Search

Carbon emission reduction (CER) in the construction industry can aid in achieving the international community's carbon neutrality target. However, the low motivation of construction enterprises to reduce carbon emissions and the unsatisfactory effect of CER are still unresolved issues. This study aims to address these issues by constructing a building supply chain (BSC) consisting of a developer and a contractor using government subsidies and cost-sharing contracts. The optimal government subsidy and feedback equilibrium strategies of the BSC are examined using a combination of differential game theory and numerical simulations. The findings demonstrate that (1) cost-sharing contracts may enhance developer and contractor profits and building CER, goodwill, and demand without relying on government subsidies; (2) when subsidized by the government, each equilibrium strategy meets or exceeds the performance of the centralized model, with the cost-sharing contract having a negligible effect on the enhancement of each equilibrium strategy; and (3) both the game structure and the positioning of construction enterprises in the BSC are connected to the number of government subsidies. The city of Shenzhen, one of China's first low-carbon pilot cities, provides a realistic environment for the simulation analysis, with the Block K residential building in Nanshan District serving as a case study. Furthermore, this work contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing a novel CER model for the BSC using differential game theory. The research provides new insights into the role of government subsidies in shaping profit distribution, game structure, and enterprise positioning. Findings demonstrate the value of cost-sharing contracts in improving CER, goodwill, demand, and profits when implemented collaboratively. This advances the theoretical understanding of incentives and strategies for promoting CER in construction. This research highlights the importance of collaborative efforts between the government and the building supply chain (BSC) to promote sustainable construction and carbon emission reduction (CER). The study found that government subsidies can be an effective tool to encourage developers and contractors to adopt CER practices. However, relying solely on subsidies is insufficient—collaboration through mechanisms such as cost-sharing contracts can further enhance sustainability outcomes when enterprises work together. To facilitate low-carbon construction, the government could provide subsidies for developers' promotional and marketing activities as well as funding for contractors' research and development of sustainable materials and technologies. Financial incentives such as tax breaks and preferential lending for potential homebuyers can also accelerate consumer demand. Ultimately, creating a supportive environment where enterprises proactively pursue CER creates a win–win situation where the BSC becomes more sustainable while firms improve their branding and profitability. The insights from this research highlight the need for a multipronged approach. Governments play a key role through policy and financial support. Realizing the full potential of sustainable construction also requires active participation from developers, contractors, and consumers. By outlining optimal strategies and incentives, this study provides valuable guidance to construction industry stakeholders seeking to implement CER collaboratively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air quality in classrooms significantly impacts school children's health and learning performance. It has been reported worldwide that classroom air quality does not meet the required standard and actions are pledged for improvement. However, it poses a challenge for decision-making in terms of prioritising taking-up measures. The aim of this study is to propose a method of identifying the action measures for improving classroom air quality and prioritising them. Case studies in the UK and China were conducted, and the key measures were identified through literature studies, open-ended questionnaire surveys, and workshop discussions, which are classified into three categories: B1, policy; B2, technology; and B3, information sharing. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is applied in the prioritisation of the action measures. A total of 138 teachers and parents from China and the UK participated in this case study. The genetic algorithm-optimised Hadamard product (GAOHP) method is applied to justify the consistency ratio (CR) within the required threshold value in order to ensure the consistency of the subjective perception and the accuracy of comparative weights. The results show that item B2, technology, is the most desired measure by both Chinese and British parents and teachers, despite the deviation from the optimal choice in China and the UK. Among the proposed action measures, the UK respondents strongly expected air purifiers with natural ventilation as opposed to their Chinese counterparts preferring to share the real-time status of classroom air quality. Our work will provide strong support for the subsequent selection of indoor air quality improvement strategies for schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Antihypertensive therapy is crucial for preventing stroke in hypertensive patients. However, the efficacy of antihypertensive therapy varies across individuals, partially due to therapy-related genetic variations among individuals. We investigated the association of antihypertensive drug-related gene polymorphism with stroke in patients with hypertension. Methods. Demographic information, medication, and outcome data were obtained from a hypertensive patient management system, and a PCR fluorescence probe technique was used to detect 7 gene polymorphic loci (CYP2D6 ∗ 10, ADRB1, CYP2C9 ∗ 3, AGTR1, ACE, CYP3A5 ∗ 3, and NPPA), and these loci were compared between patients with and without stroke. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the association of these genetic variations with stroke risk in hypertensive patients while controlling for potential factors. Results. The prevalence of stroke in the hypertensive population in Changsha County of Hunan Province was 2.75%. The mutation frequencies of ADRB1 (1165G > C), CYP2D6 ∗ 10, CYP2C9 ∗ 3, AGTR1 (1166A > C), ACE (I/D), NPPA (2238T > C), and CYP3A5 ∗ 3 were 74.43%, 57.23%, 4.26%, 5.71%, 31.62%, 1.17%, and 69.58%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that ADRB1 polymorphism was associated with stroke (χ2 = 8.659, P < 0.05), with a higher stroke risk in the CC group than in the GC and GG groups (GC + GG). Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that the CC genotype in ADRB1 (vs. the GC + GG genotype) was associated with an increased risk of stroke [odds ratio (OR) = 1.184, P<0.05] in hypertensive patients. No association was observed between CYP2D6 ∗ 10, CYP2C9 ∗ 3, AGTR1 (1166A > C), ACE (I/D), CYP3A5 ∗ 3, and NPPA (2238T > C) polymorphisms and stroke. Conclusions. ADRB1 (1165G > C) gene polymorphism is associated with the risk of stroke in Chinese hypertensive patients. The CC genotype is correlated with a higher risk of stroke than the GC + GG genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Durvalumab is a check‐point inhibitor against programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1), and anlotinib is a new orally administered multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Both agents have been approved in China. Preclinical and clinical trials have suggested that antiangiogenic therapy has the potential to alleviate immunosuppression and showed synergetic effect when combined with ICIs. However, it is unclear that whether this combination is effective when initiated as maintenance treatment in ES‐SCLC patients. Methods: This is a multicenter, randomized, phase II study. A total of 64 eligible patients who do not experience disease progression after four cycles platinum‐based chemotherapy combined with durvalumab will be randomized to durvalumab with anlotinib or durvalumab alone until disease progression, withdrawal of consent, or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint is PFS (from randomization); secondary endpoint was OS and PFS (from diagnosis), objective response rate (ORR); disease control rate (DCR) and duration of response (DOR), safety and tolerability assessed by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. Discussion: We conduct a phase II study to investigate the safety and efficacy of durvalumab combined with anlotinib as maintenance treatment in ES‐SCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, many detection methods have high sensitivity to the diagnosis of lung cancer. However, some postoperative patients with pulmonary nodules are eventually diagnosed as having benign nodules. The ideal evaluation of an individual with a pulmonary nodule would expedite therapy for a malignant nodule and minimize testing for those with a benign nodule. Methods: This case–control study is designed to explore the relationship between ACE1 rs4646994 polymorphism and the risk of lung cancer in patients with pulmonary nodules, for which 400 individuals with lung cancer and benign pulmonary nodules were included. A DNA extraction kit was used to extract DNA from peripheral blood. The relationship between ACE1 rs4646994 and the risk of lung cancer in patients with pulmonary nodules was determined by the chi-square test, logistic regression analysis and cross analysis. Results: The results showed that after adjusting for age and gender confounding factors, the risk of lung cancer in patients with pulmonary nodules carrying the DD genotype was more than three times that of the I carriers (II + ID) genotype (OR = 3.035, 95% CI, 1.252–7.356, p = 0.014). There was no significant difference between lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma in the polymorphism of ACE1 rs4646994 (p > 0.05). We also found that the ACE1 rs4646994 DD genotype frequency was inversely correlated with the risk of EGFR mutation in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Conclusions: Our study indicated that ACE1 rs4646994 polymorphism increases the risk of lung cancer in patients with pulmonary nodules from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed dormancy contributes greatly to successful establishment and community stability and shows large variation over a continuous status scale in mountain ecosystems. Although empirical studies have shown that seed dormancy status (SDS) is shaped by elevation and phylogenetic history in mountain ecosystems, few studies have quantified their combined effects on SDS. Here, we collected mature seeds from 51 populations of 11 Impatiens species (Balsaminaceae) along an elevational gradient in the Gaoligong Mountains of southwest China and estimated SDS using mean dormancy percentage of fresh seeds germinated at three constant temperatures (15, 20, and 25°C). We downloaded 19 bioclimatic variables from WorldClim v.2.1 for each Impatiens population and used internal transcribed spacer (ITS), atpB‐rbcL, and trnL‐F molecular sequences from the GenBank nucleotide database to construct a phylogenetic tree of the 11 species of Impatiens. Logistic regression model analysis was performed to quantify the effects of phylogeny and environment on SDS. Results identified a significant phylogenetic SDS signal in the Impatiens species. Furthermore, elevation and phylogeny accounted for 63.629% of the total variation in SDS among the Impatiens populations. The best logistic model indicated that temperature was the main factor influencing variation in SDS among the Impatiens species, and model residuals were significantly correlated with phylogeny, but not with elevation. Our results indicated that seed dormancy is phylogenetically conserved, and climate drives elevational patterns of SDS variation in mountain ecosystems. This study provides new insights into the response of seed plant diversity to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) is one of the well-known mushrooms in China, which has G. lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) that have been widely studied for various biological activities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antidiabetes, and immunomodulatory activities. A signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway is related to cell proliferation and apoptosis. The relationship between STAT and intestinal protection of GLP is still unknown. We studied the inhibitors AG490 in the STAT pathway and its downstream molecules to analyze the unique effects in the protection of GLP against palmitic acid (PA)-induced porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) injury. Compared to PA treatment, GLP + PA obviously decreased Ca2+ concentration, H2O2 production, NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation, STAT1 and STAT2 protein levels, and increased nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) nuclear translocation and p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio in IPEC-J2 cells. After inhibition of STAT3 signaling, p-STAT3/STAT3 ratio, NF-κB nuclear translocation obviously decreased and Nrf2 nuclear translocation significantly increased in the GLP + PA group. The protection of GLP on proliferation and apoptosis of PA-induced IPEC-J2 cells was suppressed by inhibiting STAT3. The STAT3 pathway regulated the enterocyte-protective effects of GLP by modulating the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and NF-κB. We provide new insights into the mechanism of STAT signaling for the protection of GLP on PA-induced intestinal epithelial cell injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a physical activitymodality that originated in China and is now widely popular around the world. Although there are a series of articles reporting that TCC can improve balance and other functional symptoms in a variety of populations, including the elderly, patients with stroke, and patients with Parkinson's disease, its efficiency has not been scientifically and methodically evaluated in subjects with functional ankle instability (FAI). Moreover, there is no literature directly comparing TCC and conventional balance training (CBT) interventions for FAI. The objective of this study is to investigate the comparative effects of TCC intervention and CBT protocols in improving postural balance and subjective instability feelings in patients with FAI. Methods: This study will be a single-center, parallel group, randomized controlled trial. Sixty-eight patients with FAI will be included and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention group (n =34) or a control group (n = 34). The participants in the intervention group will complete 12 weeks of TCC intervention (40 min/time, 3 times/week for 12 weeks) on the basis of health education treatment. The control group will receive health education and 36 CBT sessions during a 12-week period. Outcome measures include postural stability and self-reported feelings of instability at baseline, after the end of the intervention, and 3-month follow-up. The postural stability assessment of patients with FAI will be detected by performing static and dynamic postural tests, which will be carried out through a specific balance platform (TecnoBody ProKin). Self-reported feelings of instability will be assessed by Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), American Orthopedics Foot and Ankle Society's Ankle--Hindfoot Evaluation Scale (AOFAS-AHES), and the MOS item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Discussion: This trial will demonstrate whether a 12-week TCC intervention positively affects postural stability and self-reported outcomes in patients with FAI. At the same time, the superiority of its clinical efficacy will also be compared with that of CBT. This study may also help to redefine the value of traditional Chinese exercises in the treatment of chronic ankle instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinyang Maojian (XYMJ) is one of the premium green teas and originates from Xinyang, which is the northernmost green tea production area in China. The special geographic location, environmental conditions, and manufacturing process contribute to the unique flavor and rich nutrition of XYMJ green tea. Aroma is an important quality indicator in XYMJ green tea. In order to illustrate the aroma of XYMJ green tea, the key odorants in XYMJ green tea and their dynamic changes during the manufacturing processes were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 73 volatile compounds of six different chemical classes were identified in the processed XYMJ green tea samples, and the manufacturing processes resulted in the losses of total volatile compounds. Among the identified volatile compounds, twenty-four aroma-active compounds, such as trans-nerolidol, geranylacetone, nonanal, (+)-δ-cadinene, linalool, (Z)-jasmone, cis-3-hexenyl butyrate, cis-3-hexenyl hexanoate, methyl jasmonate, and β-ocimene, were identified as the key odorants of XYMJ green tea based on odor activity value (OAV). The key odorants are mainly volatile terpenes (VTs) and fatty acid-derived volatiles (FADVs). Except for (+)-δ-cadinene, copaene, cis-β-farnesene, (Z,E)-α-farnesene and phytol acetate, the key odorants significantly decreased after fixing. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) analyses suggested that fixing was the most important manufacturing process for the aroma formation of XYMJ green tea. These findings of this study provide meaningful information for the manufacturing and quality control of XYMJ green tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oseltamivir resistance in influenza virus (IFV) has been of widespread concern. An increase in the frequency of viruses with reduced inhibition was observed. Whether oseltamivir is effective is uncertain. We conducted this study to understand the real-world situation in northern China and the clinical efficacy for patients with IFV infection after the use of oseltamivir. Methods: The longitudinal study was performed on influenza-like illness (ILI) cases in a tertiary general hospital in Beijing, China during the flu season of 2018–2019. All ILI cases (≥18 years) were recruited into the study. We analyzed the effect of the oseltamivir therapy on the number of clinic visits, hospitalization frequency, and the duration of fever and cough. Results: A total of 689 ILI patients were recruited in this study with 355 in the oseltamivir therapy group and 334 in the supportive therapy group. Among the ILI patients, 388 patients were detected for IFV infection (364 IFV-A and 24 IFV-B) and divided into two groups with or without the oseltamivir therapy (302 vs. 86). There were no significant differences in the basic characteristics between the oseltamivir and supportive therapy groups in the ILI patients or in the IFV positive patients (all p < 0.05). After adjusting for the potential confounders, oseltamivir therapy reduced the times of clinic visits in the ILI and IFV positive patients (p = 0.043 and p = 0.011). No effectiveness with oseltamivir therapy was observed in the outcomes of hospitalization frequency, and the duration of fever and cough. Conclusion: Oseltamivir use may reduce the times of clinic visits. However, we did not observe the differences in the duration of fever, cough, and the frequency of hospitalization between oseltamivir therapy and supportive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinyang Maojian (XYMJ) green tea is one of the top ten teas in China, and the consumers prefer spring tea due to its umami taste and pleasurable aroma. However, the knowledge about temporal variation of the volatile compounds in XYMJ green teas harvested during different seasons is very limited. In the present work, the main non-volatile compounds that endowed the taste and volatile compounds responsible for the aroma in XYMJ green teas harvested during the spring and autumn seasons were determined. The average contents of free amino acids (FAA) were significantly higher and gradually declined in the spring teas, whereas the caffeine was significantly lower and gradually increased in the spring teas. A total of 39 volatile compounds of six chemical classes were detected in XYMJ green teas, and they displayed various change trends during the spring and autumn seasons, among which 15 volatile compounds were identified as the key odorants based on odor activity value (OAV). The highest OAV of 2195.05 was calculated for the violet-like smelling trans-β-ionone followed by decanal, nonanal, dimethyl sulfide, linalool, geraniol and naphthalene. The OAVs of geraniol, (Z)-3-hexenyl hexanoate, heptanal, benzaldehyde and hexanal in XYMJ spring teas were higher than XYMJ autumn teas. The hierarchical clustering analysis indicated that XYMJ green teas were divided into three clusters and the quality of XYMJ green teas changed greatly within spring season. Harvest season is a crucial factor affecting the flavor quality of XYMJ green teas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multi-factor disease characterized by alternating remission periods and repeated occurrence. It has been shown that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging and effective approach for UC treatment. Since most existing studies chose adults as donors for fecal microbiota, we conducted this study to determine the long-term efficacy and safety of the microbiota from young UC patient donors and illustrate its specific physiological effects. Methods: Thirty active UC patients were enrolled and FMT were administered with the first colonoscopy and two subsequent enema/transendoscopic enteral tubing (TET) practical regimens in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in China. Disease activity and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed 