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Introduction This study examined the prevalence of tobacco exposure and drinking and ascertained the relationships between tobacco exposure, alcohol drinking, concurrent smoking and drinking, and hypertension in rural southwestern China. Methods Data were collected from a cross-sectional health interview and examination survey, which included 7572 adults aged ≥35 years, in rural China. Participant demographic characteristics, smoking habits, exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), and alcohol drinking habits were obtained using a standard questionnaire. Blood pressure (BP), height, weight, and waist circumference were measured for each participant. Results The overall prevalence of smoking, SHS exposure, drinking, concurrent smoking and drinking, concurrent exposure to SHS and drinking, and hypertension was 37.7%, 27.4%, 16.2%, 12.6%, 1.6%, and 41.3%, respectively. Males had a significantly higher prevalence of smoking (74.1% vs 2.2%, p

Abstract Background This study aimed to uncover the changing prevalence of obesity and its association with hypertension across socioeconomic gradients in rural southwest China. Methods Data were collected from two cross-sectional health interviews and surveys from 2011 to 2021 among individuals aged ≥ 35 years in rural China. Each participant’s height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. The overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and hypertension was directly standardized by age based on the total population of the two surveys. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between obesity and prevalence of hypertension and an individual socioeconomic position (SEP) index was constructed using principal component analysis. Results From 2011 to 2021, the prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and hypertension increased substantially, from 5.9%, 50.2%, and 26.1–12.1%, 58.0%, and 40.4% (P

In order to investigate the transport law of an unsteady wake in a downstream cascade channel in a turbine stage environment, this study was based on a self-designed unsteady wake generator, and a low-pressure turbine cascade was the research object. The research was carried out through a combination of experiments and numerical simulation. The results show that in the range of −50° to 20° inflow incidence, there is no separation on the blade suction surface, the total pressure loss coefficient is low, and the cascade has good adaptability to the inflow incidence. When the incoming flow is at a negative incidence, the transport of the unsteady upstream wake to the downstream unsteady wake is basically the same; the same holds for a non-negative incidence. When the upstream unsteady wake is transported downstream in the cascade channel, the wake near the cascade suction surface follows a detour and barely interacts with the mainstream fluid. The total pressure loss fluctuation value obtained via numerical calculation shows good periodicity; therefore, the unsteady cascade effect under the action of upstream wake sweeping becomes very obvious.

With the impact of size on low-pressure turbines (LPTs) increasing, the gap between the blades has shrunk, inevitably influencing the unsteady effects inside the turbine. In this study, the aerodynamic effect of the blade gap size is investigated using a compressible unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) model on the basis of a four-stage LPT. Simulations are conducted in which the gap between the third-stage stator (S3) and rotor (R3) varies from 0.2 to 0.8 times the axial chord length of the R3 blade. The multi-stage environment reflects the complexity of real low-Reynolds flow fields. Computational fluid dynamics is used to analyze the flow field in detail. The results demonstrate that in the small-gap (AG-0.2) case, the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) level of the S3 wake close to the R3 leading edge is four-thirds of that in the large-gap (AG-0.8) case. The higher intensity of the wake impacting on the blade results in a higher inverse pressure gradient in the rear part of the R3 suction surface, which increases the profile loss. However, the AG-0.2 case leads to fewer losses caused by the passage vortex in the hub area under the influence of the higher intensity of the wake.

Abstract Background As the population ages, chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) multimorbidity has emerged as a major public health issue globally. This study examines ethnic disparities in prevalence of NCDs and its multimorbidity among rural southwest Chinese older adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in rural southwest population aged ≥ 60 years consisting of 5,642 consenting participants of Han and three ethnic minority groups (Dai, Ha Ni, and Bai). Information about participants’ demographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviors was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and waist circumference, fasting blood sugar and blood pressure measurement, as well as post-bronchodilator spirometry test were recorded for each participant. Results The age-standardized prevalence of five common chronic NCDs– hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – and its multimorbidity was 72.8%, 15.9%, 4.0%, 10.0%, 9.8%, and 27.6%, respectively. Bai participants had both the highest overall and sex-specific prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and COPD, whereas Han participants had the highest rates of CHD (P

As a new non thermal pretreatment technology, pulsed electric field (PEF) has excellent characteristics such as short time consumption, low energy consumption and green environmental protection. In this paper, the mechanism of pulsed electric field and its application as pretreatment technology in the field of fruit and vegetable drying, such as hot air drying, freeze drying, microwave drying, osmotic drying, spray drying and vacuum drying, are reviewed. Compared with untreated, PEF pretreatment can improve the dehydration rate, reduce production costs, improve the retention rate of nutrients in the sample, and make the quality of dried products better. However, PEF has some problems, such as the specificity between the parameters and the processing matrix, and the safety of the pretreated food. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen the parameter matching and safety research of PEF, so as to provide new ideas and references for the in-depth research of PEF pretreatment in the field of fruit and vegetable drying.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death, and it still poses a crippling threat to women’s health. China launched the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program for Rural Women in 2009, and an increasing number of cervical cancer patients have been detected. Health-related quality of life is not only the end point of cancer research but is also related to socioeconomic and clinical factors and has received an increasing amount of attention. In light of the characteristics of the Yunnan nationality, we conducted cross-sectional research to assess and explore the health-related quality of life in both Han and ethnic minority patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to May 2021 at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University/Yunnan Cancer Hospital. Patients, including 100 Han patients and 100 ethnic minorities, were interviewed using the FACT-Cx questionnaire within 3 months of receiving treatment. Results Patients of Han ethnicity and ethnic minorities were comparable in both sociodemographic and clinical features. The total FACT-Cx scores were 139.38 ± 9.83 and 134.39 ± 13.63 in Han and ethnic minority patients, respectively (P

