Search

Introduction: Social contact patterns significantly influence the transmission dynamics of respiratory pathogens. Previous surveys have quantified human social contact patterns, yielding heterogeneous results across different locations. However, significant gaps remain in understanding social contact patterns in rural areas of China. Methods: We conducted a pioneering study to quantify social contact patterns in Anhua County, Hunan Province, China, from June to October 2021, when there were minimal coronavirus disease-related restrictions in the area. Additionally, we simulated the epidemics under different assumptions regarding the relative transmission risks of various contact types (e.g., indoor versus outdoor, and physical versus non-physical). Results: Participants reported an average of 12.0 contacts per day (95% confidence interval: 11.3–12.6), with a significantly higher number of indoor contacts compared to outdoor contacts. The number of contacts was associated with various socio-demographic characteristics, including age, education level, income, household size, and travel patterns. Contact patterns were assortative by age and varied based on the type of contact (e.g., physical versus non-physical). The reproduction number, daily incidence, and infection attack rate of simulated epidemics were remarkably stable. Discussion: We found many intergenerational households and contacts that pose challenges in preventing and controlling infections among the elderly in rural China. Our study also underscores the importance of integrating various types of contact pattern data into epidemiological models and provides guidance to public health authorities and other major stakeholders in preparing and responding to infectious disease threats in rural China.

Abstract Characterizing the long-term kinetics of maternally derived and vaccine-induced measles immunity is critical for informing measles immunization strategies moving forward. Based on two prospective cohorts of children in China, we estimate that maternally derived immunity against measles persists for 2.4 months. Following two-dose series of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) at 8 and 18 months of age, the immune protection against measles is not lifelong, and antibody concentrations are extrapolated to fall below the protective threshold of 200 mIU/ml at 14.3 years. A catch-up MCV dose in addition to the routine doses between 8 months and 5 years reduce the cumulative incidence of seroreversion by 79.3–88.7% by the age of 6 years. Our findings also support a good immune response after the first MCV vaccination at 8 months. These findings, coupled with the effectiveness of a catch-up dose in addition to the routine doses, could be instrumental to relevant stakeholders when planning routine immunization schedules and supplemental immunization activities.

An outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 sublineage occurred in Shanghai, China from February 26 to June 30, 2022. We use official reported data retrieved from Shanghai municipal Health Commissions to estimate the incidence of infections, severe/critical infections, and deaths to assess the disease burden. By adjusting for right censoring and RT-PCR sensitivity, we provide estimates of clinical severity, including the infection fatality ratio, symptomatic case fatality ratio, and risk of developing severe/critical disease upon infection. The overall infection rate, severe/critical infection rate, and mortality rate were 2.74 (95% CI: 2.73-2.74) per 100 individuals, 6.34 (95% CI: 6.02-6.66) per 100,000 individuals and 2.42 (95% CI: 2.23-2.62) per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The severe/critical infection rate and mortality rate increased with age, noted in individuals aged 80 years or older. The overall fatality ratio and risk of developing severe/critical disease upon infection were 0.09% (95% CI: 0.09-0.10%) and 0.27% (95% CI: 0.24-0.29%), respectively. Having received at least one vaccine dose led to a 10-fold reduction in the risk of death for infected individuals aged 80 years or older. Under the repeated population-based screenings and strict intervention policies implemented in Shanghai, our results found a lower disease burden and mortality of the outbreak compared to other settings and countries, showing the impact of the successful outbreak containment in Shanghai. The estimated low clinical severity of this Omicron BA.2 epidemic in Shanghai highlight the key contribution of vaccination and availability of hospital beds to reduce the risk of death.

