transport, and pretreatment are some of the major barriers to the economic feasibility of biochar production systems in China. Mobile systems or distributed biochar production systems serve as promising solutions to reduce the biomass cost by utilizing locally generated waste biomass and catering for the bioenergy and biochar demands of local rural communities. From an energy application perspective, biochar production systems can generate heat and electricity, and biochar can serve as an energy storage material in supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries systems and can be used in anaerobic digestion to enhance overall energy recovery. Biochar can be used to achieve carbon sequestration and remediation of soil, and odor control in livestock farms. Systems converting locally generated biomass into energy and biochar that are used by local villages wait to be tested to clarify the intricacies of their viability and large-scale environmental and energy impacts in rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored variables associated with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including symptom burden, impact on daily life and work, obstacles during therapy, satisfaction level with therapy, and health-related quality of life in 1500 respondents with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and myelofibrosis (MF) in a multicenter, cross-sectional study across China, a representative of the developing countries. In multivariate analyses, urban household registration and higher education level were significantly-associated with no symptoms at diagnosis in respondents with ET or MF. CALR mutation was significantly-associated with lower MPN-10 scores in respondents with MF. Higher MPN-10 scores were significantly-associated with negative impact on daily life and work as well as lower satisfaction level in respondents with ET, PV and MF. Receiving ruxolitinib was significantly-associated with high satisfaction and satisfaction in respondents with MF. In addition, other demographics and clinical variables were also impacting PROs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the clinical features and prognosis of pediatric anti - N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis from a single center in northern China. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of hospitalized patients with anti -NMDAR encephalitis, stratified by age, were retrospectively studied. Risk factors including relapse and long-term (follow-up ≥1 year) outcomes were analyzed. A total of 273 patients were included between November 2011 and December 2019, and the average age of onset was 7.5 ± 4.0 years (0.5–15.8 years). Of them, 159（58.2%） were female, and the proportion of females increased with age. Seizures were the most common initial symptom. Movement disorders（86.1%） and psychiatric（82.4%） symptoms were most frequent in the acute phase. In the acute stage, the incidence of movement disorders decreased with age (χ2 = 10.676, p = 0.011), while the proportion of psychiatric symptoms increased with age (χ2 = 21.85, p < 0.001) The recurrence rate was 9.6% (24/250). Demyelination was an independent risk factor for relapse (p = 0.006, OR = 5.877, 95% CI: 1.658–20.835). Among the 210 patients who were followed up for more than one year, 28 patients had a poor prognosis (mRS ≥3). Onset age (p = 0.038，OR = 0.844, 95% CI: 0.720–0.991), precursor of viral encephalitis (p = 0.007，OR = 9.876, 95% CI: 1.878–51.940), and ICU admission (p = 0.023，OR = 5.924, 95% CI: 1.280–27.064) significantly affected the prognosis. The mortality rate was 2.9%. The characteristics of anti -NMDAR encephalitis in children are age-dependent. Early-onset, the precursor of viral encephalitis, and ICU admission may indicate poor prognosis. Demyelination may be a risk factor for recurrence. • Pediatric anti -NMDAR encephalitis has age-dependent characteristics. • Early onset, precursor of viral encephalitis, and ICU admission indicate poor prognosis. • Patintes with demyelination prone to relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branching in long-lived plants can cause scarring at the base and affect wood density, which greatly inhibits wood yield and quality. Eucalyptus urophylla is one of the most important commercial forest tree species in South China, with diverse branch number and branch angles under different genetic backgrounds. However, the main elements and regulatory mechanisms associated with different branching traits in E. urophylla remain unclear. To identify the factors that may influence branching, the transcriptome and metabolome were performed on the shoot apex (SA), lateral shoot apex (LSA), and stem segment at the 5th axillary bud from the shoot apex (S1) in lines ZQUC14 (A) and LDUD26 (B), with A exhibiting a smaller Ba than B. A total of 307.3 million high-quality clean reads and nine hormones were identified from six libraries. Several differentially expressed regulatory factors were identified between the two genotypes of E. urophylla. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, plant hormone biosynthesis and their transport pathways. Furthermore, gene expression pattern analysis identified genes that were significantly downregulated or upregulated in S1 relative to the SA and LSA segments, and the plant hormone signal transduction pathway was constructed to explain branching development. This study clarified the main plant hormones and genes underlying branch numbers and angles of E. urophylla, confirmed that ABA and SA could promote a larger branch angle and smaller branch number, while IAA has an opposite function. Numbers of key candidate genes involved in plant hormone signal transduction were found in the positive regulation of branch formation. These novel findings should aid molecular breeding of branching in Eucalyptus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a rare disease and recent approved drugs for relapsed/refractory (r/r) PTCL provided limited clinical benefit. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of geptanolimab (GB226), an anti-PD-1 antibody, in r/r PTCL patients. Methods: We did this single-arm, multicenter phase 2 study across 41 sites in China. Eligible patients with r/r PTCL received geptanolimab 3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. All patients who received at least one dose of geptanolimab and histological confirmed PTCL entered full analysis set (FAS). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in FAS assessed by the independent radiological review committee (IRRC) per Lugano 2014 criteria. Results: Between July 12, 2018, and August 15, 2019, 102 patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of geptanolimab. At the data cutoff date (August 15, 2020), the median follow-up was 4.06 (range 0.30–22.9) months. For 89 patients in FAS, 36 achieved objective response (40.4%, 95% CI 30.2–51.4), of which 13 (14.6%) were complete response and 23 (25.8%) had partial response assessed by IRRC. The median duration of response (DOR) was 11.4 (95% CI 4.8 to not reached) months per IRRC. Patients with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% derived more benefit from geptanolimab treatment compared to < 50% ones (ORR, 53.3% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.013; median PFS 6.2 vs. 1.5 months, p = 0.002). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 26 (25.5%) patients, and the most commonly observed were lymphocyte count decreased (n = 4) and platelet count decreased (n = 3). Serious adverse events were observed in 45 (44.1%) patients and 19 (18.6%) were treatment related. Conclusions: In this study, geptanolimab showed promising activity and manageable safety profile in patients with r/r PTCL. Anti-PD-1 antibody could be a new treatment approach for this patient population. Trial registration: This clinical trial was registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03502629) on April 18, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well recognized that ecological processes are scale‐dependent. Despite this recognition, the influence of scale on population density has still not been explored in detail. While the relationship between population density and overall sampling area is well known, understanding how neighborhood density varies with scale is a persistent challenge. Here, neighborhood density refers to the density of individuals occurring within a ring of radius r and width w located at distance r from the typical individual. In this study, we examined the relationship between population neighborhood density and scale. We then compared the results from the O‐ring analysis between grazed and ungrazed communities in a temperate steppe ecosystem in China. The primary grazers in this ecosystem are domesticated sheep. Our results show that (1) the relationship between neighborhood density and scale can be well described