Abstract Background Spermatogenesis depends on the supporting of the Sertoli cells and their communications with germ cells. However, the regulation of crosstalk between the Sertoli cells and germ cells remains unclear. Results In this report, we used conditional knockout technology to generate the Sertoli cells-specific knockout of Rnf20 in mice. The Amh-Rnf20 −/− male mice were infertile owing to spermatogenic failure that mimic the Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS) in humans. Knockout of Rnf20 resulted in the H2BK120ub loss in the Sertoli cells and impaired the transcription elongation of the Cldn11, a gene encoding a component of tight junction. Notably, RNF20 deficiency disrupted the cell adhesion, caused disorganization of the seminiferous tubules, and led to the apoptotic cell death of both spermatogonia and spermatocytes in the seminiferous tubules. Conclusions This study describes a Rnf20 knockout mouse model that recapitulates the Sertoli cell-only syndrome in humans and demonstrates that RNF20 is required for male fertility through regulation of H2B ubiquitination in the Sertoli cells.

Objectives This study aimed to analyse trends in the prevalence and economic burden of hypertension and its socioeconomic disparities in rural southwestern China.Design Two repeated cross-sectional studies were conducted to collect interview and health examination data among individuals aged ≥35 years in rural Yunnan Province, China.Setting Three rural areas of Yunnan, China.Participants We invited 8187 consenting participants in 2010–2011 and 7572 consenting participants in 2020–2021 to undergo interviews and health examinations.Results The standardised prevalence of hypertension significantly increased from 26.1% in 2011 to 40.4% in 2021 (p

Abstract Background Diabetes has become a major public health problem in China. A better understanding of diabetes determinants and urban-rural differences is essential to crafting targeted diabetes prevention measures for the elderly living in both urban and rural areas. This study aimed to compare rural-urban differentials in prevalence and lifestyle determinants of pre-diabetes and diabetes among the elderly in southwest China. Methods A cross-sectional health interview and examination survey was conducted among individuals aged ≥ 60 years in both a rural and urban area of China. Anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and waist circumference, as well as blood pressure and fasting blood glucose measurements were taken. Associated risk factors for pre-diabetes and diabetes were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results In total, 1,624 urban residents and 1,601 rural residents consented to participate in the study. The urban prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes (46.8% and 24.7%, respectively), was higher than the rural prevalence (23.4% and 11.0%, respectively, P

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity, and imposes a substantial financial burden on society. However, few studies have examined the role of individual socioeconomic status (SES) in temporal trends of COPD prevalence and economic cost. This study aimed to uncover the changing prevalence and economic burden of COPD across socioeconomic gradients in rural southwest China. Methods Data were collected from two cross-sectional health interviews and examination surveys administered 10 years apart among individuals aged ≥ 35 years in rural China. A prevalence-based cost-of-illness method was used to estimate the cost of COPD. The individual socioeconomic position (SEP) index was constructed using principal component analysis. Post-bronchodilator spirometry tests were performed for each participant. Results From 2011 to 2021, the prevalence of COPD increased from 8.7% to 12.8% (P

In this study, we propose a novel dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) energy sorting criterion that works in conjunction with the conventional DMD amplitude-frequency sorting criterion on the high-dimensional schlieren dataset of the unsteady flow of a spiked-blunt body at Ma = 2.2. The study commences by conducting a comparative analysis of the eigenvalues, temporal coefficients, and spatial structures derived from the three sorting criteria. Then, the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and dynamic pressure signals are utilised as supplementary resources to explore their effectiveness in capturing spectral characteristics and spatial structures. The study concludes by summarising the characteristics and potential applications of DMD associated with each sorting criterion, as well as revealing the predominant flow features of the unsteady flow field around the spiked-blunt body at supersonic speeds. Results indicate that DMD using the energy sorting criterion outperforms the amplitude and frequency sorting criteria in identifying the primary structures of unsteady pulsations in the flow field, which proves its superiority in handling an experimental dataset of unsteady flow fields. Moreover, the unsteady pulsations in the flow field around the spiked-blunt body under supersonic inflow conditions are observed to exhibit multi-frequency coupling, with the primary frequency of 3.3 kHz originating from the periodic motion of the aftershock.

