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This study aimed to investigate the gap between adaptive functioning and cognitive functioning, especially verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ) in Chinese children with ASD. We systematically explored cognitive functioning, ASD severity, early signs of developmental abnormalities, and socioeconomic factors as mediating factors of adaptive functioning. We enrolled 151 children (age: 2.5?6 years) with ASD and categorized them into one group with IQ [greater than or equal to] 70 and another with IQ < 70. The two groups were calibrated for age, age at diagnosis, and IQ, and the relationship of adaptive skills with vocabulary acquisition index (VAI) and nonverbal index (NVI) were separately analyzed. Results show that the gap between IQ and adaptive functioning was significant in children with ASD having IQ [greater than or equal to] 70, with both VAI and NVI showing statistically significant differences (all P < 0.001). VAI correlated positively with scores for overall adaptive skills and specific domains, whereas NVI had no significant correlations with adaptive skill scores. Age of first walking unaided had an independent positive correlation (all P < 0.05) with scores of adaptive skills and specific domains. IQ-adaptive functioning gap is significant in children with ASD having IQ [greater than or equal to] 70, suggesting that defining "high-functioning autism" merely on the basis of IQ is not appropriate. Verbal IQ and early signs of motor development are specific and possible predictors of adaptive functioning in children with ASD, respectively.

The multiple benefits of virtual experiments applied to science education depend heavily on science teachers' intentions to use them. The inducing mechanism is a process that combines different conditions of multiple factors. From the perspective of overall configuration, this study used the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2), to construct a causal explanation model of Chinese K-12 science teachers' intentions to use virtual experiments. Additionally, the snowball method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey of 342 Chinese K-12 science teachers. The results show that different conditions of the seven factors, performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), hedonic motivation (HM), price value (PV), and habit (H), do not have the necessary explanatory power for the results. Three paths for science teachers' high intentions to use virtual experiments were obtained by configuration analysis: Configuration 1 (PE*EE*SI*HM*PV*H), Configuration 2 (EE*SI*FC*PV*H), and Configuration 3 (PE*EE*FC*HM*H). These findings effectively broaden the scope of knowledge and interpretation of the original inductive mechanism of intentions to adopt technology. They provide theoretical and practical support for education departments to design more targeted programs to improve the ability of science teachers to apply virtual experiments in K-12 education. Finally, future research directions are explored.

In recent years, with the development of China's industry, the pollution problem of heavy metal wastewater in the country has become increasingly serious. In this paper, peanut shells modified with zinc chloride were selected as an adsorbent for the adsorption of Ag+ , and the optimal conditions for this adsorption were investigated. The results showed that the best adsorption effect was achieved at pH 4.0, an initial concentration of 250 μg/mL of Ag+ , a dosage of 0.10 g of peanut shell, a contact time of 40 min, and a temperature of 20°C. The prepared materials were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and an X-ray diffraction analyzer. It was found that the skeleton did not change after the peanut shell treatment: the pores became larger; and the peanut shells had good adsorption capacity for Ag+ after being modified with zinc chloride. The kinetic, thermodynamic, and isothermal properties of the adsorption process were analyzed, showing that the adsorption conforms to the quasisecond-order kinetic equation and to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. By this method, the heavy metal Ag+ in wastewater can be absorbed at low cost and with high efficiency, providing protection to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is the first-line treatment for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The optimal duration for H. pylori eradication using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical effects of the 10- and 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple treatment regimen to eradicate H. pylori. Methods: Treatment-naïve patients with H. pylori infection (n = 1300) were enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled study across five hospitals in China. They were randomized into 10- or 14-day treatment groups to receive bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as follows: vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily; bismuth 220 mg twice daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily; and either clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily or tetracycline 500 mg four times daily. At least 6 weeks after treatment, we performed a 13C-urea breath test to evaluate H. pylori eradication. Results: The per-protocol eradication rates were 93.22% (564/605) and 93.74% (569/607) (p < 0.001) and the intention-to-treat eradication rates were 88.62% (576/650) and 89.38% (581/650) (p = 0.007) for the 10- and 14-day regimens, respectively. Incidence of adverse effects was lower in patients who received 10- vs. 14 days of treatment (22.59% vs. 28.50%, p = 0.016). We observed no significant differences in the compliance to treatment or the discontinuation of therapy because of severe adverse effects between the groups. Conclusion: Compared with the 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple regimens, the 10-day regimen demonstrated a non-inferior efficacy and lower incidence of adverse effects. Therefore, the 10-day regimen is safe and tolerated and could be recommended for H. pylori eradication (NCT05049902). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Misdiagnosis of acute aortic syndrome (AAS) significantly increases mortality. Tenascin-C (TN-C) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein related to cardiovascular injury. The elevation of TN-C in AAS and whether it can discriminate sudden-onset of acute chest pain in Chinese remains unclear. METHODS We measured the plasma concentration of TN-C by ELISA in a cohort of 376 patients with chest or back pain. Measures to discriminate AAS from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were compared and calculated. RESULTS From October 2016 to September 2021, 376 undiagnosed patients with chest or back pain were enrolled. 