Search

On 6 February 2023, two 7.8 magnitude earthquakes consecutively hit south-central Türkiye, causing great concern from all governments, the United Nations, academia, and all sectors of society. Analyses indicate that there is also a high possibility of strong earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.8 or above occurring in the western region of China in the coming years. China is a country that is highly susceptible to catastrophic disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and other natural calamities, which can cause significant damages to both human life and property, as well as widespread impacts on the society. Currently, China's capacity for disaster prevention and control is still limited. In order to effectively reduce the impact of catastrophic disasters, ensure the safety of people's lives and property to the greatest extent possible, maintain social stability in high-risk areas, and ensure high-quality and sustainable regional development, it is urgent to improve the seismic resistance level of houses and critical infrastructure in high earthquake risk zones and increase the earthquake-resistant design level of houses in high-risk fault areas with frequent seismic activities; significantly enhance the ability to defend against extreme weather and ocean disasters in economically developed areas along the southeastern coast, as well as the level of fortification in response to extreme meteorological and hydrological disasters of coastal towns/cities and key infrastructure; vigorously enhance the emergency response capacity and disaster risk prevention level in western and ethnic minority regions; comprehensively improve the defense level of residential areas and major infrastructure in high geological hazard risk zones with flash floods, landslides, and mudslides; systematically promote national disaster prevention and mitigation education; and greatly enhance the societal disaster risk reduction ability, including catastrophic insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block can provide effective analgesia for abdominal surgery. However, it was questionable whether TAP had additional effect in the context of multimodal analgesia (MMA). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the additional analgesic effect of preoperative TAP block when added to MMA protocol in open gynecological surgery. Methods: In this prospective, randomized-controlled trial, 64 patients scheduled for open gynecological surgery were randomized to receive preoperative TAP block (Study group, n = 32) or placebo (Control group, n = 32) in addition to MMA protocol comprising dexamethasone, acetaminophen, flurbiprofen and celecoxib, and rescued morphine analgesia. The primary outcome was rescued morphine within 24 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, adverse effects, quality of recovery measured by 40-item quality of recovery questionnaire score (QoR-40) at 24 h, and quality of life measured with short-form health survey (SF − 36) on postoperative day (POD) 30. Results: The Study group had less rescued morphine than the control group within 24 h [5 (2–9) vs. 8.5 (5–12.8) mg, P = 0.013]. The Study group had lower pain scores at 1 h [3 (2–4) vs. 4 (3–5), P = 0.007], 2 h [3 (2–4) vs. 3.5 (3–5), P = 0.010] and 6 h [3 (2–3) vs. 3 (2.3–4), P = 0.028], lower incidence of nausea at 48 h (25.8% vs. 50%, P = 0.039), and higher satisfaction score [10 (10–10) vs. 10 (8–10), P = 0.041]. The SF-36 bodily pain score on POD 30 was higher in the Study group (59 ± 13 vs. 49 ± 16, P = 0.023). Conclusions: Preoperative TAP block had additional analgesic effect for open gynecological surgery when used as part of multimodal analgesia. Rescued morphine within 24 h was significantly reduced and the SF-36 bodily pain dimension at 30 days after surgery was significantly improved. Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000040343, on Nov 28 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining area in the Muli region, Qinghai Province, China, is an important source of water and an ecological security barrier in the Qilian Mountains region and has a very important ecological status. A series of ecological problems such as vegetation degradation and loss of biodiversity caused by mining have attracted widespread attention. In this paper, we used Landsat secondary data from 2000 to 2021 from the Muli region to obtain the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the vegetation in the Muli region by inversion of the fractional vegetation cover, above-ground biomass and the land surface phenology to comprehensively analyze the ecological changes in the vegetation in the Muli region. The results showed the following: (1) the above-ground biomass and cover of grassland in the Muli region showed a decreasing trend between 2000 and 2021, with a particularly pronounced decrease in grassland cover between 2009 and 2016; (2) the start of the vegetation growth cycle, i.e., the beginning of the vegetation growing season (SOG) became more advanced, the end of the vegetation growing season (EOG) was delayed, and the length of the growing cycle (LOG) became longer for most of the vegetation in the Muli region; (3) the results of this comprehensive analysis showed that the grassland in the Muli region showed dynamic changes with complex characteristics from 2000 to 2021, and anthropogenic disturbances had some influence on ecological indicators such as fractional vegetation cover and biomass. The extension of the vegetation growing season might be related to climate change. Based on the results of this paper, it is recommended to utilize biomass and fractional vegetation cover as indicators to assess the grass growth status of mining sites. This study analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of grasslands in the Muli area with several indicators, which will help relevant departments continue to improve and optimize ecological restoration measures. In addition, this study provides a reference for achieving comprehensive restoration of the ecological environment and ecological functions in mining areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the hazard and disaster risk research field, explicitly treating carbon emissions as a hazard remains rather nascent. Applying hazard and disaster risk research perspectives to seek new insights on integrated mitigation and adaptation approaches and policy measures is equally elusive. Since China's pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the "dual carbon" goals of carbon emission peaking and neutrality have stimulated nationwide attention, research, and policies and action plans. How to ensure that the transition pathways are on track and well-contextualized is one of the crucial challenges for policymakers and practitioners. This article examines the "risks" of missing the carbon neutrality goal at a regional scale in China, denoted as Carbon Emission Risk (CER). Carbon emissions (CE) as hazard, combined with the human socioeconomic system as exposure and human living environment, constitute the regional carbon emission environmental risk system. The "risks" of missing (or achieving) the carbon neutrality target for any region at any time, the article argues, is essentially determined by the ratio of CE to carbon absorption (CA, for uptake and removal). These variables are modified by a broadly defined "vulnerability coefficient" (Cv) that embodies both the potential for changes (decreasing CE and increasing CA), and