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To investigate what health risks the heavy metals in dust will bring to the human body after they enter humans through different exposure pathways- breathing inhalation and hand-tomouth ingestion, this study took the old urban area of Guiyang as the study area to grasp the heavy metal concentrations of surface dust, in recreative squares main streets, hospitals, residential areas, and schools in the urban area, and the bioaccessibility in the simulated lung and simulated gastrointestinal. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, and Cr in the dust were higher than the background values. Particularly, the Zn concentration exceeded the background value by 9.71 times. The bioaccessibility results indicated that the most soluble heavy metals in the simulated lung, simulated stomach, and simulated intestine were Zn, Ni, and Cu, respectively, and the bioaccessibility of most heavy metals was significantly higher in the gastric phase than that in the intestinal phase, and only the bioaccessibility of Cu was higher in the intestinal phase than that in the gastric phase. The linear results fit showed that the total amount of heavy metals alone could not be used for predicting the human intake of heavy metals in the dust. Human health risk assessment based on bioaccessibility showed that children had higher non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than adults in terms of both hand-to-mouth ingestion and respiratory inhalation exposure pathways, but none of these figures exceeded the limit values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For elderly patients with breast cancer, the treatment strategy is still controversial. In China, preoperative axillary lymph node needle biopsy is not widely used, resulting in many patients receiving axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) directly. Our study aims to determine whether local and systemic therapy can be safely de-escalated in elderly breast cancer. Methods: Patients aged =70 years were retrospectively enrolled from our institution's medical records between May 2013 and July 2021. Groups were assigned according to local and systemic treatment regimens, and stratified analysis was performed by molecular subtypes. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were used to compare the effects of different regimens on relapse-free survival (RFS). Results: A total of 653 patients were enrolled for preliminary data analysis, and 563 patients were screened for survival analysis. The mean follow-up was 19 months (range, 1-82 months). Axillary lymph node metastases were pathologically confirmed in only 2.1% of cN0 cases and up to 97.1% of cN+ cases. In the aspect of breast surgery, RFS showed no significant difference between mastectomy and BCS group (p = 0.3078). As for axillary surgery, patients in the ALND group showed significantly better RFS than those in the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) group among pN0 patients (p = 0.0128). Among these cases, the proportion of cN+ in ALND was significantly higher than that in SLNB (6.4% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.002), which meant axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) of ALND patients were larger in imaging and more likely to be misdiagnosed as metastatic. With regard to adjuvant therapy, univariate and multivariate analyses showed that RFS in different comprehensive adjuvant regimens were similar especially among hormone receptor (HR)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-subgroup where patients who did not receive any adjuvant therapy accounted for 15.7% (p > 0.05). Conclusions: It is feasible to reduce some unnecessary local or systemic treatments for elderly breast cancer patients, especially in HR+/HER2- subtype. Multiple patient-related factors should be considered when making treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enclosure is an effective strategy for enhancing soil carbon sequestration in the desert steppe. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and its stock during changes in the plant community influence soil fertility and the global carbon cycle. We studied changes in SOC and its stock along with six plant community types in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, northern China. The goal of this study was to explore differences in SOC and its stock among plant communities while accounting for the effects of environmental factors. We collected 336 soil samples at four soil depths (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm) and vegetation attributes from 84 plots in the enclosure. The results revealed that plant community type and soil depth were the most influential factors for root biomass, SOC, and SOC stock. Total root biomass varied from 229.21 to 731.71 g·m−2 and was ranked as follows: Koeleria cristata > Leymus chinensis > Stipa krylovii >Allium mongolicum >Stipa breviflora > Convolvulus ammannii. Mean SOC and its stock of soils associated with K. cristata were 1.94 and 1.62 times higher than that measured for C. ammannii soils, respectively. Root biomass, SOC, and its stock gradually decreased with soil depth. Stratification ratios (SRs) of SOC increased with soil depth for different plant communities and showed better soil quality (except C. ammannii and A. mongolicum). Results from redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that root biomass, clay, coverage, and litter biomass had significant impacts on SOC and SOC stock. We conclude that the plant community had the greatest effect on improving SOC stock after enclosure, and plant root biomass contributed the most to SOC stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils that contain rock fragments (particles > 2 mm in diameter) are distributed all over the world. The presence of these small rock fragments can have a great impact on soil water retention properties, as well as on the soil-water infiltration and vegetation restoration in semi-arid regions. To quantitatively describe the transport of water in stony soils, repacked soil cores were used to determine the infiltration rates for different rock fragment contents (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) and rock fragment sizes (2-5, 5-8, 8-11, and 