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Background: The early diagnosis and intervention of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients is expected to delay the progression of AD. Delayed treatment will lead to MCI patients missing the best intervention expectation. At present, the medical help-seeking behavior of this group is not optimistic. This study aimed to explore influencing factors of help-seeking behavior among patients with MCI in China based on the help-seeking behavior model. Methods: Twenty-two patients with MCI were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews via purposeful sampling with a qualitative, descriptive design. Data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Results: The study revealed the main influencing factors of help-seeking behavior among MCI patients in China included perceived disease threat, symptom attribution, disease knowledge, use of cognitive compensation strategies, sense of foreseeable burden, social support, economic condition, and accessibility of medical service. Conclusions: The help-seeking behavior of patients with MCI is affected by multiple factors. There are some key factors in different stages of the help-seeking process. Healthcare providers can utilize these factors to design targeted interventions for promoting early help-seeking of patients with MCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Targeted therapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors is considered a promising treatment for primary advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the difference between synchronous and asynchronous treatment of lenvatinib with programmed death receptor‐1 (PD‐1) inhibitor in advanced HCC is still unclear. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the effectiveness of synchronous and asynchronous of lenvatinib and PD‐1 inhibitor on the advanced HCC beyond oligometastasis. Methods: In this study, 213 patients from four institutions in China were involved. Patients were split into two collections: (1) lenvatinib plus PD‐1 inhibitor were used synchronously (synchronous treatment group); (2) patients in asynchronous treatment group received PD‐1 inhibitor after 3 months of lenvatinib treatment prior to tumour progression. To analyse progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), efficacy and safety of patients in both groups, we employed propensity score matching (PSM). Results: The 6‐, 12‐ and 24‐month OS rates were 100%, 93.4% and 58.1% in the synchronous treatment group and 100%, 71.5% and 25.3% in the asynchronous treatment group, respectively. In contrast to the asynchronous treatment group, the group treated synchronously exhibited a substantially enhanced OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30–0.66; p <.001). The 6‐, 12‐ and 18‐month PFS rates were 82.6%, 42.6% and 10.8% in the synchronous treatment group and 63.3%, 14.2% and 0% in the asynchronous treatment group, respectively. A significant difference was observed in the PFS rate (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33–0.63; p <.001) between the two collections. Conclusions: Patients with advanced HCC beyond oligometastasis, simultaneous administration of lenvatinib and PD‐1 inhibitor led to significant improvements in survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a group of chronic conscious fatigue that is not easily relieved by rest and is accompanied by corresponding physiological dysfunction and psychological symptoms. However, due to the insufficient understanding of the pathogenesis of ME/CFS, there is currently a lack of effective treatment methods. In addition, there are few surveys on the current status of ME/CFS in the central region of China, and the data on ME/CFS among university students in the central region are lacking. This group conducted a survey on university students in Wuhan, Hubei Province in 2022 to collect and analyze the current status of ME/CFS among university students in central China for the first time, aiming to understand the current development of ME/CFS among university students, investigate the influencing factors of its prevalence, fill the data gaps, and provide a reliable basis for developing interventions for chronic fatigue syndrome among university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among university students in a university in Hubei province. Data were collected via online questionnaire surveys. The contents included demographic characteristics, lifestyles, disease history, depression, anxiety, sleep, ME/CFS and other associated factors. SAS 9.4 statistical software was used to analyze and estimate the effect of associated factors on ME/CFS. Results: A total of 1826 subjects were included in the final analysis. The results showed that the prevalence of ME/CFS in university students was 6.25%. Univariate analysis showed that exercise, alcohol consumption, study, overnights, diet, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality were associated with ME/CFS (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that overnights, overeating, anxiety, and sleep quality were independent risk factors, while learning was a protective factor. Conclusion: College students should pay enough attention to ME/CFS, improve their understanding of ME/CFS, and improve people's ability to understand ME/CFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfavorable geological phenomena such as fault development and weak surrounding rocks are the common challenges encountered in tunnel excavation. However, the conventional rock mass classification method is complex, and the data obtained through disturbed rock samples cannot be used to dynamically and accurately class the surrounding rock in real time. In this study, discrete element method (DEM) is applied to simulate the rock-breaking process by pneumatic rock drill, and the drilling parameters of the surrounding rocks with different classes including drilling rate, vibration acceleration, and vibration frequency, are acquired during the excavation. The simulation results are verified through the data obtained by field tests in Luoping tunnel and Zilinshan tunnel of the Sandu Expressway in Guizhou province, China. Furthermore, a standard database for the dynamic classification of surrounding rocks is established. The numerical simulations reveal a good correlation between the average drilling rate, vibration acceleration, and vibration frequency of drill