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To analyze the results of proficiency testing for anti-tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing (DST) in China. Number of laboratory participating the proficiency testing performed DST, and the sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and accordance rate were calculated from data of 13 rounds proficiency testing results for DST from 2008 to 2021. A total of 30 and 20 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with known susceptibility results were sent to each laboratory in 2008 to 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. The number of participating laboratories ranged from 30 in 2009 to 546 in 2021. L-J DST was the predominant method. The specificity presented relatively higher than sensitivity. Improvement of specificity were observed for all drugs through the years, while sensitivity did not show improvement for amikacin and capreomycin. Accordance rate of pyrazinamide and kanamycin and reproducibility of capreomycin and pyrazinamide were not significantly improved through the years. Most of the participating laboratories significantly improved the quality of their DST through the consecutive rounds of proficiency testing except for second-line injectable drugs and pyrazinamide. The results highlight the importance of developing novel and/or improving existing methods for phenotypic DST for certain drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pretomanid is a key component of new regimens for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) which are being rolled out globally. However, there is limited information on the prevalence of pre-existing resistance to the drug. Methods: To investigate pretomanid resistance rates in China and its underlying genetic basis, as well as to generate additional minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) data for epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF)/breakpoint setting, we performed MIC determinations in the Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube™ (MGIT) system, followed by WGS analysis, on 475 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) isolated from Chinese TB patients between 2013 and 2020. Results: We observed a pretomanid MIC distribution with a 99% ECOFF equal to 0.5 mg/L. Of the 15 isolates with MIC values > 0.5 mg/L, one (MIC = 1 mg/L) was identified as MTB lineage 1 (L1), a genotype previously reported to be intrinsically less susceptible to pretomanid, two were borderline resistant (MIC = 2–4 mg/L) and the remaining 12 isolates were highly resistant (MIC ≥ 16 mg/L) to the drug. Five resistant isolates did not harbor mutations in the known pretomanid resistant genes. Conclusions: Our results further support a breakpoint of 0.5 mg/L for a non-L1 MTB population, which is characteristic of China. Further, our data point to an unexpected high (14/475, 3%) pre-existing pretomanid resistance rate in the country, as well as to the existence of yet-to-be-discovered pretomanid resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of bauxite resources in China is deteriorating, and the high-grade bauxite resources are depleting day by day, the resource problem has become an important problem for the development of China's aluminum industry, and the high sulfur and high iron bauxite, which has not yet been exploded on an industrial scale, belongs to the difficult-to-use resources, and it has a huge potential industrial value, and it is of great theoretical and practical significance to carry out the basic research on desulfurization and removal of iron from high sulfur and high Hon bauxite. For the comprehensive development and utilization of high sulfur and high iron bauxite in Guangxi, a systematic test of desulfurization and Hon removal from bauxite was carried out by using the process of "suspension oxidation roasting-reduction roasting-magnetic separation", and the transformation of mineral phases in the roasting process was studied by using the methods of X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), chemical phase analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etc. The test was carried out on the basis of "suspension oxidation roasting-reduction roasting-magnetic separation" . The results showed that the main sulfur containing and iron-containing mineral is pyrite, the process of "suspension oxidation roasting-reduction roasting-magnetic separation" can simultaneously realize the efficient removal of sulfur and the enrichment and separation of Hon. Under the conditions of suspension oxidation roasting with roasting temperature 700 °C, roasting time 40 min, O2 concentration 40%, and the total gas volume 600 mL/min, an oxidized roasting product with S, of 0.396% and desulfurization rate of 98.10% can be obtained. Suspension reduction roasting was then carried out under the conditions of roasting temperature 550 °C, roasting time 20 min, CO concentration 20%, total gas volume 600 mL/min, and magnetic Held strength 150 kA/m, which resulted in an iron ore concentrate with TFe grade of 54.79% and aluminum-rich ore with St of 0.248%, TFe grade of 4.37% and Al2O3 content of 75.27%. This technology substantially increases the Al2O3 content of high sulfur high iron bauxite, which is conductive to the subsequent dissolution of bauxite and achieves the technical goal of desulfurization and removal of iron to raise aluminum content. This process provides a new technical way for the efficient utilization of this kind of difficult--to-process to select high sulfur high iron bauxite resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum is an important metal material in people's modern life, and bauxite is the main raw material for the production of aluminum. With the continuous development of domestic aluminum industry, the demand for bauxite resources is increasing year by year. However, the quality of domestic bauxite resources is poor, the supply is insufficient, and the degree of external dependence of bauxite is high, which brings a serious threat to the supply security of aluminum resources in China and restricts the sustainable development of China's aluminum industry. In order to cope with the scarcity of high-quality bauxite resources in China, the development of complex and difficult-to-process bauxite resources, such as high sulfur and high iron bauxite, is crucial to ensuring the strategic security of China's bauxite resources. China has a large amount of complex bauxite resources, such as high-sulfur and high-iron bauxite, which is more than 1.5 billion tons, accompanied by other strategic metal resources, which is urgently needed to be efficiently developed and advanced technology is used to realize the industrial application of this kind of typical poor and miscellaneous bauxite. Excessive sulfur and iron impurities in bauxite will have non-negligible effects on the process of aluminum extraction by Bayer process, such as corroding equipment and pipes, increasing alkali consumption and red mud, affecting the quality of alumina and so on. Therefore, starting with the present situation and characteristics of high-sulfur and high-iron bauxite resources in China, the current research progress of desulphurization and iron removal process of high-sulfur and high-iron bauxite has been summarized. The main desulfurization technologies such as flotation desulfurization, perorating desulfurization, biological desulfurization and physical iron removal, chemical iron removal and biological iron removal are summarized. The industrial application level of various processes is discussed and several typical examples of industrial application of high-sulfur and high-iron bauxite are given. It will provide theoretical support for the development and utilization of complex bauxite resources in China, make effective use of difficult-to-process aluminum resources, reduce China's dependence on foreign aluminum resources, and improve the supporting force of bauxite resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a severe public health problem globally, and it is essential to comprehend the transmission pattern to control tuberculosis. Herein, we evaluated the drug-resistant characteristics, recent transmission, and associated risk factors of TB in Golmud, Qinghai, China. Methods: In this study, we performed a population-based study of patients diagnosed with TB in Golmud from 2013 to 2018. Drug-susceptibility testing and whole-genome sequencing were performed on 133 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. The genomic clustering rate was calculated to evaluate the level of recent transmission. Risk factors were identified by logistic regression analysis. Results: Our results showed that 46.97% (62/132) of strains were phylogenetically clustered and formed into 23 transmission clusters, suggesting a high recent transmission of TB in the area. 12.78% (17/133) strains were multidrug-resistant/rifampicin tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB), with a high drug-resistant burden. Based on drug resistance gene analysis, we found 23 strains belonging to genotype MDR/RR-TB, where some strains may have borderline mutations. Among these strains, 65.2% (15/23) were found within putative transmission clusters. Additionally, risk factor analysis showed that recent transmission of TB happened more in patients with Tibetan nationality or older age. Conclusion: Overall our study indicates that the recent transmissions of MTB strains, especially genotypic MDR/RR strains, drive the tuberculosis epidemic in Golmud, which could contribute to developing effective TB prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is among the 30 countries with a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, and TB remains a public health concern. Kashgar Prefecture in the southern Xinjiang Autonomous Region is considered as one of the highest TB burden regions in China. However, molecular epidemiological studies of Kashgar are lacking. A population-based retrospective study was conducted using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the characteristics of drug resistance and the transmission patterns. A total of 1,668 isolates collected in 2020 were classified into lineages 2 (46.0%), 3 (27.5%), and 4 (26.5%). The drug resistance rates revealed by WGS showed that the top three drugs in terms of the resistance rate were isoniazid (7.4%, 124/1,668), streptomycin (6.0%, 100/1,668), and rifampicin (3.3%, 55/1,668). The rate of rifampicin resistance was 1.8% (23/1,290) in the new cases and 9.4% (32/340) in the previously treated