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This study aims to compare the rhetorical move structure of English Medium Instruction (EMI) lectures given by native English and Chinese lecturers. Two specialized corpora were therefore accordingly created with transcripts of twelve science-oriented lectures selected from MICASE and the BASE corpus and twelve science-oriented EMI lectures collected at a Chinese university, respectively. Adopting the Swalesian genre analysis framework, this study examines the moves/steps of EMI lectures in the two corpora. Then, the conventionality and frequency of moves/steps were quantified and analyzed to capture statistical variations. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Chinese EMI lecturers to probe into their discursive practices from an emic perspective. Statistical variations were apparent in several moves and steps, which could be mainly attributed to Chinese EMI lecturers' concern for the program quality, dense course syllabus requirements, a lack of specific English for EMI teaching, as well as the emergence and influence of new social media. The study argues for well-targeted teacher training for non-native English lecturers and more teacher autonomy in course syllabus design.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals across their lifespan. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes. However, current diagnostic methods are often time-consuming, and costly, making them inaccessible to many families. In the current study, we aim to test caregiver-child interaction as a potential tool for screening children with ASD in clinic. Methods: We enrolled 85 preschool children (Mean age: 4.90 ± 0.65 years, 70.6% male), including ASD children with or without developmental delay (DD), and typical development (TD) children, along with their caregivers. ASD core symptoms were evaluated by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Calibrated Severity Scores (ADOS-CSS). Behavioral indicators were derived from video encoding of caregiver-child interaction, including social involvement of children (SIC), interaction time (IT), response of children to social cues (RSC), time for caregiver initiated social interactions (GIS) and time for children initiated social interactions (CIS)). Power spectral density (PSD) values were calculated by EEG signals simultaneously recorded. Partial Pearson correlation analysis was used in both ASD groups to investigate the correlation among behavioral indicators scores and ASD symptom severity and PSD values. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to describe the discrimination accuracy of behavioral indicators. Results: Compared to TD group, both ASD groups demonstrated significant lower scores of SIC, IT, RSC, CIS (all p values < 0.05), and significant higher time for GIS (all p values < 0.01). SIC scores negatively correlated with CARS (p = 0.006) and ADOS-CSS (p = 0.023) in the ASD with DD group. Compared to TD group, PSD values elevated in ASD groups (all p values < 0.05), and was associated with SIC (theta band: p = 0.005; alpha band: p = 0.003) but not IQ levels. SIC was effective in identifying both ASD groups (sensitivity/specificity: ASD children with DD, 76.5%/66.7%; ASD children without DD, 82.6%/82.2%). Conclusion: Our results verified the behavioral paradigm of caregiver-child interaction as an efficient tool for early ASD screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In seismically active regions, high-filled embankment slopes on liquefiable soils tend to damage after strong earthquakes. Therefore, post-seismic damages should be estimated as soon as possible to mitigate potential losses. Fragility function is an efficient tool for assessing the seismic vulnerability conditions of structures, which links the probability of exceeding different limit states to seismic intensity. An embankment slope on liquefiable soils at Yading Airport in China was selected as the study object, and a series of numerical analyses of the embankment-foundation system utilizing the finite element method were conducted. Advanced dynamic constitutive models considering liquefaction and hysteresis characteristics were also adopted to simulate the nonlinear stress–strain behavior of soils under cyclic loadings. The post-seismic stability of embankment slopes was assessed using the strength reduction method (SRM) based on the stress–strain analysis. On this basis, the permanent ground deformation (PGD) at the ground-free field conditions was selected as the intensity measure (IM), while the factor of safety (FoS) of the slopes was selected as the damage measure (DM). Then, a procedure was presented for deriving seismic fragility functions with different damage states in light of incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). This paper aims to investigate the effects of different embankment typologies, such as the thickness of liquefiable soils and slope inclination, on the post-seismic vulnerability of embankment slopes. The fragility curves constructed in this study may soon be helpful for predicting the post-seismic damage of similar high-filled embankment slopes on liquefiable soils, which enables efficient traffic control and rapid disaster response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA1) is a rare autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disorder caused by variants in the gene encoding the enzyme glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH). The estimated prevalence of GA1 and the mutational spectrum of the GCDH gene vary widely according to race and region. The aim of this study was to assess the acylcarnitine profiles and genetic characteristics of patients with GA1 in Fujian Province, southeastern China. Results: From January 2014 to December 2022, a total of 1,151,069 newborns (631,016 males and 520,053 females) were screened using MS/MS in six newborn screening (NBS) centers in Fujian Province and recruited for this study. Through NBS, 18 newborns (13 females and 5 males) were diagnosed with GA1. Thus, the estimated incidence of GA1 was 1 in 63,948 newborns in Fujian province. In addition, 17 patients with GA1 were recruited after clinical diagnosis. All but one patient with GA1 had a remarkable increase in glutarylcarnitine (C5DC) concentrations. The results of urinary organic acid analyses in 33 patients showed that the concentration of glutaric acid (GA) increased in all patients. The levels of C5DC and GA in patients identified via NBS were higher than those in patients identified via clinical diagnosis (P < 0.05). A total of 71 variants of 70 alleles were detected in patients with GA1, with 19 different pathogenic variants identified. The three most prevalent variants represented 73.23% of the total and were c.1244-2 A > C, p.(?) (63.38%), c.1261G > A, p.Ala421Thr (5.63%), and c.406G > T, p.Gly136Cys (4.22%). The most abundant genotype observed was c.[1244-2 A > C]; [1244-2 A > C] (18/35, 52.43%) and its phenotype corresponded to high excretors (HE, GA > 100 mmol/mol Cr). Conclusions: In conclusion, we investigated the biochemical and molecular features of 35 unrelated patients with GA1. C5DC concentrations in dried blood spots and urinary GA are effective indicators for a GA1 diagnosis. Our study also identified a GCDH variant spectrum in patients with GA1 from Fujian Province, southeastern China. Correlation analysis between genotypes and phenotypes provides preliminary and valuable information for genetic counseling and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquidambar formosana Hance is a pinene-rich deciduous plant species in the Altingiaceae family that is used as a medicinal plant in China. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying α-pinene and β-pinene biosynthesis in L. formosana leaves remain unknown. Here, a joint analysis of the volatile compounds and transcriptomes of L. formosana leaves was performed to comprehensively explore the terpene synthase (TPS) that may participate in α-pinene and β-pinene biosynthesis. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) jointly detected volatile L. formosana leaves. Trees with high and low levels of both α-pinene and β-pinene were defined as the H group and L group, respectively. RNA sequencing data revealed that DXR (1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase), HDS [(E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-eny-l-diphosphate synthase], and TPS may be the major regulators of monoterpenoid biosynthesis. We identified three TPSs (LfTPS1, LfTPS2, and LfTPS3), which are highly homologous to α-pinene and β-pinene synthases of other species in phylogenetic analysis. Four TPS genes (LfTPS1, LfTPS2, LfTPS4, LfTPS5) may be critically involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of α-pinene and β-pinene in L. formosana. Bioinformatic and transcriptomic results were verified using quantitative real-time PCR. We identified LfTPS1, LfTPS2 as candidate genes for α-pinene and β-pinene biosynthesis that significantly improve the yield of beneficial terpenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to investigate the performance of hail parameterizations of the WRF double-moment 7-class (WDM7), aerosol-aware Thompson (AAT), and National Taiwan University triple-moment (NTU3M) bulk microphysics schemes (BMSs) on a real case of a hailstorm initiated in Shandong Province, China. The maximum hail size is particularly evaluated because it is crucial to hail severity prediction, along with areal coverage and intensity of the 24-h solid precipitation during the simulations. Compared with the radar-derived maximum hail size, the objective analysis shows that the NTU3M scheme has the best score in the forecast skill of hail-fall coverage and size, while two BMSs with single-moment rimed ice species overestimate hail diameters aloft but underpredict the coverage at the surface. A deeper investigation suggests that the derived size tendencies from the three BMSs are comparable to the benchmark solutions from the detailed hailstone growth and melting models. The NTU3M scheme displays the most consistent size tendency of the maximum diameter with the benchmark solution in the growth processes. The behaviors of melted diameter by parameterizations are highly related to the treatments of number concentration, which are consistent with the predicted hail severity and coverage. Finally, the sensitivity study shows that increasing the model resolution does not improve the forecast of the maximum hail size, given the biases in the hail mass budget equations and the parameterization of particle size distribution, with single-moment rimed ice species of the AAT scheme. Significance Statement: Improving hail-forecasting skill, including the size, severity, and the spatial and temporal coverage of hail fall, has become an important subject for numerical weather prediction models as the model resolution increases. The objective of this study is to investigate the fundamental differences in hail parameterizations of three bulk microphysics schemes that lead to differences in the prediction of severe hail events and the spatial coverage of hail fall, hopefully providing insights into hail prediction with a regional numerical weather prediction model in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of binary Typhoons Infa and Cempaka on the "21.7" heavy rainfall event over Henan Province in China is investigated based on numerical simulations. According to the rain gauge data, the temporal‐spatial distribution of precipitation in the targeted area and the large‐scale circulation in the control run show reasonable agreement with the observations. By separately excluding the relative circulation of Typhoon Infa (N_Infa) and Cempaka (N_Cempaka) at initialization, less convergence of water vapor flux within the targeted area is obtained, leading to a reduction in accumulated precipitation and rainfall intensity, especially for the mid‐to‐late raining period. Plenty of moisture mainly comes from the south and east of the rainfall region. In terms of the 60‐hr back trajectories, an overwhelming proportion of moist air parcels entering the targeted area at 850 hPa is transported along the easterly flow, which prevails between Typhoon Infa and the subtropical high. A growing proportion of air parcels advected from the south band highlights the nonnegligible effect of Typhoon Cempaka and the southwesterly flow to water vapor supply at relatively higher levels. Additional test by excluding both typhoons at initialization (N_Infa&Cempaka) suggests the complicated interaction between binary typhoons and the surrounding large‐scale circulation (such as subtropical high) may influence the initiation and development of mesoscale convection in the targeted area. With the enhancement of convergence by southwesterly and easterly flow at the lower layer from N_Infa&Cempaka, larger accumulated precipitation is obtained with the shifted location of extreme rainfall compared to that from N_Infa. Key Points: The effect of binary typhoons on the moisture transportation to "21.7" heavy rainfall is pronounced during the second rainy stageMoist air parcels at 850 hPa in the targeted area are majorly correlated with Typhoon Infa while a growing proportion of those at 700 hPa come from Typhoon CempakaThe interaction between binary typhoons and their relationship with the large‐scale circulation jointly determine the rainfall event [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important indicator of vegetation coverage, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) reflects the changing pattern and evolving trend of the environment. In the Loess Plateau, vegetation plays a critical role in soil and water conservation, which strongly affects the achievement of sustainable development goals. The study of the spatial distribution and temporal trends of NDVI is of great practical importance for the planning of soil and water conservation measures and the evaluation of the environmental situation. In this study, the NDVI, precipitation, land use and land cover data of the Jing River Basin were collected, the emerging hot spot patterns of the NDVI analyzed, the characteristics of spatial distribution and temporal variation of the NDVI in the basin obtained, and the impacts on NDVI from the climate changes and the land cover changes discussed. The results show that the NDVI in Jing River Basin represents a spatial trend of decreasing from northwest to southeast. The emerging hot spot analysis results show that diminishing cold spot, oscillating hot spot and intensifying hot spot are predominant patterns in the basin. The whole basin shows a statistically significant upward trend of high value aggregation of NDVI. The temporal trend of NDVI in the basin varies from − 0.0171 to 0.0185 per year. The increasing trend of vegetation coverage in the basin is statistically significant. The positive correlation between the NDVI and the precipitation mainly observed