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The Zuluhong quartz-vein-type polymetallic deposit, located in the Alatau area of Western Tianshan, China, is a particular and typical tungsten deposit associated with copper. This paper presents major and trace element analyses of magmatic and altered (i.e, chloritized) biotite from the deposit, in order to identify the source of the magmas and characterize the mineralization physical-chemical condition. Magmatic biotite is Fe-rich and has high Rb/Ba ratios (0.27–9.14), indicative of extensive differentiation of granite. Moreover, magmatic biotite has total rare earth element (∑REE) contents that are 5–10% of the whole-rock contents, shows slight light REE depletion, and negative Ce anomalies. Magmatic biotite is enriched in some large-ion lithophile elements (LILE; e.g., Rb and K) and depleted in some high-field-strength elements (HFSE; e.g., Th and Nb). These geochemical features, coupled with geological evidence, indicate that the Zuluhong intrusion is a highly fractionated I-type granite derived from lower crustal melting. During ore formation, magmatic biotite was partially to totally altered to chlorite due to interaction with ore-forming fluids. The temperature and oxygen fugacity decreased during alteration. The mineralization in the Zuluhong polymetallic deposit can be divided into at least two stages. In the early stage, quartz-vein-type wolframite mineralization formed from Si- and volatile-rich fluids that were derived from fractionated granitic magma. In the later stage, W–Cu ores formed as metal sulfides were dominated by chalcopyrite. The later ore-forming fluids experienced a decrease in temperature and oxygen fugacity as they reacted (i.e, chloritization and lesser silicification) with reducing wall rocks around the contact zone of the intrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unraveling geographical modes of speciation processes has been a longstanding topic in biogeography. Divergence can be driven by factors operating on multiple spatial scales, such as geographical distance (isolation by distance, IBD), landscape resistance (isolation by resistance, IBR) and environmental heterogeneity (isolation by environment, IBE). However, it is challenging to assess the relative contributions of such factors, which are usually autocorrelated with each other. On the basis of ~294 K nuclear single‐nucleotide polymorphisms from 53 samples, we integrated population genomics, geographical information and environmental variables to delineate genetic differentiation in the common pheasant Phasianus colchicus across a longitudinal gradient in northern China. Generalized dissimilarity modeling (GDM) was used to analyze the relative importance of IBD, IBR and IBE. We found that the common pheasant in northern China was grouped into six genetic clusters, which was consistent with the taxonomic affinities. Genetic diversity changed along the longitudinal gradient, reaching its lowest level at the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The spatial pattern of gene flow suggested that the mountains surrounding the QTP and the mountains in central China have acted as geographical barriers impeding common pheasant dispersal. GDM analysis indicated that environmental heterogeneity is the most important driver explaining the lineage divergence, which supports the IBE model. These results suggest that multiple isolation mechanisms shaped genetic diversity and genomic divergence in this wide‐ranging bird species. Together, our results underscore the importance of leveraging genome‐wide variations and ecological modeling to facilitate a deeper understanding of population divergence processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fulfill sustainability principles, a three-site field experiment was conducted to screen suitably mixed passivators from lime + biochar (L + C, 9000 kgha−1 with a rate of 1:1) and lime + biochar + sepiolite (L + C + S, 9000 kg ha−1 with a rate of 1:1:1), in Yuecheng (YC), Zhuji (ZJ), and Fuyang (FY), where there are typical contaminated soils, in South China. Treated with passivators in soil, DTPA-extractable Cd, Cr and Pb in soil were decreased by 9.87–26.3%, 37.2–67.5%, and 19.0–54.2%, respectively; Cd, Cr, and Pb in rice were decreased by 85.9–91.5%, 40.0–76.5%, and 16.4–45.4%, respectively; and these were followed by slightly higher efficacy of L + C + S than L + C. The differences between L + C and L + C + S mainly lie in soil microbial communities, enzymes, and fertility. In YC, treatment with L + C + S increased microbial carbon and activities of urease (EC3.5.1.5) and phosphatase (EC3.1.3.1) by 21.0%, 85.5%, and 22.3%; while treatment with L + C decreased microbial carbon and activities of phosphatase and sucrose (EC3.2.1.26) by 1.31%, 34.9%, and 43.4%, respectively. Moreover, the treatment of FY soils with L + C + S increased microbial carbon and activities of urease, phosphatase, and sucrase by 35.4%, 41.6%, 27.9%, and 7.37%; and L + C treatment only increased the microbial carbon and the activity of phosphatase by 3.14% and 30.