cases. Known resistance mutations were detected more frequently in lineage 2 strains than in lineage 3 or 4 strains, respectively: 18.6% vs. 8.7 or 9%, P < 0.001. The estimated proportion of recent transmissions was 25.9% (432/1,668). Multivariate logistic analyses indicated that sex, age, occupation, lineage, and drug resistance were the risk factors for recent transmission. Despite the low rate of drug resistance, drug-resistant strains had a higher risk of recent transmission than the susceptible strains (adjusted odds ratio, 1.414; 95% CI , 1.023–1.954; P = 0.036). Among all patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), 78.4% (171/218) were attributed to the transmission of DR-TB strains. Our results suggest that drug-resistant strains are more transmissible than susceptible strains and that transmission is the major driving force of the current DR-TB epidemic in Kashgar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with multiple adverse health consequences. Nurses (including midwives) are well positioned to identify patients subjected to IPV, and provide care, support, and referrals. However, studies about nursing response to IPV are limited especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to examine nurses' perceived preparedness and opinions toward IPV and to identify barriers and facilitators in responding to IPV. Design: An explanatory sequential mixed‐methods study was conducted by collecting quantitative data first and explaining the quantitative findings with qualitative data. Methods: The study was conducted in two tertiary general hospitals in northeastern (Shenyang city) and southwestern (Chengdu city) China with 1500 and 1800 beds, respectively. A total of 1071 survey respondents (1039 female [97.0%]) and 43 interview participants (34 female [79.1%]) were included in the study. An online survey was administered from September 3 to 23, 2020, using two validated scales from the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey. In‐depth, semistructured interviews were conducted from September 15 to December 23, 2020, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Results: The survey respondents largely agreed with feeling prepared to manage IPV, e.g., respond to discourses (544 [50.8%] of 1071) and report to police (704 [65.7%] of 1071). The findings of surveyed opinions (i.e., Response competencies; Routine practice; Actual activities; Professionals; Victims; Alcohol/drugs) were mixed and intertwined with social desirability bias. The quantitative and qualitative data were consistent, contradicted, and supplemented. Key qualitative findings were revealed that may explain the quantitative results, including lack of actual preparedness, absence of IPV‐related education, training, or practice, and socially desirable responses (especially those pertaining to China's Anti‐domestic Violence Law). Commonly reported barriers (e.g., patients' reluctance to disclose; time constraints) and facilitators (e.g., patients' strong need for help; female nurses' gender advantage), as well as previously unreported barriers (e.g., IPV may become a workplace taboo if there are healthcare professionals known as victims/perpetrators of IPV) and facilitators (e.g., nurses' responses can largely meet the first‐line support requirements even without formal education or training on IPV) were identified. Conclusions: Nurses may play a unique and important role in responding to IPV in LMICs where recognition is limited, education and training are absent, policies are lacking, and resources are scarce. Our findings support World Health Organization recommendations for selective screening. Clinical Relevance: The study highlights the great potential of nurses for IPV prevention and intervention especially in LMICs. The identified barriers and facilitators are important evidence for developing multifaceted interventions to address IPV in the health sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening for Tuberculosis (TB) is a critical tactic for minimizing the prevalence of illness within schools. Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT), in turn, effectively staves off the development of TB from latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Unfortunately, there is limited research on LTBI and TPT among students. This study aimed to assess LTBI among freshmen in Changping District and advocate for the implementation of TPT. Methods: The prospective study collected data from 12 educational institutions within the Changping District of Beijing. The Kolmogorov − Smirnov test and other statistical methods were used for statistical analysis, x 2 was obtained using the formula x 2 = nΣA2/nRnC-1, df = (C-1) (R-1). We analyzed potential factors impacting the LTBI rate, and scrutinized the possible causes behind the low application of TPT and its efficacy for LTBI treatment, China. Results: Among 19,872 freshmen included in this study, 18 active TB cases (91 per 10,0000) and 2236 LTBI cases (11.6% of 19,223) were identified, respectively. Furthermore, of those with LTBI, 1045 (5.4% of 19,223) showed a strong positive for purified protein derivative (PPD), but only 312 opted for TB preventive treatment. There appeared to be no significant difference in the prevalence of LTBI and TPT rate between male and female students. Concurrently, 11 (71 per 100,000) and 7 (158 per 100,000) cases of active tuberculosis were identified in 6 universities and 6 higher vocational colleges, respectively. Interestingly, almost all freshmen who underwent TPT came from universities, suggesting a statistically significant disparity in TPT rate (χ2 = 139.829, P < 0.001) between these two types of educational institutions. Meanwhile, as for the age-wise distribution of latent infection among 17–20 years old freshmen, the LTBI rate exhibited 10.5%, 11.6%, 12.1% and 13.5%, respectively. Correlation between LTBI rate, the strong positive rate was statistically significant among different ages (χ2 = 34.559, P < 0.001). Over a follow-up period of 2 years, three students were diagnosed with active tuberculosis, one of which was resistant to rifampicin. All three students manifested a strong positive for PPD and declined preventive treatment during TB screening. Conclusions: The data indicates a high rate of LTBI amongst students in areas with a heavy TB burden, potentially leading to cross-regional TB transmission due to the migration of students. Education level might contribute to the limited uptake of TPT. Therefore, improving the implementation of TB preventive treatments is crucial in controlling and preventing TB across schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study conducted in China examined the impact of pre-existing lung diseases on the outcomes of COVID-19 in cancer patients who had received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The study found that lung diseases, specifically interstitial lung disease (ILD) and atelectasis, were associated with worse clinical outcomes, severe symptoms, and increased respiratory support in these patients. However, lung cancer, pneumonia, and chronic bronchitis/COPD were not found to be associated with COVID-19 outcomes. The study emphasizes the importance of considering pre-existing lung diseases in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, particularly in high-risk patients with poor prognoses. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms. [Extracted from the article]

Dashan Village area is one of the representative areas in China with high selenium concentration in the natural environment. A total of 133 topsoil samples have been collected in the Dashan Village area to explore the potential toxic elements (PTEs) background concentrations in soils under different land-use types for a comprehensive PTEs risk assessment (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium and zinc). The results show that the geometric mean concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn found in the soil of the Dashan Village area were lower than the control standard for soil contamination risk in agricultural land. However, the geometric mean concentrations of Cd exceeded their corresponding standard values. For different land-use types, geometric mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni and Pb in the arable soils were higher than in woodland soils and tea garden soils. Based on the potential ecological risk assessment, the woodland, arable and tea garden were at low-risk levels. Cadmium posed the highest ecological risk, while the other PTEs were of low risk in soils. Multiple statistical analyses and geostatistical analysis indicated that the concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn and Se originated mainly from natural sources, while the concentrations of Cd, As and Hg could be influenced by anthropogenic activities. These results provide scientific support for the safe utilization and ecological sustainability of selenium-rich land resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fosfomycin is an important broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria infections. It is generally accepted that heteroresistant bacteria are an intermediate stage in the formation of drug resistance, but there are few studies on the formation mechanism underlying fosfomycin heteroresistance (FHR).Objectives: To reveal the characteristics and formation mechanisms of FHR in Escherichia coli isolates obtained from chickens.Methods: We identified the FHR according to the population analysis profile (PAP) test and in vitro time-kill assay. Growth curves for FHR E. coli and their subpopulations were measured. Also, the subpopulations were repeatedly cultured in fosfomycin-free medium for 5-20 overnight incubation periods. The formation mechanisms of FHR in E. coli isolates were identified through accumulation assay, carbohydrate utilization testing, real-time relative quantitative PCR analysis, DNA sequencing, transcriptomic analysis, intracellular ATP and cAMP-level assessment.Results: Four of six E. coli strains were confirmed to show FHR, with a total of six subpopulations. The subpopulations restored phenotypic susceptibilities to fosfomycin within 5-20 overnight incubation sessions, but four of six subpopulations still maintained FHR characteristics. Differing from their parental isolates, the uptake of fosfomycin in the subpopulations through GlpT was reduced remarkably. Further studies identified that the low expression of glpT was due to the decrease of intracellular cAMP levels in the subpopulations, which was caused by the decreased ATP levels