Summary: Background: Heterologous vaccine schedules have been recommended to provide superior immunity and protection against emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. We aimed to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine RQ3013 compared with adenoviral vectored vaccine Ad5-nCoV and protein subunit vaccine ZF2001 as the fourth dose in adults primed with three doses of inactivated vaccines in China. Methods: We conducted a double-blinded, randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial among healthy Chinese adults at Lancang County, Yunnan, China. Adults who had received three doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines at least 6 months prior were randomly allocated (3:1:1) to receive heterologous boosters with RQ3013, Ad5-nCoV, or ZF2001. We assessed safety within 28 days post boost and the serum geometric mean titres (GMTs) of neutralising antibodies (NAbs) against the live SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant BA.5 on day 14 post-boost. We used Poisson regression to assess the vaccine efficacy against the first episode of virologically confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 occurring at least 7 days post boost. Subgroup analyses categorized by age and sex were also performed for safety and immunogenicity outcomes. This trial has been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200065281) and is now complete. Findings: Between December 12 and December 18, 2022, a total of 1382 adults were screened, and 1250 were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive one dose of RQ3013 (n = 750), Ad5-nCoV (n = 250), or ZF2001 (n = 250). Although solicited adverse reactions within 28 days post boost were more frequent in the RQ3013 group (175 [23.3%]) compared to the control groups (24 [9.6%] in both the Ad5-nCOV and ZF2001 groups, P 0.05). On day 14 post-boost, RQ3013 (GMT 69.14, 95% CI 47.90–99.81) elicited 4.8-fold and 5.6-fold higher concentrations of NAbs against BA.5 than did Ad5-nCoV (14.37, 7.78–26.56) and ZF2001 (12.21, 5.13–29.06), respectively. On day 28 post-boost, RQ3013 demonstrated a relative efficacy of 62.2% (95% CI 13.7–83.1, P = 0.02) compared to Ad5-nCoV, and of 69.0% (33.5–85.7, P = 0.002) compared to ZF2001. Interpretation: The administrations of all the three heterologous boosters were well tolerated. The heterologous prime-boost regimen with RQ3013 elicited superior immune responses and demonstrated better protection against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections compared with Ad5-nCoV or ZF2001, supporting the use of RQ3013 as a booster vaccination in adults. Funding: Yunnan Province Science and Technology Department (grant no.202302AA310047).

In order to improve the shale oil production rate and save fracturing costs, based on dynamic production data, a production-oriented optimization method for fracture spacing of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells is proposed in this study. First, M. Brown et al.’s trilinear seepage flow models and their pressure and flow rate solutions are applied. Second, deconvolution theory is introduced to normalize the production data. The data of variable pressure and variable flow rate are, respectively, transformed into the pressure data under unit flow rate and the flow rate data under unit production pressure drop; and the influence of data error is eliminated. Two kinds of typical curve of the normalized data are analyzed using the pressure and flow rate solutions of M. Brown et al.’s models. The two fitting methods constrain each other. Thus, reservoir and fracture parameters are interpretated. A practical model has been established to more accurately describe the seepage flow behavior in shale oil reservoirs. Third, using Duhamel’s principle and the rate solution, the daily and cumulative production rate under any variable production pressure can be obtained. The productivity can be more accurately predicted. Finally, the analysis method is applied to analyze the actual dynamic production data. The fracture spacing of a shale oil producing well in an actual block is optimized from the aspects of production life, cumulative production, economic benefits and other influencing factors, and some significant conclusions are obtained. The research results show that with the goal of maximum cumulative production, the optimal fracture spacing is 5.5 m for 5 years and 11.4 m for 10 years. All in all, the fracture spacing optimization and design theory of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells is enriched.

Abstract Background Hundreds of millions of doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been administered globally, but progress on vaccination varies considerably between countries. We aimed to provide an overall picture of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, including policy, coverage, and demand of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods We conducted a descriptive study of vaccination policy and doses administered data obtained from multiple public sources as of 8 February 2022. We used these data to develop coverage indicators and explore associations of vaccine coverage with socioeconomic and healthcare-related factors. We estimated vaccine demand as numbers of doses required to complete vaccination of countries’ target populations according to their national immunization program policies. Results Messenger RNA and adenovirus vectored vaccines were the most commonly used COVID-19 vaccines in high-income countries, while adenovirus vectored vaccines were the most widely used vaccines worldwide (180 countries). One hundred ninety-two countries have authorized vaccines for the general public, with 40.1% (77/192) targeting individuals over 12 years and 32.3% (62/192) targeting those ≥ 5 years. Forty-eight and 151 countries have started additional-dose and booster-dose vaccination programs, respectively. Globally, there have been 162.1 doses administered per 100 individuals in target populations, with marked inter-region and inter-country heterogeneity. Completed vaccination series coverage ranged from 0.1% to more than 95.0% of country target populations, and numbers of doses administered per 100 individuals in target populations ranged from 0.2 to 308.6. Doses administered per 100 individuals in whole populations correlated with healthcare access and quality index (R 2 = 0.59), socio-demographic index (R 2 = 0.52), and gross domestic product per capita (R 2 = 0.61). At least 6.4 billion doses will be required to complete interim vaccination programs—3.3 billion for primary immunization and 3.1 billion for additional/booster programs. Globally, 0.53 and 0.74 doses per individual in target populations are needed for primary immunization and additional/booster dose programs, respectively. Conclusions There is wide country-level disparity and inequity in COVID-19 vaccines rollout, suggesting large gaps in immunity, especially in low-income countries.

