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Background: The impacts of genetic polymorphisms on drug resistance mutations (DRMs) among various HIV-1 subtypes have long been debated. In this study, we aimed to analyze the natural polymorphisms and acquired DRM profile in HIV-1 CRF01_AE-infected patients in a large first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) cohort in northeastern China.Methods: The natural polymorphisms of CRF01_AE were analyzed in 2034 patients from a long-term ART cohort in northeastern China. The polymorphisms in 105 treatment failure (TF) patients were compared with those in 1148 treatment success (TS) patients. The acquired DRM profile of 42 patients who experienced TF with tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz (TDF/3TC/EFV) treatment was analyzed by comparing the mutations at TF time point to those at baseline. The Stanford HIVdb algorithm was used to interpret the DRMs. Binomial distribution, McNemar test, Wilcoxon test and CorMut package were used to analyze the mutation rates and co-variation. Deep sequencing was used to analyze the evolutionary dynamics of co-variation.Results: Before ART, there were significantly more natural polymorphisms of 31 sites on reverse transcriptase (RT) in CRF01_AE than subtype B HIV-1 (|Z value| ≥ 3), including five known drug resistance-associated sites (238, 118, 179, 103, and 40). However, only the polymorphism at site 75 was associated with TF (|Z value| ≥ 3). The mutation rate at 14 sites increased significantly at TF time point compared to baseline, with the most common DRMs comprising G190S/C, K65R, K101E/N/Q, M184 V/I, and V179D/I/A/T/E, ranging from 66.7 to 45.2%. Moreover, two unknown mutations (V75 L and L228R) increased by 19.0 and 11.9% respectively, and they were under positive selection (Ka/Ks > 1, log odds ratio [LOD] > 2) and were associated with several other DRMs (cKa/Ks > 1, LOD > 2). Deep sequencing of longitudinal plasma samples showed that L228R occurred simultaneously or followed the appearance of Y181C.Conclusion: The high levels of natural polymorphisms in CRF01_AE had little impact on treatment outcomes. The findings regarding potential new CRF01_AE-specific minor DRMs indicate the need for more studies on the drug resistance phenotype of CRF01_AE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spatial distribution of soil and vegetation were analyzed in an opencast coalmining area. • Spatial autocorrelation, spatial clustering, and spatial variability were studied. • Dumping and reclamation activities affected the spatial distribution characteristics. • Soil and vegetation properties had relatively high spatial clustering. Opencast coal mining activities result in severe damage to soil and vegetation, and the reconstruction of soil and vegetation is critical in opencast coalmine areas. To better understand the spatial distribution characteristics of soil and vegetation in opencast coalmines, a spatial correlation analysis was conducted on the soil and vegetation properties of the Anjialing and Antaibao opencast coalmines in the Pingshuo coal mining area in China. A total of 70 sample points were selected using grid and transect methods, from which the soil and vegetation properties were determined. The spatial autocorrelation, spatial clustering, and spatial variability of the soil and vegetation indicators were analyzed using global Moran's index, local Moran's index, and the geostatistics method based on ArcGIS 10.2 or Geoda 7.0 analysis software. The soil and vegetation indicators were divided into three categories, including vegetation indicators (arbor quantity, AQ; average diameter at breast height, ADBH; herb coverage, HC; average tree height, ATH; canopy density, CD), soil physical properties (soil bulk density, BD; clay content; silt content; sand content; gravel content, GC), and soil chemical properties (soil organic matter, SOM; total nitrogen, TN; available phosphorus, AP; available potassium, AK; pH). There was a strong global autocorrelation among ADBH, clay content, AQ, HC, and SOM. Dumping and reclamation activities affected the spatial distribution characteristics of soil and vegetation. The "high-high" and "low-low" types in all the indicators possessed a large spatial distribution, and the soil and vegetation properties had relatively high spatial clustering. This study can provide a reference for the reclamation practice in opencast coalmine areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]