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This paper analyzes data on the chemical composition of wetland waters, groundwaters, and river waters in the catchment area of Poyang Lake, which were obtained in the course of Russian–Chinese hydrogeochemical studies in 2013–2022. The bulk of the laboratory work was carried out at Tomsk Polytechnic University using the mass spectrometric method with inductively coupled plasma. It is shown that wetlands that are not used economically are a source of organic substances and their transformation products entering the groundwater of the upper hydrodynamic zone. An anthropogenic impact on surface and groundwaters has also been established, which manifests itself in a rather sharp increase in the concentrations of certain chemical elements and their compounds. However, at the same time, a significant ability of the region's water bodies to self-purify has been revealed. Thus, in the low-water periods of 2019 and 2022, a decrease in the contents of As, Cd, Ni, Sb, V, Mo, and W in the waters of the Jinjiang River was noted, which is 17–120 times and more just 100–200 m downstream from wastewater outlets. Based on the analysis of measurement results, thermodynamic calculations, mathematical modeling of hydrogeochemical processes, and published materials of other authors, it is concluded that the most likely explanation for this ability is a combination of the following factors: the precipitation of poorly soluble substances (calcium and magnesium humates and carbonates and clay minerals) with the total content of dissolved salts amounting to more than 300–400 mg/dm3; the coprecipitation of a number of microelements, which increases with a decrease in the effective diameter of sediment particles (0.003 mm or less); and the involvement of substances removed from the solution in biogeochemical processes, the intensity of which increases under favorable climatic conditions (such as in the catchment area of Poyang Lake). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian Lucaogou oil shales in the eastern Junggar Basin have long been regarded as important source rocks and reservoirs for tight oil exploration. The oil shales can also be used to assess the provenance and tectonic setting of the East Junggar region using major, trace and rare earth element geochemistry. The low chemical index of alteration ratios (37.36–64.18, 45.54 on average), low plagioclase index of alteration ratios (26.99–62.95, 42.99 on average), and high index of compositional variability ratios (0.64–1.66, 1.10 on average) suggest that the Permian Lucaogou oil shales mostly consist of immature sediments that have experienced a weak weathering intensity. The samples have low TiO2/Al2O3 and TiO2/Zr ratios that indicate a felsic origin with minor intermediate igneous rocks. The high Th/Sc and Zr/Sc ratios suggest a felsic origin without sediment recycling. The samples show fractionated light rare earth elements and relatively flat heavy rare earth elements patterns with weak negative Eu anomalies, which implies that the main provenance is lower Carboniferous intermediate–acid volcanic rocks. In addition, multiple major- and trace-element‐based discrimination diagrams show that the parent rock of clastic sediments formed mainly in a continental island arc and active continental margin environment, consistent with previous studies on the tectonic background of the East Junggar region during the late early Carboniferous. Immature sediments are present in the Permian Lucaogou oil shales and have a weak weathering intensity. The provenance of the clastic sediments of the Permian Lucaogou oil shales was predominantly early Carboniferous intermediate–acid volcanic rocks. The clastic sediments of the Permian Lucaogou oil shales were developed in a continental island arc and active continental margin environments. The Permian Lucaogou oil shales provide crucial information for tectonic setting and evolution of the northern Xinjiang during the Carboniferous–Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, we reviewed the specimens belonging to Rhopalopsole we have collected and compared them with the holotype and paratypes of Rhopalopsole vespertilio Chen & Du, 2017. We found that R. vespertilio should be synonymized with R. xui Yang, Li & Zhu, 2004. Additionally, a new species of the genus Rhopalopsole, R. nanlingasp. nov. from Guangdong Province of southwestern China, is described and illustrated. The new species is compared to the Rhopalopsole vietnamica west group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data of studies of 2013–2019 were used to assess the current environmental-geochemical conditions of surface water and groundwater in the basin of the Ganjiang River, the largest tributary of Poyang Lake (China). The main objects of studies were the Ganjiang River, its tributaries―the rivers of Jinjiang and Yuanshui, groundwater of quaternary deposits in the valleys of the Ganjiang River and its tributaries, and the domestic and industrial wastewaters reaching the Jinjiang River. The analysis of the results included estimating the background concentrations of substances; the comparison of the chemistry of surface water and groundwater with the background characteristics and standards for domestic water quality accepted in Russia and China; the estimation of the saturation indices of river water, groundwater, and wastewater by some minerals and organomineral complexes; correlation and regression analyses aimed at revealing relationships between geochemical characteristics. In addition, the anthropogenic effect on the state of the Jinjiang River and groundwater in the Ganjiang River basin was evaluated by solving the diffusion equation and the transport equation, respectively. The conditions of water objects were found to be unsatisfactory because of the high concentrations of several toxic trace elements in individual river segments and groundwater; however, in general over many-year aspect, it satisfies drinking water quality standards introduced in China (by the total proportions between the actual and allowable concentrations). The state of the studied groundwater was poorer than that of surface water. This is due to the higher self-purification capacity of surface water in the region because of precipitation of poorly soluble compounds, coprecipitation of some trace elements on particles of river load and bottom sediments, and more intense water exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Evidence for hydrothermal activity, such as siliceous rocks, iron dolomite layer deposits, and hydrothermal mineral combinations of ilmenite + pyrite + anhydrite, has been found in the high-quality source rocks from the Chang 7 layer in the Triassic Yanchang Formation from the southern margin of the Ordos Basin, China. In this paper, elemental geochemical analysis is carried out on a large number of samples collected from an outcrop geological section and drill core from the Chang 7 layer. We use elemental ratios to study the hydrothermal activity; the Al/(Al + Fe + Mn) ratio reflects the paleoproductivity, and the P/Al and P/Ti ratios and total S contents reflect the redox environment. The relationships between the hydrothermal activity and paleoproductivity, redox conditions and organic matter content are discussed. The correlation coefficients between the hydrothermal index Al/(Al + Fe + Mn) and the (Fe + Mn)/Ti ratio and total organic carbon are as high as –0.88 and 0.87, respectively, demonstrating a close relationship between hydrothermal activity and source-rock deposition. The correlation coefficients between the Al/(Al + Fe + Mn) ratio and the P/Al and P/Ti ratios, and total S contents are –0.81, –0.80, and –0.89, respectively, supporting this relationship. Hydrothermal activity can promote productivity at the lake surface and the development of a bottom-water anoxic environment. The paleoproductivity level of the Chang 7 sedimentary period is relatively high and represents an oxygen-poor anaerobic environment. The hydrothermal activity in the southern margin of the basin is strong, whereas the activity in the north is gradually weakened. Studies have shown that the hydrothermal activity at the bottom of the lake plays an important role in promoting the large-scale development of the Chang 7 high-quality source rocks. The organic matter abundance in samples with hydrothermal alteration are greater than in samples elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the optimal cut‐points of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) areas at different anatomic levels to discriminate participants with cardiometabolic risk factors in a Chinese middle‐aged population. Methods: A total of 1744 individuals who underwent regular health checks in Nanjing BENQ Medical Center from January 2013 to December 2016 were included in this cross‐sectional study. VAT areas were measured by abdominal quantitative computed tomography at the L2/3 intervertebral disk and umbilicus levels. Cardiometabolic risk factors including serum triglycerides, HDL cholesterol levels, plasma glucose and blood pressure were defined using IDF 2005 criteria for metabolic syndrome. Results: The cut‐points for VAT area at the umbilicus level were 111 cm2 for men and 96 cm2 for women to identify people with one or more cardiometabolic risk factors. For VAT area at the L2/3 level, the optimal cut‐points were 142 cm2 for men and 115 cm2 for women. A VAT area at the L2/3 level of ≥ 142 cm2 for men or 115 cm2 for women significantly increased the prevalence of hyperglycaemia [odds ratio (OR) 3.