by the O‐ring function; (2) grazing has a substantial impact on neighborhood density and the impact is dependent on spatial scale; specifically, grazing increases the rate of change in neighborhood density across scales and increases plant aggregation at small scales (<0.5 m); and (3) the greater aggregation in grazed communities at larger scales can be attributed to habitat heterogeneity, while the greater aggregation at small scales is likely a result of facilitation between individuals. Together, our results demonstrate that understanding neighborhood density across scales is useful for detecting ecological phenomena and for answering important questions in community ecology, while studies without considering scale dependency of neighborhood density will result in spurious or biased conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for young people, among whom cyclists account for a higher percentage of injuries and deaths than any other road users. This study aimed to examine the factor structure of the Young Cyclist Behavior Questionnaire (YCBQ) and investigate the relationships among demographic characteristics, cycling use‐related variables, perceived risk, perceived cycling skills, and risky cycling behaviors among young people. A sample of 448 cyclists (mean age of 20.37 years) completed the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were utilized. The YCBQ had a clear factorial structure, items with high factor loadings, and good internal consistency. The five‐factor structure included traffic violations, impulsive behaviors, ordinary violations, distractions, and errors. Risky cycling behaviors could be explained by gender, age, perceived risk, and perceived cycling skills, with the model explaining 37% of the variance. Gender had the greatest impact on risky cycling behaviors; male individuals were more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Young cyclists with higher levels of perceived risk had lower probabilities of engaging in risky cycling behaviors. Cyclists with lower scores on perceived cycling skills were more likely to report engaging in risky cycling behaviors. Age significantly explained risky behaviors; the younger the cyclist was, the higher his or her risky behaviors score. This research provides a theoretical foundation for the prevention of risky behaviors among young cyclists. Regarding intervention design, attention to the identified gender differences, the need to strengthen the ability to perceive risk, and the importance of road safety education for young cyclists may promote safer cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major objective of plant ecology research is to determine the underlying processes responsible for the observed spatial distribution patterns of plant species. Plants can be approximated as points in space for this purpose, and thus, spatial point pattern analysis has become increasingly popular in ecological research. The basic piece of data for point pattern analysis is a point location of an ecological object in some study region. Therefore, point pattern analysis can only be performed if data can be collected. However, due to the lack of a convenient sampling method, a few previous studies have used point pattern analysis to examine the spatial patterns of grassland species. This is unfortunate because being able to explore point patterns in grassland systems has widespread implications for population dynamics, community‐level patterns, and ecological processes. In this study, we developed a new method to measure individual coordinates of species in grassland communities. This method records plant growing positions via digital picture samples that have been sub‐blocked within a geographical information system (GIS). Here, we tested out the new method by measuring the individual coordinates of Stipa grandis in grazed and ungrazed S. grandis communities in a temperate steppe ecosystem in China. Furthermore, we analyzed the pattern of S. grandis by using the pair correlation function g(r) with both a homogeneous Poisson process and a heterogeneous Poisson process. Our results showed that individuals of S. grandis were overdispersed according to the homogeneous Poisson process at 0–0.16 m in the ungrazed community, while they were clustered at 0.19 m according to the homogeneous and heterogeneous Poisson processes in the grazed community. These results suggest that competitive interactions dominated the ungrazed community, while facilitative interactions dominated the grazed community. In sum, we successfully executed a new sampling method, using digital photography and a geographical information system, to collect experimental data on the spatial point patterns for the populations in this grassland community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the length of electrified railway systems has increased along with the number of railway vehicles in China. For the pantograph-catenary system, as one of the key components of the vehicle system, an urgent problem includes diagnosing faults and proposing a safety monitoring system to assure safe operation, improve the level of detection, and decrease the cost of maintenance and repairs. For the monitoring system based on the pantograph, the design process, whole architecture, function module, fault diagnosis method, and monitoring scheme have been investigated. Two specified faults were introduced to describe how to develop such a monitoring scheme based on the pantograph condition-based recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire designed to measure the behaviour of Chinese bicyclists is explored. • The questionnaire-based investigation was conducted among 547 bicyclists in Hefei, China. • Factor analysis showed that the data best fitted the four-factor solution, which explained 47.28% of the total variance. • The factors were named "rule and aggressive violations", "ordinary violations", "personal control errors" and "distractions". • Rule and aggressive violations, ordinary violations and distractions were related to self-reported crashes. The current study developed the Chinese Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire (CCBQ) to measure the behaviours of Chinese bicyclists, investigated the factorial structure of aberrant cycling behaviour, and assessed which types of behaviour were related to bicyclists' self-reported crashes. The questionnaire-based investigation was conducted among 547 bicyclists in Hefei, China, and 25 items were ultimately found to have good reliability and validity. Factor analysis showed that the data best fit the four-factor solution, which explained 47.28% of the total variance. The factors were named rule and aggressive violations , ordinary violations , personal control errors and distractions. On average, male bicyclists reported higher rates of rule and aggressive violations , ordinary violations and distractions than females, and young bicyclists were more prone to these aberrant behaviours than older bicyclists. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that rule and aggressive violations , ordinary violations and distractions were related to self-reported crashes. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to investigating which countermeasures may effectively reduce the crash involvement of bicyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Driving speed is a major concern for driving safety under reduced visibility conditions. Many factors affect speed selection in low visibility, but few studies have been conducted examining drivers' characteristics, particularly in China. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between drivers' demographic information, driving ability, and speed choice in low-visibility conditions using a sample of Chinese drivers.Methods: A self-designed driving ability scale was used to assess driving ability in reduced visibility conditions. The reliability and validity of 306 gathered questionnaires were examined in this article, and a structural equation model (SEM) was built to explore the predictors of drivers' speed selection behavior under reduced visibility conditions and to measure the relationships between various factors.Results: Age and driving experience have no direct relationship to speed selection behavior in reduced visibility, but the frequency of using expressways and annual mileage are significantly related to the speed on roads that have a speed restriction of 80 or 120 km/h. Under reduced visibility conditions, driving ability has a significant effect on speed selection behavior, and driving skill (DS) is the most influential on speed selection behavior on roads with a speed limit of 120 km/h; otherwise, the effect of risk perception (RP) does not differ by speed choice on 3 roads with different speed limits. Driving speed in good weather also has a positive influence on speed selection behavior in low visibility.Conclusion: Driving ability is directly associated with speed selection in reduced visibility conditions, and some demographic data indirectly influence speed selection. This study provides useful recommendations for drivers' training programs to reduce casualties from accidents in low-visibility conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, it is very common for drivers to illegally occupy the motorway emergency lane; this behavior arouses widespread public concern, as it threatens traffic safety. The goal of the current research was to explore the behavioral motivation that leads drivers to illegally occupy the motorway emergency lane to provide a theoretical foundation for discouraging this behavior. First, a payoff matrix of drivers and traffic administration departments was constructed. Then, a driver payoff questionnaire and a traffic administration department payoff questionnaire were developed and administered; the regression analysis based on the ordinary least squares was applied to the results to determine the weight coefficients of the payoff influence variables. In addition, based on the established payoff matrix, an evolutionary game model of drivers and traffic administration departments was established. The local stability principle of a dynamic system was applied to determine the evolutionarily stable strategy of different strategy payoff relationships, and specific administrative measures based on the evolutionarily stable strategy were presented. Finally, the strategy selection processes of both players were simulated before and after the adjustments to payoff influence variables. The simulation results showed that the presented model can reflect the actual decision-making processes of both players; the adjustment of the payoff influence variables made both players' decision-making process evolves toward the ideal state. By systematically exploring the strategy selection processes of both players, this study provides a new way to analyze the behavioral motivation and offers traffic administration departments a theoretical foundation for governing this behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are referred to as liver transaminases. Although used routinely in clinical practice for decades, their role as predictors of mortality has not been examined until recently. We studied the predictive value of these serum transaminases in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: We analyzed records of 2417 consecutive STEMI patients with no preexisting liver disease who were treated with primary PCI at the Cardiovascular Center in the First Hospital of Jilin University. The outcomes measured were all-cause mortality at the first month and at 2 years. The relationship between the baseline serum transaminase levels and primary outcome was determined.Results: We found a significant correlation between elevated liver transaminases and the Killip classification (P < 0.001 for ALT; P < 0.001 for AST), cardiac troponin I (P = 0.002 for ALT; P < 0.001 for AST), infarct-related coronary artery (P = 0.036 for ALT; P = 0.011 for AST), and pre-thrombolysis-in-myocardial-infarction (pre-TIMI) flow (P < 0.001 for ALT and AST). The serum level of ALT and AST were high along with the increasing of the grade of Killip classification. The primary infarct-related coronary artery in patients with ALT ≥95th percentage was left anterior descending artery (56%), followed by right coronary artery (36%). The OR for all-cause mortality at 2 years for participants with ALT ≥95th percentage was 5.370 (95% CI: 2.899-9.948), 7.034 (95% CI: 3.718-13.307) after adjustment for age and gender and 1.051 (95% CI: 0.302-3.652) after adjustment for all covariables. The OR for all-cause mortality at 2 years for participants with AST ≥95th percentage was 5.370 (95% CI 2.899-9.948) and 5.699 (95% CI 3.030-10.718) after adjustment for age and gender and 1.796 (95% CI: 0.588-5.481) after adjustment for all covariables. ALT (HR 1.004, 95% CI 1.001-1.006, P = 0.010) and AST (HR 0.999, 95% CI 0.998-1.000, P = 0.030) were associated with early all-cause mortality in patients with STEMI treated with PCI but not at 2 years post-procedure, unless for AST and ALT levels ≥95th percentage. Moreover, short- and long-term outcomes were significantly worse when both AST and ALT levels ≥95th percentage (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Serum transaminases ≥95th percentage were associated with a significantly increased incidence of short- and long-term all-cause mortality.Trial Registration: Registration number: ChiCTR-EPC-16008199 , 31 March 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrians’ Red-light running behavior is one of the most critical factors for pedestrian involved traffic crashes at intersections in China. The primary objective of this study is to explore how various factors affect pedestrians’ red-light running behaviors at intersection areas, using the data collected from Hefei, China. A questionnaire was well designed aiming at collecting pedestrians’ socio-economic characteristics, trip related features, and attribute variables in different crossing facilities. Based on 631 valid samples, a binomial logistic model was established to evaluate the impacts of contributing factors on pedestrians’ red-light running behavior. The modeling results show that four variables significantly affect the probability of pedestrians’ red-light running behavior, which are the trip purpose, time period in one day, pedestrian’s attitude towards whether to run a red light when in hurry, and pedestrian’s attitude towards whether quality of road facility affects crossing behavior. With those variables, the probability of pedestrians’ red-light running behavior at intersections could be predicted. Findings of this study can help understand why pedestrians in China run red-lights and identify which pedestrian groups and intersections are more likely to have such behaviors. This study can also help propose countermeasures more efficiently to reduce pedestrian-related crashes at intersections in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on driving have found connections among age, gender, perceived driving ability, self-regulatory behavior and driving intentions. However, young and mid-aged drivers' willingness to drive in old age has not been examined in prior studies. The aim of the present study was to gain a better understanding of Chinese drivers' willingness to drive in old age as well as the influence of predictors of this willingness. A sample of 334 participants (aged 20-62 years) completed the perceived driving abilities scale, the driving willingness scale and scales of driving behavior and general information. A multivariate logistic model was used to explore the factors that changed individuals' willingness to drive in old age. The results indicated that drivers' willingness to drive in old age was significantly correlated with age, current driving experience and perceived driving ability in the future. With respect to drivers' perceived driving abilities, visual acuity and executive skills were important predictors of drivers' willingness to drive in old age. In addition, both subjective attitudes and objective attitudes significantly impaired drivers' willingness. Conversely, we found that drivers' willingness to drive increased with restrictive measures. These findings extend our understanding of how attitudes and awareness can influence drivers' willingness to drive in old age. Although drivers' current willingness may subsequently change, the findings are valuable for the study of the driving behavior of older drivers in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional water allocation at a regional or basin scale can be too coarse to be used in a local area such as a village. For example, in the hilly area of Sichuan Basin the landform is fragmented and land use pattern consists of small farms. Furthermore, seasonal drought occurs frequently due to spatially and temporally variability in rainfall patterns. These droughts often lead to a reduction in crop yield or no yield at all. Due to the remoteness and scale of the farms, the farm populations are dependent on the annual crop yield. A poor harvest can mean serious hardships to the farmers. In order to mitigate the seasonal drought we first analyzed the drought characteristics from both meteorological and soil aspects. The results showed that both the spring droughts and canicular days (dog-day) droughts had in excess of a 60% chance of occurring. Using a water balance approach, we found that a series of storage ponds and bunds could greatly reduce the impact of these droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the origin of the Huang-Lao school of thought in China. Appearance of the Yellow Emperor's name; Categories of the Huang-Lao school of thought; Appearance of the term Huang-Lao.