the uncertainties of measuring CE and CA. Thus, the ratio of CE to CA is a measure of reality at any moment of time, whereas Cv indicates the overall propensity or capacity for moving the CE/CA ratio towards 1, that is, realizing carbon neutrality. Based on our calculation, CER at the provincial level in eastern China is higher than in western China. The article also calls for strengthening CER research and summarizes key measures for carbon emission risk governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural values can be considered as important factors that impact parents' social cognitions and parenting practices. However, few studies compare specific cultural values of parents and the relationships between cultural values and parenting processes in eastern and western contexts. This study examined the ethnicity differences in mothers' cultural values, parental social cognitions (child-rearing ideologies and goals), and parenting practices between Mainland Chinese and European American contexts. Predictors of parenting goals and parenting practices were also investigated. Mothers of 4–6 years old children from the western United States (N = 78) and Shanghai/China (N = 96) participated in this study. The results suggested that mothers from Shanghai/China were both more collectivistic and individualistic than mothers from the western United States. Chinese mothers more strongly endorsed training and collectivistic parenting goals, while European American mothers more strongly endorsed individualistic parenting goals for their children. However, no significant difference was found in parenting practices for both groups of mothers. For both ethnic groups, in general, mothers' cultural values have small but significant impact on their parenting processes. The prediction of cultural values and parenting goals on parenting practices were also different for both ethnicity groups. Although Chinese mothers were higher on both individualism and collectivism, their collectivistic values were more important in predicting parental social cognitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing loss (HL) is a common sensory disorder. More than half of HL cases can be attributed to genetic causes. There is no effective therapy for genetic HL at present, early diagnosis to reduce the incidence of genetic HL is important for clinical intervention in genetic HL. Previous studies have identified 111 nonsyndromic hearing loss genes. The most frequently mutated genes identified in NSHL patients in China include GJB2, SLC26A4, and the mitochondrial gene MT-RNR1. It is important to develop HL gene panels in Chinese population, which allow for etiologic diagnosis of both SHL and NSHL. In this study, a total of 220 unrelated Han Chinese patients with bilateral progressive SNHL and 50 unrelated healthy controls were performed Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using an improved multiplex ligation detection reaction (iMLDR) technique, is to simultaneously detect a total of 32 mutations in ten HL genes, covering all currently characterized mutations involved in the etiology of nonsyndromic or syndromic hearing loss in the Chinese population. The 49 positive samples with known mutations were successfully detected using the iMLDR Technique. For 171 SNHL patients, gene variants were found in 57 cases (33.33%), among which, 30 patients carried mutations in GJB2, 14 patients carried mutations in SLC26A4, seven patients carried mutations in GJB3, and six patients carried mutations in MT-RNR1. The molecular etiology of deafness was confirmed in 12.9% (22/171) of patients carried homozygous variants. These results were verified by Sanger sequencing, indicating that the sensitivity and specificity of the iMLDR technique was 100%. We believe that the implementation of this population-specific technology at an efficient clinical level would have great value in HL diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the GoldenGate microarray as a diagnostic tool and to elucidate the contribution of the genes on this array to the development of both nonsyndromic and syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in China. Methods: We developed a microarray to detect 240 mutations underlying syndromic and nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss. The microarray was then used for analysis of 382 patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss (including 15 patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome), 21 patients with Waardenburg syndrome, and 60 unrelated controls. Subsequently, we analyzed the sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of this new approach after Sanger sequencing-based verification, and also determined the contribution of the genes on this array to the development of distinct hearing disorders. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the microarray chip were 98.73% and 98.34%, respectively. Genetic defects were identified in 61.26% of the patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss, and 9 causative genes were identified. The molecular etiology was confirmed in 19.05% and 46.67% of the patients with Waardenburg syndrome and enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome, respectively. Conclusion: Our new mutation-based microarray comprises an accurate and comprehensive genetic tool for the detection of sensorineural hearing loss. This microarray-based detection method could serve as a first-pass screening (before next-generation-sequencing screening) for deafness-causing mutations in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of wine phenolics found in several North American and (for comparison) European grape cultivars grown in China were analyzed. This was done to find non-Vitis vinifera wines with prominent features in order to diversify the kinds of wines. The phenolic richness and antioxidant activity decreased in the order: red > rose > white wines. In the red wines, the American grape 'Cynthiana' had the highest total concentrations of phenols, anthocyanins, flavonols and phenolic acids, as well as antioxidant capacity, followed by the French hybrid 'Chambourcin', the lowest were detected in two European grape varieties, 'Merlot' and 'Cabernet Sauvignon', while the total flavon-3-ols levels were reversed among these red grape cultivars. The highest concentration of stilbenes out of all the wines analyzed was found in the 'Merlot' variety. There were significant differences among wine phenolic compositions between North American and European grape cultivars. The antioxidant activities were significantly related to the concentrations of total phenols (r² = 0.996), anthocyanins (r² = 0.984), flavonols (r² = 0.850) and gallic acid (r² = 0.797). The prominent features of wine aroma and nutrition could make the American grape wines attractive to consumers. It is therefore necessary to perform further research on cultural practices and wine making involving these grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we analyzed time series of Shanghai stock index with complex network theory. The degree distribution of the network extracted from the original series can be well fitted with a power law, while the network from return series is governed by an exponential degree distribution. Compared with the time series of standard Brownian motion, we found that the dynamics of the original series can be identified, but the return series has the similar topology with a random one. Moreover, in the scale-free