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.45–4.13], hypertension (OR 2.81, 95% CI 2.27–3.49) and dyslipidaemia (OR 4.37, 95% CI 3.50–5.45) after adjusting age. Conclusions: The optimal cut‐points for VAT area at the umbilicus level and L2/3 level were 111 cm2 and 142 cm2 for men and 96 cm2and 115 cm2 for women to identify participants with one or more cardiometabolic risk factors. What's new?: This study aimed to investigate the optimal cut‐points of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) areas by means of computed tomography (CT) scanning to discriminate participants with cardiometabolic risk factors in a Chinese middle‐aged population.The results showed that the optimal cut‐points for VAT area at the umbilicus level were 111 cm2 for men and 96 cm2 for women to identify participants with one or more cardiometabolic risk factors, which was 142 cm2 for men and 115 cm2 for women for VAT area at the L2/3 level.VAT area at the L2/3 level had comparable power with VAT area at the umbilicus level to identify participants with cardiometabolic risk factors.Such information of setting up ethnic‐ and sex‐specific cut‐points for VAT areas is of clinical and economic importance for risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor ( NMDAR) encephalitis is a severe autoimmune disorder with a mortality of 5%-7%, but few studies have focused on the predictors of death in this disease. In this study, we aim to investigate predictors and causes of death in patients with anti- NMDAR encephalitis. Methods In this cohort study, patients with anti- NMDAR encephalitis were enrolled at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between June 2011 and October 2015. The outcomes of patients were evaluated by long-term follow-up. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between potential predictors and death. Results Altogether 96 patients were included in this study, and 11 died after median 24.5 (7-57) months of follow-up. The mortality of anti- NMDAR encephalitis was 11.46%. Multivariate analysis results showed that Glasgow Coma Scale ( GCS) score ≤8 at admission ( HR=15.917, 95% CI=1.729-146.562; P=.015), the number of complications ( HR=7.772, 95% CI=1.944-31.072; P=.004), and admission to an intensive care unit ( HR=70.158, 95% CI=2.395-2055.459; P=.014) were significantly associated with increased risk of mortality. Twelve patients received second-line immunotherapy, and the cohort was relatively under-treated compared with other studies. The main causes of death were severe pneumonia, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and refractory status epilepticus. Conclusion GCS score ≤8 at admission, number of complications, and admission to an intensive care unit are predictors of death. Management of complications may improve the prognosis of anti- NMDAR encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data envelopment analysis as a nonparametric frontier approach has gained increasing popularity in assessing total factor energy efficiency performance. Earlier studies often assume that production activity lies in the economic area, and energy inefficiency associated with energy congestion has seldom been examined. This paper contributes to energy efficiency assessment by developing a decomposition model to examine the energy inefficiency driven by energy congestion and empirically examining whether the energy use in Chinese industrial sectors shows evidence of congestion. It is found that energy congestion does exist in Chinese industrial sectors but varies across different provinces. The provinces with high energy intensities are more likely to suffer from energy congestion. Our empirical results also show that energy congestion could be a main driving force of energy inefficiency. Some policy implications towards energy conservation in China are finally discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Treatment with curcumin attenuated modeled microgravity-induced bone loss, possibly through abating oxidative stress and activating vitamin D receptor. Curcumin might be an effective countermeasure for microgravity-induced bone loss but remains to be tested in humans. Introduction: Bone loss is one of the most important complications for human crewmembers who are exposed to long-term microgravity in space and also for bedridden people. The aim of the current study was to elucidate whether treatment with curcumin attenuated bone loss induced by microgravity. Methods: We used hind-limb suspension (HLS) and rotary wall vessel bioreactor (RWVB) to model microgravity in vivo and in vitro, respectively. We investigated the effects of curcumin consumption (40 mg kg body weight day, via daily oral gavages) on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats exposed to HLS for 6 weeks. Then, we investigated the effects of incubation with curcumin (4 μM) on MC3T3-E1 and RAW264.7 cells cultured in RWVB. Results: Curcumin alleviated HLS-induced reduction of bone mineral density in tibiae and preserved bone structure in tibiae and mechanical strength in femurs. Curcumin alleviated HLS-induced oxidative stress marked by reduced malondialdehyde content and increased total sulfhydryl content in femurs. In cultured MC3T3-E1 cells, curcumin inhibited modeled microgravity-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and enhanced osteoblastic differentiation. In cultured RAW264.7 cells, curcumin reduced modeled microgravity-induced ROS formation and attenuated osteoclastogenesis. In addition, curcumin upregulated vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in femurs of rats exposed to HLS and MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to modeled microgravity. Conclusion: Curcumin alleviated HLS-induced bone loss in rats, possibly via suppressing oxidative stress and upregulating VDR expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, pinewood nematode ( PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, was first discovered from Pinus thunbergii in 1982. Thus far, 14 species in the genus Pinus have been reported to be infected by PWN under natural conditions. Pinus yunnanensis, a pine species native to south-western China, is considered a pioneer tree for barren hill afforestation in areas undergoing rocky desertification. In this study, we detected PWN in dead P. yunnanensis trees in Anlong County, Guizhou Province, China, using both morphological and molecular methods. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PWN from P. yunnanensis in China. To investigate the possible origin of this new outbreak, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene subunit I and cellulase gene sequences were used to evaluate genetic relationships among worldwide PWN isolates. Phylogenetic tree and haplotype networks revealed that the Anlong isolate (BxCh QAL008) sequence was identical to those of seven Chinese isolates collected from Sichuan, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong (372-1500 km from Anlong County), but different from the isolate BxChQZY030 collected from the same province (330 km from Anlong County). It is suggested, therefore, that more than one introduction of PWN into Guizhou Province has taken place. The Anlong isolate was likely introduced from neighbouring or more distant provinces rather than from outside China. Moreover, the absence of a correlation between geographic and genetic distance was observed using Mantel test analysis, providing evidence that human-induced dispersal plays a fundamental role in the spread of the PWN in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the magnitude of energy congestion provides useful information for determining the optimal level of energy input with reference to other inputs. This paper clarifies the concept of energy congestion and adapts a slacks-based DEA method to examine the energy congestion effect in Chinese industrial sectors over time. Our empirical results show that Chinese industrial sectors showed an increasing trend in energy congestion. The size of energy congestion effect varied across different provinces and regions. The central area had a significantly higher amount of energy congestion than that in west area, while the east area registered for the lowest energy congestion inefficiency. On average, 32 % of the energy consumption in Chinese industry was excessively used. A multiple regression analysis within a panel data analysis framework shows that the total energy consumption and industrial value added per capita have a positive while total-factor energy efficiency has a negative effect on energy congestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's electricity generation is mainly dependent on fossil fuel. Promoting electricity conservation in different sectors and regions plays a vital role in reducing China's energy-related CO2 emissions and other pollutants. This paper contributes to identify the sectors and economic regions with larger electricity-saving potential and make policy recommendations for promoting electricity conservation. Two indicators, namely TEC (technical elasticity coefficient) and PSC (price sensitivity coefficient), are constructed within an input-output analysis framework to measure the electricity-saving potential. The proposed indicators are applied to analyze the electricity-saving potentials of 20 sectors and 30 provinces in China. We also use EFC (electricity forward correlation coefficient) to examine the relationship between power consumption and electricity-saving potential. Our empirical results show that Mechanical industry, Construction industry and Chemical industry have the largest electricity-saving potential. Meanwhile, the east region of China also shows greater electricity-saving potential. It is suggested that Chinese government adopt pricing regulation and technology innovation policies jointly to promote China's energy conservation. Some important policy implications according to our empirical study are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of motor neuron disease ( MND) in Chinese patients are ill known. Methods A registered study of 461 MND patients was conducted across 10 facilities in 7 Chinese cities from February 2009 to March 2010. Results Patients were classified as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS) (84.4%), progressive bulbar palsy ( PBP) (4.1%), progressive muscular atrophy ( PMA) (10.4%), or primary lateral sclerosis ( PLS) (0.9%). MND was predominant in men (men/women; 1.6:1.0). Mean onset age was 52.6 years, with the highest incidence being observed between 51 and 60 years. Notably, 26.0% of MND patients were employed in forestry, fishery, or animal husbandry industries. Ten cases (2.7%) reported family history of MND, and 54.2% exhibited cervical onset. MND was also associated with head/neck trauma. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation was the most common supportive therapy. Conclusion As a novel comprehensive report of a Chinese population, this study reveals that epidemiological characteristics of MND patients were similar to those observed in international populations. MND is age-related, male gender predominant, and may be associated with both environmental and genetic risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suaeda glauca is a potential feedstock for ruminants in north-east China in areas of increasing salinity. The characteristics of S. glauca pasture from June to October and effects on intake, digestion and blood metabolites in lambs given increasing proportions of S. glauca in the forage component of a mixed hay/concentrate (50/50) diet were evaluated. Harvest date had a significant effect on dry matter (DM) yield. There were significant increases in DM content, total energy, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre (ADF), but declines in leaf proportion, crude protein, total ash and sodium contents with maturity. Inclusion of 25% S. glauca hay in a diet significantly improved daily intake of DM, organic matter (OM) and energy compared with T0% and T50% groups. Supplementation at 25 or 50% significantly increased the digestibility of energy, DM, OM and ADF compared with the T0% group. Water intake, urinary excretion, water content of fresh faeces and sodium excretion from urine linearly increased with increasing S. glauca content, but potassium excretion from urine decreased. K and Mg serum contents were significantly increased compared with T0% group when S. glauca made up 50% of diet. This study indicates that S. glauca is a suitable hay when added as 25% of the lamb diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human leucocyte antigen (HLA) is a complex gene family that contains several highly polymorphic genes. Some studies have reported HLA-A gene to have a strong role in idiopathic male infertility in Japanese and Yugoslavia populations. Prompted by these findings, we investigated the distributions of HLA-A gene to ascertain their associations with idiopathic male infertility in Chinese population. Polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) method was used for DNA typing at HLA-A locus in 109 patients with idiopathic male infertility and 152 healthy controls in Han male population of Shaanxi Province, situated in north-western China. In total, we detected 23 HLA-A alleles in all infertile patients, 22 HLA-A alleles in control subjects. However, no significant differences of these allelic frequencies were found between the patients and the control subjects, suggesting that the HLA-A gene was unlikely a major risk factor of idiopathic male infertility in this sample population. As different populations have different HLA polymorphisms, investigation into the relationship of other HLA genes and idiopathic male infertility in our population is needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The IFIH1 gene is a key factor connecting environmental and genetic factors in the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases. We aimed to investigate whether it has effects on psoriasis, chronic periodontitis and skin test-positive penicillin allergy and to confirm whether these diseases have shared molecular mechanisms originating from shared genetics. Two common variants in IFIH1 were genotyped in 561 patients with psoriasis, 421 patients with chronic periodontitis, 175 patients with skin test-positive penicillin allergy and 1100 shared controls. Then, case-control study was used to analyse the association between IFIH1 and the three diseases. The allele distributions of rs1990760 and rs3747517 in the Chinese population are much different from the European population. The A allele of rs1990760 (OR = 1.30, P = 5.4 × 10−3) and A-G (rs1990760/rs3747517) haplotype (OR = 1.31, P = 3.8 × 10−3) were highly associated with the risk of psoriasis. However, the A allele of rs1990760 (OR = 0.73, P = 7.8 × 10−3) and A-G haplotype (OR = 0.71, P = 4.5 × 10−3) were identified as protective factors for chronic periodontitis. IFIH1 affects several immune-related diseases, including psoriasis and chronic periodontitis, and provides a molecular link between genetic susceptibility, viral infections and immune-related diseases. Moreover, we also confirm the hypothesis that shared molecular mechanisms from common genetic variants contribute to a spectrum of immune-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil carbon sequestration plays an essential role in mitigating CO2 increases and the subsequently global greenhouse effect. The storages and dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) of 0-30 cm soil depth in different landscape types including beaches, reservoir and pond, reed wetland, forest wetland, bush wetland, farmland, building land, bare land (severe