166 of them were finally diagnosed as AAS, 100 were ACS and 110 without cardiovascular diseases (NCV). TN-C was significantly elevated in AAS at 18.18 ng/mL (IQR: 13.10--27.68) compared with 7.51 ng/mL (IQR: 5.67--11.38) in ACS (P < 0.001) and 3.68 ng/mL (IQR: 2.50--5.29) in NCV (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in TN-C level among the subtypes of AAS. Of the 166 AAS patients, the peaked level of TN-C was at acute stage (P = 0.012), then a slight of decrease was observed at subacute stage. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for AAS patients versus NCV was 0.979 (95% CI: 0.964-0.994) for TN-C. At a cutoff level of 11.474 ng/mL, TN-C has a sensitivity of 76.0%, specificity of 85.5%, accuracy of 82.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 76.0%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 85.5%. Diagnostic performance of TN-C was superior to D-dimer and hs-cTnT. CONCLUSIONS The concentration of serum TN-C in AAS patients was significantly higher than that in ACS patients and NCV. TN-C could be a new biomarker to distinguish AAS patients in the early stage after symptoms onset from other pain diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lorlatinib is a new generation ALK kinase inhibitor. We describe a 52-year-old patient with ALK-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma who achieved remission after multi-line therapy combined with paraneoplastic leukemoid reaction treated with Lorlatinib. Case report: A 52-year-old male patient was diagnosed with stage IV right lung adenocarcinoma, ALK: (+), previously received oral Crizotinib and Alectinib. Blood routine showed white blood cells abnormally elevated after disease progression, and maximum white blood cell count was 179.14×109/L. The patient was enrolled in study entitled "a phase II, multicenter, open-label, dualcohort study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LORLATINIB monotherapy in ALK inhibitor-treated locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients in China". With oral Lorlatinib, the white blood cell count decreased from 179.14×109/L to normal after two weeks of administration. PFS was 4.5 months. When follow up imaging showed lesions progression, the white blood cell count increased again, diagnosing a paraneoplastic leukemic reaction. OS was 5.2 months. Conclusion: In this case, fourth-line Lorlatinib treatment is effiective in ALKpositive advanced patient with paraneoplastic leukemoid reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycogen serves as the principal energy reserve for metabolic processes in aquatic shellfish and substantially contributes to the flavor and quality of oysters. The Jinjiang oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis) is an economically and ecologically important species in China. In the present study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) were performed to investigate gene expression and chromatin accessibility variations in oysters with different glycogen contents. Analysis identified 9 483 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 7 215 genes with significantly differential chromatin accessibility (DCAGs) were obtained, with an overlap of 2 600 genes between them. Notably, a significant proportion of these genes were enriched in pathways related to glycogen metabolism, including “Glycogen metabolic process” and “Starch and sucrose metabolism”. In addition, genomewide association study (GWAS) identified 526 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci associated with glycogen content. These loci corresponded to 241 genes, 63 of which were categorized as both DEGs and DCAGs. This study enriches basic research data and provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of glycogen metabolism in C. ariakensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile bacterium with multi-flagella, strain RST, was isolated from bacterial wilt of tobacco in Yuxi city of Yunnan province, China. The strain contains the major fatty acids of C16: 0, summed feature 3 (C16: 1 7c and/or C16: 1 6c), and summed feature 8 (C18: 1 7c and/or C18: 1 6c). The polar lipid profile of strain RST consists of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and unidentified aminophospholipid. Strain RST contains ubiquinones Q-7 and Q-8. 16S rRNA gene sequence (1,407 bp) analysis showed that strain RST is closely related to members of the genus Ralstonia and shares the highest sequence identities with R. pseudosolanacearum LMG 9673T (99.50%), R. syzygii subsp. indonesiensis LMG 27703T (99.50%), R. solanacearum LMG 2299T (99.28%), and R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis LMG 27706T (99.21%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence identities between strain RST and other members of the genus Ralstonia were below 98.00%. Genome sequencing yielded a genome size of 5.61 Mbp and a G + C content of 67.1 mol%. The genomic comparison showed average nucleotide identity (ANIb) values between strain RST and R. pseudosolanacearum LMG 9673T, R. solanacearum LMG 2299T, and R. syzygii subsp. indonesiensis UQRS 627T of 95.23, 89.43, and 91.41%, respectively, and the corresponding digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values (yielded by formula 2) were 66.20, 44.80, and 47.50%, respectively. In addition, strains belonging to R. solanacearum phylotype I shared both ANIb and dDDH with strain RST above the species cut-off values of 96 and 70%, respectively. The ANIb and dDDH values between the genome sequences from 12 strains of R. solanacearum phylotype III (Current R. pseudosolanacearum) and those of strain RST were below the species cut-off values. Based on these data, we concluded that strains of phylotype I, including RST, represent a novel species of the genus Ralstonia, for which the name Ralstonia nicotianae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Ralstonia nicotianae sp. nov. is RST (=GDMCC 1.3533T = JCM 35814T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection by gastroenterologists from secondary and tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China, where there is a high prevalence of H. pylori infection. Methods: A questionnaire‐based, stratified sampling survey was conducted from June 1 to August 30, 2021. The ratio of secondary to tertiary hospitals was set at 2:1. An electronic questionnaire was sent to the gastroenterologists via the WeChat platform. Results: A total of 89.09% (1053/1182) gastroenterologists were included. Overall, 34.19% and 60.59% of gastroenterologists recommended screening for and treating H. pylori infection in patients