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The study aimed to investigate the effect of an interdisciplinary STEM course on children's attitudes of learning and engineering design skills. A total of 449 elementary school children in China were recruited from three different grade levels (i.e., second, fourth and sixth grade) to participate in this study. All participants attended a weekly interdisciplinary STEM course for two consecutive semesters. In order to understand how an integrative STEM curriculum interplayed with participants' attitudes of learning and engineering design skills, we conducted two measures to assess the results: the attitude measure (i.e., the attitude of learning questionnaire) and the outcome measure (i.e., the STEM knowledge assessment and the scenario design assessment). Meanwhile, pre-and-posttests were implemented for each measure when comparing the differences in learning. Our findings revealed that an interdisciplinary STEM course led to positive changes in children's attitudes of learning, yet its effect on different grade levels could vary depending on children's cognitive development. In addition, interdisciplinary learning experiences significantly improved second and fourth graders' engineering design skills, particularly in the scenario design assessment. Lastly, we summarized the relationship between one's attitudes of learning and engineering design skills along with its educational implications.

Salt rock, renowned for its remarkable energy storage capabilities, exists in deep underground environments characterized by high temperature and pressure. It possesses advantageous properties such as high deformability, low permeability, and self-healing from damage. When establishing a cluster of salt cavern gas storage facilities, the careful selection of ore column widths between these reservoirs is crucial for minimizing the risk of structural failure, optimizing salt rock resource utilization, and enhancing the construction and operation of gas storage reservoirs. In current practices, square triangular arrangements are commonly used in designing well layouts for reservoir groups to balance stability and economic considerations. This study, conducted in the context of the Jintan salt cavern gas storage project in Jiangsu Province, employed FLAC3D to create a finite element model for proposed gas storage configurations. A comprehensive analysis of the long-term operational safety of salt cavern gas storage with triangular well layouts was carried out. Various indices were examined, covering aspects such as cavern wall displacement, characteristics of the plastic zone, volume shrinkage, safety coefficients, seepage range, pore pressure fluctuations, and seepage volume. The study also considered the mechanical behavior of hexagonal columns within the surrounding rock during extended storage operations, leading to the optimization of allowable widths for these columns. The results indicate that, at operating pressures ranging from 6.5 to 17 MPa, the permissible column width should exceed 1.67 times the maximum cavern diameter to ensure compliance with criteria for long-term stability and containment within a square triangular layout. These findings provide valuable insights into determining the optimal allowable widths of salt cavern columns for positive triangular layouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of sediment voids for natural gas storage represents the future direction of salt cavern underground gas storage (UGS) in China. In this study, we first analyzed the way in which the sediment interacts with the salt caverns and the equilibrium state of the process. Subsequently, a novel approach employing the Discrete Element Method (DEM) for simulating sediment-filled salt cavern UGS was introduced, successfully modeling the operational process of sediment-filled salt cavern UGS. Moreover, deformation, plastic zone behavior, effective volume shrinkage rate, equivalent strain, and safety factor were employed to assess the impact of sediment on salt cavern stability. The findings indicate a positive influence of sediment on salt cavern stability, particularly in regions directly contacting the sediment. Deformation and effective volume shrinkage of the cavern were effectively mitigated, significantly improving the stress state of rock salt. This effect is more pronounced at lower internal gas pressures. In summary, sediment enhances the stability of salt caverns, providing a long-term and stable environment for natural gas storage within sediment voids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase natural gas storage capacity and further utilize salt mine resources, salt cavern gas storage in the Yunying salt mine, Hubei Province, China, was simultaneously constructed in two different mining layers (K3 and K4). The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term feasibility of operating salt caverns for gas storage in two mining layers. Based on the geological conditions and sonar test results, the geometric parameters for the salt caverns in the two mining layers were designed, and a 3D geomechanical model was built to predict the cavern stability. The corresponding evaluation index included the displacement, volume shrinkage rate, equivalent strain, and dilatancy factor. The results show that simultaneously operating salt cavern gas storage in two mining layers is feasible, and the operational pressures for the salt caverns in mining layers K3 and K4 should be no less than 4–9 and 7–12 MPa, respectively, to satisfy the stability requirements. The surrounding rock of the salt caverns presents a larger displacement and volume reduction compared with cases in which the salt caverns are operated in a single mining layer. Increasing