saline land) and salt field in the modern Yellow River Delta (YRD), were studied based on the data of the regional survey and laboratory analysis. The landscape types were classified by the interpretation of remote sensing images of 2000 and 2009, which was calibrated by field survey results. The results revealed an increase of 10.59km² in the modem YRD area from 2000 to 2009. The SOC density varied ranging from 0.73 kgm-2 to 21.60 kgm-2 at depth of 30 cm. There were ∼3.97 x 106 t and 3.98 x 106 t SOC stored in the YRD in 2000 and 2009, respectively. The SOC storages changed greatly in beaches, bush wetland, farm land and salt field which were affected dominantly by anthropogenic activities. The area of the YRD increased greatly within 10 yr, however, the small increase of SOC storage in the region was observed due to landscape changes, indicating that the modern YRD was a potential carbon sink and anthropogenic activity was a key factor for SOC change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Swine influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2 have been reported in the swine population worldwide. From June 2008 to June 2009, we carried out serological and virological surveillance of swine influenza in the Hubei province in central China. The serological results indicated that antibodies to H1N1 swine influenza virus in the swine population were high with a 42.5% (204/480) positive rate, whereas antibodies to H3N2 swine influenza virus were low with a 7.9% (38/480) positive rate. Virological surveillance showed that only one sample from weanling pigs was positive by RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes revealed that the A/Sw/HB/S1/2009 isolate was closely related to avian-like H1N1 viruses and seemed to be derived from the European swine H1N1 viruses. In conclusion, H1N1 influenza viruses were more dominant in the pig population than H3N2 influenza viruses in central China, and infection with avian-like H1N1 viruses persistently emerged in the swine population in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River, which is the second largest river in China, is regarded as the world's largest contributor of fluvial sediment load to the ocean. In recent decades, the dramatic reduction in water discharge and sediment load due to climate change and human activities in the drainage basin has greatly constrained the evolution process of Yellow River delta. We highlight how runoff and sediment load discharged into sea affected extension of shoreline length and area of modern Yellow River delta during 1976-2009 based on remote sensing interpretation and long-term monitoring data in hydrological station. Average runoff of 207.47 x 108 m³ yr-1 and average sediment load of 4.63 x 108 m³ yr-1 were discharged into the sea from 1976 to 2008. The annual runoff reduced by ~59.7% in 1990-2002 and annual sediment load reduction up to ~72.1% in 2003-2008. Both shoreline length and area of Yellow River Delta extended overall in the studied period, but with decreasing rates in accordance with changes of runoff and sediment load. High increasing rate of shoreline length of ~3.63 km yr-1 and quick area extension of ~16.26 km² yr-1 were observed in 1976-1985. Since 1996 however, the average increase rate of shoreline length and area decreased to ~0.80 km yr-1 and ~3.94 km² yr-1 , respectively. In addition, the fluctuated changes of shoreline and area were great and the net negative increase of land area was occurred during this period. There exist significant exponential relationships between the accumulated sediment load and extensions of shoreline length and the area during the evolution of the modern Yellow River Delta. Our results indicate that the evolution of shoreline and change of area of the Yellow River Delta are directly affected by the dramatic reduction of runoff and sediment load, which are much close related human being activities in Yellow River drainage basin in recent decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabet. Med. 27, 598–602 (2010) Aims To investigate the two variants (rs1387153 and rs10830963) near/in the melatonin receptor 1B gene ( MTNR1B) and to determine their association with Type 2 diabetes, as well as with the regulation of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in Han Chinese subjects. Methods The two variants were genotyped in 1912 unrelated Type 2 diabetic patients and 2041 healthy individuals. Association with Type 2 diabetes was calculated by logistic regression with adjustments for sex, age and body mass index. The possible connection between the risk alleles and FPG was analysed by multiple linear regression. Results The two polymorphisms were associated with FPG levels in the healthy individuals ( P = 0.003 and P = 0.002, respectively), and the G allele of rs10830963 was also associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in our patient sample (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.23; P = 0.024). Moreover, the linkage disequilibrium degree of two single nucleotide polymorphisms was high ( r2 = 0.66), which is similar to that of Europeans. Conclusions The common variant in MTNR1B confers the risk of Type 2 diabetes and modulates FPG in both the Han Chinese and European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of anti- Toxoplasma gondii specific IgG in stray and household cats in Guangzhou, China was determined by ELISA on serum samples from 206 cats (117 strays and 89 households) and the overall infection rate was 25.24%. The infection rate in stray cats (30.77%) was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) than in household cats (17.98%). The rate of infection between male and female cats of both groups was not significantly different ( P ≥ 0.05), 28.13% versus 32.61% for male and female in stray cats, respectively, and 18% versus 17.95% in household cats. The present investigation demonstrated that the prevalence of T. gondii infection in cats in Guangzhou was high, especially in stray cats, which are probably the main source of T. gondii infection in this area. Integrated control strategies and measures should be implemented to prevent and control T. gondii infection in both stray and household cats, which will have significant implications for the control of human infection with T. gondii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To characterize and identify a new taxol-producing fungal strain HD86-9 isolated from Taxus cuspidata in China. Methods and Results: Taxol extracted from strain HD86-9 was identified by HPLC and MS analyses. Strain HD86-9 was cultured and its morphology and phenotypes were described. HD86-9 displayed morphology most similar to that of Aspergillus niger but presented differences in the shape and size of the conidia. The growth evaluation showed that the maximal tolerable temperature of the new strain was 43°C, higher than that of the model Aspergillus niger. The 18S rDNA and the internal transcribed spacer region including the 5·8S rDNA of HD86-9 were amplified by PCR; molecular analysis of these sequences revealed their high similarity of 98% to those of Aspergillus niger. Conclusions: The morphology and molecular analysis identified HD86-9 as a new variant of taxol-producing endophytic fungi, and it was named Aspergillus niger var. taxi D.P. Zhou, K. Zhao and W.X. Ping, var. nov. Significance and Impact of the Study: As the first report of a taxol-producing variant of Aspergillus niger species, this study offers important information and a new resource for the production of an important anticancer drug by endofungus fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is the most common and life-threatening form of status epilepticus (SE). The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features of CSE in western China. Methods: Convulsive status epilepticus patients hospitalized from January 1996 to October 2007 were prospectively observed. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of prognosis. Results: The average age of CSE patients ( n = 220) was 37.5 years (SD 20.31), 50% of the patients had a history of epilepsy. The primary cause of CSE was central nervous system infection (32.7%), followed by discontinuation or reduction of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs; 15.5%). The median duration of CSE was 5 h and median duration of seizures before treatment was 2 h; both were longer in rural patients than in urban patients ( P < 0.05). The fatality rate on discharge was 15.9%. Logistic regression analysis showed the duration of CSE [odds ratio (OR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.07], a history of epilepsy (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14–0.89), and respiratory depression (OR 5.96, 95% CI 2.49–14.24) were independent predictors of CSE prognosis. Discussion: Central nervous system infection and AEDs withdrawal in epilepsy patients were the most important causes of CSE. There is a large gap between antiepileptic therapy in China and European Status Epilepticus guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare epidemiologic features and genetic characteristics of group A rotaviruses causing diarrhea in children and adults, a survey was conducted in Wuhan, China, during the period of Dec. 2000–May 2006. A total of 3839 stool specimens from diarrheal patients from eight hospitals were analyzed. Winter seasonality was observed for rotavirus diarrhea in both adults and children, showing overall rotavirus-positive rates of 9.0 and 23.9%, respectively. Throughout the study period, G3 was the most frequent G serotype in both adults and children (detection rates 86.2 and 87.8%, respectively), and was mostly associated with VP4 genotype P[8], VP 6 genotype II (subgroup II), and NSP4 genotype B. G3 rotaviruses were differentiated into eight electropherotypes, among which seven types were found in specimens from both adults and children. VP7 gene sequences of G3 rotaviruses from adults and children (6 and 4 strains, respectively), detected in different years and different hospitals, showed extremely high sequence identities (99–100%) to each other and to a few G3 rotavirus strains reported in Asia. However, lower sequence identities (82–96%) were observed to most of the human and animal G3 rotaviruses reported so far, including some Chinese strains. These findings indicate that in Wuhan, China, epidemic and genetic features of rotaviruses are similar in adults and children, and it has been suggested that G3 rotaviruses that might have originated from the same rotavirus were circulating among children and adults as prevailing viruses. In this study, two rotavirus strains, G9P[8] strain L169, derived from an adult, and G4P[6] strain R479, derived from a child, were isolated and genetically analyzed. The VP7 gene of L169 belongs to a major lineage of G9 rotaviruses that are globally widespread, but is distinct from G9 rotaviruses reported previously in China. The strain R479 had a VP7 gene which was divergent from most G4 human rotaviruses and showed an unusual dual subgroup specificity, I + II. The R479 VP6 gene does not belong to the main clusters of subgroup I and II rotaviruses phylogenetically, but is related to those of the porcine rotaviruses and some unusual human rotaviruses represented by the RMC321 strain isolated in eastern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective – To determine the prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in rural China. Methods – A cross-sectional study was conducted within a cohort of adults older than 50 years of age in Linxian County, China. A Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) was used to screen cases of possible dementia. Three different cutoff points on CMMSE were applied depending on the participant's level of education. The participants then were given psychiatric interviews, medical and neurological examinations, and psychometric tests to ascertain the clinical diagnoses of dementia and AD. Results – Among the 16,095 participants, 5.26% were screened positive with 374 diagnosed as having dementia. Among them, AD accounted for 80.5%. The adjusted prevalence rates were 0.33%, 0.89%, 3.43%, and 8.19% in people in age groups 50–54, 55–64, 65–74, and 75 and above, respectively. The prevalence of AD correlated with the participant's level of education, and was 2.61%, 0.94%, and 0.56% in the illiterate group, in the primary school group, and in the middle school or higher group, respectively. Adjusted by education levels a higher prevalence in women was observed in the illiterate group. Conclusions – The prevalence of dementia in this population is similar to that reported from other areas in mainland China and Taiwan with aging being a significant risk factor. After controlling for age, being a female and having received less number of years of education were associated with an higher prevalence of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stylosanthes guianensis, belonging to the genus Stylosanthes, is one of the most important tropical forage legumes and is native to South and Central America and Africa. Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., is a major constraint to the extensive use of Stylosanthes as tropical forage. Forty-two accessions of S. guianensis were assessed with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) for genetic diversity and for resistance to anthracnose. In AFLP analysis, four selective primer combinations screened from 96 primer combinations were used to analyse these accessions, and a total of 225 clear bands were used for genetic similarity (GS) analysis, showing a 95.5% level of polymorphism on average. GS from 31.0% to 95.0% among the accessions was calculated with ntsys-pc software. The dendrogram was constructed with unweighted pair group method of averages (UPGMA) based on the AFLP data, and five clusters were defined at 48% GS. Two typical strains of C. gloeosporioides from Stylosanthes in China were used for anthracnose resistance screening. Most of the plant accessions showed variation in the reaction to two strains, and the correlation of resistance had a value of 0.904 (P < 0.01), suggesting common resistance to the two strains. The resistance accessions were randomly distributed in different groups of UPGMA clustering. These results demonstrate that AFLP analysis is an efficient method for evaluating the genetic diversity among S. guianensis accessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The report focused on investigating the relationship between cigarette smoking and dementia in elderly people through prospective studies. We did a 2-year follow-up study of elderly people. A total of 2820 participants aged 60 years old and over from six communities of Chongqing agreed to take part. Dementia was diagnosed with MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) and DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Participants were classified as never smokers, past smokers, and current smokers. During follow-up, we recorded incident cases of dementia. The association of smoking and dementia was investigated using proportional hazards regression analysis. A total of 121 incident cases of dementia were detected, of which 84 (69%) were Alzheimer's disease, 17 (14%) were vascular dementia, and 21(17%) were other dementia. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (RR = 2.72; 95% CI = 1.63–5.42) and vascular dementia (RR = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.53–3.12) adjusting for age, sex, education, blood pressure, and alcohol intake. Compared with light smokers, the adjusted risk of Alzheimer's disease was significantly increased among smokers with a medium level of exposure (RR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.65–5.52), with an even higher risk of Alzheimer's disease in the heavy smoking group (RR = 3.03; 95% CI = 1.25–4.02). Smoking was associated with the risk of dementia. This study suggests that both smoking status and amount is associated with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopa-responsive dystonia has been shown to be caused by a number of different mutations in the GCH1 gene. Up to now, only several genetic studies of Chinese patients with Dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD) have been reported. We performed a genetic analysis by amplifying the entire coding region of GCH1 gene and direct sequencing in four DRD families from mainland China. A novel missense mutation, Gly155Ser, has been identified in a sporadic case from a consanguineous marriage family. Furthermore, two known mutations, Met137Arg and Gly203Arg, have also been detected in the other families. A novel missense mutation in the GCH1 gene can be associated with DRD. Our findings further expanded the mutational spectrum of GCH1 gene associated with DRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The