A portable Single Sphere Neutron Spectrometer (SSNS) is designed to measure the neutron energy spectrum in the mixed radiation field. The spectrometer consists of a 30 cm diameter single polyethylene moderating sphere with 19 pieces 6Li and 1-piece 7Li glass scintillator detectors located at the orthogonal X/Y/Z axis. The output signals from each detector are processed and readout by the Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) and the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) electronic system. The neutron energy responses of portable SSNS are calibrated in the mono-energetic neutron reference fields (144 keV, 1.2 MeV, 5 MeV, 14.8 MeV) based on the 5SDH-2 tandem accelerator in China Institute of Atomic Energy, which are also simulated from 0.0253 eV to 20 MeV by Monte Carlo simulation. The performance of portable SSNS is tested at different distances in 241Am–Be neutron reference radiation field in National Institute of Metrology, China. The fluence response of SSNS is about 0.28 cm2 for 241Am–Be neutron source. • A portable Single Sphere Neutron Spectrometer (SSNS) is designed to measure the neutron energy spectrum. • The output signals from each detector are processed and readout by the SiPMs and the ASIC electronic system. • The SSNS is calibrated in monoenergetic neutron reference radiation fields. • The neutron energy responses are simulated by Monte Carlo simulation. • The performance of portable SSNS is tested in 241Am–Be neutron reference radiation field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Cycling Anger Expression Inventory (CAX) was tested among Chinese cyclists. • The CAX showed good construct validity and reliability in the Chinese context. • Cyclists mostly expressed road anger in an adaptive/constructive manner. • Frequencies of verbal or physical aggression were relatively low among cyclists. • CAX scores were related to sex, EI, trait aggression, cycling anger and violations. Anger and aggression on the road has been generally considered as one potential contributor to traffic crashes. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding road anger among cyclists, mainly whether cyclists would express road anger in an aggressive method. This study aimed to adapt the Cycling Anger Expression Inventory (CAX) to the Chinese context and to explore road anger expression forms among Chinese cyclists. The CAX was translated into Chinese and administered to a sample of 392 active cyclists to investigate its psychometric properties. The scale was then validated using a different sample of 505 active cyclists by examining its relationship with cyclists' trait aggression, trait emotional intelligence (EI), cycling anger, cycling violations and crash involvement. The CAX yielded a three-factor solution with 13 items, revealing three primary anger expression forms: adaptive/constructive response, verbal aggression and personal physical aggression. Among the three forms, cyclists primarily dealt with road anger adaptively or constructively, while the frequencies of aggressive expression were relatively low. Male cyclists were more likely to express cycling anger aggressively than females. More adaptive/constructive responses and less aggression were significantly related to a lower level of trait aggression, stronger trait EI, lower cycling anger proneness, and fewer cycling violations. Cyclists' expressions of road anger did not show significant relationships with age, weekly cycling distance or crash involvement. The Chinese version of the CAX demonstrated satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency reliability. Chinese cyclists' anger expression pattern was similar to that of Danish and Australian cyclists in the existing literature. The CAX could be used as a valid tool for assessing cycling anger expression and would facilitate the development of effective measures targeting cycling aggression to promote cycling safety in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 96%-point mutations (30 alleles in 11 genes) and 4%-deletions were identified as the cause of 14 phenotypes in 262 patients of children with MDs caused by pathogenic mtDNA variants. To our knowledge, this is the largest multi-center study focused on mtDNA variations systematically. • We delineated the genotype and phenotype spectrum and their correlation of mtDNA-associated MDs. • For a suspected MELAS, m.3243A > G mutation is recommended to detect first in both blood and urine. For a suspected LS in clinical, trios-WES and mtDNA genome sequencing by NGS both in blood and urine are recommended first. • We highlight avoiding overdiagnosis and overtreatment through rigorous assessment of pathogenicity. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) associated mitochondrial diseases hold a crucial position but comprehensive and systematic studies are relatively rare. Among the 262 patients of four children's hospitals in China, 96%-point mutations (30 alleles in 11 genes encoding tRNA, rRNA, Complex I and V) and 4%-deletions (seven of ten had not been reported before) were identified as the cause of 14 phenotypes. MILS presented the highest genetic heterogeneity, while the m.3243A > G mutation was the only "hotspot" mutation with a wide range of phenotypes. The degrees of heteroplasmy in the leukocytes of MM were higher than MELAS. The heteroplasmy level of patients was higher than that in mild and carrier group, while we found low-level heteroplasmy pathogenic mutations as well. Some homoplasmic variations (e.g., m.9176 T > C mutation) are having high incomplete penetrance. For a suspected MELAS, m.3243A > G mutation was recommended to detect first; while for a suspected LS, trios-WES and mtDNA genome sequencing by NGS were recommended first in both blood and urine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Pearl River Delta of China, many sites are likely contaminated with aniline in the soil and arsenic (As) in the groundwater because of a high As background level and the prevailing printing and dyeing industry. This study is to explore the remediation performance of thermally activated persulfate oxidation for the sites with these two contaminants, aniline and As. The As influence on the aniline degradation and vice versa are also systematically investigated. When the molar ratio of aniline to persulfate is 1: 4.65, over 85% of aniline can be degraded at 40 °C in 24 h, and 100 μg L−1 As(III) in solution can be completely adsorbed by the soil. A higher pH favored the aniline degradation but disfavored the As(III) oxidation. Due to the strong buffer capacity of the soil, aniline in the soil could be more quickly degraded than those in the solution. The As(III), however, seem more easily oxidized in the absence of soil. The coexisting Fe2+ can substantially improve As(III) oxidation and immobilization, although the dilute Fe2+ solution may suppress the aniline degradation. The presence of aniline severely inhibited the As(III) oxidation and adsorption, likely due to the competition for the generated free radicals and the adsorption sites on the soils. In contrast, the existing As(III) has a slight effect on aniline degradation. These findings are believed to provide the theoretical basis for the remediation of aniline-arsenic contaminated sites. [Display omitted] • A high pH favors aniline degradation by persulfate but disfavors As(III) oxidation. • Aniline in the soil can be faster degraded than in a solution without a buffer. • Fe2+ can improve As(III) oxidation by persulfate and immobilization. • Aniline severely inhibits As(III) oxidation and delays As(V) adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acheulian tools with their associated level of cognizance heralded a major threshold in the evolution of hominin technology, culture and behavior. Thus, unraveling occurrence ages of Acheulian technology across different regions worldwide constitutes a key aspect of understanding the archeology of early human evolution. Here we present a magneto-cyclochronology for the Acheulian assemblage from Sanmenxia Basin, Loess Plateau, North China. Our results place a sequence of stable normal and reversed paleomagnetic polarities within a regional lithostratigraphic context. The Acheulian assemblage is dated to be older than the Matuyama–Brunhes boundary at 0.78 Ma, and is found in strata that are probably equivalent to a weak paleosol subunit within loess layer L 9 in the Chinese loess-paleosol sequence, which corresponds to marine isotope stage (MIS) 23, a relatively subdued interglacial period with age range of ∼0.89–0.92 Ma. This age of ∼0.9 Ma implies that Acheulian stone tools were unambiguously present in North China during the Early Pleistocene. It distinctly enlarges the geographic distribution of Acheulian technology and brings its occurrence in North China back into the Early Pleistocene, which