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Objective: Association between particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) components and diabetes remains unclear. We therefore aimed to investigate the associations of long-term exposure to PM2.5 components with diabetes.Research Design and Methods: This study included 69,210 adults with no history of diabetes from a large-scale epidemiologic survey in Southwest China from 2018 to 2019. The annual average concentrations of PM2.5 and its components were estimated using satellite remote sensing and chemical transport modeling. Diabetes was identified as fasting plasma glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L (126 mg/dL) or hemoglobin A1c ≥48 mmol/mol (6.5%). The logistic regression model and weighted quantile sum method were used to estimate the associations of single and joint exposure to PM2.5 and its components with diabetes, respectively.Results: Per-SD increases in the 3-year average concentrations of PM2.5 (odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15), black carbon (BC; 1.07, 1.01-1.15), ammonium (1.07, 1.00-1.14), nitrate (1.08, 1.01-1.16), organic matter (OM; 1.09, 1.02-1.16), and soil particles (SOIL; 1.09, 1.02-1.17) were positively associated with diabetes. The associations were stronger in those ≥65 years. Joint exposure to PM2.5 and its components was positively associated with diabetes (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07). The estimated weight of OM was the largest among PM2.5 and its components.Conclusions: Long-term exposure to BC, nitrate, ammonium, OM, and SOIL is positively associated with diabetes. Moreover, OM might be the most responsible for the relationship between PM2.5 and diabetes. This study adds to the evidence of a PM2.5-diabetes association and suggests controlling sources of OM to curb the burden of PM2.5-related diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the national strategies of China, the ecological protection of the Yellow River basin (YRB) is vital for the promotion of the high-quality development (HQD) of the regional economy. This paper uses the data of prefecture-level cities in the YRB from 2004–2019 to analyze the effect of environmental regulation and local government competition on HQD. The findings show the following: (1) Environmental regulation can significantly promote HQD in the YRB, and local government competition can significantly reduce HQD. The interaction effect shows that the promotion effect of environmental regulation on HQD weakens with the intensification of competition between local governments. (2) A heterogeneity analysis shows that environmental regulation has a more significant positive impact on HQD for the lower reaches of the YRB. (3) Using a threshold effect test, it is found that the impact of environmental regulation on the HQD presents a significant nonlinear positive effect with an increase in local government competition. When the local government competition represented by the level of economic catch-up exceeds the threshold value of 3.037, this positive effect decreases significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: China was affected by an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2019–2020. Research data are needed to develop evidence-driven strategies to reduce the adverse psychological and occupational impacts on healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: From March 1, 2020, to March 8, 2020, 946 HCWs in China completed a survey consist of sociodemographic data, precautionary measures against COVID-19, and concerns about COVID-19. Self-administered questionnaire were collected to assess psychological and occupational adverse outcomes of HCWs. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the outcomes. Results: A total of 55.0%, 56.0% and 48.3% of the HCWs experienced burnout, psychological distress and posttraumatic stress, respectively. A total of seven factors were independently associated with burnout: good health status (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.36–0.71), fear of contagion (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.003–1.79), avoiding contact with children (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.03–1.91), enough staff support at the workplace (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.38–0.92), having to work overtime (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.03–1.83), maladaptive coping (OR 3.28, 95% CI 2.42–4.45) and adaptive coping (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35–0.62). A total of 11 factors were independently associated with high psychological distress: having one child (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.38–0.77), good health status (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.39–0.83), alcohol abuse (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.02–2.25), thinking the epidemic would continue for quite a long time (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.08–2.34), wearing extra-work clothes (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.06–2.15),effective protective equipment (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22–0.90), enough staff support at the workplace (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.34–0.89), unable to take care of families (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.42–2.78), economic losses (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14–2.31), maladaptive coping (OR 6.88, 95% CI 4.75–9.97),and adaptive coping (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.21–0.41). These factors were independently associated with posttraumatic stress: living with the elderly (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04–2.05), alcohol abuse (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.002–1.98), working at a 3A hospital(OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49–0.88), acquaintances confirmed COVID-19 (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.20–3.84), fear of contagion (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.40–2.50), believing they would survive if infected (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46–0.86), self-disinfected after arriving home (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.01–2.02), interpersonal isolation (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.21–2.26), unable to take care of families (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05–1.88) and maladaptive coping (OR 3.09, 95% CI 2.32–4.11). Conclusion: The variance in adverse outcomes was explained by the effect of various factors, which will help policymakers better prepare for subsequent potential outbreaks of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human migration facilitate the spread of tuberculosis (TB). Migrants face an increased risk of TB infection. In this study, we aim to explore the spatial inequity of sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB (SS + PTB) in China; and the spatial heterogeneity between SS + PTB and internal migration. Methods: Notified SS + PTB cases in 31 provinces in mainland China were obtained from the national web-based PTB surveillance system database. Internal migrant data were extracted from the report on China's migrant population development. Spatial autocorrelations were explored using the global Moran's statistic and local indicators of spatial association. The spatial variation in temporal trends was performed using Kulldorff's scan statistic. Fixed effect and spatial autoregressive models were used to explore the spatial inequity between SS + PTB and internal migration. Results: A total of 2 380 233 SS + PTB cases were reported in China between 2011 and 2017, of which, 1 716 382 (72.11%) were male and 663 851 (27.89%) were female. Over 70% of internal migrants were from rural households and had lower income and less education. The spatial variation in temporal trend results showed that there was an 9.9% average annual decrease in the notification rate of SS + PTB from 2011 to 2017; and spatial clustering of SS + PTB cases was mainly located in western and southern China. The spatial autocorrelation results revealed spatial clustering of internal migration each year (2011–2017), and the clusters were stable within most provinces. Internal emigration, urban-to-rural migration and GDP per capita were significantly associated with SS + PTB, further, internal emigration could explain more variation in SS + PTB in the eastern region in mainland. However, internal immigration and rural-to-urban migration were not significantly associated with SS + PTB across China. Conclusions: Our study found the spatial inequity between SS + PTB and internal migration. Internal emigration, urban-to-rural migration and GDP per capita were statistically associated with SS + PTB; the negative association was identified between internal emigration, urban-to-rural migration and SS + PTB. Further, we found those migrants with lower income and less education, and most of them were from rural households. These findings can help stakeholders to implement effective PTB control strategies for areas at high risk of PTB and those with high rates of internal migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the effect of hemolysis on glycated albumin (GA) levels, as determined by the ketamine oxidase method. Methods GA levels and the hemolysis index were determined in nonhemolyzed serum and hemolyzed serum from corresponding patients. We developed an equation to correct the interference of hemolysis on GA, using multiple regression analysis. Results The degree of hemolysis was negatively correlated with GA levels (R2 = 0.9500). A correction equation for GA (corrected GA = 2.703 × OD of hemolysis + 1.044 × measured GA −0.906) can revert GA concentrations of hemolyzed specimens to values that were not significantly different from the GA concentration of corresponding nonhemolyzed specimens. The bias of GA concentrations before and after correction was statistically significantly different (P <.01). Conclusions Our results indicate that the level of GA measured through the ketamine oxidase method is negatively affected by hemolysis. The individualized correction of GA results provides increased accuracy in hemolyzed specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to antimicrobial agents has been increasing year by year due to the overuse of antibiotics. The primary aims of the present study were to investigate the molecular characteristics of the clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and the resistance to azithromycin in a Chinese tertiary hospital. Methods: From January 2014 to May 2017, a total of 55 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were collected. Genes associated with azithromycin resistance (AZM-R), including mutations in 23S rRNA alleles, the mtrR