in cells.Conclusions: Our findings revealed the formation mechanism of E. coli isolates showing FHR obtained from chicken in China and characterized the dynamic change traits in vitro of the subpopulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To adapt and psychometrically test two scales from The Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS) for measuring nurses' preparedness to manage intimate partner violence (IPV) and opinions on IPV in China. Design: A cross‐sectional study for cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of instruments. Methods: The study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in northeastern and southwestern China in 2020: (Step 1) translation and back‐translation by four translators; (Step 2) expert consultation to assess content validity by a five‐person panel; (Step 3) cognitive debriefing to evaluate the online survey with six nurses; (Step 4) pilot testing to finalize the survey with 79 nurses; and (Step 5) psychometric evaluation of construct validity and internal consistency reliability including post hoc analysis with 1071 nurses. Results: The Chinese scales of Perceived Preparation and Opinions demonstrated generally acceptable content validity, construct validity and internal consistency reliability; some factor analysis results were uninterpretable, and socially desirable responses existed. A post hoc inspection of item and score distributions assisted the item classification into Confident, Cautious and Concerned regarding the authenticity of nurses' responses. Conclusion: Reliability and construct validity of the Chinese versions of Perceived Preparation and Opinions were supported in this sample. The instrument measures nurses' preparedness and opinions towards IPV. Item classification into Confident, Cautious and Concerned categories is a pragmatic way to interpret the results. Impact The Chinese scales can be used to measure nurses' preparedness and opinions towards IPV in China. The study also provides an approach for interpretation of results and identification of socially desirable responses in validation and survey studies in other contexts. The adaptation and use of the Chinese scales serve as a primary step in responding to IPV in China's health sector and can be used as a template for adapting the instrument in other low‐ and middle‐income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) is an emerging and re‐emerging swine enterovirus that causes highly contagious diarrhoea and mortality in piglets. To better understand the current prevalence of PEDV in mid‐west China, and to find out the reason for the re‐emergence of PEDV from the viral genomic characteristics. Herein, we firstly investigated epidemiology of PEDV in mid‐west China from 2019 to 2020. A total of 62.23% (257/413) of diarrhoea samples were positive for PEDV, and the PEDV‐positive cases were mainly detected in winter. Then, we selected the SXSL strain as a representative strain to study the genetic and pathogenic characterization of PEDV pandemic strains in mid‐west China. The recombination analysis showed that SXSL strain was a recombinant strain, and the major and minor parent strains of the recombination are CH/SCZJ/2018 strain and GDS48 strain, respectively. Complete genome sequencing and homology analysis showed that the S protein of SXSL strain contained multiple amino acid indels and mutations compared to the PEDV representative strains. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of S protein on the infectivity and pathogenicity of PEDV by the PEDV reverse genetics system, and results showed that SXSL S protein increased the infectivity and pathogenicity of chimeric virus. Overall, our findings provided important information for understanding the roles of S protein in the prevalence of PEDV in mid‐west China and developing vaccines based on PEDV pandemic strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyse the role of different transportation modes in China's national economy and provide a reference for transportation policy. To this end, we use input–output analysis to evaluate the inter-industry linkage effect, production-inducing effect, supply shortage effect, and employment-inducing effect of five transportation modes (rail, road, water, air, and pipeline) in China from 2007 to 2020. The contributions of these different transportation modes to China's economy and their evolution are quantitatively investigated. The results reveal that the forward linkage effect of road transportation in China is the highest and shows an upward trend. The backward linkage effect of air transportation is the highest but shows a declining trend while the supply shortage effect of pipeline transportation is the highest. COVID-19 had a significant effect on transportation in 2020, with only rail and water maintaining growth in their production-inducing and supply shortage effects on the economy. Meanwhile, road, air, and pipeline transportation all showed varying degrees of decline in their contributions to the economy in 2020. Regarding employment, the employment-inducing effect multipliers of the five transportation modes are all gradually decreasing, showing that the transportation industry is shifting from a labour-intensive orientation toward a technology-intensive one. These results have significance for understanding the economic contribution and evolution of China's transportation industries. They can provide a reference for related policy formulation and for improving transportation management. • The role of different transportation modes in China's national economy are analysed. • The evolvement rules of five transportation modes' economic contribution are studied. • Policy implications are presented to formulate regulations and improve management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the relevant risk factors for intracranial infection after craniotomy for resection of skull base neoplasms. Methods The clinical data of 159 patients with skull base neoplasms who underwent craniotomy from May 2010 to January 2020 in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. The relevant risk factors for intracranial infection were analyzed by univariate and multivariate forward Logistic regression. Results Postoperative intracranial infection occurred in 81 out of 159 patients, the infection rate was 50.94%. Multivariate forward Logistic regression analysis showed the operation time was ≥5 h (OR = 3.438, 95%CI: 1.371-8.625; P = 0.008), blood loss ≥ 400 ml (OR = 2.308, 95%CI: 1.115-4.777; P = 0.024), frontal sinus or mastoid air chamber breach (OR = 16.817, 95%CI: 3.689-76.658; P = 0.000) were the risk factors for intracranial infection after craniotomy for resection of skull base neoplasms. Conclusions There was a higher risk of intracranial infection after craniotomy for resection of skull base neoplasms in patients who had long operation time, more intraoperative blood loss as well as frontal sinus or mastoid air chamber breach. It is necessary to adopt effective prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of intracranial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the dynamic volatility connectedness between different types of policy uncertainty and sectoral stock markets in both the time and frequency domains in China. Using the time–frequency connectedness index approach, we find extremely high connectedness between policy uncertainty and Chinese sectoral stock markets mainly in the medium and long terms. In particular, uncertainty regarding monetary policies makes the weakest contribution to spillovers among the four policy uncertainties, while uncertainty regarding trade policies contributes prominently. The energy, financial, IT, telecommunication services and utilities sectors are the most vulnerable to policy uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial tRNALys (mt-tRNALys) mutation is initially associated with myoclonic epilepsy and ragged-red fibers (MERRF). The clinical, laboratory, morphologic and molecular findings from 22 mt-tRNALys mutation carriers from local database in East China were analyzed retrospectively. We identified 13 symptomatic and 9 asymptomatic individuals with a known pathogenic mitochondrial tRNALys mutation. The most common mutations were m.8344 A>G (81.8%), m.8363G>A (9.1%), m.8356 T>C (4.5%) and m.8356 T>G (4.5%). The degree of mutation heteroplasmy in blood was high both in symptomatic (mean 64.5%, range 41–82%) and asymptomatic individuals (mean 53.1%, range 21–78%). Age at onset ranged from 6 year-old to the age of 66 years (mean 35.8 ± 16.4 years old). The most frequent symptoms were muscle weakness (76.9%), exercise intolerance (76.9%), elevated creatine kinase levels (61.5%), peripheral neuropathy (69.2%) and cerebellar ataxia (61.5%), while myoclonus was only present in 23.1% of symptomatic patients. A diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy (MM) and neuropathy ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa (NARP/NARP-like) syndrome was made in 77% of symptomatic patients, whereas the classic syndrome of myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) was rare (23%). In this cohort of patients with mt-tRNALys mutation, more than one third of our patients did not develop signs and symptoms of central nervous system involvement even in later stages of the disease, indicating the necessity to investigate the mt-tRNALys gene in 'pure' mitochondrial 'myo-neuropathy'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is a key variable for high temperature and drought monitoring and climate and ecological environment research. Due to the sparse distribution of ground observation stations, thermal infrared remote sensing technology has become an important means of quickly obtaining ground temperature over large areas. However, there are many missing and low-quality values in satellite-based LST data because clouds cover more than 60 % of the global surface every day. This article presents a unique LST dataset with a monthly temporal resolution for China from 2003 to 2017 that makes full use of the advantages of MODIS data and meteorological station data to overcome the defects of cloud influence via a reconstruction model. We specifically describe the reconstruction model, which uses a combination of MODIS daily data, monthly data and meteorological station data to reconstruct the LST in areas with cloud coverage and for grid cells with elevated LST error, and the data performance is then further improved by establishing a regression analysis model. The validation indicates that the new LST dataset is highly