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In China, coal miners are the primary workforce in coal mining, and among all patients with occupational diseases, 90% suffer from pneumoconiosis. Therefore, the psychological problems resulting from the dual pressures of occupational stress and the high risk of occupational diseases among coal miners are significant factors that affect the development of physical and mental health and even production safety. The Crown–Crisp Experience Index (CCEI) is a multidimensional questionnaire that assesses the psychological state of patients. This study aims to test reliability and validity of Chinese version of the CCEI questionnaire using factor analysis, and apply it to coal miners. We recruited a total of 900 participants from different occupational stages in coal mining, including active miners, Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients, and retired miners, to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the CCEI questionnaire. A questionnaire survey was conducted on three groups of 1000 individuals each, including active coal miners, retired coal miners, and pneumoconiosis patients, to determine the detection rate of psychological problems in each group. An analysis was performed for each group to explore the primary factors influencing anxiety. The exploratory factor analysis yielded six principal components that accounted for a total of 79.389% of variances. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Chi-square freedom ratio (χ2/df) was 1.843, the root mean square error approximation was less than 0.044, and the comparative fit index was 0.938 and Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) was 0.934. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.948, and the scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.88. Effective questionnaires were obtained from 98.5%, 96.9%, to 91.0% of pneumoconiosis patients, active miners, and retired miners, respectively, with the incidence rates of psychological problems being 21%, 35.8%, and 13.6%, respectively. Compared with retired miners, active miners showed higher levels of psychological problems in the dimensions of depressive symptoms, free-floating anxiety and somatic symptoms, whereas pneumoconiosis patients had higher levels of psychological problems in the dimensions of phobic anxiety and somatic symptoms. This study demonstrates that the Chinese version of the CCEI is highly reliable and valid and can be used as a screening tool to measure patients' anxiety and fear levels in coal minders. Miners face distinct psychological challenges at different stages and require targeted screening and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, among all patients with occupational diseases, 90% have pneumoconiosis. The disease, which leads to psychological problems, seriously affects patients' lives. The Crown-Crisp Experience Index (CCEI) is a multidimensional questionnaire to assess patients' psychological conditions. Yet there is no Chinese version of CCEI. This study, therefore, aims to develop a Chinese CCEI, in line with standard localization procedures, by translating, back-translating, and culturally adapting the original English version. The final Chinese version comprises 47 items in six dimensions. The reliability and validity of the Chinese CCEI were tested by analyzing the data collected from 1,000 pneumoconiosis patients from an occupational disease prevention and treatment hospital. A rank sum test was carried out to compare the phobic anxiety (PHO) between pneumoconiosis patients and retired miners. The results of exploratory factor analysis show six principal components, which explain a total of 78.246% variances. Confirmatory factor analysis shows that the Chi-square freedom ratio (χ2/df) were less than 3, the root mean square error approximation (RMSEA) were less than 0.05, comparative fit Index(CFI) and incremental fit index (IFI) were greater than 0.9, average variance extracted(AVE) in six dimensions were less than 0.5, residual variances(CR) were greater than 0.8, Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.839, Omega ω coefficient 0.889, and S-CVI 0.88. The PHO of pneumoconiosis patients was significantly higher than that of retired miners exemplified by a statistical difference (P < 0.05). The study shows that the Chinese version of CCEI enjoys a high degree of reliability and validity and thus can be used as a screening tool for measuring patients' anxiety and fear levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To summarize the clinical and imaging features of patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). Methods and Results Five patients with PCA admitted in West China Hospital, Sichuan University from April to June 2021 were included. All of them showed spatial perception disorder, simultaneous agnosia, miscalculation, agraphia, structural apraxia, environmental agnosia. Apraxia of dressing and agnosia of left and right were found in 3 cases. One case had facial agnosia, visual ataxia and object perception disorder. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker determination: amyloid β-protein 42 (Aβ42) decreased in 3 cases, the ratio of Aβ42/amyloid β-protein 40 (Aβ40) decreased significantly in 2 cases, the content of total tau protein (t-tau) increased in all 5 cases, phosphorylated tau 181 protein (p-tau181) increased in 3 cases. Neuropsychological tests showed that: 1) Five patients all had different degrees of cognitive dysfunction and impairment of activities of daily living, as well as impairment of visuospatial ability, visual memory and attention. 2) Three cases had anxiety and depression, language and executive function were impaired in 3 cases, and verbal memory was impaired in 2 cases. Head MRI examination all indicated different degrees of parieto-occipital-temporal cortical atrophy. Hypometabolism in posterior regions involving parietal and temporal cortex was observed in one case with 18F-FDG PET. Three cases completed the visual field examination, including 5 cases of binocular vision loss, one case of complete visual field defect, 2 cases of partial visual field defect. Except one case lost to follow-up, other 4 cases were followed up for 20-22 months. Two cases of cognitive function, visuospatical ability decline, of which one case could not take care of themselves most of the life. Cognitive function and visuospatial ability improved in one case. There was no significant change in cognitive function and visuospatial ability in one case. Conclusions PCA should be considered in patients with relatively early-onset of agnosia, visual field defect and visuospatial impairment. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests related to visual function, brain MRI, 18F-FDG PET and CSF biomarkers would be helpful for accurate diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the levels of self‐disclosure in men undergoing in vitro fertilization and analyze the effects of communication and personality on self‐disclosure. Design and Methods: This cross‐sectional study included 210 men undergoing in vitro fertilization. Self‐disclosure was measured using the Chinese Distress Disclosure Index Scale. Findings: Participants with high self‐disclosure exhibited lower neuroticism, higher extraversion, better partner communication, higher educational levels, and were likely to have a child; these factors were independent predictors of self‐disclosure. Practice Implications: These findings highlight the factors influencing self‐disclosure and can aid in developing guidance programs for infertile men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the combined anti-inflammatory effect of activating blood circulation and detoxifying Chinese medicines in unstable angina (UA) patients. Methods: This study was an open-labeled, randomized controlled trial conducted in 5 centers in Beijing. A total of 154 patients were randomized into two groups at a 1:1 ratio by random numbers. Based on the conventional treatment, patients in the activating blood circulation (ABC) group were treated with Guanxin Danshen Droping Pill (冠心丹参滴丸, 0.4 g, thrice daily), and patients in the activating blood circulation and detoxifying (ABCD) group were treated with Guanxin Danshen Droping Pill (0.4 g, thrice daily) and Andrographis tablet (0.2 g, thrice daily) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the serum level of high sensitive C reaction protein (hs-CRP), and the secondary outcome index included the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), thrombomodulin (TM), the score of angina pectoris, the score of blood stasis syndrome, and the score of Chinese medicine symptoms, observed at week 0 and week 4. Results: A total of 144 patients completed the trial (ABC group, n=70; ABCD group, n=74). There were no significant differences in the clinical baseline characteristics between the two groups. When compared with the ABC group, ABCD group showed better performance in reducing the level of inflammatory factors, especially hs-CRP (P<0.05), IL-6 (P<0.01) and TNF-α (P<0.01). In term of clinical symptoms, ABCD group played a better role in improving the scores of angina pectoris and blood stasis syndrome than ABC group (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The combination of Guanxin Danshen Dropping Pill and Andrographis tablet exert significant anti-inflammatory effect on UA patients, which is superior to single Guanxin Danshen Dropping Pill. (Registration No. ChiCTR-TRC-13004072) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydia is a small gram-negative (G−) microorganism that can be dangerous to human and animals. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chlamydia infection in swine in China. From PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of knowledge (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database, and Wanfang database, we collected a total of 72 publications reported in 1985–2020. The prevalence of Chlamydia was 22.48% in China. In the sampling year subgroup, the prevalence after 2011 was the highest (26.14%). In southern China, the prevalence was 30.97%. By contrast, the prevalence in northern China was only 10.79%. Also the difference was significant (p < 0.05). In the provincial level, Hubei had the highest rate of 36.23%. Boars had a higher prevalence (29.47%). The prevalence of Chlamydia detection in pigs with reproductive disorders (21.86%) was higher than that without reproductive disorders. Among the three age groups, finishing pigs (21.43%) had the highest prevalence. The prevalence in large-scale farmed pigs (28.58%) was the highest in the subgroup of feeding methods. The prevalence in farms was 24.29%, which was the highest in the survey areas. The prevalence in spring was the highest with 40.51%. Other methods had the highest prevalence (39.61%) than enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination assay. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci 18.41% was lower than the prevalence of Chlamydia abortus (41.35%). We also analyzed the impact of different climate factor subgroups (rainfall, temperature, and humidity) on the probability of pigs suffering from the disease. The results showed that Chlamydia was widespread in pigs in China. We suggest that we should strengthen the detection of Chlamydia in the semen of breeding pigs and pigs with reproductive disorders, and reasonably control the environment of large-scale pig farms, so as to reduce further infection of Chlamydia in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to study whether radial pulse wave signals can improve the risk prediction of incident hypertension and are associated with its concomitant metabolic risk factors beyond the traditional cardiovascular risk factor Ba-PWV. By enrolling 523 Chinese subjects in this study, linear and stepwise regression analysis was performed to assess the association of radial artery pulse wave signals and Ba-PWV with blood pressure and its related metabolic risk factors such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and uric acid (UA). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were calculated by risk assessment plot to compare the discriminative ability among models with and without radial artery pulse wave signals. After adjusting related confounding factors, radial artery pulse wave variable h3/h1 was selected as the sensitive influential factor for blood pressure. Moreover, a new model with h3/h1 had a higher AUC than the reference model without it (0.86 vs 0.84; P = 0.030). And the NRI and IDI for the new model was 50.0% (P = 0.017) and 3.16% (P = 0.044), respectively. In addition to Ba-PWV, we found that the decrease of t4, t5, and h5 might be associated with higher FPG, TC, LDL-C, and UA and lower HDL-C. This research might provide a valuable additional tool for remote wearable monitoring of radial artery pulse wave signals in hypertension risk evaluation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Alteration" geologically refers to chemical composition and/or structural changes of minerals under the influences of hydrothermal fluids, surface water, seawater, or other environmental conditions. In this paper, we use the word "alteration" to refer to chemical component and structural changes in jade artifacts caused by human activity and natural weathering, which is different from the term in geology. "Mercury alteration", a kind of black alteration related to Hg, is unique among the several types of alteration that occur in Chinese ancient jades. Mercury alteration often appears on ancient jade artifacts unearthed from high-grade tombs of the pre-Qin period (before 221 B.C.). Therefore, ancient jades with mercury alteration have attracted substantial attention from Chinese archaeologists. This paper reports the use of materials analytic techniques to study such ancient jade fragments. The studied jade samples date to the middle and late periods of the Spring and Autumn Period (~500 B.C.) and were unearthed from Lizhou'ao Tomb in Jiangxi Province, China. Structural analyses revealed the internal microstructure of the ancient jade fragments and the microdistribution of the mercury alteration. The jade fragments exhibit typical characteristics of round holes and structural hierarchy, which imply that the jades were heated before burial. The black alteration on these jade samples was found to be rich in Hg. The results of this study will be widely useful in the study of ancient jade artifacts and jade culture in Chinese archeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operation safety of high-speed trains is dependent on their vibration characteristics, which vary with bridge deformation. This paper studies the influence of bridge pier settlement and girder creep camber, which are two typical types of long-term bridge deformation, on the vibration of high-speed trains. To this end, an analytical approach is presented to link the bridge deformation with railway track deformation; the track deformation is used to analyze the vibration of the CRH2 high-speed train in China. The vibration analysis results are validated using the in-situ measurement data. The present study shows that bridge pier settlement greatly affects the vertical acceleration, derailment coefficient and wheel unloading rate of the high-speed train; incorporating bridge girder camber aggravates the vibration of the train–bridge system. The threshold of bridge pier settlement is suggested to be 11.1 mm for trains moving at 350 km/h with regard to the code-specified vibration limit. This study has significant implications for the design and operation of high-speed railways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To summarize the clinical manifestations, laboratory, electrophysiological and imaging features, treatment and prognosis of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord (SCD). Methods and Results The clinical data of 15 SCD patients from February 2014 to February 2018 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The etiology of SCD is related to disorders in uptake, absorption, combination or transport of vitamin B12. The onset was chronic or subacute, and main initial symptoms were paresthesia of hands or feet. Laboratory examination showed elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels, reduced vitamin B12 levels and positive anti - intrinsic factor and anti - parietal cell antibodies. Spinal MRI showed that the lesions often occurred in the posterior and lateral funiculus of cervical and thoracic spinal cord. The "inverted V sign" was considered to be the characteristic imaging manifestation. All patients showed improved symptoms and signs to different degrees after vitamin B12 treatment. Conclusions The pathogenesis of SCD is related to vitamin B12 deficiency. The clinical manifestations are diverse. Spinal "inverted V sign" is a strong evidence for clear diagnosis, and vitamin B12 is effective in the treatment of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over the past 30 years, China has enjoyed rapid economic development along with urbanization at a massive scale that the world has not experienced before. Such development has also been associated with a rapid rise in the prevalence of allergic disorders. Because of the large childhood population in the country, the burden of childhood allergic disorders has become one of the major challenges in the healthcare system. Among the Chinese centers participating in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, the data clearly showed a continuing rise in the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema. However, the discipline of pediatric allergy in mainland China is still in its infancy due to the lack of formal training program and subspecialty certification. Clinicians and researchers are increasingly interested in providing better care for patients with allergies by establishing pediatric allergy centers in different regions of the country. Many of them have also participated in national or international collaborative projects hoping to answer the various research questions related to the discipline of pediatric allergy and immunology. It is our hope that the research findings from China will not only improve the quality of care of affected children within this country but also the millions of patients with allergies worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common symptom in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Objective. To determine the clinical efficacy of auricular acupressure therapy on pruritus in hemodialysis patients and to explore possible underlying mechanisms. Methods. Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at a referral medical center were recruited and assigned to intervention (n=32) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group underwent auricular acupressure treatment three times a week for six weeks. Auricular acupressure was not applied to patients in the control group. However, tape without Vaccaria seeds was applied to the same six auricular acupoints as the intervention group. Pruritus scores were assessed using VAS scores, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure levels of other possible contributory biochemical factors. Results. There was a significant difference in mean VAS scores between the postintervention and control groups during follow-up (3.844 ± 1.687 versus 5.567 ± 2.285, F=22.32, P<0.0001). Compared to the control group, serum histamine levels in the postintervention group at the six-week follow-up had decreased significantly (F=5.01, P=0.0290). Conclusion. Our findings suggest that auricular acupressure may be a useful treatment in the multidisciplinary management of UP in ESRD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine leukemia is a chronic, progressive, contagious tumor disease characterized by malignant lymphoid cell hyperplasia and systemic lymphadenopathy, and is caused by bovine leukemia virus (BLV). The disease affects almost all countries and regions where livestock are raised, and may even be a potential zoonotic disease. Monitoring and early prevention of bovine leukemia is very important. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis, the first of its type in the country, to estimate the prevalence of bovine leukemia in 1983–2019 in China. We included a total of 35 publications reported in 1983–2019 from the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of Knowledge (CNKI), VIP Chinese, and Wan Fang databases. In those articles, a total of 34,954 cattle had been tested, of which 4701 were positive for BLV infection. The estimated pooled BLV prevalence was 10.0% (4701/34,954). Subgroup analysis showed that there were significant differences for sampling years, detection methods, and age. BLV prevalence was highest in the following subgroups: sampled before 1985 (38.5%, 437/1134), age 3–5 years (22.5%, 231/1044), and detected by PCR (17.9%, 1228/5100). Regarding geographic factors, there were significant differences in the latitude and elevation subgroups. BLV prevalence was lowest in the subgroups of 20–30° latitude (3.3%, 255/5069) 200–1000 m altitude (2.2%, 560/11,990). We also analyzed other subgroups such as region, variety, breeding method, precipitation, humidity, and temperature, however, the differences were not significant. Our research indicated that the BLV was still prevalent in some of areas in China. We recommend strengthening the testing of cattle aged >1 year and using flexible testing methods such as PCR to control the prevalence of bovine leukemia and to prevent persistent infection. • Bovine leukemia virus is prevalent among cattle in China. • Bovine leukemia is distributed unevenly in different regions in China. • Bovine leukemia prevalence varies in cattle with different ages and varieties. • More accurate test data may be obtained by combining ELISA and PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Yizuomao area, located in the south segment of Lesser Xing'an Range–Zhangguangcai Range, is an important part of ore-concentrated area in the east of Ha'erbin. The Yizuomao Complex comprises medium- to coarse-grained, medium- to fine-grained and fine-grained biotite-bearing alkali feldspar granite, and the results show 206Pb/238U ages of 195.3 ± 1.8 Ma, 200.6 ± 3.2 Ma and 205.2 ± 4.1 Ma, respectively. The geological characteristics for these deposits indicate that a genetic link between the emplacement of granite porphyries and skarn-type mineralization. The ages of regional mineralization and crystallization of the granite porphyrie suggest that skarn mineralization in the Yizuomao area occurred during the late Early–early Middle Jurassic. The Yizuomao Complex and associated granite porphyries have similar characteristics, as both comprise high–K calc–alkaline rocks containing high concentrations of SiO 2 and K 2 O + Na 2 O, and low concentrations of Ti, Fe, Mn and Ca. The magmatic rocks are depleted in Ba, Nb, Sr, and Ti, and enriched in Rb, Th, U, K and Pb, and have high Rb/Sr ratios, characteristic of highly fractionated I-type granites. Moreover, all display positive ε Hf (t) values from +5.6 to +14.3, and young zircon Hf single-stage and two-stage model ages, suggesting a significant contribution of juvenile material. Based on the geochronology, geochemistry and Hf isotopic data, we suggest that the Yizuomao Complex and associated granite porphyries were derived from partial melting of juvenile crust. The Yizuomao Complex was emplaced in the transformation period from the post-collision extension of the NCC and the Jiamusi-Khanka Massif to the subduction of Paleo-Pacific Plate. The granite porphyries that are intimately associated with the mineralization were the result of magmatic activity along an active continental margin related to subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • There is a genetic link between the emplacement of granite porphyry and skarn-type mineralization. • The skarn mineralization in the Yizuomao area occurred in the Early to Middle Jurassic. • The Yizuomao Complex and associated granite porphyry were derived from partial melting of juvenile crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Vibration energy transmission of high-speed train-track-bridge systems is characterized. • Hybrid modelling integrating multi-body dynamics and finite element models is performed. • Interactions between the train, track, and bridge as well as track irregularity are considered. • A power flow method is utilized to characterize vibration energy transmission. • Effects of key variables of ballastless track and bridge on energy transmission are evaluated. This paper investigates the vibration energy transmission characteristics of high-speed train-track-bridge coupled systems based on a high-speed railway in China. A coupled system composed of a CRH380A high-speed train, CRTS II slab ballastless track, and standard 32-meter girder bridge was analyzed through hybrid simulations that integrated multi-body dynamics and finite element analysis. The hybrid model included the interactions between the train, track, and bridge of the coupled system as well as track irregularity. The vibration energy of the coupled system was quantitatively investigated under various train velocities. The effects of key variables of ballastless track and bridge on energy transmission characteristics were evaluated. The studied variables included fastener stiffness, fastener damping, mortar layer stiffness, bridge cross section, and bridge damages. The results show that these variables have significant effects on vibration energy transmission, suggesting that it is important to consider these variables in the design and operation of high-speed railways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the distribution of wind field parameters over various terrains is important for kinds of applications including condition monitoring of high-speed railways and pollutant dispersion modeling. Based on Empirical Bernstein Copula (EBC), a nonparametric joint distribution model of wind speed and direction adaptable for complex wind field is proposed. Four commonly used parametric models are introduced for comparison, including