2-11 mm). The results showed that both the content and size of the rock fragments and their interaction significantly affected the infiltration process. The infiltration rates over time and the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) decreased with an increasing rock fragment content to an observed minimum value for a 40% rock fragment content. The soil-water infiltration processes were accurately described by the Kostiakov model. The measured and calculated Ks values decreased with an increasing rock fragment content, which was in accordance with the published data and in accordance with the Ks obtained by five empirical methods. The variations in the measured Ks were likely due to the variations in the soil properties caused by the soil sample repacking. The results of this study may improve the understanding of the effects of the rock fragment content and size on the infiltration processes in arid and semi-arid desert steppes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by the novel virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has claimed many lives worldwide. To combat the pandemic, multiple types of vaccines are under development with unprecedented rapidity. Theoretically, future vaccination against COVID‐19 may fall into long‐term costly guerrilla warfare between SARS‐CoV‐2 and humans. Elimination of SARS‐CoV‐2 through vaccination to avoid the potential long‐term costly guerrilla warfare, if possible, is highly desired and worth intensive consideration. Human influenza pandemics emerging in 1957, 1968, and 2009 established strong global herd immunity and led to the elimination of three human influenza viruses, which circulated worldwide for years before the pandemics. Moreover, both clade 7.2 of subtype H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and subtype H7N9 avian influenza virus circulated in poultry in China for years, and they have been virtually eliminated through mass vaccination in recent years. These facts suggest that the rapid establishment of global herd immunity through mass vaccination using an appropriate vaccine could eliminate SARS‐CoV‐2. The coming 2 years are a golden time for elimination through vaccination, which requires tremendous national and international collaboration. This review also prioritizes the efficacy of vaccines for COVID‐19 and elucidates the importance of the development of more live vaccines for COVID‐19. Highlights: Future vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) may fall into long‐term costly guerrilla warfare between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and humans.Elimination of SARS‐CoV‐2 through vaccination is highly desired and worth intensive consideration.Multiple influenza viruses have been eliminated through natural pandemics or mass vaccination.The coming 2 years are a golden time for the elimination of SARS‐CoV‐2 through mass vaccination.Rapid establishment of global herd immunity through vaccination using a live vaccine could eliminate SARS‐CoV‐2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The whole world has entered a terrible crisis with a huge and increasing number of human deaths and economic losses in fighting the pandemic of COVID‐19 caused by the novel coronavirus termed SARS‐CoV‐2. The live pathogen vaccine (LPV) strategy, which originated in ancient China for fighting smallpox, has been applied successfully by US military recruits for decades to control acute respiratory diseases caused by types 4 and 7 adenoviruses. This strategy has also been widely employed in veterinary medicine. These facts suggest a fast way out of the current pandemic crisis, namely that SARS‐CoV‐2 could be directly used as a live vaccine. Beyond the two traditional mechanisms to guarantee the LPV's safety (the LPV seed strain is properly selected; the LPV is inoculated bypassing the respiratory sites of pathology), three novel mechanisms to further ensure the LPV's safety are available (the virus replication is inhibited with early use of an antiviral drug; symptomatic LPV recipients are cured with convalescent plasma; the LPV is inoculated in the hot season). This LPV strategy has multiple potential advantages over other options and could reduce morbidity and mortality greatly as well as the economic loss caused by the pandemic. The safety and efficacy of this strategy should be investigated strictly using animal experiments and clinical trials, and even if the experiments and trials all support the strategy, it should be implemented with enough caution. Highlights: ●The world has entered a terrible crisis in fighting the COVID‐19 pandemic.●Live pathogen vaccines (LPV) have defeated infectious diseases caused by adenoviruses.●The LPV strategy has been widely employed in veterinary medicine.●The LPV strategy could be a way out of the COVID‐19 pandemic crisis.●Five mechanisms can be employed to ensure the safety of the LPV of SARS‐CoV‐2.●The LPV strategy should be examined with animal experiments and clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Obesity is a key public health problem. The advancement of gut microbiota research sheds new light on this field. This article aims to present the research trends in global intestinal microbiota studies within the domain of obesity research. Methods. Bibliographic information of the publications on intestinal microbiota and obesity was retrieved from the Scopus database, and then analyzed by using bibliometric approaches. Results. A total of 3,446 references were retrieved; the data indicated a steady growth and an exponential increase in publication numbers. The references were written in 23 different languages (93.8% in English). A number of 3,056 English journal papers were included in the further analyses. Among the 940 journals, the most prolific ones were PLOS ONE, Scientific Reports, and British Journal of Nutrition. North America and Europe were the highest publication output areas. The US (995 publications) ranked first in the number of publications, followed by the China (243 publications) and France (242 publications). The publication numbers were significantly correlated with gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI), and population number (PN). International collaboration analysis also shows that most of the collaborations are among