Abstract Background Despite the increasing longevity of the world’s population, with an unprecedented rise in the number of people who need palliative care (PC), there has been sparse research regarding palliative care for older people, especially when it comes to comparison of PC between healthcare systems and cultures. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to identify the characteristics of the body of literature and to examine the knowledge gaps concerning PC research for older people (> 60 years) in two healthcare systems and cultures, mainland China and Sweden. Methods The guidelines PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews), and PICOS (Patient/population, Intervention, Comparison/control, and Outcome) were used. Empirical studies on patients 60 years or older, next of kin or staff participating in a palliative care intervention or setting were included. They were conducted in mainland China or in Sweden during 2007–2019, were published in English and were extracted from seven databases: Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl, PsycInfo, Academic Search Complete and Cochrane Library. Two independent researchers conducted the selection of studies, data extraction and methodological evaluation. Any disagreements were resolved in consultation with a third researcher. The analysis was manifest directed content analysis based on PICOS domains. Results Of the 15 studies, four were from mainland China and 11 from Sweden. Both countries included older patients with cancer but also other end-stage diseases such as heart failure and dementia. The studies differed in design, method and the content of the interventions. The study in China based on traditional Chinese medicine concerns traditional Chinese folk music. The six qualitative studies from Sweden were evaluations of five interventions. Conclusions Despite the high age of the participating patients, there was no focus on an ageing perspective concerning palliative care. To adapt to the changes taking place in most societies, future research should have increased focus on older persons’ need for palliative care and should take account of issues concerning research ethics, ethnicity and culture. Registered in Prospero CRD42020078685 , available from.

Abstract Background Serum cholinesterase (ChE) was found to be involved in cancer initiation and progression. However, the survival association between serum ChE and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been extensively discussed. In the present study, we aim to elevate the role of ChE in overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients. Methods A total of 961 histologically confirmed NSCLC patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2018 in a provincial cancer hospital in southwestern China were retrospectively selected. Relevant information, such as histological type, clinical stage, chemotherapy, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), important serum indicators (albumin, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, ChE), date of death of the patients was extracted from the computerized hospital information system. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between baseline serum ChE measured at the diagnosis and the OS of NSCLC patients. Results The median of baseline ChE (7700 units/liter) was used as a cut-off to dichotomize NSCLC patients. After controlling for possible confounding factors, serum ChE at diagnosis was significantly associated with OS of NSCLC: patients with higher level of ChE were observed a better prognosis (hazard ratio, HR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67–0.93, p = 0.006). Subgroup analysis revealed significant ChE-OS association for NSCLC patients: with lower systemic inflammation level (baseline NLR

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, with an estimated 600,000 new cases and 340,000 deaths worldwide in 2020. However, there remains limited understanding of the association between individual socioeconomic status, clinical characteristics, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of women with cervical precancerous lesions. This study investigates socioeconomic and clinical variations in HRQoL of women with cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer in Yunnan Province, China. Methods: The present study employed a cross-sectional survey design. An EuroQol Five Dimensions Five Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire was used to assess HRQoL of 400 patients with cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer in Yunnan Province, China, from 2019 to 2020. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent samples t-tests were performed to identify the independent variables associated with EQ-5D-5L utility scores and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Predictors of utility scores were confirmed using a Tobit regression model. Results: The mean EQ-5D-5L utility scores of cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer patients was 0.939 (standard deviation (SD), 0.104), and the mean VAS score was 80.84 (SD, 16.551). Patients aged 40–59 years (β = –0.037, p = 0.005), patients who were not aware of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (β = –0.032, p = 0.004), and patients who underwent radical hysterectomy (β = –0.036, p = 0.006) had significantly lower utility scores, whereas having high monthly household income (β = 0.023, p = 0.033) was significantly associated with higher EQ-5D-5L utility scores. Age (p = 0.023) was statistically significant in differences in patients’ VAS scores. Anxiety/depression was the most frequently reported issue (35.75%) among participants. Conclusions: Future cervical cancer prevention and treatment guidelines should focus on low-income women, women aged 40–59 years, and those lacking knowledge about cervical cancer prevention.

The development of high-performance implantable soft electronics as diagnostic platforms is key to realizing improved health monitoring. Here, the authors design wireless, battery-free, implantable bioelectronics that interface with the osseosurface for chronic musculoskeletal system monitoring.

Abstract Background Age at menarche (AAM) has shown different trends in women from different ethnic and economic regions in recent decades. Data on AAM among multiethnic women living in developing areas are scarce. Methods Data on AAM from 1,275,000 women among 26 ethnicities in Yunnan Province, China, who were born from 1965 to 2001 were obtained from the National Free Preconception Health Examination Project from 2010 to 2018. The patterns of AAM trends were analysed according to ethnic group, area of residence, and socioeconomic status. Results The mean AAM was 13.7 ± 1.21 years (95% CI 13.697–13.701), with a decrease from 14.12 (±1.41) among women born before 1970 to 13.3 (±1.04) among those born after 2000. The decline was 0.36 years per 10-year birth cohort, and the plateau has not yet been reached in Yunnan. A secular trend of earlier AAM was observed in all 26 ethnic groups. The fastest rate of decline was observed for the Bai ethnicity (0.36 years per decade). Consistent declining trends in AAM appeared among extreme-, middling-, and nonpoverty economic patterns from 1965 to 2001, with reductions of 1.19, 1.44, and 1.5 years, respectively (P

The effect of boundary layer oscillating suction (BLOS) on the vortex structure of high-load linear compressor cascades is studied by a high-fidelity numerical calculation. The oscillation parameters (amplitude and frequency) and suction control parameters (suction position and mass flow) are continuously adjusted. It was found that higher aerodynamic efficiency could be obtained with suitable oscillation parameters and suction control parameters. This is achieved because BLOS not only absorbs the low-energy fluid in the boundary layer but also optimizes the vortex structure in the compressor passage.