without any competing factors. The most preferred testing method in secondary and tertiary hospitals was the 13C‐urea breath test (53.92% and 80.48%), but the reexamination rate of results close to the cut‐off value was low (55.10% and 59.48%). Gastroenterologists preferred bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy (secondary and tertiary hospitals: 96.67% and 98.53%), but the antibiotic combination prescribed for patients with penicillin allergy was suboptimal in secondary hospitals. The overall post‐treatment follow‐up rate was 64.58%, and gastroenterologists in secondary hospitals were more proactive than those in tertiary hospitals (69.41% vs 60.04%, P = 0.001). Less than 80% of gastroenterologists emphasized the importance of post‐treatment reexamination to their patients. Only a minority of gastroenterologists in secondary and tertiary hospitals (30.79% and 34.36%) achieved acceptable eradication rates (exceeding 80%). Conclusions: Deficiencies exist in gastroenterologists from secondary and tertiary hospitals, and the H. pylori eradication rate is relatively low. Training programs for gastroenterologists are warranted to strengthen their comprehension of guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hantaviruses can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia and have led to public health threat in China. The pathogenesis of HFRS is complex and involves capillary leakage due to the infection of vascular endothelial cells. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that hantavirus can induce apoptosis in many cells, but the mechanism remains unclear. Our studies showed that Hantaan virus (HTNV) infection could induce TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) expression in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and sensitize host cells toward TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, TRAIL interference could inhibit apoptosis and enhance the production of HTNV as well as reduce IFN-β production, while exogenous TRAIL treatment showed reverse outcome: enhanced apoptosis and IFN-β production as well as a lower level of viral replication. We also observed that nucleocapsid protein (NP) and glycoprotein (GP) of HTNV could promote the transcriptions of TRAIL and its receptors. Thus, TRAIL was upregulated by HTNV infection and then exhibited significant antiviral activities in vitro , and it was further confirmed in the HTNV-infected suckling mice model that TRAIL treatment significantly reduced viral load, alleviated virus-induced tissue lesions, increased apoptotic cells, and decreased the mortality. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that TRAIL-dependent apoptosis and IFN-β production could suppress HTNV replication and TRAIL treatment might be a novel therapeutic target for HTNV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is the primary source of China's carbon emissions due to the energy structure and its resource endowment. This reality creates enormous pressure and impetus for low-carbon pathways of coal production and consumption. Based on a literature review on carbon emissions accounting methods, this paper builds a source-driven CO2 emissions accounting model for the coal development sector using the emissions factor method. Scenario analysis is employed to predict future carbon emission equivalents and to indicate possible implications for climate change mitigation in this sector. Carbon emissions from coal development are mainly derived from coal mine gas emissions, which yield 62% of the sector's total carbon emissions, followed by energy consumption. The recent decline in coal mining-driven CO2 emissions is mainly due to the strict deployment of coal mine gas and the changing structure of coal mines. The results from the scenarios suggest that the carbon emissions reduction potential will largely be determined by technology innovation in the coal mine gas industry. Policy implications for further addressing carbon emissions from the supply side of the coal industry include improvements in energy efficiency and coal mine gas extraction and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterial blooms often occur in aquaculture wastewater in China. A floating plant, water hyacinth has been widely used to treat this wastewater. Little is known, however, about bacterial community characteristics and the risk of potential pathogens in cyanobacteria-blooming aquaculture wastewater remediated by water hyacinth. In wastewater treated with water hyacinth, we used culture enumeration and high-throughput sequencing to explore the characteristics of bacterial communities, the status of coliform bacteria, and pathogenic bacteria potentially conducive to human disease. Our results indicated that the relative abundance of Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, Chlorobi, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and phylum OD1 in cyanobacteria-blooming aquaculture wastewater were significantly influenced by water hyacinth. After 30 days, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and phylum OD1 in the water hyacinth treatments increased remarkably, while the relative abundance of the other 5 phyla in treatment was significantly reduced compared with the controls. In 21 major families, the relative abundance of Comamonadaceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Rhodocylclaceae, and an unnamed group from phylum OD1 increased significantly in the water hyacinth treatments compared with the controls. The number of total coliforms in wastewater treated by water hyacinth was significantly elevated and higher than controls during the first 6-18 days, with the maximum reaching 23,800 MPN/L. The level of potential pathogenic bacteria in wastewater treated by water hyacinth significantly reduced compared with the controls after 18 days, but it significantly increased from the initial level. It appears that water hyacinth by itself is not an effective treatment for reducing potential pathogens in aquaculture water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main body of Hebi City is located in the transition zone between the mountain and the plain on the north bank of the Yellow River. It includes two major geomorphological units, the bedrock uplift area of the Taihang Mountain and the sedimentary area of the North China Plain. The Shinaimiao (SNM) core locates in Hebi City of China, belongs to the accumulation plain of the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains which is part of the North China Plain, and composed by quaternary alluvium and flood deposits in lithology. The SNM core is 126.64 m deep. Environmental magnetism and ESR dating method are used to divided the lower and middle