the angular-linear model, Frank Copula, Gaussian Copula, and the model without considering interdependence. Yearly data measured from wind monitoring stations at 19 sites with various wind fields alongside the Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed railway in China is adopted for studying. The EBC model shows an overall best goodness-of-fit with the comprehensive metric value reaching 4.9586 (full score 5). Particularly, the superior performance of the EBC model is retained while the parametric models fail to predict the joint distribution in regions where wind speed and direction are highly dependent. In addition, when dealing with cases that the fitting goodness of marginal distribution is relatively poor (i.e. R 2 = 0.488), a desired accuracy of joint distribution can be obtained with EBC. Further discussion about the optimal parameters and Copula structure of EBC is conducted to reveal reasons for the model showing adaptability to highly variable wind environments. • A nonparametric copula-based model for JPDF of wind speed and direction adaptable for various terrains is proposed. • Performance and robustness of various JPDF models are evaluated at the scale of the whole railway region in China. • The fitting accuracy of the EBC and parametric copulas to model the JPDF of highly dependent wind vector data is compared. • The accuracy of JPDF models is discussed when dealing with cases that the fitting goodness of marginal distribution is poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yawan Sb deposit is a large deposit located in the Xihe County, Gansu, northwestern China. Ore bodies are hosted in the Triassic limestone and are controlled by the NE- trending faults, occurring as lamellar, lenticular, veined, and lentil. Based on the cutting relationship between veins and mineral assemblages, the ore-forming process can be divided into four stages: I) pyrite + stibnite + milky quartz stage, II) stibnite + pyrite + gray-black cryptocrystalline quartz stage, III) stibnite + calcite + fluorite stage, and IV) clear and colorless calcite stage. The δ34S values (−2.5 ‰ to 5.8 ‰) of sulfides from stage II are similar to those associated with magmatic systems, but significantly different from the values (δ34S = −12.8 ‰ to 18.8 ‰) of pyrites from strata, suggesting that magmatic sulfur was the source for S2− in stage II. The δ34S values (−9.5 ‰ to −7.5 ‰) of stibnites from stage III are depleted in 34S relative to those of stage II, probably due to the increasingly mixing of meteoric water and SO 4 2− from the strata. The Pb isotopes of sulfides from stage II and III (206Pb/204Pb = 17.745–19.176, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.478–15.711, 208Pb/204Pb = 37.7–38.742) show a mixed source of crust and mantle. The δ13C and δ18O values of calcites range from −0.84 ‰ to 3.94 ‰ and from 4.74 ‰ to 13.24 ‰, respectively, indicating that the ore-forming fluids originated from magmatic water, but influenced by water-rock interaction and meteoric water in the late stage. The Sm Nd isochron age of five calcite simples from stage III is 199.9 ± 1.7 Ma (MSWD = 1.6) with initial ε Nd values of −8.4, indicating that Yawan Sb deposit formed in the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. On the basis of the data obtained in this paper, we consider that the Yawan Sb deposit is a distal magmatic-hydrothermal deposit formed during the transitional tectonic regime from the syn -collision to post-collision. Combined with previous studies, future exploration should focus on the distal magmatic-hydrothermal Sb deposits controlled by faults around concealed granites, and skarn-type deposits also need attention in Yawan-Daqiao district. • The Yawan Sb deposit is a distal magmatic-hydrothermal deposit. • Ore-forming components originally derived from deep magmas. • The dating of calcite intergrown with stibnite indicates that the Yawan Sb deposit was formed at 199.9 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of bloodsucking insects, which mainly occurs in sheep, goats, and cattle. Bluetongue is characterized by fever, leukopenia, and severe catarrhal inflammation of the oral and gastrointestinal mucosa. The present study aimed to evaluate and analyze the prevalence of bluetongue and its associated risk factors in sheep and goats in China. We collected 59 publications from 1988 to 2019 through searches at ScienceDirect, PubMed, the Chongqing VIP Chinese journal database, Wanfang database, and Chinese Web of knowledge. In these studies, a total of 123,982 sheep and goats across 7 regions of China were investigated, and the pooled prevalence of bluetongue in sheep and goats was 18.6%, as assessed using serological methods. The prevalence of bluetongue in Southern China was 30.3%, which was significantly higher than that in Northeastern China (4.7%). The prevalence of bluetongue between sheep (12.9%) and goats (28.1%) was significantly different (P < 0.05). Detection methods subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of bluetongue was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the others group (43.8%) than in the agar immunodiffusion (15.9%) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay groups (20.5%). In addition, different geographical factors (latitude range, longitude range, altitude range, average precipitation, and average temperature) could affect the prevalence. Our results suggested that bluetongue is widespread in sheep and goats, and sheep and goats in contact with insect media, such as Culicoides , or in a warm and humid environment, could have an increased prevalence of bluetongue disease. Animal disease prevention and control departments should focus on continuous monitoring of the bluetongue epidemic in sheep and goats to prevent and control outbreaks. • Bluetongue (BT) is widely prevalent and unevenly distributed among Chinese sheep and goats. • Geographical and climatic factors have great influence on the transmission of sheep and goats bluetongue disease. • It is the first time to establish a meta-analysis on the bluetongue prevalence of sheep and goats in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) causes infectious diseases in pigs leading to considerable economic losses in the pig industry. To prevent and control PCV2 infections, is important to understand the prevalence and geographical distribution of the virus. We performed the first systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of PCV2 in China. From PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of Knowledge, Wanfang, and VIP Chinese Journal, we extracted 53 studies published in China between 2015 and 2019. There were 29,051 samples, 14,230 of which were positive for PCV2. The pooled prevalence of PCV2 was 46.0%, with the highest in Northeastern China (58.1%). The highest prevalence was 86.3% in Xinjiang province. Nursery pigs had the highest prevalence of PCV2 (50.9%), and the serological test detected the highest number of cases (58.5%). PCV2 prevalence was 50.1% in intensive farms and 37.5% in extensive farms. Our findings showed that PCV2 is common throughout China. Effective control measures are necessary to reduce PCV2 infections. • Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is highly prevalent and uneven distribution in China. • A higher prevalence of PCV2 was detected in Serological test. • Intensive farming model may play an active role in the prevention of PCV2. • This is the first meta-analysis of PCV2 prevalence in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient involvement is crucial to the success of kidney transplants. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward postoperative self-management among kidney transplant recipients., Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Ruijin Hospital (Shanghai, China) between March 24, 2023, and April 15, 2023 in kidney transplant recipients. A questionnaire was designed to collect data about the characteristics of the participants and their KAP toward postoperative self-management. KAP scores were calculated based on participants' responses, using predefined scoring criteria tailored to evaluate each dimension of KAP effectively., Results: A total of 483 valid questionnaires were collected, including 189 (39.13%) participants aged between 46 and 60 years. The mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice were 23.44 ± 4.87 (possible range: 0-28), 43.59 ± 2.65 (possible range: 10-50), 52.52 ± 4.64 (possible range: 0-58), respectively. The multivariate analysis showed knowledge scores (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.10-1.20, p < 0.001), attitude scores (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.12-1.32, p < 0.001) and undergone transplantation within 1 year (OR = 3.92, 95% CI = 1.60-9.63, p = 0.003) were independently associated with good practice. Knowledge scores (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02-1.10, p = 0.003), attitude scores (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.08-1.25, p < 0.001), aged 16-35 years (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.18-0.78, p = 0.009), underwent a single kidney transplant surgery (OR = 3.97, 95% CI = 1.28-12.38, p = 0.017) were independently associated with medication adherence., Conclusions: Kidney transplant recipients had good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice toward postoperative self-management. Implementing personalized education, psychological support, and close monitoring strategies is recommended to optimize postoperative self-management in kidney transplant recipients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the association between folate levels and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk during the whole pregnancy., Design: In this retrospective cohort study of pregnant women, serum folate levels were measured before 24 gestational weeks (GW). GDM was diagnosed between 24th and 28th GW based on the criteria of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. General linear models were performed to examine the association of serum folate with plasma glucose (i.e. linear regressions) and risk of GDM (i.e. log-binomial regressions) after controlling for confounders. Restricted cubic spline regression was conducted to test the dosage-response relationship between serum folate and the risk of GDM., Setting: A sigle, urban hospital in Shanghai, China., Participants: A total of 42 478 women who received antenatal care from April 2013 to March 2017 were included., Results: Consistent positive associations were observed between serum folate and plasma glucose levels (fasting, 1-h, 2-h). The adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95 % CI of GDM across serum folate quartiles were 1·00 (reference), 1·15 (95 % CI (1·04, 1·26)), 1·40 (95 % CI (1·27, 1·54)) and 1·54 (95 % CI (1·40, 1·69)), respectively ( P -for-trend < 0·001). The positive association between serum folate and GDM remained when stratified by vitamin B 12 (adequate v . deficient groups) and the GW of serum folate measurement (≤13 GW v . >13 GWs)., Conclusions: The findings of this study may provide important evidence for the public health and clinical guidelines of pregnancy folate supplementation in terms of GDM prevention.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Wen-Luo-Tong Granules (WLT) local administration in the treatment of patients with peripheral neuropathy (PN) induced by chemotherapy or target therapy., Methods: This study is a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial. Seventy-eight patients with PN induced by chemotherapy or target therapy were enrolled from China-Japan Friendship Hospital between July 2019 and January 2020. They were randomly assigned to WLT (39 cases) and control groups (39 cases) using a block randomization method. The WLT group received WLT (hand and foot bath) plus oral Mecobalamin for 1 week, while the control group received placebo plus oral Mecobalamin. The primary endpoint was PN grade evaluated by the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE). The secondary endpoints included quantitative touch-detection threshold, neuropathy symptoms, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (QLQ-CIPN20), and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (QLQ-C30)., Results: After treatment, the PN grade in the WLT group was significantly lower than that in the control group (1.00 ± 0.29 vs. 1.75 ± 0.68, P<0.01). The total effective rate in the WLT group was significantly higher than that in the control group (82.05% vs. 51.28%, P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the touch-detection thresholds at fingertips, neuropathy symptom score, QLQ-CIPN 20 (sensory scale, motor scale, autonomic scale, and sum score), and QLQ-C30 (physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, and global health) in the WLT group significantly improved after treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05)., Conclusion: WLT local administration was significantly effective in the treatment of patients with PN induced by chemotherapy or target therapy. (Trial registration No. ChiCTR1900023862)., (© 2022. The Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Pulmonary aspergilloma is chronic and invasive, potentially leading to life-threatening massive hemoptysis. The role of surgery for treating pulmonary aspergilloma and its effect on long-term survival needs more study., Methods: We reviewed 166 patients with aspergillomas treated at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from 2004 to 2017. Surgery indications included destroyed lung parenchyma, recurrent hemoptysis, despite appropriate medical treatment, and isolated pulmonary nodules suspected to be aspergilloma. Pulmonary aspergillomas are classified as simple (in an isolated thin-walled cavity, ≤3 mm) or complex (a thick-walled cyst, >3 mm) based on computed tomographic scan findings., Results: Aspergilloma was complex in 100 patients (60.2%) and simple in 66 (39.8%). The median (interquartile range) size of complex aspergillomas (2.5 [0.3-8.0] cm) was larger than that (2.0 [0.2-6.0] cm) of simple types (P < .001). Hemoptysis occurred in 72 patients (72%) with complex disease and in 35 (53%) with simple disease (P = .014). Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed in 42 patients (63.6%) with simple aspergillomas, and 75 patients (75%) with of complex aspergillomas underwent thoracotomy. Prolonged air leakage (>7 days) was the most common (17 [10.2%]) postoperative complication. A bronchopleural fistula developed postoperatively in 1 patient (0.6%). One patient (0.6%) died of respiratory failure within 30 days postoperatively. Two patients (1.2%) experienced recurrence during follow-up. The overall 10-year survival rates were 87.7% for complex aspergillomas and 94.97% for simple aspergillomas (P = .478). Diabetes (12 [7.2%]; hazard ratio, 13.15; 95% CI, 1.12-154.46) was associated with a worse prognosis., Conclusions: The perioperative morbidity and mortality of pulmonary aspergillomas are acceptable. Overall survival rates of simple and complex types are comparable., (Copyright © 2022 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study selected three typical Chinese herbs with cold property(Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, and Coptidis Rhizoma) and another three with heat property(Cinnamomi Cortex, Zingiberris Rhizoma, and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata) to observe their regulatory effects on metabolism in animal organism, especially on lipid and energy metabolism in mice after a short-(7 d) and long-term(35 d) intervention. The mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism genes in epididymal adipose tissue and liver were determined by real-time PCR. The oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and energy consumption were detected by metabolic system. After the short-term intervention, the Chinese herbs with heat property significantly reduced epididymal adipose tissue index and elevated the expression levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase(ACC), lipoprotein lipase(LPL), and carnitine-palmityl transferase 1(CPT-1) in liver and epididymal adipose tissues. However, those with cold property promoted the expression of above-mentioned genes in epididymal adipose tissue. After the long-term intervention, cold and heat Chinese herbs had no significant effect on epididymal adipose tissue index of animals, while cold Chinese herbs could increase carbon dioxide production and energy consumption and reduce activity. These findings demonstrated that the short-term intervention effects of cold and heat Chinese herbs on animal metabolism were significantly stronger than the long-term intervention effects. Specifically, the short-term intervention with cold Chinese herbs enhanced the lipid metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue, while the heat Chinese herbs promoted lipid metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue and liver. The long-term intervention with cold and heat Chinese herbs resulted in no obvious change in lipid level, but long-term intervention with cold Chinese herbs accelerated energy consumption of the body. This study preliminarily observed the effects of cold and heat Chinese herbs on normal animal physiology from lipid and energy metabolism, which would provide reference for explaining the biological basis of Chinese herbs with cold or heat property based on biological response.