the injection–withdrawal frequency increases the deformation of the surrounding rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methanol-to-olefins (MTO) process is regarded as a crucial approach for ensuring the sustainable growth of China's chemical industry. However, the fine catalyst particles and insoluble organics in the water system poses a serious threat to the stability of the MTO process. A novel horizontal swirl regeneration micro-channel separation (HSRMS) method for purifying the MTO reaction wastewater was developed in this study. On-site experiments were conducted using a device with a capacity of 1 t/h to investigate the separation and regeneration effects under various parameters and to verify the feasibility of this method through a long-term observation. The results showed that this method could effectively remove the fine solids and insoluble organics in the reaction wastewater, and the device operated stably with fluctuations in both the quality and quantity of wastewater for 24 consecutive days. The suspended solids in the effluent was maintained below 5 mg/L, and the average removal efficiency for insoluble organics exceeded 75%. Furthermore, the excellent regeneration performance was achieved, with solid particles and oil in the media reduced to less than 0.2% after regeneration. This method could ensure long-term stable operation of the water system and outperform other commonly used reaction wastewater treatment methods in terms of investment, maintenance cost, freshwater supplementation, and energy consumption. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant public health concern. Authoritarian parenting is a common parenting style in China. Authoritarian parenting is associated with NSSI in adolescents. Little is known about the mechanism underlying this association. This study was to investigate the mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the association between maternal authoritarian parenting and NSSI among Chinese adolescents.Methods: A total of 7072 adolescents who participated in the 1-year follow-up of Shandong Adolescent Behavior & Health Cohort (SABHC) were included for the analysis. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess authoritarian parenting, depressive symptoms, non-suicidal self-injury, and family demographics in November-December in 2015. One year later, a follow-up survey was carried out to assess participants' depressive symptoms and NSSI.Results: Of the sample, mean age was 14.58 (SD = 1.46) and 3536 (50%) were female at baseline. 19.4% adolescents reported having ever NSSI over the past 12 months at baseline, and 8.8% reported having ever NSSI at 1-year follow-up. The association of maternal authoritarian parenting with subsequent NSSI was at least partially mediated by depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses showed that effect size was 0.194 in the entire sample, 0.192 in females and 0.193 in males, respectively.Limitation: All variables were measured based on self-report.Conclusions: Maternal authoritarian parenting style is a significant predictor of NSSI and its association with NSSI is partially mediated by depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. It may be important to intervene poor parenting styles and depression to reduce the risk of NSSI in Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On September 21, 2019, the Shenzhen and Dongguan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received notification of a large cluster of suspected gastroenteritis involving primarily children who sought medical care at hospitals throughout two adjacent cities in China, Shenzhen, and Dongguan. A joint outbreak response was promptly initiated across jurisdictions in a concerted effort between clinical microbiologists, epidemiologists, and public health scientists. Concurrently, multiplex PCRs were used for rapid laboratory diagnosis of suspected cases; epidemiological investigations were conducted to identify the outbreak source, complemented by near real-time multicenter whole-genome analyses completed within 34 h. Epidemiological evidence indicated that all patients had consumed egg sandwiches served on September 20 as snacks to children and staff at a nursery in Dongguan, located near Shenzhen. Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from case-patients, food handlers, kitchenware, and sandwiches with kitchen-made mayonnaise. Whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a well-supported cluster with pairwise distances of ≤1 SNP between genomes for outbreak-associated isolates, providing the definitive link between all samples. In comparison with historical isolates from the same geographical region, the minimum pairwise distance was >14 SNPs, suggesting a non-local outbreak source. Genomic source tracing revealed the possible transmission dynamics of a S. Enteritidis clone throughout a multi-provincial egg distribution network. The efficiency and scale with which multidisciplinary and integrated approaches were coordinated in this foodborne disease outbreak response was unprecedented in China, leading to the timely intervention of a large cross-jurisdiction Salmonella outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The femoral anterior bow is an important factor in matching a femoral implant to a femur. However, its morphology in the Chinese population has rarely been reported. In this study, a three-dimensional measurement approach was adopted to provide accurate data. The aim was to supply a reference for designing a long-stemmed femoral prosthesis that is more suitable for Chinese people. Methods. Computed tomography data were collected from both lower limbs of 96 normal volunteers and reconstructed into a three-dimensional model using