A new rosane-type diterpenoid (1) along with nine known diterpenoids (2–10), were isolated from the dried roots of Euphorbia nematocypha. The absolute configuration was elucidated from spectroscopic (nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and electronic circular dichroism) and optical-rotation analyses. Cytotoxicity and the ability to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals were determined. Compound 1 showed remarkable cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines (HeLa, CT26, and HCC 1806) in vitro. The interaction between compound 1 and proteins of ribosomal S6 kinase was revealed using molecular docking and provided valuable insights into the cytotoxic mechanism of action of compound 1. The latter could be developed as a pharmaceutical agent in the future.

BackgroundThere is still controversy surrounding the precise characterization of prediabetic population. We aim to identify and examine factors of demographic, behavioral, clinical, and biochemical characteristics, and obesity indicators (anthropometric characteristics and anthropometric prediction equation) for prediabetes according to different definition criteria of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in the Chinese population.MethodsA longitudinal study consisted of baseline survey and two follow-ups was conducted, and a pooled data were analyzed. Prediabetes was defined as either impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) according to the ADA criteria. Robust generalized estimating equation models were used.ResultsA total of 5,713 (58.42%) observations were prediabetes (IGT, 38.07%; IGT, 26.51%; elevated HbA1c, 23.45%); 9.66% prediabetes fulfilled all the three ADA criteria. Among demographic characteristics, higher age was more evident in elevated HbA1c [adjusted OR (aOR)=2.85]. Female individuals were less likely to have IFG (aOR=0.70) and more likely to suffer from IGT than male individuals (aOR=1.41). Several inconsistency correlations of biochemical characteristics and obesity indicators were detected by prediabetes criteria. Body adiposity estimator exhibited strong association with prediabetes (D10: aOR=4.05). For IFG and elevated HbA1c, the odds of predicted lean body mass exceed other indicators (D10: aOR=3.34; aOR=3.64). For IGT, predicted percent fat presented the highest odds (D10: aOR=6.58).ConclusionSome correlated factors of prediabetes under different criteria differed, and obesity indicators were easily measured for target identification. Our findings could be used for targeted intervention to optimize preventions to mitigate the obviously increased prevalence of diabetes.

Abstract Background This study examines the socioeconomic differentials in trends in the prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension and hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in rural Southwestern China. Methods Two cross-sectional interviews and health examination surveys were administered in rural Yunnan Province, including 6,350 consenting participants in 2009 and 6,359 consenting participants in 2016 (aged ≥ 35 years). Participant demographics, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity, along with information about hypertension awareness, treatment, and control, were collected using similar questionnaires in the two surveys. The participants’ blood pressure levels were also measured. Results From 2009 to 2016, the prevalence of hypertension substantially increased from 28.4% to 39.5% (P

A positive connection has been established between personality traits and suicidal ideation (SI). However, the possible mediation of resilience within this association has never been thoroughly discussed. In this study, we aimed to investigate this topic by using population-based cross-sectional survey data of 4,489 Chinese children and adolescents. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from the participants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were adopted to measure the crude and adjusted associations between personality traits, SI, and resilience. Path analysis was performed to evaluate the mediation of resilience in the association between personality traits and SI. For 4,489 study subjects, the mean age was 13.4 years, ethnic minorities accounted for 71.8%, and over a half (54.6%) were middle school students. The reported prevalence rates for 1-week, 1-year, and lifetime SI were 27.6% (95% CI: 24.9%, 30.0%), 35.5% (95% CI: 30.8%, 41.0%), and 56.7% (95% CI: 52.3%, 61.0%), respectively. Girls reported a significantly higher prevalence of SI than boys. Path analysis results revealed a prominent mediation of resilience; moreover, for different dimensions of personality traits, the proportion of mediation by resilience varied. Our major findings suggest that resilience-based intervention measures could be considered in preventing personality traits related to suicidal risk among youngsters. For children and adolescents, the measuring of personality dimensions may also be helpful in targeting key subpopulations of intervention priority.