promoter and coding regions, and rplD and rplV were evaluated by PCR and DNA sequencing. All clinical isolates were subjected to N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST), while the AZM-R isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results: The AZM-R rate in this study was 23.64% (13/55), and a single (A)-nucleotide deletion mutation in the mtrR promoter region, a G45D mutation in the mtrR coding region, a point mutation in rplD, and an A2047G mutation in 23S rRNA alleles were detected in 13, 4, 3 and 4 isolates, respectively; no mutations were found in rplV. There was no significant difference in the mtrR coding region mutation rate between the azithromycin-sensitive and AZM-R groups (P > 0.05); however, there was a significant difference in the mutation rate of the mtrR promoter region (P < 0.05). Among the 55 isolates studied, 43 distinct NG-MAST were determined, while the AZM-R isolates were allocated into 10 distinct MLST/NG-MAST combinations. All three isolates with high-level AZM-R belonged to the sequence types (STs) NG-MAST ST1866 and MLST ST10899. Conclusion: N. gonorrhoeae clinical isolates from Wenzhou, eastern China, showed considerable genetic diversity. Measures should be implemented to monitor the spread of the NG-MAST ST1866 and MLST ST10899 N. gonorrhoeae clones, which exhibit high-level AZM-R in eastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the clinicopathological data and long-term survival of gastric cancer patients in China and Korea. Materials and Methods: Patients who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 1998 and 2009 in 2 high-volume institutions in both China (n=1,637) and Korea (n=2,231) were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological variables, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and surgery-related complications were assessed for all patients and compared between the 2 institutions. Results: Chinese patients included in the study were significantly older and had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than the Korean patients. Esophagogastric junction tumors were more frequent in Chinese patients. However, the number of patients with stage I gastric cancer, the number of harvested lymph nodes, and the number of total gastrectomies were significantly higher in the Korean population. Korean patients also presented with fewer undifferentiated tumors than Chinese patients. Furthermore, Korean patients had prolonged OS and PFS for stage III cancers only. BMI, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, tumor invasion, number of positive lymph nodes, and distant metastases were all independent factors affecting OS and PFS. Conclusions: Although China and Korea are neighboring Asian countries, the clinicopathological characteristics of Chinese patients are significantly different from those of Korean patients. Korean gastric cancer patients had longer OS and PFS than Chinese patients. Influencing factors included TNM stage, tumor invasion, and lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the role of China in Arctic affairs and governance with respect to global governance. Topics discussed include five marine scientific expeditions in the Arctic conducted by the country to carry out comprehensive observations on snow, ice and geology, China's participation in Arctic scientific research by joining the International Arctic Science Committee in 1996 and efforts of China to respect rights of indigenous peoples in the Arctic region.

Abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a subset of gastric carcinoma which was defined as EBV-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC). The proportion of EBVaGC in gastric remnant carcinoma (GRC) was apparently higher than that in conventional gastric carcinoma (CGC) which occurs in the intact stomach. To clarify the possible mechanisms, 26 GRC cases from Guangzhou were investigated for the presence of EBV, and the EBV genome polymorphisms of EBVaGC in GRC were analyzed. Besides, the clinicopathologic characteristics, EBV latency pattern of EBVaGC in GRC were also investigated. Eight (30.8%) out of 26 cases were identified as EBVaGCs. Type A strain, prototype F, type I, mut-W1/I1, XhoI− and del-LMP1 variants were predominant among EBVaGC patients, accounting for 7 (87.5%), 7 (87.5%), 8 (100%), 6 (75%), 5 (62.5%) and 8 (100%) cases, respectively. All EBVaGC cases were male and with the histology of diffuse-type carcinoma. The tumor cells expressed EBNA1 (87.5%) and LMP2A (62.5%) but not LMP1, EBNA2 and ZEBRA. Thus, the EBV latency pattern was latency I. These were similar to those in CGC, except for the significantly higher proportion of EBVaGC in GRC than in CGC, suggesting that there is no more aggressive EBV variant in EBVaGC in GRC, and the injuries of gastric mucosa and/or changes of the microenvironment within the remnant stomach may be involved in the development of EBVaGC in GRC. This, to our knowledge, is the first study concerning about the EBV genome polymorphisms of EBVaGC in GRC in the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Agricultural runoff is an important antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) dissemination pathway from farmlands to water environment, however few studies have focused on the influence of agricultural land-use change on the pattern of ARGs in runoff and assess the health risk to public. Lake Tai Basin which experiences agricultural land-use change