Mimics software. The parameters of the femoral anterior bow were measured using medical image analysis software. Statistical analysis was conducted using independent-samples and paired-samples t -tests with SPSS software. Results. All the indexes showed significant sexual difference (P < 0.05). The minimum cross-sectional area of the femoral medullary cavity was larger in men (10.77 ± 1.53 mm) than in women (9.79 ± 1.27 mm). The distance from the position of the maximum curvature to the lower edge of the lesser trochanter was also larger in men (60.93 ± 5.81 mm) than in women (56.31 ± 2.80 mm). However, the curvature of the femoral medullary cavity centerline was larger in women (883.57 ± 249.74 mm) than in men (958.79 ± 266.61 mm). The femoral anterior bow morphological indexes of Chinese subjects were different from the published data for other populations. There were no significant differences between left and right femoral anterior bows in either sex (P > 0.05). Conclusion. The three-dimensional measurement approach adopted in this study is more convenient and accurate than previous conventional methods, with high repeatability. The morphological indexes of the femoral anterior bow in this research suggest that population characteristics should be taken into account. This study will provide references for the design of long-stemmed femoral prostheses in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) have emerged worldwide and also being a major threat to children and neonate. In this study, we describe a nosocomial outbreak of NDM-5-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in neonatal unit of a teaching hospital in China from September 2015 to September 2016. Patients and methods: We collected 12 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae outbreak strains from 12 newborns and characterized these isolates for their antimicrobial susceptibility, clone relationships, and multi-locus sequence types using vitek-2 compact system, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Resistant genes were detected by using PCR and sequencing. Plasmid conjugation experiment was carried out to determine the transferability of carbapenem resistance. PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT), S1 nuclease-PFGE, and southern blotting were conducted for plasmid profiling. Results: All 12 K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to carbapenems and carried blaNDM-5, blaTEM-1 and blaSHV-11. Furthermore, PFGE analysis showed that NDM-5-producing K. pneumoniae were clonally related and MLST assigned them to sequence type 337. Conjugative assays showed that plasmids harboring blaNDM-5 gene were self-transmissible. Plasmid analysis suggested that all blaNDM-5 gene located on a ∼45 kb IncX3 type plasmid. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a clone outbreak of blaNDM-5-carrying K. pneumoniae isolates from neonates. There is an urgent need for effective infection control measures to prevent blaNDM-5 variants from becoming epidemic in the neonates in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiepileptic drugs frequently cause cutaneous adverse reactions (cADRs). Numerous studies have reported associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and cADRs caused by single antiepileptic drug in Southern Han Chinese people. However, the relationship between the HLA allele and cADRs sequentially induced by two or more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs-induced cross-reactivity) is unclear. To explore the associations between HLA alleles and AEDs-induced cross-reactivity, we prospectively recruited patients with AEDs-induced cross-reactivity from 2009 to 2017 and performed high-resolution genotyping to detect the HLA-A, B, C, and DRB1 alleles in patients for comparison with normal controls. To verify the important genotype, we compared its presence in patients with cross-reactivity to enlarged normal controls, and its presence in patients with carbamazepine (CBZ)-induced maculopapular exanthema (MPE) to CBZ-tolerant controls. Further, the important allele was replicated by meta-analysis. Twenty-three patients with AED-induced cross-reactivity and 500 healthy individuals were enrolled from Southern China. All patients had a mild rash without mucosal or systemic involvement. The HLA-B*13:01 allele was present in 34.78% (8/23) of patients, 14.60% (73/500) of healthy individuals, and 14.5% (763/5,270) healthy individuals, revealing a significant association (8/23 vs. 73/500; P = 0.02; OR: 3.12; 95% CI: 1.28–7.62; 8/23 vs. 763/5,270; P = 0.014; OR: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.33–7.46). HLA-B*13:01 was presented numerically higher in CBZ-induced MPE than that in CBZ-tolerant individuals without statistical significance (33/145, 22.76%, vs. 28/179, 15.64%; P = 0.103). Meta-analysis revealed an association between HLA-B*13:01 and cADRs induced by single AEDs or/and non-AEDs in Chinese and Thai populations (P = 0.000). This study suggests that HLA-B*13:01 is potentially associated with AED-cADRs in general, possibly with stronger effect in cross-reactivity. Screening for HLA-B*13:01 prior to starting AEDs therapy may help to avoid cADRs. However, this association requires further analysis in a multi-center study with a larger sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's goal to peak CO 2 emissions by 2030—in accordance with the Paris agreement—is being jeopardized by the increasing carbon emissions from the building sector. Allocating CO 2 emission reduction (CER) responsibilities for the building sector to the provinces fairly and efficiently remains challenging. In this study, we first quantify the government leading targets regarding CER responsibilities, while clarifying the extent to which China