is contemporaneous with its first emergence in Europe. Combined with other archeological records, the larger area over which Acheulian technology existed in East Asia during the terminal Early Pleistocene has important implications for understanding early human occupation of North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the types of situations that caused drivers to become angry when driving in China by examining the characteristics of a sample of professional drivers. The revised Chinese version of a 19-item driving anger scale (DAS) was used to examine driving anger amongst a sample of 132 professional drivers. The resultant data were analyzed by conducting principal components analysis, reliability and validity tests, producing four categories of anger provoking situations: discourtesy, traffic obstructions, illegal driving and slow driving. Compared with studies conducted in USA and Malaysia, the present study showed that Chinese professional drivers experienced lower levels of driving anger. Regarding demographics and descriptive variables, age, driving experience, and mileage were weakly correlated with driving anger, whereas preferred speed was positively significantly related to driving anger. In addition, personality differences in driving anger also existed as drivers with Type A personality and those in the middle of this continuum reported higher levels of anger than those with Type B personality. When facing certain traffic scenarios, drivers in the anger-out and the anger-in group were found to have higher anger scores than those in the anger-control group. Importantly, for professional drivers, preferred speed and anger expression were found to be important variables in predicting driving anger. Based on the survey and the comprehensive data analyses, this study provides a valuable contribution to developing the Chinese version of the DAS as a reliable and valid tool to measure driving anger among Chinese professional drivers and demonstrates the possible need for interventions among certain personality types to minimize the safety consequences of driver anger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 16MnR steel is widely used in pressure vessel in China and its ratcheting and fatigue behavior have attracted numerous interest during the past years. In this study, a series of experiments were performed on the uniaxial ratcheting deformation of 16MnR steel. The effects of stress amplitude and mean stress on the ratcheting strain were discussed under uniaxial asymmetrical stress cycling. It shows that ratcheting strain and ratcheting strain rate increase with mean stress and stress amplitude increased under the same stress amplitude and mean stress. At the same time, the increasing ratcheting strain causes fatigue damage, which reduces fatigue life of the material. With the mean stress increased, the fatigue life decreases correspondingly. The fatigue lives obtained from the fully reversed uniaxial loading are also compared with the ratcheting-fatigue experiment results. Finally, the modified model based on Ohno–Wang model by Chen and Jiao is used to predict ratcheting strain. The modified model predicts the uniaxial ratcheting strain of 16MnR steel till 400 cycles very well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical spectrum and pathogenesis associated with KMT2B variants in Chinese children with dystonia or developmental delay., Methods: We reported twenty-seven (fourteen males and thirteen females) pediatric patients with KMT2B variants identified via next-generation sequencing from a single Chinese center. Moreover, transcriptomics and proteomics assays were performed on fibroblasts from patients with different genotypes to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms involved., Results: Twenty-six patients had dystonia including generalized dystonia (n = 19), multifocal dystonia (n = 6), and segmental dystonia (n = 1), and one patient had nondystonic severe-developmental delay (DD). All the twenty-six patients had complex dystonia compounded with other manifestations of movement disorders (tremor (n = 6), myoclonus (n = 5), status dystonicus (n = 2), and tic (n = 1)) or dysmorphic features and developmental delay. The onset of dystonia was between 1 month and 13 years 8 months (median 4 years 4 months). Dystonia was aggravated by fever (n = 11), and diurnal and climate fluctuations (n = 4). Eleven patients underwent deep brain stimulation and experienced significant improvements in motor function and disability. We identified twenty-six intragenic heterozygous KMT2B pathogenic variants and one Chr:19q13.12 contiguous gene deletion. Sixteen variants were novel. Differentially expressed genes induced by KMT2B variants were significantly enriched for mitochondria-related biological processes in patient fibroblasts. As a result, mitochondrial morphology of mitochondria was altered, and aerobic respiration was impaired., Conclusion: Our study reports the pediatric cases of KMT2B-related disorder from a single center in China. Additionally, our study highlights the role of KMT2B variants in mitochondrial dysfunction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None for all authors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Standardized construction of China Chest Pain Center improves outcomes in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A total 778 patients with a definite diagnosis of STEMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in our hospital from March 2017 to November 2022 were selected. Among them, 194 patients admitted from March 2017 to December 2019 were included as the pre-continuous improvement period (control group), and 584 patients admitted from January 2020 to November 2022 were included as the continuous improvement period (study group). Major quality control indicators were compared between the 2 groups. In continuous improvement period, the time of electrocardiograph (ECG) diagnosis, time of dual antiplatelet drug administration, troponin I return time, catheter activation time, and door to wire (D2W) were all significantly shorter than those in the pre-continuous improvement period (P < .05). The reperfusion rate of patients in the continuous improvement period was 98.12%, which was significantly higher than that in the pre-continuous improvement period (92.78%; P < .001). The mortality rate of STEMI patients in continuous improvement period was 3.42%, lower than 4.64% in the pre-continuous improvement period with no statistical difference (P = .439). Age, previous history of coronary artery disease, and high Killip class (Killip III-IV) were derived as independent risk factors for death by logistic regression analysis (OR＞1, P < .05). Continuous improvement of the chest pain center can effectively shorten the treatment time of STEMI patients, improve the reperfusion rate, and improve myocardial blood supply by restoring TIMI blood flow as early as possible., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

In North China, iodine-rich groundwater has been extensively studied, but few in South China. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of iodine-rich groundwater in South China and identify potential contamination sources. The results revealed that the average concentration of iodine in groundwater was 890 µg/L, with a maximum concentration of 6350 µg/L, exceeding the permitted levels recommended by the World Health Organization (5-300 µg/L). Notably, the enrichment of iodide occurred in acidic conditions (pH = 6.6) and a relatively low Eh environment (Eh = 198.4 mV). Pearson correlation and cluster analyses suggested that the enrichment of iodide could be attributed to the intensified redox process involving Mn(II), iodine (I 2 ), or iodate (IO 3 - ) in the soil. The strong affinity between Mn(II) and I 2 /IO 3 - facilitated their interaction, resulting in the formation and mobilization of I - from the soil to the groundwater. Leaching experiments further confirmed that reducing substances (such as sodium sulfides, ascorbic acids, and fulvic acids) in the soil with low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels (< 1.0 mg/L) enhanced the dissolution of iodine species. Conversely, higher DO content (> 3.8 mg/L) promoted the oxidation of I - into I 2 enrichment in groundwater in South China, and emphasizes the significance of the redox reactions involving Mn(II) and I 3 - , leading to its stabilization. This research provides new insights into the characteristics and mechanisms of I - enrichment in groundwater in South China, and emphasizes the significance of the redox reactions involving Mn(II) and I 2 /IO 3 - , as well as the influence of soil properties in regulating the occurrence and transportation of iodine species within groundwater systems., 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.)