was selected to elucidate this concern. Our findings revealed that the pattern of ARGs was more diverse and the gene abundance was higher in orchard runoffs by comparison with conventional cropland runoffs. Co-occurrence network analysis between mobile genetic elements and ARGs demonstrated that after agricultural land-use change, ARG dissemination via runoffs became more threatened. In addition, this study illustrated the correlations between the antibiotic resistome and microbiome in runoffs, finding that non-dominant microbial taxa were the limiting factor which determined the pattern of ARGs in surface runoffs. In summary, the pattern and dissemination risk of ARGs in the surface runoff after agricultural land-use change in Lake Tai Basin were clarified via this study. [Display omitted] • Orchard runoffs harbor more diverse and abundant ARGs than traditional cropland runoffs. • After land-use change, runoffs possess a strong ability for disseminating ARGs in Lake Tai Basin. • Non-dominant bacterial taxa are closely correlated with the antibiotic resistome in runoffs. • The effect of agricultural land-use change on the ARG contamination in Lake Tai Basin should not be underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] China owns large quantity of crop residues to develop the renewable energy. [•] Priority of using crop residues should be different across provinces. [•] Policy supports are critical for the existence of power generation plant. [•] Important to increase power generation efficiency and lower the cost of feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The health effects of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) might differ depending on compositional variations. Little is known about the joint effect of PM 2.5 constituents on metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to evaluate the combined associations of PM 2.5 components with CVD, identify the most detrimental constituent, and further quantify the mediation effect of metabolic syndrome., Methods and Results: A total of 14 427 adults were included in a cohort study in Sichuan, China, and were followed to obtain the diagnosis of CVD until 2021. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the simultaneous occurrence of multiple metabolic disorders measured at baseline. The concentrations of PM 2.5 chemical constituents within a 1-km 2 grid were derived based on satellite- and ground-based detection methods. Cox proportional hazard models showed that black carbon, organic matter (OM), nitrate, ammonium, chloride, and sulfate were positively associated with CVD risks, with hazard ratios (HRs) ranging from 1.24 to 2.11 (all P <0.05). Quantile g-computation showed positive associations with 4 types of CVD risks (HRs ranging from 1.48 to 2.25, all P <0.05). OM and chloride had maximum weights for CVD risks. Causal mediation analysis showed that the positive association of OM with total CVD was mediated by metabolic syndrome, with a mediation proportion of 1.3% (all P <0.05)., Conclusions: Long-term exposure to PM 2.5 chemical constituents is positively associated with CVD risks. OM and chloride appear to play the most responsible role in the positive associations between PM 2.5 and CVD. OM is probably associated with CVD through metabolic-related pathways.

Objective: Previous studies proved the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution or physical activity (PA) on the risk of systemic inflammation-induced multimorbidity (SIIM), while the evidence regarding their joint effects was rare, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, we aimed to examine the extent of interaction or joint relations of PA and air pollution with SIIM., Methods: This study included 72,172 participants from China Multi-Ethnic Cohort.The average concentrations of ambient particulate matter pollutants (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 ) were estimated using satellite-based random forest models. Self-reported information on a range of physical activities related to occupation, housework, commuting, and leisure activities was collected by an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 11 chronic inflammatory systemic diseases were assessed based on self-reported lifetime diagnosis or medical examinations. SIIM was defined as having ≥ 2 chronic diseases related to systemic inflammation. Logistic regression models were used to assess the complex associations of air pollution particulate matter and PA with SIIM., Results: We found positive associations between long-term air pollution particulates exposure and SIIM, with odds ratios (95%CI) of 1.07 (1.03 to 1.11), 1.18 (1.13 to 1.24), and 1.08 (1.05 to 1.12) per 10 µg/m 3 increase in PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 . No significant multiplicative interaction was found between ambient air pollutant exposure and PA on SIIM, whereas negative additive interaction was observed between long-term exposure to PM 2.5 and PA on SIIM. The positive associations between low volume PA and SIIM were stronger among those exposed to high-level air pollution particulates. Compared with individuals engaged in high volume PA and exposed to low-level ambient air pollutants, those engaged in low volume PA and exposed to high-level ambient air pollutants had a higher risk of SIIM (OR = 1.49 in PM 1 exposure, OR = 1.84 in PM 2.5 exposure, OR = 1.19 in PM 10 exposure)., Conclusions: Long-term (3 years average) exposure to PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 was associated with an increased risk of SIIM. The associations were modified by PA, highlighting PA's importance in reducing SIIM for all people, especially those living in high-level air pollution regions., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Numerous studies have shown that residential greenness positively correlates with enhanced health. Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) affects about a quarter of the population while lacking specific treatments. Given that the association between green space and MAFLD is still unknown, we explored the association between residential greenness and MAFLD as well as the potential mechanisms based on the baseline survey of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC)., Methods: Residential greenness was expressed as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). MAFLD was assessed through hepatic steatosis, the presence of overweight/obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and evidence of metabolic dysregulation. We used logistic regression to examine the association between NDVI/EVI and the prevalence of MAFLD. Moreover, we utilized causal mediation analyses to explore the role of physical activity and ambient particulate matters (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 ) on the association between residential greenness and MAFLD., Results: We included 72,368 participants from the CMEC and found that residential greenness was negatively associated with the prevalence of MAFLD. For an interquartile range (IQR) increase in NDVI 500 m and EVI 500 m , the odds ratio (OR) of MAFLD were 0.78 (95 %CI: 0.75, 0.81) and 0.81 (95 %CI: 0.78, 0.84), respectively. Greater association between residential greenness and MAFLD was observed among males. Air pollutants and physical activity could mediate a partial effect (8.5-22.9 %) of residential greenness on MAFLD., Conclusion: Higher residential greenness was associated with decreased risk of MAFLD. Moreover, the association was greater among males. The protective effects of residential greenness may be achieved by mitigating the hazardous effects of air pollutants and encouraging physical activity., 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 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Allostatic load measures the cumulative biological burden imposed by chronic stressors. Emerging experimental evidence supports that air pollution acting as a stressor activates the neuroendocrine system and then produces multi-organ effects, leading to allostatic load. However, relevant epidemiological evidence is limited., Objectives: We aim to explore the relationships between chronic exposure to ambient air pollution (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and O 3 ) and allostatic load in Chinese adults., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 85,545 participants aged 30-79 from the baseline data of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC). Ambient air pollution levels were evaluated by a satellite-based random forest approach. The previous three-year average exposure concentrations were calculated for each participant based on the residential address. The outcome allostatic load was identified through the sum of the sex-specific scores of twelve biomarkers belonging to four major categories: cardiovascular, metabolic, anthropometric, and inflammatory parameters. We performed statistical analysis using a doubly robust approach which relies on inverse probability weighting and outcome model to adjust for confounding., Results: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was significantly associated with an increased risk of allostatic load, with relative risk (95% confidence interval) of 1.040 (1.024, 1.057), 1.029 (1. 018, 1. 039), and 1.087 (1.074, 1.101) for each 10 μg/m 3 increase in ambient PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and O 3 , respectively. No significant relationship was observed between chronic exposure to PM 1 and allostatic load. The associations between air pollution and allostatic load are modified by some intrinsic factors and non-chemical stressors. The people with older, minority, lower education, and lower-income levels had a significantly higher allostatic load induced by air pollution., Conclusions: Chronic exposure to ambient PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and O 3 may increase the allostatic load. This finding provides epidemiological evidence that air pollution may be a chronic stressor, leading to widespread physiological burdens., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Living near green spaces may benefit various health outcomes. However, no studies have investigated the greenness-bone linkage in the general population. Moreover, to which extent ambient air pollution (AAP), physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI) mediate this relationship remains unclear. We aimed to explore the association between greenness and bone strength and the potential mediating roles of AAP, PA, and BMI in Chinese adults., Methods: This cross-sectional analysis enrolled 66,053 adults from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort in 2018-2019. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were employed to define residential greenness. The calcaneus quantitative ultrasound index (QUI) was used to indicate bone strength. Multiple linear regression models and mediation analyses were used to estimate the residential greenness-bone strength association and potential pathways operating through AAP (represented by PM 2.5 [particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter]), PA, and BMI. Stratification analyses were performed to identify susceptible populations., Results: Higher residential exposure to greenness was significantly associated with an increase in QUI, with changes (95% confidence interval) of 3.28 (3.05, 3.50), 3.57 (3.34, 3.80), 2.68 (2.46, 2.90), and 2.93 (2.71, 3.15) for every interquartile range increase in NDVI 500m , NDVI 1000m , EVI 500m , and EVI 1000m , respectively. Sex, urbanicity, annual family income, smoking, and drinking significantly modified the association of greenness-bone strength, with more remarkable associations in males, urban residents, subjects from wealthier families, smokers, and drinkers. For the NDVI 500m /EVI 500m -QUI relationship, the positive mediating roles of PM 2.5 and PA were 6.70%/8.50 and 2.43%/2.69%, respectively, whereas those negative for BMI and PA-BMI were 0.88%/1.06% and 0.05%/0.05%, respectively., Conclusion: Living in a greener area may predict higher bone strength, particularly among males, urban residents, wealthier people, smokers, and drinkers. AAP, PA, BMI, and other factors may partially mediate the positive association. Our findings underscore the importance of optimizing greenness planning and management policies., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chinese grass shrimp (Palaemonetes sinensis) is an important species widely distributed throughout China, which is ecologically relevant and possesses ornamental and economic value. These organisms have experienced a sharp decline in population due to overfishing. Therefore interest in P. sinensis aquaculture has risen in an effort to alleviate fishing pressure on wild populations. Therefore, we investigated the genetic diversity and variation of P. sinensis to verify the accuracy of previous research results, as well as to assess the risk of diversity decline in wild populations and provide data for artificial breeding., Methods: Palaemonetes sinensis specimens from seven locations were collected and their genetic variability was assessed based on mitochondrial COI gene segments. DNA sequence polymorphisms for each population were estimated using DNASP 6.12. The demographic history and genetic variation were evaluated using Arlequin 3.11. At last, the pairwise genetic distance (Ds) values and dendrograms were constructed with the MEGA 11 software package., Results: Our study obtained sequences from 325 individuals, and 41 haplotypes were identified among the populations. The haplotype diversity (H d ) and nucleotide diversity (π) indices ranged from 0.244 ± 0.083 to 0.790 ± 0.048 and from 0.0004 ± 0.0001 to 0.0028 ± 0.0006, respectively. Haplotype network analyses identified haplotype Hap&#95;1 as a potential maternal ancestral haplotype for the studied populations. AMOVA results indicated that genetic variations mainly occurred within populations (73.07%). Moreover, according to the maximum variation among groups (F CT ), analysis of molecular variance using the optimal two-group scheme indicated that the maximum variation occurred among groups (53.36%). Neutrality and mismatch distribution tests suggested that P. sinensis underwent a recent population expansion. Consistent with the SAMOVA analysis and haplotype network analyses, the Ds and F ST between the population pairs indicated that the JN population was distinctive from the others., Conclusions: Our study conducted a comprehensive characterization of seven wild P. sinensis populations, and our findings elucidated highly significant differences within populations. The JN population was differentiated from the other six populations, as a result of long-term geographical separation. Overall, the present study provided a valuable basis for the management of genetic resources and a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of this species., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: To evaluate the association between dyslipidaemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a cohort of postmenopausal women., Methods: This retrospective study analysed data from postmenopausal women with early AD (group AD) and a cohort of healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects (group NC) that were considered to be within standard limits according to a neuropsychological assessment between March 2010 and March 2019. The primary endpoints were body mass index and lipid-related laboratory parameters, including leptin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol, adiponectin, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein E4, which were evaluated using multivariate binary logistic analysis., Results: The study enrolled 200 postmenopausal women with early AD (mean ± SD age 69.34 ± 6.25 years) and 180 control subjects (mean ± SD age 67.48 ± 7.42 years). Lower HDL-C and higher LDL-C were risk factors for AD. A multivariate binary logistic regression model demonstrated that lower HDL-C and higher LDL-C were the only variables associated with the development of AD (odds ratio [OR] 21.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.47, 4.13; OR 36.35, 95% CI 1.24, 3.38; respectively)., Conclusion: Both low HDL-C and high LDL-C were associated with the occurrence of AD in a cohort of postmenopausal women.