6 weeks/over 1 year after treatment. The occurrence of adverse events was also recorded. The samples from blood and mucosa were collected to detect the changes of inflammatory biomarkers and cytokines. The composition of gut and oral microbiota were also sampled and sequenced to confirm the alteration of microbial composition. Results: Twenty-seven patients completed the treatment, among which 16 (59.3%) achieved efficacious clinical response and 11 (40.7%) clinical remission. Full Mayo score and calprotectin dropped significantly and remained stable over 1 year. FMT also significantly reduced the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The gut microbiota altered significantly with increased bacterial diversity and decreased metabolic diversity in responsive patients. The pro-inflammatory enterobacteria decreased after FMT and the abundance of Collinsella increased. Accordingly, the altered metabolic functions, including antigen synthesis, amino acids metabolism, short chain fatty acid production, and vitamin K synthesis of microbiota, were also corrected by FMT. Conclusion: Fecal microbiota transplantation seems to be safe and effective for active UC patients who are nonresponsive to mesalazine or prednisone in the long-term. FMT could efficiently downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines to ameliorate the inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate clinical efficacy and optimal therapeutic strategy for ventricular intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and process management in patients with traumatic bifrontal contusions (TBC). Methods Total 387 TBC patients between January 2010 and January 2016 were enrolled in 904th Hospital of Chinese PLA, in which 105 patients with TBC who underwent ventricular ICP monitoring (ICP group) and 282 patients with TBC who did not (non - ICP group). Conservative treatment and surgical treatment were performed respectively (unilateral craniotomy for contusion and hematoma removal, bilateral craniotomy for contusion and hematoma removal, and decompressive craniotomy). Rates of successful conservative treatment, ratio of bilateral craniotomy and decompressive craniectomy, length of stay, medical expenses and incidence of related complications were compared between 2 groups. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to assess all patients after 6 months follow-up. Results Compared with non - ICP group, ICP group had a significantly better successful conservative treatment rate [64.76% (68/105) vs. 47.16% (133/282); χ² = 9.493, P = 0.002], lower decompressive craniectomy rate [8.11% (3/37) vs. 23.49% (35/149); χ² = 4.314, P = 0.038]; shorter length of stay [(13.22 ± 1.83) d vs. (18.51 ± 5.08) d; t = 10.410, P = 0.000] and lower medical expenses [(8.34 ± 3.26) ten thousand yuan vs. (9.67 ± 4.42) ten thousand yuan; t = 2.811, P = 0.004]. No significantly difference in operative methods (χ² = 2.673, P = 0.102), pulmonary infection [33.33% (35/105) vs. 39.72% (112/282); χ² = 1.321, P = 0.250], intracranial infection [10.47% (11/105) vs. 8.16% (23/282); χ² = 0.513, P = 0.473], hydrocephalus [3.81% (4/105) vs. 6.74% (19/282); χ² = 1.173, P = 0.279], epilepsy [6.67% (7/105) vs. 10.99% (31/282); χ² = 1.617, P = 0.203] and bradycardia [28.57% (30/105) vs. 34.75% (98/282); χ² = 1.320, P = 0.251]. There were no significant differences in prognosis between 2 groups (χ² = 1.492, P = 0.474). Conclusions Condition of patients with TBC progresses rapidly. Patients should undergo ventricular ICP probe implantation in a timely manner. Although ventricular ICP monitoring do not significantly improve the prognosis of patients, it can increase the success rate of conservative treatment, reduce the rate of decompressive craniectomy, shorten the length of stay, and reduce the medial expenses. Ventricular ICP monitoring warrants further clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous studies revealed that informal caregivers for persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) experience perceived caregiver burden. Although Liangshan prefecture is one of the areas with the fastest growing HIV/AIDS epidemics in China, little is known about burden of informal caregivers for PLWHA. This study aimed to evaluate caregiver burden and these predictors among informal caregivers of PLWHA in Liangshan prefecture, China. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from August to December 2017. We used convenience sampling to recruit informal caregivers of PLWHA. A total of 222 participants completed questionnaires including demographic information, caregiving-related information, and caregiver burden (measured by Zarit Burden Interview, ZBI). SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Independent student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), Spearman rank correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed. Results: The mean ZBI score was 40.61 (SD = 14.47), and 199 (89.6%) informal caregivers had a mild or above caregiver burden. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that older age (P=0.003), caregivers with poor health (P=0.002), parent-caregivers (P=0.001), poorer ability in 'balancing caregiving needs and their own needs' (P< 0.001), and 'managing emotional needs' (P=0.014) were significantly associated with higher level of caregiver burden. Conclusion: The majority of informal caregivers had perceived caregiver burden in Liangshan prefecture of China. Findings emphasize that health-care providers, medical institutions and government should develop educational programs and policy to improve caregiver's ability to cope with caregiving for PLWHA, and take more attention to caregivers with health problem, at older age, parent-caregivers. These may contribute to reducing caregiver burden among informal caregivers of PLWHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mafic granulite with relatively simple mineralogy and texture from the Miyun Complex in the northern part of the North China Craton is used to discuss the effect of bulk composition uncertainty determined by different techniques [X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mapping, and point counting] on the calculated phase diagrams. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating of zircon from this mafic granulite yields magmatic ages of ~ 2.5–2.45 Ga and metamorphic overprinting ages of ~ 1.8 Ga, consistent with previous results. Based on phase equilibrium modelling, we show that the topological relations of the P–T pseudo-sections calculated from the XRF and point-counting compositions are similar except for the K-feldspar and Fe–Ti oxide stability fields and that the mineral stability fields in the P–T pseudo-section calculated from the mapping composition are distinctly different from the others. Furthermore, the observed and calculated mineral compositions (XAn in plagioclase) and mineral proportions (garnet and plagioclase) are matched in the P–T pseudo-section calculated from the point-counting composition, but these are mismatched in the P–T pseudo-section calculated from the mapping composition. For the P–T pseudo-section calculated from the XRF composition, mineral composition isopleths can further constrain the narrow P–T conditions but the observed and calculated mineral proportions do not match. Moreover, we obtain similar T conditions using geo-thermometers (Ti-in-amphibole, two-feldspar, and REE-in-Grt-Cpx geo-thermometers). In addition, we calculated the uncertainties (of the phase-in/out lines and the mineral-proportions and -compositions isopleths) on the thermodynamic modelling and discussed the main source of uncertainties in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psoriasis is a serious health problem. Since limited research has investigated the impact of psoriasis on the quality of life of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, this study aimed to explore this issue.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 22 psoriasis patients from two cities in Shandong province of eastern China participating in one-to-one semi-structured in-depth interviews.Results: Thematic analysis generated five major themes: (1) Symptoms, symptoms management and pain; (2) Functioning and activities of daily living (ADLs); (3) Psychological impact; (4) Social impact; (5) Employment and finances.Conclusion: Our study detailed the effects of psoriasis on patients' symptoms, symptoms management and pain, functioning and activities of daily living (ADLs), psychological impact, social impact, employment and finances. These data can provide a reference for studying the quality of life in patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the characteristics of dietary patterns among children aged 12 to 23 months and discusses the relationship between dietary patterns and the growth of children. Cross-sectional data were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for 0 to 18 year-old children in China (n = 2,449) to describe the patterns of complementary feeding and the growth of children. Cluster analysis was used to analyze complementary feeding patterns, and an analysis of variance and Bonferroni test were conducted to analyze the relationship between Z scores and complementary feeding patterns. Four dietary patterns were identified among the children via cluster analysis. In Pattern 4 (n = 104, 4.2%), children still consumed milk as their staple food. They displayed the lowest grain, fruit, vegetable, egg, and flesh foods consumption, a medium frequency of breast milk consumption, and a high frequency of dairy product consumption. Pattern 4 had the lowest length-for-age Z scores and weight-for-age Z scores, with –0.10 ± 1.34 and 0.24 ± 1.00, respectively (F = 7.940, P < 0.001; F = 5.317, P < 0.001). Although China is undergoing rapid urbanization and economic development, there is still a phenomenon of insufficient intake of protein-rich foods and dairy-based dietary patterns at the stage of complementary food introduced among children aged 12 to 23 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) variant, designated as GX-NN160421, was isolated from vaccinated chicken in Guangxi, China, in 2016. Based on analysis of the S1 gene sequence, GX-NN160421 belonged to the New-type 1 (GVI-1) strain. More importantly, three consecutive nucleotides (AAC) deletions were found in the highly conserved structure gene N. The serotype of GX-NN160421 was different from those of the commonly used vaccine strains. The mortality of the GX-NN160421 strain was 3.33%, which contrasted with 50% mortality in the clinical case, but high levels of virus shedding lasted at least 21 days. In conclusion, the first novel IBV variant with three-nucleotide-deletion in the N gene was identified, and this unique variant is low virulent but with a long time of virus shedding, indicating the continuing evolution of IBV and emphasizing the importance of limiting exposure to novel IBV strains