Search

Purpose: The etiology of 46, XY disorders of sex development (46, XY DSD) is complex, and studies have shown that different series of patients with 46, XY DSD has different genetic spectrum. In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying genetic etiology in a Chinese series of patients with 46, XY DSD by whole exome sequencing (WES). Methods: Seventy patients with 46, XY DSD were enrolled from the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China). The detailed clinical characteristics were evaluated, and peripheral blood was collected for WES to find the patients' rare variants (RVs) of genes related to 46, XY DSD. The clinical significance of the RVs was annotated according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: A total of 57 RVs from nine genes were identified in 56 patients with 46, XY DSD, which include 21 novel RVs and 36 recurrent RVs. Based on the American ACMG guidelines, 43 variants were classified as pathogenic(P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants and 14 variants were defined as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). P or LP variants were identified in 64.3% (45/70) patients of the series. Thirty‐nine, 14, and 4 RVs were involved in the process of androgen synthesis and action, testicular determination and developmental process, and syndromic 46, XY DSD, respectively. The top three genes most frequently affected to cause 46, XY DSD were AR, SRD5A2, and NR5A1. Seven patients were found harboring RVs of the 46, XY DSD pathogenic genes identified in recent years, namely DHX37 in four patients, MYRF in two patients, and PPP2R3C in one patient. Conclusion: We identified 21 novel RVs of nine genes, which extended the genetic spectrum of 46, XY DSD pathogenic variants. Our study showed that 60% of the patients were caused by AR, SRD5A2 or NR5A1 P/LP variants. Therefore, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and Sanger sequencing of these three genes could be performed first to identify the pathogeny of the patients. For those patients whose pathogenic variants had not been found, whole‐exome sequencing could be helpful in determining the etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) induce long-lasting infections that cause cervical cancer. This study evaluated the prevalence of HPV infections and the distribution of their genotypes among clinic patients and healthy women in Beijing, China. Methods: Cervical specimens were collected from 12,100 patients and 1176 subjects who underwent physical examinations at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, between March 2016 and September 2020. HPV genotyping was performed using commercial kits designed to detect 15 high-risk and 2 low-risk HPV genotypes. Results: There was a higher overall prevalence of HPV among the clinic patients (21.0%) than among the healthy women (11.9%). The most common HPV genotypes among the patients were: HPV-52 (5.4%), HPV-16 (3.4%), HPV-58 (3.2%), HPV-51 (2.6%), HPV-39 (2.0%), HPV-56 (2.0%), and HPV-66 (2.0%). Among the healthy women: HPV-52 (3.0%), HPV-51 (1.8%), HPV-58 (1.6%), HPV-66 (1.5%), HPV-16 (1.2%), HPV-56 (1.2%), and HPV-18 (1.1%). Multiple HPVs were detected in 29.1% of the gynecological outpatients and in 23.6% of the women receiving physical examinations. The most common pairs of HPV types detected were HPV-52 and HPV-16 in the clinic patients, and HPV-52 and HPV-56 in the healthy women. Age-specific HPV positivity and peak prevalence were observed among the individuals in both groups for women aged less than 25 years and those between 61 and 65 years of age. Conclusions: Our results provide current estimates of HPV prevalence and genotypes in the Beijing region. The epidemiological characteristics observed also provide a reference for the development of cervical cancer screening strategies and selection of HPV vaccine antigen targets for this region. A comparison of these HPV prevalence data with those from other regions suggests that regional vaccines may be an important direction for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to alternative energy sources and the adoption of on-demand operating modes in urban bus systems are crucial steps towards reducing carbon footprints and improving public transit services. This paper presents a two-phase approach for the collaborative optimization of charging schedules and passenger services, aimed at enhancing the operation of on-demand electric bus systems. First, we propose a label-setting dynamic programming algorithm that enables the efficient generation of bus-trips for each bus line in response to passenger requests. Second, we introduce a time–space network optimization model that facilitates integrated multiple bus-trip planning for the transit network, involving multiple bus lines and charging spots. The model selects bus-trips from various time–space arcs, which represent passenger carrying, bus deployment, and bus charging activities. To validate the effectiveness of our approach, we conduct a case study using real-world data from bus lines in Beijing, China. Computational results demonstrate that our approach can handle on-demand electric bus operations within minutes of solution time, efficiently serving over 2,000 passengers. Practically, our approach achieves a notable reduction in average transit time and effectively reduces the waste of public transit resources. The proposed approach can serve as a beneficial tool for decision-makers and operators seeking to enhance the performance and environmental impact of their electric bus systems. • This paper aims at enhancing on-demand bus operational efficiency. • This paper proposes an optimization approach for electric bus operations. • This paper provides practical solutions for responsive transit systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a destructive disease in grapes. Although the preharvest use of pesticides can control it, fungicide resistance in B. cinerea is now common. We used an Effect and Less Spraying Control (ELSC) method for applying fungicides effective against B. cinerea on grapes. The spraying schedule was determined by exploring the key stages of B. cinerea invasion using field and in vitro inoculation tests. The results indicated that the stage most vulnerable to pathogen invasion is the full-bloom stage. The disease incidence/severity in this stage is highest compared with the pre-bloom, 10-days-after-full-bloom, bunch-closure and veraison stages. Given the inoculation results and the threat of residual