consistent with in situ observations. For the six natural subregions with different climatic conditions in China, verification using ground observation data shows that the root mean square error (RMSE) ranges from 1.24 to 1.58 ∘ C, the mean absolute error (MAE) varies from 1.23 to 1.37 ∘ C and the Pearson coefficient (R2) ranges from 0.93 to 0.99. The new dataset adequately captures the spatiotemporal variations in LST at annual, seasonal and monthly scales. From 2003 to 2017, the overall annual mean LST in China showed a weak increase. Moreover, the positive trend was remarkably unevenly distributed across China. The most significant warming occurred in the central and western areas of the Inner Mongolia Plateau in the Northwest Region, and the average annual temperature change is greater than 0.1 K (R>0.71 , P<0.05), and a strong negative trend was observed in some parts of the Northeast Region and South China Region. Seasonally, there was significant warming in western China in winter, which was most pronounced in December. The reconstructed dataset exhibits significant improvements and can be used for the spatiotemporal evaluation of LST in high-temperature and drought-monitoring studies. The data are available through Zenodo at 10.5281/zenodo.3528024 (Zhao et al., 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yang et al., Acta Geologica Sinica‐English Edition, 91(2), pp. 749–750 claim that they discovered supercritical hyperpycnal flow deposits in the Early Cretaceous strata on Lingshan Island, East China. We would like to discuss this paper under the following topics: (a) the terminology of "supercritical hyperpycnal flow," (b) hyperpycnal flow deposition, and (c) supercritical flow deposition. Our aim is twofold in that the following debate will help unravel the complexities associated with the controversy around the paleosedimentary environment and sediment dynamic processes of the early Cretaceous deposits on Lingshan Island, in addition to providing an understanding of hyperpycnal flow and supercritical flow deposits. The Beilaishi section deposits on Lingshan Island are more likely storm‐induced tempestites within the lacustrine basin delta front and associated deep lacustrine turbidites. Frequent earthquakes due to tectonic‐magmatic activity are the most likely triggers for lacustrine storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil, rock, potable water, animal food and human hair samples were collected from the Dashan village, a typical selenium (Se)-rich area of China. Se content and fraction distribution were determined to trace the source of soil Se and evaluate the potential health risk to humans. Total Se contents in soils ranged from 0.60 to 10.46 mg kg− 1. The fractions of soil Se followed the order: residual Se (R-Se) > organic–bound Se (O-Se) > acid soluble Se (A-Se) > exchangeable Se (E-Se) > water soluble Se (W-Se). Total Se contents in rocks ranged from 0.07 to 24.8 mg kg− 1. The dietary Se intake of local residents was estimated to be 261.2 µg day− 1 and hair Se content varied from 0.34 to 1.35 mg kg− 1, suggesting that the potential health risk should be concerned. Weathering of carbonaceous rock was speculated to be the primary source of soil Se according to the contents of Se in rocks, the distribution of Se in soil profiles and the relationships between Se and other elements in soils and parent rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyrazinamide still may be a useful drug for treatment of rifampin-resistant (RR-TB) or multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in China while awaiting scale up of new drugs and regimens including bedaquiline and linezolid. The level of pyrazinamide resistance among MDR-TB patients in China is not well established. Therefore, we assessed pyrazinamide resistance in a representative sample and explored determinants and patterns of pncA mutations.Methods: MDR-TB isolates from the 2007 national drug resistance survey of China were sub-cultured and examined for pyrazinamide susceptibility by BACTEC MGIT 960 method. pncA mutations were identified by sequencing. Characteristics associated with pyrazinamide resistance were analyzed using univariable and multivariable log-binominal regression.Results: Of 401 MDR-TB isolates, 324 were successfully sub-cultured and underwent drug susceptibility testing. Pyrazinamide resistance was prevalent in 40.7% of samples, similarly among new and previously treated MDR-TB patients. Pyrazinamide resistance in MDR-TB patients was associated with lower age (adjusted OR 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34-0.87 for those aged ≧60 years compared to < 40 years). Pyrazinamide resistance was not associated with gender, residential area, previous treatment history and Beijing genotype. Of 132 patients with pyrazinamide resistant MDR-TB, 97 (73.5%) had a mutation in the pncA gene; with 61 different point mutations causing amino acid change, and 11 frameshifts in the pncA gene. The mutations were scattered throughout the whole pncA gene and no hot spot region was identified.Conclusions: Pyrazinamide resistance among MDR-TB patients in China is common, although less so in elderly patients. Therefore, pyrazinamide should only be used for treatment of RR/MDR-TB in China if susceptibility is confirmed. Molecular testing for detection of pyrazinamide resistance only based on pncA mutations has certain value for the rapid detection of pyrazinamide resistance in MDR-TB strains but other gene mutations conferring to pyrazinamide resistance still need to be explored to increase its predictive ability . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research project measures the added value, employment and export of copyright industries in China by adopting the methodology of the World Intellectual Property Organization. Based on statistics since 2006, it makes historical and international comparisons, and also introduces the development of copyright industries in some Chinese provinces and municipalities, showing the industries' contribution to boosting economic growth, employment and export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater heavy metal contamination is a growing problem worldwide, which damages the environment and human health. A primary challenge of sponge city designers is selecting suitable plants capable of surviving the toxic metals present in city rainwater. The concept of a sponge city to tackle urban surface-rainwater flooding and related urban rainwater management issues was established by People's Republic of China in 2014. Therefore, we studied the ability of sponge city plants to accumulate heavy metals from rainwater. Ophiopogon japonicus (Linn. f.) Ker-Gawl., Carex heterostachya Bge., Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., Sedum spectabile Boreau., Typha orientalis Presl., Lythrum salicaria L., Fatsia japonica (Thunb.) Decne. et Planch., Ilex chinensis Sims., Rosa chinensis Jacq., and Buxus bodinieri Levl. were selected as test plants, and their ability to accumulate four heavy metals (lead [Pb], cadmium [Cd], copper [Cu], and zinc [Zn]) was compared. Growth response and heavy metal accumulation across different species were compared over a 28-day enrichment cycle. The results showed that (1) Plant growth responses to heavy metals were significantly different. The most tolerant to heavy metals was Lythrum salicaria and the least tolerant was Rosa chinensis. (2) Concentrations of the heavy metals differed among sponge city plant species. In general, the concentration of Zn was highest, followed by Cu, Cd, and Pb. (3) The accumulation content of the same metal in different test species was related to the bioconcentration factor of the metal and the plant biomass. At the end of the enrichment cycle, Ophiopogon japonicus had the largest accumulation content for Pb, Cu, and Zn, and Lythrum salicaria had the highest accumulation content for Cd. (4) Considering the growth responses of plants and their final accumulation of heavy metals after the enrichment cycle, we concluded that Lythrum salicaria, Typha orientalis, and Ophiopogon japonicus are suitable for use in sponge cities to restore heavy metal-contaminated rainwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics are central to understanding the effects of environmental change on the carbon cycle of ecosystems. Vegetation and soil stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C), especially the difference of δ13C between surface soils and source vegetation (Δδ13C), can provide useful information about the SOC dynamics. The variations and patterns of vegetation and soil δ13C and Δδ13C along climatic and edaphic gradients were analyzed to improve the understanding of SOC dynamics in temperate grassland ecosystems. Materials and methods: Soil and plant samples were collected along climatic and edaphic gradients. Meteorological data were extracted from a regional climate database, which was spatially interpolated based on the records at 107 climatic stations located in Inner Mongolia. δ13C, carbon and nitrogen contents of soil and plant, soil pH, soil clay, silt, and sand contents were determined. Δδ13C and soil C:N were calculated. The integrative effects of these factors were further estimated using stepwise regression, redundancy analysis (RDA) and T value biplots. Results and discussion: As expected, soil δ13C was positively related to vegetation δ13C, and higher than the vegetation δ13C. Vegetation and soil δ13C and Δδ13C were all related to growing season precipitation (GSP) and growing season temperature (GST). However, when climatic and edaphic factors were considered together, vegetation δ13C was positively related to GST and soil C:N, soil δ13C was positively related only to GST, and Δδ13C was negatively related only to soil C:N. Unlike previous research conducted at the species level which only included C3 species, GST, instead of precipitation, was the dominant controlling factor of vegetation δ13C. Conclusions: GST influences vegetation δ13C mainly through its effect on relative abundance of C4 plants. Soil C:N rather than climatic factors is the dominant controlling factor of SOC decomposition, and the effects of climatic factors on SOC decomposition are indirect and induced by their effects on soil C:N through influencing species composition and plant C:N. Measuring vegetation δ13C, soil δ13C, and △δ13C simultaneously is necessary to comprehensively understand how environmental changes influence ecosystem carbon cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective To validate the performance of Mycob. T Stainer and Scanner (MTSS) for detecting acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Methods A total of 3,816 sputum samples from 1,515 tuberculosis (TB) suspects were tested at the Anhui Provincial Chest Hospital and the Linyi People's Hospital from April-August, 2016. Each specimen was placed on two smear slides. One slide was stained by the ziehl-neelsen (ZN) method to be read by conventional microscopy (CM). The other slide was stained and scanned by MTSS. All specimens were decontaminated with 4% NaOH, and then inoculated into solid culture. The performance of MTSS was assessed. Results MTSS produced higher average positivity rate (27.96%) as compared with the CM (26.83%). The overall sensitivity and specificity of MTSS were 78.9% and 93.