H63D polymorphism in the hemochromatosis ( HFE) gene has been reported as a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Europe and America, but no data have been reported for Asia. Here, we investigated the possible association between H63D and sporadic ALS (sALS) in a Chinese Han population. A total of 195 individuals with sALS from three centers in China and 405 unrelated healthy controls were recruited. All subjects were genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Sporadic ALS was significantly related to the H63D polymorphism in heterozygous carriers (odds ratio 3.10, 95%CI: 1.49-6.47, P = 0.002). The HFE H63D polymorphism may contribute to the development of sALS in Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China's largest city, Shanghai, dry deposition fluxes of Cd, Pb, As and Hg were 137, 19354, 2897 and 9.4μgm−2 a−1, respectively in an urban area, intermediate in a suburban area, and 51.7, 5311, 1703 and 7.3μgm−2 a−1, respectively in a rural area. Enrichment factors were Cd>Pb>As>Hg. Seasonal variations of metals differed: Pb and As were dominated by fossil fuel combustion, Cd was related to industrial pollution, and natural source controlled Hg levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Salt contamination in the coastlands surrounding Venice Lagoon (Italy) and Laizhou Bay (Shandong Province, China) is generally the result of the complex relationship between fresh, continental groundwaters, paleo-saltwaters in deep aquifers, marine waters, and the seawater encroachment upstream from the river mouths. Saltwater intrusion is also enhanced by the presence of ancient, sandy, buried paleo-channels that act as preferential pathways for groundwater flow and solute transport. The characterization of these hydro-geo-morphological features, considering both the architecture and the pore water quality, is an issue of paramount importance. In this work, after a short overview of the saltwater contamination occurrence that affects the coastlands of Venice Lagoon and Laizhou Bay, we report on the preliminary results of a Very High Resolution Seismic and Continuous Electrical Tomography test carried out in very shallow water (about 1 m) in the Venice Lagoon to test a technique suitable for the better understanding of the surficial-groundwater mixing process. The combined analysis of the two data sets highlights a correlation between lithostratigraphic discontinuities and heterogeneity in the fluid filling the subsurface. The promising results obtained in the Italian site support a prompt use of this integrated methodology on the Chinese study area too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADRs) and the HLA-B*1502 allele among patients from central China. Eight patients with Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), 28 with mild maculopapular eruptions (MPEs), 50 CBZ-tolerant controls, and 71 healthy volunteers were recruited. HLA genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing (SBT) method. As a result, the HLA-B*1502 allele was observed at the following rates: (1) 100% (8/8) among those with CBZ-induced SJS/TEN, (2) 10.7% (3/28) among those with CBZ-induced MPEs; (3) 8.0% (4/50) among CBZ-tolerant controls; (4) 8.5% (6/71) among healthy volunteers. The eight patients with SJS/TEN positive for the HLA-B*1502 allele had an odds ratio (OR) of 184 compared with CBZ-tolerant controls. There was no significant difference in frequency between patients with MPEs and CBZ-tolerant controls (P >0.05). Thus, CBZ-induced SJS/TEN, but not MPEs, is strongly associated with HLA-B*1502. Testing for HLA-B*1502 should be recommended for patients from central China prior to initial CBZ treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background. : Tobacco use is prevalent among adolescents in China in general, however, little is known about tobacco use among students in private schools with an enrollment of 1.5 million. Method. : In 2001, cross-sectional survey data from 2725 students in grades seven and eight (1307 sampled from private schools and 1418 sampled from public schools) were included. Smoking measures (risk of susceptibility to smoking, smoking onset, ever smoking, smoking in the past 7 days and past 30 days, established smoking) were compared between private and public school students using chi-square test, logistic regression, and survival analysis. Results. : Cigarette smoking was more prevalent among private school students than among public school students (private vs. public: 21.9% vs. 12.3% for susceptibility to smoking, 53.9% vs. 38.2% for ever smoking, 22% vs. 12.0% for 30-day smoking, 15.9% vs. 4.0% for 7-day smoking, 4.5% vs. 1.2% for established smoking). Students in private schools are 3.4 to 3.8 times more likely to smoke than students in public schools after the adjustment of important covariates (gender, grade, peer smoking, parental smoking, and parents'' occupation). Risk of smoking onset by age was also greater for private school students than for public school students. Conclusions. : Being in private schools was associated with three to four times increases in the likelihood of current cigarette smoking and heightened risk of smoking onset by age. Findings from this study suggest the urgent need to collect additional data on risk and protective factors as well as the willingness to participate in effective tobacco use intervention prevention among private school students. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Epidemics of hand, foot and mouth disease(HFMD) are elevated every year globally, especially in mainland China. And there is no safe and effective vaccine or antiviral medications available worldwide at present. The disease now deeply affects children's health and presents as an increasing threat to public health. Methods & Materials: A case control study was designed to examine the effect of hospital visit behavior on the outcome of severe hand, foot and mouth disease from January 2011 to December 2014 in Hunan, China. A total of 576 HFMD cases (276 death cases as the case group and 300 survival cases as the control group) were collected from the National Surveillance System. Multi-factorial logistic regression was used to analyze independent associations between hospital visit behavior and death from severe HFMD. Results: The male-to-female ratio was 1.51 : 1 in the death cases and 1.78 : 1 in the survival cases. Over 90.0% of cases are children under 3 years of age. 214(77.5%) and 98(32.7%) of death and survival cases first visited a village level clinic(OR= 9.548, 95% CI: 3.22-35.37). rates of confirmed diagnosis at first visit to hospital among death and survival cases were 22.8% and 68.6% (OR= 0.44, 95% CI: 0.17-0.89). 67(24.3%) of death cases died in village level hospital. Only 6(2.0%) of survival cases discharged from village level hospital (OR= 11.92, 95% CI: 4.70-30.25). 201(72.9%) and 187(62.4%) of death and survival cases consulted the doctor within three days of symptoms developing(OR= 2.43, 95% CI: 1.06-5.59). 13.5% of death cases didn't have any medical insurance, the rate among survival cases was only 1.7% (OR= 8.36, 95% CI: 2.98-23.46). Conclusion: Changing some hospital visit behavior of patients may help reduce the mortality from severe HFMD. And health administrative departments should focus on rational allocation of health resources, optimization of health service systems and increase input into village level health institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing intensification of human activities, significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC) have posed a severe threat to the carbon storage capacity of wetland ecosystems. A deep understanding of this impact is crucial for protecting regional ecosystems and promoting sustainable development. This study utilized the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the human activity intensity (HAI) index to conduct detailed grid analysis and global analysis of carbon storage through creating fishnet system and explored the complex relationship between carbon storage and HAI in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China. The results indicated that over the past 30 years, natural wetlands such as meadow wetlands and salt marshes in the study area had undergone significant degradation due to escalating human activities, while artificial wetlands and non-wetland areas expanded. Concurrently, the total regional carbon