Experimental and numerical studies of a linear high-loaded turbine cascade with a dual−cavity tip structure are presented in this paper. The experimental conditions contained an increase in the outlet Mach number from 0.42 to 0.92, a change in the incidence angle from −15° to 15° and an increase in the relative clearance size from 0.36% to 1.4%. The ability of the dual−cavity tip to control leakage losses and vortices is assessed using the total pressure coefficient and the Q-criterion. This research indicates that the leakage vortex interacts strongly with the passage vortex, and the change in working conditions affects the balance between the two vortices and thus the flow field structure. The experimental and numerical results prove that the dual−cavity tip can reduce losses in all operating conditions, with the best control effect reduced by 0.025 in a large clearance size condition. In addition, the leakage control effect of the blade tip structure is more influenced by the incoming flow angle and clearance size than the Mach number.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major and growing cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. However, there remains a limited understanding of the association between individual socioeconomic status (SES) and COPD diagnosis and treatment worldwide, including in China. This study investigates socioeconomic variations in prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of COPD in rural China. Methods The present study employed a cross-sectional survey design. The study population was composed of Han majority as well as Na Xi and Bai ethnic minority individuals 35 years of age and older living in Yunnan Province from 2017 to 2019. In total, 7534 individuals consented to participate in the study and complete a structured interview as well as a post-bronchodilator spirometry test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between individual socioeconomic status variables and the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of COPD. Results The age-standardized prevalence of COPD in the present study was 14.3%. Prevalence differed by gender: prevalence for men was 17.1%, versus 11.4% for women (P = 0.0001). Overall, levels of diagnosis and treatment of COPD for participants with COPD were 24.2 and 23.1%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that higher educational levels and good access to medical services was associated with an overall lower risk of COPD (P = 0.032 vs. P = 0.018) as well as a higher probability of COPD diagnosis among those with COPD (P = 0.0001 vs. P = 0.002). Participants with COPD with higher educational levels (P = 0.0001) and higher annual household incomes (P = 0.0001) as well as good access to medical services (P = 0.016) were more likely to receive COPD medications and treatment than their counterparts. While Na Xi and Bai participants had a higher probability of having COPD (P = 0.0001), they had a lower probability of having received a diagnosis or treatment for COPD than Han participants (P = 0.0001 vs. P = 0.0012). Conclusions Future interventions to further control COPD and improve diagnosis and treatment should focus on ethnic minority communities, and those with low education levels, low annual household incomes, and poor access to medical services.

To study the influence of different hole length ratios on the flow structure and film cooling efficiency, a calculation model of fan-shaped hole was constructed and numerically studied. The effect of different hole length ratios on the cooling efficiency under different blowing ratios was compared and analyzed. The results showed that as the blowing ratio increases, the overall average efficiency of most of the hole length ratio cases first increases and then decreases. Only in the case with a cylindrical part length/total length ratio of 0.5 did the efficiency continue to increase. When the blowing ratio is small, the spanwise average efficiency of each hole length ratio case is closer, but the flow structure and efficiency distribution are quite different. For the medium blowing ratio, the overall average efficiency of the small hole length ratio case is higher, and the efficiency decreases as the hole length ratio increases. When the cylindrical part length/total length ratio is further increased to 1, the cooling efficiency region basically converges into a spanwise narrow region. For larger blowing ratio conditions, after 10D after the hole outlet, the case with a cylindrical part length/total length of 0.5 is more efficient.

BackgroundWhether elevated postoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are prognostic in patients with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial.Patients and MethodsPrimary and sensitivity analysis populations were obtained from a retrospective, multicenter longitudinal cohort including consecutive patients without neoadjuvant treatment undergoing curative resection for stage I–III CRC. Serum CEA levels before (CEApre-m1) and within 1 (CEApost-m1), 2–3 (CEApost-m2–3), and 4–6 months (CEApost-m4–6) after surgery were obtained, and their associations with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Cox regression. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed.ResultsPrimary and sensitivity analysis populations included 710 [415 men; age, 54.8 (11.6) years] and 1556 patients [941 men; age, 56.2 (11.8) years], respectively. Recurrence hazard ratios (HRs) in the elevated CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, CEApost-m2–3, and CEApost-m4–6 groups were 1.30 (95% CI: 0.91–1.85), 1.53 (95% CI: 0.89–2.62), 1.88 (95% CI: 1.08–3.28), and 1.15 (95% CI: 0.91–1.85), respectively. The HRs of the elevated CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, CEApost-m2–3, and CEApost-m4–6 groups for OS were 1.09 (95% CI: 0.60–1.97), 2.78 (95% CI: 1.34–5.79), 2.81 (95% CI: 1.25–6.30), and 3.30 (95% CI: 1.67–.536), respectively. Adjusted multivariate analyses showed that both in the primary and sensitivity analysis populations, elevated CEApost-m2–3, rather than CEApre-m1, CEApost-m1, and CEApost-m4–6, was an independent risk factor for recurrence, but not for OS. The RFS in the elevated and normal CEApost-m2–3 groups differed significantly among patients with stage II disease [n = 266; HR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.02–8.24 (primary analysis); n = 612; HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.34–5.38 (sensitivity analysis)].ConclusionsElevated postoperative CEA levels are prognostic in patients with stage II CRC, with 2–3 months after surgery being the optimal timing for CEA measurement.

The composite of graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can increase the electrical conductivity and the electrochemical active sites in favor of the application in energy storage and conversion. However, the fabrication of graphene/CNT hybrid material requires multiple steps to introduce two kinds of catalysts for separate growth of graphene and CNTs. Here, we report a one-step process to in situ grow a seamless graphene/CNT heterojunction using a single catalyst of copper foil. Through precise tuning of the evaporation temperature of ethanol, creation of a method for seamlessly bonding CNTs on the graphene surface without assistance of metal particles has been realized. A study of the growth mechanism shows that the self-limited surface reaction of copper foil leads to many defects in multilayer graphene films, which provides the nucleation sites for the seamless growth of CNTs. The as-grown graphene/CNT heterojunctions have a higher electrical conductivity than the single graphene film, and its optical transmittance is almost equal to that of graphene film.