considers the principles of equity and efficiency while allocating provincial CER responsibilities. Subsequently, based on the carbon emission efficiency, CER potential, and abatement cost of China's building sector, we establish a more equitable and effective model for sharing the CER responsibilities in the building sector at the provincial level. Using data from the building sector in 30 provinces in China between 2005 and 2019, we define and compare the CER responsibilities that the building sector in each province should bear with the CER responsibility-sharing scheme under multiple perspectives. Results show that the Chinese government has not fully considered the principles of equity and efficiency in setting the CER targets for each province in the past 15 years. Our model for sharing the CER responsibility in the local building sector appears more reasonable and adequate: The marginal abatement cost (i.e., economic loss of abatement) is about 7% less than those of other schemes; additionally, it guarantees the fairness of development power. Overall, this study furthers the CER responsibility-sharing theory and constitutes a reference for implementing more effective energy saving and CER policies. • China's reduction targets has not fully considered the principles of equity and efficiency. • Our model considers both the principles of equity and efficiency. • Explored fairness and efficiency of emission reduction under different principles. • The share of marginal abatement costs is kept below 10% in this model. • Model can be used for emission reduction policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) may expand the HIV epidemic from men who have sex with men to the female population. From a respondent-driven sampling survey in Shenzhen, China, we quantified the burden of HIV/syphilis and studied patterns of risk and prevention behaviors in 107 MSMW, and compared these with those of 542 men who have sex with men only (MSM-only). HIV prevention behaviors and consistent condom use with male partners did not differ between the two groups. However, HIV risk behaviors were more common among MSMW than MSM-only. Moreover, among MSMW, the HIV prevalence was as high as 6 % and consistent condom use was extremely low with female partners in MSMW. We conclude that there is risk of HIV transmission from MSMW to the female population. Special efforts are needed to convince MSMW they should refrain from HIV risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To apply the joint marketing principle as a new intervention approach for targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) who are often difficult to reach in societies with discrimination towards homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. A pilot intervention according to the principles of joint marketing was carried out by the CDC in Shenzhen, China, in MSM social venues. A self-designed questionnaire of HIV knowledge, condom use, and access to HIV-related services was used before and after the pilot intervention to evaluate its effectiveness. The CDC supported gatekeepers of MSM social venues in running their business and thereby increasing their respectability and income. In return, the gatekeepers cooperated with the CDC in reaching the MSM at the venues with health promotion messages and materials. Thus a win-win situation was created, bringing together two noncompetitive parties in reaching out to a shared customer, the MSM. The pilot intervention succeeded in demonstrating acceptability and feasibility of the joint marketing approach targeting MSM. HIV knowledge, the rate of condom use, and access to HIV-related services of participants in the pilot intervention increased significantly. The joint marketing intervention is an innovative way to create synergies between the gatekeepers of MSM social venues and public health officials for reaching and potentially changing HIV high-risk behaviors among MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the effectiveness and safety of Kuntai capsules (KTC) in treatment of premature ovarian failure (POF). A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials studied KTC alone or combined with hormone therapy (HT) used for treating POF. PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine, Chinese Scientific Journal and Wanfang database were searched until July 2019. The Cochrane risk of bias method was used to assess the quality of the included studies, a meta-analysis was conducted with Review Manager 5.3 software and the level of evidence was rated by using GRAEDpro 3.6 software. A total of 14 RCTs (1257 participants) were included. Meta-analysis indicated that KTC can significantly improve the total clinical effective rate (P < 0.00001) and the serum hormone levels (P < 0.00001), with no statistically significant report of adverse reactions (P = 0.07) compared with HT. By the subgroup meta-analysis, the results of KTC combined with HT group were similar compared with the original analysis in the serum hormone level (P < 0.00001), and the KTC alone group were better in FSH and LH level (P < 0.00001) but not in E 2 level (P = 0.22). Based on the GRADE system for grading, the qualities of the evidence were not high. KTC may be effective for POF treatment, and lower risk of side effects. More high-quality articles are needed to provide more reliable sources and data to evaluate the clinical efficacy of KTC in the future. • Kuntai Capsule (KTC) improve the efficiency and serum hormone level of patients with premature ovarian failure (POF). • The cure rate of KTC is better than that of HT in POF. • Compared with HT, KTC alone has no obvious advantage in improving FSH and E 2 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stir-fried pork slices are kinds