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Abstract: On the basis of analyzing the actual state of resource utilization of construction waste in Beijing, the limiting measures and supportive policies were studied intensively. A series of policies were proposed, such as landfill ban, recycling management model of construction project, adjustment measures of project cost components, examination and approval system of resource utilization of construction waste enterprises, declaration and approval system of resource utilization of construction waste at the construction field, preferential policy of resource utilization of construction waste, funded capital of resource utilization of construction waste and supportive policies like incentive measures of recycle products promotion of construction waste in Beijing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: According to the current management situation of construction waste, the current laws and regulations of construction waste management was analyzed according to the current management situation of construction waste in Beijing. At last put forward the problems and solutions for the current management policy of construction waste in Beijing to provide conductive effects for the revision and consummation of laws and regulations of construction waste management in Beijing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Combining with empirical method, sector classification, locations of catering industry and comprehensive method, it curve fits and calculates the discharge of Beijing restaurant wastewater from 2004 to 2007 by four fitting formula, logarithm, Linear, power exponent and exponent, and then analyze the precision, propose the best calculation way of each forecast method. Compared with the curve fitting, the pessimistic modeling is more precise. It is suitable to forecast the discharge of Beijing restaurant wastewater. Finally, it got the prediction of the discharge of restaurant wastewater from 2008 to 2012 in Beijing, and provides a basis for forecasting the discharge and treating the restaurant wastewater. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With a view to facilitating good practice and enhancing further exchanges and collaboration with the Open University UK, the Open University of China initiated a joint programme of training to offer online tutors and academic management staff three courses: Student Support, Tutoring On-line, and Course Design. The programme brought in not only a new learning mode and a new learning management system, but also new ideas and new assessment mechanisms, which created a positive impact on the reform of teaching and learning in the Open University of China. This paper will reflect on the implementation of the programme to explore the value of international collaboration and to look at changes that have taken place in both tutors and trainees. Through analysing feedback from both tutors and trainees, we can appreciate the potential significance of the joint programme and reflect on our own practice. The paper will also indicate some of the defects of the programme – our students expected more relevant content – and more involvement on the part of the UK experts, so that we can further explore improvements and join hands for meaningful collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo biloba is monotypic species native to China and has old, dioecious, medicinally important characteristics. The functional genes related to these characteristics have not been effectively explored due to a limited number of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from Ginkgo. To discover novel functional genes efficiently and to understand the development of a living fossil tree, Ginkgo, we used massive parallel pyrosequencing on the Roche 454 GS FLX Titanium platform to generate 64 057 ESTs. The ESTs combined with the 21 590 Ginkgo ESTs in genbank were assembled into 22 304 unique putative transcripts, in which 13 922 novel unique putative transcripts were identified by 454 sequencing. After being assigned to putative functions with Gene Ontology terms, a detailed view of the Ginkgo biological systems was displayed, including characterization of unique putative transcripts with homology to known key enzymes and transcription factors involved in ginkgolide/bilobalide and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways, as well as unique putative transcripts related to development, response to disease and defence. The fact that three full-length Ginkgo genes encoding key enzymes were found and cloned, suggests that high-throughput sequencing technology is superior to traditional gene-by-gene approach in discovery of genes. Additionally, a total of 204 simple sequence repeat motifs were detected. Our study not only lays the foundations for transcriptome-led studies in biosynthetic mechanisms, but also contributes significantly to the understanding of functional genomics and development in non-model plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The statistic method in Chinese character frequency study is an important method on measuring the value of Chinese characters. It is also applicable to the standardization of Chinese characters, the Chinese language teaching, the relevant dictionary compiling, the information management in Chinese, and the development of Chinese character theory. However, we have problems in the traditional method: the lack of statistic unit made the Outcome difficult to explain, and the corpus error caused it unreasonable. This article hence heads to solve these problems by building up a proper Chinese character form database and a statistical unit system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the putative center of origin for soybean and the second largest region of soybean production in China, the North China Plain covers temperate and subtropical regions with diverse soil characteristics. However, the soybean rhizobia in this plain have not been sufficiently studied. To investigate the biodiversity and biogeog- raphy of soybean rhizobia in this plain, a total of 309 isolates of symbiotic bacteria from the soybean nodules collected from 16 sampling sites were studied by molecular characterization. These isolates were classified into 10 genospecies belonging to the genera Sinorhizobium and Bradyrhizobium, including four novel groups, with S. fredii (68.28%) as the dominant group. The phylogeny of symbiotic genes nodC and nifTI defined four lineages among the isolates associated with Sinorhizobium fredii, Bradyrhizobium elkanii, B. japonicum, and B. yuanmin- gense, demonstrating the different origins of symbiotic genes and their coevolution with the chromosome. The possible lateral transfer of symbiotic genes was detected in several cases. The association between soil factors (available N, P, and K and pH) and the distribution of genospecies suggest clear biogeographic patterns: Sinorhizobium spp. were superdominant in sampling sites with alkaline-saline soils, while Bradyrhizobium spp. were more abundant in neutral soils. This study clarified the biodiversity and biogeography of soybean rhizobia in the North China Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model, influence of water and salt on vegetation (IWSV), was developed to evaluate their influence on plant species. The main function of this model was to calculate a comprehensive index value for evaluating the suitability of plant growth. This model consists of five explanatory variables (vadose zone moisture content, vadose zone salinity, vadose zone lithology, depth to the water table, and groundwater mineralization) and two response variables (plant species and their cover). A set of independent data on three plant species, Artemisia ordosica, Salix psammophila, and Carex enervis, which are dominant species in the Mu Us Desert of northern China, were used to validate the model. Validation results show an overall correct prediction for the distribution of these three species. The results demonstrated that the IWSV model can be a useful tool for groundwater management and nature conservation in a semi-arid desert region, especially for predicting the vegetation distribution in areas with groundwater extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin lesions are often associated with