Abstract Background Drug users are regarded as a high-risk population for HIV infection. Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) is internationally regarded as an effective biomedical prevention against HIV but still a small-scale pilot project in China at present. The aim of this study was to understand drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use nPEP service in China. Methods This mixed methods study consisting of a qualitative study and a cross-sectional survey was conducted in two cities of China from 2018 to 2019. The in-depth interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic framework analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use nPEP. Results There were 401 and 19 participants included in quantitative and qualitative study respectively. Among participants in quantitative study, 30.2% had heard of nPEP and 56.7% reported willingness to use nPEP in future HIV exposure. In multivariate analyses, nPEP awareness was associated with age, sex, education level, AIDS knowledge score and HIV risk perception. nPEP willingness was associated with AIDS knowledge score, HIV risk perception, alcohol use, monthly income and awareness of nPEP. The qualitative results showed the barriers to nPEP willingness included the fatigue after taking drugs, high cost and side effects of nPEP medication, long nPEP course, and fear of privacy disclosure. Conclusion Drug users had low nPEP awareness and only about half participants reported willingness to use nPEP. It is essential to promote nPEP education campaigns among drug users, especially for elders, women and those with lower education level. Simultaneously, price regulation, side effect management, psychological support and privacy protection need to be managed well when nPEP is routinized.

Background. Patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) is a major susceptibility gene for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its rs738409 (I148M) polymorphism is associated with the occurrence and progression of NAFLD. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related hepatocyte lipoapoptosis contributes to the progress of NAFLD. PNPLA3 is also known as a member of the calcium-independent phospholipase A2ε family, which can hydrolyze fatty acids to generate lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) that induces ER stress-related hepatocyte lipoapoptosis. Whether the PNPLA3 risk genotype 148M/M is involved in more severe ER stress-associated lipoapoptosis is unclear. Methods. A PNPLA3148I knock-in HepG2 cell model was constructed based on HepG2 expressing PNPLA3 148M/M using the Cas9/sgRNA system. PNPLA3 148M/M, I/M, and I/I cells were treated with 0.3 mM palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h to induce lipid deposition. Cellular lipid deposition was detected by oil red staining. Apoptosis was observed by TUNEL. LPC was determined by ELISA, and the expression of PNPLA3, the ER stress marker Bip, molecules involved in the ER stress PERK/elF-2a pathway, and its downstream C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)-mediated apoptotic pathway were detected by western blot. Results. The results showed no difference in PNPLA3 basal expression and basal hepatocyte lipid content between the three genotypes of cells. Lipid deposition and apoptosis were more severe in PNPLA3 148M/M and 148I/M cells than in I/I cells after PA treatment. PA-induced upregulation of protein expression of Bip, ER stress-responsive PERK pathway molecules p-PERK, p-eIF2α, CHOP, and CHOP-associated apoptotic molecules PUMA and Bax were more pronounced in PNPLA3 148M/M cells than in PNPLA3 148I/I cells. The basal LPC levels and the PA-treated increase of LPC levels in the cell culture supernatants did not differ between the three genotypic cells. Conclusion. PNPLA3 148M/M cells were more susceptible to PA-induced lipid deposition and ER stress-related apoptosis than 148I/I cells, and the proapoptotic susceptibility of PNPLA3 148M/M is independent of LPC.