Abstract Background This study examines how prevalence and clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors differ by ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) among rural southwest Chinese adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 7027 adults aged ≥35 years of Han and four ethnic minority group descent (Na Xi, Li Shu, Dai, and Jing Po) was used to derive prevalence of tobacco smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) as well as alcohol consumption and physical activity data. Anthropometric measurements were also taken, including height, weight, and waist and hip circumference, as well as blood pressure (BP) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) measurements. Results Current smoking and drinking status were the top two CVD risk factors in the study population. Dai ethnic minority participants had the highest prevalence of hypertension, obesity, and central obesity, whereas Jing Po ethnic minority participants had the highest prevalence of current smoking status, SHS exposure, and current drinking status (P

Abstract Background This study examines how prevalence and behaviors of smoking differ by socioeconomic status among rural southwest Chinese adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted including 7743 adults aged ≥35 years in rural regions of Yunnan Province, China from 2016 to 2018. Information on individual socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, and self-reported smoking behaviors was collected utilizing a standardized questionnaire. The individual socioeconomic position (SEP) index was constructed using principal component analysis. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between individual SES variables and the prevalence and behaviors of smoking. Results In the study population, the overall prevalence rate of current smokers was 33.5%. Males had a markedly higher prevalence of current smokers than females (62.6% vs. 4.8%, P

In this study, the gamma ray radiation effect on the characteristics of inkjet-printed semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sSWCNTs) thin-film transistors (TFTs) is investigated. The devices with top gate dielectrics consisted of BaTiO3 and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were characterized before and after 150 krad 60Co gamma radiation in air. It reveals that the radiation results in a positive threshold voltage shift from -0.5 to 3.6 V (with a drain voltage biased at -1 V). The hysteresis decreases slightly from 1.2 to 0.5 V, indicating that the BaTiO3/PMMA dielectric layer effectively encapsulates the sSWCNTs TFTs from absorbing molecules in the environment. Furthermore, the charge pumping current ICP is measured with a gate voltage pulsed at 100 kHz. The maximum ICP increases from 90 to 140nA, which translates to an increase in the interface trap density from 4.5×1011 to 1.1×1012 cm-2eV-1. The charge pumping measurements at the frequency of 10∼250 kHz show that the increase of ICP induced by radiation is obvious when f>30 kHz but is little when f

Abstract Background The demand to use information and communications technology (ICT) in education and research has grown fast among researchers and educators working in global health. However, access to ICT resources and the capacity to use them in global health research remains limited among developing country faculty members. In order to address the global health needs and to design an ICT-related training course, we herein explored the Chinese health science faculty members’ perceptions and learning needs for ICT use. Methods Nine focus groups discussions (FGDs) were conducted during December 2015 to March 2016, involving 63 faculty members working in areas of health sciences from six universities in China. All FGDs were audio recorded and analysed thematically. Results The findings suggest that the understandings of ICT were not clear among many researchers; some thought that the concept of ICT was too wide and ambiguous. Most participants were able to cite examples of ICT application in their research and teaching activities. Positive attitudes and high needs of ICT use and training were common among most participants. Recommendations for ICT training included customised training programmes focusing on a specific specialty, maintaining a balance between theories and practical applications, more emphasis on the application of ICT, and skills in finding the required information from the bulk information available in the internet. Suggestions regarding the format and offering of training included short training programmes, flexible timing, lectures with practicum opportunities, and free of charge or with very minimal cost to the participants. Two participants suggested the linking of ICT-related training courses with faculty members’ year-end assessment and promotion. Conclusions This study among health sciences faculty members in China demonstrated a high level of need and interest in learning about ICT use in research and training. The results have important implications for the design and implementation of ICT-related educational programmes in China and other developing countries.

Thermoelectric modules can generate electricity directly from heat and have applications to waste heat-energy conversion. Here Zhouet al. have fabricated a thermoelectric module based on an air-stable n-type single-walled carbon nanotube sheet which can reach a high power factor of 1500 μWm−1K−2.

Objectives. This study is aimed at gaining insights on the changing prevalence, economic burden, and catastrophic costs of diabetes in rural southwest China. Materials and Methods. Data were collected from two cross-sectional health interviews and examination surveys among individuals aged≥35 years in rural Yunnan Province. A prevalence-based cost-of-illness method was used to estimate the cost of diabetes. Information about the participants’ demographic characteristics and economic consequences of diabetes was obtained using a standard questionnaire. Fasting blood sugar levels were recorded for each study participant. Results. During the study period, the overall prevalence of diabetes increased from 7.7% to 9.5% (P0.05). Conclusions. The prevalence and economic burden of diabetes increased substantially from 2009 to 2016 in rural southwest China. The findings underscore an urgent need for the government to invest more financial resources in the prevention of diabetes and improvement of access to affordable medication in rural southwest China.