networks from original series, the small-world property is detected and the time interval distribution between connected pairs decays as an exponential function, which implies that nodes correlated with a given one appear in a Poisson process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) has long been used for human consumption and medicinal purposes in China. It is recommended for some diseases in which radical species are produced as a result of oxidative stress. However, the systematic study on the antioxidant capacities of various tissues of jujube is still lacking. In order to address this, various tissues of three jujube varieties were characterized with respect to their antioxidant capacities and antioxidant compounds such as flavonoid, ascorbic acid, anthocyanin and phenolic. Antioxidant capacity was measured using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power) assays. The phenolic acids were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results show that the peel of all cultivars has the highest antioxidant capacities, reflecting the highest content of total phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins found in this part. In addition, the predominant phenolic acid in jujube was found to be protocatechuic acid, followed by gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. The results obtained in this study clearly indicate that Chinese jujube has a significant potential to use as a natural antioxidant agent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on household-level survey data collected from Qinghai Province of China, we estimated the greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions from spatial perspectives, including household energy consumption in pastoral, agropastoral, and agricultural zones. The findings suggest that the total annual GHG and pollutant emissions per capita in the area was 2296.32 kg per year. The highest amount of pollutants was emitted from the pastoral zones, followed by the agropastoral and agricultural zones. CO 2 is the primary GHG emitted by household energy consumption. Dung burning was the cause of the high PM 2.5 emissions in the pastoral areas, while the use of coal was the primary cause of GHG and pollutant emissions in the agropastoral and agricultural zones. • We used empirical data from rural households in Qinghai, China. • This paper indicates the reliance of local energy consumption on non-commercial energy. • We estimate greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions resulting from solid-fuel combustion. • We compare indoor pollutant emissions from pastoral, agropastoral, and agricultural zones spatially. • This paper provides policy recommendations for energy transition towards clean energy. Energy consumption in the household sector has become an important issue in China's energy consumption and an important unit of China's clean energy transformation. Currently, the potential air pollution, carbon emissions and health risks caused by energy consumption in many areas cannot be ignored, and refined and regionalized index-based research data necessary to support decision making are lacking. Based on household-level survey data collected from Qinghai Province, China, we estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions from spatial perspectives, including household energy consumption in pastoral, agropastoral, and agricultural zones. The findings suggest that the total annual GHG and pollutant emissions per capita in the area was 2296.32 kg per year. The highest amount of pollutants was emitted from the pastoral zones, followed by the agropastoral and agricultural zones. CO 2 is the primary GHG emitted by household energy consumption. Dung burning was the cause of the high PM 2.5 emissions in the pastoral areas, while the use of coal was the primary cause of GHG and pollutant emissions in the agropastoral and agricultural zones. These findings highlight the need to integrate household energy policies with rural development to enable a complete transition towards cleaner fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Grubs, larvae of family Scarabaeidae, are used in East-Asian herbal medicine. • DNA metabarcoding was applied to 11,539 Grubs. • Identified 21 amplicon sequence variants from Grubs species. • Identified 28 amplicon sequence variants from non-Grubs species. • These finding urges stringent quality measure to ensure human safety and drug efficacy. Grubs, called Qicao in China, have a long tradition as herbal medicine in East Asia. These larvae belong to the diverse family Scarabaeidae and are typically harvested from the wild during their immature stage based on morphological characteristics. However, rapid and accurate identification becomes challenging when relying solely on external morphological features, as the lack of clarity on biological sources raises safety concerns for clinical applications. The application of DNA metabarcoding provides a solution by enabling the determination of the biological source of a large sample. In the current study, we collected 19 batches of Grubs, consisting of 11,539 individuals, from the market and analyzed their biological composition through metabarcoding. We identified 49 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs), 21 of which were Grubs. The 21 ASVs were classified into seven Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) through species delimitation, which revealed that commercially available Grubs are predominantly sourced from Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis , while species of Rutelinae, Anomala , and Holotrichia were also abundant in some commercial batches. Among the identified ASVs, 28 belonged to non-Grub species and indicated adulteration from different animal families; high abundances of these ASVs were detected for Bombycidae, Tabanidae, and Viviparidae. Our findings underscore the complexity of Grubs' species composition and advocate for a deeper understanding of the wildlife sources contributing to herbal products. This research contributes valuable insights into the molecular identification of Grubs, paving the way for enhanced quality assurance in traditional medicine applications to provide safe and effective medicines for humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PM, SO 2 , CO reduced significantly, NO 2 was less clear, and O 3 increased significantly. • Excess health risks (ER) based on WHO guideline are two times than those from CAAQS guideline. • PM 10 rather than PM 2.5 contributed the most to ER. • ~15%, ~85% and ~95% people in YRD, FWP and JJJ were exposed to polluted air (HAQI > 100) in 2018. • Population-normalized HAQI significantly added the inequality of people exposure to polluted air. Air pollution events occurred frequently in China, and tremendous efforts were devoted to the reduction of air pollution in recent years. Here, analysis of ambient monitoring data of six criteria air pollutants from 367 Chinese cities during 2015–2018, showed that PM 2.5 , PM 10 , SO 2 and CO were reduced significantly by 22.1%, 13.5%, 46.4% and 21.5%, respectively, NO 2 reduction was less significant (6.3%) while O 3 level instead increased over China (13.7%). Spatial distribution, seasonal, monthly and diurnal variations of the air pollutants during 2018, implicated of effective control measures, were discussed in details, especially for the five key densely populated regions of Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ), Fen Wei Plains (FWP), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), Sichuan Basin (SCB) and Pearl River Delta (PRD). Moreover, excess health risks (ERs) of the six pollutants were estimated for 2018, and such risks was two times higher if the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline rather than Chinese guideline was adopted. PM 10 rather than PM 2.5 was the dominant contributor to ERs, and the case with both PM 2.5 and PM 10 exceeding threshold values occupied ~1/3 of total days, yet contributed ~2/3 of total ERs. For 2018, the health-risk based air quality index (HAQI) was further calculated by combining health risks from multiple pollutants, and it was found that high HAQI mostly distributed in North China Plain (NCP). ~15%, ~85% and ~95% people in YRD, FWP and JJJ were exposed to polluted air (HAQI > 100), and population-normalized HAQI further added the inequality, JJJ and a small region of SCB had much higher HAQI (>280). Investigations on HAQI with socioeconomic factors show that total population, population density and built-up area presented an inverted U-shape, suggesting existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), while a positive relationship was found between HAQI and share of secondary industry. Multiple regression analysis suggested that built-up area was the most prominent factor to HAQI, followed by the gross domestic product (GDP). The findings here demonstrate in great details the current characteristics of air pollution and its associated health risks in China, therefore providing important implications for effective air pollution control strategies in near future for different regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers and their energy saving behaviors make significant sense for long-run sustainability and enacting effective energy policies, particularly in the fragile eco-environment and non-developed rural area. This study investigates the rural household energy-saving behaviors and influencing factors in the loess hilly region of China by taking Qin'an county in Gansu province based on a total of 506 households by adopting the participatory farmer assessment method. Most peasant families pay close attention energy conservation in their daily lives. Most farmer households (88.74%) were conscious of energy saving in their daily lives, and consider energy saving as a self-acting behavior (68.58%) and good habit (87.94%); electricity is the main clean energy for farmers; the price of energy-saving products is the key factor for farmers, and the female and the younger householders have better performance in energy conservation. Farmers' energy-saving behaviors are negatively correlated with the altitude of their dwellings but positively correlated with the education level of householders, family size, income. We argue that continuous training on energy saving is necessary and should be tailored to local conditions and supported by the government. • A rural household survey of 506 households was conducted in the loess hilly region of China. • Female, younger, and higher education level shows positive impacts on energy saving. • Energy-saving behaviors positively correlated with income, health conditions, environmental concerns, and energy availability and prices. • The training efforts for promoting energy saving of rural households should be enhanced. • We argue that government subsidies should integrate into the promotion of energy-saving products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationship of muscle mass and muscle function with age.Methods and Study Design: The study including 415 participants (aged 60-99 years). Upper (UMM) and lower (LMM) limbs muscle mass and whole body fat free mass (FFM) were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) index (ASM/height2) was calculated. Muscle function was assessed by measuring hand grip strength (HGS) and gait speed.Results: Using ASM index cutoff values we found that higher prevalence of sarcopenia in women than in men (33.5% vs 23.6%, p=0.025). In the upper limb, HGS (β=-0.809) declined more rapidly with age than did UMM (β=-0.592) in men, but not in women (β=-0.389 and β=-0.486 respectively). In the lower limb, gait speed declined more rapidly than LMM in both men (β=-0.683 vs β=-0.442) and women (β=-1.00 vs β=-0.461). The variance of UMM explained 28-29% of the variance of HGS, and LMM explained 7-8% of the variance of gait speed in women and men respectively. In addition to the common predictors (BMI and age), the specific predictors were smoking, exercise and education for FFM and ASM, and smoking, drinking and exercise for HGS (p<0.05).Conclusions: Loss of muscle function is greater than the decline of muscle mass particularly in the upper limbs in men. However, women are more prone to have low muscle mass than the men. Exercise programs need to be designed gender specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study provides the first intensive investigation of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDT) distribution in typical paint factories and shipyards in China where DDT containing antifouling paint were mass produced and used respectively. DDTs were analyzed in soil, sludge and sediment samples collected from three major paint factories and two shipyards. The results showed that the total DDTs concentrations detected in paint factory and shipyard sites ranged from 0.06 to 8387.24mgkg−1. In comparison with paint factory sites, the shipyard sites were much more seriously contaminated. However, for both kinds of sites, the DDTs level was found to be largely affected by history and capacity of production and use of DDT containing antifouling paint. (DDE+DDD)/DDT ratios indicated that DDT containing antifouling paint could serve as important fresh input sources for DDTs. It can be seen that most samples in shipyards were in ranges where heavy contamination and potential ecological risk were identified. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) exert great potential in reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and reducing the dependence on petroleum products, and are also essential in realizing the social transformation toward a low-carbon society. Since public are the principal users and stakeholders of NEVs, it's vital to understand their acceptance of NEVs and discuss the influencing factors of public acceptance, so as to promote the development of NEVs. Based on the survey data of Gansu Province, this paper analyzes the public perception and acceptance of NEVs in underdeveloped regions, and explores main factors affecting their acceptance by adopting Structural Equation Model. The results show that the public acceptance of NEVs is relatively higher, with only 51.99% residents are willing to accept NEVs. And there are differences of public acceptance of NEVs among different groups. The acceptance of females, young and less educated public are relatively higher, decreases with aging and increases with education attainment. Perceived risk and perceived cost are significantly negative correlated with public acceptance of NEVs, while subjective norm and the quality of NEVs positively correlated with public acceptance. In addition, support policy is significantly positively correlated with perceived cost while perceived cost is positively corelated with perceived risk. Finally, this paper proposes countermeasures and suggestions on improving the public acceptance of NEVs in underdeveloped regions. • We conducted the NEVs acceptance of 1356 residents in