Pleistocene, and determine the quaternary bottom boundary. OSL and radiocarbon (14C) dating methods are used for the division of the middle and upper Pleistocene, and Holocene. Quaternary stratum of SNM core is divided by multiple dating methods, which have provided the basic data for the study of urban active fault detection and environmental evolution in Hebi City and its vicinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reoperative cardiac valve surgery via sternotomy is associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the right anterolateral thoracotomy for high-risk patients undergoing mitral and tricuspid valve redo procedures.Methods: Out of a series of 173 patients undergoing redo cardiac valve surgery, 24 patients were reoperative via the right anterolateral thoracotomy as the high-risk group on the basis of the proximity of the heart and great vessels to the sternum and the presence and location of patent bypass grafts.Results: In all cases, sternotomy was avoided. The mitral valve and tricuspid valve were replaced in 4 and 19 patients and repaired in 1 and 2 patients, respectively. Moreover, left atrial folding was performed in 5 patients. Mortality was 8.3%. All other patients had uneventful outcomes and normal valve function at follow-up.Conclusions: Reoperative cardiac valve surgery can be performed safely using the right anterolateral thoracotomy in high-risk patients. It offers enough exposure. It minimizes the need for cardiac dissection, and thus, the risk for injury. Avoiding a high-risk resternotomy increases patients comfort and safety of redo mitral and tricuspid valve surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity in arid regions can be addressed by using the virtual water concept in water resources management. This research used a compiled county-level input--output table to analyze virtual water flows for the Heihe River Basin in 2012 by applying a multi-regional input--output (MRIO) model. The results showed that the Heihe River Basin is a net virtual water exporter at a scale of 1.05 billion m³, which accounts for one third of the total amount of the basin's water resources. The midstream area of the basin imports 96.31% of virtual water (2.04 billion m³) and exports 88.84% of virtual water (0.94 billion m³). In contrast, the upstream and downstream parts have limited virtual water flows. The agricultural sector largely consumes water in each county; maize or wheat production accounts for approximately 50% of the total water consumption. For most sectors, the virtual water content from surface water is greater than that from groundwater. The ratio of virtual surface water to virtual groundwater ranges from 1.20 to 2.91. The results for the water stress index indicated that most counties experienced water stress due to maize production. Greater attention needs to be paid to the adaptation and assessment of virtual water strategies in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) adversely affects surgical outcomes of cardiac valve surgery. Surgical ablation is an effective way to treat valvular AF. The aim of this study was to evaluate the late outcome of surgical radiofrequency ablation and explore the risk factors of AF recurrence in Chinese patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery.Methods: Three hundred ninety six consecutive patients with persistent valvular AF were enrolled in this study. They underwent concomitant modified Maze IV and were completed follow-ups. Cox survival regression model was used to screen independent risk factors for predicting late recurrence of AF.Results: During the follow-up period of 28 (6 ~ 61) months, AF recurred in 151 patients (38.1%). In multivariate survival regression, factors predictive of AF late recurrence were AF duration, pre-operative serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), pre-operative heart rate and left atrial diameter (LAD), post-operative atrial tachyarrhythmias and AF at discharge. According to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the best cutoff values for AF duration, BNP, heart rate and LAD were 66.5 months, 251 pg/ml, 82 beats/min and 67.9 mm, respectively.Conclusions: Longer AF duration, larger LAD, higher BNP level and lower heart rate indicated a poor late outcome of surgical radiofrequency ablation in persistent AF patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. Therefore, indication to radiofrequency ablation should be carefully considered in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of coseismic landslides triggered by the 2014 Ludian, Yunnan, China Mw6.1 earthquake exhibits a particular pattern. They do not concentrate linearly along a fault (e.g., the causative fault) or a tectonic zone, instead mostly appear in the southeast and west of the epicenter of the main shock in a relatively clustering manner, 5-9 km distant. Majority of them occur at the river reaches with cliffs, including the unusually large-scale landslide at the Hongshiyan village, north bank of the Njiulanjiang River. Such a phenomenon implies that local conditions of terrain of the river valley might control the distribution of coseismic landslides induced by the Ludian event, which is of a moderate magnitude. To verify quantitatively this intuitive conjecture, this study proposes a parameter of the relative landslide area ratio, with which a statistics is made for landslide area ratios and local terrain conditions. The results demonstrate that this ratio value is highly correlated with the three terrain variables, i.e., slope angle, local relief, and slope aspect (facing direction of the slope). In the study area, most coseismic landslides occur at loci with slope angle greater than 30°-40°, particularly the river reaches with slope angle exceeding 50°. Localized distribution of the landslides is positively correlated with terrain relief, of which majority lies at places with altitude differences over 400 m. The side slopes facing south and southeast are most prone to occurrence of coseismic landslides, which may be explained by the mainshock process that the seismogenic fault ruptured from northwest to southeast and from deep to shallow. It may also be an account on which there is no coseismic landslide southwest of the epicenter, though there also exist river reaches with steep slopes. It means that the seismic source process can pose a constraint on the control of local terrain conditions on the distribution pattern of earthquake-induced landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dexing porphyry copper deposit, part of the circum-Pacific porphyry copper ore belt, is the largest porphyry copper deposit in China (1,500 million tonnes [Mt] of ore at 0.43% Cu, 0.02% Mo, and 0.16 grams per