Summary: Background: In early March 2022, a major outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant spread rapidly throughout Shanghai, China. Here we aimed to provide a description of the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal transmission dynamics of the Omicron outbreak under the population-based screening and lockdown policies implemented in Shanghai. Methods: We extracted individual information on SARS-CoV-2 infections reported between January 1 and May 31, 2022, and on the timeline of the adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions. The epidemic was divided into three phases: i) sporadic infections (January 1–February 28), ii) local transmission (March 1–March 31), and iii) city-wide lockdown (April 1 to May 31). We described the epidemic spread during these three phases and the subdistrict-level spatiotemporal distribution of the infections. To evaluate the impact on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 of the adopted targeted interventions in Phase 2 and city-wide lockdown in Phase 3, we estimated the dynamics of the net reproduction number (Rt). Findings: A surge in imported infections in Phase 1 triggered cryptic local transmission of the Omicron variant in early March, resulting in the largest outbreak in mainland China since the original wave. A total of 626,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported in 99.5% (215/216) of the subdistricts of Shanghai until the end of May. The spatial distribution of the infections was highly heterogeneous, with 37% of the subdistricts accounting for 80% of all infections. A clear trend from the city center towards adjacent suburban and rural areas was observed, with a progressive slowdown of the epidemic spread (from 463 to 244 meters/day) prior to the citywide lockdown. During Phase 2, Rt remained well above 1 despite the implementation of multiple targeted interventions. The citywide lockdown imposed on April 1 led to a marked decrease in transmission, bringing Rt below the epidemic threshold in the entire city on April 14 and ultimately leading to containment of the outbreak. Interpretation: Our results highlight the risk of widespread outbreaks in mainland China, particularly under the heightened pressure of imported infections. The targeted interventions adopted in March 2022 were not capable of halting transmission, and the implementation of a strict, prolonged city-wide lockdown was needed to successfully contain the outbreak, highlighting the challenges for containing Omicron outbreaks. Funding: Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82130093); Shanghai Rising-Star Program (22QA1402300).

By reviewing the development history of shale oil reservoir stimulation technology of PetroChina Company Limited (PetroChina), we have systematically summarized the main progress of shale oil reservoir stimulation technology of CNPC in five aspects: reservoir stimulation mechanism, fracture-controlled fracturing, geological-engineering integrated reservoir stimulation design platform, low-cost materials, and large well-pad three-dimensional development mode. It is made clear that the major stimulation technology for shale oil reservoir is the high density multi-cluster and fracture-controlled staged fracturing aiming to increase fracture-controlled reserves, lower operation costs and increase economic benefits. Based on comprehensive analysis of the challenges shale oil reservoir stimulation technology faces in three-dimensional development, stimulation parameter optimization for fracture-controlled fracturing, refracturing and low-cost stimulation technology, we proposed five development directions of the stimulation technology: (1) Strengthen the research on integration of geology and engineering to make full use of reservoir stimulation. (2) Deepen the study on fracture-controlled fracturing to improve reserves development degree. (3) Promote horizontal well three-dimensional development of shale oil to realize the production of multiple layers vertically. (4) Research refracturing technology of shale oil reservoir through horizontal well to efficiently tap the remaining reserves between fractures. (5) Develop low-cost stimulation supporting technology to help reduce the cost and increase economic benefit of oilfield development.

Abstract Background China is facing substantial risks of imported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and a domestic resurgence in the long run, and COVID-19 vaccination is expected to be the long-lasting solution to end the pandemic. We aim to estimate the size of the target population for COVID-19 vaccination at the provincial level in the mainland of China, and summarize the current progress of vaccination programs, which could support local governments in the timely determination and adjustment of vaccination policies and promotional measures. Methods We conducted a descriptive study of the entire population in the mainland of China, between December 2020 and August 2021. By extracting provincial-stratified data from publicly available sources, we estimated the size of priority target groups for vaccination programs, and further characterized the ongoing vaccination program at the provincial level, including the total doses administered, the coverage rate, and the vaccination capacity needed to achieve the target coverage of 80% by the end of 2021. We used R (version 4.1.0) to complete the descriptive statistics. Results The size of the target population shows large differences among provinces, ranging from 3.4 million to 108.4 million. As of 31 August, 2021, the speed of vaccine roll-out differs considerably as well, with the highest coverage occurring in Beijing and Shanghai, where 88.5% and 79.1% of the population has been fully vaccinated, respectively. In 22 of 31 provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs), more than 70% of the population was administered at least one dose by August. With the current vaccination capacity, the target of 80% coverage could be achieved by 2021 in 28 PLADs. Conclusions Disparities exist in the target population size and vaccination progress across provinces in the mainland of China. China has made great strides in the vaccination speed since roll-out, and could basically achieve the targeted vaccine coverage. Graphic Abstract

