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Background: Previous researches showed a positive association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and behavioral problems, but there is a little known in Chinese preschoolers.Methods: A population based survey was conducted in 109 kindergartens, in 11 cities across China. Children's SSB consumption was assessed by questionnaires completed by caregivers. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Clancy Autism Behavior Scale (CABS) were used to assessing the children's behavioral problems.Result: The prevalence of SSB consumption ≥ 1 time/day was 24.9%. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of having elevated total difficulties by increasing levels of SSB consumption were 1.00, 1.13 (1.05, 1.22) and 1.24 (1.10, 1.41) (P for trend < 0.001), respectivly. Similar results were found in emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems, and CABS. No significantly increased the risk of hyperactivity and prosocial were observed for higher SSB consumption. No gender differences were found in these associations.Limitations: This is a cross-sectional survey and the causal relationship is unclear.Conclusions: Higher SSB consumption is positively associated with behavioral problems among preschoolers in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a body of research has established the relationship between childhood maltreatment and bullying in Western culture backgrounds, few studies have examined the association between childhood maltreatment experiences and bullying in China. Moreover, to date, the relationship between multiple types of childhood maltreatment and cyber bullying is poorly understood. This study examined the association between multiple types of childhood maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect) and multiple forms of school bullying (physical, verbal, relational, and cyber). A cross-sectional study using three-stage random cluster-sampling approach was conducted in Tongling, Chuzhou, and Fuyang, in Anhui Province. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 5,726 middle school students to assess their school bullying involvement and childhood maltreatment experiences. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between each single type of childhood maltreatment and each single form of school bullying. Each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with increased risk for involvement in each form of bullying as bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Specifically, both childhood physical neglect and emotional neglect were associated with increased risk for involvement in each form of school bullying. Each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with involvement in cyber bullying. Students who experienced multiple types of childhood maltreatment seem to report more forms of school bullying. Furthermore, multiple forms of school bullying caused the co-occurrence of several forms of school bullying. Our results indicated a significant association between school bullying and childhood maltreatment among adolescents. Interventions to reduce school bullying encompassing prevention toward childhood maltreatment might get better results in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of breast cancer in China was 19.2% in 2018, with a five-year survival rate of up to 80%. The impairments that may result from breast cancer treatment, such as lymphedema, pain, and symptoms related to nerve damage, could have long-term side effects. Its prevalence and symptom profile have been commonly reported in various countries, but such data are rarely available for China. Physical function was assessed in 138 breast cancer survivors (BCSs) in the study. The prevalence of lymphedema (65.9%) was higher than that of pain (31.2%), shoulder range of motion (ROM) restriction (20.3%), grip strength restriction (GSR) (21.7%) and paresthesia (11.6%). These impairments mainly appeared within 28 months after breast cancer diagnosis, but could happen in 10 years. Carcinoma in situ and radiotherapy (RT) were related to the occurrence of lymphedema (respectively B = -1.8, p = 0.003; B = 1.3, p = 0.001). RT and delayed rehabilitation time (DRT) may increase the severity of lymphedema (respectively p = 0.003, p = 0.010). Breast conserving surgery (B = -2.1, p = 0.002) and the occurrence of AWS (B = 3.1, p = 0.006) were related to the occurrence of pain. The occurrence of brachial plexus injury (BPI) (B = 3.1, p < 0.001) and pain (B = 1.9, p = 0.002) improved the occurrence of shoulder ROM restriction. The occurrence of BPI (B = 3.6, p < 0.001) improved the occurrence of GSR. The occurrence of pain (B = 2.1, p = 0.001) improved the occurrence of paresthesia. These findings prompt us to further investigate the actual rehabilitation needs of survivors and the specific barriers to rehabilitation in the following research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pelitic schists from Qingshuigou in the Northern Qilian Mountains of China contain mainly glaucophane, garnet, white