of traditional pork processing products in China, which are usually cooked at high temperature with different seasonings. Because of their special quality and flavor, these products gain consumers' preference. However, there are few studies on their physicochemical properties, aroma composition and safety. In this study, the changes in basic components, aroma components and potentially hazardous substances during the stir-frying of pork slices were determined. The effects of the different ratios of fat meat to lean meat and vinegar on these indicators were evaluated, and the formation of potential Maillard reaction products was also analyzed. The results indicated that water content, chrominance values of L * and b * exhibited decreasing trends; a * value displayed a trend of decline first and then rising, while the fat content showed a rising trend during the processing. Appropriate stir-frying can promote the formation of aldehydes, while the content of acids, ketones, and terpenes decreased during processing. The change of alcohols has no obvious rule. Some sulfur compounds not found in raw meat were also detected. Different ratios of fat meat and lean meat changed the kinds of aroma components, while vinegar altered the types and their contents. Besides, the contents of acrylamide and 5-HMF changed significantly, and that of benzo(a)pyrene remained at a low level. The addition of vinegar can enhance the amount of acrylamide and 5-HMF but has no obvious effect on benzo(a)pyrene. Besides, 8 kinds of Maillard reaction products (acrylamide, 5-HMF, benzo(a)pyrene, 5-methylfurfural, pyrazine, 4-methylimidazole, pyrraline, and 5- hydroxymethyl - 2-furancarboxylic acid) were determined, and some of them were harmful to product quality and human health. The results showed that the processing time of pork slices should be controlled within 60 min. • The basic quality index and aroma substances of pork slice were investigated. • The effect of fat meat, lean meat and vinegar was evaluated. • The formation of potential Maillard reaction products was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Utilizing voids in sediment to store natural gas represents a new direction for the development of salt cavern underground gas storage in China. In this study, the feasibility of natural gas storage within sediment voids was analyzed. Firstly, a device was developed to simulate the formation of sediment. The results showed that the porosity of the sediment was 52 %. Secondly, a debrining test was conducted in a sediment-filled cavern to analyze the overall volume of voids in sediment, which was determined to be 259,000 m3 through the deformation coordination relationship between compressed air, salt cavern, and brine. In addition, a pressure equilibrium equation for debrining was established, based on which the resistance of the sediment to debrining was determined to be 0.098 MPa. Finally, sediment models were established using PFC3D for particle with different morphologies, and a servo-loading program was developed based on the cpower model of salt rock creep to simulate the long-term deformation of sediment and variation of voids in sediment. 20.7 % reduction in sediment porosity after 30 years. Compared with the salt cavern deformation without sediment, the presence of sediment is beneficial to preserve the effective volume for storing natural gas in the salt cavern. • A device was developed to simulate sediment formation and accumulation. • A debrining field test was performed to determine the sediment void volume and frictional resistance from sediment. • Numerical simulations were conducted to analyze the long-term changes of sediment voids in the salt cavern. • The results support the feasibility of utilizing the sediment void for natural gas storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The signatures of enigmatic kombucha in China was unraveled. • The microbial community whole-system (liquid and biofilm phase) was analyzed. • Yeast Starmerella , Zygosaccharomyces, Dekkera , Pichia and bacterium Komagataeibacter , Gluconobacter were common microbes. • 163 bioactive compounds and 65 volatile compounds were identified. • Biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathways was closely linked with the highest number of metabolites. Kombucha is a natural fermented beverage (mixed system). This study aimed to unravel the signatures of kombucha in China to achieve tailor-made microbial consortium. Here, biochemical parameters, microbiome, metabolite production and volatile profile were comprehensively compared and characterized across four regions (AH, HN, SD, SX), both commonalities and distinctions were highlighted. The findings revealed that yeast species yeast Starmerella , Zygosaccharomyces, Dekkera , Pichia and bacterium Komagataeibacter , Gluconobacter were the most common microbes. Additionally, the composition, distribution and stability of microbial composition in liquid phase were superior to those in biofilm. The species diversity, differences, marker and association were analyzed across four areas. Metabolite profiles revealed a total of 163 bioactive compounds (23 flavonoids, 13 phenols), and 68 differential metabolites were screened and identified. Moreover, the metabolic pathways of phenylpropanoids biosynthesis were closely linked with the highest number of metabolites, followed by flavonoid biosynthesis. Sixty-five volatile compounds (23 esters) were identified. Finally, the correlation analysis among the microbial composition and volatile and functional metabolites showed that Komagataeibacter , Gluconolactone , Zygosacchaaromycess , Starmerella and Dekkera seemed closely related to bioactive compounds, especially Komagataeibacter displayed positive correlations with 1-hexadecanol, 