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The impact of teacher-led and learner-led mobile learning activities on increasing learners' motivation and learning outcomes has been reported as effective. However, the relationship between them remains unclear. In this study, the authors investigated the relationship through survey (n = 366) and interview (n = 7) data collected from students in one of the most prestigious medical schools in China. Three lessons are learned. First, confirmatory factor analysis validated a two-factor model on the use of mobile devices. The participants spend more time on studying with teacher-led than student-led activities. Second, structural equation modelling results suggest that the use of teacher-led mobile activities has a positive impact on learner-led activities and students' satisfaction with overall teaching quality. Third, students perceive mobile devices as useful learning tools when teacher-led activities are present, whereas in the absence of teachers' involvement, student-led activities are perceived as less efficient than other forms of learning.

Background: Patients with carotid atherosclerotic stenosis (CAS) often have varying degrees of cognitive decline. However, there is little evidence regarding how brain morphological and functional abnormalities impact the cognitive decline in CAS patients. This study aimed to determine how the brain morphological and functional changes affected the cognitive decline in patients with CAS. Methods: The brain morphological differences were analyzed using surface and voxel-based morphometry, and the seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities were analyzed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Further, mediation analyses were performed to determine whether and how morphological and FC changes affect cognition in CAS patients. Results: The CAS-MCI (CAS patients with mild cognitive impairment) group performed worse in working memory, verbal fluency, and executive time. Cortical thickness (CT) of the left postcentral and superiorparietal were significantly reduced in CAS-MCI patients. The gray matter volume (GMV) of the right olfactory, left temporal pole (superior temporal gyrus) (TPOsup.L), left middle temporal gyrus (MTG.L), and left insula (INS.L) were decreased in the CAS-MCI group. Besides, decreased seed-based FC between TPOsup.L and left precuneus, between MTG.L and TPOsup.L, and between INS.L and MTG.L, left middle frontal gyrus, as well as Superior frontal gyrus, were found in CAS-MCI patients. Mediation analyses demonstrated that morphological and functional abnormalities fully mediated the association between the maximum degree of carotid stenosis and cognitive function. Conclusion: Multiple brain regions have decreased GMV and CT in CAS-MCI patients, along with disrupted seed-based FC. These morphological and functional changes play a crucial role in the cognitive impairment in CAS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Comprehensive data on the economic burden of CRC at a populationlevel is critical in informing policymaking, but such data are currently limited in China. Methods: From a societal perspective, the economic burden of CRC in 2019 was estimated, including direct medical and nonmedical expenditure, disability, and premature-death-related indirect expenditure. Data on disease burden was taken from the GBD 2019 and analyzed using a prevalence-based approach. The perperson direct expenditure and work loss days were from a multicenter study; the premature-death-related expenditure was estimated using a human capital approach. Projections were conducted in different simulated scenarios. All expenditure data were in Chinese Yuan (CNY) and discounted to 2019. Results: In 2019, the estimated overall economic burden of CRC in China was CNY170.5 billion (0.189% of the local GDP). The direct expenditure was CNY106.4 billion (62.4% of the total economic burden), 91.4% of which was a direct medical expenditure. The indirect expenditure was CNY64.1 billion, of which 63.7% was related to premature death. The predicted burden would reach CNY560.0 billion in 2030 given constant trends for disease burden; however, it would be alternatively reduced to

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a common complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Identifying patients at high CIN risk remains challenging. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index may help predict CIN but evidence is limited. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of TyG index for CIN after PCI. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, Cochrane, and EMBASE until August 2023 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42023452257). Observational studies examining TyG index for predicting CIN risk in PCI patients were included. This diagnostic meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the TyG index in predicting the likelihood of CIN. Secondary outcomes aimed to assess the pooled incidence of CIN and the association between an elevated TyG index and the risk of CIN. Results: Five studies (Turkey, n=2; China, n=3) with 3518 patients (age range: 57.6 to 68.22 years) were included. The pooled incidence of CIN was 15.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 11-20.8%]. A high TyG index associated with increased CIN risk (odds ratio: 2.25, 95% CI 1.82-2.77). Pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.77 (95% CI 0.59-0.88) and 0.55 (95% CI 0.43-0.68) respectively. Analysis of the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve revealed an area under the curve of 0.69 (95% CI 0.65-0.73). There was a low risk of publication bias (p = 0.81). Conclusion: The TyG index displayed a noteworthy correlation with the risk of CIN subsequent to PCI. However, its overall diagnostic accuracy was found to be moderate in nature. While promising, the TyG index should not be used in isolation for CIN screening given the heterogeneity between studies. In addition, the findings cannot be considered conclusive given the scarcity of data. Further large-scale studies are warranted to validate TyG cutoffs and determine how to optimally incorporate it into current risk prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ciprofol (HSK3486) is a novel intravenous anesthetic agent that bears structural similarity to propofol and displays favorable pharmacodynamic characteristics such as rapid onset and offset. The meta-analysis aimed at comparing the efficacy and safety of ciprofol versus propofol in clinical practice. Methods: Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library were searched from inception to April 2023. The primary outcome was success rate of sedation/ anesthetic induction and differences in sedation/induction time. The secondary outcomes included risks of hemodynamic instability, respiratory complications, and pain on injection, as well as recovery profiles, satisfaction score, and top-up dose requirement. Results: Twelve RCTs (sedation: n = 6, anesthetic induction, n = 6, all conducted in China) involving 1,793 patients (age: 34–58 years) published from 2021 to 2023 were analyzed. Pooled results revealed no differences in success rate [risk ratio (RR) = 1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99 to 1.01, I² = 0%, 1,106 patients, p = 1] and time required for successful anesthetic induction/sedation [mean difference (MD) = 7.95 s, 95% CI: −1.09 to 16.99, I² = 97%, 1,594 patients, p = 0.08]. The risks of top-up dose requirement (RR = 0.94, p = 0.48), cardiopulmonary complications [i.e., bradycardia (RR = 0.94, p = 0.67), tachycardia (RR = 0.83, p = 0.68), hypertension (RR = 1.28, p = 0.2), hypoxemia/pulmonary depression (RR = 0.78, p = 0.24)], and postoperative nausea/vomiting (RR = 0.85, p = 0.72), as well as discharge time (MD = 1.39 min, p = 0.14) and satisfaction score (standardized MD = 0.23, p = 0.16) did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, the ciprofol group had lower risks of hypotension (RR = 0.85, p = 0.02) and pain on injection (RR = 0.17, p < 0.00001) than the propofol group. The time to full alertness was statistically shorter in the propofol group (i.e., 0.66 min), but without clinical significance. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated similar efficacy between ciprofol and propofol for sedation and anesthetic induction, while ciprofol was associated with lower risks of hypotension and pain on injection. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ciprofol in pediatric or the elderly populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Infectious diseases including COVID-19 and mental disorders are two of the most common health conditions associated with stigma. However, the comparative stigma of these two conditions has received less attention in research. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of stigmatizing views toward people with COVID-19 and mental disorders and the factors associated with these views, among a large sample of adolescent and young adult students in China. Methods: A total of 9,749 adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years completed a survey on stigmatizing attitudes toward COVID-19 and mental disorders, as well as mental health-related factors, including general mental health status and symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with stigmatizing views. Findings: The prevalence of COVID-19 and mental disorders-related stigma was 17.2% and 40.7%, respectively. COVID-19-related stigma scores were significantly higher among male students (β = 0.025, p < 0.05), those without quarantine experience (β = 0.035, p < 0.001), those with lower educational level (p < 0.001), those with lower family income (p < 0.01), and those with higher PTSD symptoms (β = 0.045, p < 0.05). Mental disorder-related stigma scores were significantly higher among individuals with average and lower-than-average levels of family income (p < 0.01), depression symptoms (β = 0.056, p < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.051, p < 0.001), and mental health problems (β = 0.027, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The stigma of mental disorders is higher in the youth population than the stigma of COVID-19. Factors associated with stigmatizing attitudes toward people with COVID-19 and mental disorders varied across the youth. Stigma-reduction interventions among the youth should be targeted specifically to COVID-19 or mental disorders conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild fires exerts strong influences on the environment, ecology, economy and public security. However, the existing hourly JMA-Himawari fire product presents large uncertainties and not suitable for reliable real-time fire monitoring in China. To fill this gap, we proposed an adaptive hourly NSMC-Himawari fire product for China based on the original Himawari source by employing a dynamical threshold for fire-extraction and a database of ground thermal sources. According to the visually-extracted reference and consistence check, we found NSMC-Himawari fire product effectively removed a majority of false fire alarms included in the JMA-Himawari fire product. Based on a rare field-collected ground reference dataset, we evaluated the reliability of JMA-Himawari and NSMC-Himawari fire product across China. The overall accuracy of JMA-Himawari fire product was 54 % and 59 % (not considering the omission errors) respectively. As a comparison, by identifying more real fire pixels and avoiding a majority of false fire alarms, the overall accuracy of NSMCHimawari fire product was 80 % and 84 % (not considering the omission errors) respectively, making it an ideal source for improved real-time fire monitoring across China. This research also provides useful reference for employing local dataset of underlying surfaces and thermal sources to enhance the accuracy of global fire products in specific regions. NSMCHimawari fire product can be downloaded at http://figshare.com (last access: 14 November 2022) with the identifier DOI: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21550248 (Chen et al., 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The global COVID-19 pandemic has required a drastic transformation of prenatal care services. Whether the reformulation of the antenatal care systems affects maternal and infant outcomes remains unknown. Particularly, women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are among those who bear the greatest brunt. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown during late pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes in women stratified by the GDM status in China. Study design: The participants were women who experienced the COVID-19 lockdown during late pregnancy (3185 in the 2020 cohort) or not (2540 in the 2019 cohort) that were derived from the Beijing Birth Cohort Study. Maternal metabolic indicators, neonatal outcomes, and infant anthropometrics at 12 months of age were compared between the two cohorts, stratified by the GDM status. Results: Participants who experienced COVID-19 lockdown in late pregnancy showed lower gestational weight gain than those in the control cohort. Nevertheless, they displayed a worse metabolic profile. COVID-19 lockdown during pregnancy was associated with higher glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (b= 0.11, 95% CI = 0.05–0.16, q-value = 0.002) and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL-C) level (b=–0.09, 95% CI = –0.14 to –0.04, q-value = 0.004) in women with GDM, adjusted for potential confounders. In normoglycemic women, COVID-19 lockdown in late pregnancy was associated with higher fasting glucose level (b= 0.10, 95% CI = 0.08–0.12, q-value <0.0001), lower HDL-C level (b=–0.07, 95% CI = –0.08 to –0.04, q-value <0.0001), and increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension (adjusted OR=1.80, 95%CI=1.30–2.50, q-value=0.001). The fasting glucose level decreased less from early to late pregnancy in women who experienced COVID-19 lockdown than in the controls, regardless of theGDM status. The HDL-C has risen less with COVID-19 lockdown in the normoglycemic subgroup. In contrast, no significant differences regarding neonatal outcomes or infant weight were found between the two cohorts. Conclusion: Experiencing the COVID-19 lockdown in pregnancy was associated with worse maternal metabolic status but similar neonatal outcomes and infant weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to establish a creditable greenhouse gases (GHGs) monitoring network to support the goals of carbon peak/neutrality, it is necessary to know what we have done and what we have to do in the future. In this study, we summarize an overview to the status and perspective of GHGs monitoring in China. With decades of effort, China has made a great breakthrough in GHGs monitoring capacity and steadily improved the performance of homemade GHGs monitoring instruments. However, most GHGs monitoring studies are hitherto research-oriented, temporal, sparse, and uncoordinated. It is suggested to take full advantages of various monitoring technologies, monitoring platforms, numerical simulations, and inventory compilation techniques to form a creditable GHGs stereoscopic monitoring and assessment system at an operational level. We envisage that this system can routinely quantify GHGs on national, provincial, regional and even individual scales with high spatiotemporal resolution and wide coverage to support low-carbon policy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accompanied by the continuous declines of PM2.5, O3 pollution has become increasingly prominent and has been targeted by the Government of China to protect climate, ecosystem, and human health. Although satellite retrievals of column O3 have been operated for decades and nationwide monitoring of ground-level O3 has been offered since 2013 in China, climatological variability of ground-level O3 remains unknown, which impedes understanding of the long-term driver and impacts of O3 pollution in China. Here we develop an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model integrating high-resolution meteorological data, satellite retrievals of trace gases, etc. to provide reconstructed daily ground-level O3 over 2005-2021 in China. Model validation confirms the robustness of this dataset, with R² of 0.89 for sample-based crossvalidation. The accuracy of the long-term variations has also been confirmed with independent historical observations covering the same period from urban, rural and background sites. Our dataset covers the long time period of 2005-2021 with 0.1°×0.1° gap-free grids, which can facilitate climatological, ecological, and health research. The dataset is freely available at Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/record/6507706#.Yo8hKujP13g; Zhou, 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agapetes huangiana Bin Yang, Y.H.Tan & Y.H.Tong (Ericaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to Xizang, China. It is morphologically similar to A. guangxiensis D. Fang and A. epacridea Airy Shaw, but clearly differs in having thinly leathery leaf blades with verrucose-scabrid trichomes abaxially, shorter pedicel, and densely white-puberulent calyx and corolla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is developing its BeiDou Satellite‐Based Augmentation System (BDSBAS) in accordance with international standards, and it has provided initial Single Frequency (SF) and Dual‐Frequency Multi‐Constellation (DFMC) services since July 2020. This paper gives a comprehensive introduction to BDSBAS from the aspects of its general design, system time datum, coordinate reference system and signal characteristics. The performance requirements and internationalization endeavors of BDSBAS also are presented. Additionally, the initial performance tests of BDSBAS SF service had been carried out based on the first two BDSBAS Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, including the quality of