infected petals, the ELSC method established an optimum spray schedule at full bloom and 10 days after full bloom. To evaluate the ELSC method, four kinds of fungicides were used in an experimental trial in Beijing in 2015 and 2017; Shanghai in 2016; and Hebei in 2019 and 2021. Fludioxonil was the most effective fungicide, followed by Pythium oligandrum (bio-fungicide), difenoconazole + azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin. ELSC was more effective against B. cinerea than the traditional control schedule, when comparing the disease severity (i.e., 0.07 ± 0.10% in ELSC and 0.49 ± 0.014% in the traditional practice when using fludioxonil). The average yield per hectare in ELSC confirmed that spraying during flowering does not have a deleterious effect on grape yield. It produced a 1224.37 00 kg/ha greater yield than the control group when fludioxonil was applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deterministic processes prevail in the subcommunity assembly of river sediments. • Rare subcommunity assembly was governed more by interspecific interactions. • Introduction and colonization processes disentangle the abundant assembly. • Metals dominate the two processes, but nutrient availability prevail in the latter. • A balance between metal filtering and species coexistence within subcommunities. It is unknown how anthropogenic pollutants released into freshwater ecosystems affect the assembly processes of microbial communities in river sediment. We used high-throughput sequencing to examine the assembly of rare and abundant subcommunities in a heavily polluted urban river: the Beiyun River in Beijing, China. Although deterministic processes overrode stochastic processes in shaping local rare and abundant subcommunities, there were distinctly different assembly mechanisms of rare and abundant subcommunities. Rare subcommunity assembly was governed more by interspecific interactions, and environmental selection and dispersal limitation explained only a small fraction of the variation. However, both factors seemed to govern the assembly of abundant subcommunities. Our results implied that microbial co-occurrence associations tended to be higher when rare subcommunities were less driven by community assembly, and that these associations tended to be lower when abundant subcommunities were more driven by community assembly. A balance between the community assembly and species coexistence was exhibited at the subcommunity level. Importantly, we tried to disentangle the assembly process of abundant subcommunities into introduction and colonization processes characterized by the presence/absence and relative abundance datasets. Interestingly, metals explained the highest percentage of spatial variation in the species introduction process. By affecting nutrient availability, metals also shaped the abundant subcommunity in the species colonization process, but this did not surpass nutrient availability. Therefore, disentangling the introduction and colonization processes enhances our understanding of the assembly mechanisms of microbial communities in heavily polluted running water ecosystems at fine geographical scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Due to the high costs and deployment difficulties associated with automated sampling technologies, few investigations have been published on atmospheric mercury in typical urban and rural areas in developing countries. In this study, a novel passive sampler for gaseous elemental mercury was developed and applied to characterize trends in atmospheric mercury levels across an urban–rural transect. The sampling transect originated in the city of Beijing and extended ∼150km southward into a rural region. Field deployment was conducted during September–October (autumn) and November–December (winter) in 2010. The mercury concentrations in air obtained using the passive sampler were consistent with synchronous automated measurements performed during the field deployment. The results demonstrated that atmospheric mercury concentrations increased along the urban–rural gradient in the following order in both of the two periods: urban>suburban>rural (populated)>rural (farmland). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objection: To study the pollution of atmospheric particles at winter in Beijing and compare the lung toxicity which induced by particle samples from different sampling sites. Method: We collected samples from two sampling points during the winter for toxicity testing and chemical analysis. Wistar rats were administered with particles by intratracheal instillation. After exposure, biochemically index, esimmunity indexes, histopathology and DNA damage were detected in rat pulmonary cells. Result: The elements with enrichment factors (EF) larger than 10 were As, Cd, Cu, Zn, S and Pb in the four experiment groups. The priority control of the total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM10 and PM2.5 of Near-traffic source was much higher than that of Far-traffic source, it demonstrated that near the traffic source of PAHs pollution was heavier than that of Far-traffic source, as it was close to main roads Beiyuan Road, motor vehicle emissions were much higher. The pathology of lung showed that the degree of inflammation was increased with the particle diameter minished, it was the same as the detection of biochemical parameters such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Total antioxidant status(T-AOC) and total protein (TP) in BALF and inflammation cytokine(interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) in lung homogenate. The indexes of DNA damage including the content of DNA and Olive empennage of PM2.5 were significant higher than that of PM10 at the same surveillance point (P < 0.05), near-traffic particles were higher than the far-traffic particles at the same diameter, (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Near-traffic area particles had certain pollution at winter in Beijing. Meanwhile, atmospheric particulate matters on lung toxicity were related to the particles size and distance related sites which were exposed: smaller size, more toxicity; nearer from traffic, more toxicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Concentrations of OCPs in rain, canopy throughfall, and runoff water were measured in the Beijing metropolitan area during the rainy seasons from 2006 to 2007. This study was conducted to calculate the fluxes of OCPs in rain and canopy throughfall, as well as their contributions