Land carrying capacity is one of the important research fields for land management and sustainable use. Urban-rural construction land is an essential component of land use type, the rationality of whose structure and layout is crucial to the sustainable use of land. Here, we executed the evaluation of the suitability of urban-rural construction land development, accounted the bearable critical threshold of urban-rural construction land, calculated the bearable abundance of urban-rural construction land, and compared with the current urban-rural construction land, analyzed the matching of the space layout, and then obtained the remaining development intensity of each county (city or district) of the Poyang Lake urban agglomeration. The results showed that the most suitable, more suitable, less suitable and unsuitable area about the evaluation results of urban-rural construction land development suitability were 3130.62, 2477.29, 867.03 and 29509.14 km 2 , respectively. The bearable critical threshold of urban-rural construction land (developable strength) was 16.6%, and the value of each county (city, district) was 7.7%-100%. The abundance of urban-rural construction land in each county (city, district) was mainly 0.15-1.30. The remaining development intensity was 12.3%, and the spatial matching degree was 0.76. The remaining develo-pment intensity of each county (city, district) was 4.9%-53.5%, and the spatial matching degree of each county (city, district) was 0.11- 1.00, with a wide range. Our results would help to clarify the relationship between the current development status and the rational development status, which could provide a basis for the refined management of urban-rural construction land and the regulatory policies' formulation of spatial pattern optimization.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of Erlotinib versus Gefitinib in the treatment of Asian patients with exon 19 EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and newly diagnosed brain metastases., Methods: Consecutive Asian patients with exon 19 EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and newly diagnosed brain metastases were identified and initially received peroral administration of 150 mg/d erlotinib or 250 mg/d gefitinib during 2009-2015. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the second endpoint., Results: The cohort consisted of 227 Asian patients (erlotinib-treated cohort: n = 112, mean age = 58.5 years [SD: 20.13]; gefitinib-treated cohort: n = 115, mean age = 58.4 years [SD: 19.52]). In a multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex and time span of smoking history, significant difference was detected in the 36-month OS between erlotinib and gefitinib groups (58.3% vs. 49.1%, p = 0.012). There was also significant difference in the 36-month PFS between erlotinib and gefitinib groups (64% vs. 53%, p = 0.013)., Conclusion: For Asian patients with exon 19 EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and brain metastases, erlotinib was associated with a significantly longer OS and a more prolonged PFS and compared with gefitinib.

This study aimed to determine the factors that impact early cochlear implantation (CI) in Chinese children. The charts of 56 pediatric cochlear implant recipients were retrospectively reviewed. Parental interviews were conducted to collect information regarding the factors that potentially impact early CI in Chinese children. The mean age at CI was 40.98 months, and the median age was 24 months. Thirty patients received an implant before 24 months of age, and the other 26 patients received the implant after 24 months of age. By univariate logistic regression analysis, newborn hearing screening (NHS), financial burden impacted early CI significantly (p < 0.05), while the multivariate analysis indicated that only NHS significantly influenced the early CI (p < 0.05). The following factors were associated with a moderately increased risk of late implantation: lack of NHS [odds ratio (OR) = 5.833], living in a rural community (OR = 2.714), and communication barriers (OR = 2.691). Living in a rural community, financial burden and communication barriers negatively impact the age at CI, whereas NHS positively influence the age at CI. Increased awareness of these factors could promote early CI and improve the quality of life of congenitally deaf children.

Purpose: To investigate how auditory working memory relates to speech perception performance by Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users., Method: Auditory working memory and speech perception was measured in Mandarin-speaking CI and normal-hearing (NH) participants. Working memory capacity was measured using forward digit span and backward digit span; working memory efficiency was measured using articulation rate. Speech perception was assessed with: (a) word-in-sentence recognition in quiet, (b) word-in-sentence recognition in speech-shaped steady noise at +5 dB signal-to-noise ratio, (c) Chinese disyllable recognition in quiet, (d) Chinese lexical tone recognition in quiet. Self-reported school rank was also collected regarding performance in schoolwork., Results: There was large inter-subject variability in auditory working memory and speech performance for CI participants. Working memory and speech performance were significantly poorer for CI than for NH participants. All three working memory measures were strongly correlated with each other for both CI and NH participants. Partial correlation analyses were performed on the CI data while controlling for demographic variables. Working memory efficiency was significantly correlated only with sentence recognition in quiet when working memory capacity was partialled out. Working memory capacity was correlated with disyllable recognition and school rank when efficiency was partialled out. There was no correlation between working memory and lexical tone recognition in the present CI participants., Conclusions: Mandarin-speaking CI users experience significant deficits in auditory working memory and speech performance compared with NH listeners. The present data suggest that auditory working memory may contribute to CI users' difficulties in speech understanding. The present pattern of results with Mandarin-speaking CI users is consistent with previous auditory working memory studies with English-speaking CI users, suggesting that the lexical importance of voice pitch cues (albeit poorly coded by the CI) did not influence the relationship between working memory and speech perception.