signal‐in‐space, and initial accuracy, integrity and availability. The results show that the characteristics of BDSBAS signal‐in‐space can well meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the initial performance of BDSBAS SF service can basically meet the requirements of Approach with Vertical guidance I (APV‐I). Finally, before the application of BDSBAS services into civil aviation uses, testing and certification will be organized by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and carried out in three steps. In the future, China will continue to promote the development of BDSBAS in a steady manner in order to provide aviation integrity services compatible with the ICAO standards in China and the surrounding areas as soon as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decapterus macarellus and D. macrosoma are economically important pelagic fish species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical seas. The two species are often mistakenly identified due to their morphological similarities as described in the Chinese literature on fish identification. In this study, D. macarellus and D. macrosoma samples were collected in the Eastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and reidentified using morphological and DNA barcoding techniques. The characteristics that distinguish the two species primarily include the scute coverage of the straight portion of the lateral line (the most indicative characteristic for classification), the shape of the predorsal scaled area and its location relative to the middle axis of the eye, and the shapes of the posterior margin of the maxilla and the posterior margin of the operculum. The results revealed a large number of misidentified sequences among the homologous cytochrome oxidase (COI) sequences of the two species in the NCBI database and that the genus Decapterus may include cryptic species. In terms of genetic structure, the Sundaland has not blocked genetic exchange between D. macarellus populations in the South China Sea and the Eastern Indian Ocean, giving rise to a high level of genetic diversity. In this study, we made corrections to the Chinese classification standards for D. macarellus and D. macrosoma and the erroneous reference sequences in the NCBI database, thereby providing accurate reference points for the future exploration of cryptic species in the genus Decapterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Isotrema was recently discovered from Guizhou, China and is here named as I. brevilimbum. It is most similar to I. ovatifolium and I. wardianum, but differs in the morphology of leaves and flowers. A detailed description for the new species, along with line drawings, photographs, as well as morphological comparisons with similar species, are provided. In addition, the distribution of I. wardianum in China is here confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the features of China's project investment, we consider the formation of production capacity as a matching behavior between local governments and investment enterprises. Using the search and matching model, we illustrate that the excess capacity in China mainly results from the asymmetry between the gains from and contribution to the project matching: The capacity will be excessive when the proportion of local governments' return exceeds its contribution to the project, and the more unbalanced the return--contribution relationship, the more severe the overcapacity. Meanwhile, we test this theoretical prediction based on a quasi-natural experiment: the reform of administrative approval system. The empirical results show that the reduction of the local governments' return--contribution ratio will significantly raise the capacity utilization rate and mitigate the overcapacity. Industry-specific regression results further indicate that governments' return--contribution asymmetry is more prominent in industries dominated by state-owned enterprises, high-monopoly industries, heavy industries, and industries with serious overcapacity. This paper offers a novel mechanism of overcapacity, a theoretical criterion for judging optimal capacity, and some new regulatory tools with the micro foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marsdenia yarlungzangboensis (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a new species from Motuo County, southeastern Xizang of China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to M. medogensis, M. tenii and M. yuei, the major differences between the new species and the morphological relatives are outlined and discussed. A diagnostic key to the new species and its closely related species in China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species, Cylindrolobus motuoensis and C. glabriflorus (Orchidaceae), from Southwestern China and north of Myanmar are described and illustrated with detailed photos. Cylindrolobus motuoensis is morphologically similar to C. gloensis and C. foetidus, but can be distinguished from them by having amplexicaul sterile bracts, dark red floral bracts, white flowers, falcate-lanceolate lateral sepals and central keel of lip running from base to the tip of mid-lobe. Cylindrolobus glabriflorus is similar to C. hegdei and C. tenuicaulis but differs from them by having longer and wider leaves, obovate bracts, and the reddish brown central papillate keel of lip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulbophyllum reflexipetalum, a new species from Motuo County, Southeast Xizang, China, is described and illustrated here. This new species belongs to Bulbophyllum sect. Umbellata Bentham & J. D. Hooker, and it is morphologically similar to B. umbellatum Lindley, B. guttulatum (J. D. Hooker) N. P. Balakrishnan and B. salweenensis X.H. Jin, but is distinguished from them by having reflexed petals, base of dorsal sepal with 1 dentate on each side, lip with significantly revolute margin, adaxially with dark brown spots or patches and one longitudinal groove. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Many controversies still exist regarding ventilator parameters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This study aimed to investigate the CPR ventilation strategies currently being used among physicians in Chinese tertiary hospitals. METHODS: A survey was conducted among the cardiac arrest team physicians of 500 tertiary hospitals in China in August, 2018. Surveyed data included physician and hospital information, and preferred ventilation strategy during CPR. RESULTS: A total of 438 (88%) hospitals completed the survey, including hospitals from all 31 mainland Chinese provinces. About 41.1% of respondents chose delayed or no ventilation during CPR, with delayed ventilations all starting within 12 minutes. Of all the respondents who provided ventilation, 83.0% chose to strictly follow the 30:2 strategy, while 17.0% chose ventilations concurrently with uninterrupted compressions. Only 38.3% respondents chose to intubate after initiating CPR, while 61.7% chose to intubate immediately when resuscitation began. During bagvalve-mask ventilation, only 51.4% of respondents delivered a frequency of 10 breaths per minute. In terms of ventilator settings, the majority of respondents chose volume control (VC) mode (75.2%), tidal volume of 6-7 mL/kg (72.1%), PEEP of 0-5 cmH2O (69.9%), and an FiO2 of 100% (66.9%). However, 62.0% of respondents had mistriggers after setting the ventilator, and 51.8% had high pressure alarms. CONCLUSION: There is a great amount of variability in CPR ventilation strategies among cardiac arrest team physicians in Chinese tertiary hospitals. Guidelines are needed with specific recommendations on ventilation during CPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground based Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) observation was carried out from November 2016 to February 2017 in Beijing, China to measure the O4 absorptions in UV and visible bands and further to illustrate its relationship with aerosol optical properties (AOPs) under different the weather types. According to relative humidity, visibility and PM2.5, we classified the observation periods into clear, non-haze, haze, heavy-haze, fog and rainy five different weather conditions. There are obvious differences for measured AOPs under different weather conditions, especially scattering coefficient (σsca) and absorption coefficient (σabs). It was also found that both the O4 Differential Slant Column Densities (DSCDs) at UV and visible bands varied in the order of clear days > non-haze days > haze days > heavy-haze days > fog days. The correlation coefficients (R²) between O4 DSCDs at 360.8 and 477.1 nm mainly varied in the order of clear days > non-haze days > haze days > heavy-haze days. Based on the statistics of O4 DSCDs at elevation angle 1o with the corresponding linear regression between UV and visible bands of segmental periods, the relationships between O4 DSCDs and AOPs were established. It mainly should be clear or non-haze days when the correlation slope