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of CM was 77.4% and 95.0%, respectively. Conclusion MTSS exhibited a favorable performance in the detection of AFB. It may be an alternative to CM for screening TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and accurate prediction of metal bioaccumulation in crops are important for assessing metal environmental risks. We aimed to incorporate machine learning modeling methods to predict heavy metal contents in rice crops and identify influencing factors. We conducted a field study in Jiangsu province, China, collecting 2123 pairs of soil-rice samples in a uniform measurement and using 10 machine learning algorithms to predict the uptake of Cd, Hg, As, and Pb in rice grain. The Extremely Randomized Tree model exhibited the best performance for rice-Cd and rice-Hg (Cd: R 2 = 0.824; Hg: R 2 = 0.626), while the Random Forest model performed best for As and Pb (As: R 2 = 0.389; Pb: R 2 = 0.325). The feature importance analysis showed that soil-Cd and pH had the highest impact on rice-Cd risk, which is in line with previous studies; while temperature and soil organic carbon were more important to rice-Hg than soil-Hg. Then, based on another set of 1867 uniformly distributed paddy soil samples in Jiangsu province, the Cd and Hg risks of soil and rice were visualized using the established models. Mapping result revealed an inconsistent pattern of hotspot distribution between soil-Hg and rice-Hg, i.e., a higher rice-Hg risk in the northern area, while higher soil-Hg in south. Our findings highlight the importance of temperature on Hg bioaccumulation risk to crops, which has often been overlooked in previous risk assessment processes. [Display omitted] • Soil metal contents and properties were most important factors to rice uptake. • Temperature and precipitation negatively affected rice-Hg and rice-Pb, respectively. • Root uptake might be main pathway for Cd, while foliar uptake for Hg and Pb. • Broader features should be considered in predicting metal bioaccumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the population structure of a representative collection of 3,133 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, collected within the framework of a national resistance survey from 2007 in China. Genotyping data indicate that the epidemic strains in China can be divided into seven major complexes, of which 92% belonged to the East Asian (mainly Beijing strains) or the Euro-American lineage. The epidemic Beijing strains in China are closely related to the Beijing B0/W148 strain earlier described in Russia and a large cluster of these strains has spread national wide. The density of Beijing strains is high in the whole of China (average 70%), but the highest prevalence was found North of the Yellow river. The Euro-American lineage consists of three sublineages (sublineage_1, 2, and 3) and is more prevalent in the South. Beijing lineage showed the highest cluster rate of 48% and a significantly higher level of resistance to rifampicin (14%, p<0.001), ethambutol (9%, p = 0.001), and ofloxacin (5%, p = 0.011). Within the Euro-American Lineage, sublineage_3 revealed the highest cluster rate (28%) and presented a significantly elevated level of resistance to streptomycin (44%, p<0.001). Our findings suggest that standardised treatment in this region may have contributed to the successful spread of certain strains: sublineage_3 in the Euro-American lineage may have thrived when streptomycin was used without rifampicin for treatment, while later under DOTS based treatment, in which rifampicin plays a key role, Beijing lineage appears to be spreading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the Sensitire MYCOTB MIC Plate (MYCOTB) which could measure the twelve anti-tuberculosis drugs susceptibility on one 96-wells plate. Methods: A total of 140 MDR-TB strains and 60 non-MDR strains were sub-cultured and 193 strains were finally tested for drug resistance using MYCOTB and agar proportion method (APM) and another 7 strains failed of subculture. The drugs included ofloxacin (Ofx), moxifloxacin (Mfx), rifampin (RFP), amikacin (Am), rifabutin (Rfb), para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), ethionamide (Eth), isoniazid (INH), kanamycin (Km), ethambutol (EMB), streptomycin (Sm), and cycloserine(Cs). The categorical agreement, conditional agreement, sensitivity and specificity of MYCOTB were assessed in comparison with APM. For strains with inconsistent results between MYCOTB and APM, the drug resistance related gene fragments were amplified and sequenced: gyrA for Ofx and Mfx; rpoB for RFP and Rfb; embB for EMB; rpsl for Sm; katG and the promoter region of inhA for INH, ethA and the promoter region of inhA for Eth. The sequence results were compared with results of MYCOTB and APM to analyze the consistency between sequence results and MYCOTB or APM. Results: The categorical agreement between two methods for each drug ranged from 88.6% to 100%. It was the lowest for INH (88.6%). The sensitivity and specificity of MYCOTB ranged from 71.4% to 100% and 84.3% to 100%, respectively. The sensitivity was lowest for Cs(71.4%), EMB at 10μg/ml (80.0%) and INH at 10.0μg/ml (84.6%). The specificity was lowest for Rfb (84.3%). Overall discordance between the two phenotypic methods was observed for 96 strains, of which 63 (65.6%) were found susceptible with APM and resistant with MYCOTB and the remaining 33(34.4%) strains were resistant by APM and susceptible with MYCOTB. 34/52 (65.4%) sequenced APM susceptible and MYCOTB resistant(APM-S/MYCOTB-R) strains had mutations or insertions in the amplified regions. 20/30 (66.7%) sequenced APM resistant and MYCOTB susceptible strains had mutations in the sequenced genes. MICs of twenty-nine of these thirty isolates were equal to or within 1 doubling dilution of the critical concentration. Conclusion: MYCOTB had good performance for most of tested drugs and could be used as an alternative to the more labor demanding and longer turnaround time solid culture based DST method for detection of drug susceptibility in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dashan Region was a Se-rich region of China. In this study, 131 residents' human hair samples were collected. The concentrations of Se and toxic metals were analyzed, and the health risk was estimated using the concentration data. Cd and As concentrations were significantly higher than in East China. Se and most toxic metal concentrations increased with age (except for the aged people). Furthermore, gender and smoking habits might have a significant impact on toxic metals and Se levels. Multivariable statistics analysis revealed that Se and toxic metals primarily originate in the environment and are then transferred to the human body via the food chain. Dietary habits had an effect on the Se and As concentrations in hair, according to the results of stable isotope analysis. To assess detoxification ability, the Se/ toxic metal molar ratio was used as an indicator. The results demonstrated that the antagonistic effect of Se and Cd, As, Cr, and Hg (molar ratio > 1) could effectively protect residents in the study area from Cd and As pollution in daily life. • Se and toxic metals were analyzed in human hairs of a Se-rich region of China. • Se and most toxic metal concentrations increased with age. • Antagonistic effect of Se and toxic metals could effectively protect residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate changing characteristics of the industrial correlation and economic contribution of air transport in China in different periods, the industry linkage effect and the industry ripple effect of air transport were assessed based on an input–output analysis over the period 2007–2020. Taking the air transport sector as an exogenous variable, the production-inducing effect and the supply shortage effect were calculated, and their changing characteristics were analyzed. The result shows that China's air transport industry is gradually changing its close linkages with secondary industries, and is instead strengthening its interaction with some tertiary industries. Before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the production-inducing multiplier of air transport was trending downwards and the supply shortage multiplier was trending upwards. After the COVID-19 outbreak, China's air transport industry was hit hard and both the production-inducing effect and the supply shortage effect decreased significantly. The results of this paper are of great significance in the evaluation of the industrial correlation and economic contribution of air transport and can serve as a reference for formulating policies and improving the management of the air transport industry. • The industrial correlation of air transport in China in different periods are studied. • The economic contribution of air transport to China's national economy are analyzed. • Policy implications are presented to formulate regulations and improve management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of the rapid development of the Internet, Internet Word-of-Mouth (WOM) gradually highlights its unique power and becomes an important factor affecting the movie market. In this paper, we study the effect of the Internet WOM on box office, and reveal the important influence of Internet WOM for the film industry. As a cultural product, movie box office is affected by many factors. We introduce the origin of the film, film types, whether a remake, sequel or adapted, movie schedule, actor appeal, and director appeal as the moderating variables between Internet WOM and box office. The results showed that film types, whether a remake, sequel or adapt and director appeal influence the volume and valence of Internet WOM, then influence the movie box office, while the origin of the film, movie schedule and