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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the morbidity and comorbidity of glucolipid metabolic multiple noncommunicable diseases in a Chinese natural population and associated risk factors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey with randomized sampling was conducted on a typical sample of 4,002 residents (aged 26-76 years) in the Pinggu District of Beijing. They were subjected to a questionnaire survey, physical examination, and laboratory examination to collect data. Multivariable analysis was used to establish the association between various risk factors and multiple noncommunicable diseases. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of chronic glucolipid metabolic noncommunicable diseases was 84.28%. The most common type of noncommunicable diseases was dyslipidemia, abdominal obesity, hypertension, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The prevalence rate of multiple noncommunicable diseases was 79.60%. Participants with dyslipidemia were at higher risk for underlying chronic diseases. Younger men and women after menopause were more likely to have multiple noncommunicable diseases compared to their older and younger counterparts, respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression indicated that age above 50, male sex, high household income, low education level, and harmful alcohol consumption were independent risk factors for multiple noncommunicable diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of chronic glucolipid metabolic noncommunicable diseases in Pinggu was higher than at the national level. Men with multiple noncommunicable diseases were younger, while women after menopause were more likely to suffer from multiple noncommunicable diseases and the prevalence rate was higher than in men. Intervention programs that aim to target risk factors by sex and region-specific are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-lying electronic states of Yb isolated in a solid Ar matrix grown at 4.2 K are characterized through absorption and emission spectroscopy. Yb atoms are found to occupy three distinct thermally stable trapping sites labeled "red," "blue," and "violet" according to the relative positions of the absorption features they produce. Classical simulations of the site structure and relative stability broadly reproduced the experimentally observed matrix-induced frequency shifts and thus identified the red, blue, and violet sites as due to respective single substitutional (SS), tetravacancy (TV), and hexavacancy (HV) occupation. Prolonged excitation of the ¹S → ¹P transition was found to transfer the Yb population from HV sites into TV and SS sites. The process showed reversibility in that annealing to 24 K predominantly transferred the TV population back into HV sites. Population kinetics were used to deduce the effective rate parameters for the site transformation processes. Experimental observations indicate that the blue and violet sites lie close in energy, whereas the red one is much less stable. Classical simulations identify the blue site as the most stable one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure, magnetic transitions, and magnetostriction of TbxDyyNdz(Fe0.9Co0.1)1.93 polycrystalline compounds have been investigated, with the ratio of x, y, and z spanning the line of minimum magnetic anisotropy. Anisotropy compensation with lower Tb content was realized in Tb0.253Dy0.657Nd0.09(Fe0.9Co0.1)1.93 compound. The spin configuration diagram accompanied with different crystal structures was constructed to illustrate the arrangement for the easy magnetization direction and crystal structure. An optimized effect on magnetostriction especially at the relatively low field of 1 kOe (197 ppm) was observed in Tb0.253Dy0.657Nd0.09(Fe0.9Co0.1)1.93 compound, which is about two times larger than that of the sample free of Nd (62 ppm). Meanwhile, the polycrystalline saturation magnetostriction (λs=945 ppm) of Tb0.253Dy0.657Nd0.09(Fe0.9Co0.1)1.93 is even much larger than that of the Ho-doped multicomponent single crystal compound Tb0.2Dy0.22Ho0.58Fe2 (λs=530 ppm). Low content of heavy rare earth Tb, high Curie temperature, and large ratio between magnetostriction and the absolute value of the first anisotropy constant λa/|K1| were obtained in Tb0.253Dy0.657Nd0.09(Fe0.9Co0.1)1.93 compound, which may make it a potential material for magnetostrictive application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on prior work, a cellulase from glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (GHF7) was identified and found to be expressed at a high level in Coptotermes formosanus. To determine the function of GHF7 family members in vivo, we used RNA interference (RNAi) to functionally analyse the exoglucanase gene Pseudotrichonympha grassii cellobiohydrolase gene (PgCBH), which was highly expressed in Pseudotrichonympha grassii, a flagellate found in the hindgut of C. formosanus. In this study, the expression level of PgCBH was down-regulated by