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the organic matter and available nitrogen were also increased by 8.8–19.0% and 7.4–14.6% with L + C + S treatments, respectively. These suggested that the combination of L + C + S stimulated the growth of soil microbial communities and increased the activity of soil enzymes. Therefore, the L + C + S strategy can be a practical and effective measure for safe rice production as it was more suitable for the remediation of heavy metals in our experimental sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae, has 30 subspecies distributed across its native range in the Palearctic realm and has been introduced to Europe, North America, and Australia. It is an important game bird often subjected to wildlife management as well as a model species to study speciation, biogeography, and local adaptation. However, the genomic resources for the common pheasant are generally lacking. We sequenced a male individual of the subspecies torquatus of the common pheasant with the Illumina HiSeq platform. We obtained 94.88 Gb of usable sequences by filtering out low-quality reads of the raw data generated. This resulted in a 1.02 Gb final assembly, which equals the estimated genome size. BUSCO analysis using chicken as a model showed that 93.3% of genes were complete. The contig N50 and scaffold N50 sizes were 178 kb and 10.2 Mb, respectively. All these indicate that we obtained a high-quality genome assembly. We annotated 16,485 protein-coding genes and 123.3 Mb (12.05% of the genome) of repetitive sequences by ab initio and homology-based prediction. Furthermore, we applied a RAD-sequencing approach for another 45 individuals of seven representative subspecies in China and identified 4,376,351 novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) markers. Using this unprecedented data set, we uncovered the geographic population structure and genetic introgression among common pheasants in China. Our results provide the first high-quality reference genome for the common pheasant and a valuable genome-wide SNP database for studying population genomics and demographic history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of water quality is crucial because it provides essential information for water pollution control. The spatiotemporal variations in water quality for the Nanxi River in the Taihu watershed of China were evaluated by a water quality index (WQI) and multivariate statistical techniques; additionally, the potential sources of contamination were identified. The data set included 22 water quality parameters collected during the monitoring period from 2015 to 2020 for 14 monitoring stations. WQI assessment revealed that approximately 85% of monitoring stations were classified as "medium-low" water quality, and most showed continuous improvement in water quality. Cluster analysis divided the 14 monitoring stations into three clusters (low contamination, medium contamination and high contamination). Discriminant analysis identified pH, petroleum, volatile phenol, chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, F, S, fecal coliform, SO4, Cl, NO3-N, total hardness, NO2-N and NH3 as important parameters affecting spatial variations. Factor analysis identified four potential contamination source types: nutrient, organics, feces and oil. This study demonstrated the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques in assessing large data sets, identifying contamination source types, and better understanding spatiotemporal variations in water quality to restore and protect water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepiolite (SEP) is a clay mineral with great potential to stabilize soil heavy metals. A two-year field experiment was conducted to explore the optimum use of SEP to immobilize soil Cd and to promote the consumption safety of rice grown in a typical paddy field in Southern China. SEP was applied once or twice over the two-year study at three levels (0.1, 0.5, and 1%, w/w) before rice planting. The results showed that SEP effectively reduced rice grain Cd concentrations by 47–49% in the first year and by 44–50% in the second year due to the residue effect. Application of SEP for two consecutive years reduced the rice grain Cd concentration by up to 75%, achieving a safe level (<0.2 mg kg−1). SEP also reduced Zn concentrations in rice grains (by 6–10%), while the Cd/Zn ratios of rice grains were decreased by 24–72% over the two years, implying it was much safer for consumption. SEP significantly increased the soil pH (0.9–1.8 units) and available phosphorus, and it reduced the soil available Cd (by 20–95%) and Zn concentrations (by 30–99%). In brief, SEP effectively stabilized soil Cd and reduced uptake by rice; the effect was dose-dependent and 0.5% (w/w) was optimum in the present study. The main mechanism of SEP to stabilize soil Cd is the increase in soil pH analogous to liming. This study shows that SEP application can be an efficient way to remediate Cd contaminated rice paddies and fulfill the goal of safe production of rice and thereby reduce the health risks associated with consuming rice. Image 1 • Sepiolite reduced soil Cd availability and translocation in rice plants. • Sepiolite reduced Cd concentration and Cd/Zn ratio in rice grain. • The effect of sepiolite is dose-dependent with 0.5% being the optimal dose. • Sepiolite is effective to remediate Cd contaminated soil and improve rice safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin D (VD) insufficiency or deficiency is a frequent comorbidity in Chinese women with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). The present study aimed to investigate 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] improvement and calcium-phosphate metabolism in Chinese PMO patients treated with 70 mg of alendronate sodium and 5600 IU of vitamin D3 (ALN/D5600).Methods: Chinese PMO women (n = 219) were treated with 12-month ALN/D5600 (n = 111) or calcitriol (n = 108). Changes in 25(OH) D at month 12 were post hoc analyzed by the baseline 25 (OH) D status using the longitudinal analysis. The main safety outcome measures included serum calcium and phosphate and 24-h urine calcium, and the repeated measures mixed model was used to assess the frequencies of the calcium-phosphate metabolic disorders.Results: Absolute change in mean serum 25(OH) D level was the greatest in VD-deficient patients and least in VD-sufficient patients at months six and 12 (both, P < 0.01). Serum calcium level remained significantly lower in the ALN/D5600 treatment group than in the calcitriol treatment group throughout the 12 months. Mean 24-h urine calcium slightly increased in the ALN/D5600 treatment group and significantly increased in the calcitriol treatment group (+ 1.1 and + 0.9 mmol/L at months six and 12; both, P < 0.05). Calcitriol treatment was associated with more frequent hypercalciuria at month six (9.4% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.05), but not at month 12 (12.3% vs. 13.0%).Conclusion: Baseline VD status predicted 25(OH) D improvement in PMO patients on 12-month ALN/D5600 treatment. The daily use of 0.25 μg of calcitriol was associated with more frequent hypercalciuria at month six, compared to ALN/5600 treatment, necessitating the safety re-evaluation of calcitriol at a higher dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese (Mn) is a critical element in soils, essential to plant growth. Long-term and intensively managed Lei bamboo (Phyllostachys violascens) stands are usually subjected to severe soil acidification and Mn activation. However, Mn migration from topsoil to deep soil induced by severe soil acidification was poorly recognized and studied. The distribution and changes of the total and the operationally defined Mn forms in soil profiles and its potential stress and environmental effect were investigated in a chronosequence of Lei bamboo stands (0, 2, 6, 11, and 16 years of stand age). The results showed that the Mn amount was significantly decreased in topsoil and accumulated in subsoil with the long-term and intensive fertilizer application. Soil exchangeable Mn and superphosphate extractable Mn demonstrated large different variation to total Mn, whereas their sum was largely higher than and highly correlated with 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQN) extractable Mn. Soil organic carbon, pH value, exchangeable bases, and soil redox simultaneously controlled soil Mn depletion. In conclusion, long-term and intensive fertilizer application leads to soil acidification and accelerated soil Mn depletion in bamboo stand soil, promoting Mn accumulation in bamboo shoots. [Display omitted] • Intensive fertilizer application caused bamboo stands acidification seriously. • Soil acidification accelerated Mn leaching and enriching in subsoil. • Severe acidification enlarged the risk of Mn enrichment in bamboo shoot. • Soil organic carbon, pH, and exchangeable bases and soil redox controlled soil Mn's leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To characterize the natural history of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) in Chinese patients., Methods: The prospective observational cohort study included patients with untreated NTG with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Functional progression was defined by visual field (VF) deterioration, while structural progression was characterized by thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) or ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL)., Results: Among 84 participants (mean age, 60.5 years; mean deviation, -5.01 decibels [dB]) with newly diagnosed NTG followed for an average of 69.7 months, 63.1% progressed during the observation period. Specifically, 29.8% progressed by VF, and 48.8% progressed by either RNFL or GCIPL. In Cox proportional hazards analysis, disc hemorrhage (hazard ratio [HR], 2.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48-5.35), female gender (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.08-3.62), and mean IOP during the follow-up period (HR, 1.14 per mm Hg; 95% CI, 1.00-1.31) were significant predictors of glaucomatous progression. Additionally, longer axial length (AL; HR, 0.57 per millimeter; 95% CI, 0.35-0.94) was protective against VF progression faster than -0.50 dB/y, and higher minimum diastolic blood pressure (DBP; HR, 0.96 per mm Hg; 95% CI, 0.92-1.00) was protective against structural progression., Conclusions: Nearly two-thirds of untreated Chinese patients with NTG progressed over an average follow-up of 70 months by VF, RNFL, or GCIPL. Disc hemorrhage, female gender, higher mean IOP, shorter AL, and lower minimum DBP were significant predictors for disease progression.