to runoff. At urban sites, the contribution of HCB and ΣHCHs from rainfall accounted for approximately 50% of the mass in runoff. At the site with significant coverage of landscaping trees, the HCB, ΣHCHs, and ΣDDTs from the net canopy throughfall accounted for approximately 10% of the mass in the runoff. Based on the data obtained in this study, loadings of OCPs (in μg) in rain, net canopy throughfall, and runoff water were calculated. The input of OCPs from rain and canopy throughfall water accounted for a significant portion of urban runoff. In cities undergoing rapid urban sprawl, monitoring and control of the transport of OCPs in urban runoff are essential for effective control of environmental hazards in surface water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Much rain and strong winds caused by a cold front occurred in Beijing during the period of Sep. 27 to Oct. 4, 2004 and led to sharp drops in maximum and mean concentrations of HONO, HCHO, O3, and NO2, i.e., the maximum concentrations were reduced by 5.9, 21.3, 45.6, and 44.4 ppb, respectively, and the mean concentrations were decreased by 4.0, 5.5, 30.3, and 32.3 ppb, respectively. For daily HO x production rates HONO photolysis was the largest contributor and over 90% contributions were from photolysis of HONO and HCHO. Large number and area percentages of soot aggregate from PM10, and high correlations between concentrations of PM10 and chemical formation of HONO suggested that heterogeneous reactions of NO2 on surfaces of soot aggregate could be a key source of HONO in the heavy traffic areas of Beijing during the night and should be considered in air quality simulations for such areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To determine the priority control sources, an approach was proposed to evaluate the source-specific contribution to health risks from inhaling PM 2.5 -bound heavy metals (PBHMs). A total of 482 daily PM 2.5 samples were collected from urban and suburban areas of Beijing, China, between 2018 and 2019. In addition to the PMF-PSCF model, a Pb isotopic IsoSource model was built for more reliable source apportionment. By using the comprehensive indicator of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risks could be compared on a unified scale. The study found that the annual average concentrations of the total PBHMs were significantly higher in suburban areas than in urban areas, with significantly higher concentrations during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Comprehensive dust accounted for the largest contribution to the concentration of PBHMs, while coal combustion contributed the most to the DALYs associated with PBHMs. These results suggest that prioritizing the control of coal combustion could effectively reduce the disease burden associated with PBHMs, leading to notable public health benefits. • Most PBHMs have higher concentrations in Beijing suburban areas than in urban areas. • The PMF-PSCF-IsoSource model can reduce the uncertainty in source apportionment. • Coal and fuel oil combustion should be controlled with a priority for public health. • The disease burden of noncarcinogenic effects must not be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses the importance-performance of Beijing as an international meeting destination. Brief review of Beijing's conference industry; Methods used in the study; Results of the study; Conclusion about the factors considered in selecting a city as a meeting destination.

Summary: Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of serum Candida mannan antigen (MN) and anti‐mannan IgG and IgM antibodies for candidiasis. Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study. Clinical data and venous blood samples from 23 medical centres in Beijing, China were collected between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. All collected specimens were tested within one week for serum Candida MN and IgG and IgM antibodies using an ELISA kit. Results: A total of 452 patients were enrolled, including 188 patients in the Candida exposure groups (56 patients with Candida bloodstream infection, 69 patients with Candida‐positive tracheal aspirate cultures and 63 patients with Candida‐positive urine cultures) and 264 patients in the control groups (212 healthy controls and 52 patients with bacteraemia). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the 56 patients with Candida bloodstream infection and 212 healthy controls showed that serum MN and IgG had good diagnostic value. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values were 0.812 (95% CI, 0.750‐0.873) and 0.866 (95% CI, 0.808‐0.924), respectively, wherein the MN specificity and sensitivity were 86.79% and 60.71%, and the IgG were 84.43% and 80.36%, respectively. The AUC of the combination of serum MN and IgG was 0.871(95% CI, 0.813‐0.929), and the specificity and sensitivity were 93.87% and 57.14%. Conclusions: The serum levels of Candida MN and its IgG antibody have diagnostic value for Candida bloodstream infection, and combination of MN and IgG can improve diagnostic specificity and may provide a new approach for diagnosis of candidaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate, cheap, and easy to promote methods for dementia prediction and early diagnosis are urgently needed in low- and middle-income countries. Integrating various cognitive tests using machine learning provides promising solutions. However, most effective machine learning models are black-box models that are hard to understand for doctors and could hide potential biases and risks.Objective: To apply cognitive-test-based machine learning models in practical dementia prediction and diagnosis by ensuring both interpretability and accuracy.Methods: We design a framework adopting Rule-based Representation Learner (RRL) to build interpretable diagnostic rules based on the cognitive tests selected by doctors. According to the visualization and test results, doctors can easily select the final rules after analysis and trade-off. Our framework is verified on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset (n = 606) and Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) dataset (n = 375).Results: The predictive or diagnostic rules learned by RRL offer a better trade-off between accuracy and model interpretability than other representative machine learning models. For mild cognitive impairment (MCI) conversion prediction, the cognitive-test-based rules achieve an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.904 on ADNI. For dementia diagnosis on subjects with a normal Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score, the learned rules achieve an AUC of 0.863 on PUMCH. The visualization analyses also verify the good interpretability of the learned rules.Conclusion: With the help of doctors and RRL, we can obtain predictive and diagnostic rules for dementia with high accuracy and good interpretability even if only cognitive tests are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibiotic resistance is the main cause of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment failure. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of antibiotic resistance of H. pylori isolates in Beijing in the last 8 years and to estimate the impact of previous eradication failure on resistance patterns. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included data from a single center in Beijing from 2013 to 2020. Antibiotic susceptibility of 365 clinical H. pylori isolates was tested for amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and tetracycline. The characteristics of the included patients and their previous eradication history were collected. Primary and secondary resistance rates of H. pylori to the six antibiotics and the impact of previous eradication failure on antibiotic resistance patterns were analyzed. Results: The overall primary resistance rates of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and tetracycline were 0.7%, 55.2%, 68.0%, 49.7%, 64.5%, and 0%, with no significant increase during the observed period; while the secondary resistance rates were 3.2%, 96.7%, 90.7%, 93.1%, 80.0%, and 0%, respectively. The secondary resistance rate of clarithromycin (p <.001), metronidazole (p =.001), and levofloxacin (p <.001) significantly increased to 100% as the number of previous eradication therapies increased and exhibited a linear association. For strains naive to eradication, only 6.8% were susceptible to all the antibiotics, while 32.4% were single resistant, and 60.8% dual or multiple resistant. Clarithromycin+metronidazole+fluoroquinolone multiple resistance was the predominant pattern (0 course: 21.6%, 1 course: 37.5%, 2 courses: 56.1%, ≥3 courses: 71.1%; p <.001) for patients with treatment failure. The prevalence of dual or multiple‐resistance patterns increased significantly as the number of previous therapies increased. Conclusions: The prevalence of primary and secondary resistance rates of clarithromycin, metronidazole, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin were high in Beijing. Multiple‐resistance patterns were common after treatment failure. Resistance rates of amoxicillin and tetracycline remained low and stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Typical UUR interaction characteristics were identified. • The SD was presented as a new approach for the evaluation of UUR interactions. • A SD model of the integrated development of GM was developed. • The impacts of GM integrated development were quantitatively presented. The current scale and intensity of urban underground resources (UUR) are greater than ever, and the integrated development of UUR is of considerable significance for urban sustainable development. However, insights on the characteristics of UUR interactions are limited, and thus a quantitative evaluation method is lacking. In this study, we determined UUR interactions to have the following characteristics: spatiotemporal dynamics; multiple influencing factors; chain reactions and synergetic and conflicting coexistence. Based on these characteristics, the system dynamics (SD) method was presented as a new approach to evaluate UUR interactions. Compared with existing methods, SD is not only highly consistent with the interaction characteristics of UUR, but can also quantitatively analyze UUR. Furthermore, by taking the integrated development of geomaterial and urban underground space as a case study, the integrated development impacts were quantitatively evaluated via an integrated two-stage dynamic SD model through Vensim®. The simulation results demonstrate that the GM production of the newly built Beijing subway (991 km, 531 stations) during 2018–2023 can be reduced from 2.07 × 107m3 to 1.33 × 107m3 by integrated development. Moreover, the integrated development achieved favourable environmental impacts, including reductions in the energy consumption from 4.07 × 107kgce to 2.62 × 107 kgce; greenhouse gas emissions from 3.59 × 107kg to 2.31 × 107kg; and landfill space occupation from 9.24 × 106 m3 to 5.95 × 106 m3. This study provides an SD tool for planners interested in the integrated development of UUR and acts as a reference for the assessment of the integrated development impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the prevalence of localized retinal nerve fiber layer defects (LRNFLD) and associated factors in adult Chinese. Methods: The population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals (mean age: 64.6±9.8 years (range: 50–93 years)). The study participants underwent a detailed ophthalmological examination including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SpectralisR-OCT) assisted measurement of the RNFL. A LRNFLD was defined as a sector in which the RNFL contour line dipped into the red zone for a length of <180°. Results: Readable OCT images were available for 3242 (93.5%) subjects. LRNFLDs were detected in 640 eyes (9.9±0.4%) of 479 subjects (14.8±0.6%). In the age groups of 50–59 years, 60–69 years, 70–79 years, and 80+ years, the prevalence of LRNFLD per person increased from 9.9±0.9%, 11.6±1.0% and 20.6±1.4% to 33.0±3.2%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, prevalence of LRNFLDs was significantly associated with older age (P = 0.001; Odds Ratio (OR): 1.03; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.01,1.05), myopic refractive error (P<0.001;OR:0.79;95%CI:0.74,0.85), larger beta zone of parapapillary atrophy (P<0.001; OR:1.34;95%CI:1.20,1.50), presence of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (P<0.001;OR:7.02;95%CI:3.87,12.7), presence of non-glaucomatous optic nerve damage (P = 0.001;OR:43.3;95%CI:8.24,227.1), and presence of diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.003;OR:2.79;95%CI:1.43,5.44). Conclusions: OCT-defined LRNFLDs were present in a prevalence of 14.8±0.6% in a population-based study sample of subjects aged 50+ years. Prevalence of LRNFLDs increased with higher age, myopic refractive error, and larger parapapillary beta zone. Major ocular diseases associated