human immunode-ficiency virus (HIV) infection, reflecting the immunocom-promised status of the individual. We investigated the re-lationship between skin lesions and immune function in a retrospective study of 796 Chinese HIV patients with and without highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Of the 651 patients who had not received HAART, we found that 531 (81.6%) had apparent skin lesions. The incidence of infectious skin diseases (fungi, viruses, bac-teria, spirochetes and parasites) and non-infectious skin diseases (excluding skin cancer) was 68.8% and 34.9%, respectively. Mean CD4+ T-cell counts and CD4 +/CD8+ ratios were lower in patients with skin lesions than in pa-tients without lesions (178 ± 96/µI vs. 306 ± 189/µl (p< 0.05) and 0.22 vs. 0.34 (p<0.01), respectively). Candidiasis (25.8%), eczema (19.2%), nodular prurigo (13.8%), der-matophyte infections (10.6%) and herpes zoster (9.4%) were most common in Chinese patients with HIV. Among the 145 patients who had started HAART, there was a significantly lower prevalence of skin diseases (29.0%), although drug eruptions (12.4%) were more commonly observed. These findings indicate that HAART often re-duces the incidence of infectious and non-infectious skin lesions in patients with HIV, but can itself be the cause of drug eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A. D. ), the recruitment to the central bureaucracy is called "xuan guan"; the process to become monk is called "xuan fo". Although one is secular and the other non-secular, there are many similari- ties in both competition processes and therefore, the common practice of the bureaucratic officials and the religious monks of- ten match each other. For example, the officials and the monks not only borrow popular idioms from each other, but also mutually copy organization models and written forms. After the middle of the Dynasty, the bureaucracy system, which is based upon the imperial examination, is highly influenced by the religious xuan-fo system. The genres of poetry criticism, such as "xiu ju", "ge" and "shi" are all results from the co-influence of the two selection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The epidemiological characteristics of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is fundamental to improving the prevention and control of DR-TB. Mutations in katG3l5 is thought to be the most predictive molecule markers for Isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). However, mutations to these genes have not been thoroughly studied in China, and epidemiological evidence of their expression levels are especially lacking in the southwest of China, which has a high TB burden within the population. Methods: MTB isolates were obtained from patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis at the TB dispensary and Chest hospital in Chongqing city between June 2003 and June 2006. Proportion methods were used to test the sensitivity to INH, RFP, SM and EMB of cultured MTB. A total of 100 MTB isolates were also randomly selected for analysis of the molecular mutation spectrum katG by DNA sequencing. Results: Totally 1 089 MTB isolates that completed positive sputum cultures and evaluated for their sensitivity to the four first-line drugs among 2 777 patients with TB. The prevalence of DR-TB and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) were 27.7% (302/1 089) and 7.3% (79/1 089), respectively. The resistance to anti-TB drugs was found to be highest for SM (163%) and INH (140%). There was also a significant increase in the prevalence of resistance to RFP and EMB (P>0.01), and an increase in MDR-TB between June 2003 and June 2004 and between July 2005 and June 2006. The total mutation rate of katG315 was 75-5% (37/49) in INH-resistant MTB, and mutation sites included S315T, S315N and S315I with mutation rates of 81-1% (30/37), 13-5% (5/37) and 5-4% (2/37), respectively. No katG315 mutants were found in any of the 48 INH-sensitive MTB. Our preliminary diagnostic results suggest that mutations in katG315 may potentially serve as molecular markers that can be used to diagnose the resistance to anti-TB drug of INH. Conclusion: In the Chongqing, DR-TB and MDR-TB are increasing, and are becoming key problems for tuberculosis control. The use of katG315 mutations as potential molecule markers for drug resistance to INH may help improve patient treatment and decrease the spread of the disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increasing crop nitrogen use efficiency while also simultaneously decreasing nitrogen accumulation in the soil would be key steps in controlling nitrogen pollution from agricultural systems. Long-term field experiments were started in 2003 to study the effects of intercropping on crop N use and soil mineral N accumulation in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv 2014)/maize ( Zea mays L. cv Shendan16), wheat/faba bean ( Vicia faba L. cv Lincan No. 5) and maize/faba bean intercropping and monocropping systems. Monocropping was compared with two types of strip intercropping: continuous intercropping (two crops intercropped continuously on the same strips of land every year) and rotational intercropping (two crops grown adjacently and rotated to the other crop's strip every year). Maize/faba bean intercropping had greater crop N uptake than did wheat/faba bean or wheat/maize. Wheat/maize accumulated more mineral N in the top 140 cm of the soil profile during the co-growth stage from maize emergence to maturity of wheat or faba bean. Continuously intercropped maize substantially decreased soil mineral N accumulation under wheat and faba bean rows (60-100 cm soil depth) at maize harvest. Soil mineral N accumulation under wheat rows increased with rotational intercropping with faba bean. Rotational intercropping may potentially alleviate the adverse effects of wheat on N use by other crops and increase the nitrogen harvest index of wheat, maize and faba bean. Intercropping using species with different maturity dates may be more effective in increasing crop N use efficiency and decreasing soil mineral N accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a class of the most ubiquitous environmental contaminants, may reduce male reproductive functions, but the data from human population studies are very limited. Objectives: We designed this study to determine whether environmental exposure to PAHs contributes to the alteration in semen quality, sperm DNA damage, and apoptosis in the general male human population. Methods: We measured urinary levels of four PAH metabolites and assessed semen quality, sperm apoptotic markers with Annexin V assay, and sperm DNA damage with comet assay in 232 men from Chongqing, China. Results: We found that increased urinary 2-hydroxynaphthalene (2-OHNa) levels were associated with increased comet parameters, including the percentage of DNA in the tail (tail%) [β coefficient = 13.26% per log unit 2-OHNa (micrograms per gram creatinine); 95% confidence interval (CI), 7.97-18.55]; tail length (12.25; 95% CI, 0.01-24.52), and tail distribution (7.55; 95% CI, 1.28-18.83). The urinary level of 1-hydroxypyrene was associated only with increased tail% (5.32; 95% CI, 0.47-10.17). Additionally, the increased levels of four urinary PAH metabolites were significantly associated with decreased vital Annexin V negative sperm counts. However, there was no significant association between urinary PAH metabolite levels and human semen parameters or morphology of the sperm samples. Conclusions: Our data indicate that the environmental level of PAH exposure is associated with increased sperm DNA damage but not with semen quality. These findings suggest that exposure to PAHs may disrupt sperm DNA and thereby interfere with human male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ß-Glucan in oat is widely considered as the main ingredient for the anti-hypercholesterol effects; however, phenolic compounds in oat are also regarded to possess potential activities against dyslipidemia. In order to understand the underlying mechanisms thoroughly, it is of great significance to evaluate and compare the hypolipidemic properties exerted by oat phenol-rich extract (PE) and ß-glucan extract (GE) in hyperlipidemic 1CR mice induced by high-fat diet. The study was conducted for 12 weeks. Both PE