A quality of life questionnaire specific to sarcopenia (SarQoL®) was successfully developed. There is a huge demand for translation and validation in Chinese. The aim of this study was to translate the SarQoL® into Chinese and investigate its psychometric properties. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process recommended by the developers of the initial questionnaire was followed. A total of 159 participants were investigated. The translation process consists of five steps: (1) two bilinguals independently translate initial English to Chinese; (2) synthesize the two translations into one; (3) backward translations; (4) expert committee review and (5) test of the pre-final version. The validation consists of three parts: (1) validity (discriminative power, construct validity); (2) reliability (internal consistency, test-retest reliability) and (3) floor and ceiling effects. There was no difficulty in translation process. Regarding the validity, good discriminant validity {quality of life for sarcopenic subjects [35.56 (29.73-42.70)] vs. non-sarcopenic ones [73.22 (60.09-82.90)], p < 0.001} and consistent construct validity [high correlations (spearman's r) of SarQoL® with generic Short Form-36 version 2 questionnaire (0.250 to 0.824) and EuroQoL-5-Dimension questionnaire (- 0.114 to - 0.823)] were found in SarQoL®. Regarding reliability, high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.867) and excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation was 0.997, 95% CI 0.994-0.998) were found. No ceiling/floor effect was reflected. A valid SarQoL® questionnaire is now available for Chinese population. It can provide a better understanding of the sarcopenia disease burden and serve as a therapeutic outcome indicator in research., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Chlamydia is a small gram-negative (G-) microorganism that can be dangerous to human and animals. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chlamydia infection in swine in China. From PubMed, ScienceDirect, Chinese Web of knowledge (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database, and Wanfang database, we collected a total of 72 publications reported in 1985-2020. The prevalence of Chlamydia was 22.48% in China. In the sampling year subgroup, the prevalence after 2011 was the highest (26.14%). In southern China, the prevalence was 30.97%. By contrast, the prevalence in northern China was only 10.79%. Also the difference was significant ( p  < 0.05). In the provincial level, Hubei had the highest rate of 36.23%. Boars had a higher prevalence (29.47%). The prevalence of Chlamydia detection in pigs with reproductive disorders (21.86%) was higher than that without reproductive disorders. Among the three age groups, finishing pigs (21.43%) had the highest prevalence. The prevalence in large-scale farmed pigs (28.58%) was the highest in the subgroup of feeding methods. The prevalence in farms was 24.29%, which was the highest in the survey areas. The prevalence in spring was the highest with 40.51%. Other methods had the highest prevalence (39.61%) than enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect hemagglutination assay. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci 18.41% was lower than the prevalence of Chlamydia abortus (41.35%). We also analyzed the impact of different climate factor subgroups (rainfall, temperature, and humidity) on the probability of pigs suffering from the disease. The results showed that Chlamydia was widespread in pigs in China. We suggest that we should strengthen the detection of Chlamydia in the semen of breeding pigs and pigs with reproductive disorders, and reasonably control the environment of large-scale pig farms, so as to reduce further infection of Chlamydia in pigs.

Eimeria spp. cause the disease coccidiosis, which results in chronic wasting of livestock and can lead to the death of the animal. The disease, common worldwide, has caused huge economic losses to the cattle industry in particular. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of bovine Eimeria in China. Our search of five databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP, and Wan Fang for articles published up to February 29, 2020 on the prevalence of Eimeria in cattle in mainland China yielded 46 articles, in which the prevalence of cattle ranged from 4.6% to 87.5%. The rate of bovine Eimeria infection has been decreasing year by year, from 57.9% before 2000 to 25.0% after 2015, but it is still high. We also analyzed the region, sampling years, detection methods, feeding model, seasons, and species of bovine Eimeria. We recommend that prevention strategies should focus on strengthening detection of Eimeria in calves in the intensive farming model., (© D.-L. Li et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2021.)

An ongoing outbreak of a novel coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China since December 2019 has led to 31,516 infected persons and 638 deaths across 25 countries (till 16:00 on February 7, 2020). The virus causing this pneumonia was then named as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by the World Health Organization. To promote the data sharing and make all relevant information of 2019-nCoV publicly available, we construct the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR, https://bigd.big.ac.cn/ncov). 2019nCoVR features comprehensive integration of genomic and proteomic sequences as well as their metadata information from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, National Center for Biotechnology Information, China National GeneBank, National Microbiology Data Center and China National Center for Bioinformation (CNCB)/National Genomics Data Center (NGDC). It also incorporates a wide range of relevant information including scientific literatures, news, and popular articles for science dissemination, and provides visualization functionalities for genome variation analysis results based on all collected 2019-nCoV strains. Moreover, by linking seamlessly with related databases in CNCB/NGDC, 2019nCoVR offers virus data submission and sharing services for raw sequence reads and assembled sequences. In this report, we provide comprehensive descriptions on data deposition, management, release and utility in 2019nCoVR, laying important foundations in aid of studies on virus classification and origin, genome variation and evolution, fast detection, drug development and pneumonia precision prevention and therapy.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be used as prognostic biomarkers in many types of cancer., Objective: We sought to establish an lncRNA signature to improve postoperative risk stratification for patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)., Design, Setting, and Participants: Based on the RNA-seq data of 444 stage I-III ccRCC tumours from The Cancer Genome Atlas project, we built a four-lncRNA-based classifier using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) Cox regression model in 222 randomly selected samples (training set) and validated the classifier in the remaining 222 samples (internal validation set). We confirmed this classifier in an external validation set of 88 patients with stage I-III ccRCC from a Japan cohort and using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in another three independent sets that included 1869 patients from China with stage I-III ccRCC., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Univariable and multivariable Cox regression, Harrell's concordance index (c-index), and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the association of the classifier with overall survival, disease-specific survival, and disease-free survival., Results and Limitations: Using the LASSO Cox regression model, we built a classifier named RCClnc4 based on four lncRNAs: ENSG00000255774, ENSG00000248323, ENSG00000260911, and ENSG00000231666. In the RNA-seq and RT-PCR data sets, the RCClnc4 signature significantly stratified patients into high-risk versus low-risk groups in terms of clinical outcome across and within subpopulations and remained as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analyses (hazard ratio range, 1.34 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.03-1.75; p=0.028] to 1.89 [95% CI, 1.55-2.31; p<0.001]) after adjusting for clinical and pathologic factors. The RCClnc4 signature achieved a higher accuracy (mean c-index, 0.72) than clinical staging systems such as TNM (mean c-index, 0.62) and the stage, size, grade, and necrosis (SSIGN) score (mean c-index, 0.64), currently reported prognostic signatures and biomarkers for the estimation of survival. When integrated with clinical characteristics, the composite clinical and lncRNA signature showed improved prognostic accuracy in all data sets (TNM + RCClnc4 mean c-index, 0.75; SSIGN + RCClnc4 score mean c-index, 0.75). The RCClnc4 classifier was able to identify a clinically significant number of both high-risk stage I and low-risk stage II-III patients., Conclusions: The RCClnc4 classifier is a promising and potential prognostic tool in predicting the survival of patients with stage I-III ccRCC. Combining the lncRNA classifier with clinical and pathological parameters allows for accurate risk assessment in guiding clinical management., Patient Summary: The RCClnc4 classifier could facilitate patient management and treatment decisions., (Copyright © 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the era of big data, scientific big data have become the new driving force for both science and technology innovation and social and economic development. China is a powerhouse in generating vast quantities of biological data, which are an essential strategic resource for population health and national security. The current situation of data loss due to the isolated data storage and the lack of systematic data monitoring and management, and the heavy dependency on international biological data centers urgently calls for China's own life big data storage and management system at the national level. Taking NCBI as an example, this article introduces the development history and present situation of the international biological big data centers. In addition, the importance, urgency, current historical opportunity and prospect of establishing a national biological big data center in China are also expounded in detail. In order to promote the development of the national center and improve China's international competitiveness and influence in life science research, the BIG Data Center at Beijing Institute of Genomics (BIG), Chinese Academy of Sciences, has taken many efforts on big data deposition, integration and translation and achieved initial progress.