RNAi, causing the death of P. grassii, but no effect was observed for other flagellates found in C. formosanus. RNAi also resulted in significantly reduced exoglucanase activity, and no effect was observed for endoglucanase and β-glucosidase activities. This result demonstrated that the PgCBH gene plays a role in the protist lignocellulolytic process and is also important for host survival. PgCBH can be used as a target gene and has potential as a bioinsecticide for use against termites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replanting with seedlings or regenerating with coppice in second rotation is a major forestry management regime in short rotation forestry (SRF), but little is known about its effects on understorey vegetation conservation, timber production and economic benefits. To evaluate the effects of second rotation seedlings and coppice regime on the composition, structure and biomass of understorey vegetation, timber production and economic benefits of Eucalyptus plantations, a long-term (14 years) comparative study was conducted using three rotation regimes: (1) the first rotation planted with seedlings (FRs), (2) second rotation replanted with seedlings (SRs) and (3) another second rotation regenerated with coppice (SRc). Both successive rotation regimes significantly decreased the species richness, diversity and evenness of the total understorey vegetation. SRs did not affect the abundance of understorey species but significantly decreased the coverage and biomass of understorey vegetation. SRc significantly increased the abundance of the understorey plant species and maintained the coverage and biomass of the understorey vegetation equivalent to FRs. SRs showed the highest stand volume and net present value, however the highest internal rate of return occurred in SRc due to the reduced establishment and management costs. This suggested regenerating with coppice should be a more suitable successive rotation regime for increasing economic benefits as well as biodiversity conservation in south China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The application of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) has been recommended for treating hemolysis in neonates for several years. But in clinical work, more than one study reported that IVIG treatment maybe increased the risk of NEC in hemolytic patients. In light of this situation, we performed this meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane databases for English references, and inWanfang,VIP, Cnki databases for Chinese references (all last launched on 2015/12/18). Ultimately, 5 studies (Including 4 Chinese articles) were incorporated into this metaanalysis. Odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were calculated using a random-effects or fixed-effects model, depending on the data type and heterogeneity of the included studies. RESULTS: (1) Baseline data including gestational age, gender and TBil between IVIG and control groups were compared in hemolytic infants, and showed no significance. (2) With respect to possible inducement of NEC, SGA and formula feeding were found no significance between IVIG and control groups. In contrast, birth weight was found significantly different between the two groups (WMD = 33.35; 95% CI, 20.70- 46.01; p < 0.00001). (3) Regarding the incidence of NEC and mortality, the result showed that there was a significant difference between the IVIG and the control groups in the risk of NEC (OR: 4.53; 95% CI, 2.34-8.79; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that IVIG treatment for hemolysis may increase the risk of NEC in infants. But it does not increase the risk of final mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the aetiology of obstructive azoospermia ( OA) in Chinese infertility patients, 133 OA patients was included in this study diagnosed and evaluated by one major specialist trained urological infertility. We retrospected the medical records to collect relative information. All of the patients had been underwent physical examination, ultrasound scan to the urogenital system, serum hormone tests, genetic tests and two separate semen analyses. The mean age of all 133 patients was 32.7 ± 6.8 years. A total of 266 reproductive tract units (two/patient) were classified into four categories: no causes (Idiopathic) for 74 units (27.8%), single cause for 173 units (65.0%), double causes for 17 units (6.4%) and triple causes for two units (0.8%). As to single cause of OA, there were four types: trauma for 0 unit (0%), infection for 125 units (47.0%), dysplasia for 11 units (4.1%) and surgeries for 37 units (13.9%). As to total cause of OA, there were five types: infection for 144 units (54.1%), orchitis for 51 units (19.2%), epididymitis for 54 units (20.3%), gonorrhoea for 28 units (10.5%) and inguinal hernia repair surgery for 18 units (6.8%). The most frequent cause of obstructive azoospermia was infection revealed in these Chinese infertility populations, followed by idiopathic reason. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]