is greater than 1.0, correlation coefficient (R²) greater than 0.9 and O4 DSCDs mainly greater than 2.5 x 1043 molec cm-2. Meanwhile, σsca and σabs are less than 45 and 12 Mm-1, respectively. For haze or heavy-haze days, the correlation slope is less than 0.6, R² less than 0.8 and O4 DSCDs mainly less than 1.3 x 1043 molec cm-2, under which σsca and σabs are mainly located at 200-900 and 20-60 Mm-1. Additionally, the determination method was well validated based on another MAX-DOAS measurement at Gucheng from 19 to 27 November 2016. For more precise and accurate inversion of AOPs, more detailed look-up tables for O4 multiple wavelength absorptions need to developed. Furthermore, the vertical spatial-resolved aerosol scattering and absorption information is worthy of being expected by using DSCDs at different elevation angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) in sewage sludge (SS) has been a concern for decades. Sludge-borne P could exacerbate eutrophication problems once released to aquatic environments. Meanwhile, sludge-borne P would be a valuable alternative source to P minerals. A comprehensive understanding of the occurrence forms and fate of P in SS is required prior to the assessment of environmental implications of sludge-borne P. In the present study, we conducted a nationwide survey on speciation of phosphorus in the SS of China. The average concentration of total phosphorus (TP) in SS was 17.3 ± 5.1 g· kg−1, of which 67.1 ± 8.9% occurred as inorganic forms. Non-apatite inorganic phosphorus constituted the major component (77.6 ± 11.4%) of inorganic phosphorus, with the rest minor portion occurring as apatite phosphorus. Organic P accounted for 26.8 ± 7.9% of TP in SS, showing an average concentration of 4.5 ± 4.2 g· kg−1. Majority of phosphorus in the SS of China occurs as labile forms, suggesting that the environmental implications of SS disposal approaches should be assessed seriously. Sewage sludge produced by China contained 1.1 × 105 t of TP in 2016, and the amount accumulated to 1.0 × 106 t since 2001. Landfill sites are the single most important fate, receiving 8.1 × 105 t of sludge-borne TP since 2001. Land application and building materials are the other two fates of sludge-borne phosphorus. Spatial-temporal variations of phosphorus in the SS of China were also discussed.Graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification of vegetation is an essential tool to systematically describe and understand the characteristics of vegetation. China is one of the vegetation type-richest countries in the world. However, the methodologies and achievements of vegetation research in China, especially its vegetation classification system, are little known to the world. Here we briefly review the developmental history of the China vegetation classification system (China-VCS), and present its key concepts, main features and detailed protocols, as well as the applications. Professor Hou first presented the vegetation classification principles and a five-level system for the vegetation of the entire country in 1960. The system was modified to eight levels and more than 500 formations were defined in 1980. The system was revised in the book "Flora and Vegetation Geography of China" in 2014. The China-VCS separates cultural vegetation from natural/semi-natural vegetation; for natural/semi-natural vegetation, it uses an integrated physiognomic-ecological-floristic-dynamic classification approach. It has eight hierarchical levels, i.e., Vegetation-type-group, Vegetation-type, and Vegetation-subtype; Formation-group, Formation and Subformation; as well as Association-group and Association. Each vegetation-type-group is considered as a consistent classification section (CCS). Seven vegetation-type-groups, 40 vegetation-types and 93 vegetation-subtypes have been described in this system. About 1519 formations belonging to 711 formationgroups have been primarily vetted and listed, while the systematic census data on subformations, associationgroups and associations are still not available due to the lack of a national plot database. Cultural vegetation is classified according to plant growth form, community structure, habitat factors, cultivation regimes and economic significance. The classification system for cultural vegetation includes five hierarchical levels, i.e., Category, Type, Subtype, Cultivation-group and Cultivation. The China vegetation classification system has been widely used not only for vegetation description and mapping but also for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Areas of the system that need further improvement include increasing its compatibility with other major vegetation classification systems in the world, using more quantitative indicators, using other indicators if no dominant species can be identified and developing a more appropriate system for cultural vegetation classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yulong porphyry Cu-Mo deposit, the third largest porphyry Cu deposit in China, contains proven reserves of >6,5 million metric tons (Mt) Cu and 0.4 Mt Mo. Previous radiometric dating studies have provided numerous ages for this deposit, but the timing and duration of the process governing the deposition of Cu and Mo remains not well constrained. In this paper, we first document multiple stages of mineralization and hydrothermal alteration associated with distinct magmatic pulses at Yulong by field and textural relationships, and then present high-precision molybdenite Re-Os ages of 14 quartz-molybdenite ± chalcopyrite veins representing these stages to precisely constrain the timing and duration of Cu-Mo mineralization. The ore-hosting Yulong composite stock consists of three successive porphyry intrusions: (1) monzonitic granite porphyry (MGP), (2) K-feldspar granite porphyry (KGP), and (3) quartz albite porphyry (QAP). The vein formation, Cu-Mo mineralization, and ore-related alteration are grouped into early, transitional, and late stages with respect to the intrusive history. The first two poqrhyry intrusions are followed by cyclical sequences of veining that are mainly associated with potassie alteration and have formed (1) Me vein/lISTr, (2) EBe/t veins, (3) AIeu veins, (4) A2e/Bt veins, and (5) A3E/T veins. A2E/BT and A3eu veins of the early and transitional stages are dominated by quartz and chalcopyrite ± pyrite, respectively, and represent the main Cu-Mo mineralization events. More than 80% of Cu and Mo at Yulong were deposited in the early stage with the remainder being formed in the transitional stage. The late-stage pyrite-quartz veins (Dl), which are characterized by sericitic alteration halos, postdate the intrusion of QAP dikes and have no economic significance. Molybdenite Re-Os ages of A2e and Bt veins indicate that sulfide deposition at Yulong was episodic over a prolonged history lasting over 5.13 ± 0.23 m.y. (lcr). However, the bulk Cu-Mo ores formed in a shorter time interval of 1.36 ± 0.24 m.y. (lcr) with most Cu precipitated in a more restricted timespan of 0.82 ± 0.24 m.y. (lcr) in the early stage. These results, combined with geochronologic data from porphyry copper deposits elsewhere, confirm that multiple magmatic-hydrothermal pulses with a lifespan of tens to hundreds of thousands of years are sufficient to form a giant porphyry copper deposit. Factors such as metal concentration, volume, and focusing efficiency of ore-forming fluids could have played important roles in producing a giant porphyry Cu deposit regardless of a short- or long-lived magmatic-hydrothermal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited data on the trends of incidence or prevalence of end stage renal disease (ESRD) in China. To assist in future planning for the ESRD program, the trends of incidence, prevalence and health care costs were analyzed and forecasted to the year 2025 by modeling of historical data from 2004 through 2014.Methods: Nanjing urban employee basic medical insurance (NJUEBMI) data were obtained from the Nanjing Medical Insurance Information System from 2004 to 2014. The time series forecasting system in SAS 9.4 was used. Each variable was independently forecasted by the fittest model, which was selected automatically or manually.Results: The forecasting models demonstrated mean percent errors of -2.49 to 5.62 %, relative to the observed values. The R-square values for the forecasting models ranged from 0.756 to 0.997. On the basis of trends in the historical data, the models projected that the average annual increase in the NJUEBMI population was 4.77 %, with forecasted values of 5,029,270 in 2025 (95 % CI, 4,960,423-5,098,117). The incidence and prevalence of ESRD were projected to increase by 1.19 and 1.95 % annually and were expected to reach 250.5 pmp (95 % CI, 247.7-253.3) and 1505 pmp(95 % CI, 1450-1560) by 2025. Additionally, the costs associated with ESRD were forecasted to increase at a growth rate of 5.80 % for healthcare costs and 7.25‰ for per capita medical expenses, with forecasted values of ¥600.3 