and GE showed a significant hypocholesterolemic action by reducing the concentration of serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol and hepatic TC. Only PE reduced the hepatic triacylglycerol (TG), inhibited hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary CoA reductase activities and improved the hepatic antioxidant defense system. However, GE significantly increased fecal excretion of neutral cholesterol and bile acids. This study demonstrated that not only ß-glucan but also oat phenolic acids contributed to a preventive effect on hyperlipidemia. Based on the cholesterol metabolism and antioxidant defense system, the effects of the two functional components of oat were exerted in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although associations of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and -glutamyltransferase (GGT) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are well recognized, whether they are independent of insulin resistance and which enzyme is more effective are yet to be clarified. A total of 5404 subjects aged ≥40 years were recruited from two urban communities in Shanghai for cross-sectional analyses. A subgroup of 681 participants without MetS at baseline was included in the longitudinal analyses. Insulin resistance was measured using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria were adopted to diagnose MetS. Both GGT and ALT were strongly and positively associated with MetS risks in simple and multivariate analyses. Further adjustment for HOMA-IR and ALT did not change the association of GGT and MetS materially, whereas adjustment for HOMA-IR and GGT substantially attenuated the ALT-MetS association. In longitudinal analyses, risks of developing MetS were increased across GGT quartiles in a dose-dependent manner after extensive adjustments (odds ratios were 1.00, 1.38, 1.62, and 2.29 for GGT, quartile 1 through quartile 4; P for trend = 0.01). In contrast, ALT was no longer associated with MetS development after final adjustment for GGT ( P for trend = 0.09). Our study confirmed significant and independent associations of GGT and ALT with MetS in adult Chinese people. Moreover, GGT might be more effective for indicating the future development of MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In order to evaluate the safety of acupuncture in China objectively, we investigated the adverse events associated with acupuncture based on three multicentre randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the safety of acupuncture, identifying the common types of acupuncture adverse events, and analysing the related risk factors for their occurrence. Methods: This observational study included patients who received acupuncture from three multicentre RCTs respectively for migraine, functional dyspepsia and Bell's palsy. The 1968 patients and their acupuncturists documented adverse events associated with acupuncture after treatment. We collected data about adverse events due to acupuncture treatment from their case report forms. We analysed the incidence and details of the adverse effects, and studied the risk factors for acupuncture adverse events with non-conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the 1968 patients, 74 patients (3.76%) suffered at least one adverse event throughout the treatment period. We did not observe the occurrence of serious adverse events. 73 patients with adverse events recovered within 2 weeks through effective treatment such as physiotherapy or self-treatment. A total of 3 patients withdrew because of adverse events. There were 9 types of adverse events related to acupuncture, including subcutaneous haematoma, bleeding, skin bruising and needle site pain. Subcutaneous haematoma and haemorrhage in the needling points were the most common adverse events. Age and gender were related to the occurrence of acupuncture adverse events. The older the patients were, the higher the risk of adverse events was. In addition, male patients had slightly higher risk of an adverse event than female patients. Conclusions: Acupuncture is a safe therapy with low risk of adverse events in clinical practice. The risk factors for adverse events (AEs) were related to the patients' gender and age and the local anatomical structure of the acupoints. AEs could be reduced and mitigated by improving the medical environment, ensuring a high technical level of the acupuncture practitioners and establishing a good relationship of mutual trust between doctor and patient. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00599586, NCT00599677, NCT00608660 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tourism marketing information system (Tour MIS) is system engineering. This system engineering is a marketing decision support system that supports the tourism industry and educational and research institutions in collecting, storing, processing, and disseminating information. Austria developed Tour MIS which should meet the need of decision-maker of tourism enterprise and tourism destination. Tourism is developing very fast in China. It is necessary to set up a Tour MIS of China. In this article, Tour MIS of Austria will be analysed so as to provide some lessons of China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article analyzes the political implications of a colophon written by Chinese imperial Chief Councilor Qin Gui for the Song Dynasty. The colophon was made into an inscription, the text of which was presumed lost until its discovery in the collected works of Ming official Wu Ne. The author discusses the relationship between the inscription and Neo-Confucianism, emphasizing the impact of this philosophy on the imperial power of the Song Dynasty, specifically that of Emperor Gaozong. Emphasis is given to the way Qin Gui discusses the necessity of a Chinese intelligentsia, or scholar-class, in the successful administration of the empire.

Using helicid as starting material, E-4- β-D-allopyranoside-cinnamic-4-substituted phenylketones ( 1a-1h) containing the structure of chalcones were synthesized; then these chalcones were reacted with guanidine hydrochloride through a 1,4-Michael reaction, giving 2-amino-4-(4- β-D-allopyranoside-phenyl)-6-3(4)substituted phenylpyrimidines ( 2a-2h), which were characterized by IR, H NMR, and HR-MS. The target compounds were evaluated by the spontaneous locomotor activity test, showing that all of them had good calming activity; compound 2f was found to have the greatest . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to examine the mental health conditions of migrant workers in factories in Shenzhen, China, and to examine the effects of migration stress and social competence on the mental health of these migrants. A total of 582 migrant workers were recruited from 17 factories scattered in 8 different industries. The mental health situations of the migrant workers were assessed using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). The migrant workers' migration stress and social competence were measured by the Migration Stress Scale and Social Competence Scale. The results suggest that migrant workers experienced four major clusters of psychiatric symptoms: interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive compulsion, depression, and hostility. Regression analysis revealed that migration stress and social competence significantly predicted the migrant workers' mental health. Migration stress alone explained 23% of the variance. Specifically, “financial and employment difficulties” and lack of social life significantly predicted the mental health of the migrant workers. In the area of social competence, “social skills and language learning” and “personal characteristics” exerted significant effects on the mental health of migrant workers. In conclusion, social policies concerning migrant workers should aim at facilitating adjustments among migrant workers employed by factories in China. Prevention and treatment programs to improve the mental health of migrant workers in factories should also be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has undergone unprecedented legal reforms in the past three decades in an attempt to restore and reconstruct its legal system. This article provides an overview of the historical and recent developments of the legal system in China. It