Purpose: High myopia (HM) is one of the leading causes of irreversible vision loss in the world. Many myopia loci have been uncovered with linkage analysis, genome-wide association studies, and sequencing analysis. Numerous pathogenic genes within these loci have been detected in a portion of HM cases. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the genetic basis of 103 patients with nonsyndromic HM, focusing on the reported causal genes., Methods: A total of 103 affected individuals with nonsyndromic HM were recruited, including 101 patients with unrelated sporadic HM and a mother and son pair. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations, and genomic DNA samples were extracted from the peripheral blood. Whole exome sequencing was performed on the mother and son pair as well as on the unaffected father. Sanger sequencing was used to identify mutations in the remaining 101 patients. Bioinformatics analysis was subsequently applied to verify the mutations., Results: An extremely rare mutation in AGRN (c.2627A>T, p.K876M) was identified in the mother and son pair but not in the unaffected father. Another two mutations in AGRN (c.4787C>T, p.P1596L/c.5056G>A, p.G1686S) were identified in two unrelated patients. A total of eight heterozygous variants potentially affecting the protein function were detected in eight of the remaining 99 patients, including c.1350delC, p.V451Cfs*76 and c.1023&#95;1024insA, p.P342Tfs*41 in SLC39A5 ; c.244&#95;246delAAG, p.K82del in SCO2 ; c.545A>G, p.Y182C in P4HA2 ; c.415C>T, p.P139S in BSG ; c.3266A>G, p.Y1089C in ZNF644 ; and c.2252C>T, p.S751L and c.1708C>T, p.R570C in CPSF1 . Multiple bioinformatics analyses were conducted, and a comparison to a group with geographically matched controls was performed, which supported the potential pathogenicity of these variants., Conclusions: We provide further evidence for the potential role of AGRN in HM inheritance and enlarged the current genetic spectrum of nonsyndromic HM by comprehensively screening the reported causal genes., (Copyright © 2021 Molecular Vision.)

Human echinococcosis has become a major public health problem in most parts of the world. The objective of this article was to study the demographics of patients with hepatic echinococcosis in Ganzi County to elucidate the main risk factors, as well as to report the concurrent prevalence of cerebral echinococcosis and pulmonary echinococcosis.We recruited 195 patients with hepatic echinococcosis from the Datongma area of Ganzi County from January 2018 to November 2018. The patients' demographics, living environments, supported medical resources, knowledge of echinococcosis prevention and control, and hygienic practices were investigated and analyzed. The prevalence of cerebral echinococcosis and pulmonary echinococcosis were also investigated.The data were analyzed to identify risk factors for human echinococcosis. Our analysis showed that the herding Tibetan population within the 20 to 60 age group, and females, in particular, were at the highest risk of human echinococcosis infection. Having stray dogs around habitations and intimate activities with dogs and livestock were also behavioral risk factors. People with poor health literacy and low educational qualifications had possible risks of infection. In terms of hygiene, not using tap water as the drinking water source and lack of medical staff were significantly correlated with echinococcosis prevalence. Four patients were diagnosed with cerebral echinococcosis. Among them, 1 patient had both cerebral echinococcosis and pulmonary echinococcosis.Possible high-risk factors for echinococcosis were being female, herding population, in the 20 to 60 age group, having stray dogs around habitations, having activities with dogs and livestock, having poor health literacy, having low educational qualifications, and not using tap water as a drinking water source. The detection rate for brain echinococcosis in patients with hepatic echinococcosis was high (2.05%). Effective preventive strategies should be implemented in epidemic areas. Head CT scans should be applied for early detection of cerebral echinococcosis to carry out the treatment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of motherwort injection (MI, Yi mu cao) in preventing post-abortion hemorrhage and promoting uterine retraction after induced abortion surgery., Methods: In this multi-center randomized controlled trial undertaken between September 2014 and August 2016, 408 child-bearing age women who underwent induced abortion surgery and randomly assigned to two groups: MI group who received intramuscular MI treatment (n = 207) and no-treatment group (n = 201). The volume of vaginal bleeding and its duration were used as primary