Abstract Background The health service of China has encountered significant challenges due to inequalities in socio-economic determinants of health. HIV patients are known to suffer from social stigma, and may receive inadequate responsiveness from health providers. Before assessing the responsiveness they receive, it is important to know their expectations. We aimed to compare levels of expectation towards the healthcare service among HIV and non-HIV patients with adjustment for socio-economic factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted during January and February, 2015 among two consecutive groups of HIV positive and non-HIV patients in two hospitals in Kunming, China. Patients’ expectation towards eight domains of health system responsiveness was measured using 40 vignettes; five per domain. Each vignette was ranked from 1 “very good” to 5 “very bad”, and the responses were summed to obtain a total score for each domain. Differences in total scores were compared between the two groups and adjusted for other factors using multiple linear regression. Results The three domains with the highest scores, reflecting high expectation, were prompt attention, basic amenities and choice. Adjusted for other factors, HIV patients had significantly lower levels of expectation in all domains compared to the non-HIV group. Age was associated with the basic amenities domain, with young adults having higher expectations than other age groups. Minority ethnic groups had lower expectation towards dignity, prompt attention and autonomy domains compared to Han ethnicity. Those who lived in a home with 2–4 family members had higher expectations towards confidentiality than those who lived alone. Conclusion Patients with HIV have significantly lower levels of expectations even after adjusting for socio-economic factors. Assessment of health system responsiveness based on their judgments above may give biased results toward favorable service quality.

Background: This study aimed to determine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake and willingness to receive HPV vaccination among female college students, in China, and its associated factors. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of female college students across the eastern, central, and western regions of China was undertaken between April and September 2019. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine factors associated with the HPV vaccine uptake and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Results: Among the total 4220 students who participated in this study, 11.0% reported having been vaccinated against HPV. There are direct effects of indicators of higher socioeconomic status, older age (β = 0.084 and p = 0.006), and geographical region (residing in Eastern China, β = 0.033, and p = 0.024) on HPV vaccine uptake. Higher knowledge (β = 0.062 and p < 0.000) and perceived susceptibility (β = 0.043 and p = 0.002) were also predictors of HPV vaccine uptake. Of those who had not received the HPV vaccine, 53.5% expressed a willingness to do so. Likewise, social economic status indicators were associated with the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Total knowledge score (β = 0.138 and p < 0.001), both perceived susceptibility (β = 0.092 and p < 0.001) and perceived benefit (β = 0.088 and p < 0.001), and sexual experience (β = 0.041 and p = 0.007) had a positive and significant direct effect on the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine, while perceived barriers (β = −0.071 and p < 0.001) had a negative effect on the willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. Conclusions: Geographical region and socioeconomic disparities in the HPV vaccination uptake rate and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine provide valuable information for public health planning that aims to improve vaccination rates in underserved areas in China. The influence of knowledge and perceptions of HPV vaccination suggests the importance of communication for HPV immunization.

AIMS:To examine drug use behavior of clients attending Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) programs and its relationship with the clients' social network characteristics. DESIGN:Cross-sectional study. SETTING:Four MMT clinics in Kunming, Yunnan province, China. PARTICIPANTS:324 consecutive MMT clients. MEASUREMENTS:A structured, self-completed questionnaire on background characteristics and existing social network. Current drug use was assessed by urine test for opiate metabolites. ANALYSIS:The association between client's social network characteristics and their own current drug use behavior is analysed using multiple logistic regression adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are obtained to give the strength of the associations. FINDINGS:MMT clients were more likely to concurrently use heroin while attending MMT if their social network had any of the following characteristics: more than half of the members were older than them (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00,1.06), any member had a high level of influence on them (AOR = 6.47, 95% CI = 2.86,14.65) and any member joined them in using drugs (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.04,3.63). Having a social network member who could provide emotional support (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.03,0.35), having a spouse and/or child in their social network (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.24,0.81) and having a social network member with a high level of closeness (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.09,0.90) were associated with a decreased odds of heroin use. CONCLUSION:Social networks who could provide MMT clients with emotional support and a close relationship were significant factors for reducing the risk of concurrent drug use among clients attending MMT clinics in Kunming, China. Behavioral interventions should address the role of family and social network members in providing support to these clients.

Pyrus pashia flowers are used as edible and medicinal materials in Yunnan Province, China. The antioxidant activities of 85% ethanolic extract of P. pashia flowers and derived soluble fractions were evaluated for the first time using four different test systems. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of each fraction were also determined. It was found that the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest antioxidant effect. An investigation of this flower's chemical constituents was carried out and led to the isolation of a new phenolic glycoside, 4-O-Z-coumaroylarbutin (1), along with twenty-seven other phenolic compounds (2–28). Hydroquinone (13) showed the highest content and powerful activity, which implied that the compound plays an important role in the antioxidant activity of this flower. Thus, P. pashia flowers could serve as a valuable natural antioxidant source for potential application in functional foods.