Chinese underdeveloped regions. • 51.99% of the public in underdeveloped regions of China were willing to accept NEVs. • Perceived risk, perceived cost, and NEVs' quality are the key influencing factors. • Support policy, knowledge have significant indirect impact on acceptance of NEVs. • Enhancing subsidies and supporting facilities were effective ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage has become one of the most serious challenges faced by humans. Thus, improving water use behaviors and saving water are critical. In this paper, based on the extended Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, we used the structural equation model and the survey data of 558 households in the Loess Hilly Region to analyze the key factors affecting water saving behaviors of farmers. The domestic water consumption of farmers in Loess Hilly Region is mainly for diet and personal hygiene. The water-saving behaviors of farmers are significantly affected by their willingness, knowledge and age. Personal habits, policy incentives, egocentric values and biospheric values indirectly affect the willingness to save water by acting on personal water-saving norms. Gender and annual household income also have a significant impact on water-saving willingness of farmers. The estimation results of multi-group structural equation model and full-sample structural equation model are generally consistent, and there are significant differences in the influence of gender and water source adjustment variables on water-saving behaviors among different hypothetical paths. Among them, female, cellar water and well water groups have the greater impact on water-saving behaviors. These results provide references for policy makers to formulate effective rural water-saving strategies. Policymakers should strengthen the propagandize of water-saving knowledge and skills, popularize knowledge about water resources and ecological environment changes, encourage farmers to develop good water use habits, and actively promote the subsidy system for water-saving appliances. Then they should establish a supervision and management mechanism of water resources to stimulate farmers to save water, which realize the sustainable use of local water resources. [Display omitted] • Investigate the water saving willingness and water saving behaviors of 558 farmers in the Loess Hilly Region. • There is a disconnection between farmers' water-saving willingness and their behaviors. • Gender and water source group models have significant differences in the influence paths of water-saving behaviors. • Personal habits, policy incentives and values play an important role in water-saving behaviors. • Enhancing government support will help to transform water saving willingness into actual water saving behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's household energy consumption has obvious regional differences, and rising income levels and urbanization have changed the ability of households to make energy consumption choices. In this paper, we analyze the energy consumption characteristics of urban village residents based on microlevel household survey data from urban villages in Guangzhou, China. Then, the results of modeling the material flows of per capita carbon emissions show the most dominant type of energy consumption. OLS is applied to analyze the influencing factors of carbon emissions. We find that the per capita household carbon emissions in urban villages are 722.7 kg/household.year, and the average household carbon emissions are 2820.57 kg/household.year. We also find that household characteristics, household size, household appliance numbers, and carbon emissions have a significant positive correlation, while income has no significant effect on carbon emissions. What is more, the size and age of the house have a positive impact on carbon emissions. Otherwise, the new finding is the demonstration that income is not significantly correlated with household carbon emissions, which is consistent with the characteristics of urban villages described earlier. On the basis of this study, we propose more specific recommendations regarding household energy carbon emissions in urban villages.

Taihu Lake is the most important drinking water source of the major cities in the Yangtze River Delta. The pollution of endocrine disruptors (EDCs)in Taihu Lake has been increasing recently, the accurate determination is an important guide for predicting its health risks and developing appropriate controls. Monitoring organic pollutants in water using the diffusive gradient in thin film technique (DGT) has attracted much attention due to more accuracy and convenience than the grab sampling methods. In this study, a novel cyclodextrin polymer (CDP) synthesized by the simple and green method in water was taken as an adsorbent for the binding gel. Four endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), bisphenol A (BPA), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17β-estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3), were taken as models to determine the diffusion coefficients (4.68 × 10 -6 , 3.38 × 10 -6 , 3.34 × 10 -6 and 4.31 × 10 -6  cm 2 /s) and to test the performance of DGT, such as adsorption capacity and deployment time (1-5 day). The assembled CDP-DGT was adopted to determine four EDCs in a simulated water environment (3-9 of pH, 0.001-0.5 M of ionic strength (IS), and dissolved organic matter (DOM) of 0-20 mg/L). The ability of CDP-DGT sampling was verified in the Jiuxiang River and was carried out for a large-scale field application of in situ sampling EDCs in Taihu Lake basin. The results show that the total EDCs concentration range and the estradiol equivalent concentrations (EEQ) in Taihu Lake and its main rivers are 2.78 ng/L to 11.08 ng/L and 2.62 ng/L to 10.91 ng/L, respectively. The risk quotients (RQs) of all sampling sites in the region were greater than 1, indicating that EDCs pose a serious threat to aquatic organisms in the area. Therefore, the monitoring of EDCs in the Taihu Lake basin should be further strengthened., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimal treatment for older adults with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) needs to be further explored due to patient comorbidities, standard immunochemotherapy intolerance, and unfavourable genetic features. We did a phase 2 trial of ibrutinib, rituximab, and lenalidomide (iR2) to evaluate the efficacy and safety in older adult patients with de novo DLBCL., Methods: In this phase 2, single-arm study, unfit or frail patients with de novo DLBCL aged 75 years or older were enrolled at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China. During the induction phase from cycle 1 to 6, 560 mg ibrutinib was given orally daily throughout each 21-day treatment cycle, 375 mg/m 2 rituximab was given intravenously on day 1, and 25 mg lenalidomide was given orally daily from day 1 to 10 in each cycle. Patients who had a complete response after induction were given another 6 cycles of lenalidomide maintenance (25 mg orally daily from day 1 to 10 every 21 days from cycle 7 to 12). The primary endpoint was complete response rate after 6 cycles or at the end of the induction treatment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03949062., Findings: Between May 15, 2019, and May 8, 2020, a total of 30 patients were enrolled. The end of induction complete response rate was 56·7% (95% CI 37·4-74·5), and overall response rate was 66·7% (95% CI 47·2-82·7). With