million ($92.4 million) (95 % CI, 541.8-658.9) and ¥99.0 thousand ($15.2 thousand) (95 % CI, 98.6-99.3), respectively, by 2025. The incidence and prevalence of kidney transplantation were projected to decrease by 6.58 and 9.79 % annually.Conclusions: These projections suggest that the incidence, prevalence, healthcare costs, and per capita medical expenses of ESRD would increase in the NJUEBMI population. They provide a basis for discussing the trends of ESRD in China and facing the challenges from the ESRD program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in controlling pollutant discharges to surface waters. Previous studies suggested that the removal of mercury (Hg) by WWTPs was strongly correlated with solid removal. However, conclusions regarding possible transformations of Hg species within WWTPs were not consistent across those studies. We characterized total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations and loads in a WWTP located in Jiaozuo, China, to further understand Hg fate and transformations in WWTPs. THg and MeHg were primarily associated with wastewater solids, and removal of both were greater than 90%; concentrations in the sewage were (2.0 ± 2.7) × 10 3 ng/L and 7.5 ± 5.8 ng/L, respectively. A mass balance calculation revealed that 80% of the THg input to the WWTP ended up in the sewage sludge (SS), while more than 70% of the influent MeHg mass was degraded, indicating WWTPs are an important sink for sewage-borne Hg. THg and MeHg concentrations in SS were (3.9 ± 1.4) × 10 3 ng/g and 6.3 ± 2.3 ng/g, respectively, suggesting SS could be a significant source of THg and MeHg to the environment if not handled properly. The significance of sewage and SS in the biogeochemical cycling of THg and MeHg in China is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient inputs from rivers play an important role in lake eutrophication. To compare the forms characteristics of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in rivers flowing through rural and urban areas, water samples were collected seasonally from five urban rivers and six rural rivers flowing to Lake Chaohu, China. Higher total phosphorus (TP), particulate phosphorus (PP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and dissolved nonreactive phosphorus (DNP) concentrations and SRP/TP percentages were observed in urban rivers than in rural rivers, and PP/TP and DNP/TP ratios were lower in urban rivers than in rural rivers. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and all N forms other than dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were significantly higher in urban rivers than in rural rivers. NH4+/TN levels were higher in urban rivers, whereas PN/TN and DON/TN ratios were significantly lower in urban rivers compared with rural rivers. NO3-/TN and NO2-/TN levels were similar between the two groups of rivers. TP, BD-P, and NaOH-P levels in urban river surface sediments were significantly higher than those in rural rivers. NaOH-P/TP ratios were significantly elevated in urban rivers, whereas HCl-P/TP and Res-P/TP ratios were significantly lower compared with rural rivers. Urban rivers have transferred large quantities of NH4+ and SRP into Lake Chaohu, resulting in higher TP and TN levels and NH4+/TN and SRP/TP ratios. Decreasing the input of NH4+ and SRP into urban rivers is a high priority for mitigating eutrophication and algal blooms in Lake Chaohu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure the contributions of parental inbreds per se and heterosis to the genetic gain of single- cross maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids, yield trials of 29 historically important hybrids used in China during 1964 through 2001 and their parental inbreds were conducted. Mean rate of genetic gain for single-cross hybrids when measured across all locations was 55 kg ha-1 yr-1; heterosis contributed 37 kg ha-1 yr-1 (67%) of yield gain. Inbred yields at stressed locations were exceptionally poor and may have inflated measurements of heterosis. At unstressed locations, heterosis contributed 5 kg ha-1 yr-1 (8%) and 16 kg ha-1 yr-1 (39%) or 10 kg ha-1 yr-1 (19%) when locations were combined. For individual characteristics, the highest percent heterosis was for kernel weight per ear (58.6%), corresponding to and emphasizing the historic goal in China of increasing yield on an individual plant rather than on a unit area basis. There are opportunities to further improve the productivity of Chinese maize by increasing inbred parent yields, increasing tolerances to stresses associated with higher planting densities, and also increasing the contribution of heterosis through optimal assignation of inbreds into complementary heterotic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and distribution of type 2 diabetes and to determine the status of type 2 diabetes awareness, treatment, and control in Xinjiang, China. Our data came from the Cardiovascular Risk Survey (CRS) study designed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in Xinjiang from October 2007 to March 2010. A total of 14 122 persons (5583 Hans, 4620 Uygurs, and 3919 Kazaks) completed the survey and examination. Diabetes was defined by the American Diabetes Association 2009 criteria. Methodology/Principal Findings: Overall, 9.26% of the Han, 6.23% of the Uygur, and 3.65% of the Kazak adults aged ≥35 years had diabetes. Among diabetes patients, only 53.0% were aware of their blood glucose level, 26.7% were taking hypoglycemic agents, and 10.4% achieved blood glucose control in Han, 35.8% were aware of their blood glucose level, 7.3% were taking hypoglycemic agents, and 3.13% achieved blood glucose control in Uygur, and 23.8% were aware of their blood glucose level, 6.3% were taking hypoglycemic agents, and 1.4% achieved blood glucose control in Kazak, respectively. Conclusions/Significance: Our results indicate that diabetes is highly prevalent in Xinjiang. The percentages of those with diabetes who are aware, treated, and controlled are unacceptably low. These results underscore the urgent need to develop national strategies to improve prevention, detection, and treatment of diabetes in Xinjiang, the west China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Remote sensing has become an important method for monitoring urban thermal environment, but, it is still difficult to analysis the spatio-temporal change of urban thermal environment quantitatively only by ground surface temperature (or brightness temperature). Three indexes on urban thermal environment monitoring are proposed in this paper: heat island intensity, heat field intensity index and heat island proportion index. Based on MODIS surface temperature products and FY3A/MERSI data of two years, urban thermal environment is monitored by remote sensing method in Beijing. The empirical results verify that three indexes proposed in this paper are meaningful in monitoring of urban heat island. It can not only monitor the intensity and changes of the urban heat island in Beijing effectively, but also, it is positive to carrying out meteorological operations in city thermal environment monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Marek's disease (MD) is an economically important viral disease of chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), an oncogenic herpesvirus. This disease was well controlled since the widespread use of commercial vaccines, but field MDVs have shown continuous increasing in virulence and acquired the ability to overcome the immune response induced by vaccines. Nowadays, MD continues to be a serious threat to poultry industry, isolation and characterization of MDVs are essential for monitoring changes of viruses and evaluating the effectiveness of existing vaccines. Results: Between 2008 and 2010, 18 field MDV strains were isolated from vaccinated chicken flocks in Sichuan province, China. Three oncogenic genes including Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes of the 18 isolates were amplified and sequenced. Homology analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequences of these three genes exhibit 95.0-98.8%, 99.3-100% and 97.0-98.5% homology respectively with these of other reference strains published in GenBank. Alignment analysis of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences showed that four amino acid mutations in Meq gene and two amino acid mutations in vIL-8 gene displayed perfect regularity in MDVs circulating in China, which could be considered as features of field MDVs prevalent in recent years in China. In addition, one amino acid mutation in pp38 gene can be considered as a feature of virulent MDVs from USA, and three amino acid mutations in Meq gene were identified and unique in very virulent plus (vv+) MDVs. Phylogenetic analysis based on Meq and vIL-8 protein sequences revealed that field MDVs in China evolved independently. Virulence studies showed that CVI988 could provide efficient protection against the field MDVs epidemic recently in China. Conclusions: This study and other published data in the GenBank have demonstrated the features of Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes of MDVs circulating in recent years in Sichuan, China. Mutations, deletions or insertions were observed in these three genes, and some mutations could be considered as the unique marks of the MDVs circulating presently in China. The paper supplies some valuable information concerning the evolution of MDV which is useful for the vaccine development and control of MD in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare diseases can severely impact patient life quality as well as impose a serious burden on society. But research and development for drugs to treat these disorders has stagnated because of lack of demand, insufficient knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms, and too few patients for clinical trials. In several countries - the United States, the EU, and Japan - specific legislation has been enacted to encourage pharmaceutical companies to expedite the development of drugs for rare diseases, orphan drugs, and to assure access to them. We analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the incentives in these laws and describe the status of rare diseases in China. We offer some recommendations for orphan drug legislation in China, based on local research on rare diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated the use of composite coagulants for enhanced coagulation of algae-containing water from Taihu Lake in China. The composite coagulants comprised aluminum sulfate (AS) and poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (PDMDAAC) of different intrinsic viscosity values (0.55-3.99 dL/g) and different mass percentages (5-20%) in formulation. For algae-containing water with a temperature of 29-30°C and algal content of 3.52 × 104 cells/mL, algae removal rates of 81.11% and 85.89-90.53%, respectively, were realized using AS at a dose of 7.78 mg/L and AS/PDMDAAC at formulations of 0.55/5-3.99/20% and doses of 6.55-3.54 mg/L when 2-ntu residual turbidity of effluent water after sedimentation was required. The removal rates of chemical oxygen demand and ammonia using AS/PDMDAAC in algae-containing water were higher than those using AS alone. Composite coagulants could reduce required doses and decrease algal content in effluent water when 1-ntu residual turbidity is required. When identical doses were used, 1.53/10% AS/PDMDAAC outperformed AS combined with prechlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tolerance to the effects of drought and subsequent recovery after a rainfall appear to be critical for plants in the karst regions of southwestern China, which are characterized by frequent but temporary drought events. This study investigated the effects of drought intensity and repetition on photosynthesis and photoprotection mechanisms of karst plants during successive cycles of drought and subsequent recovery. Leaf water potential, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and several associated metabolic processes were studied in six plant species, including Pyracantha fortuneana (PF), Rosa cymosa (RC), Broussonetia papyrifera (BP), Cinnamomum bodinieri (CB), Platycarya longipes (PL) and Pteroceltis tatarinowii (PT) during three cycles of drought treatments at four different intensities. The four treatments were: well‐watered, mild drought, moderate drought and severe drought, each followed by rewatering events. We found that limitations to CO2 diffusion accounted for photosynthetic declines under mild and moderate drought treatments, while metabolic limitations dominated the response to severe drought. Repetition of drought did not intensify the impairment of photosynthetic metabolism regardless of drought intensity in the six species studied. Repetition of severe drought delayed the photosynthetic recoveries in PF, RC and CB after rewatering. Repetition of drought increased thermal dissipation in PF, CB and BP, as well as superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activity in RC and CB. Enhanced photosynthetic performance, measured as increased intrinsic water use efficiency, photosynthetic performance per unit of photosynthetic pigment, maintenance of high thermal dissipation and high ratios of carotenoids to chlorophylls, was observed during the rewatering periods. This enhanced photosynthetic performance allowed for the complete recovery of the six karst species from successive intermittent drought events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine fishes are rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are extremely important for human health. The objective of our work was to determine the content and composition of lipids and fatty acids in the different tissues of cobia from China and to evaluate their nutritional value. The results showed that cobia from China was rich in lipids; the neutral lipid content was above 82%; the content of cholesterol and phospholipid was low. Eighteen fatty acids were identified. Myristic (C14:0), palmitic (C16:0), and stearic acids (C18:0) were the main saturated acids; palmitoleic (C16:1n-7) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9) were the main monounsaturated fatty acids. EPA and DHA were the main PUFA; n-3 and n-6 PUFA were present as 12–18% and 2.6–3.2% of the total fatty acids, respectively. The n-6/n-3 ratio was in the range from 0.18 to 0.22, which was far lower than that (5:1) recommended by WHO/FAO. Therefore, cobia lipids from China have a high nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flows are often triggered by heavy rainfall and flash floods in mountainous areas. Generally, debris flows are the most disastrous event associated with floods and cause most of the fatalities resulting from flood events. This paper reports a study of debris flows by filed investigations at the Xiaojiang watershed, which is in the upper Yangtze River basin, and flume experiments. Two types of debris flows - viscous debris flows and two-phase debris flows - occur on the Yunnan Plateau in south China. Viscous debris flows consist of clay, silt, sand, and gravel. This kind of flow is non-Newtonian and often develops into roll waves. They sometimes exhibit drag reduction and extremely high super-elevation. The drag reduction is mainly due to the effects of air cushions and the bed smoothening. Two-phase debris flows consist of gravel and boulders and show obvious relative movement between the solid particles and the liquid. Flume experiments show that debris flows may be triggered by torrential floods if the channel bed's slope is over a critical value. The height of the debris flow head is proportional to the size of the gravel A striking phenomenon was observed, in which the velocity of particles in the surging head is much lower than those in the following part. The velocity profile of particles in the head is linear and that in the following main flow shows an inverted ‘s’ shape. For the same bed material the resistance of a two-phase debris flow is higher than the resistance of a water flow because the collisions among the particles create great resistance. The resistance increases with the diameter of solid materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Source rocks of marine and continental transitional facies in China have a wide range of distribution, moderate maturity and large thickness, and good prospects for shale gas exploration. Previous studies mainly focused on shale gas accumulation conditions, patterns and hydrocarbon generation potential, however, few studies are focused on quantitative characterization of factors affecting shale pore structure and complexity. In order to inquire the pore structure and fractal characteristics of marine-continental transitional shale, we collected 15 shale samples from the Upper Carboniferous of eastern Qaidam Basin and performed low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy analyses. The relationship between organic geochemical parameter, mineral composition, pore structure and fractal dimension of shales are discussed. These results indicate: ①There are two types of pore morphology. The first type is mainly wedge-slit type and thin-neck-ink bottle type. The second type is reflected in the open parallel plate pores. The pore types of shale reservoirs are mainly intergranular pores, dissolution pores and organic matter pores. ②FHH analysis model was used to calculate the fractal dimension of the pores of mud shale. With P/P0=0.45 as the boundary, there are two different adsorption and desorption mechanisms in mud shale. D1 and D2 were used to represent the fractal dimension of the pores within the range of P/P0<0.45 and P/P0>0.45, respectively. The pores of shale samples have obvious fractal characteristics, and the content of clay minerals and TOC is negatively correlated with the fractal dimension of D1, while the fractal dimension of D2 is positively correlated with the content of clay minerals and TOC. The results showed that the main factors