with LRNFLs were glaucoma, non-glaucomatous optic nerve damage and diabetic retinopathy. These data may be helpful for a semiautomatic assessment of the RNFL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed a technical framework for ecological restoration zoning from the hydro-ecological perspective. • Proposed an zoning method which embedding landscape pattern models and hydrological models. • Emphasis on dynamic evolution process of hydro-ecology. • There is significant improvement of hydro-ecology and the regional differentiation was enlarged during 2000–2022. To prevent the degradation and destruction of ecosystems, ecological restoration has become a worldwide issue. In recent years, China has been comprehensively carrying out relevant work on national spatial ecological restoration planning, among which the work on ecological restoration zoning can provide strong support for the implementation of ecological restoration strategies. We propose a theoretical framework and technical route for ecological restoration zoning from the hydro-ecological perspective, and suggest forming a regional ecological restoration zoning system based on the watershed as the basic unit and the dynamic evolution process of hydro-ecology as the core. We conduct an empirical study in Yanqing District, Beijing. The results show that: (i) From 2000 to 2022, the hydro-ecological comprehensive index of Yanqing District shows an upward trend. In terms of spatial pattern changes, it roughly shows a rising trend in the northeastern and southern mountainous areas, and a downward trend in the central-western and southwestern basins. (ii) Six types of ecological restoration zones are formed with the watershed as the basic unit. Zone Ⅰ accounts for the largest area (26.87%), and Zone Ⅵ accounts for the smallest proportion (7.14%). (iii) The proportion of areas with good or superior hydro-ecology in the Ecological Policy Zone of Yanqing District increased by 15.89% from 2000 to 2022, which is significantly higher than the average level, confirming the effectiveness of ecological policies such as nature reserves. This study provides a paradigm for ecological restoration zoning from the hydro-ecological perspective, and provides assistance for regional ecological restoration and sustainable development in China and even globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite high prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in China, understanding of the disease appears to be low.Aims: We assessed the knowledge of NAFLD among the public in Beijing, China, as well as diet and physical activity patterns, which may provide information useful for NAFLD prevention and management.Methods: We surveyed adult patients and family members in the Peking University Health Science Center (PUHSC) ultrasound clinic and office staff in Beijing, China. Participants provided demographic and medical history data. NAFLD-related knowledge and diet and physical activity were assessed.Results: A total of 1296 participants at the PUHSC clinic (51% female, median age 35, 61% college-educated) and 494 participants in offices (61% female, median age 43, 74% college-educated) completed the survey. Response rate was 68.4% and 96.7%, respectively. In clinic and offices, 44% versus 48% were overweight/obese, 5% had a history of diabetes in both groups, and 14% versus 23% had a personal history of NAFLD. Median knowledge score was 15 out of 25 in clinic versus 16 in offices. 44.9% reported minimal physical activity. Factors associated with higher NAFLD knowledge scores (> 16) on multivariate analysis included college education or higher (OR 1.7, p = 0.01), family history of hyperlipidemia (OR 1.96, p < 0.001), and number of sugary drinks per week (OR 0.74, p = 0.006). No factors were significantly associated with physical activity levels.Conclusions: Adults in Beijing had low knowledge about NAFLD, and most were not physically active. Programs to increase public awareness of NAFLD and promote physical activity are critical to curb this growing epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concurrent hearing and genetic screening of newborns is expected to play important roles not only in early detection and diagnosis of congenital deafness, which triggers intervention, but also in predicting late-onset and progressive hearing loss and identifying individuals who are at risk of drug-induced HL. Concurrent hearing and genetic screening in the whole newborn population in Beijing was launched in January 2012. This study included 180,469 infants born in Beijing between April 2013 and March 2014, with last follow-up on February 24, 2018. Hearing screening was performed using transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR). For genetic testing, dried blood spots were collected and nine variants in four genes, GJB2 , SLC26A4 , mtDNA 12S rRNA, and GJB3 , were screened using a DNA microarray platform. Of the 180,469 infants, 1,915 (1.061%) were referred bilaterally or unilaterally for hearing screening; 8,136 (4.508%) were positive for genetic screening (heterozygote, homozygote, or compound heterozygote and mtDNA homoplasmy or heteroplasmy), among whom 7,896 (4.375%) passed hearing screening. Forty (0.022%) infants carried two variants in GJB2 or SLC26A4 (homozygote or compound heterozygote) and 10 of those infants passed newborn hearing screening. In total, 409 (0.227%) infants carried the mtDNA 12S rRNA variant (m.1555A>G or m.1494C>T), and 405 of them passed newborn hearing screening. In this cohort study, 25% of infants with pathogenic combinations of GJB2 or SLC26A4 variants and 99% of infants with an m.1555A>G or m.1494C>T variant passed routine newborn hearing screening, indicating that concurrent screening provides a more comprehensive approach for management of congenital deafness and prevention of ototoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1990 to 2017, the number of vehicles in China increased sharply from 5 million to 310 million, and vehicle emissions became one of the major sources of air pollution. Among the main sources of PM 2.5 in Beijing, the contributions from vehicle sources increased from 5.6% (2000) to 31.1% (2012) to 45% (2017). In 2010, the CO, hydrocarbon (HC), NO x , and particulate matter (PM) emissions of yellow-label vehicles (YLVs) accounted for 46.1%, 47.9%, 63.1% and 86.1% of the total emissions from on-road vehicles. In recent years, China has been implementing a YLV scrappage subsidy policy to control air pollution, and this policy has