developed countries. Discussion. This comprehensive bibliometric study indicates that gut microbiota is a significant topic in the obesity research. The structured information may be helpful in understanding research trends, and locating research hot spots and gaps in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high prevalence of neurasthenia and its divergent social and cultural meanings in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries has been subjected to historical and anthropological studies. The present study explores the history of this elastic diagnosis in relation to the rise of "psy disciplines" in Republican China. Since the 1920s, emergent Chinese neuropsychiatric and mental health professionals eagerly entered the already vibrant culture of neurasthenia and provided their explanations. As China was under different spheres of influence, diverse systems of psy knowledge were practiced in the country. Differences in the conception of the nature of the disease were further intertwined with various reform projects with which these bodies of psychological knowledge were associated. Despite being the products of scientific internationalism, these discourses not only resonated with the epistemological and social concerns derived from Japan, Europe, and, gradually, the United States but generated their own ideas of personal, social, and national regeneration. By examining the history of neurasthenia in the light of the interactions among popular culture, the advent of modern psychiatric and psychological knowledge, and Republican China's striving for modernity amid social turmoil, the article contributes to our understanding of medical culture in modern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This review outlines the development of China's primary care system, with implications for improving equitable health care. Sources of data: Government documents, official statistics, and recent literature identified through systematic searches performed on NCBI PubMed. Areas of agreement: Community health centres (CHCs) are being developed as the major primary care provider in urban China, with laudable achievements. The road towards a strong primary care-led system is promising but challenging. Areas of controversy: The effectiveness in improving equitable care through the expansion of primary care workforce and redesign of the social medical insurance system warrants further exploration. Growing points: Healthcare disparities exist in the health system wherein universal health coverage and gatekeepers have not yet been established. Areas timely for developing research: Future prospective studies should aim to provide solutions for strengthening the leading role of CHCs in providing equitable care in response to population ageing and multimorbidity challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background China, like other countries, is facing a growing burden of chronic disease but the prevalence of multimorbidity and implications for the healthcare system have been little researched. We examined the epidemiology of multimorbidity in southern China in a large representative sample. The effects of multimorbidity and other factors on usual source of healthcare were also examined. Methods We conducted a large cross-sectional survey among approximately 5% (N =162,464) of the resident population in three prefectures in Guangdong province, southern China in 2011. A multistage, stratified random sampling was adopted. The study population had many similar characteristics to the national census population. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect self-report data on demographics, socio-economics, lifestyles, healthcare use, and health characteristics from paper-based medical reports. Results More than one in ten of the total study population (11.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 10.6 to 11.6) had two or more chronic conditions from a selection of 40 morbidities. The prevalence of multimorbidity increased with age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =1.36, 95%CI 1.35 to 1.38 per five years). Female gender (aOR =1.70, 95%CI 1.64 to 1.76), low education (aOR =1.26, 95%CI 1.23 to 1.29), lack of medical insurance (aOR =1.79, 95%CI 1.71 to 1.89), and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours were independent predictors of multimorbidity. Multimorbidity was associated with the regular use of secondary outpatient care in preference to primary care. Conclusions Multimorbidity is now common in China. The reported preferential use of secondary care over primary care by patients with multimorbidity has many major implications. There is an urgent need to further develop a strong and equitable primary care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Current health care reforms in China have an overall goal of strengthening primary care through the establishment and expansion of primary care networks based on community health centers (CHCs). Implementation in urban areas has led to the emergence of different models of ownership and management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the primary care experiences of patients in the Pearl River Delta as measured by the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) and the relationships with ownership and management in the 3 different models we describe. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted on-site at CHCs in 3 cities within the Pearl River Delta, China, using a multistage cluster sampling method. A validated Mandarin Chinese version of the PCAT-Adult Edition (short version) was adopted to collect information from adult patients regarding their experiences with primary care sources. PCAT scores for individual primary care attributes and total primary care assessment scores were assessed with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, health characteristics, and health care service utilization across 3 primary care models. RESULTS One thousand four hundred forty (1,440) primary care patients responded to the survey, for an overall response rate of 86.1%. Respondents gave government-owned and -managed CHCs the highest overall PCAT scores when compared with CHCs either managed by hospitals (95.18 vs 90.81; P = .005) or owned by private and social entities (95.18 vs 90.69; P = .007) as a result of better first-contact care (better first-contact utilization) and coordination of care (better service coordination and information system). Factors that were positively and significantly associated with higher overall assessment scores included the presence of a chronic condition (P <.001), having medical insurance (P = .006), and a self-reported good health status (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that government-owned and -managed CHCs may be able to provide better first-contact care in terms of utilization and coordination of care, and may be better at solving the problem of underutilization of the CHCs as the first-contact point of care, one key problem facing the reforms in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional Chinese eye exercises of acupoints involve acupoint self-massage. These have been advocated as a compulsory measure to reduce ocular fatigue, as well as to retard the development of myopia, among Chinese school children. This study evaluated the impact of these eye exercises among Chinese urban children. Methods: 409 children (195 males, 47.7%), aged 11.1 ± 3.2 (range 6-17) years, from the Beijing Myopia Progression Study (BMPS) were recruited. All had completed the eye exercise questionnaire, the convergence insufficiency symptom survey (CISS), and a cycloplegic autorefraction. Among these, 395 (96.6%) performed the eye exercises of acupoints. Multiple logistic regressions for myopia and multiple linear regressions for the CISS score (after adjusting for age, gender, average parental refractive error, and time spent doing near work and outdoor activity) for the different items of the eye exercises questionnaire were performed. Results: Only the univariate odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for "seriousness of attitude" towards performing the eye exercises of acupoints (0.51, 0.33-0.78) showed a protective effect towards myopia. However, none of the odds ratios were significant after adjusting for the confounding factors. The univariate and multiple β coefficients for the CISS score were −2.47 (p = 0.002) and −1.65 (p = 0.039), -3.57 (p = 0.002) and −2.35 (p = 0.042), and −2.40 (p = 0.003) and −2.29 (p = 0.004), for attitude, speed of exercise, and acquaintance with acupoints, respectively, which were all significant. Conclusions: The traditional Chinese eye exercises of acupoints appeared to have a modest effect on relieving near vision symptoms among Chinese urban children aged 6 to 17 years. However, no remarkable effect on reducing myopia was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in matrix metalloproteinase 1(MMP-1)play important roles in some cancers. This study examined the associations between individual SNPs or haplotypes in MMP-1 and susceptibility, clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of gastric cancer in a large sample of the Han population in northern China. Methods: In this case-controlled study, there were 404 patients with gastric cancer and 404 healthy controls. Seven SNPs were genotyped using the MALDI-TOF MS system. Then, SPSS software, Haploview 4.2 software, Haplo.states software and THEsias software were used to estimate the association between individual SNPs or haplotypes of MMP-1 and gastric cancer susceptibility, progression and prognosis. Results: Among seven SNPs, there were no individual SNPs correlated to gastric cancer risk. Moreover, only the rs470206 genotype had a correlation with histologic grades, and the patients with GA/AA had well cell differentiation compared to the patients with genotype GG (OR = 0.573; 95%CI: 0.353-0.929; P = 0.023). Then, we constructed a four-marker haplotype block that contained 4 common haplotypes: TCCG, GCCG, TTCG and TTTA. However, all four common haplotypes had no correlation with gastric cancer risk and we did not find any relationship between these haplotypes and clinicopathological parameters in gastric cancer. Furthermore, neither individual SNPs nor haplotypes had an association with the survival of patients with gastric cancer. Conclusions: This study evaluated polymorphisms of the MMP-1 gene in gastric cancer with a MALDI-TOF MS method in a large northern Chinese case-controlled cohort. Our results indicated that these seven SNPs of MMP-1 might not be useful as significant markers to predict gastric cancer susceptibility, progression or prognosis, at least in the Han population in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric eosinophilic granuloma (GEG) is a rare disease. Recently this disease has begun to increase in China. In the present study, the function and the role of mast cells (MC) in the pathogenesis of GEG were investigated. Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 23 GEG patients and 15 gastric ulcer (GU) patients, were stained with antihuman mast cell tryptase for counting the MC and degranulated MC. Antihuman CD34 antibody was used for detecting the microvessel density (MVD) with immunohistochemical technique. Mast cell degranulation was also studied using electron microscopy. Results: The quantity of both MC and degranulated MC were higher in both GEG and GU than in normal gastric mucosa. The proportion of degranulated MC was higher in the GEG but in GU it was similar to normal mucosa. The MVD was higher in both GU and GEG than that in the normal gastric mucosa and it was higher in the high-MC group than in the low-MC group in GEG. The positive correlation between eosinophil and MC was present only in GEG, not in GU. Conclusions: The infiltration of eosinophils and MVD may be associated with the increase of MC in GEG. This suggests that in addition to eosinophils, MC might be the important cells in the pathogenesis of GEG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article cites a study related to constipation. Constipation is a common symptom of disturbed bowel function, with an estimated prevalence in China of 11.5% in patients over 60 years of age. The proportion of the population affected with this condition has been shown to increase with age. The management of chronic functional constipation can be difficult. Current treatment approaches include increasing the intake of dietary fibre and the use of bulking laxatives, such as ispaghula husk-containing products.