tonne Au, approximately equivalent to 6.45 Mt Cu, 0.25 Mt Mo, and 24 tonnes Au). We report results of sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb dating on zircons separated from a thick (~20-cm-wide) pyrite-chalcopyrite-quartz vein in this deposit, which is mineralogically and texturally different from the porphyry-related ore-bearing thin quartz veins. The zircons from the thick quartz vein are unzoned and nonluminescent (black) in the cathodoluminescence images. They show relatively flat light rare-earth element patterns and have high La content and low (Sm/La)N and Ce/Ce* values. These features are typical of hydrothermal zircons. SHRIMP U-Pb dating on these hydrothermal zircons yielded weighted mean 206Pb/238U ages of 106.5 ± 0.9 and 100.9 ± 3.5 Ma, which are ca. 70 m.y. younger than the ages (172-171 Ma) of the ore-bearing porphyries and the molybdenite Re-Os ages (170.9 ± 1.1 Ma) of the porphyry-related disseminated and veinlet (usually <1 cm in width) ores. This suggests the occurrence of a younger, distinct Cu (Au?) hydrothermal event superimposed on the porphyry Cu-Mo-Au mineralization at Dexing. The mineralogical features and age of this hydrothermal event suggest that it could belong to the metallogenic event responsible for the formation of the late Early Cretaceous to early Late Cretaceous (110-95 Ma) epithermal Cu-Au-Ag deposits in southeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Non-small cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations have mixed responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Intertumor heterogeneity in EGFR mutations is one potential explanation for this phenomenon. Methods. We performed direct sequencing to identify EGFR mutations in 180 pairs of lung adenocarcinoma samples (from 3,071 patients). The high-resolution melting method was used in discordant cases to confirm EGFR mutation status. Matching samples were divided into four groups: primary lesions detected at different times, primary tumors with matched metastatic lymph nodes, multiple pulmonary nodules, and primary tumors with matched distant metastases. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate correlations between heterogeneity and patient characteristics. Results. In the study population, the discordance rate was 13.9% (25 of 180). The multiple pulmonary nodules group had the highest discordance rate of 24.4% (10 of 41; odds ratio for heterogeneity in primary lesions detected at different times, 6.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.71-23.72; p = .006). Discordance rates in the metachronous and synchronous settings were 15.7% (22 of 140) and 7.5% (three of 40), respectively. In the 34 patients who developed EGFR TKI resistance, 10 (29.4%) cases exhibited heterogeneity and five (14.7%) patients exhibited a mixed response to the drug. Three (8.8%) of the patients with a mixed response also exhibited discordant EGFR mutations. Conclusions. The overall discordance rate of EGFR mutation heterogeneity in Asian patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma is relatively low, but the rate in patients with multiple pulmonary nodules is significantly higher. This observation may explain the mixed tumor response to EGFR TKIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Appropriate patient selection is needed for targeted therapies that are efficacious only in patients with specific genetic alterations. We aimed to define subgroups of patients with candidate driver genes in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer. Methods: Patients with primary lung cancer who underwent clinical genetic tests at Guangdong General Hospital were enrolled. Driver genes were detected by sequencing, high-resolution melt analysis, qPCR, or multiple PCR and RACE methods. Results: 524 patients were enrolled in this study, and the differences in driver gene alterations among subgroups were analyzed based on histology and smoking status. In a subgroup of non-smokers with adenocarcinoma, EGFR was the most frequently altered gene, with a mutation rate of 49.8%, followed by EML4-ALK (9.3%), PTEN (9.1%), PIK3CA (5.2%), c-Met (4.8%), KRAS (4.5%), STK11 (2.7%), and BRAF (1.9%). The three most frequently altered genes in a subgroup of smokers with adenocarcinoma were EGFR (22.0%), STK11 (19.0%), and KRAS (12.0%). We only found EGFR (8.0%), c-Met (2.8%), and PIK3CA (2.6%) alterations in the non-smoker with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) subgroup. PTEN (16.1%), STK11 (8.3%), and PIK3CA (7.2%) were the three most frequently enriched genes in smokers with SCC. DDR2 and FGFR2 only presented in smokers with SCC (4.4% and 2.2%, respectively). Among these four subgroups, the differences in EGFR, KRAS, and PTEN mutations were statistically significant. Conclusion: The distinct features of driver gene alterations in different subgroups based on histology and smoking status were helpful in defining patients for future clinical trials that target these genes. This study also suggests that we may consider patients with infrequent alterations of driver genes as having rare or orphan diseases that should be managed with special molecularly targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several previous studies on the relationship between the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) gene and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have connected certain genetic variants to late-onset AD, in the absence of the apolipoprotein E (APOE)ε4 allele. However, the conclusions of these studies remain controversial. We investigated the association between two polymorphisms of IDE with AD in the Chinese population and found that the T/A genotype of rs4646958 had an important role in AD (adjusted p =0.007, odds ratio [OR]=2.796, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.330–5.878), under the co-dominant genetic model. The T/C genotype of rs1887922 was also significantly associated with AD compared to the T/T genotype (adjusted p =0.003, OR=2.644, 95% CI=1.407–4.970). The C allele of rs1887922 conferred a higher risk of AD under the dominant genetics model (adjusted p =0.001, OR=2.719, 95% CI=1.472–5.022). Compared with the two other variant genotypes, the T/T genotype showed a protective effect in both polymorphisms (adjusted p =0.007, OR=0. 358, 95% CI=0.170–0.752 for rs4646958; adjusted p =0.001, OR=0. 