Abstract Background All countries are facing decisions about which population groups to prioritize for access to COVID-19 vaccination after the first vaccine products have been licensed, at which time supply shortages are inevitable. Our objective is to define the key target populations, their size, and priority for a COVID-19 vaccination program in the context of China. Methods On the basis of utilitarian and egalitarian principles, we define and estimate the size of tiered target population groups for a phased introduction of COVID-19 vaccination, considering evolving goals as vaccine supplies increase, detailed information on the risk of illness and transmission, and past experience with vaccination during the 2009 influenza pandemic. Using publicly available data, we estimated the size of target population groups, and the number of days needed to vaccinate 70% of the target population. Sensitivity analyses considered higher vaccine coverages and scaled up vaccine delivery relative to the 2009 pandemic. Results Essential workers, including staff in the healthcare, law enforcement, security, nursing homes, social welfare institutes, community services, energy, food and transportation sectors, and overseas workers/students (49.7 million) could be prioritized for vaccination to maintain essential services in the early phase of a vaccination program. Subsequently, older adults, individuals with underlying health conditions and pregnant women (563.6 million) could be targeted for vaccination to reduce the number of individuals with severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalizations, critical care admissions, and deaths. In later stages, the vaccination program could be further extended to target adults without underlying health conditions and children (784.8 million), in order to reduce symptomatic infections and/or to stop virus transmission. Given 10 million doses administered per day, and a two-dose vaccination schedule, it would take 1 week to vaccinate essential workers but likely up to 7 months to vaccinate 70% of the overall population. Conclusions The proposed framework is general but could assist Chinese policy-makers in the design of a vaccination program. Additionally, this exercise could be generalized to inform other national and regional strategies for use of COVID-19 vaccines, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

This study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against the Delta variant. We performed a retrospective cohort study of close contacts of people with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in Hunan province, China, from July to August 2021. Mixed-effect logistic regression was used to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE), and analyze the effects of the vaccination status of index cases and the exposure risk level on VE estimation. A total of 1,685 close contacts of 126 index cases were included; 835 (49.6%) had received two doses of inactivated vaccines, and the median interval between the 2nd dose and exposure was 48 days (IQR: 41 to 56 days). Full vaccination was defined as two doses at least 14 days before exposure. Adjusted VE estimates for full vaccination were 54.8% (95% CI: 7.7 to 77.9) and 68.4% (95% CI: 8.5 to 89.1) against symptomatic and moderate-to-severe COVID-19, respectively. VE for inactivated vaccines was difficult to observe if index cases had been fully vaccinated. The estimated VE with respect to infection protection was lower among household than non-household contacts. Complete primary immunization of two-dose inactivated COVID-19 vaccines protected against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection. Infection risk was higher among vaccinated household contacts than vaccinated non-household contacts.

Abstract Background Common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Wheat spike-layer uniformity related traits (SLURTs) were complex traits that directly affect yield potential and appearance. In this study, quantitative trait locus (QTL) for five SLURTs among inter-tillers were first documented using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population derived from a cross between Kenong9204 and Jing411 (represented by KJ-RILs). Genetic relationships between SLURTs and yield were characterized in detail. Results The trait phenotypic performances for the 188 KJ-RILs and their parents were evaluated in eight different environments. The genetic data included in a high-density genetic map derived from the Affymetrix 660 K SNP Array and the corresponding genotypes in each lines. Of 99 putative additive QTL 11 were stable across environments and 57 showed significant additive-by-environment interaction effects. These QTL individually explained 1.05–39.62% of the phenotypic variance, with log of odds (LOD) values ranging from 2.00 to 34.01. Genetic relationships between SLURTs and yield indicated that plants with slight uneven spike spatial distribution should be an ideotype for super high-yield in wheat. Conclusions The present study will provide assistance in understanding the genetic relationships between SLURTs and yield potential. The 11 stable QTL for SLURTs identified herein may facilitate breeding new wheat varieties with scientifically reasonable spike-layer distribution by marker assisted selection.

The existing productivity models of staged fractured horizontal wells in tight oil reservoir are mainly linear flow models based on the idealized dual-medium fracture network structure, which have a certain limitation when applied to the production prediction. Aiming at the difficulty in describing the shape of the complex fractal fracture network, a two-dimensional heterogeneous structure model of the fracture network is proposed in this paper. Considering the deformation characteristics of porous media and the characteristic of non-Darcy fluid flow, a three-zone steady-state productivity model with the combination of radial and linear flow is established. To eliminate strong nonlinear characteristics of the mathematical model, a fractional step method is employed to deduce the production formulas of staged fractured horizontal wells under infinite and finite conductivity fractures. The established productivity model is verified with the actual data of three horizontal wells in different blocks of S oilfield, and the error between the model calculation results and the actual production data is less than 4%. The analysis results of productivity sensitive factors show that production of horizontal wells is primarily influenced by the reservoir physical properties and fracturing parameters. The steady-state productivity model established in this study can be applied to effectively predict the average production of a horizontal well in stable stage of production, and it has theoretical and practical application value for improving the development effect of tight oil reservoir.