upstream of the basin reveals that the growth of vegetation in the Loess Plateau is more dependent on the water supply from the precipitation. Land cover transition patterns and the land use patterns also impact the spatial–temporal trends of the vegetation coverage in the basin. The study results may be helpful for the vegetation restoration, soil and water conservation and sustainable development of the Jing River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the seasonal intensity variabilities of typhoons (TYs) over the western North Pacific that made landfall in the mainland China during the summer (June–August) and autumn (September–November) seasons for the period of 1979–2017. Using the latest climate reanalysis dataset (ERA5), cloud microphysical properties surrounding the rapid intensification (RI) period within the Super TYs (the maximum wind speed exceeding 51 ms−1) are explored to verify whether there exists microphysical precursor in TY intensity change like RI. The major results are: (a) The total number of landfalling TYs in summer is 188, almost two times of the number in autumn, and 25.5% of them can reach the Super TYs category, while 39.5% of the landfalling TYs in autumn became Super TYs with a shorter lifespan. (b) At least half of the summer and autumn cases have undergone the RI before they reached their maximum intensity, and more autumn cases experienced RI as they approached the coastal areas. (c) Snow and rain contents within the vortex exhibit consistent increasing trends during the RI period in both seasons. It is found that ice and snow contents show relatively distinct increase prior to the intensity change during the RI period in autumn cases, while no obvious signal exists in summer. The short‐term microphysical change and the released latent heat may be insufficient in supporting the onset of RI in Super TYs, and the differences of large‐scale environmental conditions between summer and autumn are mostly responsible for the distinct evolutions of intensity and microphysical characteristics in such strong systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effectiveness of high-flow nasal humidified oxygen (HFNHO) therapy in patients with mild hypoxemia after extubation. This study included 316 patients with mild hypoxemia after extubation from May 2016 to May 2018 from two intensive care units in China. Compare the effects of the Venturi Mask and High-Flow Nasal Humidified Oxygen (HFNHO) therapy on Heart Rate (HR), Respiratory Rate (RR), Oxygen Saturation (SpO2), Oxygen Partial Pressure (PO2), Partial Pressure Of Carbon Dioxide (PCO2), Oxygenation Index (PO2/FiO2) after extubation, the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation and tracheal intubation after treatment failure were observed and recorded. Patients have both lower HR and RR than those who received mask treatment (75.4±18.5 vs. 83.0±20.4, p = 0.0004; 18±6.5 vs. 23.6±10.3, p<0.001, respectively). There was significant difference between those who had HFNHO and mask administration's SpO2 and PO2 (94.1±6.4 vs. 87.5±1.5, p<0.001; 88.16±2.9 vs. 77.3±2.3, p<0.001, respectively). For the HFNHO group, patients had lower PCO2 with the mask group. (41.3±0.99 vs 42.2±1.2, p<0.001). On the other hand, the levels of PO2/FiO2 was significantly higher in the HFNHO Group, (181.0±8.3 vs. 157.2±4.9, p<0.05). We concluded HFNHO therapy could significantly relieve the symptoms of dyspnea, improve oxygenation, reduce the use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation and reduce the rate of secondary tracheal intubation in patients with mild hypoxemia after extubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain H117 was isolated from the Tang Yu reservoir. Based on the phylogenetic characteristics, strain H117, which was identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain H117, had the capability to utilize bicarbonate and sodium acetate as a carbon source under anaerobic conditions. Furthermore, the strain could grow on both autotrophic and heterotrophic media, and could perform both autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification in the medium. Response surface methodology analysis demonstrated that the maximum degradation ratio of nitrate-occurred under the following conditions in the autotrophic medium: initial pH of 6.00, C/N ratio of 4.68 and temperature of 31.33°C. The maximum degradation ratio of nitrate occurred under the following conditions in the heterotrophic medium: initial pH of 6.16, C/N ratio of 8.23 and temperature of 28.48°C. Finally, the denitrification performance of strain H117 was evaluated under the optimum conditions. These results suggest that strain H117 has potential applications for the bioremediation of polluted groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-eight polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) congeners were measured in surface sediments from Chaohu Lake to assess their characteristics, potential risk, and the correlation with lake trophic status. PCB levels ranged from 11.074 to 42.712 ng g dry weight (d.w.) in the western lake and 2.017 to 20.189 ng g d.w. in the eastern lake. The highest concentrations were found at the sites near the inlets of western lake tributary rivers where big cities and industrial centers are located. Congeners concentrations showed decreasing order of tetra-CB > tri-CB > deca-CB (PCB-209 detected) > penta-CB > hexa-CB > di-CB > hepta-CB > Octa-CB. It indicated that light and heavy Aroclor mixtures were simultaneously used surrounding the lake basin. PCB levels in the western lake are potentially dangerous to humans and the local fauna. There was a significant positive relationship between tetra-CB (one abundant PCB congener) concentration distribution and sediment grain size in the 16-64 μm fraction, whereas a negative correlation was found in the 4-8 μm fraction. Furthermore, PCB distributions were positively correlated with the total organic carbon of sediments and lake trophic status, especially in the more seriously polluted western lake zone. However, the correlation completely disappeared in eastern lake zone. It suggested that PCB contamination might be attributed to industrial wastewaters and domestic sewages from western lake basin, reaching the lake through rivers, rains and floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students developmental orientation refers to a series of direction services provided by schools to promote students to have an all-round and personalized development, an idea that has been widely practiced in numerous countries and areas, and become one of the three functions of school education. The initial student orientation starts from occupation guidance. And after several decades of innovation and advances, it has experienced great changes and extension in content, ideas, models and personnel. In China, even though there are so far some explorations, there are still a lot of issues in high schools that demand solutions, such as lack of the relevant policies and laws, weak in scientificality, and fragile in professionality. This paper aims to put forward the relevant measures for the problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the use of reliable AMS radiocarbon dating and monsoon climate proxies sequences in determining climatic changes in Tibet Plateau, China. Existence of centennial-millennium scale rhythm in mid latitude areas; Causes of abrupt climate changes; Demonstration of Holocene atmospheric circulation.