storage had declined by 2.08 Tg, representing a significant drop of 8.22 % in the YRD from 1990 to 2020. Among them, dry land, as the primary land type, served as the most crucial carbon pool. Additionally, the human activity intensity of land surface (HAILS) increased significantly, with a growth rate of 37.27 %. HAI mapping revealed a continuous expansion of areas with high HAI. In contrast, the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve (YRDNNR) maintained relatively low HAI. Correlation analysis further showed the significant negative correlation (p < 0.01) between carbon storage and HAI, with r values of grid analysis ranging from -0.1395 to -0.0334, while that for global analysis was -0.9643, respectively. This reflected the spatial heterogeneity and agglomeration effects of data analysis across different scales. This study provides valuable insights for achieving the "dual carbon" goals and supporting the conservation and management of wetland ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the results of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT-M) in a Chinese pedigree affected with Primary carnitine deficiency (PCD)., Methods: A pedigree affected with PCD who visited Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center in April 2023 due to "SLC22A5 gene mutation found in offspring genetic testing and preparing for a second child" was selected as the study subject. Pathogenicity of the proband's variant sites was determined by referring to the Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants established by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Sanger sequencing was used to verify the variant sites of SLC22A5 gene in the proband and her parents, and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotype of the family was constructed by SNP microarray (SNP array) method to determine the carrier status of pathogenic genes. After fertilization via assisted reproductive technology, whole genome amplification (WGA) was performed on the biopsied trophoblastic cells. Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and SNP array techniques were then used to detect the variants in the SLC22A5 gene and chromosome copy number variation (CNV) in the embryos. Embryos without the variants were selected for transferring. After the successful pregnancy of the proband's mother, amniocentesis was not performed for prenatal diagnosis due to repeated vaginal bleeding. After delivery, neonatal peripheral blood sample was collected to verify the results of PGT-M, and follow-up was conducted. This study was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center (Ethics No. HNWCMC-2022-178)., Results: In this study, the c.338G>A and c.760C>T variants in SLC22A5 gene were evaluated as pathogenic variants. Sanger sequencing results of this family showed that the c.338G>A and c.760C>T variants of the proband were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. Haplotypes of c.338G>A and c.760C>T variants of SLC22A5 gene were successfully constructed. PGT-M results showed that 2 of the 8 blastulas biopsied failed WGA, and the CNV detection results of the remaining 6 blastocysts were all euploid: 2 had no mutations in the SLC22A5 gene, 3 were single heterozygous carriers of paternal or maternal origin, and 1 was compound heterozygous carriers of paternal and maternal origin. Combined with the embryo morphology score, an intrauterine singleton pregnancy was achieved after the successful transfer of an optimal embryo with no CNV abnormalities and no paternal or maternal SLC22A5 gene mutations, resulting in the birth of a healthy female baby at 38 +3 weeks of gestation. The results of peripheral blood chromosomal karyotyping analysis, CNV detection and SLC22A5 gene c.338G>A and c.760C>T site variant detection of the infant were consistent with those of PGT-M, and no abnormality was found., Conclusion: PGT-M had helped the couple carrying SLC22A5 gene variant to have a healthy offspring and effectively blocked the transmission of PCD in this family.

Weakly alkaline cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil in China has aroused great concern regarding its impact on food security and human health. Mercapto-modified palygorskite (MP) has exhibited good potential to minimize Cd accumulation in wheat, it is imperative to understand the underlying mechanisms within the soil-wheat-microbial system for sustainable development of agrochemicals. This study evaluated the effects of various MP dosages on soil Cd bioavailability, rhizosphere metabolomics, microbial community structure and wheat growth. The results indicated that MP (0.05-0.2 %) application significantly reduced Cd accumulation in wheat grains by 59.0-83.2 % (p < 0.05) and inhibited Cd translocation from root to grain. MP also promoted Mn oxide formation and redistributed the exchangeable Cd to Fe-Mn oxide-bound forms (44.2-109.6 %), thus lowering soil Cd bioavailability by 17.9-32.5 %. Additionally, MP reduced wheat rhizosphere organic acid levels, altered rhizosphere carbon and nitrogen pools, and stimulated the growth of Cd-tolerant Alternaria and Cladosporium, while inhibiting the growth of Fusarium. These findings highlight the potential of MP to modulate soil rhizosphere metabolism and microbial communities, offering a novel perspective on its environmental implications and supporting agrochemical sustainability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: While general anesthesia has been widely used in endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), the optimal anesthesia medication for hemodynamic management remains unclear., Purpose: To compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol on endovascular thrombectomy for AIS., Methods: This study is a single-center, double-blind and randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients will be randomly allocated into the remimazolam group and propofol group. Remimazolam and propofol will be administered to induce and maintain anesthesia respectively. The primary outcome is the incidence of intraoperative hypotension. The secondary outcomes include frequency of hypotension, the largest difference value of mean arterial pressure (MAP), dosage of vasopressors, extubation time, operation time, modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) level, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and modified Rankin scale (mRS) score., Conclusion: This study evaluates the influences of remimazolam versus propofol on endovascular therapy for AIS patients. Results of this study are expected to provide more evidence of the choice of anesthetics in this kind of operation., Trial Registration: This study has been registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2300076880)., Competing Interests: There is no personal financial support. All authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Fu et al.)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of innovative Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) in testing Cryptococcal Antigen (CrAg) across two medical centers, employing the FDA-approved CrAg Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) by IMMY as a reference standard., Methods: The study encompassed patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis at West China Hospital of Sichuan University (HX) between July 2022 and May 2023, and Suzhou Fifth People's Hospital (SZ) from September 2020 to September 2023. All specimens underwent simultaneous detection using the LFA (IMMY, Norman, USA) and CLIA (Chuanglan, Suzhou, China)., Results: A total of 628 patients were enrolled, revealing a remarkable 99.20% concordance between LFA and CLIA (623/628, 99.20%). The LFA exhibited a sensitivity of 96.83% (244/252) and specificity of 98.35% (179/182). Among the 42 patients with unaltered CrAg titers, the changes of Signal-to-Cut-Off ratio (ΔS/CO) results exhibited a noteworthy discrepancy, with 71.43% (30/42) demonstrating a decreasing trend in ΔS/CO of at least 10%., Conclusions: The CLIA method demonstrated commendable specificity and sensitivity, exhibiting a high level of agreement with the FDA-approved LFA method. Additionally, CLIA demonstrated superior utility for treatment monitoring compared to LFA, offering continuous insight into the fluctuation of CrAg concentrations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Tang, Xu, Wang, Wang, Zhou, Ao, Song, Yin and Li.)