Aim: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects of the nervous system and are the second most frequent cause of birth defects worldwide. The etiology of NTDs is complicated and involves both genetic and environmental factors. CASP9 is an initiator caspase in the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, which in Casp9 -/- mice has been shown to result in NTDs because of decreased apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential genetic contribution of the CASP9 gene in human NTDs., Methods: High-throughput sequencing was performed to screen genetic variants of CASP9 genes in 355 NTD cases and 225 matched controls. Apoptosis-relevant assays were performed on transiently transfected E9 neuroepithelial cells or human embryonic kidney 293T cells, to determine the functional characteristics of NTD-specific rare variants under complete or low folic acid (FA) status., Results: We found significant expression of CASP9 rare variants in NTDs and identified 4 NTD-specific missense variants. Functional assays demonstrated that a p.Y251C variant attenuates apoptosis by reducing CASP9 protein expression and decreasing activity of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. From this, we conclude that this variant may represent a loss-of-function mutation. A 4-time recurrent p.R191G variant did not affect intrinsic apoptosis in complete medium, while it completely inhibited apoptosis induced by low FA medium., Conclusion: Our findings identify a genetic link for apoptosis in human NTDs and highlight the effect of gene-environment interactions in a complex disease., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Rationale: IL13, IL4, IL4RA, FCER1B, and ADRB2 are important inflammatory genes associated with immunoglobulin E levels. This study attempts to determine whether there are gene-gene interactions in the five genes among asthmatic children of Chinese Han nationality., Methods: Nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the five genes were genotyped in 1,000 asthmatic children and 1,000 healthy controls using TaqMan real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multifactor-dimensionality reduction method was applied for the analysis., Results: A four-way gene-gene interaction model consisting of IL13 rs20541, IL4 rs2243250, ADRB2 rs1042713, and FCER1B rs569108 was chosen as the optimal one for determining asthma susceptibility (testing balanced accuracy = 0.6089, cross-validation consistency = 10/10, P = 6.98E-05). Each of the four SNPs was identified to have an independent association with childhood asthma (G allele of rs20541, odds ratio (OR) = 1.24, P = 1.23E-03; T allele of rs2243250, OR = 1.25, P = 3.81E-03; A allele of rs1042713, OR = 1.29, P = 6.75E-05; G allele of rs569108, OR = 1.27, P = 3.86E-03). Individuals homozygous for the risk alleles at all the four loci (rs20541 GG, rs2243250 TT, rs1042713 AA, and rs569108 GG) had a significantly higher risk of asthma compared with those without any risk homozygotes (OR = 13.55, P = 4.28E-03), and also greater than those with less than four risk homozygotes (OR = 10.09, P = 6.51E-03)., Conclusions: Our results suggest that IL13 rs20541, IL4 rs2243250, ADRB2 rs1042713, and FCER1B rs569108, four SNPs with significant sole effect on asthma, interact to confer a higher risk for the disease in Chinese Han children., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Natural drug resistance is a major cause of antiviral treatment failure. The characteristics of HIV-1 natural drug resistance-associated mutations in former paid blood donors in Henan Province remain unclear., Methods: One hundred and fifty HIV-1-positive plasma samples were collected. Plasma viral RNA was extracted for pol gene amplification and sequencing. The sequencing results were submitted to the HIV-1 drug resistance database for drug-resistance analysis., Results: The rates of natural drug resistance and resistance-associated mutations were 17.7% (19/107) and 40.2% (43/107), respectively. The rates of PI major, PI minor, NRTI, and NNRTI mutations were: 0, 30.8% (33/107), 10.3% (11/107), and 18.7% (20/107), respectively. Nine cases (8.4%) had both NRTI and NNRTI resistance-associated mutations. Seven cases (6.5%) had PI minor, NRTI and NNRTI resistance-associated mutations. NNRTI resistance was the most serious, followed by NRTI resistance and PI resistance. Polymorphism mutation sites with mutation rates in the protease region higher than 60.0% were: L63A/P/S/T 89.7%, V77I 82.2%, I72E/M/K/T/V 80.4%, I93L 75.7%, and E35D 72.9%. Polymorphism mutation sites with mutation rates in the RT region higher than 60.0% were: I135A/L/M/R/T/V 93.5%, T200A/E/I/P/V 89.7%, Q278E/K/N/T 88.8%, S162C/Y 82.2%, and K277R/S 66.4%. The distribution of 107 gene sequences was scattered, with some drug-resistant strains grouped in the same cluster., Conclusion: The natural drug resistance mutation rate of HIV-1 in former paid blood donors in Henan Province was 17.7%, with NNRTI resistance the most serious. The distribution of drug-resistant strains was scattered, with some correlations found in certain resistance loci.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for patients of Uygur and Han nationality and explore the national diversity among the patients with MCI., Methods: Twenty-five cases were divided into Han nationality group (15 cases) and Uygur nationality group (10 cases) according to patient's nationality. In either group, EA was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Fuliu (KI 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3), once per day, 15 treatments made one session and there were 5 days at the interval among the sessions. Totally, 3 sessions of treatment were required. The proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to observe the changes in the ratio of N-acetylaspartate and creatine (NAA/Cr) on the left hippocampus for the patients in two groups before and after treatment as well as the changes in the results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) separately., Results: NAA/Cr in Uygur nationality group was higher than that in Han nationality group before treatment (1.659 +/- 0.418 vs 1.137 +/- 0.190, P < 0.05). After treatment, MMSE and MoCA scores all increased apparently as compared with those before treatment in two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and NAA/Cr on the left hippocampus in either group was up-regulated as compared with that before treatment (both P < 0.01)., Conclusion: EA can improve the overall cognitive function for the patients with MCI. There is the national diversity in the partial brain metabolite level between Uygur patients and Han patients with MCI.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing form of inflammatory skin disorder that is affected by genetic and environmental factors. We performed a genome-wide association study of atopic dermatitis in a Chinese Han population using 1,012 affected individuals (cases) and 1,362 controls followed by a replication study in an additional 3,624 cases and 12,197 controls of Chinese Han ethnicity, as well as 1,806 cases and 3,256 controls from Germany. We identified previously undescribed susceptibility loci at 5q22.1 (TMEM232 and SLC25A46, rs7701890, P(combined) = 3.15 × 10(-9), odds ratio (OR) = 1.24) and 20q13.33 (TNFRSF6B and ZGPAT, rs6010620, P(combined) = 3.0 × 10(-8), OR = 1.17) and replicated another previously reported locus at 1q21.3 (FLG, rs3126085, P(combined) = 5.90 × 10(-12), OR = 0.82) in the Chinese sample. The 20q13.33 locus also showed evidence for association in the German sample (rs6010620, P = 2.87 × 10(-5), OR = 1.25). Our study identifies new genetic susceptibility factors and suggests previously unidentified biological pathways in atopic dermatitis.