cost several hundred billion yuan nationwide. However, China has not evaluated the costs and benefits of the policy. Many people question whether the YLV scrappage subsidy policy is worthwhile, but all the stakeholders involved complicate the process of accurately evaluating the true value of the policy. In this study, we evaluated and compared the costs and benefits of the policy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region based on 1.362 million YLVs from 2008 to 2015. Because of the implementation of the policy, the PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO x , CO and HC emissions in the BTH region decreased by 16.46, 18.12, 174.44, 669.11, and 91.64 kt, respectively, in 2008–2015. The results show that the policy played an important role in reducing pollutant emissions and improving environmental quality in the BTH region. The costs, benefits, and net benefits of the policy were 13.69, 34.03, and 20.34 billion yuan , respectively. The cost-benefit ratio in the BTH region was 1:2.49; at the city scale, Beijing ranked first (1:7.27), and the cost-benefit ratios of Tianjin and Hebei Province were 1:2.06 and 1:1.14, respectively. Of the 13 cities in the BTH region, Beijing had the highest net benefits, amounting to 16.43 billion yuan , while Handan City has the lowest net benefits, amounting to −0.58 billion yuan. The results may provide scientific support for the promotion of older vehicle and diesel vehicle scrappage subsidy policies, the development of cost-benefit analysis (CBA), and effective environmental decision-making in China. • Based on net number of scrappage YLVs, net benefits of the policy are calculated. • This paper estimates costs and benefits of the policy based on 1.27 million YLVs. • The costs, benefits, and net benefits are 13.69, 34.03, and 20.34 billion yuan. • The results help China promote vehicle scrappage subsidy policy on a large scale. • The results promote the development of the cost-benefit analysis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This study explored the appropriate classification of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) in women of childbearing age in Beijing, China.Methods and Study Design: Women with singleton pregnancies at more than 28 gestational weeks were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m2), these patients were divided into 7 groups: <18.5, >=18.5-22.9, >=23-23.9, >=24-24.9, >=25-27.9, >=28-29.9, and >=30. Pregnancy adverse outcomes, including gestational hypertension with or without preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, initial cesarean section, postpartum hemorrhage, macrosomia, large-for-gestational age infant and so on were recorded. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the uncorrected and corrected odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, with the >=18.5-22.9 group serving as a reference.Results: A total of 11,136 pregnant women were analyzed. Incidences of above mentioned six adverse outcomes were greater in women with higher pre-pregnancy BMI. The risks of the abovementioned six adverse outcomes were increased significantly among the >=23-23.9, >=24-24.9, >=25-27.9 groups and substantially higher in the >=28-29.9, >=30 groups after correction. <18.5 group showed an increased risk of small-for-gestational age infants.Conclusions: For women of childbearing age in Beijing, China, the optimal pre-pregnancy BMI range was >=18.5-22.9 kg/m2, with the cutoff value for overweight status being >=23.0 kg/m2 and the cutoff value for obesity being >=28.0 kg/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inter-regional payments for ecosystem services (PES) is an important policy to promote regional ecological and environmental cooperation. However, the existing inter-regional PES standard in China may underestimate the value of ecosystem services and omit the value of transferred pollutants due to inter-regional trade. A reasonable framework of inter-regional PES standards is necessary for the policymakers, especially in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region with the most serious environmental problem in China. This paper employed the method of environmental impact evaluation and multi-regional input-output model (MRIO) to build a framework of inter-regional PES estimation, which both contained the regional spillover value of ecosystem services and the regional transfer value of pollutants. Finally, we estimate the amount of inter-regional payment for ecosystem services within BTH region. The results indicated that the PES standards within BTH region were 13.8 billion yuan and 19.2 billion yuan from Beijing, Tianjin to Hebei province in 2012, which accounted for 0.77 % and 1.49 % of their GDP in 2012. These PES standards are effective for regional ecological and environmental cooperation within BTH region and a multi-dimensional marketization mechanism should be implemented to reinforce inter-regional payment for ecosystem services, which may pave the way for other regions or countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and bone metabolism in healthy women of reproductive age.Methods and Study Design: This study included 100 healthy female residents of Beijing (23-30 years old), who underwent bone ultrasonography as well as testing to evaluate serum25-hydroxy-vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, bone alkaline phosphatase, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase.Results: Mean 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in the winter (22.3±3.55 nmol/L) was significantly lower than that in the summer (46.2±16.3 nmol/L). In the winter, a negative correlation was observed between 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and parathyroid hormone(r=0.300, p=0.002) and bone alkaline phosphatase (r=0.274, p=0.016). In the summer, a negative correlation was observed between 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (r=0.386, p<0.001) and bone alkaline phosphatase (r=0.523, p<0.001). Serum calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were within the normal ranges for both winter and summer, and exhibited no significant correlations with serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D. The mean speed of sound during bone ultrasonography was 4,125±365 m/s, and a linear correlation was observed between 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and the speed of sound (r=0.215, p=0.031). Serum alkaline phosphatise was not correlated with bone alkaline phosphatase.Conclusion: Serum vitamin D deficiency was common among healthy women of childbearing age in Beijing during both winter and summer. Furthermore, bone ultrasonography findings and serum vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and bone alkaline phosphatase accurately reflected these women's bone metabolism status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Vaccination of infants beginning at birth is recommended to prevent Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in China. Compared to 5 μg/dose vaccine administered in other regions in China, a three-dose HB recombinant yeast vaccine at 10 μg/dose has been administered for infants within 24 h after birth, 1 month and 6 months of age in Beijing since 2006. In a community-based retrospective cohort study, factors influencing immunologic vaccine response were evaluated. Methods A total of 3670 infants who completed a 3-dose 10 μg recombinant HB vaccine regimen and born to hepatitis B antigen negative mothers were included. The effect on anti-HBs titers of maternal nutrient status, infants’ birth condition, growth factors, timeliness of vaccination, dosing interval and the interval until post-vaccination serologic testing (PVST) were evaluated. Results A total of 3666 infants with no markers of HBV infection were included in analysis. The mean anti-HB titers were 1767.17 mIU/ml. Only 16.9% of the infants completed their PVST within 30–59 days after the final dose of vaccination. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that delay in PVST ( β = −0.097, p < 0.0001) and maternal folic acid supplementation ( β = 0.067, p = 0.002) were associated with log-transformed anti-HB titers. Also a trend toward significant association was observed between the calcium supplementation of infants and log-transformed anti-HBs titers ( β = 0.062, p = 0.057). Longer interval between dose 2 and dose 3 was not observed to increase the anti-HB titers after cofactors adjustment. Conclusions Our findings illustrate the importance of timing of PVST to avoid unnecessary revaccination. Multi-center large cohort studies should verify the effect and magnitude of folate and calcium supplementation on HB vaccine response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) has attracted increasing attention due to its impacts on air quality and human health. As an important source of PM 2.5 , diesel vehicles are often the focus of research. In this study, we characterized the carbonaceous composition of PM 2.5 that is emitted from on-road China III diesel trucks (DTs). Organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and PM 2.5 emission characteristics were determined for 17 China III DTs, including 6 light-duty diesel trucks (LDDTs), 5 medium-duty diesel trucks (MDDTs), and 6 heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs), based on real-world measurements in Beijing, China, using a portable emissions measurement system (PEMS). The average distance-based PM 2.5 emission factors (EFs) (g km −1 ) generally increased and the average CO 2 -based PM 2.5 EFs (g (kg of CO 2 ) −1 ) generally decreased with increased vehicle size from LDDTs to MDDTs to HDDTs. The effects of driving conditions on the EFs for carbonaceous PM 2.5 were analyzed. The results show that distance-based and CO 2 -based EFs strongly depend on driving conditions. Generally, greater amounts of PM 2.5 and OC are emitted from non-highway driving cycles, and greater amounts of EC are emitted from highway driving cycles for vehicles of the same size. For LDDTs, MDDTs, and HDDTs, no significant differences were observed between vehicles with different EC/OC ratios; therefore, the EC/OC ratio is not useful for distinguishing between the emissions generated by differently sized vehicles. The EC/OC, OC/PM 2.5 , and EC/PM 2.5 mass ratios are strongly dependent on driving conditions for vehicles of the same size. The results of this study provide EFs for the carbonaceous composition of PM 2.5 that are more appropriate for China; these results will be helpful for improving policies that are designed to control the carbonaceous composition of PM 2.5 emitted from on-road DTs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Incorporated into the WRF–Chem model are the three HONO sources, i.e., the reaction of photo-excited NO2 with water (NO2 * chemistry), heterogeneous reactions on aerosol surfaces, and HONO emissions. Four case simulations were performed in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province (BTH region) in August of 2007. Results indicate that the NO2 * chemistry yields 30–50 ppb enhancements in daily maximum 1-h surface O3 concentrations in major cities and 3–10 ppb increases in monthly mean daily maximum 8-h surface O3 concentrations in most areas of the BTH region. Heterogeneous reactions on aerosol surfaces lead to 5–20 ppb decreases in monthly mean NOy concentrations in major cities over the BTH region. Heterogeneous reactions and HONO emissions are the largest, and the second largest contributor, accounting for ∼59% and 26% of simulated HONO concentrations, respectively. The three HONO sources produce enhancements in monthly mean daytime (10:00–17:00) concentrations of NOy (total reactive N-containing compounds), NO2, HNO3, HONO, and HOx being −1 to −5 ppb, −1 to −3 ppb, −0.3 to 0.5 ppb, 20–50 ppt, and 1–3 ppt, respectively. Comparison with observations shows that inclusion of the three HONO sources into the WRF–Chem model can considerably improve HONO and O3 simulations in the BTH region. For HONO the mean, the normal mean bias, the root mean square error, and the correlation coefficient is greatly improved from 0.04 to 0.56 ppb, from −97% to −39%, from 1.10 ppb to 0.51 ppb, and from −0.56 to 0.86, respectively, by comparison with the gas chemical mechanism only considered in the WRF–Chem model. This suggests that the three important HONO sources be included in air quality models, particularly in the areas with high emissions of NOx and particulate matter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a mathematical model to determine both a worker's decision to participate in a nonwork activity and the decision about whether to include it in the basic home-work-home commute. By using household travel survey data from Beijing, China, this paper presents an empirical analysis framework to examine commuters' nonwork stop-making behavior in a highly urbanized environment in a developing country. To account for the censored nature of the decision about whether to include a nonwork stop in the commute