also discusses important issues such as judicial independence, criminal processes, legal representation, and professionalism among judicial officers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the association of weight status with physical fitness among Chinese children. Methods. A total of 6929 children aged 6–12 years were selected from 15 primary schools of 5 provincial capital cities in eastern China. The height and fasting body weight were measured. The age-, sex-specific BMI WHO criteria was used to define underweight, overweight and obesity. Physical fitness parameters including standing broad jump, 50 msprint, and 50 m∗8 shuttle run were tested. Results. The prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity was 3.1%, 14.9%, and 7.8%, respectively. Boys performed better than girls, and the older children performed better than their younger counterparts for all physical fitness tests. No significant difference in all three physical fitness tests were found between children with underweight and with normal weight, and they both performed better than their counterparts with overweight and obese in all three physical fitness tests. The likelihood of achieving good performance was much lower among overweight and obese children in comparison with their counterparts with normal weight (OR = 0.13–0.54). Conclusions. An inverse association of obesity with cardio respiratory fitness, muscle explosive strength, and speed was identified among Chinese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity and its related metabolic and psychological abnormalities are becoming serious health problems in China. Effective, feasible and practical interventions should be developed in order to prevent the childhood obesity and its related early onset of clinical cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a multi-centred random controlled school-based clinical intervention for childhood obesity in China. The secondary objective is to compare the cost-effectiveness of the comprehensive intervention strategy with two other interventions, one only focuses on nutrition education, the other only focuses on physical activity.Methods/design: The study is designed as a multi-centred randomised controlled trial, which included 6 centres located in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shandong province, Heilongjiang province and Guangdong province. Both nutrition education (special developed carton style nutrition education handbook) and physical activity intervention (Happy 10 program) will be applied in all intervention schools of 5 cities except Beijing. In Beijing, nutrition education intervention will be applied in 3 schools and physical activity intervention among another 3 schools. A total of 9750 primary students (grade 1 to grade 5, aged 7-13 years) will participate in baseline and intervention measurements, including weight, height, waist circumference, body composition (bioelectrical impendence device), physical fitness, 3 days dietary record, physical activity questionnaire, blood pressure, plasma glucose and plasma lipid profiles. Data concerning investments will be collected in our study, including costs in staff training, intervention materials, teachers and school input and supervising related expenditure.Discussion: Present study is the first and biggest multi-center comprehensive childhood obesity intervention study in China. Should the study produce comprehensive results, the intervention strategies would justify a national school-based program to prevent childhood obesity in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At least twenty genes/loci were shown to be associated with type 2diabetes in European original populations. Five of these genes were shown to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Chinese populations. The purpose of this study was to replicate the association of genetic vairants in the eight diabetes-related genes/loci with type 2 diabetes in a Han Chinese cohort from western part of China. Nineteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the eight genes/loci including TCF7L2, HHEX, CDKAL1, SLC30A8, PPARG, IGF2BP2, KCNJ11, and CDKN2A/CDKN2B were genotyped in 1,529 cases and 1,439 controls in a Han Chinese population using the ABI SNaPshot method. The metaanalysis of the association between rs7903146 in TCF7L2 gene and T2D in the Han Chinese was performed. Results: Among the eight genes/loci examined, we found that four were significantly associated with T2D. Although previous studies showed that the association between the SNP rs7903146 in the TCF7L2 gene and T2D was controversial within the Han Chinese population, we have confirmed the significant association between the SNP rs7903146 in the TCF7L2 gene and T2D in both this study and the meta-analysis in the population. In addition, we also confirmed that three SNPs (rs1111875, rs7923837 and rs5015480) in HHEX , one SNP (rs10946398) in CDKAL1, and three SNPs (rs13266634, rs3802177 and rs11558471) in SLC30A8 were significantly associated with T2D in the population being studied. Conclusions: We demonstrated that the variants in TCF7L2, CDKAL1, HHEX, and SLC30A8 genes are associated with T2D in a Han Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatio-temporal variations of soil gas in the seismic fault zone produced by the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake were investigated based on the field measurements of soil gas concentrations after the main shock. Concentrations of He, H2, CO2, CH4, O2, N2, Rn, and Hg in soil gas were measured in the field at eight short profiles across the seismic rupture zone in June and December 2008 and July 2009. Soil-gas concentrations of more than 800 sampling sites were obtained. The data showed that the magnitudes of the He and H2 anomalies of three surveys declined significantly with decreasing strength of the aftershocks with time. The maximum concentrations of He and H2 (40 and 279.4 ppm, respectively) were found in three replicates at the south part of the rupture zone close to the epicenter. The spatio-temporal variations of CO2, Rn, and Hg concentrations differed obviously between the north and south parts of the fault zone. The maximum He and H2 concentrations in Jun 2008 occurred near the parts of the rupture zone where vertical displacements were larger. The anomalies of He, H2, CO2, Rn, and Hg concentrations could be related to the variation in the regional stress field and the aftershock activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that approximately 20 million migrant school-aged children have accompanied their parents in relocating to cities in China. However, little research on the lives of these children has been conducted. The purpose of the present study is to identify the risk factors associated with the psychological wellbeing of children of migrant workers in Shanghai, China. A total of 625 children of migrant workers were recruited from ten primary and secondary schools in Shanghai through a survey design using the multistage cluster sampling method. Children of migrant workers were identified as mentally healthy or unhealthy using The revised child anxiety and depression scale. Socio-demographic characteristics, parent–child relationship, peer relationship and relationships in schools were explored as correlates of the psychological wellbeing of children of migrant workers. Compared to overseas studies, children of migrant workers suffered from symptoms of separation anxiety, depression and generalized anxiety disorder. They were male (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 0.99–3.60), older in age (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.99–1.40), experiencing parent–child conflicts (OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.28–2.89), discipline from teacher (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.26–4.16) and discrimination in school (OR = 4.53, 95% CI 1.11–18.48). The findings provide information for the prevention of mental ill-health among children of migrant workers in China. The implications and limitations are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the symptom dimensions of Chinese patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the symptom checklist of the Dimensional Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS) was