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The traditional Tibetan area of China is an ethnically and culturally significant region with a historical geographical connection. This study investigates the spatial-temporal distribution patterns and entropy changes of historical and cultural heritage by examining the association between cultural heritage and socio-historical factors. It utilizes analytical methods such as information entropy and incorporates temporal, spatial, and typological information from the data obtained in the Third National Cultural Relics Census. The findings are as follows: (1) The three major regions in the Tibetan area of China alternately serve as development cores for the traditional Tibetan area, exhibiting a fluctuating "dispersion-aggregation" trend of historical and cultural heritage, which also displays notable regional variations. (2) The quantity and entropy change of historical and cultural heritage exhibit correlations between different periods, but there are also some intergenerational differences. (3) The spatial-temporal distribution pattern of historical and cultural heritage demonstrates an inter-era correlation, indicating that socio-historical development is a nonlinear process characterized by both "transition" and "accumulation". These findings are of significant importance for further understanding the social evolutionary process of human settlements in high-altitude areas and for the comprehensive protection of cultural heritage in ethnic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a significant contributor to global environmental problems such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EU and China are key players in this regard, and both have introduced policies for sustainable agriculture. This research takes a critical policy analysis approach to investigate the extent to which current EU and Chinese agricultural policies reproduce discourses which are commensurate with a transition to a more sustainable agriculture. Drawing on a four-phase methodology for critical policy analysis, we analyse policy documents from the EU and China, comparing them and positioning them on a heuristic scale of weak to strong sustainability. Three positions from weak to strong sustainability are distinguished, namely the techno-economic/productionist, blended, and agroecological/ruralist. Our findings suggest that agricultural policies of both the EU and China have reproduced the dominant techno-economic/productionist position, leaning towards weak sustainability, while policy discourses aligned with a fundamental transformation of agriculture to strong sustainability are marginalised. Such a shared policy orientation towards weak sustainability is rooted in policymaking processes of the EU and China, albeit manifested differently in the two political contexts. Based on our reflections of the common patterns underlying the agricultural policy discourses, we call for deeper cultural and social critique on current discourses and more participatory and reflexive policymaking processes to embrace alternative discourses. • Three positions in agricultural sustainability discourses are distinguished. • The EU and China share the same dominant discourse, the techno-economic. • Policy discourses in neither context advocate for fundamental transitions. • The orientation toward weak sustainability is rooted in policy processes. • More participatory and reflexive discursive construction processes are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Can whole genome sequencing (WGS) offer a relatively cost-effective approach for embryonic genome-wide haplotyping and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for monogenic disorders (PGT-M), aneuploidy (PGT-A) and structural rearrangements (PGT-SR)?Summary Answer: Reliable genome-wide haplotyping, PGT-M, PGT-A and PGT-SR could be performed by WGS with 10× depth of parental and 4× depth of embryonic sequencing data.What Is Known Already: Reduced representation genome sequencing with a genome-wide next-generation sequencing haplarithmisis-based solution has been verified as a generic approach for automated haplotyping and comprehensive PGT. Several low-depth massively parallel sequencing (MPS)-based methods for haplotyping and comprehensive PGT have been developed. However, an additional family member, such as a sibling, or a proband, is required for PGT-M haplotyping using low-depth MPS methods.Study Design, Size, Duration: In this study, 10 families that had undergone traditional IVF-PGT and 53 embryos, including 13 embryos from two PGT-SR families and 40 embryos from eight PGT-M families, were included to evaluate a WGS-based method. There were 24 blastomeres and 29 blastocysts in total. All embryos were used for PGT-A. Karyomapping validated the WGS results. Clinical outcomes of the 10 families were evaluated.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: A blastomere or a few trophectoderm cells from the blastocyst were biopsied, and multiple displacement amplification (MDA) was performed. MDA DNA and bulk DNA of family members were used for library construction. Libraries were sequenced, and data analysis, including haplotype inheritance deduction for PGT-M and PGT-SR and read-count analysis for PGT-A, was performed using an in-house pipeline. Haplotyping with a proband and parent-only haplotyping without additional family members were performed to assess the WGS methodology. Concordance analysis between the WGS results and traditional PGT methods was performed.