tour, a bivariate probit selection model was used. To enhance the behavioral basis for the model, extensive statistical tests were performed on model specifications and assumptions. The empirical results provide useful insights into the effects of individual/household sociodemographics, transportation measures, work schedule, and mode choice on commuters' nonwork stop-making propensity. This study also provides methodological evidence that could lead to an approach for predicting the changes in commuters' nonwork stop-making behavior as a result of the changes in sociodemographics and transportation scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fulvic acids from the soil of Peking University (PF) and a Nordic river (NF) were separated into well defined sub-fractions using sequential elution techniques based on eluent polarity. The chemical properties of the fractions including: PF1 and NF1 (eluted by 0.01M HCl), PF2 and NF2 (eluted by 0.01M HCl+20% methanol), PF3 and NF3 (eluted by 0.01M HCl+40% methanol), and PF4 and NF4 (eluted by 100% methanol), were characterized using UV–Visible spectroscopy, elemental analysis and 13C NMR. The results showed that the UV absorptions of the elution peaks at 280nm (A280) increased from PF2 to PF4 and NF2 to NF4. No elution peaks were observed for PF1 and NF1. The carbon contents increased from 43.34% to 51.90% and 43.06% to 53.26% while the oxygen contents decreased from 46.39% to 36.76% and 49.76% to 40.03% for PF1–PF4 and NF1–NF4, respectively. As a polarity indicator, the (O+N)/C ratio for PF1–PF4 and NF1–NF4 decreased from 0.88 to 0.62 and 0.89 to 0.58, respectively. The aromatic carbon content increased from PF1 to PF4 and NF1 to NF4, suggesting an increase of the hydrophobicity of these fractions. The polarity was positively related to the ratio of UV absorption at 250nm and 365nm (E2/E3), and negatively related to the aromaticity. A high positive relationship between the aromaticity and E2/E3 of fulvic acid fractions was also obtained. The use of an eluent with a decreasing polarity allowed to providing simpler fractions of soil and aquatic fulvic acids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • The effect of green stormwater infrastructure is impacted by rainfall features. • Reduction of suspend solids decreases with the backward movement of the rain peak. • The impact of rainfall duration on suspend solids reduction is not apparent. • The suspend solids percent reduction of seasons or years with low rainfall is high. To investigate the influences of time scale on green stormwater infrastructure's (GSI) effect on suspended solids (SS) in urban rainfall runoff, the control effect of GSI on SS in rainfall runoff was systematically explored based on three aspects of time scale – event, seasonal, annual. The Sponge City pilot area of Beijing, China, was selected as the study area. The results showed that under the condition of same rainfall duration and rainfall recurrence period, reduction of SS mass gradually decreased with the backward movement of rainfall peak. With regard to rainfall with small recurrence period, rainfall duration had little effect on the control effect of GSI. When the recurrence period was 10 yr and rainfall duration was 1, 2, and 3 h, the effect of GSI on SS percent reduction was 15.7%, 17.3%, and 19.1%, respectively, reflecting rainfall duration effect. Besides, with the extension of antecedent dry period, GSI effect on SS reduction first increased and then leveled off in the same recurrence period. In terms of seasonal change, the GSI effect on SS reduction showed high percent reduction in spring and winter (up to 45.5%), followed by autumn, with the lowest percent reduction in summer. On the annual time scale, GSI presented the strongest control effect in dry years (up to 45.0%), followed by normal years, and weakest in wet years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of nitrous acid (HONO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO_2) in Beijing City have been performed by means of a developed differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) system based on photodiode array (PDA), during the autumn of 2004. HONO and NO_2 were simultaneously identified by their characteristic absorption bands in the spectral region between 337 nm and 372 nm with high sensibility and time resolution. The concentrations of HONO exhibit obviously diurnal variation with a nocturnal maximum and a daytime minimum. The highest HONO value up to 11.8 μg/m^3 was observed during the night of 2/3 September. Possible sources of the observed HONO were discussed. Good correlation to NO_2 indicates that NO2 is a main source component. The measurement also shows direct emission of HONO is an important source in strongly polluted urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provinces that provide emission-intensive products now are facing huge financial pressure to control regional air pollutant emissions. Assessing the actual regional air emission abatement costs of each province from the consumer perspective can help to clarify regional pollution abatement responsibilities and formulate sound monetary compensation policies between consumers and producers in China. In this study, we employ a multiregional input-output model to estimate the total air pollution abatement costs and economic benefits caused by interregional trade for each region in 2012. The results indicate that regions with higher GDP per capita, such as the Beijing-Tianjin, East Coast, and South Coast regions, outsourced total pollution abatement costs (TPAC) for air emissions to undeveloped central and western regions via interregional trade within China. Based on a comparison of the cost-benefit index among regions, wealthy regions left nearly 80% of their consumption-based value added locally but outsourced more than 50% of their consumption-based TPAC to other regions, especially to northwestern and central regions with lower GDP per capita. Such a mismatch necessitates in-depth cross-boundary collaboration for control of air pollutant emissions in regions suffering terrible haze problems, such as the North China Plain. • Regional air emission abatement costs embodied in interregional trade are assessed. • Central, Northwest, and North regions have higher production-based TPAC nationwide. • Developing regions suffered more air emission control costs from developed regions. • Shanxi suffered the highest inequity when trading with Beijing nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]