5-keto-D-gluconate, L-malic acid, 6-aminohexanoate, Starmerella contributed greatly to gluconolactone, thymidine, anabasine, 2-isopropylmalic acid. Additionally, Candida was related to β -damascenone and α -terpineol, and Arachnomyces and Butyricicoccus showed the consistency of associations with specific esters and alcohols. These findings provided crucial information for creating a stable synthetic microbial community structure, shedding light on fostering stable kombucha and related functional beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Isolates with chromosomally located bla CTX-M-14b form into a clade in China. • The qnrS1 gene transferred from a plasmid to the chromosome. • Being located on the chromosome causes stable existence of resistance genes. Highly fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Kentucky has become widespread in recent years, largely associated with the spread of sequence type 198 (ST198), which often leads to multidrug resistance. Research on the genomic epidemiology of Salmonella Kentucky in China is currently uncommon. In this study, we analysed the genomic epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of Salmonella Kentucky ST198 collected from foodborne disease surveillance in Shenzhen, China, during 2010–2021, using whole-genome sequencing and antibiotic susceptibility testing. In addition, 158 global Salmonella Kentucky ST198 genomes were included for comparison. Among 8559 Salmonella isolates, 43 Salmonella Kentucky ST198 isolates were detected during 2010–2021. The global Salmonella Kentucky ST198 evolutionary tree was divided into five clades, with Shenzhen isolates distributed in clades 198.1, 198.2-1 and 198.2-2, mainly clustered with Chinese strains. Strains in clade 198.2 dominated in Shenzhen and all of them showed multidrug resistance. Nine strains showed high resistance to ceftriaxone, which was associated with bla CTX-M-14b in clade 198.2-1, which was demonstrated to be located on the chromosome. Fifteen strains showed high resistance to ciprofloxacin, which was associated with carriage of qnrS1 in clade 198.2-2. qnrS1 was first located on an IncHI2 plasmid and then transferred into the chromosome. Here we report the genomic and antimicrobial resistance characterisation of Salmonella Kentucky ST198 in Shenzhen. Of particular concern, we identified for the first time a clade 198.2-1 isolate carrying bla CTX-M-14b as well as chromosomally located qnrS1 in clade 198.2-2 of Salmonella Kentucky ST198 in China, highlighting the necessity of surveillance of clade 198.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of this study: Qiwei Baizhu Powder (QWBZP) is a traditional herbal prescription that has been used traditionally for the treatment of infantile diarrhea, including the infantile diarrhea caused by Human Rotavirus (HRV). In this study, we investigated the pharmacological activity of QWBZP extract. Materials and methods: NIH suckling mice with HRV induced diarrhea were used. Density of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, mRNA expression of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells were assayed. Results: QWBZP extract promoted the expressions of mRNA of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells. Also, we found that the density of CD8+ cells in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells was significantly lower in QWBZP group than in Model group, while the density of CD8+ cells was significantly higher in QWBZP group than in Model group. Conclusion: These data suggest that QWBZP extract may exhibit antiviral effects through modulating the densities of T-cell subsets and the expressions of their cytokines in small intestinal mucosa epithelial cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the Hetai goldfield, Guangdong Province, China, samples including rocks, soils and leaves of four plants (Pinus massoniana, Rhodomyrms tomenlosa, D. linearis var. dichotoma and Embelia laeta) collected from the gold mineralization zone and the background area were analyzed for Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg, As and physiological parameters. The objective of this investigation is to study the geochemical and biogeochemical characteristics of studied plants, aiming at biogeochemical methods in Au exploration. The goldfield region shows geochemical and biogeochemical anomalies. Abundances of Au in rocks, soils, plants and the leaf pigments in the mineralized area are much higher than those in the surrounding region. The plants display unhealthy physiological and ecological characteristics in the Hetai goldfield area. The cell structures of the goldfield plants were anomalous and aberrant, and there were many nano-metal particles diffused in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Macro- and microscopic evidences of the vegetation in the goldfield areas are distinctly different from the background regions. The strongly anomalies in responses to Au are profound in further geochemical and botanic exploration studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To investigate the microbial diversities and dynamic quality properties of kombucha, the successional changes with different periods from four regions were comprehensively characterized and compared. A total of 197 indigenous yeast and bacterial strains were isolated, involving Gluconobacter, Komagataeibacter, Starmerella and Zygosaccharomyces spp. The successional dynamics of the kombucha communities in different regions were evaluated. The b* values of all kombucha decreased continuously as fermentation progressed. Results indicated that proper fermentation timing significantly influenced nutritional composition and aroma characteristics. A gradual increase in the content of individual