used to assess the symptom dimensions of 139 OCD patients at a mental health center in Shanghai. The most common symptom dimensions were symmetry (67.6%), contamination (43.2%), and aggression (31.7%). The frequency of patients with the miscellaneous, sexual/religious, and hoarding symptom dimensions was 25.9%, 10.8%, and 8.6%, respectively. The frequency of male patients with symmetry concerns was higher than that of the female patients, and the frequency of female patients with contamination concerns was higher than that of male patients. OCD symptom dimensions can be identified in the Chinese context but there is a low frequency of endorsement of certain dimensions: sexual/religious, aggression, and hoarding concerns. Future studies need to further investigate the sociocultural and gender factors that may result in these findings: low numbers of people in China with a religious affiliation and the Chinese emphasis on Confucian harmony philosophy, thrift, and saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective With the help of biofeedback, pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation training was applied, in order to investigate whether the pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is effective. Methods Healthy nulliparous selected from inpatient of the 4th hospital of Shijiazhuang between January 2006 and December 2007 (without historical or pregnancy genitourinary fistula or surgery, neuromuscular disease, vaginal surgery history, and pelvic muscle training), were allocated into 3 groups. (1) Vaginal delivery group; (2) Cesarean section on maternal request group; (3) Urinary incontinence group. Biofeedback techniques were applied to objectively measure pelvic floor muscle tonus value, and postnatal women with urinary incontinence were selected to do pelvic floor muscle training. Results and Conclusion PFMT in the short-term cannot significantly improve the pelvic floor muscle tonus for urinary incontinence patients. The pelvic, floor muscle has the ability of natural rehabilitation after delivery;its recovery condition is not significantly different with or without PFMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and microalbuminuria are predictors of cardiovascular disease. The association of these factors of cardiovascular risk with fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose in a group of Chinese subjects was investigated. Design This was a cross-sectional cohort study. Subjects and methods In 1776 subjects randomly selected from the permanent residents of a community in the city of Shanghai, China, a simplified 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (fasting and 2-h postload blood sampling only) was performed, and serum CRP concentrations and urinary albumin : creatinine ratio were measured. Results Serum CRP concentration significantly increased from 1·62 mg/l in normoglycaemic subjects to 2·63 mg/l in subjects with impaired glucose regulation, and to 3·09 mg/l in newly diagnosed diabetic patients ( P < 0·0001). The corresponding prevalence of microalbuminuria also increased from 4·3% to 6·6% and to 11·4% ( P < 0·0001). Both before and after adjustment for confounders, fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose levels were significantly associated with serum CRP concentration and the risk of microalbuminuria ( P < 0·003). However, the association for CRP tended to be more prominent with 2-h postload plasma glucose than with fasting plasma glucose. Indeed, with adjustments applied, for 1 SD change in fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose concentration, serum CRP concentration increased by 14% and 18% (between the two regression coefficients, P = 0·01), respectively. With similar adjustments, for 1 SD change in fasting and 2-h postload plasma glucose concentration, the odds of microalbuminuria increased by 28% and 32% ( P = 0·28 for the difference between 28% and 32%), respectively. Conclusions Our finding suggests that in Chinese plasma glucose, especially 2-h postload, is associated with biological markers of cardiovascular disease, such as serum CRP concentration and microalbuminuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 128 bacterial test strains originated from Astragalus, Caragana, Gueldenstaedtia, Medicago, Melilotus, Oxytropis, Trifolium, and Vicia grown in Tibet were characterized phenotypically and genomically. Based upon the consensus of grouping results, they were identified as 16 putative species. Twenty-five test strains belonging to seven putative species of Agrobacterium, Bradyrhizobium, and Rhizobium might be nonsymbiotic bacteria and the remaining 103 test strains were symbiotic bacteria belonging to Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, and Sinorhizobium meliloti. Although no novel taxon was detected in the symbiotic bacteria, several characters including the alkaliphilic psychrotolerance revealed that the Tibetan rhizobia could be ecotypes adapted to the local conditions. The results also demonstrated that frequent lateral transfer of symbiotic genes might have happened in the Tibetan rhizobia since nodC genes similar to that of S. meliloti were found in several Rhizobium test strains and all the Mesorhizobium species had very similar nodC genes despite their genomic background. All of these findings demonstrated that the Tibetan rhizobia were an important resource for further studies on rhizobial ecology and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this preliminary qualitative study was to gain insight into community health needs in order to develop health program for community in Chongqing. Methods: Totally 40 participants were assigned into 6 focus group discussions. All groups were led by local language speakers, and their talking was recorded after gaining informed consent. Transcribed data were coded and subjected to thematic analysis. Results: The main obtained themes were that community health problems were chronic noncommunicable disease, main health service needs included regularly free check-up and health education, and perceived health risk factors were unhealthy lifestyle and behavior as well as environment problems. Conclusion: Our community health needs assessment (CHNA) with FGDs indicate that residents realize the importance of prevention of disease. Our study identifies that primarily community health promotion is one of the priorities of community health service needs, including reorienting health service, health education, guiding behavior or lifestyle, and creating healthy environments. The findings of this study can provide guidance to the development of more effective and pertinent health program in this community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) is one of the most important vegetables in China. Genetic dissection of leaf mineral accumulation and tolerance to Zn stress is important for the improvement of the nutritional quality of Chinese cabbage by breeding. A mapping population with 183 doubled haploid (DH) lines was used to study the genetics of mineral accumulation and the growth response to Zn. The genetic map was constructed based on 203 AFLPs, 58 SSRs, 22 SRAPs and four ESTPs. The concentration of 11 minerals was determined in leaves for 142 DH lines grown in an open field. In addition shoot dry biomass (SDB) under normal, deficient and excessive Zn nutritional conditions were investigated in hydroponics experiments. Ten QTLs, each explaining 11.1–17.1% of the Na, Mg, P, Al, Fe, Mn, Zn and Sr concentration variance, were identified by multiple-QTL model (MQM) mapping. One common QTL was found affecting SDB under normal, deficient and excessive Zn nutritional conditions. An additional QTL was detected for SDB under Zn excess stress only. These results offer insights into the genetic basis of leaf mineral accumulation and plant growth under Zn stress conditions in Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The zonal displacement of the western Pacific subtropical high remarkably influences the climate anomalies in China. In this paper, a new zonal index of the subtropical high is defined by modifying previous indices, and is used to investigate the relationship between the zonal displacement of the subtropical high and the dominant modes of 850-hPa circulations. It is found that the zonal displacement of the subtropical high is significantly correlated with the first two leading modes of circulations. In particular, the correlation coefficient between the index and the time series associated with the second mode is as high as 0.78 in 1958–2003 (46years). Since the second mode is not associated with significant anomalies of sea surface temperatures, the above results imply the difficulty in seasonal forecasting of the zonal displacement of the subtropical high. In addition, the interannual variability in the zonal displacement of the subtropical high has been considerably enhanced since 1978, due to the effects of both dominant modes, especially the second mode. This is likely to account for the frequent occurrence of anomalous climate in China during the recent two decades. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: China is facing a significant tuberculosis epidemic among rural-to-urban migrants, which poses a threat to TB control. This study aimed to understand the health seeking behaviour of and health systems responses to migrants and permanent urban residents suffering from chronic cough, in order to identify the factors influencing delays for both groups in receiving a TB diagnosis in urban China. Methods: Combining a prospective cohort study of adult suspect TB patients and a qualitative study, the Piot model was used to analyze the health seeking behaviour of TB suspects among migrants and permanent urban residents, the factors influencing their decision and the responses by general health providers. Methods included a patient survey, focus group discussions with migrants in the general population, qualitative interviews with migrant and permanent resident TB suspects and TB patients as well as key stakeholders related to TB control and the management of migrants. Results: Sixty eight percent of migrants delayed for more than two weeks before seeking care for symptoms suggestive of TB, compared to 54% of residents (p < 0.01). When they first decided to seek professional care, migrants were 1.5 times more likely than residents to use less expensive, community-level health services. Only 5% were ultimately referred to a TB dispensary. Major reasons for both patient and provider delay included lack of knowledge and mistrust of the TB control programme, lack of knowledge about TB (patients), and profit-seeking behaviour (providers). In the follow up survey, 61% of the migrants and 41% of the residents who still had symptoms gave up continuing to seek professional care, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Rural-to-urban migrants are more likely than permanent residents to delay in seeking care for symptoms suggestive of TB in urban Chongqing. 'Patient-' and 'provider-' related factors interact to pose barriers to TB diagnosis for migrants, including: low awareness, and poor knowledge among both the general public and TB suspects about TB as a disease and about the TB control programme; low financial capacity to pay for care and diagnostic tests; and inadequate use of diagnostic tests and referral to TB dispensaries by general health providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of macroalgal communities and the impact of sewage on their growth were studied in the tidal zone around Zhanqiao Pier of the Qingdao coastal area, in the northwest of the Yellow Sea, China, from September 2001 to September 2003. The tidal zone of the study area is divided into western and eastern sections by the Zhanqiao Pier. Inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in seawater showed higher concentrations on the eastern side of Zhanqiao Pier than on the western side, because a sewer drains into the eastern side. The macroalgal communities on each side of the Pier showed an obvious difference due to the effect of this sewage discharge. A total of 47 macroalgal species including 10 greens, 11 browns and 26 reds was identified in this study. The species composition and biomass indicated higher values in the nutrient-rich area on the eastern side of Zhanqiao Pier compared with the nutrient-poor area on the western side of Zhanqiao Pier. Some ephemeral and filamentous species dominated seasonally on the eastern side of Zhanqiao Pier, in contrast to the western side where slow-growing species dominated throughout the year. Nutrient gradients and temperature were considered the main factors affecting the distribution of macroalgae communities in time and space. The results are consistent with the common observation that nutrient-poor areas are dominated by slow-growing rather than ephemeral algal species. Moreover, the species diversity in the whole study area had declined when compared to previous records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the plasma lipid levels in a national representative sample of subjects and to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia in the Chinese population. Methods Plasma lipid profile was analyzed using the data obtained during the Chinese national nutrition and health survey (CNHS) in 2002 which involved 14 252 participants at the age of 18 years or older. Results The mean levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the participants were 3.81 mmol/L, 1.10 mmol/L, and 1.30 mmol/L, respectively. In the groups of participants at the age of 18–44 years, 45–59 years, and over 60 years the mean TC level was 3.70 mmol/L, 4.09 mmol/L and 4.21 mmol/L, respectively, and the mean TG level was 07 mmoI/L, 1.21 mmol/L, 1.20 mmol/L, 1.29 mmol/L, 1.33 mmol/L, and 1.33 mmol/L, respectively. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in Chinese adults was 18.6% and 22.2% in males and 15.9% in females. Dyslipidemia prevalence was higher in urban districts than in rural areas (21.0% vs. 17.7%). The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterol was 2.9%, 11.9%, and 7.4% respectively among the participants. Conclusion Dyslipidemia has become one of the important health risk factors in the Chinese population. There is no significantly difference in the prevalence of dyslipidemia between the groups of participants at the age of 45–59 years and over 60 years. This study provides important lipid profile data for policy making and guideline development for the prevention of dyslipidemia in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of Jurassic-- Early Cretaceous sedimentary evolution of the Hefei basin in eastern China and explores the relationship between clastic sedimentation and coeval deformation of the Dabieshan to the south and the Tanlu fault to the east. The Hefei basin experienced a twostage evolution. The basin was initiated in the Early Jurassic and expanded in the Middle and Late Jurassic. The synsedimentary Jinzhai normal fault is considered to be a border fault of the basin because it controlled Middle to Upper Jurassic proximal alluvial deposits. Persistent N- to NE-directed paleo-flows in the southern Hefei basin indicate that sediments came from the Dabieshan, and the presence of Triassic coesite-bearing detrital zircon in Lower Jurassic sediments documents exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan to the surface as early as the Early Jurassic. Occurrences of eclogite clasts in an Upper Jurassic unit indicate continued denudation of the Dabieshan at that time. Thickening of Jurassic clastic units to the southern and southeast parts of the basin suggests that basin subsidence and depositional loci were under the coupled control of the Jinzhai normal fault on the south and the NE-striking left-lateral transtensional Tanlu fault on the east. Jurassic extensional subsidence of the Hefei basin is in marked contrast to the coeval development of a contractional foreland basin south of the Dabieshan, which combines to indicate contemporaneous extension and contraction on the north and south sides of the Dabieshan, respectively. Vigorous volcanism and uplift of the southern Hefei basin characterized the second stage of development of the Hefei basin in the Early Cretaceous, and this led to a synchronous shift of its main depocenter to the north. This younger depocenter is characterized by lacustrine and fluvialdeltaic sedimentation, where alluvial and fan-deltaic coarse-grained deposition mainly occurred along the eastern edge of the basin. Early Cretaceous subsidence is attributed to E-W extension