Collected soil samples from different tidal flats and elevation in Chongming Dongtan wetland, then conducted sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) based on MPN method, determined organic matter content and calculated SO4(2-)/Cl- molar ratio, for the research on the distribution of SRB, relevance to soil organic matter content as well as influence of plant rhizosphere environment on SRB growth. The results show the distribution of SRB is ranked as middle flat > climax flat > bald flat. The same tidal flats at different depths, the SRB levels are shown as 51-52 cm > 21-22 cm > 81-82 cm, therefore 51-52 cm soil depth of Dongtan wetland is the suitable area for SRB to grow. However, in different tidal and depth, the distribution of organic matter content presents climax flat > middle flat > bald flat. From 21-51 cm, as the depth increasing, the organic matter content decreases while the amount of SRB significantly increasing, which indicates SRB utilizes the soil organic matter to carry out reduction reaction. The SO4(2-)/Cl- molar ratios of all soil samples are less than 0.05, indicating that SRB are actively engaged in sulfate reduction. The concentration of SRB in reed rhizosphere soil is the highest, showing that Phragmites australis rhizosphere environment in Dongtan wetland could enhance SRB growth, while the number of SRB in Spartina alterniflora rhizosphere environment is relatively lower than the non-rhizosphere environment, indicating that the rhizosphere effect has different effects on SRB in Dongtan tidal flats.

Objective: Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a new method for determination of breathing mechanics, which features convenient operation, good repeatability and wider range analysis. As there is no standardized normal value in China at present, this study will provide a normal value of lung function determination by impulse oscillometry for children in Chengdu area., Method: Totally 549 children were chosen at random from Chengdu area, with 292 boys and 257 girls who were 4 to 14 years old. The subjects were assigned into 10 age groups according to their chronological age with one year difference between every two adjacent groups. The respiratory total impedance (Zrs), viscosity resistance (Rrs) and elastic resistance (Xrs) at various oscillation frequency were measured by the Master Screen IOS which was manufactured by German Jaeger Company. The measured data were treated with the linear stepwise multiple regression, and established the prediction equation. At the same time, paired comparison was carried out with the measured data and equation obtained from this study, Lechtenboerger equation and prediction equation obtained from Guangzhou area., Result: The total impedance and airway resistance were negatively correlated with the children's height and age. Zrs (male) = -0.756 + 189.586/height, r = -0.782, P < 0.001; Zrs (female) = -0.497 + 152.468/height, r = -0.726, P < 0.001. Rrs became the same in trend; while Xrs were proportional to the height, e.g. the values increased as the height increased. The difference of the airway resistance (R(5)-R(20)) was negatively correlated with the children's height: R(5)-R(20) (male) = 0.601 - 0.0034 x height, r = -0.677, P < 0.001; R(5)-R(20) (female) = 0.549 - 0.0031 x height, r = -0.658, P < 0.001. Among the relationships with many impulse oscillometry parameters, height ranked at first place; age at second. The multiple regression equation of IOS primary index was established. Both the measured data and the correlation coefficient of the study obtained equation were greater than the coefficient correlation of the Lechtenboerger equation, but had no significant difference compared with that of prediction equation in Guangzhou area., Conclusion: The normal value in impulse oscillometry in children in Chengdu area is different from the predicted parameters in other countries. The equation obtained from this study seems to be more suitable for the children in its local area. It is recommended to apply the predicted value from the corresponding population in the determination of the lung function by impulse oscillometry.

Objective: To analyze the status of Leishmania infantum asymptomatic infection in human population of a Kala-azar endemic area in Wenxian County, Gansu Province, and to evaluate the tests used., Methods: Blood samples were tested by PCR using two pairs of primers, RV1-RV2 and K13A-K13B, for detecting Leishmania-specific DNA. ELISA and rK39-dipstick were used to detect Leishmania-specific antibodies., Results: The positive rate of PCR, ELISA and rK39-dipstick was 30.9%(83/269). 24.2%(65/269) and 0 (0/269) respectively., Conclusion: The prevalence of asymptomatic infection of L. infantum in humans is high in the area. PCR test based on RV1-RV2 and K13A-K13B primer pairs is a sensitive and specific method for detecting the asymptomatic infection.

Objective: To establish PCR method for the detection of the asymptomatic infection of Leishmania infantum., Methods: Six primer pairs were selected for detecting Chinese strain of L. infantum by optimizing conditions which affect amplification. Their sensitivity and specificity were compared by using DNAs extracted from human blood seeded with cultured L. infantum promastigotes (MHOM/CN/86/GS) as template. Blood samples of the inhabitants without symptoms of visceral leishmaniasis in the endemic area were analyzed with two selected primer pairs with good sensitivity and specificity., Results: The specificity of all six primer pairs reached 100%, and the sensitivity varied among the primer pairs. The primer pairs RV1-RV2 (0.1 parasite/ml blood) and K13A-K13B (1 parasite/ml blood) were most sensitive. Leishmania DNA was detected in 33% (33/100) and 30% (30/100) human blood samples by RV1-RV2 and K13A-K13B primer pairs respectively., Conclusion: This study suggests that RV1-RV2 and K13A-K13B primer pairs are suitable in detecting the asymptomatic infection of L. infantum, and the prevalence of the asymptomatic infection is high in human population in the endemic area.