a median follow-up of 27·6 months (IQR 23·9-29·6), the 2-year progression-free survival rate was 53·3% (95% CI 34·3-69·1) and the 2-year overall survival rate was 66·7% (95% CI 46·9-80·5). The main grade 3-4 haematological adverse events were neutropenia (seven patients [23%]), thrombocytopenia (three patients [10%]), and anaemia (two patients [7%]). The most common grade 3-4 non-haematological adverse event was pulmonary infection (seven patients [23%]). Atrial fibrillation was observed in three (10%) patients, including one grade 2 and two grade 3., Interpretation: A chemotherapy-free iR2 regimen is clinically effective and safe and warrants further investigation in phase 3 trials as first-line treatment in older adult patients with DLBCL., Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant Support, Clinical Research Plan of Shanghai Hospital Development Center, and Multicenter Clinical Research Project by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The involvement of store-operated calcium channels (SOCCs) in tumor initiation and metastatic dissemination has been extensively studied, but how its member ORAI3 influences tumor progression is still elusive. The present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of ORAI3 expression and examine the correlation between ORAI3 expression and immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment (TME) in human muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). We examined the expression profile of ORAI3 in MIBC using data from two databases; analyzed the correlation between ORAI3 expression and patient survival; explored cellular pathways related to ORAI3 expression by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA); and predicted potential drugs using Connectivity Map (CMap). ORAI3 was significantly lower expressed in tumor mass compared to normal samples in MIBC, with a higher level of methylation at the promoter region in tumor than in normal tissue, indicating that ORAI3 is suppressed during cancer progression. Survival analysis showed that higher expression of ORAI3 correlated with good prognosis in MIBC. GSEA demonstrated that ORAI3 expression inversely correlated with cell differentiation, development and gene silencing, with differential expression of genes involved in epidermal and keratinocyte differentiation pathways and inflammatory responses. RNA sequencing of an ORAI3-silenced human bladder cancer cell line (T24 cells) corroborated enhancement of pro-neoplastic pathways in absence of ORAI3. Western blottingMoreover, ORAI3 facilitated the recruitment of Th17 cells and natural killer cells, whereas hampered Th2 and macrophage infiltration. Our results revealed 4 molecules with potential to be beneficial as adjuvant drugs in MIBC treatment. We concluded that high ORAI3 expression correlates with increased survival in human MIBC., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Malignant melanoma is a highly malignant tumor originating from the melanocytes of the neural crest, which is prone to metastasis and has a poor prognosis. Previous research demonstrated that melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) could serve as serum markers in malignant melanoma and indicate prognosis in the Caucasian race. Researchers suspected that both MIA and LDH could prompt the prognosis of malignant melanoma in the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the value of MIA and LDH in the prognosis of acral malignant melanoma.From January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017, in Jiangsu Province, 44 acral malignant melanoma patients with complete data were chosen from the clinic. The LDH levels were extracted from their clinical data, and MIA levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. 8 paired advancing samples before and after metastasis were examined. 22 health donors were matched to the patient group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of MIA and LDH were drawn to determine acral malignant melanoma tumorigenesis and metastasis and finally got the cut-off value. Cumulative survival was illustrated with the Kaplan-Meier plot, and factors were compared using the Log-rank test.Compared with age-matched healthy donors, MIA was significantly high in patients (P < .001). Moreover, serum MIA was significantly higher in III-IV stage patients than I-II stage patients (P < .001). However, there was no such association between LDH and melanoma stage and risk. Further study indicated that the MIA cut-off > 914.7pg/mL predicted disease progression with 86.4% specificity and 95.5% sensitivity. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, MIA levels were independent risk factors for long-term mortality of acral malignant melanoma patients.It concluded that the quantification of MIA in the serum should be performed as a general standard of care in patients at risk of developing metastatic melanoma., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Aiming at spectacle independence, conventional pseudophakic monovision has been widely used in myopia patients with bilateral monofocal intraocular lens implantation. However, the crossed monovision, which is to correct the dominant eye for near vision and the non-dominant eye for distant vision, has been mentioned preferable for high myopic cataract patients by some studies. We have conducted this study to compare clinical results to assess the feasibility of conventional and crossed monovision for high myopic pseudophakic patients by comparing patient satisfaction, visual function and spectacle independence., Method: Forty-sixth high myopia patients were divided into two groups: 22 in crossed monovision group with patients whose refraction targeted to - 2.00 diopters (D) in the dominant eye and - 0.50D in the non-dominant eye; 24 in conventional monovision group with patients whose refraction targeted to - 0.50D in the dominant eye and - 2.00D in the non-dominant eye. Binocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (BUDVA), binocular uncorrected near visual acuity (BUNVA), binocular corrected distant visual acuity (BCDVA), binocular corrected near visual acuity (BCNVA), contrast visual acuity and stereoacuity were examined at postoperative 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months. Questionnaires were completed by patients 3 months after binocular surgery to evaluate patients' satisfaction and spectacle independence., Results: The conventional monovision and the crossed monovision group showed no significant differences of mean BUDVA, BUNVA, BCDVA, BCNVA 2 weeks, 1 month or 3 months postoperatively (P > 0.05). There was no difference in the bilateral contrast sensitivity or stereoscopic function between the convention conventional and crossed monovision groups (P > 0.05). Patient satisfaction with near and distant vision, as well as spectacle dependence did not differ significantly between the two groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Crossed pseudophakic monovision exhibited similar visual function when compared with conventional monovision technique, which indicates that it is an effective option to improve the visual functionality and quality of life for high myopic patients who considering bilateral cataract surgery., Trial Registration: The Institutional Review Board and Ethics committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. The trial registration was submitted in September 2018 and passed on March 18, 2020, and the registration number is: ChiCTR2000030935 .