Viruses interact with hundreds to thousands of proteins in mammals, yet adaptation against viruses has only been studied in a few proteins specialized in antiviral defense. Whether adaptation to viruses typically involves only specialized antiviral proteins or affects a broad array of virus-interacting proteins is unknown. Here, we analyze adaptation in ~1300 virus-interacting proteins manually curated from a set of 9900 proteins conserved in all sequenced mammalian genomes. We show that viruses (i) use the more evolutionarily constrained proteins within the cellular functions they interact with and that (ii) despite this high constraint, virus-interacting proteins account for a high proportion of all protein adaptation in humans and other mammals. Adaptation is elevated in virus-interacting proteins across all functional categories, including both immune and non-immune functions. We conservatively estimate that viruses have driven close to 30% of all adaptive amino acid changes in the part of the human proteome conserved within mammals. Our results suggest that viruses are one of the most dominant drivers of evolutionary change across mammalian and human proteomes.

The edible flowers of Caragana sinica are used in China a kind of health-promoting vegetable. In this study, the antioxidant activities of its ethanol extract, as well as its petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water fractions, were evaluated through in vitro model systems including the DPPH, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching methods. Among the C. sinica flower extracts the ethyl acetate fraction was the most effective. Correlation analysis suggested that flavonoids might be the major contributors to the high antioxidant activity of this flower. Six flavonoids including quercetin (1), isoquercitrin (2), rutin (3), quercetin-3′-O-methyl-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), typhaneoside (5) and quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→2)[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), were isolated from this flower for the first time. Their contents were determined by a HPLC method. Compounds 3 and 4 were found to be the major flavonoids, with concentrations of 1.20 ± 0.07 and 3.94 ± 0.12 mg/g dry sample, respectively. These results demonstrated that the C. sinica flowers may be valuable natural antioxidant sources and are potentially applicable in the health food industry.

Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire has long been used as a folk medicine by the Yi and Bai ethnic groups in China to treat fever, cough, gastritis, boils, and tumors. In the present study, the cytotoxicity of the defensive secretion (TDS) of B. rynchopetera against AGS Caco-2, HepG2 U251 and Bel-7402 was tested, and the results revealed that TDS had potent cytotoxicity against testing cells with IC50 values of 45.8, 17.4, 53.6, 98.4 and 23.4 μg/mL, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was employed to clarify the cytotoxic constituents in TDS of B. rynchopetera and five volatile compounds, including 2-ethyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione (3, 31.00%), 1-tridecene (5, 28.02%), 2-methyl-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione (2, 22.86%), hydroquinone (4, 1.33%), and p-benzoquinone (1, 1.01%), were identified. Chemical constituent investigation on TDS further supported the presence of 5 above compounds. A cytotoxic assay indicated that compounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the testing cell lines, implying that benzoquinones and hydroquinone played important roles in the cytotoxicity of TDS of B. rynchopetera. TDS is a cytotoxic natural material and further studies investigating mechanisms and inhibitory activities on other cell lines is warranted.

Five new phenolic compounds rynchopeterines A–E (1–5), in addition to thirteen known phenolics, were isolated from Blaps rynchopetera Fairmaire, a kind of medicinal insect utilized by the Yi Nationality in Yunnan Province of China. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D and 2D NMR, HR-MS, IR) along with calculated electronic circular dichroism method. Rynchopeterines A–E (1–4) exhibited significant antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 7.67–12.3 μg/mL measured by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Besides, rynchopeterines B (2) and C (3) showed mild cytotoxicity against tumor cell Caco-2 and A549.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the contribution of individual and contextual socioeconomic status (SES) to the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance in the adult population in rural southwest China. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study of diabetes was performed in 4801(2152 men) Chinese adults (≥ 25 years old). Multilevel logistic regression model was used to examine the association between individuals' and townships' variables and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance. RESULTS: The age-and gender-standardized prevalence of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance were 7.1% (3.6% for undiagnosed) and 8.8% in adults aged ≥ 25 years, respectively, and increasing with age. Females were more likely to develop diabetes than males. The probability of developing diabetes increased with BMI. Both contextual and individual educational level and yearly household income were found to be negatively associated with the prevalence of diabetes. Residence in communities with a higher percentage of ethnic minorities was associated with higher prevalence of diabetes. Smoking had a protective effect for diabetes, drinking had a positive association with diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance are common in rural adults of southwest China by international standards. These results indicate that diabetes mellitus has become a major public health problem in rural areas in southwest China, and strategies aimed at the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance are needed.

Abstract Background We examined independent influences of contextual variables on cardiovascular risk factors in Shilin county, Yunnan province, South-west China. Methods Three villages were selected from each of the ten townships based on probability proportional to size. In each selected village, 200 individuals aged ≥ 45 years were chosen based on simple random sampling method. From 6006 individuals, information on demographic characteristics, smoking and drinking status was obtained by interview. Blood pressure, height, weight, and waist and hip girth were measured. Fasting blood sugar was measured in a 10-percent subsample. Contextual data were from official reports. Multi-level regression modelling with adjustment for individual and contextual variables was used. Results Contextual variables associated with CVD risk factors included: remoteness of village with higher blood pressure and fasting blood sugar, high proportion of Yi minority with drinking, high literacy rate with a lower rate of smoking and a lower mean waist-hip ratio, and high average income with lower systolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) but higher FBS. Conclusion While contextual SES is associated with a few CVD risk factors, villages with high level of income are worse off in fasting blood sugar. Strategies of economic development should be reviewed to avoid adverse effects on health.