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of three Chinese pedigrees affected with Genetic epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+)., Methods: Three GEFS+ probands and their pedigree members presented at the Children's Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to December 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the pedigrees were collected. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the probands, and Sanger sequencing was used to verify the candidate variants., Results: Proband 1 was a 3-year-and-2-month-old male with febrile seizure plus. His father, two aunts, grandmother, aunt grandmother, uncle grandfather, and paternal great-grandmother also had onset of febrile seizures at 1 ~ 2 years of age with remission before 6 years old. Proband 2 was a 1-year-and-4-month-old male with complex febrile seizure. His mother, maternal uncle, and maternal grandmother also had febrile seizures before 5 ~ 6 years of age. Proband 3 was a 3-year-and-11-month-old male with febrile seizure plus. His father and grandfather also had febrile seizures plus with remission at 7 ~ 8 years of age. Genetic testing revealed that proband 1 had harbored a paternally derived heterozygous SCN1A: c.1613T>C variant, proband 2 had harbored a maternally derived heterozygous SCN1A: c.2804A>G variant, and proband 3 had harbored a paternally derived heterozygous SCN1A: c.1271T>C variant. All of the three variants were predicted as likely pathogenic based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (PM1+PM2&#95;Supporting+PP1+PP3+PP4)., Conclusion: The c.1613T>C, c.2804A>G and c.1271T>C variants probably underlay the pathogenesis of GEFS+ in these pedigrees.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in colorectal cancer screening., Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 5,598 participants age 40-74 years between 2012 and 2020 in Tianjin, China. Inverse probability weighting was adopted to adjust for potential imbalanced factors between groups. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the weighted associations between FIT screening and advanced colorectal neoplasia. A difference-in-difference (DID) model was adopted to compare the incidence rates of advanced colorectal neoplasia between groups., Results: In DID analysis, the rate of incidence was reduced by 0.34 cases per person-years in the screening group as compared with the historical FIT screening group (rate ratio [RR], 0.08 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.10]) and by 0.06 cases per person-years in the non-FIT screening group as compared with the historical non-FIT screening group (RR, 0.37 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.48]; P < .001 for both comparisons), with a relative reduction of 0.28. Similar benefit effect from FIT screening was observed in sex and age subgroups., Conclusion: FIT screening was associated with a reduction in incidence density from advanced colorectal neoplasia.

Introduction: Compensatory mouth breathing, caused by nasopharyngeal obstructive diseases, is the main cause of hyperdivergent mandibular retrognathia in children. Such deformities require effective growth guidance before pubertal growth peaks. The traditional mandibular advancement device, twin block (TB), can guide the forward development of the mandible. However, the side effect of increasing the vertical dimension of the lower facial third, worsens the facial profile of children with divergent growth trends. To solve this problem, a modified TB (LLTB) appliance was designed to control the vertical dimension by intruding incisors and inhibiting the elongation of posterior teeth during the advancement of the mandible, which could avoid the side effects of traditional appliances and effectively guide the growth of the mandible in a normal direction., Methods and Analysis: The study was designed as a single-centre, single-blind, randomised, parallel controlled trial. We aim to enrol 60 children aged 9-14 years with hyperdivergent skeletal class II malocclusion, using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The participants were will be randomly assigned to receive either the TB or LLTB treatment. The primary outcome will be a change in the angle of the mandibular plane relative to the anterior cranial base. The secondary outcomes will include changes in the sagittal maxillomandibular relation, occlusal plane, facial height, morphology of the mandible and upper airway width. Safety endpoints will also be evaluated., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of Shanghai Stomatological Hospital. Both participants and their guardians will be fully informed of the study and sign an informed consent form before participating in the trial. The results will be publicly available in peer-reviewed scientific journals., Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2000035882., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Indigenous plants growing in mining spoils for phytoremediation have attracted great interest. To search the suitable plants, six plant species popular in the mine slag heaps of Gejiu City were collected and metal concentrations in plants and rhizosphere soils were analyzed. Results showed that the soils were greatly influenced by mine activities and heavy metal contents in plants were dependent upon those in the rhizosphere soils. However, the adaptation strategies varied among them. Bothriochloa ischcemum (Linn.) Keng and Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. had the Cr bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of 1.48 and 1.34, respectively, even though the rhizosphere soils were not contaminated by Cr. However, B. ischaemum and Agave americana Linn. showed the BAF for Pb, Zn Cu and Sn < 1.0, and Cyperus rotundus Linn. showed the similarly low BAF for Zn and Cu. Therefore, the three species had a great tolerance to phytostabilize these metals. Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) Schult showed the translocation factor (TF) > 1.0 for Pb, Cu and Sn, so translocating these metals to the aboveground parts would be a feasible option. Similarly, Euphorbia cyathophora Murr. demonstrated the high phytotranslocate capacity for Cd and Sn, so it could be employed to remedy Cd and Sn-contaminated soils.