Using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry module (WRF-Chem), Typhoon Nida (2016) was simulated to investigate the effects of anthropogenic gaseous emissions on the vortex system. Based on the Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC), three certain experiments were conducted: one with base-level emission intensity (CTRL), one with one-tenth the emission of SO 2 (SO2_C), and one with one-tenth the emission of NH 3 (NH3_C). Results show that the simulations reasonably reproduced the typhoon's track and intensity, which were slightly sensitive to the anthropogenic gaseous emissions. When the typhoon was located over the ocean, a prolonged duration of raindrop growth and more precipitation occurred in CTRL run. The strongest updraft in CTRL is attributed to the maximum latent heating through water vapor condensation. During the landfalling period, larger (smaller) differential reflectivities in the main-core of the vortex were produced in NH3_C (SO2_C) run. Such opposite changes of raindrop size distributions may lead to stronger (weaker) rainfall intensity, and the ice-related microphysical processes and the relative humidity in low troposphere were two possible influential factors. Moreover, additional ten-member ensemble results in which white noise perturbations were added to the potential temperature field, indicated that the uncertainty of thermodynamic field in the current numerical model should not be ignored when exploring the impacts of aerosol on the microphysics and TC precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel combustion was often mentioned as the most important source of air pollution, but coal-fired heating was rarely isolated to discuss its impact on air quality. In winter, the northern part of China will carry out a large area of continuous coal-fired heating activities, which contributes to a high degree of heavy metals in PM 2.5. And combined with the liquidity of atmospheric particles, tends to create regional and even international problems. But many air control policies ignore this control measure. Twenty-five representative cities in heating and non-heating area in China were selected for spatial difference analysis of PM 2.5 -bound Pb and Cd. In addition, using the HYSPLIT model and Pb isotope ratios to verify whether coal-fired heating in heating areas (Tianjin) contribute to heavy metals in atmospheric particulate matter in non-heating areas (Shanghai). Results showed that the average Pb and Cd concentrations in the heating cities were 3.5 and 2.9 times of those in the non-heating cities, respectively. Long-distance transportation would affect the concentrations of PM 2.5 in Shanghai and Tianjin, while coal-fired emissions from heating cities had a greater impact on PM 2.5 -bound heavy metal concentrations in non-heating cities. Therefore, cross-border environmental impact assessments need to be standardized, and monitoring of regional activities need to be strengthened. Image 1 • Pb and Cd in PM 2.5 in heating cities were higher than those in non-heating cities. • Coal-burning and stationary industrial emissions were the main sources of Pb and Cd in PM 2.5 during the winter haze period. • Long-distance transportation would affect PM 2.5 concentrations in northern cities. • Improving coal-fired heating facilities in the suburbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are period of extreme ocean temperatures that can last from a few days to several years. The increasing frequency and intensity of MHWs have devastating impacts on marine ecosystems. This study explores the characteristics of MHWs from 1982 to 2021 and their effects on chlorophyll (Chl) from 1998 to 2021 in the South China Sea (SCS), utilizing satellite data and reanalysis products. MHWs were classified into short-duration MHWs (SMHWs) and long-duration MHWs (LMHWs) based on their duration to analyze their effects. High-intensity and frequent MHWs were observed in the coastal regions of China, the western SCS (WSCS, average depth more than 200 m), and southwest of the Luzon Strait (LS, average depth more than 200 m). MHWs have increased by 14 days (R2 = 0.42, p < 0.01) and 0.99 times (R2 = 0.36, p < 0.01) per decade over the past four decades. The per-decade rate of increase is 44 % of the average MHWs days, and 36 % of the frequency in entire SCS.LMHWs contributed the most to this increase at a rate of 6.5 days (R2 = 0.43, p < 0.01) and 0.25 times (R2 = 0.45, p < 0.01) per decade. The trend of MHWs in the Pearl River estuary (PRE, On the coastal continental shelf, average depth <200 m) is noteworthy for cause for concern, increasing by 19 days and 1.4 times per decade.During SMHWs, the Chl response was relatively insignificant, with roughly 3 % negative anomalies across the entire SCS. However, LMHWs had a more profound impact on Chl,which decliend 8 % over the SCS, especially in the WSCS, PRE, and southwest of LS. During summer in the WSCS and winter southwest of LS, the negative anomalies of Chl varied between 20 % and 40 % of its daily climatology for each grid. In contrast, a noteworthy positive Chl response was observed in the PRE and adjacent waters during summer. The duration and intensity of MHWs in these regions affected Chl, and the suppression of Chl was more prominent as the intensity and duration increased, except in the PRE, where MHWs promoted Chl during both spring and summer. We identified various mechanisms by which MHWs impacted Chl in these regions, including weakened upwelling and eddies in the WSCS, changes in plume distribution along the PRE, and shallow mixed layer and weakened cyclonic circulation in the LS during winter. Our study underscores the need for immediate conservation measures to mitigate the effects of MHWs on marine ecosystems, particularly in the PRE and adjacent regions where harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a frequent and ongoing threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Data were collected from 3556 Chinese junior and senior high school students to explore the associations between adolescent pathological Internet use (PIU) and parental variables, including parent–adolescent communication, parental Internet use and parental Internet-specific norms regarding adolescent Internet use. In particular, this study considered the different role of parental variables under two conditions: parental norms that were consistent or inconsistent with parents’ Internet use behaviors. The participants were asked to answer an anonymous questionnaire that included all mentioned factors. The results revealed an 11% rate of adolescent PIU, and hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that parent–adolescent communication predicted PIU negatively under both conditions. When parental norms were consistent with their Internet use behaviors, parental norms predicted adolescent PIU negatively; conversely, when parental norms were inconsistent with their Internet use behaviors, parental behaviors predicted adolescent PIU positively. Implications