Brain-storm optimization (BSO), which is a population-based optimization algorithm, exhibits a poor search performance, premature convergence, and a high probability of falling into local optima. To address these problems, we developed the adaptive mechanism-based BSO (ABSO) algorithm based on the chaotic local search in this study. The adjustment of the search space using the local search method based on an adaptive self-scaling mechanism balances the global search and local development performance of the ABSO algorithm, effectively preventing the algorithm from falling into local optima and improving its convergence accuracy. To verify the stability and effectiveness of the proposed ABSO algorithm, the performance was tested using 29 benchmark test functions, and the mean and standard deviation were compared with those of five other optimization algorithms. The results showed that ABSO outperforms the other algorithms in terms of stability and convergence accuracy. In addition, the performance of ABSO was further verified through a nonparametric statistical test.

Piezoelectric fiber composites (PFC) have shown excellent performance in the areas of vibration control and deformation control. The viscosity and rigidity of the epoxy resin before and after curing, respectively, were very important factors that affected the performance of PFC. In this paper, Aradite 2020, DP 460, and DP 490 epoxy resins, with the viscosities of 0.15, 25.0, and 250.0 Pa·s, respectively, were employed to encapsulate the piezoelectric fiber composite. The PFC that was packaged with Araldite 2020 had the best free strain of 1420 ppm and tip displacement of 17.8 mm. DP 490 caused the lowest performance of PFC, due to the highest viscosity. When the environmental temperature increased from −40 to +80 °C, the free strain of PFC with Aradite 2020 increased at first and then decreased, reaching a maximum value of 1440 ppm at 30 °C, which was mainly related to the mismatch of the resin/ceramic thermal expansion coefficient.

Recent neuroimaging studies have shown local brain aberrations in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients, yet little attention has been paid to the whole-brain resting-state functional network abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether FD disrupts the patterns of whole-brain networks and the abnormal functional connectivity could reflect the severity of the disease. The dysfunctional interactions between brain regions at rest were investigated in FD patients as compared with 40 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. Multivariate pattern analysis was used to evaluate the discriminative power of our results for classifying patients from controls. In our findings, the abnormal brain functional connections were mainly situated within or across the limbic/paralimbic system, the prefrontal cortex, the tempo-parietal areas and the visual cortex. About 96% of the subjects among the original dataset were correctly classified by a leave one-out cross-validation approach, and 88% accuracy was also validated in a replication dataset. The classification features were significantly associated with the patients' dyspepsia symptoms, the self-rating depression scale and self-rating anxiety scale, but it was not correlated with duration of FD patients (p>0.05). Our results may indicate the effectiveness of the altered brain functional connections reflecting the disease pathophysiology underling FD. These dysfunctional connections may be the epiphenomena or causative agents of FD, which may be affected by clinical severity and its related emotional dimension of the disease rather than the clinical course.

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between the newly defined adiposity metric, the Body Roundness Index (BRI), which assesses central obesity, and the development of new-onset hyperuricemia. Methods In the Kailuan cohort study from 2006 to 2019, 91,804 eligible participants were included. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to test the correlation between BRI and hyperuricemia. At the same time, the restricted cubic spline was applied to solve the dose-response relationship between BRI and the risk of hyperuricemia.Then, stratified analysis was carried out using multivariate Cox regression according to age, sex, hs-CRP level, TG level, education level, smoking status and hypertension status. Results The results showed that the risk of new-onset hyperuricemia was significantly increased in the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile. After adjusting for confounders, compared with Q1, the HR (95% CI) for new-onset hyperuricemia was 1.24 (1.18–1.30), 1.32 (1.25–1.40), and 1.40 (1.29–1.52) for Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a J-curve relationship between baseline BRI levels and new-onset hyperuricaemia. Age, sex, hs-CRP level, TG level, income level, education level, smoking, and hypertension each had a multiplicative interaction with BRI at baseline. Conclusion We found that elevated BRI increased the risk of developing new-onset hyperuricaemia. In addition, the association between elevated BRI and the risk of new-onset hyperuricemia showed dependency on age, sex, hs-CRP level, TG level, education level, smoking status and hypertension status.