as well as extensive monitoring of new IBVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Harvard Brain Death Criteria was published in 1968, many guidelines and diagnostic procedures of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria (BD/DNC) have been published throughout the world, and these determination criteria have been constantly revised and updated. The World Brain Death Project published the "Determination of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria" in 2020 to unify clinical practice across countries and improve the rigorousness of BD/DNC determination. This article analyzes and interprets these "Determination of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria" (version 2020) to clarify the concept of BD/DNC, the minimum clinical criteria for Determination of BD/DNC, ancillary testing, and the pediatric/neonatal BD/DNC, and to compare with the current practical guidance for determination of brain death in China, and analyze the differences between China and foreign countries, so as to provide reference for medical personnel in related professions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Care assistant workers (CAWs) are a part of a new pattern of mental health care providers in China and play a significant role in bridging the human resource shortage. CAWs in China mainly include community cadres, community mental health staff, and community policemen. The mental health related knowledge and attitudes of CAWs could influence their mental health care delivery. This study aimed to assess mental health related knowledge and attitudes of CAWs in Guangzhou, China. Methods: In November 2017, a study was conducted among 381 CAWs from four districts of Guangzhou, China. Participants were assessed using the Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination Scale (PDD), the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS), and the Mental illness: Clinicians' Attitudes (MICA) Scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Bonferroni corrections and multivariable linear regression. Results: The mean scores (standard deviation) of PDD, MAKS and MICA were 36.45 (6.54), 22.72 (2.56), and 51.67 (7.88), respectively. Univariate analyses showed that the older CAWs, community policemen and those who were less willing to deliver care to people with mental illness had significant higher MICA scores when compared with other staff (P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression showed that after controlling for key variables, care willingness and PDD total score were positively associated with the MICA total score (all P < 0.05), while attitudes on additional items were significant negatively with the MICA total score (all P < 0.01). Conclusion: These findings suggest negative attitudes towards people with mental disorders among CAWs are common, especially among older staff. Community policemen suggest that they applied stereotypes of "violent mentally ill" people to all people they deal with who have mental disorders. The results also indicate human rights are being paid some attention to now, but need to be further continually improved in the future. Strategies for improving such negative attitudes and reducing the perceived stigma and discrimination should be carried out towards particular staff groups in an anti-stigma programme in Guangzhou, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mismatch between urban transportation demands and local transportation supplies in municipal regions may cause serious traffic congestion and high vehicle exhaust emissions (VEEs). Although it has been found that road expansion and the provision of road public transport can mitigate traffic congestion and VEEs, the effectiveness of these public strategies in alleviating traffic congestion-related VEEs has been empirically compared in few studies. With the use of a panel dataset for 260 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2018, we fill this gap via empirically examining the effects of several popular strategies that promote the efficiency of urban road transportation, including road expansion and road public transport provision, on urban air pollution of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). Then we further investigate metrics measured by passenger and freight volumes based on local urban road coverage that can suitably reflect the mismatch degree between local transportation demands and supplies. The empirical results indicated a positive and statistically significant correlation between urban PM 2.5 levels and road expansion but not between PM 2.5 levels and road public transport, suggesting that road expansion may unintentionally increase the transportation volume and thus local PM 2.5 levels. Importantly, we found that the passenger and freight volumes per unit road length are negatively and significantly correlated with the local particulate pollution concentration across different model specifications, while the passenger and freight volumes of road transportation do not directly affect local PM 2.5 levels. We also employed a series of robustness tests to overcome the concerns associated with measurement errors, omitted variable biases, model misspecifications and endogeneity, and consistent results were obtained. These results indicated that when facing limited public budgets, the passenger and freight volumes per unit road length should be considered to measure the effectiveness of road infrastructure investments in alleviating local particulate pollution caused by traffic congestion. • Several strategies for controlling urban PM2.5 from traffic are empirically compared. • Urban PM 2.5 levels are positively correlated with road expansion. • Urban PM 2.5 levels are not correlated with the provision of road public transport. • Transportation volumes with road coverage measure the transport efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To summarize our pioneering surgical practice and clinical outcome of Crowe type III‐IV developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) with a direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty in a single teaching hospital in Southwest China. Methods: Fourteen patients (15 hips) diagnosed with Crowe type III‐IV developmental dysplasia of the hip were involved in this single‐center retrospective study between 2016 and 2018. A comprehensive surgical procedure, including preoperative planning and algorithms for leg length equalization, intraoperative stepwise soft tissue release, bone defect reconstruction, and an innovative subtrochanteric osteotomy, was described. Furthermore, advancements in intraoperative CT guidance, computer navigation, and nerve monitoring were available for specific demands. The short‐term clinical outcome was evaluated at the endpoint of follow‐up by three patient‐reported functional scales (Harris, WOMAC, and SF‐12 scores), and objective data collected at the clinic, including functional recovery (muscle strength of hip flexor and abductor, correction of the pelvic tilt, leg length discrepancy, and limp), radiographic analysis, and complication occurrence. Results: The intraoperative variables were carefully recorded. The mean operating times in Crowe type III and IV groups were 115.8 min and 156.2 min, and the median blood loss volumes were 520.5 mL and 810.2 mL, respectively. The general changes in the Harris, SF‐12, and WOMAC scores of the two groups were 46.2, 8.7 and 134.3, respectively, at a mean follow‐up of 25.4 months. Enhanced recovery of hip abductor muscle strength was identified in 85.7% of the population at the third postoperative month. The equalization of leg length and correction of the pelvic tile were observed at the sixth postoperative month, with a 36‐mm decrease in leg length discrepancy. No radiographic evidence of the loosening or migration of the components was observed. A self‐innovated subtrochanteric shortening osteotomy was performed in five patients, and they healed after 6 months. Specific complications included two cases of distal femoral cracks and one case of a periprosthetic fracture needing internal fixation. Two patients received a late iliotibial band release at the 3rd month postoperatively due to progressive genu valgum. No records of infection, dislocation, nerve palsy, bone non‐union, or revision surgery were identified. Discussion The direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty showed potential advantages, including optimum component positioning, improved hip stability, steerable complication rate, and enhanced functional recovery with Crowe type III‐IV DDH. The short‐term outcome is comparable to that of the traditional posterolateral approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) to improve the diagnosis rate. Methods Epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, imaging examination results and treatment outcomes of 153 patients with IIH hospitalized in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2014 to May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical differences between subacute group (14 d to 3 months) and chronic group (> 3 months) were compared. Results One hundred and fifty-three cases (subacute group 94 cases and chronic group 59 cases) were observed. There were 37 males and 116 females (1 :3.14), 53 obses cases (34.64%), 67 overweight case (43.80%). The main clinical symptoms were visiual loss (77.78%, 119/153), transient visual obscuration (50.33%, 77/153), headache (45.10%, 69/153). Abnormal radiologic signs, including empty sella, distension of the perioptic subarachnoid space (DPSS) and transverse venous sinus stenosis (TVSS) were found in 98 cases (64.05%). Intracranial pressures (ICP) of 112 cases (73.20%) were above 30 cm H2O. After treatments (138 cases underwent routine treatments and 15 cases underwent surgery treatments), 86.93% (133/153) patients achieved clinical improvement. The improvement rate of subacute group was significantly higher than that of chronic group [91.49% (86/94) vs. 79.66% (47/59); χ² = 4.463, P = 0.035]. The incidence of transient visual obscuration in subactue group was significantly lower than that in chronic group [42.55% (40/94) vs. 62.71% (37/59); χ² = 5.892, P = 0.015]. No significant differtences of vision loss, headache, tinnitus, diplopia, abnormal image signs or ICP were deteced in patients between subacute group and chronic group. Conclusions IIH is one of the most important causes of vision loss and headache. Women in childbearing period and obese people are susceptible to IIH. Clinicians need to raise the awareness of IIH and give timely treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of elementary and secondary school students in rural China using the simplified Chinese version of the EQ-5D-Y.Method: Both the samples of students were from a school-based cohort study in a county located in southwestern China. The students self-completed the EQ-5D-Y. Feasibility was evaluated according to