actor appeal are insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying recreational visits to national forest parks (NFPs) and deciphering associating driving factors is significant for NFP protection, management, development, and planning; however, previous studies have primarily conducted questionnaire-based surveys or semi-structured individual interviews to gather limited data, while few have employed big data to effectively and efficiently estimate NFP visits and further explored correlated factors. This study used location-based service data from social media to quantify recreational NFP visits, and search for any associations with spatio-physical park factors selected based on previous constructive studies and NFP visitor perceptions of travel experiences posted on social media. A spatial error model with maximum likelihood estimation (SEM-MLE) was applied to investigate the significance. Sixty-eight (68) NFPs located in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) were selected as experimental cases. The results indicated that: (i) The number of NFP check-in visits was unevenly distributed across the YRDUA; (ii) NFP size and biodiversity (i.e., the number of vegetation and animal species) were not correlated with check-ins; (iii) Three NFP attributes (entrance fee, percent vegetation cover, and the presence of recreational water activities), one accessibility variable (potential visitors to NFP), and one transport variable (driving time to train station), had a significant influence on NFP check-ins, collectively explaining 49.69% of the observed variation. These findings can help NFP managers and planners understand the internal and external factors influencing recreational visits, thus more strategically informing nature-based tourism design and promotion campaigns. • Geotagged social media data was used to estimate visits to National Forest Park (NFP). • Visitors' perceptions of NFP travel experiences underwent semantic analysis. • NFP biodiversity and size were uncorrelated with NFP check-ins. • Transport facilities and NFP accessibility have significant influence on check-ins. • NFP entrance fee, vegetation coverage and water positively affected check-ins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunomodulatory effect has been found to be an important therapeutic measure for immune responses against cancer. In this study, we evaluated the inhibition of Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SB), an anti-inflammatory and an antitumor Chinese herb, including flavonoids and scutebarbatines on tumor growth and its immunomodulatory effects in vivo. HPLC and LC/MS/MS methods were conducted for the analysis of flavonoids and scutebarbatines in SB. Lewis-bearing C57BL/6 mice model was established and tumor volume was evaluated by high frequency color ultrasound experiment. ELISA and western blot analysis were performed for the determination of immunomodulatory factors. SB treatment at the dose of 10, 6.67, and 3.33 g crude drug/kg/d significantly inhibited tumor growth of Lewis-bearing C57BL/6 mice with the inhibition rates of 44.41±5.44%, 33.56±4.85%, and 27.57±4.96%, respectively. More importantly, the spleen and thymus indexes were increased remarkably by SB treatment. SB could decrease IL-17, IL-10, FOXP3, TGF-β1, RORγt, and IL-6 levels whereas it could increase remarkably IL-2 and IFN-γ levels. Our results demonstrated that SB could inhibit tumor growth in vivo through regulating immune function in tumor-bearing mice and suggested that the immunomodulatory function of SB had a potential therapeutic effect in lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early and effective detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), particularly in smear-negative tuberculosis (TB), is a priority for global TB control. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification with a procedure for ultra rapid DNA extraction (PURE-LAMP) can detect TB in sputum samples rapidly and with high sensitivity and specificity. However, the PURE-LAMP test has not been effectively evaluated, especially in resource-limited laboratories. In this study, we evaluated the performance of the PURE-LAMP test for TB detection in TB suspects from two county-level TB dispensaries in China. Methodology/Principal Findings: From April 2011 to February 2012, patients with suspected TB were continuously enrolled from two county-level TB laboratories in China. Three sputum samples (spot, night, and morning sputum) were collected from each recruited patient. Detection of MTB by PURE-LAMP was compared to a reference standard L-J culture. The results showed that the sensitivity of the PURE-LAMP test based on spot sputum for MTB detection was 70.67%, while the sensitivity of the PURE-LAMP test based on spot sputum for MTB detection in smear positive and culture positive patients and smear negative and culture positive patients was 92.12% and 53.81%, respectively. The specificity of PURE-LAMP based on spot sputum for MTB detection was 98.32%. The sensitivity and specificity of the PURE-LAMP test based on three sputa combination for MTB detection was 88.80% and 96.86%, respectively. The results also showed that the PURE-LAMP test had a significantly lower contamination rate than did solid culture. Conclusions/Significance: The study suggested that, in peripheral-level TB laboratories in China, the PURE-LAMP test showed high sensitivity and specificity for TB detection in TB suspects, making it a more effective, rapid, and safe method worthy of broader use in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Peri-urban parks (PUPs) accessibility was evaluated at the regional level. • A Huff-2SFCA model was employed to calculate the PUP accessibility index. • The underserved areas of the PUPs were monitored under different catchments. • Poor PUP accessibility was observed in socioeconomically disadvantaged districts. Access to peri-urban parks (PUPs) has recently gained considerable attention because of the limited green space in urban areas that cannot meet residents' increasing demands for engaging with nature. Here, we aim to assess the accessibility to PUPs and monitor the underserved areas in the context of urban agglomeration, and to examine the inequities across districts with heterogeneous social groups. A Huff-2SFCA (Huff-two step floating catchment area) model was developed to evaluate the PUP accessibility. In addition, we adopted 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min as the threshold of travel time to identify the areas that are underserved by PUPs. Welch's ANOVA test (one-way ANOVA with unequal variances) was used to monitor the disparities in PUP accessibility among different cities, and a bivariate correlation was used to explore the associations between PUP accessibility and socioeconomic variables. Factor analysis (using varimax rotation) was then applied to cluster socioeconomic indicators into three factors, which were further divided into four quartiles. Lastly, the average value of PUP accessibility in each quartile group was calculated and compared to measure inequities. The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA), China's largest urban agglomeration, was selected as the case study. The results suggested the following: 1) PUP accessibility increases while the number of underserved subdistricts decreases as the threshold value of travel time increases from 30 to 150 min, and 90 min is a 'turning point', after which an increasingly small difference is suggested both in PUP accessibility and underserved subdistricts; 2) there are statistically significant disparities in PUP accessibility across different cities in YRDUA; and 3) the socioeconomically disadvantaged districts have fewer opportunities to enjoy PUP services, while districts with lower social status groups or higher ethnic minority populations were not treated unequally. Our findings contribute to the environmental justice paradigm by assessing the inequities in access to PUPs over an extensive geographical scope, which could help decision-makers formulate effective policies and strategies for improving nature exposure from a regional planning perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study examined the phenomenon of heteroresistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates obtained from retreated patients in Beijing, China between 2006 and 2011. Methods The iPLEX Gold assay platform was used to determine the prevalence of heteroresistance to injectable second-line drugs (amikacin, kanamycin and capreomycin) in resistant isolates. Results Heteroresistance was identified in 10.9% of 220 phenotypic amikacin-resistant isolates. Conclusions Heteroresistance was related mainly to the short duration and repeated use of amikacin and capreomycin during retreatment. These findings further our understanding of the evolution of resistance to injectable drugs used for tuberculosis treatment and help guide the rational use of injectable drugs during therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1), an acquired class B carbapenemase, is a significant clinical threat due to its extended hydrolysis of β-lactams including carbapenems. In this study, we identified the first confirmed clinical isolate of Escherichia coli BJ01 harboring blaNDM-1 in China. The isolate is highly resistant to all tested antimicrobials except polymyxin. blaNDM-1, blaCTX-M-57, and blaTEM-1 were identified in the isolate. blaNDM-1 was transferable to E. coli EC600 and DH5α in both plasmid conjugation experiments and plasmid transformation tests. BJ01 was identified as a new sequence type, ST224, by multilocus sequence typing. Analysis of genetic environment shows complex transposon-like structures surrounding the blaNDM-1 gene. Genetic analysis revealed that the region flanking blaNDM-1 was very similar to previously identified NDM-positive Acinetobacter spp. isolated in China. The findings of this study raise attention to the emergence and spread of NDM-1-carrying Enterobacteriaceae in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We here present the results of the inverse modeling of crustal S-phases recorded from a 400-km-long seismic profile, with azimuth nearly N30W, from Lianxian, near Hunan Province, to Gangkou Island, near Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, in the southern margin of South China continent. The finding in this case is that many shot gathers provided by this wide-angle seismic experiment show relatively strong reflected and refracted S-phases, in particular some crustal refractions (Sg waves) and Moho reflections (SmS waves or simply Sm waves). The P-wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle was already obtained through the interpretation of vertical-component shot gathers. Now, with constraints introduced by the P-wave velocity architecture and after picking up S-wave traveltime data on the seismograms, we have obtained the S-velocity model of the crust by adjusting these traveltimes but keeping the geometry of the crustal reflectors. Our results demonstrate: (1) the average crustal S-velocity is about 3.64km/s to the northwest of the Wuchuan-Sihui fault, and 3.62km/s to the southeast of this fault; (2) relatively constant S-velocity of about 3.42km/s for the upper crust, 3.55km/s for the middle crust and laterally varying shear velocity around 3.82km/s for the lower crust; (3) correspondingly, Vp/Vs ratio is 1.73 for the upper crust, 1.71 for the middle crust and 1.74 for the lower crust. Both shear velocities and Vp/Vs ratio correlate well with the major active faults that break the study area, and show significant changes especially in the upper crust. High Poisson’s ratio (1.8) is observed at shallow depth beneath the Minzhong depression to the southeast of the Wuchuan-Sihui fault and the Huiyuan depression in the southern margin of South China continent. In contrast, a very low Vp/Vs ratio (1.68) is observed between 8 and 14km depth beneath Huiyuan. At deeper depth, a high Vp/Vs ratio (1.76) is observed in the lower crust beneath the Minzhong depression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The genetic diversity in 22 populations of 5 wild Rhododendron species in Qinling Mountain in China was evaluated using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Four AFLP selective primer combinations generated a total of 135 bands with their sizes ranging from 67 kb to 501 kb, among which 123 bands were found to be polymorphic, accounting for 92.04% variations. POPGENE analysis indicated that all the five species had high levels of genetic diversity, with percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL) ranging from 87.2 to 99.8% and effective number of alleles (ne) varying from 1.4205 to 1.9957. Shannon’s Information Index (I) differed from 0.4286 to 0.6921, while Nei’s gene diversity (H) varied from 0.2711 to 0.4989. The 5 species showed similar levels of genetic variations, with Hs and Ht ranging from 0.2253 to 0.4041 and from 0.2400 to 0.4994, respectively. The coefficient of gene differentiation among 22 populations (Gst) was 0.0923, accounting for 90.8% genetic diversity and only 9.2% genetic variations among the populations tested. The differences among populations were low in comparison with the previous studies on other species using the same technique. Low level of the genetic differences among Rhododendron populations investigated in the present study might be due to their outcrossing reproductive system. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) also showed that variations among the species and populations were low, mainly due to a high variation within the populations. Based on unbiased genetic distances determined by an unweighted pair group method using arithmetic mean (UPGMA) phenogram, all populations could be grouped into Rhododendron species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Practicing in unprecedented working environment and fighting against the COVID-19 crisis influenced the image of nursing in the general population, as well as among nurses themselves. This study aimed to describe the sense of professional identity among Chinese nursing students during the COVID-19 outbreak and to explore the relationship between psychological resilience and the sense of professional identity in this cohort. A nationwide online cross-sectional survey was conducted. Nursing students were recruited from 18 Chinese universities. The 10-item Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC-10) evaluated psychological resilience and professional identity was assessed by the Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students (PIQNS). A total of 6348 respondents had a moderate level of professional identity to nursing (average PIQNS score at 62.02 ± 12.02). About 86% of respondents attributed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in elevating the nursing image. Psychological resilience was the strongest contributor to professional identity (β = 0.371, P < 0.001). There was a high level of professional identity among Chinese nursing students during the COVID-19 crisis. Policy support and courses to enhance psychological resilience are critical to sustain professional identity among nursing students. • First study on nursing students' professional identity during COVID-19. • Students attributed the response to COVID-19 in elevating the nursing image. • Students presented high level of professional identity. • Strategies to ensure an inspired and a proud future nursing workforce are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green space (UGS) is often unevenly distributed in cities, which raises the issue of green justice. Previous studies have focused on evaluating the disparities in UGS provision across urban-rural gradients and inequities among heterogeneous social groups. However, few studies have considered the built environments in communities despite the potential for unprecedented rates of urbanization to exacerbate the living environment disparity within cities. Here, we assessed the disparities in UGS provision in communities with diverse built environments using a systematic framework incorporating availability, proximity, and desirability metrics. Specifically, we classified communities into six levels based on their spatial features such as patterns of development, scale, population density, and 'green' assets (e.g., private garden and tree-canopy coverage). Lorenz curves and the Gini index were employed to evaluate inequity, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine the significant differences among different levels of community. Yangzhou city, China, was selected as a study case, and the results indicate that: (1) UGS is unevenly distributed, and communities located in the urban periphery have lower UGS provision; (2) Serious inequities in UGS provision are demonstrated, with a small proportion of the population having the greatest level of provision; (3) Significant disparities in UGS provision among different levels of community are revealed; generally, residents living in communities with a well-maintained 'green' assets enjoy access to more major public UGS. Our study provides a novel perspective on quantifying UGS provision inequities. It can help guide decision-makers and planners to accurately target vulnerable groups (communities) and formulate effective policies and strategies to address green injustice. • Urban green space (UGS) provision was evaluated using a systematic framework. • Communities that are lack of public UGS resources were identified. • Community with less well-maintained 'green' assets tend to have less access to major public UGS. • Novel evidence of 'green injustice' in rapidly urbanizing cities was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is difficult to preserve after harvest. If not properly dried, because of its high moisture content, which will reduce the product value of okra and the value of nutrition. In this study, the effects of vacuum freeze‐drying (VFD), ultrasonic pretreatment assisted vacuum drying (UPVD), and ultrasonic combined vacuum drying (UCVD) are compared and analyzed in terms of the drying characteristics effects and the physicochemical qualities of okra were studied. Compared with the drying curve and drying rate curve of okra dried by VFD, the drying time of okra dried by UCVD and UPVD was significantly reduced by 53.3% and 20.0%, respectively, and the total energy consumption of okra dried by UCVD and UPVD was saved by 21.8% and18.9%, respectively. The samples of UCVD had a higher b (yellowness), which keeps the original green color of Okra. The shrinkage ratio of samples dried by UPVD and UCVD had a significant difference (p < .05), and was 27.0% and 26.1%, respectively higher than that of samples dried by VFD. The rehydration curve of VFD sample was higher than that of other samples at 25°C, and was the same as that of UCVD samples for 12 min at 100°C. The total phenolic content of okra sample dried by UCVD was 7.7 ± 0.14 mg/g, higher than others samples. Since polyphenols have good antioxidant activity, the ABTS radical‐scavenging ability of UCVD samples was slightly higher than the other two samples, and the FRAP value of UCVD samples was significantly (p < .05) higher than the other two samples. SEM images of UCVD samples further confirmed the channeling effect caused by ultrasonic irradiation, which also confirmed the reliability of the above data in structure. Considering cost‐effectiveness, practicability and scale‐up, UCVD is a promising technology in the production of dried Okra. Practical application: Ultrasonic combined vacuum drying (UCVD) is a novel technology for the food industry to reduce the energy consumption and improve food quality. Okra drying with UCVD can be successfully described by the Logarithmic model. The UCVD can significantly shorten the drying time and reduce the energy consumption of vegetables compared to the vacuum freeze drying. The products dried by UCVD retain various functional components of raw materials. Because of potential health, economic, and ecological benefits for the society, the UCVD is a promising technology in the production of Okra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen Chinese painted enamelled porcelains and three Chinese enamelled Yixing stonewares dated to the 16th to 19th centuries and kept at the Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet (MNAAG), have been analysed with a mobile Raman set-up to identify their enamelling technology. Different Grand Feu (leadless or lead-poor colourless and blue enamel) and Petit Feu (lead-rich red (hematite), yellow and green (Pb-Sn/Sb/X pyrochlore) and black enamels) glazes were respectively identified on wares from the wucai group , the Famille verte group, and the huafalan g group. Calcium phosphate was detected in a 17th century vase as a rare opacifier. Cassiterite was identified in the light green glaze of an imperial huafalang bowl dated to the final period of the Kangxi reign (1662–1722), ca. the 1st quarter of the 18th century. Lead arsenate was identified in the blue glaze of two artefacts, a huafalang bowl and a painted enamel water dropper, and in the blue enamel of