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: For the 40 PGT-M and 53 PGT-A embryos, 100% concordance between the WGS and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array results was observed, regardless of whether additional family members or a proband was included for PGT-M haplotyping. For the 13 embryos from the two PGT-SR families, the embryonic balanced translocation was detected and 100% concordance between WGS and MicroSeq with PCR-seq was demonstrated.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The number of samples in this study was limited. In some cases, the reference embryo for PGT-M or PGT-SR parent-only haplotyping was not available owing to failed direct genotyping.Wider Implications Of the Findings: WGS-based PGT-A, PGT-M and PGT-SR offered a comprehensive PGT approach for haplotyping without the requirement for additional family members. It provided an improved complementary method to PGT methodologies, such as low-depth MPS- and SNP array-based methods.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This research was supported by the research grant from the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC0910201 and 2018YFC1004900), the Guangdong province science and technology project of China (2019B020226001), the Shenzhen Birth Defect Screening Project Lab (JZF No. [2016] 750) and the Shenzhen Municipal Government of China (JCYJ20170412152854656). This work was also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81771638, 81901495 and 81971344), the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFC1004901 and 2016YFC0905103), the Shanghai Sailing Program (18YF1424800), the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology Program (15411964000) and the Shanghai 'Rising Stars of Medical Talent' Youth Development Program Clinical Laboratory Practitioners Program (201972). The authors declare no competing interests.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The expression alterations of B4GALT1 have been noted in some types of cancer and they are related to cancer cell proliferation, invasiveness, metastasis, and drug resistance. We aimed to establish the expression of B4GALT1 in bladder cancer and its connection to patient outcomes, as well as forecasting the advantages of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).Methods: There were 142 and 112 MIBC patients who were consecutively recruited and treated via radical cystectomy from 2008 to 2012 in Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC), respectively. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed in triplicate from specimens that had been fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin samples. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate B4GALT1 expression in tumor cores, the connection between B4GALT1 expression and patients' clinical characteristics, and clinical results.Results: B4GALT1 expression was not connected to clinical prognosis markers, but it was linked to overall survival (OS) (P = 0.013 and P = 0.010, respectively) in the two groups. Moreover, the high levels of B4GALT1 expression were independent indicators of poor OS (P = 0.026 and P = 0.046, respectively). Inclusion of B4GALT1 in the prognostic model revealed a greater predictive accuracy than the primary models. In addition, no differences were observed between B4GALT1 expression (low vs. high) and CD8+ T cell infiltration density (number/cm2) within tumor cores, but there was a positive Pearson correlation between B4GALT1 expression and expression of inhibitory receptor ligands, such as PD-L1 and CTLA4. Most significantly, the advantage of ACT noted in pT3/4 or N+ bladder cancer patients with low B4GALT1 expression was greater than in patients with a high B4GALT1 expression.Conclusions: Our evaluation indicated that B4GALT1 may be a possible prognosticator of MIBC, and it may be a predictive marker for the choice of ACT in pT3/4 or N+ patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glacial landforms on Mount Taibai, the main peak of the Qinling Mountains, China, are investigated to improve understanding of Quaternary palaeoclimate evolution in this key region of China's geographical north and south junction. Cosmogenic radionuclide 10Be exposure dating and glacier-climate modeling are used to reconstruct glacier evolution during the last glaciation in the Eryehai Valley, on the slopes of Mount Taibai. Chronological results indicate that the earliest initiation of the Mount Taibai glaciation was earlier than the global Last Glacial Maximum (gLGM). The glacier subsequently advanced further reaching its greatest extent during the gLGM between ∼23.50 ka and 21.76 ka. After this time, the glacier receded rapidly, before disappearing completely between ∼17.9 ka and 17.7 ka. We also analyzed a compilation of 229 recalculated 10Be exposure ages from the mountain ranges on the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP), as well as in the Jaggang Mountains on the south-central TP, and found that a few mountain ranges on the eastern TP experienced two distinct millennial-scale moraine building events during the gLGM. Using glacier-climate modeling, temperature was calculated to have fallen from between ∼9.0 and 9.4 °C during the gLGM, with precipitation being 60–80% of the present-day value. If precipitation during the rapid retreat