Aims: To determine the associations among periostin gene polymorphisms, clinical parameters and heart failure in a Chinese population., Methods: In total, 464 patients with heart failure and 640 control individuals were included in this study. rs3829365 and rs1028728 were genotyped through PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to analyze the independent strength of association among clinical parameters, genotypes and heart failure., Results: rs3829365 was associated with heart failure (P = 0.043), whereas rs1028728 was not (P = 0.188). After adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and hypertriglyceridemia in multivariate logistic regression, we found that CG or GG of rs3829365 [P = 0.015, odds ratio (OR) = 1.88] was an independent risk factor for heart failure and that CG or GG of rs3829365 (P = 0.039, OR = 0.94) and AT or TT of rs1028728 (P = 0.011, OR = 0.68) were significantly protective factors for heart failure in patients who smoked and in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, respectively. Moreover, heart failure in patients with CG or GG genotype of rs3829365 tended to be more severe than in those with CC genotype., Conclusion: These findings suggest that rs3829365 of the periostin gene may be helpful to determine the susceptibility to, and severity of, heart failure. The interactions between rs3829365 and smoking and between rs1028728 and hypertriglyceridemia warrant further investigations for underlying mechanisms.

Objectives: Because of difficulties associated with pediatric speech testing, most pediatric cochlear implant (CI) speech studies necessarily involve basic and simple perceptual tasks. There are relatively few studies regarding Mandarin-speaking pediatric CI users' perception of more difficult speech materials (e.g., words and sentences produced by multiple talkers). Difficult speech materials and tests necessarily require older pediatric CI users, who may have different etiologies of hearing loss, duration of deafness, CI experience. The present study investigated how pediatric CI patient demographics influence speech recognition performance with relatively difficult test materials and methods., Methods: In this study, open-set recognition of multi-talker (two males and two females) Mandarin Chinese disyllables and sentences were measured in 37 Mandarin-speaking pediatric CI users. Subjects were grouped according to etiology of deafness and previous acoustic hearing experience. Group 1 subjects were all congenitally deafened with little-to-no acoustic hearing experience. Group 2 subjects were not congenitally deafened and had substantial acoustic hearing experience prior to implantation. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed within each group using subject demographics such as age at implantation and age at testing., Results: Pediatric CI performance was generally quite good. For Group 1, mean performance was 82.3% correct for disyllables and 82.8% correct for sentences. For Group 2, mean performance was 76.6% correct for disyllables and 84.4% correct for sentences. For Group 1, multiple linear regression analyses showed that age at implantation predicted disyllable recognition, and that age at implantation and age at testing predicted sentence recognition. For Group 2, neither age at implantation nor age at testing predicted disyllable or sentence recognition. Performance was significantly better with the female than with the male talkers., Conclusions: Consistent with previous studies' findings, early implantation provided a significant advantage for profoundly deaf children. Performance for both groups was generally quite good for the relatively difficult materials and tasks, suggesting that open-set word and sentence recognition may be useful in evaluating speech performance with older pediatric CI users. Differences in disyllable recognition between Groups 1 and 2 may reflect differences in adaptation to electric stimulation. The Group 1 subjects developed speech patterns exclusively via electric stimulation, while the Group 2 subjects adapted to electric stimulation relative to previous acoustic patterns., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To summarize clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of infants with urinary calculus and acute renal failure developed after being fed with melamine tainted formula milk., Methods: Data of infant patients with urinary calculus and acute renal failure due to melamine tainted formula milk admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital affiliated to the Capital Medical University and the Xuzhou Children's Hospital in 2008 were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, image features as well as effects of 4 types of therapies., Results: All the 34 infants with urinary calculus were complicated with acute renal failure, their blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was (24.1 +/- 8.2) mmol/L and creatinine (Cr) was (384.2 +/- 201.2) micromol/L. The chemical analysis on the urinary calculus sampled from 14 of the infants showed that the calculus contained melamine and acidum uricum. The time needed for the four types of therapies for returning Cr to normal was (3.5 +/- 1.9) d for cystoscopy group, (2.7 +/- 1.1) d for lithotomy group, (3.8 +/- 2.3) d for dialysis group, and (2.7 +/- 1.6) d for medical treatment group, which had no statistically significant difference (P = 0.508). Renal failure of all the 34 infants was relieved within 1 to 7 days, averaging (3.0 +/- 1.8) d., Conclusion: Melamine tainted formula milk may cause urinary calculus and obstructive acute renal failure. It is suggested that firstly the patients with urinary calculus complicated with acute renal failure should be treated with dialysis or medication to correct electrolyte disturbances, in particular hyperkalemia, and then relieve the obstruction with available medical and surgical methods as soon as possible. It is observed that the short term prognosis is satisfactory.