In December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the new coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified in Wuhan (Hubei province, China) 1 ; it soon spread across the world. In this ongoing pandemic, public health concerns and the urgent need for effective therapeutic measures require a deep understanding of the epidemiology, transmissibility and pathogenesis of COVID-19. Here we analysed clinical, molecular and immunological data from 326 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shanghai. The genomic sequences of SARS-CoV-2, assembled from 112 high-quality samples together with sequences in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) dataset, showed a stable evolution and suggested that there were two major lineages with differential exposure history during the early phase of the outbreak in Wuhan. Nevertheless, they exhibited similar virulence and clinical outcomes. Lymphocytopenia, especially reduced CD4 + and CD8 + T cell counts upon hospital admission, was predictive of disease progression. High levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 during treatment were observed in patients with severe or critical disease and correlated with decreased lymphocyte count. The determinants of disease severity seemed to stem mostly from host factors such as age and lymphocytopenia (and its associated cytokine storm), whereas viral genetic variation did not significantly affect outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an adjuvant therapy from Traditional Chinese Medicine for supplementing Qi and promoting blood circulation (CMSQPBC) on left ventricular remodeling in patients after myocardial infarction (MI)., Methods: Randomized controlled trials were identified in the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang databases, reviews, and reference lists of relevant articles. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was calculated for changes in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) and LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) from baseline to follow-up (> 3 months) by using random-effects Meta-analysis. The primary outcome was change in LVEF, and secondary outcomes were changes in LV dimensions including LVEDV and LVESV., Results: A total of 10 trials (enrolling 854 participants, median follow-up six months) evaluated the association between CMSQPBC and changes in LV function and volume. Compared with the control group, CMSQPBC significantly improved LVEF (854 patients; WMD: 4.97%, 95% CI: 3.78-6.15; P < 0.001) and attenuated the enlargement of LVEDV (607 patients; WMD: －7.89 mL, 95% CI: －11.54 to －4.24; P < 0.001) and LVESV (364 patients; WMD = －5.80 mL, 95% CI, －9.60 to －2.01; P < 0.01)., Conclusion: CMSQPBC may reverse deleterious pathological remodeling after myocardial infarction. Higher quality and more rigorous randomized trials with larger sample sizes are needed to further confirm the findings.

Purpose: To determine the genetic etiology of deafness in a family (HN-SD01) with autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL)., Methods: Stepwise genetic analysis was performed on family HN-SD01, including hotspot variant screening, exome sequencing, virtual hearing loss gene panel, and genome-wide linkage analysis. Targeted region sequencing was used to screen ABCC1 in additional cases. Cochlear expression of Abcc1 was evaluated by messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels. Computational prediction, immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and flow cytometry were conducted to uncover functional consequences of candidate variants., Results: Stepwise genetic analysis identified a heterozygous missense variant, ABCC1:c.1769A>G (p.Asn590Ser), cosegregating with phenotype in HN-SD01. Screening of ABCC1 in an additional 217 cases identified candidate pathogenic variants c.692G>A (p.Gly231Asp) in a sporadic case and c.887A>T (p.Glu296Val) in a familial proband. Abcc1 expressed in stria vascularis and auditory nerve of mouse cochlea. Immunofluorescence showed p.Asn590Ser distributed in cytomembrane and cytoplasm, while wild type was shown only in cytomembrane. Besides, it generated unstable mRNA and decreased efflux capacity of ABCC1., Conclusion: Stepwise genetic analysis is efficient to analyze the genetic etiology of NSHL. Variants in ABCC1 are linked with NSHL and suggest an important role of extruding pumps in maintaining cochlea function.

Background: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) is effective against advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), allowing dramatic improvement of Parkinsonism, in addition to a significant reduction in medication. Here we aimed to investigate the long-term effect of STN DBS in Chinese PD patients, which has not been thoroughly studied in China., Methods: Ten PD patients were assessed before DBS and followed up 1, 3, and 5 years later using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS III), Parkinson's Disease Questionnatire-39, Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-Chinese Version, Mini-mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale. Stimulation parameters and drug dosages were recorded at each follow-up. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA for repeated measures., Results: In the "off" state (off medication), DBS improved UPDRS III scores by 35.87% in 5 years, compared with preoperative baseline (P < 0.001). In the "on" state (on medication), motor scores at 5 years were similar to the results of preoperative levodopa challenge test. The quality of life is improved by 58.18% (P < 0.001) from baseline to 3 years and gradually declined afterward. Sleep, cognition, and emotion were mostly unchanged. Levodopa equivalent daily dose was reduced from 660.4 ± 210.1 mg at baseline to 310.6 ± 158.4 mg at 5 years (by 52.96%, P < 0.001). The average pulse width, frequency and amplitude at 5 years were 75.0 ± 18.21 μs, 138.5 ± 19.34 Hz, and 2.68 ± 0.43 V, respectively., Conclusions: STN DBS is an effective intervention for PD, although associated with a slightly diminished efficacy after 5 years. Compared with other studies, patients in our study required lower voltage and medication for satisfactory symptom control.