368, 95% CI=0.199–0.679 in rs1887922). In the context of APOEε4-negative status, both variants were significantly associated with AD in some genetic models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examined the main and interactive relations of stressors and coping related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) with Chinese college students' psychological adjustment (psychological symptoms, perceived general health, and life satisfaction) during the 2003 Beijing SARS epidemic. All the constructs were assessed by self-report in an anonymous survey during the final period of the outbreak. Results showed that the relations of stressors and coping to psychological adjustment varied by domain of adjustment. Regression analyses suggested that the number of stressors and use of avoidant coping strategies positively predicted psychological symptoms. Active coping positively predicted life satisfaction when controlling for stressors. Moreover, all types of coping served as a buffer against the negative impact of stressors on perceived general health. These findings hold implications for university counseling services during times of acute, large-scale stressors. In particular, effective screening procedures should be developed to identify students who experience a large number of stressors and thus are at high risk for developing mental health problems. Intervention efforts that target coping should be adapted to take account of the uncontrollability of stressors and clients' cultural preferences for certain coping strategies. A multidimensional battery of psychological adjustment should be used to monitor clients' psychological adjustment to stressors and evaluate the efficacy of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of surface soil and water in the karst rocky desertification area of carbonate rock in Chenqi village, Puding County, Guizhou Province was monitored in this study. The results show that the major form of surface soil loss in the area is the loss of soil through underground channels. A creep test of red clay formed by loss through underground channels was conducted. The results of the test show that the creep curve of the red clay samples includes two stages: attenuation creep stage and stable creep stage. The creep law for the red clay samples in the karst cave can be described by Buger's model. The parameters of Buger's equation were deduced by fitting the creep curve, which provides the reference for analyzing the surface soil loss leaking through the underground channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (MW 7.9) produced a 240-kmlong surface rupture zone along the Beichuan fault and a 72-km-long rupture along the Pengguan fault, which are two of the three subparallel secondary strands of the northeast-striking Longmen Shan thrust fault system in the province of Sichuan, China. Among a total of twenty coseismic surface ruptures surveyed in the field, seventeen are less than 40 m wide, about half of them are 10-30 m wide, and only 3 are over 40-59 m wide. Many buildings sitting directly on the path of the surface ruptures were either completely demolished or severely damaged, including those with a frame or reinforced concrete structure. Other buildings a short distance from the rupture zones were subjected to only minor or no damage. These observations reinforce the use of fault setback zone in the postquake reconstruction of Wenchuan. Considering the crustal shortening of the inverse faulting that triggered the Wenchuan earthquake and uncertainties in width survey of the surface ruptures, we estimate the setback distance of 25 m for the seismogenic faults, which is comparable to the 15-30-m setback distance used in the seismically active regions of California. It is therefore recommended that construction of public buildings and residential structures should not be permitted within the 25-m setback zone of the seismogenic faults in the postquake reconstruction of Wenchuan and its surrounding areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospective relations between five types of parental reactions to children's negative emotions (PRCNE) and children's psychological adjustment (behavioral problems and social competence) were examined in a two-wave longitudinal study of 425 school-age children in China. Parents (mostly mothers) reported their own PRCNE. Parents, teachers, and children or peers reported on children's adjustment. Parental punitive reactions positively predicted externalizing problems (controlling for baseline), whereas emotion- and problem-focused reactions were negatively related to internalizing problems. Parental minimizing and encouragement of emotion expression were unrelated to adjustment. Concurrent relations were found between PRCNE and parents' authoritative and authoritarian parenting dimensions. However, PRCNE did not uniquely predict adjustment controlling for global parenting dimensions. The findings have implications for cultural adaptation of parent-focused interventions for families of Chinese origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospective relations of temperamental effortful control and anger/frustration to Chinese children's (N = 425, age range = 6.6 -9.1 years) academic achievement (grade point average, or GPA) and social adjustment (externalizing problems and social competence) were examined in a 2-wave (3.8 years apart) longitudinal study. Parents and teachers rated children's temperament, and parents, teachers, and/or peers rated children's externalizing problems and social competence. Effortful control positively predicted children's GPA, controlling for prior level of GPA. Analyses examining the potential mechanisms underlying the temperament-achievement associations suggested that effortful control positively predicted social competence, and social competence positively predicted GPA. Moreover, anger/frustration positively predicted externalizing problems, and externalizing problems negatively predicted GPA. Mediational analyses suggested that the relations between temperament and GPA were mediated by social competence and externalizing problems. Evidence for the reciprocal relations between externalizing problems and GPA was also found. The study suggested that there are complex interplays among temperament, academic achievement, and social adjustment for school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relations of parents' and teachers' reports of temperament anger-irritability, positive emotionality, and effortful control (attention focusing and inhibitory control) to children's externalizing and internalizing problems were examined in Chinese (N 382) and U.S. (N = 322) samples of school-age children. Results suggested that in both cultures, low effortful control and high anger-irritability were associated with high externalizing problems, although th relations were stronger in the Chinese sample than in the U.S. sample. Low positive emotionality was associated with high internalizing problems in both cultures. However, high positive emotionality was associated with noncomorbid