China holds diversified mineral resources, and long term mining activities can significantly affect the enrichment of heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural soils. A systematic investigation and overall macro-evaluation on HMs contamination in agricultural soils around mining-impacted communities are urgently needed. International and China national databases were retrieved carefully with the search criteria for articles published from 2007 to 2018. Ultimately, 92 articles fit the inclusion criteria and were selected for further analysis. Based on the collected data, this study then discusses the overall status of HMs concentrations in agricultural soils around the mining-impacted communities and evaluates the pollution levels using the geoaccumulation index. To quantify the non-carcinogenic risks of HMs in soils pose to human health via oral ingestion, the recommended model was applied in the process of health risk assessment, along with Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis were performed. The results revealed that HMs pollution concentrations and associated ecological risks posed by Cd, Pb and Hg were more serious. Meanwhile, the spatial distribution characteristics suggested that HMs (except for Hg) in southern China generally were severer than those in northern China. Based on the result of human health risk assessment, Cd, As and Pb posed health risks to public in some agricultural sampling sites. It should be noted that 34.02%, 32.99% and 30.93% of HI outputs for children, adults females and males respectively was higher than the guideline value of 1, indicating that children were likely to have an exceptionally sensitive of exposure to environmental contaminants because the unique physiological characteristics and behavioral compared to adults. The results from this study may provide insights for policymakers to develop pollution prevention measures and management strategies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nebkhas play a tremendous role in maintaining the ecological functions of deserts and in slowing land desertification processes. Numerous nebkhas are distributed in the northwestern edge of the Ulan Buh desert, Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas are the most typical dunes in this area. However, our knowledge of the effect of those factors on the succession of nebkhas, including their succession in different sandy land types, is limited. The goal of this study was to reveal their factors influencing the morphological characteristics of N. tangutorum nebkhas in different sandy land types (shifting sandy land, semi-fixed sandy land, and fixed sandy land) in the Ulan Buh desert. Our results showed the densities of N. tangutorum nebkhas were 34, 51, and 77 dunes per ha in the shifting, semi-fixed, and fixed sandy lands, respectively. The density of N. tangutorum nebkhas gradually increased and N. tangutorum nebkhas started to degenerate with the increasing fixation of sandy land. The successional stage had significant effects on all the morphological characteristics, and sandy land types had significant effects on the length (L), height (H), volume (V), horizontal scale (D) and ratio of width to height (H/W). Almost all of the morphological parameters of N. tangutorum nebkhas were correlated at different successional stages, indicating a strong interrelationship among the morphological parameters of nebkhas. The successional stages of N. tangutorum nebkhas had significant effects on the density of branch (M), height (h), coverage (C), deadwood rate (DR), and length of new branches (LB) of the N. tangutorum shrub. The M, h, C, and LB first increased and then decreased, and DR increased with the succession of N. tangutorum nebkhas. These results indicated that we should focus on nebkhas succession to ensure the ecological stability of oases in a dessert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: To investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents in Guangzhou, China, and to explore the associations between health risk behaviors and suicidal behaviors. Methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sample design produced a representative sample of 12–19-year-old students who attended public middle schools in Guangzhou. Prevalence estimates and standard errors (SEs) of suicidal ideation and attempts were calculated using SUDAAN statistical software. Logistic regression was used to examine the associations between health risk behaviors and suicidal behaviors. Results: Overall, 17.25% of students reported suicidal ideation, and 3.04% reported suicidal attempts during the past 12months. Almost all investigated health risk behaviors were significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescent females and males. In adjusted logistic regression analyses, physical fight was associated with suicidal attempts (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=4.358; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.080, 17.589), but not with suicidal ideation for females. Considering themselves overweight (AOR=1.257; 95%CI=1.082, 1.610) and current smoking (AOR=1.708; 95%CI=1.134, 4.605) were associated with suicidal ideation, but not with suicidal attempts for females. Among adolescent males, sad/hopeless (AOR=2.280; 95%CI=1.615, 3.219), current drinking (AOR=1.904; 95%CI=1.269, 2.857), and participating in vigorous physical activities ≥3times/week (AOR=0.639; 95%CI=0.477, 0.854) were associated with suicidal ideation, but not with suicidal attempts. Ever having had sexual intercourse was associated with suicidal attempts (AOR=2.588; 95%CI=1.125, 5.952), but not with suicidal ideation for males. Conclusions: The associations of health risk behaviors with suicidal ideation and attempts varied by gender, and the correlates of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts were different. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the scientific analysis of the infectious virus "Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis" found on shrimps in China. Real-time polymerace chain reaction analysis had used a pair of primers and Taqman probe that were designed for the recognition of the said virus. Results revealed that the method used specifically distinguishes the virus without cross-reaction with the Deoxyrebosenucleic acid of the sampled shrimp and other viruses.