monomeric phenols during the middle and late stages of fermentation (days 6-15). Overall, the Shaanxi (SX) region exhibited the highest content of the 10 phenolics detected on day 9, with 273.45 mg/L, followed by the Hunan (HN) region on day 9 (206.49 mg/L). Higher concentrations of bioactive compounds were produced during later stages, which determined the antioxidant properties. A total of 94 volatile compounds were identified and 32 volatiles with relative odor activity value (rOAV) ≥ 0.1. Four regions showed a decreasing trend in the number of aromas in the later stages of fermentation. The predominant compounds were acids, esters and alcohols during the later fermentation stages, which decanal, trans-β-ionone and damascenone serving as characteristic aromas. The partial least-squares regression analysis revealed that apple juice, fruity and sour apple odors showed an intensely positive impact on the overall acceptability of the kombucha., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Fine motor skills are closely related to cognitive function. However, there is currently no comprehensive assessment of fine motor movement and how it corresponds with cognitive function. To conduct a complete assessment of fine motor and clarify the relationship between various dimensions of fine motor and cognitive function., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 267 community-based participants aged ≥ 60 years in Beijing, China. We assessed four tests performance and gathered detailed fine motor indicators using Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) motion capture technology. The wearable MEMS device provided us with precise fine motion metrics, while Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to assess cognitive function. We adopted logistic regression to analyze the relationship between fine motor movement and cognitive function., Results: 129 (48.3%) of the participants had cognitive impairment. The vast majority of fine motor movements have independent linear correlations with MoCA-BJ scores. According to logistic regression analysis, completion time in the Same-pattern tapping test (OR = 1.033, 95%CI = 1.003-1.063), Completion time of non-dominant hand in the Pieces flipping test (OR = 1.006, 95%CI = 1.000-1.011), and trajectory distance of dominant hand in the Pegboard test (OR = 1.044, 95%CI = 1.010-1.068), which represents dexterity, are related to cognitive impairment. Coordination, represented by lag time between hands in the Same-pattern tapping (OR = 1.663, 95%CI = 1.131-2.444), is correlated with cognitive impairment. Coverage in the Dual-hand drawing test as an important indicator of stability is negatively correlated with cognitive function (OR = 0.709, 95%CI = 0.6501-0.959). Based on the above 5-feature model showed consistently high accuracy and sensitivity at the MoCA-BJ score (ACU = 0.80-0.87)., Conclusions: The results of a comprehensive fine-motor assessment that integrates dexterity, coordination, and stability are closely related to cognitive functioning. Fine motor movement has the potential to be a reliable predictor of cognitive impairment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The present study aimed to explore the genomic profile in a cohort of Chinese patients with breast cancer (BC), as well as provide potential strategies for clinic treatment in specific subset of BC patients., Methods: Paired samples from 46 BC patients were subjected to DNA extraction and 537 gene targeted next-generation sequencing., Results: In total, 742 somatic mutations were detected in these patients, which involved 303 genes. TP53 and PIK3CA were the most frequently mutated genes, with a mutation rate of 45.65% and 26.09%. C>T, T>C and C>A comprised the main single nucleotide base variation for this Chinese cohort. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) group had more TP53-mutated patients than the Non-TNBC group (p = 0.0229). In addition, the cohort was also divided into 'Young' and 'Old' groups based on the age of onset. Compared with the 'Young' group, the 'Old' group had more frameshift mutations (p = 0.0190), less missense mutations (p = 0.0269) and more HOXA11-mutated patients (p = 0.0197). Additionally, the HOXA11 mt (HOXA11 gene mutated) group had more frameshift mutations than the HOXA11 wt (HOXA11 gene without mutation) group (p < 0.0001). In KEGG (i.e. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis, the HOXA11 wt group had more gene mutations involved in the T cell receptor signaling pathway (p = 0.0197), Jak-STAT signaling pathway (p = 0.0380) and the HIF-1 signaling pathway (p = 0.0489) than the HOXA11 mt group. In the present study, the heterogeneity of somatic mutations was revealed between different tumor subgroups, including TNBC/Non-TNBC, age of onset (Young/Old) and HOXA11 mutation (HOXA11 mt /HOXA11 wt )., Conclusions: The present study revealed the heterogeneity of gene mutation and clinical variables among BC subtypes and might provide guidance for developing a potential target for clinical treatment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the 15-year trends of handgrip strength-to-weight (relative HS) and assess the association between relative HS and hypertension among Chinese adults aged 20-69., Methods: Using a complex, stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling, we analyzed data collected from 712,442 adults aged 20-69 years in four successive national surveys (2000-2014). We used a handheld dynamometer to measure strength and divided by body weight to calculate the relative HS. Blood pressure was recorded with a sphygmomanometer and hypertension was defined as resting systolic blood pressure at least 140 mmHg or diastolic at least 90 mmHg. The Mann-Kendall trend test examined