the percentages of missing values. Known group validity was assessed by comparing the frequency of reporting EQ-5D-Y problems between groups known to differ in health status.Results: A total of 1728 elementary students and 2116 secondary students were included in the analysis. Their respective mean age was 8.7 (range: 7-15) years and 14.8 (range: 11-18) years, with girls being 45.1 and 50.1%, respectively. The missing values in both samples were quite low. Elementary students were less likely to have problems on'having pain or discomfort' and 'feeling worried, sad or unhappy' dimensions, but more likely to report problems on the dimensions related to physical functioning. Gender difference in HRQOL was only detected for secondary students in terms of 'doing usual activities', 'having pain or discomfort,' and 'feeling worried, sad or unhappy' (P < 0.05 for all). The significant differences in HRQOL were not observed for the other characteristics.Conclusions: It appears that the EQ-5D-Y is feasible and valid instrument in school-aged children and adolescents in rural China; but it suffers from similar disadvantages to those found in other general populations. The HRQOL distributions measured by the EQ-5D-Y were also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Previous studies recruited unrepresentative samples of Chinese patients with cataract and reported a wide range of prevalence of depressive symptoms in this patient population (18.0-89.7%). The present study determined the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among a consecutive sample of Chinese patients with cataract treated in tertiary general hospitals. Methods. A total of 339 patients with cataract were consecutively selected from ophthalmology departments of two large general hospitals in Wuhan, China. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Chinese Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Logistic regression was used to identify factors that were associated with depression. Results. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 23.9% (95% CI [19.4-28.4]%) among patients with cataract. Correlates for depressive symptoms include an education level of primary school and below (OR = 1.93, P = 0:038), marital status of ''others'' (OR = 3.15, P <0:001), poor family economic status (OR = 2.26, P = 0:010), nuclear cataract (OR = 4.32, P < 0:001), and mixed cataract (OR = 2.76, P = 0:017). Conclusions. Depressive symptoms are common among Chinese patients with cataract treated in large general hospitals. Patients who are poorly educated, have a marital status other than ''married'', have poor family economic status, and suffer from nuclear and mixed cataracts are at greater risk for depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As a novel hepatokine, fetuin B involves in various functions of energy metabolism. Recent advance reveals a complex interaction between bone and liver via the secretion of hepatokines. The association between serum fetuin B and osteoporosis was evaluated in a 4-year hospital-based prospective study of 1,370 Chinese postmenopausal women.Methods: Bone mineral densities (BMDs) were obtained on femoral neck and lumbar spines by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum fetuin B level was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: Of the 1,370 participants in the baseline study (2012), 650 subjects were included in the 4-year follow-up study (2016). Serum fetuin B level presented higher in subjects with osteoporosis (106.7 ± 17.6 μg/ml) than it in controls (86.3 ± 17.5 μg/ml) (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, fetuin B positively correlated with triglycerides (r = 0.227, P = 0.001), femoral BMD (r = -0.426, P < 0.001) and lumbar BMD (r = -0.332, P < 0.001). At the 4-year follow-up, 116 subjects had developed osteoporosis. Serum fetuin B concentration was significantly higher in subjects who developed (P < 0.001). The osteoporosis incidence increased from Q1 9.9%, Q2 14.7%, and Q3 17.8% to Q4 30.2% (P for trend < 0.001), among the quartiles of baseline fetuin B. A higher fetuin B baseline level was linked to the incidence of osteoporosis (adjusted OR = 1.179, 95% CI [1.119 - 1.243], P = 0.009).Conclusion: Serum fetuin B levels increased with the development of osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between salty food preference and osteoporosis (OP) in general Chinese men.Methods and Study Design: We conducted a largescale, community-based, cross-sectional study to estimate the associations by using self-report questionnaire to evaluate the salty food preference. The total of 1,092 men was available to data analysis in this study. Multiple regression models controlling for confounding factors to include salty food preference variables were employed to explore the relationships for OP.Results: We found negative correlations between preference for salty food and T-score (p=0.006). Multiple regression analysis showed that the preference for salty food was significantly positively associated with OP (p<0.05 for all). The men with preference for salty food habits had a higher prevalence of OP.Conclusion: The findings indicated that salty food preference was independently and significantly associated with OP. The prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese men preferring salty food habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Incidence rates of breast cancer continue to rise in the People's Republic of China. The purpose of this study was to describe Chinese trends in radical surgical modalities and influential imaging and demographic factors for breast malignancies. Materials and Methods. This study was a hospital-based, multicenter, 10-year (1999-2008), retrospective study. Descriptive statistical tests were used to illustrate information regarding radical surgical trends for the treatment of breast malignancies. Chi-square tests were used to assess effect of demographic factors in addition to imaging and pathological data on the specific surgical method. Results. A total of 4,211 patients were enrolled in the survey. Among them, 3,335 patients with stage 0 to stage III disease undergoing mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery (BCS) were included in the final analysis. The rate of BCS increased from 1.53% in 1999 to 11.88% in 2008. The rate of mastectomy declined over this time period, from 98.47% in 1999 to 88.12% in 2008, with increasing use of diagnostic imaging methods and pathological biopsies. A significantly greater percentage of patients with office work, high education levels, unmarried status, younger age, and early pathological stages preferred BCS compared with mastectomy. Conclusion. Rates of mastectomy in China remain elevated due to diagnosis at higher stages; however, because of increased use of diagnostic imaging, improvement of biopsy methods, and patient education, rates of less invasive lumpectomy are increasing and rates of mastectomy have decreased in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective. Incidence of and mortality rates for breast cancer continue to rise in the People's Republic of China. The purpose of this study was to analyze differences in characteristics of breast malignancies between China and the U.S. Methods. Data from 384,262 breast cancer patients registered in the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program from 2000 to 2010 were compared with 4,211 Chinese breast cancer patients registered in a Chinese database from 1999 to 2008. Outcomes included age, race, histology, tumor and node staging, laterality, surgical treatment method, and reconstruction. The Pearson chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare rates. Results. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most common type of malignancy in the U.S. and China. The mean number of positive lymph nodes was higher in China (2.59 vs. 1.31, p < .001). Stage at diagnosis was higher in China (stage IIA vs. I, p < .001). Mean size of tumor at diagnosis was higher in China (32.63 vs. 21.57 mm). Mean age at diagnosis was lower in China (48.28 vs. 61.29 years, p < .001). Moreover, 2.0% of U.S. women underwent radical mastectomy compared with 12.5% in China, and 0.02% in China underwent reconstructive surgery. Conclusion. Chinese women were diagnosed at younger ages with higher stage and larger tumors and underwent more aggressive surgical treatment. Prospective trials should be conducted to address screening, surgical, and tumor discrepancies between China and the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: To examine the relationships among blood lead levels, blood pressure and kidney function in a population-based sample of adults in an area of China with lead pollution. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a sample of 1447 adults older than 20 years of age who underwent physical examinations in hospitals within a lead-polluted area of China from January to December 2013. Results: Blood lead levels were high among the local population (152.47µg/L) and did not change with age (P=.182). Overall, changes in both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood Pressure (DBP) were associated with changes in blood lead level (P=.012, P=.001), whereas BUN and CCr did not change along with the blood lead level (P>.05). This relationship was strongest among people 20-45 years of age; in this group, the beta coefficients for SBP and DBP were 0.009 (0.003), P=.001 and 0.005 (0.002), P=.004, respectively. Compared with young men, young women's blood pressures were more affected by blood lead levels (beta for SBP=0.031 for women vs. 0.008 for men; beta for DBP=0.015 for women vs. 0.005 for men). Conclusion: Continuous lead exposure causes increased blood lead levels among local residents. Blood lead levels are positively associated with both SBP and DBP increases among adults aged 20-44 years. The relationships between blood lead levels and SBP and DBP are most pronounced in young women. Chronic saturnism does not increase blood pressure by altering kidney function. These results provide support for continued efforts to control blood pressure in the population living in a lead-polluted region of China, particularly in young women. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and breast cancer with consideration to estrogen/progesterone/human epidermal growth factor type 2 receptor status (ER/PR/HER2) in the breast tissue among Chinese pre- and post-menopausal women. Methods: Four thousand two hundred and eleven breast cancer patients were selected randomly from seven geographic regions of China from 1999 to 2008. Demographic data, risk factors, pathologic features, and biological receptor status of cases were collected from the medical charts. Chi-square test, fisher exact test, rank-correlation analysis, and multivariate logistic regression model were adopted to explore whether BMI differed according to biological receptor status in pre- and post-menopausal women. Results: Three thousand two hundred and eighty one eligible cases with BMI data were included. No statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics were found between the cases with BMI data and those without. In the rank-correlation analysis, the rates of PR+ and HER2+ were positively correlated with increasing BMI among post-menopausal women (rs BMI, PR+ = 0.867, P = 0.001; rs BMI, HER2+ = 0.636, P = 0.048), but the ER+ rates did not vary by increasing BMI. Controlling for confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression models with BMI<24 kg/m2 as the reference group were performed and found that BMI≥24 kg/m2 was only positively correlated with PR+ status among post-menopausal breast cancer cases (adjusted OR = 1.420, 95% CI: 1.116–1.808, Wald = 8.116, P = 0.004). Conclusions: Post-menopausal women with high BMI (≥24 kg/m2) have a higher proportion of PR+ breast cancer. In addition to effects mediated via the estrogen metabolism pathway, high BMI might increase the risk of breast cancer by other routes, which should be examined further in future etiological mechanism studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships of foliar carbon isotope composition (δ13C) with foliar C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg contents and their ratios of 219 C3 species leaf samples, obtained in August in 2004 to 2007 from 82 high altitude grassland sites on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau China, were examined. This was done with reference to the proposition that foliar δ13C increases with altitude and separately for the life-form groups of graminoids, forbs and shrubs and for the genera Stipa and Kobresia. For all samples, foliar δ13C was negatively related to foliar K, P and ∑K+ Ca+ Mg, and positively correlated to foliar C, C/N and C/P. The significance of these correlations differed for the taxonomic and life-form groups. Lack of a relationship of foliar δ13C with foliar N was inconsistent with the majority of studies that have shown foliar δ13C to be positively related to foliar N due to a decrease of Ci/Ca (the ratio between intercellular and atmospheric concentration of CO2) and explained as a result of greater photosynthetic capacity at higher foliar N concentration. However this inconsistency relates to other high altitude studies that have found that photosynthetic capacity remains constant as foliar N increases. After accounting for the altitudinal relationship with foliar δ13C, of the elements only the K effect was significant and was most strongly expressed for Kobresia. It is concluded that factors critical to plant survival and growth at very high altitudes, such as low atmospheric pressure and low temperatures, may preclude expression of relationships between foliar δ13C and foliar elements that have been observed at lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and visual acuity (VA) outcomes of cataract surgery in adults of the Bai Nationality populations in rural China. Methods: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey (from randomly selected block groups) of Chinese Bai Nationality aged ≥50 years in southwestern China. Presenting visual acuity (PVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were recorded and a detailed eye examination was carried out. For all aphakic and pseudophakic subjects identified, information on the date, setting, type, and complications of cataract surgery were recorded. In eyes with VA <20/63, the principal cause of visual impairment was identified. Results: Of 2133 (77.8% of 2742) subjects, 99 people (129 eyes) had undergone cataract surgery. The prevalence of cataract surgery was 4.6%. Surgical coverage among those with PVA <20/200 in both eyes because of cataract was 52.8%. Unoperated cataract was associated with older age. The main barrier to cataract surgery was lack of awareness and knowledge, cost, and fear. Among the 129 cataract-operated eyes, 22.5% had PVA of ≥20/32, 25.6% had PVA of 20/40 to 20/63, 23.3% had PVA <20/63 to 20/200, and 28.7% had PVA<20/200. With BCVA, the percentages were 42.6%, 23.3%, 10.9%, and 23.3%, respectively. Aphakia (odds ratio [OR], 8.49; P<0.001) and no education (OR, 10.18; P = 0.001) or less education (OR, 6.49; P = 0.014) were significantly associated with postoperative visual impairment defined by PVA, while aphakia (OR, 8.49; P<0.001) and female gender (OR, 4.19; P = 0.004) were significantly associated with postoperative visual impairment by BCVA. The main causes of postoperative visual impairment were refractive error, retinal disorders and glaucoma. Conclusions: Half of those with bilateral visual impairment or blindness because of cataract remain in need of cataract surgery in Bai population. Surgical uptake and visual outcomes should be further improved in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community structure and leaf traits are important elements of terrestrial ecosystems. Changes of community structure and leaf traits are of particular use in the study of the influence of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems. Patterns of community structure (including species richness, above- and below-ground biomass) and leaf traits (including leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen content both on mass and area bases ( N and N), and foliar δC) from 19 grassland plots along an altitudinal transect at Hongchiba in Chongqing, China, were analyzed. Species richness along the altitudinal transect had a hump-shaped pattern. Above-ground biomass had a quadratic decrease along the altitudinal gradient whereas below-ground biomass had the opposite pattern. Change of above-ground biomass of various taxonomic groups with altitude was also studied. Poaceae showed strong negative relationships and Asteraceae showed a hump-shaped relationship with increase of altitude. Five common species of the grassland, Trifolium pratense, Geranium wilfordii, Aster tataricus, Leontopodium leontopodioides, and Spiraea prunifolia, were particularly studied for variation of leaf traits along the altitudinal gradient. Averaged for all species, LMA, N and foliar δC had positive correlations with altitude. N did not change significantly as altitude increased. LMA and N showed significant positive relationships with foliar δC. The adaptive features of leaf traits among different species were not consistent. The study highlights specific adaptation patterns in relation to altitude for different plant species, provides further insights into adaptive trends of community structure and leaf traits in a specific ecological region filling a gap in the definition of global patterns, and adds to the understanding of how adaptive patterns of plants may respond to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recent studies on mathematics model of activated sludge were reviewed in this paper. The current applied research of urban wastewater treatment process model and development of software were mainly introduced. And the prospect and development direction are also introduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

China has a large area of inland saline-alkali land, equivalent to 40% of the total cultivated land in the country. The principal features of these lands are high salt content, high pH, and poor soil structure with low water infiltration and poor drainage. These conditions effectively prevent the exploitation of such land for agriculture. In this study, we have compared 17 soil conditioning agents for their abilities to promote seed germination and growth under both laboratory and field conditions. One of these, Hydrolyzed Polymaleic Anhydride (HPMA), was identified as a highly effective agent for soil improvement. Laboratory germination experiments and laboratory and field cultivation of a variety of plants both showed that addition of HPMA could significantly increase the germination percentage and plant growth rate. Distinct from other Ca-carrier agents such as gypsum, HPMA increases the dissolution of CaCO, which is abundant in the calcareous saline-alkali soils. This allows Ca in soil solution to displace the over-abundant Na in the soil colloids. This process greatly improves soil properties such as the bulk density, which decreased, and the capillary soil rise height of water and soil water infiltration rate, which increased. Direct SEM and AFM imagery showed flocculent soil precipitation (soil aggregates) after HPMA addition, and a looser structure of those aggregates. The addition of HPMA also reduced the soil pH and EC. These changes in soil chemical and physical properties are a likely explanation for the soil improvement effected by HPMA. The high content of insoluble CaCO in saline-alkali land such as that in northeastern China (up to 13%) favors the further exploration of HPMA as an ameliorative agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to evaluate chemical composition and degradation characteristics for eight forages harvested in July from the Tibetan plateau of China. Duplicate bags containing 2 g of forage species were incubated in the rumen of six ruminally cannulated Tibet Peng-Po sheep for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. Significant differences were observed in degradation kinetics and effective degradability values of the different forages. The rapid degradable value and potential degradability for dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in Lagotis humilis was higher (P<0.01) than for the other forages. Carex satakeana had the most rapidly degradable crude protein (CP) fraction of all forages tested and Elymus nutans had the highest potential degradability of CP. L.humilis, C.satakeana and E.nutans had high effective degradability of DM and CP indicated their high quality as ruminal forage in cold areas of Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of addiction severity index (ASI)-5th version (asi-c-5), in illegal drug users receiving methadone maintenance treatment (mmt) in China. Methods: One hundred and eighty-six heroin addicts (144 men and 42 women) receiving mmt at three clinics in Guizhou province, southwest China, were recruited. They were all interviewed with a questionnaire of asi-c-5 and 35 were re-interviewed at an interval of seven days to assess its test-retest reliability. Results: Cronbach''s alpha for internal consistency of CSs varied from 0.60 to 0.81 in all domains. Test-retest reliability of composite scores (CSs) of asi-c-5 were satisfactory (r=0.38-0.97). Based on item analysis and expert''s suggestions, five items were deleted and one item was modified in asi-c-5. Criterion validity of asi-c-5 was found acceptable, as compared to addicts'' self-rating anxiety scale (sas) and self-rating depression scale (sds) (r=0.59 and 0.45) except for social support rating scale (ssrs). Conclusions asi-c-5 can be used for heroin addicts receiving mmt with acceptable reliability and validity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The