Abstract Aims Cardiac arrhythmia is a rising public health issue. The aim of this study was to determine the associations of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart block with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and all-cause mortality. Methods and results We included 141,362 participants (mean age [49.3], 80.9% men) from the Kailuan study. Arrhythmias were diagnosed through a 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG). Mortality and CVD events were ascertained through multiple sources, including a municipal social insurance institution, hospital records, death certificates, and regular active follow-ups. During a median follow-up of 12.5 years, 18,301 total deaths and 13,208 cases of CVD were documented. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing participants with AF to those without arrhythmia were 1.76 (1.61–1.93) for all-cause mortality, 2.11 (1.86–2.39) for CVD, 3.99 (3.33–4.79) for heart failure, and 1.56 (1.30–1.90) for stroke. Further, comparing participants with heart block to those without arrhythmia, the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 1.31 (1.24–1.38) for all-cause mortality, 1.26 (1.18–1.35) for CVD, 1.40 (1.23–1.59) for heart failure, and 1.25 (1.15–1.37) for stroke. Additionally, there were generally stronger associations for AF and heart block with all-cause mortality and CVD in younger participants compared with their older counterparts (Ps-interaction ≤ 0.02) and a stronger association between AF and CVD in women compared with men (Ps-interaction ≤ 0.006). Conclusion AF and heart block were associated with a higher risk of subsequent adverse CVD events and mortality. Our findings highlight the importance of strategies for preventing cardiac arrhythmias to reduce the risk of CVD and mortality.

Abstract Soil biogenic components are subject to continuous sequestration, and export from soils into the surrounding air and water environments. However, the processes involving the stability or lability of their mineral states remain still unclear. To assess these issues, we have measured various biogenic components in a number of agricultural, forest, grassland, and deep soils, as well as desert sands from Inner Mongolia, both in the solid state and liquid extracts. The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) were higher in soils than in sands, whilst those of soil total sulfur (STS) and inorganic carbon were higher in sands and deeper soils. The significant positive correlations found between STS and SOC, and STN, and their significant negative correlations with pH and δ13C-SOC in all soils suggest a pH-dependent sequestration of C, N, and S. The decreased stability of organo-mineral complexes at acidic pH, resulting from the acidification of humic substance (HS) functionalities, leads to a higher availability of nutrients that facilitates the sequestration of soil organic matter (SOM). Conversely, an increase in pH enhances the stability of organo-mineral complexes by promoting negatively charged HS functionalities, which reduces the availability of nutrients and the sequestration of SOM. The δ13C-SOC enrichment in desert sands (-17.63 to -7.10‰) and its depleted values in soils (-24.9 to -18.8‰) suggest the occurrence of C sequestration in desert, via uptake of enriched atmospheric CO2 (-8.4‰). The fluorescence spectra of humic substance components and their molecular weights in sands were typically different from those of soils. The predominant relatively low molecular weight (MW) ( 25 − 15 kDa) of water-extracted (labile state: LS) components of all soils suggest, respectively, their involvement in organo-mineral complexes and for export into the surrounding environment. The quantities of LS and CS soil components differ significantly on dependence of soil characteristics, implying their corresponding lability or stability in soils. These findings will provide useful input for the management of the corresponding soil/sand ecosystems.

ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence, primary causes, and risk factors for unplanned readmissions within one year after the first primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).MethodsData were retrospectively collected from patients who had undergone the first primary THA for ONFH at two tertiary hospitals between January 2021 and December 2022, with complete 1-year follow-up assessments. Patients who experienced an unplanned readmission within 1 year were classified as the readmission group, while the others as the non-readmission group. The incidence rate and primary causes of unplanned readmission were determined, and the risk factors were identified through univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA total of 594 eligible patients were included, with 363 being men (61.1%) and an average age of 59.2 years at the time of surgery. Forty-seven patients were readmitted within one year, representing an accumulated rate of 7.9%. Among these, 18 (38.3%) readmissions occurred within 30 days and 27 (57.4%) within 90 days. The primary reasons for readmissions included hip dislocation (35.3%), followed by periprosthetic fracture, deep vein thrombosis, delayed incision healing, surgical site infection and others. The multivariate regression model revealed that age (every 10-year increment, OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.12–1.88), ARCO stage IV vs. Ⅲ (OR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.96–7.22), CCI ≥4 vs.