Mapping gut microbial structural variants (SVs) during human aging may provide fundamental knowledge and mechanistic understanding of the gut microbiome's relationship with healthy aging. We characterize gut microbial SVs from 3,230 Chinese participants, identifying key SVs associated with aging, healthy aging, and age-related chronic diseases. Our findings reveal a pattern of copy number loss in aging-related SVs, with 35 core SVs consistently detected. Additionally, eight SVs distinguish healthy from unhealthy aging, regardless of age. Notably, a 3-kbp deletion SV of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, encoding plant polysaccharide degradation, is regulated by plant-based diet and contributes to healthy aging through bile acid metabolism. Our analysis also connects SVs to age-related diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, via genes in the methionine-homocysteine pathway. This study deepens our understanding of the gut microbiome's role in aging and could inform future efforts to enhance lifespan and healthspan., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The rhizosphere bacterial community of plants has a crucial effect on healthy plant growth, and each rhizosphere has a specific microbial community. Camellia sinensis cv. Shifocui (C. sinensis cv. Shifocui) is a tea plant distributed in the Dabie Mountains of Anhui Province. It has the characteristics of high yield, good quality, strong cold resistance, and a high amino acid content. This study was the first to use 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics methods to explore the characteristics and functions of the rhizosphere bacterial community of the cold-tolerant tea tree C. sinensis cv. Shifocui, providing an important basis for the development and utilization of rhizosphere microbial resources. The dominant phylum in the rhizosphere microbes of the C. sinensis cv. Shifocui rhizosphere microorganisms were Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteria. Network analysis showed significant positive and negative correlations among the rhizosphere bacterial groups of C. sinensis cv. Shifocui, among which Candidatus &#95; Xiphinematobacter, Acidobacteriale, Bradyrhizobium, Subgroup &#95; 2, Candidatus&#95;Udaeobacter, Gemmataceae, and Gaiellales were notable nodes in the interaction networks. Functional prediction of FAPROTAX indicated that C. sinensis cv. Shifocui was rich in chemoheterotrophic, cellulose hydrolysis, and oxidative heterotrophic conditions, indicating that the dominant bacterial flora was enriched in its rhizosphere microbes and played an important role in plant growth and development. These results lay a foundation for exploring the mechanism of interaction between C. sinensis cv. Shifocui and rhizosphere microorganisms and provide a research basis for the development and utilization of tea plant microbial resources., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests or conflicts of interest. Ethical Approval: Not applicable. Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Consent for Publication: Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Predicting epidemic trends of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a key public health concern globally today. However, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reinfection rate in previous studies of the transmission dynamics model was mostly a fixed value. Therefore, we proposed a meta-Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered-Susceptible (SEIRS) model by adding a time-varying SARS-CoV-2 reinfection rate to the transmission dynamics model to more accurately characterize the changes in the number of infected persons. The time-varying reinfection rate was estimated using random-effect multivariate meta-regression based on published literature reports of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection rates. The meta-SEIRS model was constructed to predict the epidemic trend of COVID-19 from February to December 2023 in Sichuan province. Finally, according to the online questionnaire survey, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate at the end of December 2022 in Sichuan province was 82.45%. The time-varying effective reproduction number in Sichuan province had two peaks from July to December 2022, with a maximum peak value of about 15. The prediction results based on the meta-SEIRS model showed that the highest peak of the second wave of COVID-19 in Sichuan province would be in late May 2023. The number of new infections per day at the peak would be up to 2.6 million. We constructed a meta-SEIRS model to predict the epidemic trend of COVID-19 in Sichuan province, which was consistent with the trend of SARS-CoV-2 positivity in China. Therefore, a meta-SEIRS model parameterized based on evidence-based data can be more relevant to the actual situation and thus more accurately predict future trends in the number of infections.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the global incidence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been increasing year by year, especially among adolescents, and it is highly correlated with the level of anxiety among teenagers, particularly within Chinese cultural contexts where parenting styles significantly influence adolescent behavior., Objective: This study examines the role of culturally-influenced parenting styles and adolescent coping strategies in relation to anxiety and NSSI behavior, aiming to clarify these multivariate interactions for better understanding and intervention., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with NSSI-diagnosed adolescents from Affiliated Kangning Hospital, Ningbo, China, and healthy adolescents from urban schools. Data on background, parenting styles, coping strategies, and anxiety levels were analyzed using chi-square tests, independent sample t -tests, MANOVA, and regression analysis., Results: Adolescents with NSSI reported higher anxiety levels, more punishment and interference, and less emotional warmth from their fathers compared to the non-NSSI group ( p  < 0.001). The NSSI group also relied more on emotion-oriented coping strategies, while the non-NSSI group favored problem-oriented approaches ( p  < 0.001). Multivariate analyses confirmed significant effects of NSSI behavior, parenting styles, and coping strategies on anxiety levels., Conclusion: This study found that the anxiety levels of NSSI adolescents were significantly higher than those of non-NSSI adolescents in China, which was closely related to less emotional warmth from parents, more punishment and interference, and emotion-focused coping strategies. The results demonstrate that family environment and coping strategies play a critical role in NSSI behavior and anxiety levels, highlighting the importance of emphasizing emotional support and positive coping strategies in the prevention and intervention of NSSI behavior., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Liu et al.)

Urban activity emissions have important ecological significance to bacterial communities' spatial and temporal distribution and the mechanism of bacterial community construction. The mechanism of bacterial community construction is the key to community structure and lifestyle, and the influence of this aspect has not been thoroughly studied. This study analyzed the response of bacteria in water and sediment in different seasons to urban activities in Jinsha River. The results showed that the influence of urban activities on bacterial community structure in sediment was greater than that in water. The input of pollution in different regions changed the diversity and abundance of water and sediments bacteria and promoted bacterial community reconstruction to a certain extent. Co-network analysis found that many metal-mediated species are core species within the same module and can be used to mitigate pollution caused by metal or organic pollutants due to interspecific solid interactions. Different potential pollution sources around urban rivers affect the metabolic function of bacteria in aquatic ecosystems and promote the detoxification function of bacteria in different media. The results of this study supplement our understanding of the characteristics of microbial communities in urban river systems and provide clues for understanding the maintenance mechanism of microbial diversity in multi-pollution environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)