remarkable advances in next-generation sequencing technology have enabled the wide usage of sequencing as a clinical tool. To promote the advance of precision oncology for breast cancer in China, here we report a large-scale prospective clinical sequencing program using the Fudan-BC panel, and comprehensively analyze the clinical and genomic characteristics of Chinese breast cancer. The mutational landscape of 1,134 breast cancers reveals that the most significant differences between Chinese and Western patients occurred in the hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer subtype. Mutations in p53 and Hippo signaling pathways are more prevalent, and 2 mutually exclusive and 9 co-occurring patterns exist among 9 oncogenic pathways in our cohort. Further preclinical investigation partially suggests that NF2 loss-of-function mutations can be sensitive to a Hippo-targeted strategy. We establish a public database (Fudan Portal) and a precision medicine knowledge base for data exchange and interpretation. Collectively, our study presents a leading approach to Chinese precision oncology treatment and reveals potentially actionable mutations in breast cancer. Chinese breast cancer patients have not been well represented in clinical sequencing studies. Here the authors analyse the mutational landscape of 1,134 Chinese breast cancer patients, finding actionable targets and a higher prevalence of p53 and Hippo pathway mutations compared to Western cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aim to determine the association of iris surface features including crypts, color and contraction furrows with anterior chamber depth (ACD) in a school-based sample of Chinese teenagers.Methods: Totally, 2346 students aged 13 to 14 years in Mojiang located in the Southwestern part of China contributed to this analysis. Iris surface features were graded based on standardized slit-lamp photographs. Ocular biometric parameters including ACD were measured using an IOL Master. Generalized estimating equation was incorporated in the linear regression models to assess the relationship between iris surface features and ACD.Results: A significant trend of increasing ACDs with more contraction furrows were observed. On average, the mean ACD was 3.03 mm in participants with contraction furrows of grade 1 while it was 3.10 mm in those with grade 3 (mean difference, 0.07 mm, P = 0.01). Adjusting for other potential confounders such as gender, height and weight did not significantly changed the associations. Compared with individuals with contraction furrows of grade 1, those with grade 3 had a greater ACD of 0.06 mm (95% confidence interval: 0.01, 0.11) in multivariate-adjusted model. There were no significant relationships between ACD and iris crypts or color. (P > 0.10).Conclusions: More iris contraction furrows are associated with greater ACDs while the association with iris color and crypts were not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on the pharmacological management of acute agitation in schizophrenia are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the prescription practices in the treatment of agitation in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We conducted a large, multicenter, observational study in 14 psychiatry hospitals in China. Newly hospitalized schizophrenia patients with the PANSS-EC total score ≥ 14 and a value ≥4 on at least one of its five items were included in the study. Their drug treatments of the first 2 weeks in hospital were recorded by the researchers. Results: Eight hundred and 53 patients enrolled in and 847 (99.30%) completed the study. All participants were prescribed antipsychotics, 40 (4.72%) were prescribed benzodiazepine in conjunction with antipsychotics and 81 were treated with modified electric convulsive therapy (MECT). Four hundred and 12 (48.64%) patients were prescribed only one antipsychotic, in the order of olanzapine (120 patients, 29.13%), followed by risperidone (101 patients, 24.51%) and clozapine (41 patients, 9.95%). About 435 (51.36%) participants received antipsychotic polypharmacy, mostly haloperidol + risperidone (23.45%), haloperidol+ olanzapine (17.01%), olanzapine+ ziprasidone (5.30%), haloperidol + clozapine (4.37%) and haloperidol + quetiapine (3.90%). Binary logistic regression analysis suggests that a high BARS score (OR 2.091, 95%CI 1.140–3.124), severe agitation (OR 1.846, 95%CL 1.266–2.693), unemployment or retirement (OR 1.614, 95%CL 1.189–2.190) and aggressiveness on baseline (OR 1.469, 95%CL 1.032–2.091) were related to an increased antipsychotic polypharmacy odds. Male sex (OR 0.592, 95%CL 0.436–0.803) and schizophrenia in older persons (age ≥ 55 years, OR 0.466, 95%CL 0.240–0.902) were less likely to be associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that monotherapy and polypharmacy display equally common patterns of antipsychotic usage in managing agitation associated with schizophrenia in China. The extent and behavioral activities of agitation and several other factors were associated with polypharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the one-year incidence and progression rates of myopia and its association with baseline ocular biometric parameters in school-based samples of children and adolescents in China.Methods: Two thousand four hundred thirty two grade 1 and 2346 grade 7 students living in the southwest part of China participated in the baseline survey. After 1 year, 2310 (95.0%) grade 1 and 2191 (93.4%) grade 7 students attended the follow-up examination. Refractive error was measured after cycloplegia using the same autorefractor and by the same optometrists in the baseline and follow-up examination. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent of less than - 0.50 diopter.Results: The overall one-year incidence of myopia was 33.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 31.7-35.5) among grade 1 students and 54.0% (95% CI: 51.5-56.5) for grade 7 students. The one-year myopia progression rate was - 0.97 D (95% CI: -1.22 to - 0.71) in grade 1 students and - 1.02 D (95% CI: -1.07 to - 0.96) in grade 7 students. Per mm increase in baseline axial lengths increased the risk of myopia onset by 28% among grade 1 students and 22% among grade 7 students after 1 year. The incidence rates of myopia were found to be higher in grade 7 students with thinner premyopic lenses.Conclusions: The incidence and progression rates of myopia were very high in Chinese children and adolescents in recent years. Premyopic eyes were characterized with longer axial lengths and thinner lenses. These data had considerable implications for formulating myopia prevention strategies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aim to assess the prevalence of myopia in Chinese school children with low educational pressure and explore which factors could explain the differences in prevalence between generations.Methods: A school-based epidemiologic study including 2432 grade 1 and 2346 grade 7 students was conducted from 2016 in rural areas of China. Each participant's refractive status was measured before and after cycloplegia using an autorefractor and axial length (AL) was measured using an IOL Master. The questionnaires were completed by the parents or legal guardians of the children to collect detailed information regarding risk factors. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent less than - 0.50D.Results: Grade 7 students had a higher prevalence of myopia (29.4% vs. 2.4%; P < 0.001) and high myopia (0.4% vs. 0.1%; P < 0.001) compared with grade 1 students. Grade 7 students also had longer ALs (23.50 mm vs. 23.37 mm; p = 0.004) after adjusting for the effect of gender, height and other myopia-related risk factors. Adjustment for time spent on reading and writing after school per day led to a reduction in the excess prevalence of myopia in grade 7 students by 15.1%. In addition, adjustment for time outdoors reduced the excess prevalence of myopia in grade 7 students by 33.4%.Conclusions: We reported a relatively lower prevalence of myopia in school students in rural China, suggesting that Chinese may not have a genetic predisposition to myopia and environmental factors may play a major role in the development of school myopia in Chinese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract From 2015 to 2017, under the same nationally available subsidy, license plate-controlled big cities accounted for 49.3%–65.0% of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in China. This phenomenon cannot be solely explained by subsidy policy. In this paper, we assess the influences of license plate lottery and subsidy policies, together with other influential factors, on consumers' intention to purchase EVs. Based on a large sample of data collected in Beijing, we find that license plate lottery and subsidy policies are both among the most influential factors in promoting EVs in Beijing. In a certain sense, license plate lottery policy had a stronger influence than subsidy policy at the time of the study. Other significant influential factors include the consumer's annual household income, level of interest in EV news, vehicle performance, daily travel distance, and number of family cars (negative). The study presents possible implications for policy-makers and companies and discusses warnings about implementing license plate lottery policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-factor risk assessment is an important prerequisite for water quality protection and the safe operation of mega hydro-projects. As the largest long-distance inter-basin water diversion project in the world, the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China (MRSNWDPC) has been in operation for 8 years and has benefited 79 million people along the canal. However, concerns have been raised in recent years about the potential negative effects of abnormal algal proliferation in the MRSNWDPC. It is very important for the safety of water supply to carry out relevant risk analysis and formulate regulatory management. In order to quantitatively evaluate the risk of algal proliferation in the MRSNWDPC under the influence of multiple factors, a multivariate risk assessment method based on Vine Copula theory and Monte Carlo simulation was proposed. Five key factors (water temperature, flow velocity, flow rate, algal cell density, and dissolved oxygen) were used and multiple dependency models in each section of the MRSNWDPC from January 2016 to January 2019 were established to study the risk of algal proliferation under multiple scenarios. The results demonstrate that water temperature can be used as an appropriate early-warning indicator of algal proliferation. The early-warning interval (unit: °C) of water temperature in the upper, middle, and lower reaches are 26–29°C, 23–26°C, and 21–23°C, respectively. Unlike bivariate analysis, the multiple dependency model describes the relationship between