for family-based prevention and the limitations of this study are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • The older person-centered integrated health management model can simultaneously improve multiple health behaviours. • The older person-centered integrated health management model can simultaneously improve multiple health indicators. • The older person-centered integrated health management model can fully mobilize multisectoral involvement and maximize the personalized interaction of experts. Abstract Objective To investigate the effectiveness of the older-centered Integrated Health Management Model Project (OPCHMP) for multiple lifestyle behaviours in the elderly. Methods A 2-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial was conducted in Nanjing. The elderly were recruited from multiple community health service centres. The intervention group was intervened and received a personalized, 2-year OPCHMP. The control group only received usual care. Adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviours (ATHLBS) is the primary outcome, obtained through a self-reported composite health behaviour score. The secondary outcomes were health indicators. General estimating equation models were performed to analyse longitudinal dichotomous data and continuous data. Results 637 (intervention = 323; control = 314) participants were included in the study. The participants mean age was 70.53 ± 6.07 years. Significant ATHLBS correction was achieved after 24-month follow-up in the intervention group, comparing to controls. And the intervention group reported significantly better health indicators. Conclusion OPCHMP had positive effect on multiple lifestyle habits in elderly population, which is very encouraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The primary objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity in the community-dwelling elderly in urban China. Methods By a cluster random sampling method, 2452 persons aged 60 years and older were enrolled as the subjects in an urban community in Nanjing, China. Data on 13 chronic diseases were collected by interviews, physical check-ups and support by physicians. Factor analyses and the logistic regression models were performed to analyze the patterns of multimorbidity. Results The prevalence of multimorbidity was 49.4% in the community-dwelling elderly in urban China. The observed prevalence of 6 chronic disease pairs was higher than their expected prevalence, including hypertension and diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease, hypertension and dyslipidaemia, diabetes and cataract, diabetes and hearing disorder, hypertension and stroke. Three patterns were detected as follows: the first pattern with a prevalence of 9.5% covered degenerative diseases (hearing disorder, cataract, joint disease) and cancer; The second pattern with a prevalence of 1.7% was characterized by liver disease, lung disease, gastrointestinal disease; And the third pattern with a prevalence of 22.4% was characterized by cardiovascular diseases (dyslipidaemia, hypertension, coronary heart disease), metabolic diseases (diabetes) and kidney disease. Compared with <70 years, ≥80 years were found as the risk factor of the prevalence of three patterns. Conclusion A significant proportion of elderly populations was affected by multimorbidity in urban China. Specific patterns of multimorbidity were found at group level and the prevalence was associated with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance The leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn are recorded in the earliest written documentation of traditional Chinese medicinal as “Ben Cao Gang Mu”, a medicinal herb for blood clotting, dysentery and dizziness. Recently, nuciferine (NF), one of N. nucifera Gaertn leaf extracts has been shown to possess several pharmacological properties, including anti-viral and anti-cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of the anti-cancer activity of NF in NSCLC progression induced by nicotine Materials and methods The effect of NF on proliferation of A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line) pretreated with or without nicotine was detected by tumor cell proliferation assay. TOP-Flash reporter assay was applied to investigate the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in tumor cells in the presence of NF and/or nicotine. Apoptosis was measured using a FITC-Annexin V and PI detection kit by flow cytometry. In addition, mRNA or protein expression levels were respectively tested by quantitative RT-PCR or western blot. In vivo experiments, tumor samples were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin for additional analyses by immunohistochemistry and TUNEL staining. Results NF significantly inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells in the presence of nicotine, suppressed the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, enhanced the stabilization of Axin, and induced apoptosis. NF down-regulated the expression levels of β-catenin and its downstream targets including c-myc, cyclin D and VEGF-A. NF also decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, which may explain the pro-apoptosis effect of NF. In tumor xenograft nude mice, NF not only inhibited the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, but also remarkably alleviated the injury induced by nicotine in liver function. Conclusions NF has the remarkable effect to inhibit nicotine-induced NSCLC progression, which was due to its ability to reduce the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Thus, the work stated here emphasizes the importance of this traditional medicine and presents a potential novel alternative to NSCLC prevention and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The highest PBDEs concentration was detected in western inflowing rivers of Lake Chaohu. [•] Sewage treatment plant was an important source of the lower brominated BDEs input to river. [•] BDE 209 was the dominant contributor input to Lake Chaohu. [•] It was about 344kgyr−1 of PBDEs transported to lake from inflowing rivers during the flood season. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The light scattering and backscattering coefficients of particles (b p (λ) and b bp (λ)) and their association with particle concentration, size distribution, and composition off the eastern Hainan coast in the South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed between August and September 2013. Variations in b p (532) and b bp (532) were correlated to changes in the LISST-based total cross-sectional area and volume concentration of particles (AC and VC). Two significantly different covariations between b bp (λ) and b p (λ) and chlorophyll a concentration (Chla) were observed, and all samples were clearly separated into two groups (Group A and Group B) using the threshold relationship between b bp and Chla. Samples in Group B, most of which were collected in the nepheloid layer, showed higher b p /AC and b bp /AC than those in Group A. This indicates the presence of inorganic particles with higher n p in Group B than in Group A. The relationship between b bp and Chla for Group A could be well fitted by a published model involving a constant backscattering background independent of Chla. A significant relationship (R2 = 0.85) was observed between b bp and Chla in the Chla maximum layer, which was different from that in other layers. This finding might imply that both an increase in the micro-phytoplankton community and a decrease in the contribution of background backscattering to b bp at the Chla maximum layer. Understanding this variability of beam-scattering properties off the eastern Hainan coast can improve our understanding of marine biogeochemical processes at a regional scale, and can also promote the application of these regional bio-optical relationships for ocean color. • Both b bp (532) and b p (532) could serve as an indicator for LISST-based VC and AC. • Different covariations between b bp (λ) or b p (λ) and Chla were observed in surface, Chla maximum layer and bottom. • Relationships of b bp to Chla or LISST-based particle size parameters are affected by the contribution of small particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Picophytoplankton are essential components of phytoplankton in the oligotrophic South China Sea (SCS). Understanding the variation in the picophytoplankton community structure will provide important information about primary production and the biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the SCS. Based on a field dataset from the SCS , we developed empirical algorithms using the absorption coefficient of phytoplankton at 443 nm [ a ph (443)] as the input to estimate the cell abundances of picophytoplankton, including Prochlorococcus (Pro), Synechococcus (Syn), and autotrophic picoeukaryotes (PE), in the SCS. Evaluation of algorithm performances demonstrated good agreement with field measurements. The root mean square errors and the mean absolute errors (MAE s) between the algorithm derivations and measurements were 0.44, 0.35, and 0.29, and 2.67, 2.02, and 1.88 for the cell abundances of Pro , Syn , and PE , respectively. The match-up comparisons showed that the satellite-derived cell abundances of picophytoplankton (e.g., MAE s ranged from 1.73 to 2.76) also agreed with the field data. We also analyzed the influences of both temperature and nutrient concentration on algorithm performance. The influence of temperature on the algorithms was not significant because the data were mainly collected in the summer, and the analysis should be repeated in the future with data from other seasons. The algorithm for estimating cell abundance of Syn was sensitive to variations in nutrient levels and herbivory pressure in coastal waters where nano- or microphytoplankton dominated. The input of our algorithms, a ph (443), was easily obtained from field measurements and remote sensing. These algorithms provide a relatively easy way to estimate the cell abundances of picophytoplankton and provide data for studying the picophytoplankton community structure in the SCS. • We developed new empirical algorithms for remote cell abundances of picophytoplankton estimations in the South China Sea. • The influences of temperature on the algorithms were not significant as the data were mainly collected in summer. • The nutrient and herbivory pressure had a certain influence on the Synechococcus algorithm. • The 10-years averaged distributions of cell abundances of picophytoplankton in the SCS were explored using MODIS images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the mutation spectrum of 23-site chip newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing, and to provide basis for genetic counseling and clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: The study included 21 006 babies born in Beijing from December 2022 to June 2023. All subjects underwent newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing Tongren Hospital, covering 23 variants in 4 genes, the GJB2 gene（c.35delG, c.176&#95;191del16, c.235delC, c.299&#95;300delAT, c.109G>A, c.257C>G, c.512insAACG, c.427C>T, c.35insG）, SLC26A4 gene（c.919-2A>G, c.2168A>G, c.1174A>T, c.1226G>A, c.1229C>T, c.1975G>C, c.2027T>A, c.589G>A, c.1707+5G>A, c.917insG, c.281C>T）, Mt12SrRNA （m.1555A>G, m.1494C>T） and GJB3 gene（c.538C>T）. The mutation detection rate and allele frequency were analyzed. Results: The overall mutation detection rate was 11.516%（2 419/21 006）, with the GJB2 gene being the most frequently involved at 9.097%（1 911/21 006）, followed by the SLC26A4 gene at 2.123%（446/21 006）, the GJB3 gene at 0.362%（76/21 006） and Mt12SrRNA at 0.176%（37/21 006）. Among the GJB2 genes, c.109G>A and c.235delC mutation detection rates were the highest, with 6.579%（1 382/21 006） and 1.795%（377/21 006）, respectively. Of the SLC26A4 genes, c.919-2A>G and c.2168A>G had the highest mutation rates of 1.423%（299/21 006） and 0.233%（49/21 106）, respectively. Regarding the allele frequency, GJB2 c.109G>A was the most common variant with an allele frequency of 3.359%（1 411/42 012）, followed by the GJB2 c.235delC at 0.897%（377/42 012） and the SLC26A4 c.919-2A>G at 0.719%（302/42 012）. Conclusion: 23-site chip newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing showed that GJB2 c.109G>A mutation detection rate and allele frequency were the highest. This study has enriched the epidemiological data of 23-site chip genetic screening mutation profiles for neonatal deafness, which can provide evidence for clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

Background: PKD1, which has a relatively high mutation rate, is highly polymorphic, and the role of PKD1 is incompletely defined. In the current study, in order to determine the molecular etiology of a family with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, the pathogenicity of an frameshift mutation in the PKD1 gene, c.9484delC, was evaluated., Methods: The family clinical data were collected. Whole exome sequencing analysis determined the level of this mutation in the proband's PKD1, and Sanger sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed. SIFT, Polyphen2, and MutationTaster were used to evaluate the conservation of the gene and pathogenicity of the identified mutations. SWISS-MODEL was used to predict and map the protein structure of PKD1 and mutant neonate proteins., Results: A novel c.9484delC (p.Arg3162Alafs*154) mutation of the PKD1 gene was identified by whole exome sequencing in the proband, which was confirmed by Sanger sequencing in his sister (II7). The same mutation was not detected in the healthy pedigree members. Random screening of 100 normal and end-stage renal disease patients did not identify the c.9484delC mutation. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that the mutation caused the 3162 nd amino acid substitution of arginine by alanine and a shift in the termination codon. As a result, the protein sequence was shortened from 4302 amino acids to 3314 amino acids, the protein structure was greatly changed, and the PLAT/LH2 domain was destroyed. Clustal analysis indicated that the altered amino acids were highly conserved in mammals., Conclusion: A novel mutation in the PKD1 gene has been identified in an affected Chinese family. The mutation is probably responsible for a range of clinical manifestations for which reliable prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling may be provided., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Experimental results indicate that riboflavin is involved in tumorigenesis. Data regarding the relationship between riboflavin and colorectal cancer (CRC) are limited, and findings vary between observational studies., Design: This was a case-control retrospective study., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum riboflavin level and sporadic CRC risk., Methods: In total, 389 participants were enrolled in this study - including 83 CRC patients without family history and 306 healthy controls - between January 2020 and March 2021 at the Department of Colorectal Surgery and Endoscope Center at Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Age, sex, body mass index, history of polyps, disease conditions (e.g., diabetes), medications, and eight other vitamins were used as confounding factors. Adjusted smoothing spline plots, subgroup analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to estimate the relative risk between serum riboflavin levels and sporadic CRC risk. After fully adjusting for the confounding factors, an increased risk of colorectal cancer was suggested for individuals with higher levels of serum riboflavin (OR = 1.08 (1.01, 1.15), p = 0.03) in a dose-response relationship., Conclusions: Our results support the hypothesis that higher levels of riboflavin may play a role in facilitating colorectal carcinogenesis. The finding of high levels of circulating riboflavin in patients with CRC warrants further investigation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The ninth edition of lung cancer staging system recommends that specific driver mutations should be considered as prognostic factors in survival models. This study comprehensively investigated the prognostic value of Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutation in patients with resected lung adenocarcinomas according to different clinicopathologic and radiologic characteristics., Methods: In total, 1464 patients with completely resected primary lung adenocarcinomas were examined for KRAS mutations from November 2008 to March 2015. Age, sex, smoking status, performance status, tumor-node-metastasis stage, radiologic features, and histologic subtypes were collected. Competing risk model was used to estimate the cumulative incidence rate of recurrence. Cox regression multivariable analyses on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed., Results: KRAS mutations were more frequent in male subjects (P < .001), current/former smokers (P < .001), invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (P < .001), and solid tumors (P < .001). In general, KRAS-mutated patients had greater cumulative recurrence rate (hazard ratio [HR], 1.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-3.08; P < .001) and worse overall survival (OS; HR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.23-2.87; P < .001) than KRAS wild-type patients. The OS (P < .001) of patients harboring KRAS-G12C/V mutations was shorter than that of other KRAS-mutated patients. Cox multivariable analyses demonstrated that KRAS mutations were independently associated with worse RFS (HR, 5.34; 95% CI, 2.53-11.89; P = .001) and OS (HR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.03-6.76; P = .044) in part-solid lung adenocarcinomas. For stage I patients, Cox multivariable analyses revealed that KRAS mutation was an independent risk factor for RFS (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.19-3.56; P = .010) and OS (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.29-4.40; P = .005)., Conclusions: In this study, we revealed that KRAS mutations was an independent prognostic factor in part-solid tumors and in stage I lung adenocarcinomas. These findings may contribute to the ninth edition of lung cancer staging project., (Copyright © 2020 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is mainly caused by the pathogenic mutation of PKD1 or PKD2 gene and usually affects bilateral kidneys. Synonymous mutations are generally assumed to be neutral as they do not alter amino acids. Herein, we described an extremely rare ADPKD child caused by a heterozygous synonymous mutation of PKD2 gene accompanied by massive proteinuria and congenital solitary kidney., Methods: Clinical characteristics of the patients were summarized. Whole-exome sequencing was performed to screen the disease-causing gene mutation, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were applied to analyze the impact of the identified mutation on gene transcription and splicing., Results: Polycystic changes were found in the solitary kidney of a girl initially presented with nephrotic-range proteinuria. Thereafter her mother and 2 other family members were diagnosed to be ADPKD. Whole-exome sequencing of the proband identified a heterozygous synonymous mutation (c.1716G>A, p.Lys572=) located in the splicing site of exon 7 in PKD2 gene, which was co-segregated with the PKD phenotype in the family. RT-PCR and direct sequencing of amplified products revealed that this heterozygous synonymous mutation led to exon7 skipping in PKD2 gene., Conclusion: We reported an extremely rare child case of ADPKD2 in combination with solitary kidney and nephrotic-range proteinuria, and firstly confirmed the pathogenicity of a heterozygous synonymous mutation (c.1716G>A) in PKD2 gene. The results indicate that synonymous mutations should not be excluded from disease-causing if they are located in splicing site of an exon., (© 2021. Huazhong University of Science and Technology.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a family of endogenous non-coding RNAs with a length of about 22 nucleotides, are widely found in eukaryotes. miRNAs can affect gene expression through specific bindings with mRNAs of target genes and participate in the regulation of a variety of biological processes. Giant panda is not only a unique rare animal in China, but also the focus of attention on wildlife preservation worldwide. In recent years, with the popularization of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, miRNAs in giant panda have been discovered and identified one after another. In this review, we focus on the research progress on miRNAs in giant panda, involved in immune response, mammary gland development, sperm freezing tolerance and other biological processes, and then discuss future research directions of miRNAs in giant panda, and thus providing the scientific references and new ideas for studying the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs and promoting the breeding and protection of giant panda.