Delay in diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is an important but under-appreciated problem. Our study aimed to analyse the patient pathway and possible risk factors of long diagnostic delay (LDD). We enrolled 400 new bacteriologically diagnosed patients with pulmonary TB from 20 hospitals across China. LDD was defined as an interval between the initial care visit and the confirmation of diagnosis exceeding 14 days. Its potential risk factors were investigated by multivariate logistic regression and multilevel logistic regression. Hospitals in China were classified by increasing size, from level 0 to level 3. TB laboratory equipment in hospitals was also evaluated. The median diagnostic delay was 20 days (IQR: 7–72 days), and 229 of 400 patients (57.3%, 95%CI 52.4–62.1) had LDD; 15% of participants were diagnosed at the initial care visit. Compared to level 0 facilities, choosing level 2 (OR 0.27, 95%CI 0.12–0.62, p 0.002) and level 3 facilities (OR 0.34, 95%CI 0.14–0.84, p 0.019) for the initial care visit was independently associated with shorter LDD. Equipping with smear, culture, and Xpert at initial care visit simultaneously also helped to avoid LDD (OR 0.28, 95%CI 0.09–0.82, p 0.020). The multilevel logistic regression yielded similar results. Availability of smear, culture, and Xpert was lower in level 0–1 facilities than in level 2–3 facilities (p < 0.001, respectively). Most patients failed to be diagnosed at the initial care visit. Patients who went to low-level facilities initially had a higher risk of LDD. Improvement of TB laboratory equipment, especially at low-level facilities, is urgently needed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China's healthcare reform, community health centers (CHCs) are designed to take a pivotal role in providing primary care. Whilst about 20% of all outpatient care in China is delivered by the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) sector, hospitals, instead of CHCs, are major providers. Using current patterns of patient utilization this study aims to inform CHCs on how they may strengthen access to TCM services. Three thousand three hundred and sixty CHC patients from six cities within the urban Pearl Delta Region were enumerated using multistage cluster sampling. Fifty-two percent had visited herbalists within three months with a mean visit frequency of 1.50 times. Herbal treatments, which are cheaper than western medicines, were more popular amongst those who needed to pay out of pocket including the uninsured. Herbal medicines appeared to be an alternative for those who are underinsured. Acupuncturists and massage therapists were visited by smaller proportions, 6.58% and 5.98%, respectively, with a mean three-month visit of 0.27 and 0.26 times. Access was restricted by lack of social insurance coverage. Whilst increasing provision of TCM in CHCs might respond to patient demand, increasing insurance coverage for TCM needs to be evaluated using current evidence on safety and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicella is endemic worldwide. In China, varicella has not yet been included in the list of legal infectious diseases, nor has a unified national surveillance program been established. And the live attenuated varicella vaccine has not been included in routine immunization. In this study, we analyzed for the first time the varicella epidemiology in Jilin Province in the past 20 years, and the nucleotide site, amino acid site and N-glycosylation site variation of glycoprotein in varicella-zoster virus (VZV) surface 9 in the past 15 years. The results showed that the reported incidence of varicella in Jilin Province in the last 20 years was fluctuating above and below 20/100,000, especially after the epidemic of the COVID-19, and fatal cases appeared in individual years. The genotypic branching of VZV was monitored as Clade 2 in the last 15 years. 9 glycogen nucleotide sites of VZV had different degrees of variability, and the variability had specificity. Therefore, it gives us the idea that in order to reduce the incidence of varicella and herpes zoster, a provincial or even national surveillance program should be introduced as early as possible, and the dynamic monitoring of the variability of the nucleotide sites of VZV should be strengthened at the same time as the vaccine immunization strategy is introduced., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To preliminary investigate the distribution of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution among patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) and reveal the related factors with anxiety and depression., Methods: Between July 2020 and June 2021, specialist doctor recruited AR patients in Beijing and Shanghai. A total of 630 patients admitted to participate in the survey, and 516 (81.9%) (male 54.3%, female 45.7%) participants completed the questionnaires. Three scales including Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and The Patient Health Queationaire-9 (PHQ-9) were applied. The χ 2 and the Fisher's exact test were used to evaluate the classification data, multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the related factors of anxiety and depression., Results: According to 516 AR patients, the most commonly first-constitution was Yang- deficiency (22.1%) and frequent of all constitutions was inherited-special (21.6%). One third of AR patients (33.5%) suffered from anxiety, nearly half of AR patients (46.5%) were found to be depressive. Inherited-special (27.7%) was the most common constitution in patients with anxiety whereas Yang- deficiency (26.7%) was most common constitution in patients with depression. Sex, duration of symptoms, balanced, Qi- deficiency, phlegm-dampness, Qi- stagnation, and inherited-special constitutions were related with anxiety; Sex, income, duration of symptoms, balanced, Qi- deficiency, Yang- deficiency, phlegm-dampness, Qi- stagnation, and inherited-special constitutions were related with depression., Conclusions: According to our study, the commonly constitution types of AR were Yang- deficiency and inherited-special. We found that the prevalence value of anxiety and depression were high. People with Qi- deficiency, phlegm-dampness, Qi- stagnation, and inherited-special constitutions were more likely to have mental problems than the others. Controlling these influential factors might be beneficial for clinical health management of AR patients, and the government should apply appropriate mental health treatment services to offer psychiatric support.