variables more accurately and enriches the scenarios of multiple conditional probabilities. When the water temperature fluctuates in the early-warning interval, regulating the upstream, midstream, and downstream flow velocity to be higher than 0.6 m/s, 0.5 m/s, and 0.6 m/s, respectively, can effectively reduce the risk of algal proliferation. This research not only provides a reference for the ecological control of algae in the MRSNWDPC and similar mega hydro-projects but also enriches the application of the Vine Copula theory coupled with the random sampling method for multi-variable risk analysis. [Display omitted] • ●The risk of algal proliferation under multiple scenarios is comprehensively analyzed. • Algal early-warning thresholds of water temperature and flow rate are determined. • The regulation strategy of algal control in water diversion project is proposed. • The Vine Copula-based Model is effectively applied in multi-scenario risk analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the supporting problems of the rockburst in coal mine which cannot be effectively dealt with by current support theories and methods, two new support methods that increasing support stiffness and rapid energy-absorption support were proposed, based on studying of surrounding rocks and support dynamic response in the rockburst. Hydraulic support, which consists of high strength bracket beams and powerful working resistance props, was proposed to be applied to increase support stiffness; whereas foam metal materials and energy-absorption components which are able to absorb energy rapidly in a stable manner, were exploited to form an organic and anti-impact supporting system in collaboration with other rigid supports. So a new kind of anti-impact and energy-absorption hydraulic support was designed to solve the supporting problem of rockburst in coal mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of pesticides have been widely manufactured and applied, and are released into the environment with negative impact on human health. Pesticides are largely used in densely populated urban environments, in green zones, along roads and on private properties. In order to characterize the potential exposure related health effects of pesticide and their occurrence in the urban environment, 222 pesticides were screened and quantified in 228 road dust and 156 green-belt soil samples in autumn and spring from Harbin, a megacity in China, using GC-MS/MS base quantitative trace analysis. The results showed that a total of 33 pesticides were detected in road dust and green-belt soil, with the total concentrations of 650 and 236 ng/g (dry weight = dw), respectively. The concentrations of pesticides in road dust were significantly higher than that in green-belt soil. Pesticides in the environment were influenced by the seasons, with the highest concentrations of insecticides in autumn and the highest levels of herbicides in spring. In road dust, the concentrations of highways in autumn and spring (with the mean values of 94.1 and 68.2 ng/g dw) were much lower than that of the other road classes (arterial roads, sub-arterial roads and branch ways). Whereas in the green-belt soil, there was no significant difference in the concentration of pesticides between the different road classes. A first risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the pesticides, the results showed that the highest hazard index (HI) for a single pesticide in dust and soil was 0.12, the hazard index for children was higher than that for adults, with an overall hazard index of less than 1. Our results indicated that pesticide levels do not have a significant health impact on people. [Display omitted] • 33 pesticides were detected in road dust and green-belt soil in autumn and spring. • The concentration of pesticides in road dust was higher than in green-belt soil. • Compared to road classes, seasons had a more significant effect on concentrations. • The highest hazard index of pesticides was below 1, indicating a safety threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Copula functions were used for water environment risk analysis. • Different joint risk distributions of water quality were established. • Different water temperature early-warning thresholds were proposed. • The Copula method could be a useful tool for risk analysis in hydro-projects. • The water quality of the project in this study is quite excellent and stable. The variation of water quality in long-distance water supply projects is often different from that in natural water bodies, especially the environmental risks of artificial open canal water transfer projects are seldom studied. The spatial heterogeneity of algae growth and the absence of universal reference standards for algae control often lead to water quality problems in these projects. The Middle Route (MR) of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project of China (SNWTPC), the world's largest inter-basin water transfer project, has operated stably for six years. Its water resources have benefited more than 60 million people and an ecosystem cover more than 160,000 km2. To understand the water environment risk of this mega hydro-project, this study focused on the relationships among three key parameters: water temperature (T), water discharge (Q), flow rate (V) and analyzed the spatial–temporal variation characteristics of the algal cell density (ACD) in the MR of the SNWTPC from January 2016 to December 2018, 36 months in total. The Copula functions were applied to identify and evaluate the multivariate risk variation of the water environment. Our result demonstrated that there was a significant positive correlation between T and ACD, and the ACD at the downstream has a 50% risk higher than 700 × 104 cell/L in summer. Overall, the water quality status of the MR of the SNWTPC is quite well, and the ACD kept at an average level of 106 cells/L during the monitoring period. Additionally, the ACD increased from upstream to downstream, showing the relatively higher ACD in summer and autumn than in spring and winter, with the ranges of 500 ~ 700 × 104 cells/L and 200 ~ 300 × 104 cells/L, respectively. The water temperature affected the ACD over the early-warning thresholds at different canal sections were as follows: 29, 26, and 21℃ from upstream to downstream, respectively. The influences of the hydrodynamic factors, water discharge and flow rate, impact on the ACD variation were analyzed to achieve the purpose of specific algae control for different canal reaches. Our study verified that the growth probabilities of the ACD under higher water temperature and water discharge in the MR of the SNWTPC than other natural water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of the daily water quality of the Middle-Route (MR) of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China (SNWDPC) profoundly affects the health and life of 53.1 million people using water from the MR canals. Under normal operating conditions, the daily water quality in SNWDPC MR is associated with many factors that are expensive to monitor. It is crucial to find a method to forecast daily water quality with limited observed data in the SNWDPC MR effectively for water safety and management. In this paper, we proposed a novel model, which was based on the back propagation neural network (BPNN) and optimized by the Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithm, to forecast daily water quality in the SNWDPC MR. Nine water quality indicators, including conductivity (CD), chlorophyll content (CC), dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved organic matter (DOM), pH, permanganate index (PI), turbidity (TB), total nitrogen (TN), were the predictand. Seven influencing external factors, including air temperature (AT), PM 2.5, rainfall (RF), sunshine duration (SD), water flow (WF), wind velocity (WV), water vapor pressure (WVP) were the default predictors to the model. A total number of each predictand and predictor was 188 data in 94 days. We compared the proposed CS-BP model with other three models (i.e., the traditional BP model, the general regression neural network model and the particle swarm optimization back-propagation) by the case study of the SNWDPC MR. The correlation coefficients between two different indexes were calculated and different predictors of each predictand were selected according to the descending order of the correlation coefficients to compare the forecast performance with the default predictors. The comparison showed that 5 water quality indicators had lower Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) values and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) values under new predictors than the default but other 4 indicators were not. Under the default data proportion, 150:38 (training data: testing data), the CS-BP model had lowest RMSE and MAPE values of each water quality indicator among four models. When the training data reduced from 150 to 140, and from 140 to 130, the CS-BP model maintained the highest forecast accuracy. The results showed that among four models, the CS-BP model performed best in forecasting each water quality indicator and this model is effective to forecast water quality with limited observed data of predictors such as water quality in the SNWDPC MR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the influencing factors of hospitalization cost of hypertensive patients in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine, TCM) hospitals, which can provide a scientific basis for hospitals to control the hospitalization cost of hypertension., Methods: In this study, 3,595 hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of tertiary hypertension in Tianshui City Hospital of TCM, Gansu Province, China, from January 2017 to June 2022, were used as research subjects. Using univariate analysis to identify the relevant variables of hospitalization cost, followed by incorporating the statistically significant variables of univariate analysis as independent variables in multiple linear regression analysis, and establishing the path model based on the results of the multiple linear regression finally, to explore the factors influencing hospitalization cost comprehensively., Results: The results showed that hospitalization cost of hypertension patients were mainly influenced by length of stay, age, admission pathways, payment methods of medical insurance, and visit times, with length of stay being the most critical factor., Conclusion: The Chinese government should actively exert the characteristics and advantages of TCM in the treatment of chronic diseases such as hypertension, consistently optimize the treatment plans of TCM, effectively reduce the length of stay and steadily improve the health literacy level of patients, to alleviate the illnesses pain and reduce the economic burden of patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hou, Cong, Cai, Ba, Chen, Yang and Luo.)