of the glacier between ∼21.76 ka and 18.10 ka were to be consistent with present trends, then the temperature would have needed to increase by a total of ∼1.3 °C during this period, with a mean rate of increase of 0.4 °C/ka. Combining our findings with other paleoclimate proxies, we infer that the main reason that there was no further glacial advance after the gLGM on Mount Taibai was the lower altitude of its peak relative to the Equilibrium-line Altitude (ELA). Our results provide the paleoclimatic conditions of the last glaciation in this critical area of China's geographical north and south junction, and deepen the understanding of how the East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) influences glaciers on the TP. • New CRN 10Be exposure age results elucidate the glacial evolutionary process since the last glaciation on Mount Taibai. • The earliest initiation of the Mount Taibai glaciation was earlier than the global Last Glacial Maximum. • The East Asian summer monsoonal was an important factor influencing the fluctuations in paleoglaciers of eastern China. • Some mountains on the eastern TP may have experienced two millennial-scale moraine building events during the gLGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current work focused on analysis and implementation and of bioretention system in typical rural areas in Southeastern China. These areas are vigorously protected by the Chinese government due to their traditional farming and architectural characteristics that symbolize ancient Chinese civilization. Bioretention system with high pollutant removal capacity and strong environment adaptability might be a suitable technical solution for controlling non-point source pollution in ancient Chinese villages. In lab-scale study, the hydraulic characteristics of the media and the impacts of depth of media layer, depth of saturated zone (SZ), vegetation and extra carbon source (ECS) on pollutant removal efficiency of bioretention system against the current situation of NSP in typical Chinese rural areas (TCRA) were investigated. The results revealed that roots were conducive to maintain the hydraulic conductivity and pollutant removal efficiency of the filter media. The increasing depth of media layer and SZ, vegetation, and ECS could improve pollutant controlling performance of bioretention system. A field-scale bioretention system with optimal configuration determined by lab-scale study was implemented on the site. The average removal rates of TSS, COD, TN and TP of the bioretention system in field study were 81.34%, 41.88%, 37.33% and 71.64%, respectively. Bioretention system could combine with nearby farmland in rural areas without disturbing their original texture, furthermore, proper maintenance and replacement of media and vegetation could significantly improve the performance of bioretention system in TCRAs. • Bioretention is suitable for controlling non-point source pollution in TCRAs. • Lower influent TSS can enhance the effective prolonged operation of bioretention. • Bioretention configuration affected pollutant removal performance. • Differences between lab-scale and field studies are attributed to influent and scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of the expression of the stemness marker CD133 in circulating tumor cells of newly diagnosed metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer patients., Methods: For this study, 104 metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer patients treated at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from September 2015 to February 2017 were considered. After enrollment, the patients received androgen deprivation therapy (bicalutamide + goserelin). Circulating tumor cells were isolated and identified using the CanPatrol system, which can identify not only traditional epithelial markers but also mesenchymal markers in cells that have undergone epithelial mesenchymal transition. CD133 was used to characterize the circulating tumor cells. The primary endpoint of this research was to evaluate progression to castration resistance., Results: Among the 104 patients enrolled, 89 patients were circulating tumor cell positive at baseline, and the median circulating tumor cell count was four. The median follow-up was 24 months, and at the end of follow-up, the proportion of patients who progressed to castration-resistant prostate cancer in the CTC+CD133+ group was 93.3%, which was significantly higher than that of the circulating tumor cell negative group (73.3%) and the CTC+CD133- group (75.0%), with P = 0.043. After follow-up, progression-free survival for CTC+CD133+, CTC+CD133-, and circulating tumor cell patients was 10.0, 13.0, and 14.0 months, respectively, with P = 0.022. Univariate and multivariate analyses also confirmed that the characterization of circulating tumor cells using CD133 can independently predict progression-free survival in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer patients after receiving androgen deprivation therapy (P = 0.042; hazard ratio 1.396)., Conclusion: Baseline CTC+CD133+ was a poor independent prognostic factor for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer patients to progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer after receiving androgen deprivation therapy., (© 2022 The Authors. International Journal of Urology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of the Japanese Urological Association.)