Lactobacillus salivarius Ren (LsR) (CGMCC No. 3606) is a probiotic strain that was isolated from the feces of a healthy centenarian living in Bama, Guangxi, China. Previous studies have shown that this strain decreases 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced genotoxicity in vitro. It also suppresses 4-NQO-induced oral carcinogenesis and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colorectal carcinogenesis, and therefore may be used as an adjuvant therapeutic agent for cancer. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of LsR that consists of a circular chromosome of 1751,565 bp and two plasmids (pR1, 176,951 bp; pR2, 49,848 bp)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss (ADNSHL/DFNA) is a highly genetically heterogeneous disorder. Hitherto only about 30 ADNSHL-causing genes have been identified and many unknown genes remain to be discovered. In this research, genome-wide linkage analysis mapped the disease locus to a 4.3 Mb region on chromosome 19q13 in SY-026, a five-generation nonconsanguineous Chinese family affected by late-onset and progressive ADNSHL. This linkage region showed partial overlap with the previously reported DFNA4. Simultaneously, probands were analyzed using exome capture followed by next-generation sequencing. Encouragingly, a heterozygous missense mutation, c.505G>A (p.G169R) in exon 3 of the CEACAM16 gene (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 16), was identified via this combined strategy. Sanger sequencing verified that the mutation co-segregated with hearing loss in the family and that it was not present in 200 unrelated control subjects with matched ancestry. This is the second report in the literature of a family with ADNSHL caused by CEACAM16 mutation. Immunofluorescence staining and western blots also prove CEACAM16 to be a secreted protein. Furthermore, our studies in transfected HEK293T cells show that the secretion efficacy of the mutant CEACAM16 is much lower than that of the wild type, suggesting a deleterious effect of the sequence variant.

Aim: Oral lichen planush (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease, and has been reported to have a correlation with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in some regional investigations. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of HCV in patients with oral lichen planus in an ethnic Chinese, Methodology: The antibody of HCV infection was detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, the clinical characteristics of whole the cohort have also been studied, such as the gender, age, clinical type, habits and social factors., Results: Of all 232 patients, the antibody of HCV infection was detected positive in 4 patients (1.72%) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. It was lower than that in control group of 2.5%, but not significant (P=0.309). The positive rate of HCV antibody in the erosive type ones (4.2%) was higher than that in the reticular type ones (1.0%), but this difference was proved to be not significant (P=0.389). The clinical characteristics of whole cohort, such as the gender, age, clinical type, habits and social factors, showed the outcome obtained in the present study were similar to thao of our previous study., Conclusion: HCV may play no etiological role in oral lichen planus in ethnic Chinese OLP patients.

Background: Amlexanox has been developed as a 5 percent topical oral paste for the treatment of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) in most European countries. However, it is not yet available in China and has not been generally accepted in clinical treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous ulcers, and compare the results with those of amlexanox oral adhesive tablets in order to analyse the difference between the two dosage forms of amlexanox., Methods: We performed a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel, multicenter clinical study. A total of 216 patients with minor recurrent aphthous ulcers (MiRAU) were recruited and randomized to amlexanox pellicles or placebo pellicles. Pellicles were consecutively applied four times per day, for five days. The size and pain level of ulcers were measured and recorded on treatment days 0, 4 and 6. Finally, the results were compared with those of our previous 104 cases treated with amlexanox tablets., Results: Amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles significantly reduced ulcer size (P= 0.017 for day 4, P=0.038 for day 6) and alleviated ulcer pain (P=0.021 for day 4, P=0.036 for day 6). No significant difference was observed in the treatment effectiveness between the pellicle and tablet form of amlexanox., Conclusions: Amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles are as effective and safe as amlexanox oral adhesive tablets in the treatment of MiRAU for this Chinese cohort. However, pellicles seem to be more comfortable to use when compared with the dosage form of tablets. Therefore, in clinical practice, amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles may be a better choice for RAS patients., Trials Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR1727.

To access the potential roles of NF-kappaB-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6(IL-6), and interleukin-8(IL-8), in oral lichen planus (OLP), and to explore whether salivary detection of these cytokines is a better monitoring tool than serum for OLP, 30 Chinese patients with OLP and 30 age-sex-matched controls were enrolled in this study. Salivary and serum levels of cytokines were screened by enzyme immunoassay, and both salivary and serum levels of these cytokines were significantly increased in OLP patients in comparison with healthy subjects. Positive statistical correlations existed between these cytokines in serum and saliva. With regards to the subtypes of this illness, only salivary IL-8 levels in erosive form were remarkably inclined than that in reticular form. The results suggest that saliva-based test may provide a more cost-effective adjunctive tool for the detection of pro-inflammatory cytokines in OLP, and salivary IL-8 analysis may be a promising biomarker for OLP severity.