Background: The effects of climatic conditions on the prevalence of individual influenza (sub)types are not well understood in the subtropics. This study aims to evaluate the associations between meteorological factors and seasonal epidemics of A(H3N2), A(H1N1)pdm09, and type B influenza viruses, as well as to estimate the interactions between climatic variables in a subtropical basin region., Methods: The seasonality of influenza (sub)types during 2010-2019 were characterized in Chengdu Plain Economic Zone, a densely populated and highly humid plain area in Sichuan Basin in subtropical Southwest China. Generalized additive models were adopted to assess the independent exposure-response relationship between meteorological variables and influenza prevalence. The interactions of meteorological variables were further estimated using bivariate response surface models and strata models., Results: Our analyses indicated that the temperature, relative humidity, and absolute humidity have exhibited a major influence on influenza infection in Chengdu Plain Economic Zone. Low temperature was shown to promote the prevalence of A(H1N1)pdm09 and type B in winter-spring days at all levels of relative humidity. High risk of A(H3N2) infections was observed at low temperature or high temperature, and at higher relative humidity. Moreover, absolute humidity decreased or increased influenza (sub)type infections within different ranges., Conclusions: This study found different nonlinear relationships between meteorological factors and the seasonality of influenza (sub)types, as well as significant interactive effects between climatic variables, contributing to the research on the climate drivers of influenza prevalence in warm-humid basin regions in the subtropics., 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 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Based on accident data from the China Chemical Accident Information Network, detailed information was obtained from 2657 hazardous chemicals road transportation accidents (HCRTAs) and 148 evacuations caused by these accidents that occurred in China from 2012 to 2020. The characteristics and the development trend of the present HCRTAs in China and the rate of emergency are obtained via statistical analysis. Based on the probability of evacuation scenarios via historical statistics, the social cost of labor loss value of participating emergency responders, and evacuees' placement and transfer cost as the consequences of evacuation events, an evacuation event grading model based on social risk assessment is constructed. Evaluating and classifying the risk of evacuation events caused by HCRTAs (148), the results demonstrated that the social risk caused by emergency scenarios F&#95;61 (leakage due to overturning of hazardous chemical vehicles, which led to evacuation) and F&#95;91 (leakage due to rear-end of hazardous chemical vehicles, which led to evacuation) was higher than other emergency scenarios. To reduce the dangers caused by HCRTAs, the framework for improving the emergency response capacity of communities is discussed and analyzed based on five aspects, which comprise land use planning, city construction, education promotion, information construction, and the layout of emergency resources.

Previous studies have demonstrated that language impairments are frequently observed in patients with benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS). However, how BECTS affects language processing in the Chinese population remains unclear. With the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an overt picture-naming task, the present study examined functional connectivity in 27 children with BECTS and 26 healthy controls. The results indicated that children with BECTS showed altered functional connectivity associated with speech production between the left precuneus and the right cerebellum, between the right precuneus and the bilateral thalamus and the left superior temporal gyrus, between the right cuneus and the right postcentral gyrus and the right inferior parietal lobule, and between the right cerebellum and right middle frontal gyrus. Collectively, the findings in this study demonstrate the abnormal functional connectivity basis of speech production in Chinese children with BECTS, providing clues to understanding the brain mechanisms of language-related network in patients with BECTS., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients might still experience major adverse cardiovascular events even with dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention. Our study aimed to explore the impact of gene polymorphism on clinical outcomes in one-year follow-up. Methods: A total of 171 patients treated with dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention from April to December 2020 in the first hospital of Jilin University enrolled in this study. Results: PEAR1 genetic polymorphisms was associated with the arachidonic acid (AA) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) platelet aggregation. Hyperglycemia was associated with the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events. PEAR1  GA+AA genetic genetic polymorphisms is associated with hyperglycemia. Conclusion: PEAR1 GG is a risk factor for AA and ADP platelet aggregation. Hyperglycemia can effect the one-year outcome. PEAR1 GA+AA genetic polymorphisms are associated with hyperglycemia.

Background: The study aimed to investigate the clinical and genetic features of Rahman syndrome caused by HIST1H1E gene mutations., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical information and genetic testing results of a Rahman syndrome family in an outpatient clinic in August 2020 and summarized the clinical characteristics of the HIST1H1E gene mutations in conjunction with peer-reviewed reports., Results: A 4-year-old boy was diagnosed with severe developmental delay and with specific features (large head, full cheeks, high hairline, low-set ear, sparse eyebrows, and short neck) similar to his mother (mild intellectual disability, high hairline, reduced hair, ptosis, sagging skin, and hyperkeratosis) and premature aging. Trio whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed a novel maternal c.368dup (p.G124Rfs*72) heterozygous mutation in the HIST1H1E gene. There have been only a few reported cases with mainly de novo mutations. Only six peer-reviewed articles in English and one in Chinese have been published regarding this syndrome. From 48 children with Rahman syndrome, 21 were males and 27 were females encompassing 25 mutations in the HIST1H1E gene. All mutations located in C-terminal tail were frameshift mutations leading to premature protein termination., Conclusion: Rahman syndrome, caused by the HIST1H1E gene mutation, is a rare autosomal dominant disorder in which the patient has an unusual facial appearance with high hairline and full cheeks, and clinical manifestations of mild to severe intellectual disability, motor delay and speech delay. Genetic testing may assist in the diagnosis of these patients. This diagnosis will permit early speech rehabilitation to improve their quality of life., (© 2022 The Authors. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: A colorectal cancer screening programme (CCSP) was implemented from 2012 to 2017 in Tianjin, China. Residents with a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) or positive self-reported symptom questionnaire (SRSQ) were recommended to undergo colonoscopy. The objective was to investigate the potential factors associated with nonadherence to colonoscopy among a risk-increased population., Methods: Data were obtained from the CCSP database, and 199,522 residents with positive FIT or positive SRSQ during two screening rounds (2012-2017) were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between nonadherence to colonoscopy and potential predictors., Results: A total of 152,870 (76.6%) individuals did not undergo colonoscopy after positive FIT or positive SRSQ. Residents with positive SRSQ but without positive FIT were more likely not to undergo colonoscopy (negative FIT: OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 2.29-2.41, no FIT: OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.24-1.31). Patients without a cancer history were less likely to undergo colonoscopy even if they received risk-increased reports based on the SRSQ., Conclusion: In the CCSP, seventy-seven percent of the risk-increased population did not undergo colonoscopy. FIT should be recommended since positive FIT results are related to improved adherence to colonoscopy. Residents with negative FIT but positive SRSQ should be informed of the potential cancer risk to ensure adherence to colonoscopy.