a 19th century Yixing teapot. Lead arsenate found in some of the blue enamels appears to arise from the arsenic content in Erzgebirge cobalt ores (Saxony) and not due to voluntary addition. This may prove the use of raw materials or enamel powder imported from Europe in developing these opaque colours. The use of lead arsenate as white opacifier is clear for a water dropper bearing the Yongzheng emperor's mark (r. 1723–1735). The technological palette appears different for the artefacts expected to originate from the same period and provenance (imperial workshop) which is consistent with a period of intense innovation, open to technological skill from abroad – i.e. from French/European painted enamel technology – as revealed by ancient French (Jesuits) and Chinese historical reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radix Astragali has been used traditionally in China to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in formulas. In this paper, we conducted a holistic evaluation of Radix Astragali acted on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats by urinary and serum metabolomic studies. Histological results and hind paw swelling were used to assess the joint damage, while the levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, SOD and MDA in serum were used to assess inflammation injury and oxidative stress. Metabolomic study and multivariate statistical analyses were used to investigate the differences between different groups. After processing with multivariate statistical analysis, 13 and 21 potential biomarkers were respectively found in urine and serum when Radix Astragali treatment group compared with model group. The main metabolism pathways in which Radix Astragali affected on AIA rats were tryptophan metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, citrate cycle metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism and so on. The present study demonstrates that urinary and serum metabolomics method could be a potentially powerful tool to understand the holistic therapeutic effect and the mechanisms of herb medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Criminal Law Reform in China and the formulation of the Draft of the Eight Amendment to Criminal Law.

Background: Suicidality is common among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). This meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempt (SA) in TBI patients.Methods: Databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, WanFang Data, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) were searched for relevant literature from inception to 9th January 2021. Random effects models were used to estimate the prevalence of SI and SA. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the geographical location of the institutions.Results: A total of 16 studies involving 1,146,271 patients with TBI were included in our meta-analysis. The prevalence of SI and SA were 19.1% (95% CI 13.6-24.6%) and 2.1% (95% CI 1.8-2.4%), respectively, while the prevalence of SA in Asian and non-Asian countries were 2.0% (95% CI 0.3-3.7%) and 2.0% (95% CI 1.6-2.3%). Meta-regression analyses revealed that the publication year and age were positively associated, while the geographical location of the institution and sample size were negatively associated with the pooled prevalence of SI. On the other hand, the geographical location of the institution, sample size and age were negatively associated with the pooled prevalence of SA.Limitations: The overall heterogeneity between studies was high.Conclusion: SI and SA are common among TBI patients. Therefore, targeted preventive measures are paramount to manage TBI-related suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenotypic drug susceptibility testing for prediction of tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance is slow and unreliable, limiting individualized therapy and monitoring of national TB data. Our study evaluated whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for its predictive accuracy, use in TB drug-resistance surveillance and ability to quantify the effects of resistance-associated mutations on MICs of anti-TB drugs. We used WGS to measure the susceptibility of 4880 isolates to ten anti-TB drugs; for pyrazinamide, we used BACTEC MGIT 960. We determined the accuracy of WGS by comparing the prevalence of drug resistance, measured by WGS, with the true prevalence, determined by phenotypic susceptibility testing. We used the Student–Newman–Keuls test to confirm MIC differences of mutations. Resistance to isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol was highly accurately predicted with at least 92.92% (95% confidence interval [CI], 88.19–97.65) sensitivity, resistance to pyrazinamide with 50.52% (95% CI, 40.57–60.47) sensitivity, and resistance to six second-line drugs with 85.05% (95% CI, 80.27–89.83) to 96.01% (95% CI, 93.89–98.13) sensitivity. The rpoB S450L, katG S315T and gyrA D94G mutations always confer high-level resistance, while rpoB L430P, rpoB L452P, fabG1 C-15T and embB G406S often confer low-level resistance or sub-epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) MIC elevation. WGS can predict phenotypic susceptibility with high accuracy and could be a valuable tool for drug-resistance surveillance and allow the detection of drug-resistance level; It can be an important approach in TB drug-resistance surveillance and for determining therapeutic schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objective To evaluate the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF (MTB/RIF) in the county-level tuberculosis (TB) laboratory in China. Methods From April 2011 to January 2012, patients with suspected multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and non-MDR-TB were enrolled consecutively from four county-level TB laboratories. The detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) by MTB/RIF was compared to detection by Löwenstein–Jensen culture. The detection of rifampin resistance was compared to detection by conventional drug-susceptibility testing. The impact of multiple specimens on the performance of MTB/RIF was also evaluated. Results A total of 2142 suspected non-MDR-TB cases and 312 suspected MDR-TB cases were enrolled. For MTB detection in suspected non-MDR-TB cases, the sensitivity and specificity of MTB/RIF were 94.4% and 90.2%, respectively. The sensitivity in smear-negative patients was 88.8%. For the detection of rifampin resistance in suspected non-MDR-TB cases, the sensitivity and specificity of MTB/RIF were 87.1% and 97.9%, respectively. For the detection of rifampin resistance in suspected MDR-TB cases, the sensitivity and specificity of MTB/RIF were 87.1% and 91.0%, respectively. Using multiple sputum specimens had no significant influence on the performance of MTB/RIF for MTB detection. Conclusions The introduction of MTB/RIF could increase the accuracy of detection of MTB and rifampin resistance in peripheral-level TB laboratories in China. One single specimen is adequate for TB diagnosis by MTB/RIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The available information on the epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis in China is based on local or regional surveys. In 2007, we carried out a national survey of drug-resistant tuberculosis in China. Methods: We estimated the proportion of tuberculosis cases in China that were resistant to drugs by means of cluster-randomized sampling of tuberculosis cases in the public health system and testing for resistance to the first-line antituberculosis drugs isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and streptomycin and the second-line drugs ofloxacin and kanamycin. We used the results from this survey and published estimates of the incidence of tuberculosis to estimate the incidence of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Information from patient interviews was used to identify factors linked to drug resistance. Results: Among 3037 patients with new cases of tuberculosis and 892 with previously treated cases, 5.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5 to 7.0) and 25.6% (95% CI, 21.5 to 29.8), respectively, had multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (defined as disease that was resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin). Among all patients with tuberculosis, approximately 1 of 4 had disease that was resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, or both, and 1 of 10 had MDR tuberculosis. Approximately 8% of the patients with MDR tuberculosis had extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (defined as disease that was resistant to at least isoniazid, rifampin, ofloxacin, and kanamycin). In 2007, there were 110,000 incident cases (95% CI, 97,000 to 130,000) of MDR tuberculosis and 8200 incident cases (95% CI, 7200 to 9700) of XDR tuberculosis. Most cases of MDR and XDR tuberculosis resulted from primary transmission. Patients with multiple previous treatments who had received their last treatment in a tuberculosis hospital had the highest risk of MDR tuberculosis (adjusted odds ratio, 13.3; 95% CI, 3.9 to 46.0). Among 226 previously treated patients with MDR tuberculosis, 43.8% had not completed their last treatment; most had been treated in the hospital system. Among those who had completed treatment, tuberculosis developed again in most of the patients after their treatment in the public health system. Conclusions: China has a serious epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis. MDR tuberculosis is linked to inadequate treatment in both the public health system and the hospital system, especially tuberculosis hospitals; however, primary transmission accounts for most cases. (Funded by the Chinese Ministry of Health.) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Five undescribed eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes, remophilanetriols E-I (1-5), along with seven known compounds (6-12) were isolated from the fresh roots of Rehmannia glutinosa. Their structures were characterized by extensive spectroscopic data analysis and their absolute configurations were determined by comparing their calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and experimental ECD spectra. The anti-pulmonary fibrosis activities of all compounds were evaluated in vitro by MTT methods, and compounds 2, 8, 10, and 12 exhibited excellent anti-pulmonary fibrosis activities. In addition, compound 2 can reduce the levels of ROS and apoptosis in TGF-β1-induced BEAS-2B cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)