affecting the fractal dimension were the content of clay minerals and organic matter. D1 and D2 have a good correlation with pore structure parameters, but D1 trend line has a better fit than D2, indicating that small pores have a greater impact on pore structure parameters. ③Fractal dimension D1 and D2 difference △D=0.393, indicating that the complexity of the structure varies greatly, and the dual fractal characteristics are obvious. However, the larger the fractal dimension D2 is, the more complex the pore structure tends to be and the rougher the pore surface area is, which is generally not conducive to the gas seepage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal sewage has been identified to be an important source of mercury (Hg) to the environment. However, as the major sink of sewage-borne Hg, sewage sludge (SS) remains unresolved in terms of the occurrence status of Hg species. We presented here, a nation-wide survey on the speciation of Hg in SS of China. Total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were detected in all SS samples, within ranges of 0.4–12.4 mg/kg and 0.1–27.0 μg/kg, respectively. Sludge-borne Hg mainly occurred in the mercury sulfide and organo-chelated phases, with only tiny portions occurring as soluble Hg. The mass loadings of sludge-borne THg and MeHg in China for year 2016 were estimated to be 12.2 metric tons and 19.9 kg, respectively. Landfill was the most important sink of sludge-borne Hg, followed by incineration, land application, and building materials. Image 1 • Speciation analysis was performed for Hg in the sewage sludge of China. • Total Hg and methylmercury were detected in all the sewage sludge samples. • Hg in the sewage sludge mainly occurred as sulfide and organo-chelated fractions. • Landfill was the most important sink of sludge-borne Hg in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many metamorphic core complexes (MCCs) of Early Cretaceous age are documented in the northern part of the North China Craton (NCC), which formed in a backarc extensional setting. However, whether or not the MCCs are also present in the southern part of the NCC, and where the western boundary of backarc extension lies, remain unclear. We present new structural and geochronological data to show that Early Cretaceous structures in the Xiaoqinling region (China) lying in the southern part of the central NCC represent a Cordilleran-type MCC. The NW-dipping detachment zone on the northwestern edge of the Xiaoqinling MCC is a ductile extensional shear zone that is overprinted by a later brittle detachment fault. The footwall (lower plate) consists of Archean metamorphic rocks and Mesozoic plutonic rocks, and was cut by a series of ductile normal sense shear belts and later brittle normal faults that strike predominantly NESW. Both the ductile and brittle structures indicate that NW-SE extension was responsible for the development of the MCC. Geochronological data suggest that the MCC initiated at 138 Ma and lasted until 100 Ma, recording a protracted extensional history. The MCC experienced an early phase of crustal-scale normal faulting (138-126 Ma) and later isostatic doming (125-100 Ma), consistent with the "rolling-hinge" model. The Xiaoqinling MCC shows similar features and a similar evolution to other intraplate MCCs in the northern and southeastern parts of the NCC, and shows that the southern part of the NCC was also involved in intense backarc extension and magmatism. Distribution of these intraplate MCCs indicates synchronous backarc extension over a length of around 1800 km. Delami nation of a flat oceanic slab during roll-back is consistent with such large-scale, synchronous extension in the overriding plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses an epidemiological study on a large-scale spinal trauma in Mainland China. "The Chinese Database of Traumas. Patients with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM)" from 2001 to 2007 has provided the data for this study. Results show that falls and motor vehicle accidents (MVA) were the two major causes of spinal traumas. It notes that this study has an important implications for future health care planning in China.

Background: Tinnitus is a common complaint and often of no clinical significance. There are a number of unresolved issues concerning the etiology, pathogenesis, and natural history of tinnitus. There are a few current population-based estimates of the prevalence of tinnitus done in representative large geographic areas, but there is little data from multi-area, large sample studies of tinnitus in China. Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of tinnitus and related factors in a Chinese population. These data would be used to plan and evaluate health-care services. Research Design: We carried out an epidemiologic study of tinnitus as part of an epidemiologic study of ear and hearing disorders that was undertaken in Jiangsu Province, China. A question about tinnitus history was included in a comprehensive questionnaire about hearing. All participants also had both pure tone audiometry and an otological examination. Study Sample: The sample consisted of 6333 people 10 yr of age or older, selected by the methods of probability proportional to size. Data Collection and Analysis: All participants answered a questionnaire concerning their tinnitus and had pure tone audiometry testing and an ear examination. All data were entered using EPIDATD 3.0 software and analyzed by a chi-squared test and test for trends. Results: The overall prevalence of tinnitus was 14.5%, and the standardized rates were 11.4% in the whole country and 12.4% in Jiangsu province. Its prevalence increased with age. The prevalence of tinnitus was 11.9 and 15.6% in urban and rural residents, respectively There was no significant difference in prevalence between men and women. Hearing impairment, history of middle ear infections, and noise exposure were the main risk factors for tinnitus. Conclusion: Tinnitus is a common problem in the population. With the aging of the population, the prevalence of tinnitus will increase. The prevention of tinnitus should focus on hearing impairment screening, otitis media treatment, and noise exposure reduction. Health services in rural areas should emphasize prevention more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the key precursors of the ozone (O 3 ) formation processes in the troposphere and are important control objects for the coordinated governance of O 3 and PM 2.5 . The Spring Festival of 2020 was affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia epidemic:companies stopped work and production, and traffic was restricted, providing scientific experimentation opportunities for pollutant emission reduction research. This study analyzed the variety of the composition, chemical reaction activity, and sources of VOCs in the Pearl River Delta during the Spring Festival and the epidemic control period, using real-time online monitoring data of VOCs obtained at four sites(Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, and Duanfen)in the Pearl River Delta from January 1, 2020 to February 29, 2020. The results showed that during the Spring Festival and the epidemic control period, the average of φ (VOCs) in the Pearl River Delta was 15.89×10 -9 , and the maximum hourly average concentration was 45.43×10 -9 , values that were 44% and 60% lower, respectively, than those before the Spring Festival holiday. Among the VOCs component concentration decreases, the aromatic hydrocarbon component decreased the most, and the decrease in the urban area of the Pearl River Delta (74%) was significantly greater than that in the suburban area (56%). As a result, the contribution rate of aromatic hydrocarbons to the total VOCs was reduced to less than 10%. The analysis of the·OH reaction activity of VOCs( L ·OH )and ozone formation potential(OFP)showed that the L ·OH and OFP of VOCs decreased significantly in the Pearl River Delta during the Spring Festival and the epidemic control period. Compared with those before the Spring Festival holiday, the total L ·OH and total OFP decreased by an average of 60% and 63% in the urban area of the Pearl River Delta, respectively. Additionally, the atmospheric oxidation had also been significantly reduced, which showed a 28% decrease in ρ (O x ). The ratio of toluene/benzene showed that the influence of industrial sources had almost disappeared during the Spring Festival and the epidemic control period, and the total points of the representative components of industrial-related solvent-use sources such as toluene, ethylbenzene, and m/p -xylene dropped by 72% to 91%. The results of this study suggest that solvent-use sources and vehicle exhaust emission sources are the current sources of VOCs that need to be paid attention to in the prevention and control of O 3 pollution in the Pearl River Delta region, and the impact of petrochemical sources cannot be ignored in the work of further reducing the background concentration of O 3 .