across the middle segment of the Tanlu fault, and the Zhangbaling massif on the east acted as a footwall and provided a source for sediment to the northern basin. A model is accordingly advanced to account for how the Hefei basin developed in response to the tectonic exhumation of the Dabieshan and the deformation of the Tanlu fault in the Mesozoic. It illustrates that the Hefei basin initiated and evolved during Jurassic time in an extensional setting that was triggered by southerly upward extrusion of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan. Early Cretaceous development of the basin was controlled by magmatism-related uplift of the Dabieshan on the south and orthogonal normal faulting of the middle segment of the Tanlu fault on the east. This study provides an independent constraint upon the exhumation processes of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the diversity and relationships of rhizobia in the subtropical and tropical zones of China, we characterized 67 bacterial strains isolated from root nodules of five legume species in the genera Trifolium, Crotalaria and Mimosa . PCR-amplified 16S rDNA RFLP, numerical taxonomy, SDS-PAGE of whole cell proteins, sequencing of 16S rDNA and DNA–DNA hybridization grouped the isolates into 17 lineages belonging to Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Burkholderia, as well as a non-symbiotic group of Agrobacterium. The Rhizobium group contained twenty strains isolated from Mimosa pudica, Crotalaria pallida and two species of Trifolium. Fifteen of them were R. leguminosarum. Twenty-one strains isolated from four species of Trifolium, Crotalaria and Mimosa were classified into five groups of Bradyrhizobium, including B. japonicum. Agrobacterium group composed of 20 isolates from Mimosa pudica, C. pallida and Trifolium fragiferum. In addition, several strains of Sinorhizobium and Mesorhizobium associated with Trifolium and Burkholderia associated with Mimosa pudica were also identified. The predominance of Bradyrhizobium in the nodules of Trifolium was a novel finding and it demonstrated that the nodule microsymbionts might be selected by both the geographic factors and the legume hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caragana species are woody legumes widely distributed in the arid regions of China. These plants form root nodules but their nodule bacteria have not been clearly classified. A total of 112 symbiotic bacterial isolates were obtained from four Caragana species grown in Liaoning Province and were characterized with ARDRA, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins, BOX-PCR and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Most of them were classified as Mesorhizobium belonging to 11 putative species. Three isolates were identified as Rhizobium etli and Burkholderia spp. This study offers new information about the Caragana–rhizobia association and resource for selection of inoculants used in sustainable agriculture and for further studies on the Caragana rhizobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet can make markets more competitive, but whether this holds for on-line price levels and price dispersion is unclear, perhaps because the maturity, or level of development, of Internet markets has not been widely studied. This paper explores how the maturity of an Internet market affects on-line market pricing in relation to types of products and retailers. It analyzes the pricing differences between pure on-line retailers (e-tailers) and hybrid retailers (multichannel retailers) for three categories of products (books, CDs, digital cameras) in two countries with different levels of Internet maturity (China and the United States). The results show that (1) e-tailer price dispersion is lower in the United States than in China, (2) price levels in the two countries vary with product types, and (3) in both countries, e-tailers have lower price levels and price dispersion than hybrid retailers. These findings suggest that the maturation of Internet markets may lead to lower prices and price dispersion, but with variations dependent on type of product and retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Cherubism is a rare hereditary multi-cystic disease of the jaws, characterized by its typical appearance in early childhood, and stabilization and remission after puberty. It is genetically transmitted in an autosomal dominant fashion and the gene coding for SH3-binding protein 2 (SH3BP2) may be involved. Case presentation: We investigated a family consisting of 21 members with 3 female affected individuals with cherubism from Northern China. Of these 21 family members, 17 were recruited for the genetic analysis. We conducted the direct sequence analysis of the SH3BP2 gene among these 17 family members. A disease-causing mutation was identified in exon 9 of the gene. It was an A1517G base change, which leads to a D419G amino acid substitution. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the A1517G mutation has not been reported previously in cherubism. This finding is novel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the ShanghaiGrid is to provide information services to the people. It aims to construct a metropolitan-area information service infrastructure and establish an open standard for widespread upper-layer applications from both communities and the government. The Information Service Grid Toolkit and a typical application called the Traffic Information Grid are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Changba Pb-Zn SEDEX deposit occurs in the Middle Devonian sequence of the Anjiaca Formation of the Western Qinling Hercynian Orogen in the Gansu Province, China. The Changba-II orebody is hosted in biotite quartz schist and is the largest of 143 stratiform orebodies that are hosted either in biotite quartz schist or marble. The Changba-II comprises two types of mineralization: a bedded facies and an underlying breccia lens. The bedded section exhibits three sulfide sub-facies zoned from bottom to top: 1) banded sphalerite intercalated with quartz albitite; 2) interbedded massive pyrite and sphalerite ore; and 3) banded sphalerite ore intercalated with banded baritite. Major metallic minerals are sphalerite, pyrite, galena, with minor arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, boulangerite, and rare chalcopyrite. The bedded sulfides are underlain by a lens of brecciated and albitized biotite-quartz schists cemented by sulfides and tourmaline. Massive and bedded sulfide d 34S values range from 8.1 to 29.3?, whereas barite d 34S values range from 20.8 to 31.5?. Disseminated pyrite in footwall schists has d 34S values ranging from 8.1 to 10.6?, and increase to values ranging from 11.1 to 14.7? in the hangingwall. The lower d 34S values for massive and bedded sulfides are interpreted to be derived from progressive bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) of Devonian seawater in a sulfate-restricted sub-basin. The higher d 34S values for massive and bedded sulfides could be a product of quantitative BSR but this is incompatible with barite being more abundant above the bedded sulfides. Instead, it is more likely that thermochemical sulfate reduction of seawater sulfate or of evaporite was the source of heavy hydrothermal sulfur. Heavy hydrothermal sulfur was injected into a sulfate-restricted sub-basin where it mixed with low d 34S BSR sulfide to form the massive and bedded sulfides. The REE patterns of sulfide layers and associated quartz albitite and baritite are similar to those of the host biotite quartz schists, suggesting that the hydrothermal fluids leached REE from the underlying rocks. Pb isotope ratios in galena form an array between the Upper Crust and the Mantle reservoir curves, which indicates that the lead is derived from upper crustal rocks comprising mafic igneous units. The Sr 87/Sr 86 ratio of 0.7101 for carbonate within the sulfide layers also suggests that Sr is derived from the mixing of Sr leached from upper crustal rocks with Middle Devonian seawater Sr. A Rb-Sr isochron age of 389.4 ± 6.4 Ma for sulfide layers and the interbedded hydrothermal sediments is consistent with the age of host Mid-Devonian strata. Ar 39/Ar 40 plateau age at 352.8 ± 3.5 Ma and Ar 39-Ar 40 isochron age of 346.6 ± 6.4 Ma for albite in the quartz