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The expansion of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) from Africa around 65,000 to 45,000 y ago (ca. 65 to 45 ka) led to the establishment of present-day non-African populations. Some paleoanthropologists have argued that fossil discoveries from Huanglong, Zhiren, Luna, and Fuyan caves in southern China indicate one or more prior dispersals, perhaps as early as ca. 120 ka. We investigated the age of the human remains from three of these localities and two additional early AMH sites (Yangjiapo and Sanyou caves, Hubei) by combining ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis with a multimethod geological dating strategy. Although U-Th dating of capping flowstones suggested they lie within the range ca. 168 to 70 ka, analyses of aDNA and direct AMS 14C dating on human teeth from Fuyan and Yangjiapo caves showed they derive from the Holocene. OSL dating of sediments and AMS 14C analysis of mammal teeth and charcoal also demonstrated major discrepancies from the flowstone ages; the difference between them being an order of magnitude or more at most of these localities. Our work highlights the surprisingly complex depositional history recorded at these subtropical caves which involved one or more episodes of erosion and redeposition or intrusion as recently as the late Holocene. In light of our findings, the first appearance datum for AMHs in southern China should probably lie within the timeframe set by molecular data of ca. 50 to 45 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The macerals of bark liptobiolite of Leping Mine in Jiangxi Province were separated by the method of Density Gradient Centrifugation, and the density distribution characteristic curves of coal of -200 mesh was drawn through analytical pre-separation experiments. The curves shows that the density distribution of liptinite and vitrinite of bark coal is relatively concentrated; it's easy to separate specific macerals; while inertinite and vitrinite are so intermixed that the separation is less effective. The content of barkinite and vitrinite reaches over 98.6% after the particular Density-gradient Centrifugation separation experiments. There are obvious differences between the two macerals of the separated samples in the chemical structure according to the high resolution TEM and image analysis: First, the number of the lattice fringes of barkinite is significantly greater than that of vitrinite, and the lattice fringes of barkinite are equipped with a characteristic of more disordered and concentrated; secondly, the proportion of different lattice fringes of vitrinite and barkinite is relatively close to each other, short aromatic fringe is dominant for both, while the difference is that the content of 1 x 1 (naphthalene) of vitrinite is obviously greater than that of barkinite, but the 3x3 aromatic fringe displays a completely opposite characteristic. The content of medium-long aromatic fringe is not high, but this value of barkinite is also significantly lower than that of vitrinite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the suitability of the current caffeine dosing regimen for the Chinese population using modelling and simulation approach. Methods: Pharmacokinetic samples were collected from 99 Chinese newborns with premature apnoea. The median (range) of gestational age and postmenstrual age were 28.3 (25.0–33.4) weeks and 31.1 (26.4–38.0) weeks, respectively. Newborns were receiving caffeine citrate at a loading dose of 20 mg/kg/d and a maintenance dose of 5–10 mg/kg/d. Caffeine concentrations and CYP1A2 polymorphisms were investigated. Population pharmacokinetic modelling of caffeine in Chinese preterm newborn on a population‐wide scale was conducted using NONMEM. Results: A 1‐compartment model with first‐order elimination was used to describe population pharmacokinetic. With current weight implemented using 0.75 allometric scaling, clearance (CL) was positively related to current weight and postmenstrual age, but a negative relationship was observed with serum creatinine concentration. Eight genotypes of CYP1A2 were tested and none of them had a significant impact on caffeine pharmacokinetic parameters. Interindividual variability of CL and volume of distribution was 7.70 and 65.9%. The median (range) of 95% confidence intervals of CL were 0.0128 (0.0128–0.0131) L/h/kg. Monte Carlo simulation demonstrated that 80% (loading dose) and 98% (maintenance dose) of premature infants treated with a labelled dosing regimen attained the concentration target range of 5–20 mg/L. Conclusion: A population PK model of caffeine was developed in Chinese newborns. Body weight‐implemented allometric scaling, postmenstrual age and serum creatinine concentration markedly affected caffeine clearance. The labelled dosing regimen is suitable for Chinese premature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, Clematis tangutica Korsh. (Ranunculaceae) is used as a Tibetan herb for treating indigestion and blood stasis in China. Recently, a flavonoid glycoside, apigenin-7-O-β-d-(6″-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside (APG), was isolated from the whole plant of C. tangutica. To investigate the cardioprotective effects of APG against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) and the possible mechanism. Animals were subjected to 30 min/3 h MI/RI model. At the end of reperfusion, infarct size (IS), histopathology, serum levels CK-MB, LDH, TNF-α, IL-6 and MPO activities were detected. Phospho-IκB-α, ICAM-1 and NF-κB were assessed in vivo. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were pre-treated with or without APG, followed by stimulation with 8 h/2 h oxygen and glucose deprived/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model. Cell viability, LDH and cardiomyocyte apoptosis were assessed. The expression levels of phospho-IκB-α and NF-κB were measured in vitro. Treatment with APG significantly reduced the following indicators in vivo (p < 0.05): (1) the IS (16.2%); (2) morphology score (1.67); (3) myocardial injury enzymes: CK-MB (26.2 ng/mL) and LDH (688 U/L); (4) pro-inflammatory cytokines: TNF-α (31.5 pg/mL) and IL-6 (163.8 pg/mL); (5) MPO activity (2.75 U/mg); (6) expression levels of phospho-IκB-α (0.47), NF-κB (2.87) and ICAM-1 (10.2). Moreover, treatment with APG also remarkably (p < 0.05) attenuated the following indicators in vitro: (1) LDH level (206 U/L); (2) cardiomyocyte apoptosis; (3) phospho-IκB-α (1.37) and NF-κB (2.50). APG possesses protective effects against MI/RI injury in rats and OGD/R-induced injury in cardiomyocytes by suppressing translocation of NF-κB and reducing inflammatory response; consequently, APG is helpful for treatment of ischaemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine standard coal samples from different coalbeds of Zhongliangshan southern coal mine in Huayingshan coalfield were tested using the low-temperature nitrogen adsorption method to study the fractal characteristics of adsorption pores (pore diameter <100 nanometers) and the relationship between fractal dimension and the gas adsorption capacity of tectonic coal. The results of both the low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and desorption show that different deformed coal has different adsorption characteristics under relative pressures between 0.5-1.0. Based on the results, the fractal dimension D of tectonic coal was studied using the fractal Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) method. The results demonstrate that the fractal dimension D can represent the variation characteristics of pore structure and pore surface area of tectonic coal. The higher fractal dimension D, the more micropores, the more irregular specific coal surface, and the higher heterogeneity of pore structure. The gas storage capacity of coal can be represented by the fractal dimension D, and the gas adsorption capacity of coal increases with the increasing of fractal dimension D. Therefore, the higher fractal dimension and the more homogeneous pore structure resulting from strong tectonic deformation, indicate that the coal has a higher gas adsorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is a worldwide problem and one of the common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in China. Methods. Three hundred patients diagnosed as AAN from 1997 to 2006 were enrolled. Medical histories of Chinese herb ingestion, clinical–pathological features and risk factors for renal failure were recorded. Patients were followed up for 2–156 months. Factors involved in the prognosis of AAN were investigated. Results. The 300 patients with AAN manifested three clinical subtypes, including acute kidney injury (acute AAN) in 13 patients, abrupt tubular dysfunction with normal serum creatinine (Scr) levels in seven cases and chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy with decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (chronic AAN) in 280 cases. The acute AAN cases had the highest aristolochic acid (AA)-I intake per day and developed progressive kidney failure during 1–7 years follow-up. The tubular dysfunction AAN patients had the lowest cumulative AA-I intake and were able to keep normal Scr levels during 2–8 years follow-up. The chronic AAN patients took the lowest AA-I dose per day but with the longest period and the highest cumulative dosage and exhibited a very large range of eGFR changing rate (from −21.6 to 5.2, median −3.5 mL/min/year). The cumulative AA-I intake (r = 0.330, P = 0.045) and the time course from the termination of AA medication to the start of follow-up (r = −0.430, P = 0.009) were found to be independent factors correlated with the decrease rate of eGFR in the chronic AAN patients. AA and the metabolites could be detected in a high frequency in patients who had stopped herbal medication for 1 year, which indicates a rather long washout time for these chemicals. Conclusions. AAN has variant phenotypes with distinct prognosis, which is determined by the variable AA medications. With better understanding of toxic and environmental causes for kidney injury, there would be a better chance to uncover the causal factors of cases of ‘CKD without known causes’ which is crucial for improving the disease outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: An increasing number of studies on spinal morphology in asymptomatic Asian and Western patients have been reported. Variation in spinal anatomy among patients is considered as the cause of wrong-level surgery in up to 40% of cases. The present study examined the rate of presence of 11 thoracic vertebrae and 6 lumbar vertebrae in 293 asymptomatic Chinese adult volunteers. Methods: From May 27, 2016, to November 11, 2017, a cohort of 325 asymptomatic Chinese adults meeting the study exclusion criteria was recruited. The radiographs were examined by a spine surgeon and a radiologist to assess the number of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Results: In total, 293 volunteers were included in this study: 17 (5.8%) had 11 thoracic vertebrae, and 16 (5.5%) had 6 lumbar vertebrae. Among all volunteers, 12 (4.1%) had 7 cervical vertebrae (C), 11 thoracic vertebrae (T), and 5 lumbar vertebrae (L); 5 (1.7%) had 7C, 11T, and 6L; and 11 (3.8%) had 7C, 12T, and 6L. There was no difference between the findings of the spine surgeon and the radiologist. Conclusions: For the first time, this study describes the rate of presence of 11 thoracic vertebrae and 6 lumbar vertebrae in 293 asymptomatic Chinese adult volunteers. Variations in the number of thoracic and lumbar vertebrae tend to be ignored by spine surgeons. We encourage spinal surgeons and researchers to be aware of such variations when performing thoracic- and lumbar-level surgery and assessing spinal alignment and parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]