To reveal the speciation and pollution status of heavy metal(loid) s (HMs) in the dewatered sewage sludge(SS) of municipal wastewater treatment plants(MWTPs) in China, SS samples were collected from 40 MWTPs located in different regions of China. The total concentrations and geochemical fractions of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the SS samples were analyzed. The ecological risks induced by HMs in the SS were assessed based on the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure(TCLP), risk assessment code(RAC), and potential ecological risk index(RI). The median values of HMs in SS followed the order Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > As > Cd. The general attainment rates of HMs in SS were satisfactory(>90%). As showed a generally even distribution among all the fractions; Cd and Zn mainly existed in the reducible fraction; Cr mainly occurred in the residual fraction, followed by oxidizable and reducible fractions; Cu mainly occurred in the oxidizable fraction; Ni occurred mainly as exchangeable forms; and Pb mainly occurred in the reducible and residual fractions, with its exchangeable form being the lowest fraction. According to the RAC method, the environmental risks induced by HMs in the SS followed the order Ni > As > Zn > Cd > Cu > Cr > Pb. The ecological risk of Ni was high; Zn, As, and Cd had a medium level of risk; Cr and Cu had a low level of risk; and the risk of Pb was negligible. According to the RI method, Cd and Cu showed the highest potential ecological risk, indicating that these are the primary HM pollutants in the SS. However, if the agricultural application of SS is carried out in accordance with the national standards, the overall level of risk from soil HM pollution is considered relatively low.

Cd has toxic effects on rice seed germination and plant growth, which may eventually lead to decreased yield and excessive Cd content in rice grains. The potential mechanism of S -allyl-L-cysteine (SAC), a natural sulfur compound derived from garlic extract, in alleviating Cd 2+ stress in young roots and buds of rice seedlings was studied by a seed germination experiment. "Zhong zao 35", one of the main rice varieties in Southern China, was selected as the test material. Firstly, the alleviating effect of SAC on Cd 2+ stress in rice seedling roots and buds was studied. Following this, the physiological mechanism of Cd 2+ stress alleviation by SAC was examined based on the expression of the Cd transporter coding gene using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The results showed that when the Cd 2+ stress concentration reached 50 μmol·L -1 , the young roots and buds of rice seedlings were significantly inhibited, and when the SAC concentration reached 200 μmol·L -1 , Cd 2+ stress was significantly alleviated. Compared to a Cd 2+ stress treatment group, the total root length, surface area, and volume of young roots was increased by 173.5%, 65.52%, and 37.04%, respectively; CAT and SOD activity in young roots and buds was increased by 212.42% and 110.76%, and 31.41% and 47.31%, respectively; MDA and GSH content was decreased by 43.09% and 34.12%, and 33.97% and 35.74%, respectively; and Cd content was decreased by 35.91% and 28.86%, respectively. The results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that the relative expression levels of OsNramp5 and OsHMA2 were significantly reduced by 33.38% and 34.99% compared with the Cd 2+ stress group, respectively. However, the relative expression level of OsHMA3 was significantly increased by 33.96%. From the above experimental results, the main mechanism by which SAC reduces Cd 2+ stress in the young roots and buds of rice is via the regulation of Cd transporter-encoding genes, reducing Cd 2+ transport to young roots and buds, and increasing transport to vacuoles.

Rice contaminated by Cd has aroused widespread public concern. It is of great importance to find effective ways to reduce Cd translocation from roots to shoots and alleviate Cd stress in rice to ensuring food quality and safety. In this study, 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) was sprayed onto the leaves of rice seedlings to evaluate the feasibility of DMSA reducing Cd translocation to rice shoots and alleviating Cd stress. Therefore, seedlings of Zhongzao 35, one of the main rice cultivars in southern China, were used to study the effects of different concentrations of DMSA on the uptake and transport of Cd in rice seedlings by hydroponics. The effects of DMSA on MDA and GSH content, and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as CAT and SOD in rice seedlings, were also investigated. The results showed that after four iterations of foliar application of DMSA at concentrations of 0.2, 0.4, and 1.0 mmol·L -1 , the Cd concentration in the rice seedling shoots decreased significantly with increasing DMSA spraying concentration. Compared with the control, the Cd concentration in shoots decreased by 22.1%, 39.7%, and 43.5%, respectively, but had no significant effect on the root Cd concentration. There was no significant effect on the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, or Mn in the shoot or root. The content of MDA and GSH in the shoots of rice seedlings decreased significantly after four spraying times of DMSA and the activity of CAT and SOD increased significantly, which shows that spraying DMSA alleviated the stress effect of Cd on rice seedlings. Foliar application of DMSA can significantly reduce the accumulation of Cd in rice shoots but has no significant effect on the content of six common mineral elements, and can effectively relieve the oxidative damage caused by Cd stress. DMSA has the potential to develop a foliar modulator for reducing rice grain Cd content.

In order to determine the occurrence of mercury (Hg) in the dewatered sewage sludge (SS) from municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs) in China, 315 SS samples were collected from 40 MWTPs. The total Hg (THg) contents of the sludge samples were analyzed using a DMA-80 Hg analyzer. It was found that THg in the samples ranged from 0.45-15.42 mg ·kg -1 . The THg data followed a log-normal distribution with a geometric mean of (2.19±3.16) mg ·kg -1 . THg contents in all the sludge samples meet the criteria set for disposal (by co-landfilling) of MWTPs sludge (GB/T 23485-2009). In terms of THg contents, 97.8% of the sludge was suitable for land application in neutral and alkaline soils, while 86.7% of the sludge was suitable for land application in acidic soil. THg in SS varied greatly, not only among cities (variation coefficient of 105%), but also in the same MWTP (variation coefficient of 0.6%-53.6% over seven days). Mercury contents in SS of China showed a descending trend of North > Northeast > Northwest > Southwest > East > Central > South China. Using the corresponding urban soil background values of THg as references, Hg pollution levels of SS were evaluated using the geological cumulative index method. It was found that SS from more than 60% of the cities sampled were heavily polluted by Hg. Mercury contents in the SS of China showed a temporal trend of increasing then decreasing, with 2000-2009 being the peak period. Results of the present study provide significant data support for the prevention and control of mercury pollution in sewage and SS in China.

Aim: To investigate the effect of antiviral therapy with nucleoside analogs in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and esophageal varices., Methods: Eligible patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and esophageal varices who consulted two tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China, the Chinese Second Artillery General Hospital and Chinese PLA General Hospital, were enrolled in the study from January 2005 to December 2009. Of 117 patients, 79 received treatment with different nucleoside analogs and 38 served as controls. Bleeding rate, change in variceal grade and non-bleeding duration were analyzed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression was used to identify factors related to esophageal variceal bleeding., Results: The bleeding rate was decreased in the antiviral group compared to the control group (29.1% vs 65.8%, P < 0.001). Antiviral therapy was an independent factor related to esophageal bleeding in multivariate analysis (HR = 11.3, P < 0.001). The mean increase in variceal grade per year was lower in the antiviral group (1.0 ± 1.3 vs 1.7 ± 1.2, P = 0.003). Non-bleeding duration in the antiviral group was prolonged in the Kaplan-Meier model. Viral load rebound was observed in 3 cases in the lamivudine group and in 1 case in the adefovir group, all of whom experienced bleeding. Entecavir and adefovir resulted in lower bleeding rates (17.2% and 28.6%, respectively) than the control (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively), whereas lamivudine (53.3%) did not (P = 0.531)., Conclusion: Antiviral therapy delays the progression of esophageal varices and reduces bleeding risk in HBV-related cirrhosis, however, high-resistance agents tend to be ineffective for long-term treatment.