mica, clinozoisite, chlorite and piemontite. Isotopic age dating of these schists provides new constraints on the formation of the high-grade blueschists at Qingshuigou. White mica 40Ar/39Ar ages range from 442.1 to 447.5 Ma (total fusion age of single grain) and from 445.7 to 453.9 Ma (integrated age of white mica concentrates). These ages (442.1–453.9 Ma) represent the peak metamorphic ages or cooling ages of the blueschists during exhumation shortly after peak metamorphism. The 40Ar/39Ar dates in the present study are similar to ages previously reported for eclogites and blueschists in the area; this suggests that both the eclogites and pelitic sediments underwent high-grade metamorphism during the same subduction event. From this chronological evidence and the presence of well-developed Silurian remnant-sea flysch and Devonian molasse, it is concluded that the Northern Qilian Ocean had closed by the end of the Ordovician, and rapid orogenic uplift followed in the Devonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is hypothesized that people who obtain their initial resources in an equal way will behave prosocially since they endorse equality. Using a one-factor (Allocation system: equality, equity, need, vs. individualism) between-participants design, in this study participants were presented with a policy scenario. Results showed that an equality-based policy was rated most satisfactory, whereas the mean of contribution amount under the equality condition was less than that of the average contribution amount under the other three conditions. This finding implies that equality undermines people's prosocial behavior, a finding worthy of further examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H3N2 influenza viruses not only cause seasonal epidemics in humans but also circulate widely in animals, posing a threat to both animal and human health. Our previous studies indicate that H3N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are readily detected in live poultry markets (LPMs); however, the evolution and biological characteristics of the H3N2 viruses in poultry farms in China are unclear. In this study, we performed active surveillance and collected 49,135 samples from poultry farms. In total, 21 H3N2 AIVs were isolated and their genetics, receptor-binding properties, and replication in mice were evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that H3N2 AIVs harbor complicated gene constellations and have undergone extensive reassortment; the viruses derived their genes from 12 different hemagglutinin subtypes of duck viruses, including H1, H2, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8, H9, H10, H11, H12, and H14. The complicated gene constellations indicated that H3N2 viruses may have been introduced into poultry farms from different sources, but none have become dominant in poultry farms. Although the H3N2 AIVs possessed avian-type receptorbinding preference, most of the isolates could replicate without preadaptation and some of H3N2 viruses caused weight loss in mice. Notably, two H3N2 viruses acquired the PB2 627K mutation after a single round of replication in mice, suggesting similar mutations could occur if they replicated in humans. Overall, our study demonstrates that the H3N2 AIVs pose a potential threat to the public health and emphasizes the need for continued surveillance of H3N2 viruses in the both LPMs and poultry farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To verify the reliability and validity of a vaccine hesitancy scale about knowledge, attitude, trust and vaccination environment (KATE-S) among the Chinese parents. A questionnaire survey was conducted by convenience sampling in China using the KATE-S to assess knowledge of vaccines, attitudes towards vaccines, trust in acquired information and vaccination environment and vaccination status of vaccine introduced in immunization program among children. A total of 199 valid questionnaires were collected from the parents. Among those, 83 (41.7%) parents accepted all vaccines without hesitancy, 111 (55.8%) parents accepted all but had hesitancy intention, and 5 (2.5%) had hesitancy behaviour of refusing or delaying vaccination. The overall test–retest reliability, split-half reliability and Cronbach's coefficient values were 0.924, 0.885 and 0.823, respectively. The scale-level content validity index (S-CVI) of universal agreement was 0.867, and the average S-CVI was 0.978. Exploratory factor analysis extracted seven common factors from the scale, and the cumulative contribution rate was 56.8%. The correlation coefficients between the items and their dimensions ranged from 0.405 to 0.760, with a calibration success rate of 100% for convergent and discriminant validity. After adjusting for the basic characteristics, the knowledge level of hesitancy intention group and hesitancy behavior group were both lower than accept all group (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65–0.94; OR = 0.26, 95 %CI: 0.07–0.94). The KATE-S has good reliability and validity in Chinese parents and would be considered to expand the sample size and