albitite intercalated with sulfide layers indicate either albite formation after the sulfides or thermal resetting of the Rb-Sr system at about 350 Ma, the age of collision between the North China and Yangtze cratons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital cataracts are an important cause of blindness worldwide. In a family of Chinese descent, a dominant congenital nuclear cataract locus was mapped to chromosome 17q11.1-12. The maximum LOD score, 2.49, at recombination fraction 0, was obtained for marker D17S1294. The results of both linkage and haplotype analyses defined a disease-gene to an 11.78-cM region harboring the gene coding for βA1/A3 crystallin (CRYBA1/A3). Mutation analysis of the CRYBA1/A3 gene identified a 3-bp deletion in exon 4, which cosegregated with the disease risk in this family and was not observed in 100 normal chromosomes. This mutation resulted in the deletion of a highly conserved glycine at codon 91 (ΔG91) and could be associated with an incorrect folding of βA1/A3 crystallin. It highlights the physiological importance of crystallin and supports the role of CRYBA1/A3 in human cataracts formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the school-to-work experience of people with mental handicap in Hong Kong. Fourteen young adults with mild mental handicap participated in in-depth interviews. An interview guide was utilized which included topics related to the participants' vocational preferences, work motivation and post-school placements. Data were analyzed according to a constant comparative method and content analysis. Three-quarters of the participants expressed job preferences. Three-quarters of the participants had taken a vocational training program unrelated to their job preferences. Half of the participants who had taken up open employment had not obtained their preferred jobs. None of the participants who had completed vocational training obtained job placements that matched their vocational training programs. All of the participants except five were not involved in making independent decisions regarding employment. The need to improve the quality of vocational services and empower people with mental handicap to take up self-determining roles are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Biomarker changes that occur in the period between normal cognition and the diagnosis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease have not been extensively investigated in longitudinal studies. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, nested case-control study of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in cognitively normal participants who were enrolled in the China Cognition and Aging Study from January 2000 through December 2020. A subgroup of these participants underwent testing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), cognitive assessments, and brain imaging at 2-year-to-3-year intervals. A total of 648 participants in whom Alzheimer's disease developed were matched with 648 participants who had normal cognition, and the temporal trajectories of CSF biochemical marker concentrations, cognitive testing, and imaging were analyzed in the two groups. RESULTS The median follow-up was 19.9 years (interquartile range, 19.5 to 20.2). CSF and imaging biomarkers in the Alzheimer's disease group diverged from those in the cognitively normal group at the following estimated number of years before diagnosis: amyloid-beta (Aβ)42, 18 years; the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40, 14 years; phosphorylated tau 181, 11 years; total tau, 10 years; neurofilament light chain, 9 years; hippocampal volume, 8 years; and cognitive decline, 6 years. As cognitive impairment progressed, the changes in CSF biomarker levels in the Alzheimer's disease group initially accelerated and then slowed. CONCLUSIONS In this study involving Chinese participants during the 20 years preceding clinical diagnosis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease, we observed the time courses of CSF biomarkers, the times before diagnosis at which they diverged from the biomarkers from a matched group of participants who remained cognitively normal, and the temporal order in which the biomarkers became abnormal. (Funded by the Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03653156.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic Predisposition, Sedentary Behavior, and Incident Coronary Artery Disease: A Prospective Chinese Cohort Study. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 103-109, 2024. Purpose: Whether the association of sedentary behaviors with coronary artery disease (CAD) can be influenced by genetic susceptibility remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the joint and interplay effects between genetic risk and sedentary time (ST) and to further explore the extent to which the risk for CAD can be counteracted by reducing ST in different genetic groups. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 39,164 Chinese adults without CAD history. Genetic susceptibility was quantified by a predefined polygenic risk score (PRS) with 540 genetic variants, and daily ST was assessed by questionnaire. We analyzed the modification effect of genetic risk on the association of ST with CAD using the Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During a median follow-up of 11.60 yr, 1156 CAD events were documented. Higher ST and PRS were separately related to elevated CAD risk. Significant additive interaction was also observed (relative excess risk due to interaction: 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.27–1.28). Compared with participants with low genetic risk and low ST (<6 h·d−1 ), those with high genetic risk and high ST (≥10 h·d−1 ) had the highest CAD risk, with the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI of 4.22 (2.65–6.71). When stratified by genetic risks, participants with high ST had gradient increment of CAD risks across low, intermediate, and high genetic risk groups, with HR (95% CI) values of 1.21 (0.61–2.40), 1.57 (1.14–2.16), and 2.15 (1.40–3.31), respectively. For the absolute risk reduction, individuals with high genetic risk achieved the greatest benefit from low ST (Ptrend = 0.024). Conclusions: Genetic susceptibility may synergistically interact with ST to increase CAD risk. Reducing ST could attenuate the CAD risk, especially among individuals with high genetic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Notopterygium incisum is an important Chinese medicinal plant. Its mature seeds have underdeveloped embryos and are physiological dormant. We found the seeds with full developed embryos can germinate after treated by fluridone (FL), an inhibitor of abscisic acid (ABA). In order to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying seed dormancy release by FL, we compared the transcriptomic changes in dormancy release induced by two different methods, FL and cold stratification (CS) in N. incisum. We further analyzed the gene expression patterns involved in seed germination and dormancy using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Results: RNA-sequence analysis revealed more dramatic changes in the transcriptomes of FL than those in CS, particularly for genes involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of gibberellins (GAs) and ABA. The down-regulation of ABA biosynthesis genes and the dramatic up-regulation of NiCYP707As, an ABA catabolic gene, contributed to the reduced ABA levels in FL. The increased GA3 levels in CS-treated seeds were due to the up-regulation of NiGA3OX. Both NiABI5 (a positive ABA regulator) and NiGAI (a negative regulator of GA) were down-regulated in FL and CS. The upregulation of strigolactones (SLs; the metabolites with the same precursor as ABA) biosynthesis and regulatory genes in both FL- and CS-treated seeds indicates that SLs contribute positively to seed dormancy release in N. incisum. Conclusions: Our results indicated that FL- and CS-seed dormancy release possibly depends on two totally different mechanisms: alleviation of the effects of ABA and potentiation of the effects of GA, respectively. However, NiABI5 and NiGAI probably function as common factors integrating the effects of ABA and GA on seed dormancy release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]