externalizing problems (teachers' reports) in the Chinese sample but not in the U.S. sample. These findings suggest that there are considerable cross-cultural similarities in the temperament-adjustment associations, although some cross-cultural differences might exist. Implications of the findings for the detection and intervention of adjustment problems in Chinese children are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of hypertonic crystalloid solutions, including sodium chloride and bicarbonate, for treating severe sepsis has been much debated in previous investigations. We have investigated the effects of three crystalloid solutions on fluid resuscitation in severe sepsis patients with hypotension. Methods: Ninety-four severe sepsis patients with hypotension were randomly assigned to three groups. The patients received the following injections within 15 min at initial treatment: Ns group (n = 32), 5 ml/kg normal saline; Hs group (n = 30), with 5 ml/kg 3.5% sodium chloride; and Sb group (n = 32), 5 ml/kg 5% sodium bicarbonate. Cardiac output (CO), systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure (MAP), body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood gases were measured. Results: There were no differences among the three groups in CO, MAP, heart rate or respiratory rate during the 120 min trial or the 8 hour follow-up, and no significant differences in observed mortality rate after 28 days. However, improvement of MAP and CO started earlier in the Sb group than in the Ns and Hs groups. Sodium bicarbonate increased the base excess but did not alter blood pH, lactic acid or [HCO3]- values; and neither 3.5% hypertonic saline nor 5% sodium bicarbonate altered the Na+, K+, Ca2+ or Cl- levels. Conclusion: All three crystalloid solutions may be used for initial volume loading in severe sepsis, and sodium bicarbonate confers a limited benefit on humans with severe sepsis. Trial registration: ISRCTN36748319. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relations among authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles, children's effortful control and dispositional anger/frustration, and children's social functioning were examined for 425 first and second graders (7-10 years old) in Beijing, China. Parents reported on parenting styles; parents and teachers rated children's effortful control, anger/frustration, externalizing problems, and socially appropriate behaviors; and peers rated aggression and leadership/sociability. High effortful control and low dispositional anger/frustration uniquely predicted Chinese children's high social functioning, and the relation of anger/frustration to social functioning was moderated by effortful control. Authoritarian parenting was associated with children's low effortful control and high dispositional anger/frustration, which (especially effortful control) mediated the negative relation between authoritarian parenting and children's social functioning. Effortful control weakly mediated the positive relation of authoritative parenting to social functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: ATP13A2 (PARK9) mutations are related to Kufor-Rakeb syndrome (KRS). We performed genetic analysis of the Ala746Thr variant in an independent cohort of the patients with PD and healthy controls from mainland China. The Ala746Thr variant was present in 1/532 (0.19%) of PD compared with 1/480 (0.21%) of healthy controls (odds ratio=0.90, 95% CI 0.06, 14.39, P =1.00). The two subjects carried the heterozygous genotype. Subset analysis in the group ≤50 years of age revealed a prevalence of 0.7% in PD compared with 0% in healthy controls and in the group >50 years of age showed 0% in PD versus 0.3% in healthy controls. We did not observe a significant association between Ala746Thr and Parkinson''s disease in Han Chinese population, even after stratification by age at onset. The results suggested that Ala746Thr variant was not a major susceptible factor for PD in Han Chinese people. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aims to control the processing technology of granite aggregate through fractal theory, and to optimize the gradation of concrete to solve the reuse of waste stone derived from the construction and demolition wastes in China. This study applies the waste stone from construction and demolition wastes in concrete and provide a case example for the construction industry to implement the recycle, reuse and reduce principle to affect the management policy of waste stone. The demand for concrete is surging with the continuous expansion of global infrastructure construction. This study presents the process the waste stone produced by excavation along the line to concrete aggregate is a serious problem to be solved. The fractal and gradation theory are employed to investigate the effects of aggregate shape and gradation distribution on the concrete performances, including compressive strength, frost resistance and chloride ion permeability. The larger the fractal dimension of aggregate was, the worse the performance of concrete was. There was always an optimal gradation to optimize the performance of concrete. The 28-day compressive strength of C1 aggregate concrete with larger fractal dimension was 2–3 MPa lower than that of C2 and C3 aggregate concrete. In the freeze-thaw cycle test, the loss of C1 aggregate was 1% more than that of the other two aggregate. 100 times, 200 times and 300 times, the loss of C1 aggregate was reduced by 3–4%, 7–13% and 20% in average. In terms of chloride ion permeability, the impact to chloride ion permeability of graded concrete was greater than that of fractal dimension, and the RCM value of two concrete with worse gradation was about twice as much as that of better gradation concrete. This study conducts the performance analysis and optimize the overall calculation for mix design. The result indicated that larger fractal dimension of aggregate would lead to the worse appeal performance of concrete. When the ratio of 5 mm–10mm aggregate to 10 mm–20mm aggregate is close to 30:70 and the performance is the best. The C50HPC overall calculation method for mix design has achieved better results in engineering practice. Image 1 • The index and method for calculating the fractal dimension of aggregate are proposed. • The relationship between different gradation and fractal dimensions and the main properties of concrete is analyzed. • The proposed mix design method improves the performance guarantee rate of concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth in automobile production in China during the past few decades has caused numerous tires to be scrapped, and their disposal has become a significant challenge. This study proposes a