Introduction: Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) has the potential to increase endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial lung biopsy with guide sheath (EBUS-GS-TBLB) accuracy in the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer. However, studies have reported controversial results., Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnosis value of EBUS-GS-TBLB combination with ROSE in peripheral lung cancer., Methods: A total of 138 patients undergoing EBUS-GS-TBLB and ultimately diagnosed with lung cancer were allocated into the ROSE group and non-ROSE group. The result of the diagnostic yields, number of biopsy sites, the complication, cytopathological diagnostic cost and procedure times of EBUS-GS-TBLB with ROSE and without ROSE were compared., Results: The diagnostic yields of TBLB were 87.8% and 78.1% in ROSE group and non-ROSE group, respectively (P < .05). The number of biopsy, procedure times and the percentage of the complication in ROSE group was significantly lower than in non-ROSE group (P < .05, respectively). The cytopathological diagnostic cost of ROSE group was lower compared with non-ROSE group (P < .05)., Conclusions: EBUS-GS-TBLB combined with ROSE could be helpful to diagnose peripheral lung cancer, and could reduce the number of biopsy, procedure times, cytopathological diagnostic cost and complication., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Investigation of stable isotope composition under different land use types is helpful for understanding soil water movement and hydrological effects of land use change. We collected soil samples in profiles ＞ 15 m deep under four land use types (i.e. farmland, grassland, Salix cheilophila and Populus sp.) in the loess deposits of northern Shaanxi. We measured hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope composition of soil water to explore the mechanism of soil water movement and the impacts of land use types. The isotope compositions of soil water under four land use types were significantly different. The δD values of soil water under farmland, grassland, S. cheilophila and Populus sp. were -81.1‰--60.1‰, -91.2‰--61.0‰, -87.4‰--63.6‰ and -73.5‰--62.2‰, while the δ 18 O values were -11.2‰--7.6‰, -12.6‰--8.2‰, -11.5‰--8.1‰ and -9.9‰--7.7‰, respectively. The soil water stable isotopes fluctuated across the profiles. The soil water isotope compositions in the layers of 0-3 m changed sharply, with the δD values being -80.2‰--61.8‰, -75.9‰--65.5‰, -76.0‰--63.6‰ and -73.5‰--62.2‰, respectively. In the layers of 3-12 m, the isotope profiles of farmland and grassland were parabolic, whereas those of S. cheilophila and Populus sp. were relatively stable. Soil water isotope compositions in the layers deeper than 12 m were generally stable with the δD values of -80.8‰--71.5‰, -83.0‰--67.5‰, -87.4‰--76.0‰ and -67.5‰--64.3‰, respectively. Across the four land use types, soil water stable isotope compositions were not significantly different either in the shallow layers or in the deep soil layers, but their differences in the layers of 3-12 m were significant. Soil moisture was mainly recharged from precipitation with piston flow as the main form of soil water movement. Soil water under four land use types might be recharged by wet events of different intensities. Soil water under farmland and grassland could be recharged by wet events of small intensity, but that under S. cheilophila and Populus sp. may be mainly recharged by the rainstorm in summer and autumn.

Taking summer maize cultivars Zhenjie 2 (ZJ2), Denghai 605 (DH605), and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) as test materials, a field trial was conducted to study the effects of shading on the dry matter accumulation and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) absorption of summer maize. Four treatments were installed, i. e., shading from flowering stage to maturity stage (S1), shading from six-leaf stage to flowering stage (S2), shading all through the growth season (S3), and no shading (CK). After shading, the grain yield and dry matter accumulation decreased significantly, and the decrement was related to shading period, showing S3 > S1 > S2. The grain yield in treatments S1, S2, and S3 was averagely 61.6%, 25.3%, and 92.8% lower than that of CK, respectively, indicating that the effects of shading after flowering were greater than those of shading before flowering. The responses of different cultivars to shading presented a similar trend. The nutrient absorption of summer maize before flowering stage showed K > N > P, and the nutrient absorption amount of whole plant showed N>K>P. After shading, the N and P absorption decreased significantly. The plant relative N and P absorption in different treatments had somewhat increase, because the decrement of dry matter accumulation after shading was larger than that of N and P absorption, as compared with the control. After shading, the plant K absorption decreased significantly, and the decrement in S2 was larger than that of dry matter accumulation. Shading before flowering stage had larger effects on the plant K absorption than on the N and P absorption.

Taking the high-yielding summer maize cultivars Denghai 661 (DH661) and Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) as test materials, a field experiment was conducted to study their grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency, key enzymes activities of nitrogen metabolism, and antioxidant enzymes activities under effects of different nitrogen application periods. One-dose nitrogen application at jointing stage was not beneficial to the increase of grain yield and the nitrogen accumulation in plant and grain, while split application in combination with application after anthesis increased the nitrogen accumulation in plant and grain significantly and increased the grain yield. When the nitrogen was applied at a ratio of 2:4:4 at jointing stage, 10-leaf stage, and 10 days after anthesis, the grain yield of DH661 was up to 14123.0 kg x hm(-2); when the nitrogen was applied at a ratio of 1:2:5:2 as the basal and at jointing stage, 10-leaf stage, and 10 days after anthesis, the grain yield of ZD958 was up to 14517.1 kg x hm(-2). These two nitrogen application modes increased the grain yield of DH661 and ZD958 by 14.5% and 17.5%, respectively, as compared with one-dose nitrogen application at jointing stage. Split nitrogen application before anthesis increased plant nitrate reductase activity significantly. In the 0-42 days after anthesis under split nitrogen application, the glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, and glutamate dehydrogenase activities of DH661 and ZD958 were averagely increased by 32.6%, 47.1% and 50.4%, and 14.5%, 61.8% and 25.6%, and the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were increased by 22. 0% and 36.6%, and 13.4% and 62.0%, respectively, and the malondialdehyde content was decreased significantly, as compared with one-off nitrogen application. It was suggested that for the high-yielding of summer maize, split application of nitrogen and appropriately increasing the nitrogen application ratio after anthesis could enhance the plant key nitrogen metabolism enzymes activities, delay leaf senescence, promote plant nitrogen uptake and its utilization, and increase grain yield.