end points; and uterine size and dimension were measured as secondary end points. Blood coagulation indices, routine blood and adverse events were recorded to evaluate the safety., Results: The efficacy analysis was based on 366 patients. No significant difference were found in baseline characteristics between the two groups (P > 0.05). The amount of vaginal bleeding and duration of bleeding were significantly reduced in MI group compared with on-treatment group in Full Analysis Set (FAS) and Per Protocol Set (PPS) populations (P < 0.001). The volume and perimeter of the uterine dimensions in MI group were smaller than no-treatment group (P < 0.001). No significant abnormal vital signs were observed. Only 1 case of mild, transient erythema was found in MI group., Conclusions: MI could reduce post-abortion hemorrhage and improve uterine retraction in women undergoing surgical induced abortion, without serious adverse events. It was a safe and effective treatment in preventing post-abortion hemorrhage after induced abortion., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: High myopia (HM) is defined as a refractive error worse than -6.00 diopter (D). This study aims to update the phenotypic and genotypic landscape of nonsyndromic HM and to establish a biological link between the phenotypic traits and genetic deficiencies., Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 731 participants varying in refractive error, axial length (AL), age, myopic retinopathy, and visual impairment. The phenotypic traits were analyzed by four ophthalmologists while mutational screening was performed in eight autosomal causative genes. Finally, we assessed the clinical relevance of identified mutations under the guidance of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics., Results: The relationship between refractive error and AL varied in four different age groups ranging from 3- to 85-years old. In adult groups older than 21 years, 1-mm increase in AL conferred 10.84% higher risk of pathologic retinopathy (Category ≥2) as well as 7.35% higher risk of low vision (best-corrected visual acuities <0.3) with P values < 0.001. The prevalence rates of pathologic retinopathy and low vision both showed a nonlinear positive correlation with age. Forty-five patients were confirmed to harbor pathogenic mutations, including 20 novel mutations. These mutations enriched the mutational pool of nonsyndromic HM to 1.5 times its previous size and enabled a statistically significant analysis of the genotype-phenotype correlation. Finally, SLC39A5, CCDC111, BSG, and P4HA2 were more relevant to eye elongation, while ZNF644, SCO2, and LEPREL1 appeared more relevant to refracting media., Conclusions: Our findings shed light on how multiple HM-related phenotypes are associated with each other and their link with gene variants.

ON1 is a novel genotype of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) subtype A, in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). However, there is not much data on the prevalence and clinical and molecular characterization in China.Our study is based on the children who had respiratory infections positive for RSV-A admitted by Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital in Lanzhou (northwestern China) during the last 7 epidemic seasons from 2010 to 2017.In our study, different strains of the novel RSV-A genotype ON1, first identified in Canada in December 2010, were first detected in Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital in August 2012 and then followed by an abrupt expansion in the number of ON1 variants in the beginning of 2014 and eventually replaced all other RSV-A strains from 2015 to 2017. ON1 is characterized by a 72-nt duplication in the C-terminal region of the highly variable attachment glycoprotein (G), predicted to lengthen the polypeptide with 24 amino acids, including a 23-aa duplication, which likely changes antigenicity. New N-glycosylation sites occurred within the 23-aa duplication and 24-aa insertion of the ON1 viruses in our study. Notably, RSV infections occurred later, but peaked sooner from the 2014/2015 to 2016/2017 epidemic seasons, compared with the previous 4 seasons.Our study concluded that genotype ON1 has caused larger outbreaks and became the predominate genotype for HRSV subgroup A in Lanzhou from 2013 to 2017, and became the sole genotype of RSV-A in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Our data indicate that northwest of China and the world will eventually be dominated by the ON1 RSV-A genotype, including the possibility for vaccine development. Based on trends seen in RSV-B BA genotype, which predominated for decades, there is a possibility to develop a vaccine for children in the next 10 years.