Triple Exponential Smoothing prediction model to predict the supply of waste tires in 2019–2023, and the demand for these tires in three road construction scenarios. In addition, performance analysis is conducted to evaluate the carbon emissions produced in the production process of crumb rubber, modified asphalt, and styrene–butadiene–styrene modified asphalt. The reduction potential of carbon emissions when using crumb rubber for road construction is measured to contribute to the sustainable management of waste tires. The results demonstrate that the prediction model employed for prediction of waste tire production is robust, and the prediction results can be used to evaluate waste tire recycling. In addition, crumb rubber can be used as an efficient and environmentally friendly method for recycling end-of-life tires. Expanding the proportion of rubber powder asphalt application is an effective method for balancing the supply and demand contradiction of crumb rubber. Moreover, the potential for energy savings and emissions reduction, in addition to the economic benefits of using crumb rubber modified asphalt, are significantly higher than those employing styrene–butadiene–styrene modified asphalt. These results indicate the possibility of a circular economy and decreased dependence on non-renewable asphalt resources. • A forecast model was established to reveal the recycling pressure of waste tires. • This study analyzes the supply and demand of WRP and its potential application. • There is a huge demand for WRP modified asphalt in road construction. • The energy conservation of WRP modified asphalt is compared with SBS's. • The WRP modified asphalt is one of the best ways to recycle waste tires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: China has a high prevalence of smoking, but the characteristics of social smoking in Chinese college students have not been investigated. We examined the pattern of social smoking and explored the association between social smoking and personal cessation efforts and mental health factors among Chinese male college students.Design: Study design was a cross-sectional survey.Setting: P. R. China was the setting of the study.Subjects: Participants were a random sample of 1327 male college students.Measures: All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire that examined their smoking behaviors and a group of specific mental health factors (loneliness, self-harm, suicide, depression, and anxiety).Analysis: Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, χ2 analysis, and multivariate logistic regression.Results: Of a total of 207 current smokers, 102 (49.3%) were identified as social smokers. Compared with nonsmokers, social smokers had increased risks for depression (odds ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.65). Among daily smokers, social smokers were less likely to have an intention to quit smoking than nonsocial smokers (odds ratio, .08; 95% confidence interval, .01-.57).Conclusion: This study reveals unique psychologic characteristics related to social smoking. College students are a particular group of interest because unhealthy behaviors initiated during adolescence may continue through adulthood. Our findings provide evidence for future tobacco control intervention among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents of children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) experience considerable stress and challenges in parenting. Based on a 2-year, 3-wave longitudinal study of children with ODD (N = 243, mean age = 9.47 years, SD = 1.53; 72.8% boys) and their parents in Mainland China, our study examined the relation between 3 dimensions of parenting stress (i.e., Parental Distress, Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction, and Difficult Child) and their children's ODD symptoms. Using cross-lagged panel models, we tested the bidirectional relation between parenting stress and children's ODD symptoms. We found evidence for both parent-driven and child-driven effects. Specifically, Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction (PCDI) at T2 positively predicted children's ODD symptoms at T3. Moreover, children's ODD symptoms at T1 positively predicted parental perceptions of Difficult Child and PCDI at T2. Further, children's ODD symptoms at T2 positively predicted all 3 dimensions of parenting stress at T3. Further, multiple-group path analysis by child's gender suggested that PCDI had a significant negative relation with girls' (but not boys') ODD symptoms from T1 to T2 and had a significant positive relation with boys' (but not girls) ODD symptoms from T2 to T3. These findings provided support for the dynamic relations among parenting stress, parent-child interaction, and children's ODD symptoms and highlighted the different effects of child gender in the parent-child interaction process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topsoil carbon (C) stocks are known to decrease as a consequence of the conversion of natural ecosystems to plantations or croplands; however, the effect of land use change on subsoil C remains unknown. Here, we hypothesized that the effect of land use change on labile subsoil organic C may be even stronger than for topsoil due to upward concentration of plantations and crops root systems. We evaluated soil labile organic C fractions, including particulate organic carbon (POC) and its components [coarse POC and fine POC], light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), readily oxidizable organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and microbial biomass down to 100 cm soil depth from four typical land use systems in subtropical China. Decrease in fine root biomass was more pronounced below 20 cm than in the overlying topsoil (70% vs. 56% for plantation and 62% vs. 37% for orchard. respectively) driving a reduction in subsoil labile organic C stocks. Land use changes from natural forest to Chinese fir plantation, Chinese chestnut orchard, or sloping tillage reduced soil organic C stocks and that of its labile fractions both in top and subsoil (20-100 cm). POC reduction was mainly driven by a decrease in fine POC in topsoil, while DOC was mainly reduced in subsoil. Fine POC, LFOC and microbial biomass can be useful early indicators of changes in topsoil organic C. In contrast, LFOC and DOC are useful indicators for subsoil. Reduced proportions of fine POC, LFOC, DOC and microbial biomass to soil organic C reflected the decline in soil organic C quality caused by land use changes. We conclude that land use changes decrease C sequestration both in topsoil and subsoil, which is initially indicated by the labile soil organic C fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]