Vegetable consumption is a potential toxin exposure pathway for humans. Studies have recognized that vegetables can uptake organic contaminants via roots and translocate pollutants to their aerial parts. However, the aerial parts might also directly uptake polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated soils. This has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to explore the uptake and translocation of PAHs in contaminated soil-air-vegetable systems. Sixteen individual PAHs in contaminated soils, vegetable roots, and leaves were identified using GC-MS. The results showed that the average PAH concentrations both in roots and leaves from the reference soil, the moderately contaminated soil, and the heavily polluted soil increased as expected. PAHs with log K OW < 5 accumulated more easily in roots and leaves. Using a Pearson correlation analysis, isomer ratios, and a principal component analysis (PCA), it was found that the contaminated soil not only caused PAH accumulation in roots, but also increased the PAH concentration in leaves. Quantitatively, the absorption of PAHs in roots in the moderately contaminated soil (70.3 ng m -3 ) was approximately twice that of the reference soil (40.8 ng m -3 ). The PAHs absorbed by vegetable roots in the heavily polluted soil (74.7 ng m -3 ) was only slightly higher than that of the moderately polluted soil. In addition, the PAH dose volatilized into the air from the reference soil, the moderately contaminated soil, and the heavily polluted soil also showed an increasing trend. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) indicated that adult females had a higher cancer risk via vegetable consumption than other groups. Although vegetable consumption had a slight effect on cancer risk for some groups in the present study, the cancer risk of PAHs caused by eating vegetables grown in heavily contaminated soil still requires attention., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The water loss and soil erosion in the Pisha sandstone region in the middle reaches of the Yellow River are extremely severe, leading to extremely harmful effects on the ecological environment and safety of the lower reaches. In this paper, the effects of the slope angle (20, 30, and 40°), rainfall intensity (20, 50, and 80 mm/h), and vegetation coverage (10, 30, and 50%) on the erosion characteristics of the Pisha sandstone slopes are studied using indoor-simulated rainfall tests. The results show that the infiltration into the Pisha sandstone is only 10~15%. It is found that rainfall intensity has the most significant effect on runoff, which gradually increases with increasing rainfall intensity. Vegetation significantly affects runoff reduction when the rainfall intensity is low (approximately 20 mm/h), but this effect decreases with increasing rainfall intensity. Rainfall intensity has an extremely significant effect (P < 0.01) on the sediment yield, followed by vegetation coverage, and slope angle. When the vegetation coverage is approximately 50%, the reduction in sediment yield reaches approximately 70%. Additionally, the sediment reduction benefit is more significant than the runoff reduction benefit. The presence of the eroded gullies on slopes with vegetation is less compared to that on the bare slopes. Therefore, relatively high vegetation coverage (≥ 50%) is required for soil and water conservation in Pisha sandstone area. The findings will provide some reference for Pisha sandstone conservation.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the susceptibility of endometriosis (EMS) and the gene polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in Chinese Han population., Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 76 EMS patients and 87 normal controls. PCR-RFLP was used to detect the single base change polymorphism in both TNFalpha gene and TNFbeta gene., Results: The allele frequencies of the TNFalpha polymorphism were 0.9474 and 0.9253 in the EMS patients and the control group respectively, and the TNFbeta polymorphism were 0.0526 and 0.0747 respectively. The allele frequencies of the TNFbeta1 polymorphism were 0.4605 and 0.5115 in the EMS patients and the control group, and the TNFbeta2 polymorphism were 0.5395 and 0.4885. No difference in the gene and genotype frequencies of TNFalpha and TNFbeta was noted in the EMS patients and normal controls (all P > 0.05)., Conclusion: TNF gene polymorphism has no effect on EMS in Chinese Han population. Ethnic difference may exist in TNF allele frequency.

Objective: To investigate whether interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta ) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) gene polymorphisms are associated with endometriosis (EMs) in Chinese women., Methods: One hundred and thirty-eight patients with EMs and 100 women without EMs were enrolled in the study. Polymorphisms for IL-1 beta-511 promoter, IL-1 beta exon 5, and IL-1RA were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)., Result: There were no significant differences about the distribution of the genotypes and alleles of IL-1 beta -511 promoter and IL-1 beta exon 5 in two groups (P > 0.05). The frequencies of A1/A1, A1/A2, A1/A4 and A2/A2 of IL-1RA gene were 84.1 %, 12.3 %, 2.9 % and 0.7 % in EMs and 95 % , 4 % ,1 % and 0 % in controls, respectively (P=0.042). The A1, A2 and A4 alleles were 91.7 % , 6.9 % and 1.4 % in EMs and 97.5 % , 2 % and 0.5 % in controls (P=0.019). In comparison with the reference genotype, the wild A1/A1 homozygote, the odds ratio for A1/A2 was 3.48 (95 % CI: 1.13 - 10.69). Compared with the A1 allele, the odds ratio for the A2 allele was 3.66 (95 % CI: 1.23 - 10.94)., Conclusion: Association between the IL-1 beta-511 promoter,IL-1 beta exon 5 polymorphisms and EMs in China is not found. However, the A2 allele of IL-1RA gene may be one of the risk factors for the Chinese women in Zhejiang Province to suffer EMs.