Food chain contamination by soil cadmium (Cd) through leafy vegetable consumption poses a threat to human health. It is imperative to understand the relationship between Cd phytoavailability in soils and its uptake in common leafy vegetables. A large-scale field survey in Zhejiang Province, southeast China, was conducted to develop models to evaluate the Cd phytoavailability to leafy vegetables based on soil properties and to establish soil Cd thresholds based on food safety. The empirical models developed in this study explained the combined effects of soil properties and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable Cd content on Cd phytoavailability to leafy vegetables. The Cd accumulation in celery, pak choi, and amaranth was quantitatively predicted by measurement of DTPA-extractable soil Cd and soil pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity and clay content. For predicting Cd accumulation, the DTPA-extractable Cd, pH and clay content had a major influence in lettuce; and for water spinach, the DTPA-extractable Cd, pH, and cation exchange capacity had a major influence. Soil DTPA-extractable Cd was suitable to be used as Cd thresholds in soils cultivating celery, amaranth, pak choi, lettuce, and water spinach, with values of 0.24, 0.13, 0.23, 0.32, and 0.37 mg kg -1 , respectively. However, the threshold values of soil total Cd were 0.26, 0.34, and 0.83 mg kg -1 for amaranth, celery, and pak choi fields, indicating that the current soil quality standard (GB 15618-1995) for soils cultivating different types of vegetables could be overestimated or underestimated for Cd contamination and the associated risk. This study will provide a useful reference for controlling Cd contamination in common leafy vegetables and developing sustainable production of leafy vegetables., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is an important cause of acute respiratory illness (ARI), yet the epidemiology and effect of meteorological conditions on infection is not fully understood. To investigate the distribution of HBoV1 and determine the effect of meteorological conditions, hospitalized pediatric patients were studied in a subtropical region of China., Methods: Samples from 11,399 hospitalized pediatric patients (≤14 years old), with ARI were tested for HBoV1 and other common respiratory pathogens using real-time PCR, between July 2009 and June 2016. In addition, local meteorological data were collected., Results: Of the 11,399 patients tested, 5606 (49.2%) were positive for at least one respiratory pathogen. Two hundred forty-eight of 11,399 (2.2%) were positive for HBoV1 infection. Co-infection was common in HBoV1-positive patients (45.2%, 112/248). A significant difference in the prevalence of HBoV1 was found in patients in different age groups (p < 0.001), and the peak prevalence was found in patients aged 7-12 months (4.7%, 56/1203). Two HBoV1 prevalence peaks were found in summer (between June and September) and winter (between November and December). The prevalence of HBoV1 was significantly positively correlated with mean temperature and negatively correlated with mean relative humidity, and the mean temperature in the preceding month had better explanatory power than the current monthly temperature., Conclusions: This study provides a better understanding of the characteristics of HBoV1 infection in children in subtropical regions. Data from this study provide useful information for the future control and prevention of HBoV1 infections.

Background: Vitamin D (VD) insufficiency or deficiency is a frequent comorbidity in Chinese women with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). The present study aimed to investigate 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] improvement and calcium-phosphate metabolism in Chinese PMO patients treated with 70 mg of alendronate sodium and 5600 IU of vitamin D 3 (ALN/D5600)., Methods: Chinese PMO women (n = 219) were treated with 12-month ALN/D5600 (n = 111) or calcitriol (n = 108). Changes in 25(OH) D at month 12 were post hoc analyzed by the baseline 25 (OH) D status using the longitudinal analysis. The main safety outcome measures included serum calcium and phosphate and 24-h urine calcium, and the repeated measures mixed model was used to assess the frequencies of the calcium-phosphate metabolic disorders., Results: Absolute change in mean serum 25(OH) D level was the greatest in VD-deficient patients and least in VD-sufficient patients at months six and 12 (both, P < 0.01). Serum calcium level remained significantly lower in the ALN/D5600 treatment group than in the calcitriol treatment group throughout the 12 months. Mean 24-h urine calcium slightly increased in the ALN/D5600 treatment group and significantly increased in the calcitriol treatment group (+ 1.1 and + 0.9 mmol/L at months six and 12; both, P < 0.05). Calcitriol treatment was associated with more frequent hypercalciuria at month six (9.4% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.05), but not at month 12 (12.3% vs. 13.0%)., Conclusion: Baseline VD status predicted 25(OH) D improvement in PMO patients on 12-month ALN/D5600 treatment. The daily use of 0.25 μg of calcitriol was associated with more frequent hypercalciuria at month six, compared to ALN/5600 treatment, necessitating the safety re-evaluation of calcitriol at a higher dosage.