survey areas to obtain more representative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological foaming (or biofoaming) is a frequently occurring problem in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and is attributed to the overwhelming growth of filamentous bulking and foaming bacteria (BFB). Biological foaming has been intensively investigated, with BFB like Microthrix and Skermania having been identified from WWTPs and implicated in foaming. Nevertheless, studies are still needed to improve our understanding of the microbial diversity of WWTP biofoams and how microbial activities contribute to foaming. In this study, sludge foaming at the Qinghe WWTP of China was monitored, and sludge foams were investigated using culture-dependent and culture-independent microbiological methods. The foam microbiomes exhibited high abundances of Skermania, Mycobacterium, Flavobacteriales, and Kaistella. A previously unknown bacterium, Candidatus Kaistella beijingensis, was cultivated from foams, its genome was sequenced, and it was phenotypically characterized. Ca. K. beijingensis exhibits hydrophobic cell surfaces, produces extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and metabolizes lipids. Ca. K. beijingensis abundances were proportional to EPS levels in foams. Several proteins encoded by the Ca. K. beijingensis genome were identified from EPS that was extracted from sludge foams. Ca. K. beijingensis populations accounted for 4 to 6% of the total bacterial populations in sludge foam samples within the Qinghe WWTP, although their abundances were higher in spring than in other seasons. Cooccurrence analysis indicated that Ca. K. beijingensis was not a core node among the WWTP community network, but its abundances were negatively correlated with those of the well-studied BFB Skermania piniformis among cross-season Qinghe WWTP communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schistosomiasis japonica, caused by infection with Schistosoma japonicum, is still recognized as a major public health problem in the Peoples' Republic of China. Mathematical modelling of schistosomiasis transmission has been undertaken in order to assess and project the effects of various control strategies for elimination of the disease. Seasonal fluctuations in transmission may have the potential to impact on the population dynamics of schistosomiasis, yet no model of S. japonicum has considered such effects. In this paper, we characterize the transmission dynamics of S. japonicum using a modified version of Barbour's model to account for seasonal variation (SV), and investigate the effectiveness of the control strategy adopted in Liaonan village of Xingzi county, Jiangxi Province. Methods: We use mathematical tools for stability analysis of periodic systems and derive expressions for the basic reproduction ratio of S. japonicum in humans; we parameterise such expressions with surveillance data to investigate the conditions for persistence or elimination of the disease in the study village. We perform numerical simulations and parametric sensitivity analysis to understand local transmission conditions and compare values of the basic reproductive ratio with and without seasonal fluctuations. Results: The explicit formula of the basic reproduction ratio for the SV-modified Barbour's model is derived. Results show that the value of the basic reproduction ratio, R0, of Liaonan village, Xingzi county is located between 1.064 and 1.066 (very close to 1), for schistosomiasis transmission during 2006 to 2010, after intensification of control efforts. Conclusions: Our modified version of the Barbour model to account for seasonal fluctuations in transmission has the potential to provide better estimations of infection risk than previous models. Ignoring seasonality tends to underestimate R0 values albeit only marginally. In the absence of simultaneous R0 estimations for villages not under control interventions (such villages do not currently exist in China), it is difficult to assess whether control strategies have had a substantial impact on levels of transmission, as the parasite population would still be able to maintain itself at an endemic level, highlighting the difficulties faced by elimination efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst caves are widely distributed subsurface systems, and the microbiomes therein are proposed to be the driving force for cave evolution and biogeochemical cycling. In past years, culture-independent studies on the microbiomes of cave systems have been conducted, yet intensive microbial cultivation is still needed to validate the sequence-derived hypothesis and to disclose the microbial functions in cave ecosystems. In this study, the microbiomes of two karst caves in Guizhou Province in southwest China were examined. A total of 3,562 bacterial strains were cultivated from rock, water, and sediment samples, and 329 species (including 14 newly described species) of 102 genera were found. We created a cave bacterial genome collection of 218 bacterial genomes from a karst cave microbiome through the extraction