Childhood-onset dystonia with optic atrophy and basal ganglia abnormalities is an extremely rare autosomal recessive mitochondrial disease caused by biallelic mutations in MECR. Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified a novel homozygous MECR mutation (c.910G > T, p.Asp304Tyr) in a Chinese patient with childhood-onset dystonia and basal ganglia abnormalities, without optic atrophy. With lipoic acid treatment, the disease progression was under control, and neither visual impairment nor optic atrophy was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first study about MECR-related mitochondrial disease in a Chinese patient and the first to report that supplementation with lipoic acid is a possible effective therapeutic strategy for this disease., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is widely used as the alternative choice for pregnant women at high-risk of fetal aneuploidy. However, whether NIPS has a good detective efficiency for pregnant women at advanced maternal age (AMA) has not been fully studied especially in Chinese women., Methods: Twenty-nine thousand three hundred forty-three pregnant women at AMA with singleton pregnancy who received NIPS and followed-up were recruited. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the Youden Index for detecting fetal chromosomal aneuploidies were analyzed. The relationship between maternal age and common fetal chromosomal aneuploidy was observed., Results: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV of NIPS for detecting fetal trisomy 21 were 99.11, 99.96, 90.98, and 100%, respectively. These same parameters for detecting fetal trisomy 18 were 100, 99.94, 67.92, and 100%, respectively. Finally, these parameters for detecting trisomy 13 were 100, 99.96, 27.78, and 100%, respectively. The prevalence of fetal trisomy 21 increased exponentially with maternal age. The high-risk percentage incidence rate of fetal trisomy 21 was significantly higher in the pregnant women at 37 years old or above than that in pregnant women at 35 to 37 years old. (Youden index = 37)., Conclusion: It is indicated that NIPS is an effective prenatal screening method for pregnant women at AMA.

The distributions of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in soils and their ecological effects attract much attention, while site-scale data are still scarce. In this study, a comprehensive investigation was performed to understand the CP distributions at a CP production plant brownfield site, as well as their effects on soil microbial community. Short-, medium- and long-chain CPs (SCCPs, MCCPs, LCCPs) were detected in most samples with total contents ranging ND-5,090, ND-6,670, and ND-1450 ng g -1 (dw), respectively. A CP-hotspot was observed 10 m beneath the synthesis workshop, indicating the downward migration of CPs. The consistence of soil SCCP congener profiles with commercial product CP-52 suggested the leakage of CP products as the contamination source. Besides CPs, petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) contamination also occurred beneath the synthesis workshop. Soil microbial community composition and diversity were significantly influenced by SCCPs (p < 0.05) despite their lower contents compared to other concerned contaminants. Microbial network analysis indicated nonrandom co-occurrence patterns, with Acinetobacter, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, Microbacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Variibacter as the keystone genera. Genera from the same module showed significant ecological links (p < 0.05) and were involved in the degradation of PHCs and chlorinated organic contaminants. This study provides the first phylogenetic look at the microbial communities in CP contaminated soils, indicating that the long-term exposure to CPs and PHCs may lead to microbial group assemblages with the potential for degradation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The violation activity of non-motorized vehicles riding in motorized vehicle lanes interferes roadway traffic serious, as it can not only seriously depreciate the efficiency of motorized vehicle traffic, but also raise possibility of triggering traffic accidents. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate intrinsic features of unlawful non-motorized vehicles' violation behaviors of riding on motorized vehicle lanes. The binary logistic regression model was proposed to find inherent reasons of triggering such misbehaviors. The misbehaviors of non-motorized vehicles (including regular bicycles, electric bicycles and human-powered tricycles) at seven sections, located at Hefei, China, were collected and studied. The experimental results indicate that male traffic participants exhibit higher rates of traffic violations than females, and rainy days shows higher misbehaviors than sunny and cloudy days. Another finding is that morning peak violation rate is higher than the evening peak and non-peak hours due to the fact people are in hurry for work. The traffic density of motorized vehicles and the traffic density of non-motorized vehicles strongly affect illegal occupancy behavior. The effect of dividing strip type and non-motorized vehicle type on lane illegal occupancy behavior are significant. We find that the average lane illegal occupancy rate of non-motorized vehicle is 36.1% which suggests that over one-third of non-motorized riders violate traffic rules. The findings of this study can help traffic authorities, road construction departments and traffic participants perform effective and efficient measurements to improve road traffic safety., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hypertension is a multiple factor disease which was influenced by gene, environment, and lifestyle. Several studies confirmed that the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism is associated with hypertension. However, the evidence remains inconclusive. Whether lifestyle affects blood pressure in different genotype groups have not been clarified, either. The subjects were adult Chinese Han people who received health examination in the period from December 2014 to December 2015. Detection of the ALDH2 r671 polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Lifestyle data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Basic characteristics and fasting venous blood sample were collected at baseline. 4018 subjects were eligible for participation.The frequencies of the ALDH2 rs671 genotype were 68.67% (GG), 28.67%(GL), 2.66%(LL), respectively. Pepole who harbored the L allele were less likely to develop incident hypertension. There was a significant association between food frequency and hypertension in the L genotype group. Fried food intake was significantly increased the risk of hypertension in the L genotype group. Our study suggested that ALDH2 rs671 L-genotypes are protective factors for hypertension in Han Chinese. Consumption of fried food accelerated the development of hypertension in individuals with poor metabolism of acetaldehyde.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the influence of ulinastatin (UTI) on the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in Asian patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) by performance of a meta-analysis., Methods: Two investigators independently searched 11 databases, including PUBMED, EBSCO, Ovid, SpringerLink, Wiley, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Journal Full-text Database, and China Biomedicine Database. The full-text articles were screened and the data were extracted using a standardized data extraction form. All statistical analyses were conducted with Stata software, version 12.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX)., Results: A total of 94 studies were initially retrieved, and 10 studies containing 424 Asian patients with AP were ultimately enrolled in this meta-analysis. The results revealed that the serum levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in Asian AP patients significantly decreased after UTI therapy (CRP: standardized mean difference [SMD] = 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.69-4.83, p < 0.001; IL-6: SMD = 5.92, 95% CI = 2.09-9.75, p = 0.002; TNF-α: SMD = 4.07, 95% CI = 0.79-7.35, p = 0.015)., Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that UTI can effectively depress the serum levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in Asian patients with AP, and thereby inhibit inflammation.