Objective: This case-control study aimed to analyze the clinical features and determine the expression of type I interferon-induced genes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients harboring the CD11b rs1143679 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and elucidate whether it is involved in the relapses of SLE., Methods: One hundred twenty-five relatively inactive SLE patients with SLEDAI scores < 6, including 102 CD11b rs1143679 G allele patients as controls and 23 rs1143679 A allele carriers as cases, were enrolled from the SLE patient specimen bank in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology. The sample set was retrospectively analyzed for differences in clinical features, and quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses were performed to evaluate the relative expression of type I interferon (IFN)-inducible genes., Results: The 24-h urinary protein levels in the case group were significantly elevated, and serum C3 levels were significantly reduced compared with those in the control group (P = 0.019 and P = 0.021, respectively). The relative mRNA levels of IFN-inducible genes IFIT1, IFIT4, and ISG15 in the case group were higher than that in the control group (P = 0.0257, 0.0344, and 0.0311, respectively) and matched with the Western blot results., Conclusions: The relative expression of type I IFN-inducible genes in inactive SLE patients harboring the CD11b rs1143679 polymorphism was higher than that in other lupus patients. These findings suggest that the rs1143679 SNP can precipitate relapses in inactive SLE patients., Key Points: • The rs1143679 GA genotype was associated with SLE clinical features. • The rs1143679 GA genotype showed higher interferon-inducible gene expression relative to the GG genotype.

Aim: To investigate the changes of placental DNA methylome in preeclampsia (PE). Materials & methods: We performed an epigenome-wide association study in a Chinese cohort and six published datasets consisting of 335 samples in total. Results & conclusion: Numerous consistently hypomethylated probes were associated with early-onset PE in different populations, with 2125 reaching epigenome-wide significance. The validated probes were enriched for cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites partially methylated and located in genes related to trophoblast fusion. The methylation levels of the validated probes were associated with clinical severity, while the intermediate samples showed antagonistic fetal/maternal outcomes. The DNA methylation patterns of PE and clinically relevant obstetrical syndromes suggested partially common pathophysiologies and complex maternal/fetal adaptive responses contributing to variable clinical outcomes.

Utilizing epigenetic (DNA methylation) differences to differentiate between maternal peripheral blood (PBL) and fetal (placental) DNA has been a promising strategy for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). However, the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) have yet to be fully ascertained. In the present study, we performed genome-wide comparative methylome analysis between maternal PBL and placental DNA from pregnancies of first trimester by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing (MeDIP-Seq) and Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip assays. A total of 36 931 DMRs and 45 804 differentially methylated sites (DMSs) covering the whole genome, exclusive of the Y chromosome, were identified via MeDIP-Seq and Infinium 450k array, respectively, of which 3759 sites in 2188 regions were confirmed by both methods. Not only did we find the previously reported potential fetal DNA markers in our identified DMRs/DMSs but also we verified fully the identified DMRs/DMSs in the validation round by MassARRAY EpiTYPER. The screened potential fetal DNA markers may be used for NIPT on aneuploidies and other chromosomal diseases, such as cri du chat syndrome and velo-cardio-facial syndrome. In addition, these potential markers may have application in the early diagnosis of placental dysfunction, such as pre-eclampsia., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)