A survey was carried out in three main maize production regions in Northeast, North, and Southwest China, including 720 villages of 125 counties, with the purpose of investigating the present situation of maize straw resource utilization and its effect. Among the present utilization ways of maize straw resource, the main ones were returning to soil, feeding livestock, and using as fuel, their proportions being 30.8%, 26.2%, and 24.6%, respectively. In Northeast China, the top three utilization ways were fuel, livestock feed, and returning to soil, with the proportions being 35.4%, 30.8% and 19.8%; in North China, the top three were returning to soil, livestock feed, and fuel, with the proportions being 43.6%, 19.9%, and 17.9%; and in Southwest China, they were returning to soil, livestock feed, and fuel, with the proportions being 29.0%, 27.9%, and 20.5%, respectively. In the survey areas, the proportion of using maize straw as fuel was smaller (12.8%), and that of using as industrial raw material was only 0.7%. Returning maize straw to soil increased maize yield (the increment in Northeast, North, and Southwest China was 632.0, 371.6, and 290.4 kg x hm(-2), respectively), improved soil condition, and decreased the application rates of manure, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers by 20% -30%, 16%-30%, 24%-34%, and 33%-38%, respectively. The maize yield increased with increasing straw mass and its returning amount and proportion. However, because of wanting complete sets of available machines, straw returning was low in quality, which increased the difficulty in weed controlling and promoted the occurrence of some diseases and insect pests, giving impacts on maize seedlings growth. It would be necessary to strengthen the researches on the related complete set maize straw returning techniques.

In order to investigate the effects of interplanting and direct seeding on the photosynthesis characteristics of summer maize and its utilization of solar and heat resources, two summer maize cultivars (Zhengdan 958 and Denghai 661) were planted in the farmlands of Denghai Seed Co. Ltd in Laizhou City of Shandong Province, with 67500 plants x hm(-2) and three sowing dates. The above-ground biomass, plant growth rate, leaf area index, and net photosynthetic rate per ear leaf were measured to reveal the photosynthesis characteristics of test cultivars. In the meantime, the characters of grain-filling were simulated by Richards' model, and the solar resource utilization efficiency of the cultivars was calculated, in combining with meteorological data. Comparing with interplanting, direct seeding increased the grain yield by 1.17%-3.33%, but decreased the thousand-grain weight significantly. Growth stages were extended under earlier sowing. The leaf area index and net photosynthetic rate from flowering to 30 d after anthesis were significantly higher under direct seeding than under interplanting, but after then, they decreased faster. Direct seeding induced a higher accumulation of dry matter and a faster plant growth rate before and after flowering. Under direct seeding, the maximum grain-filling rate reached earlier, the starting potential was higher, but the grain-filling period, active grain-filling period, and W(max) were lower, compared with those under interplanting. Also under direct seeding, the total accumulative temperature and solar radiation during growth period decreased by 150-350 degrees C x d and 200-400 MJ x m(-2), respectively, but the solar resource utilization efficiency of grain increased by 10.5%-24.7%. All the results suggested that direct seeding was superior to interplanting for the summer maize production under field condition. In order to enhance solar and heat utilization efficiency and excavate yield potential, it would be essential to improve the leaf photosynthesis efficiency and postpone leaf aging.

A field experiment with colophony-coated fertilizer (CRF) and sulfur-coated fertilizer (SCF) showed that under the same application rates of N, P and K, applying CRF and SCF increased the summer maize grain yield by 13.15% and 14.15%, respectively, compared to the application of common compound fertilizer CCF. When the applied amount of CRF and SCF was decreased by 25%, the yield increment was 9.69% and 10.04%, respectively; and when the applied amount of CRF and SCF was decreased by 50%, the yield had less difference with that under CCF application. The field ammonia volatilization rate in treatments CRF and SCF increased slowly, with a peak appeared 7 days later than that in treatment CCF, and the total amount of ammonia volatilization in treatments CRF and SCF was ranged from 0.78 kg N x hm(-2) to 4.43 kg N x hm(-2), with a decrement of 51.34%-91.34% compared to that in treatment CCF. The fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of CRF and SCF were also significantly higher than those of CCF.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of BMI (Body Mass Index) and WHR (Waist Hip Ratio) on average blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension in middle-aged and elderly population in rural China. A total of 12955 subjects including 6276 males and 6688 females over 40 years of age were surveyed. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference and blood pressure were measured. The association of BMI and WHR on average blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension were analyzed by dividing BMI and WHR into tertiles. The average blood pressure levels and the prevalence of hypertension in males and females increased significantly with the increase of BMI or WHR (P < 0.01), as well as with the increase of both of them (P < 0.01). The average blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension stopped increasing when WHR was > or = 0.76, suggesting that WHR > or = 0.80 could be used as a cut-off value for the prediction of hypertension risk for both males and females. Therefore hypertension could be effectively prevented and controlled by controlling BMI and WHR.