trends in relative HS over time. We also computed odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by tertile of relative HS and examined the association between relative HS and hypertension., Results: The relative HS level decreased with the increase of age in both male and females (p trend <0.001). In each of four surveys, one interquartile decrease in relative HS was associated with an increased risk of hypertension by 44% (OR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.40-1.47), 58% (OR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.54-1.62), 48% (OR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.45-1.52), 43% (OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.40-1.47), respectively., Conclusion: In the Chinese adult population, the relative HS level decreased from 2000 to 2014 across all ages in both males and females. A lower relative HS was associated with a higher risk of hypertension. The findings provided evidence for the association between muscle strength and hypertension in large-scaled population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Productivity is low and unstable in dryland farms of central Gansu, Northwest China. Conservational tillage is an important way for the sustainable development of agriculture. The effects of different tillage measures on soil moisture infiltration, evaporation, crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) were investigated in this study based on a long-term experiment since 2001 in Longzhong. There were six treatments, i.e. conventional tillage with no straw (T), no-till with straw cover (NTS), no-till with no straw cover (NT), conventional tillage with straw incorporated (TS), conventional tillage with plastic mulch (TP), and no-till with plastic mulch (NTP), with annual rotation of spring wheat and pea. The results showed that compared with T, soil bulk density of NTS decreased and total porosity of soil increased significantly in wheat and pea land. Compared with conventional tillage, conservation tillage reduced soil infiltration rate in 0-5 cm in the pea field by 56.2%. Conservational tillage siginificantly increased soil saturated water conductivity in both wheat and pea lands. Compared with T, the saturated water conductivity in NTS was significantly increased by 52.8%-107.1%. Conservational tillage siginificantly reduced soil evaporation during growing season. Compared with T, the evapotranspiration of NTP, TP and NTS was significantly reduced by 14.4%-50.8%. The soil evaporation after rain was also decreased. Conservational tillage improved crop yield and water use efficiency by 9.5%-62.8% and 0.4%-50.9%, respectively. Therefore, conservational tillage could increase water use efficiency and crop yield in dryland farming area of central Gansu, Northwest China.

To detect the content of 12 heavy metals in blood and hair sample from a general population of Pearl River Delta area, and to analyze the influence of duration of residence, gender, age, smoking and drinking on the heavy metal content. Use inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to detect the content of 12 heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), chrome (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn) and antimony (Sb) in blood and hair samples of a total of 50 subjects from a general population, collected by multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. The geometric mean of heavy metal content in blood samples of general population (μg/L): blood aluminum 214.00; blood chrome 92.82; blood manganese 21.43; blood nickel 20.59; blood copper 0.67; blood zinc 11.50; blood arsenic 0.55; blood cadmium 2.45; blood tin 0.00; blood antimony 1.92; blood lead 158.84; and blood mercury 1.19. The geometric mean of heavy metal content in hair samples of general population (μg/g): hair aluminum is 84.65; hair chrome 0.00; hair manganese 2.44; hair nickel 0.61; hair copper 28.49; hair zinc 136.65; hair arsenic 0.75; hair cadmium 0.46; hair tin 1.04; hair antimony 0.05; hair lead 8.97; and hair mercury 0.69. Some heavy metals were correlated with duration of residence, gender, age, smoking and drinking. This was the first time that simultaneously detecting heavy metal content in blood and hair was used to analyze the internal heavy metal burden in resident population of Pearl River Delta area. These data can serve as reference for further research.

This study is a step towards a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV transmission among Chinese internal migrants. To explore important and changeable determinants of condom use and inspect effective and feasible methods to increase condom use for the target population, we conducted a three-round web-based Delphi study among a panel of 62 experts between October 2012 and March 2013. The panelists were purposely selected using a stepwise procedure to represent topic-related areas of expertise. The response rate per round ranges from 21% to 81%. The panelists identified 19 possible determinants of condom use and reported 16 intervention methods they considered successful. They agreed that attitude towards condom use was the most important and changeable determinant, while applying behavioral theory, increasing sexual education and condom access, performing worksite health promotion, detecting risk factors, and working closely with relevant organizations and the government were effective and feasible methods to increase condom use among internal migrants in China. In conclusion, results of this study highlight the importance of attitude in changing condom use and underscore the need to apply behavior theory and integrate multiple educational approaches for developing behavioral HIV prevention interventions targeting internal migrants in China.