Aim: Oral risedronate is effective in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis when administered daily, weekly, or monthly. In this 1-year, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study we compared the weekly 35-mg and daily 5-mg risedronate dosing regimens in the treatment of Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia., Methods: Postmenopausal women with primary osteoporosis or osteopenia were randomly assigned to the weekly group or daily group (n=145 for each) that received oral risedronate 35 mg once a week or 5 mg daily, respectively, for 1 year. The subjects' bone mineral densities (BMDs), bone turnover markers (P1NP and β-CTX), new vertebral fractures, and adverse events were assessed at baseline and during the treatments., Results: All subjects in the weekly group and 144 subjects in the daily group completed the study. The primary efficacy endpoint after 1 year, ie the mean percent changes in the lumbar spine BMD (95% CI) were 4.87% (3.92% to 5.81%) for the weekly group and 4.35% (3.31% to 5.39%) for the daily group. The incidences of clinical adverse events were 48.3% in the weekly group and 54.2% in the daily group., Conclusion: The weekly 35-mg and daily 5-mg risedronate dosing regimens during 1 year of follow-up show similar efficacy in improving BMDs and biochemical markers of bone turnover in Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia. Moreover, the two dosing regimens exhibit similar safety and tolerability.

Background: Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2) and B viruses have co-circulated in the human population since the swine-origin human H1N1 pandemic in 2009. While infections of these subtypes generally cause mild illnesses, lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) occurs in a portion of children and required hospitalization. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of these three subtypes and compare the clinical manifestations in hospitalized children with LRTI in Guangzhou, China during the post-pandemic period., Methods: Children hospitalized with LRTI from January 2010 to December 2012 were tested for influenza A/B virus infection from their throat swab specimens using real-time PCR and the clinical features of the positive cases were analyzed., Results: Of 3637 hospitalized children, 216 (5.9%) were identified as influenza A or B positive. Infection of influenza virus peaked around March in Guangzhou each year from 2010 to 2012, and there were distinct epidemics of each subtype. Influenza A(H3N2) infection was more frequently detected than A(H1N1)pdm09 and B, overall. The mean age of children with influenza A virus (H1N1/H3N2) infection was younger than those with influenza B (34.4 months/32.5 months versus 45 months old; p<0.005). Co-infections of influenza A/ B with mycoplasma pneumoniae were found in 44/216 (20.3%) children., Conclusions: This study contributes the understanding to the prevalence of seasonal influenza viruses in hospitalized children with LRTI in Guangzhou, China during the post pandemic period. High rate of mycoplasma pneumoniae co-infection with influenza viruses might contribute to severe disease in the hospitalized children.

We found that Pantana phyllostachysae, a dangerous pest of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), showed differences in growth and development after feeding on diverse types of moso bamboo leaves. The mortality rate of Pa. phyllostachysae due to Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus, was also affected by the varied larval diet. Larval and pupal developmental duration of Pa. phyllostachysae was longer when feeding on "off-year" bamboo leaves. Pupal weight and adult fertility were higher when feeding on "on-year" bamboo leaves. Mortality due to B. bassiana was significantly lower in larvae fed on on-year bamboo leaves than in larvae fed on off-year bamboo leaves. Larvae fed on new bamboo leaves had a shorter development period and higher survival rate than those fed on off-year bamboo leaves. However, mixed feed (mixture of new, on-year, and off-year bamboo leaves) decreased the egg production of Pa. phyllostachysae. After infection by the second generation of B. bassiana, the survival time of Pa. phyllostachysae fed on mixed feed increased significantly compared with the first generation. We also fed Pa. phyllostachysae different proportion of new bamboo leaves in mixed feed to simulate natural conditions. We found that increasing the proportion of new bamboo leaves in the food promoted pupal development and increased egg production; it also increased the resistance of larvae to the first generation of B. bassiana. The pathogenicity of the second generation of B. bassiana declined in all mixed feed treatments., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.)

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in China has increased with an apparent geographic variation. The current study aims to investigate the AR prevalence/classification, diagnosis/treatment conditions, trigger factors, and risk factors in the general population of Guangzhou, the third biggest city in China. A cross-sectional survey was performed in the citizens in Guangzhou from December 2009 to March 2010 by using a stratified multistage cluster sampling method. All subjects were asked to complete a comprehensive questionnaire via a face to face interview. A total of 9,899 questionnaires were valid. The prevalence rate of AR in the general population of Guangzhou was 6.24%, with a significant higher prevalence in urban area (8.32%) versus rural area (3.43%). Among the AR subjects, most (87%) were diagnosed with intermittent AR and 87% suffered from moderate-severe symptoms. High percentages of the AR patients did not have previously physician-based diagnosis (34%) or specific medical treatment (55%). Morning time, winter season, and cold air were the most common trigger factors of AR. Family history of AR, current living place, living place during babyhood, smoking, home renovation, and pet ownership were the significant risk factors associated with AR prevalence in the population. The study demonstrated comprehensive epidemiological and clinical information about the AR in Guangzhou population. Change of living environment and lifestyles had strong impacts on the prevalence of AR. Public health policies should help the patients benefit from a proper diagnosis/treatment and specifically target the local risk factors, in order to control the AR incidence.