of 204 database-derived genomes and de novo sequencing of 14 new bacterial genomes. The cultivated genome collection obtained in this study and the metagenome data from previous studies were used to investigate the bacterial metabolism and potential involvement in the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur biogeochemical cycles in the cave ecosystem. New N2-fixing Azospirillum and alkane-oxidizing Oleomonas species were documented in the karst cave microbiome. Two pcaIJ clusters of the b-ketoadipate pathway that were abundant in both the cultivated microbiomes and the metagenomic data were identified, and their representatives from the cultivated bacterial genomes were functionally demonstrated. This large-scale cultivation of a cave microbiome represents the most intensive collection of cave bacterial resources to date and provides valuable information and diverse microbial resources for future cave biogeochemical research. IMPORTANCE Karst caves are oligotrophic environments that are dark and humid and have a relatively stable annual temperature. The diversity of bacteria and their metabolisms are crucial for understanding the biogeochemical cycling in cave ecosystems. We integrated large-scale bacterial cultivation with metagenomic data mining to explore the compositions and metabolisms of the microbiomes in two karst cave systems. Our results reveal the presence of a highly diversified cave bacterial community, and 14 new bacterial species were described and their genomes sequenced. In this study, we obtained the most intensive collection of cultivated microbial resources from karst caves to date and predicted the various important routes for the biogeochemical cycling of elements in cave ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among patients in China, and cardiac computed tomography (CT) is one of the most commonly used examination methods for CVD. Coronary artery CT angiography can be used for the morphologic evaluation of the coronary artery. At present, cardiac CT functional imaging has become an important direction of development of CT. At present, common CT functional imaging technologies include transluminal attenuation gradient, stress dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging, and CT-fractional flow reserve. These three imaging modes are introduced and analyzed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Motivated by the first mathematical model for schistosomiasis proposed by Macdonald and Barbour's classical schistosomiasis model tracking the dynamics of infected human population and infected snail hosts in a community, in our previous study, we incorporated seasonal fluctuations into Barbour's model, but ignored the effect of bovine reservoir host in the transmission of schistosomiasis. Inspired by the findings from our previous work, the model was further improved by integrating two definitive hosts (human and bovine) and seasonal fluctuations, so as to understand the transmission dynamics of schistosomiasis japonica and evaluate the ongoing control measures in Liaonan village, Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province. Methods: The basic reproductive ratio R0 and its computation formulae were derived by using the operator theory in functional analysis and the monodromy matrix theory. The mathematical methods for global dynamics of periodic systems were used in order to show that R0 serves as a threshold value that determines whether there was disease outbreak or not. The parameter fitting and the ratio calculation were performed with surveillance data obtained from the village of Liaonan using numerical simulation. Sensitivity analysis was carried out in order to understand the impact of R0 on seasonal fluctuations and snail host control. The modified basic reproductive ratios were compared with known results to illustrate the infection risk. Results: The Barbour's two-host model with seasonal fluctuations was proposed. The implicit expression of R0 for the model was given by the spectral radius of next infection operator. The R0s for the model ranged between 1.030 and 1.097 from 2003 to 2010 in the village of Liaonan, Xingzi County, China, with 1.097 recorded as the maximum value in 2005 but declined dramatically afterwards. In addition, we proved that the disease goes into extinction when R0 is less than one and persists when R0 is greater than one. Comparisons of the different improved models were also made. Conclusions: Based on the mechanism and characteristics of schistosomiasis transmission, Barbour's model was improved by considering seasonality. The implicit formula of R0 for the model and its calculation were given. Theoretical results showed that R0 gave a sharp threshold that determines whether the disease dies out or not. Simulations concluded that: (i) ignoring seasonality would overestimate the transmission risk of schistosomiasis, and (ii) mollusiciding is an effective control measure to curtail schistosomiasis transmission in Xingzi County when the removal rate of infected snails is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]