Yuanbaoshancha (YBSC) is characterized as a new wild tea relative morphologically and phytochemically distinguished from the closest wild tea plants Rongjiangcha (Camellia yungkiangensis, RJC) and Tulecha (Camellia costata, TLC). YBSC young leaves contain higher tea polyphenol and theobromine contents but lower caffeine and theanine as compared with RJC, TLC, and other tea landraces and modern cultivars. The major alkaloid detected in YBSC, TLC, and RJC is theobromine while caffeine is a minor; the primary catechins in YBSC leaves are non-galloylated catechins, significantly different from Camellia sinensis and other low-caffeine tea resources. The unique phytochemical profiles featured YBSC black tea with extremely lower caffeine and higher theobromine, as well as unique flavors and health benefits. This botanical characterization of YBSC and two related low-caffeine wild tea resources lays a foundation for future better utilization for the production of a highly valuable natural low-caffeine/high-theobromine tea. Chemical compounds: Caffeine (PubChem CID: 2519); Theobromine (PubChem CID: 5429); Catechins (PubChem CID: 9064); Epigallocatechin gallate (PubChem CID: 65064); Theanine (PubChem CID: 439378); Jasmone (PubChem CID: 1549018); cis-3-Hexenyl hexanoate (PubChem CID: 5352543); Hexyl 2-methylbutanoate (PubChem CID: 24838).

Lung cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, frequently metastasizes to the bones, significantly diminishing patients’ quality of life and complicating treatment strategies. This study aims to develop an advanced 3D Mask R-CNN model, enhanced with the ConvNeXt-V2 backbone, for the automatic segmentation of bone tumors and identification of lung cancer metastasis to support personalized treatment planning. Data were collected from two hospitals: Center A (106 patients) and Center B (265 patients). The data from Center B were used for training, while Center A’s dataset served as an independent external validation set. High-resolution CT scans with 1 mm slice thickness and no inter-slice gaps were utilized, and the regions of interest (ROIs) were manually segmented and validated by two experienced radiologists. The 3D Mask R-CNN model achieved a Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.856, a sensitivity of 0.921, and a specificity of 0.961 on the training set. On the test set, it achieved a DSC of 0.849, a sensitivity of 0.911, and a specificity of 0.931. For the classification task, the model attained an AUC of 0.865, an accuracy of 0.866, a sensitivity of 0.875, and a specificity of 0.835 on the training set, while achieving an AUC of 0.842, an accuracy of 0.836, a sensitivity of 0.847, and a specificity of 0.819 on the test set. These results highlight the model’s potential in improving the accuracy of bone tumor segmentation and lung cancer metastasis detection, paving the way for enhanced diagnostic workflows and personalized treatment strategies in clinical oncology.

Abstract Background Phosphorus plays a key role in plant adaptation to adversity and plays a positive role in the yield and quality formation of apples. Genes of the SPX domain-containing family are widely involved in the regulation of phosphorus signalling networks. However, the mechanisms controlling phosphorus deficiency are not completely understood in self-rooted apple stock. Results In this study, 26 members of the apple SPX gene family were identified by genome-wide analysis, and further divided into four subfamilies (SPX, SPX-MFS, SPX-EXS, and SPX-RING) based on their structural features. The chromosome distribution and gene duplications of MdSPXs were also examined. The promoter regions of MdSPXs were enriched for multiple biotic/abiotic stresses, hormone responses and typical P1BS-related elements. Analysis of the expression levels of 26 MdSPXs showed that some members were remarkably induced when subjected to low phosphate (Pi) stress, and in particular MdSPX2, MdSPX3, and MdPHO1.5 exhibited an intense response to low Pi stress. MdSPX2 and MdSPX3 showed significantly divergent expression levels in low Pi sensitive and insensitive apple species. Protein interaction networks were predicted for 26 MdSPX proteins. The interaction of MdPHR1 with MdSPX2, MdSPX3, MdSPX4, and MdSPX6 was demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid assay, suggesting that these proteins might be involved in the Pi-signaling pathway by interacting with MdPHR1. Conclusion This research improved the understanding of the apple SPX gene family and contribute to future biological studies of MdSPX genes in self-rooted apple stock.