Aim: To establish the feasibility of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) in esophageal cancer (EC)., Methods: Computed tomography (CT) datasets of 10 patients with upper or middle thoracic squamous cell EC undergoing chemoradiotherapy were used to generate SMART, conventionally-fractionated three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (cf-IMRT) plans, respectively. The gross target volume (GTV) of the esophagus, positive regional lymph nodes (LN), and suspected lymph nodes (LN ±) were contoured for each patient. The clinical target volume (CTV) was delineated with 2-cm longitudinal and 0.5- to 1.0-cm radial margins with respect to the GTV and with 0.5-cm uniform margins for LN and LN(±). For the SMART plans, there were two planning target volumes (PTVs): PTV66 = (GTV + LN) + 0.5 cm and PTV54 = CTV + 0.5 cm. For the 3DCRT and cf-IMRT plans, there was only a single PTV: PTV60 = CTV + 0.5 cm. The prescribed dose for the SMART plans was 66 Gy/30 F to PTV66 and 54 Gy/30 F to PTV54. The dose prescription to the PTV60 for both the 3DCRT and cf-IMRT plans was set to 60 Gy/30 F. All the plans were generated on the Eclipse 10.0 treatment planning system. Fulfillment of the dose criteria for the PTVs received the highest priority, followed by the spinal cord, heart, and lungs. The dose-volume histograms were compared., Results: Clinically acceptable plans were achieved for all the SMART, cf-IMRT, and 3DCRT plans. Compared with the 3DCRT plans, the SMART plans increased the dose delivered to the primary tumor (66 Gy vs 60 Gy), with improved sparing of normal tissues in all patients. The Dmax of the spinal cord, V20 of the lungs, and Dmean and V50 of the heart for the SMART and 3DCRT plans were as follows: 38.5 ± 2.0 vs 44.7 ± 0.8 (P = 0.002), 17.1 ± 4.0 vs 25.8 ± 5.0 (P = 0.000), 14.4 ± 7.5 vs 21.4 ± 11.1 (P = 0.000), and 4.9 ± 3.4 vs 12.9 ± 7.6 (P = 0.000), respectively. In contrast to the cf-IMRT plans, the SMART plans permitted a simultaneous dose escalation (6 Gy) to the primary tumor while demonstrating a significant trend of a lower irradiation dose to all organs at risk except the spinal cord, for which no significant difference was found., Conclusion: SMART offers the potential for a 6 Gy simultaneous escalation in the irradiation dose delivered to the primary tumor of EC and improves the sparing of normal tissues.

Objective: To investigate the serum total IgE (tIgE) and specific IgE (sIgE) to common allergens among allergic patients in Guangzhou, China., Methods: 7 085 patients were examined for tIgE and sIgE to 15 allergens, based on the protocols of reversed enzyme allergosorbent test and the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: 3 758 (53.04%) patients tested positive for tIgE, and 4 640 (65.49%) for sIgE. Der pteronyssinus, Der farinae, eggs, and cow's milk were the most common allergens leading to higher positive rates of sIgE responses. Several peaks of sensitization were: Der pteronyssinus, Der farinae, and Blomia tropicalis at age 10-12; cow's milk at age below 3; eggs at age 4-6. The mean level and positive rate of tIgE tended to increase in subjects sensitized to more allergens. Sensitization to Der pteronyssinus (OR, 1.6; P<0.05), Der farinae (OR, 1.5; P<0.05), Blomia tropicalis (OR, 1.4; P<0.05), Blattella germanica (OR, 1.5; P<0.05), cow's milk (OR, 1.3; P<0.05), and soy beans (OR, 2.0; P<0.05) were independently correlated with allergy-related conditions in preliminary diagnosis., Conclusion: The major allergens in Guangzhou include Der pteronyssinus, Der farinae, cow's milk, and eggs. Sensitization to these allergens appears to be predictors of allergy-related disorder., (Copyright © 2014 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)