bit and the class of surrounding rock, and these factors can be used as dynamic evaluation indices for advanced geological prediction during tunnel construction. Overall, the results can serve as a useful reference for advanced geological prediction and dynamic classification of surrounding rocks during the construction of tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Majiagou landslide, a major ancient landslide in Three Gorges Reservoir region, is located in the high earthquake area of southwest China. The 2013 Badong earthquake caused an obvious deformation of landslide monitored by the sliding inclinometer. A strong earthquake may induce the reactivation of ancient landslide. So, it is necessary to research the seismic dynamic response of Majiagou landslide. For this purpose, discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA), improved by introducing the artificial joint and viscous boundary, is applied in this study. The displacements at monitoring points caused by Badong earthquake are calculated and compared with the field data, verifying the numerical method and model. Further, a strong earthquake with the peak acceleration of 1 g is assumed to act on the landside, the initiation and evolution process of landslide is simulated, and the movement features of landslide are discussed. The dynamic failure of landslide and the local amplification of seismic wave can be embodied, indicating that the improved DDA provides an alternative approach for analyzing the seismic dynamic response of jointed rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the literature review on medical education and university performance evaluations and from the perspective of individual advantage identification, an evaluation method of medical universities' performance in a hierarchical context was proposed. This study designs a method system, including individual learning benchmarking from the individual perspective, group learning benchmarking from the democratic perspective, and benchmarking of single and overall indicators. From the perspective of the most favorable to medical universities, this study applies the designed research methods to the performance evaluation of medical universities and takes 15 medical universities in China as samples to conduct an empirical research. The following conclusions were found. First, the method helps form various development modes of medical universities in the individual advantage characteristic context. Second, the method not only shows objectivity but also provides a basis for how medical universities find individual and integral benchmarking. Finally, the method demonstrates the democracy feature, which provides a basis for how relevant departments allocate resources and formulate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Comprehensive utilization of abandoned mine has become a hot issue in the recycling of world resources. The Dawangshan Pit in Changsha, China is an abandoned limestone quarry operated for over 40 years. This pit has always been a potential risk to the urban environment and ecological safety as it covers a large area and stores much water near downtown. The Changsha government has been recovering the landscape around the pit since 2014, and finally the project to construct a huge recreational building (the Ice World & Water Park, IWWP) in the pit was determined. This project faces three big challenges: unstable walls of the pit due to the poor geological conditions; huge size of the pit and the structures of the IWWP; and a fragile geological unit as basement. Settlements of these three challenges have been introduced one by one in this paper. This project benefits the Changsha city with a full utilization of land resource and improvement of the quality of land surrounding the quarry. Meanwhile, the recreational building will become a new landmark of Changsha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian-Triassic mass extinction (PTME), the largest biocrisis in Earth's history, is regarded as having been triggered by volcanism, although the source and nature of this volcanic activity in the South China region remains in debate. In this regard, determining the geochemical composition of the volcanic and terrestrial source fluxes to marine depositional systems is crucial for differentiating material derived from the Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province versus regional volcanic arcs. Here, we report zirconium (Zr) isotopic compositions (δ94/90Zr) of Permian-Triassic boundary strata from a deep carbonate-ramp setting at Xiakou, South China, providing new insights regarding the provenance of volcanic ash layers and their host silicic mudstones. The δ94/90Zr composition of magmatically sourced materials is generally controlled by degree of melt crystallization and has the potential to discriminate between primitive and evolved igneous sources. At Xiakou, the pre-PTME Lower Unit contains volcanic ash layers with δ94/90Zr (+0.05 ± 0.03‰, 2SD) similar to that of upper continental crustal (UCC), recording dominantly detrital zircon sources. About 10 kyr before the mass extinction, a single ash layer (Bed 249) records a transient excursion to mantle-like values (∼0‰), followed by a protracted shift across the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) toward signatures characteristic of more evolved felsic sources (+0.19 ± 0.12‰) accompanied by a positive shift in Nd isotopes (ε Nd (t)). The high δ94/90Zr of volcanic ash layers from the Middle Unit (corresponding approximately to the interval between the PTME and PTB) indicates dominance of regional felsic volcanic sources. In this interval, volcanic ash δ94/90Zr values at Xiakou are distinctly higher than those at Meishan, suggesting that primary volcanic signatures are better preserved in deep-water facies (Xiakou) than in shallow-water facies (Meishan). In the Middle (excluding the Bed 249) and Upper (post-PTME) units, positive covariation of δ94/90Zr with Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 , Zr/TiO 2 and Zr/Sc ratios was the product of mixing of detrital and volcanic materials, with the latter having a dominantly felsic source. This study provides new insight into the sources of zircons in PTB sections of South China, and it demonstrates the general utility of sedimentary Zr isotopic compositions in determining magmatic provenance. • Deep-water facies (e.g., Xiakou) preserve Zr-isotope signatures of volcanic ash well • Zr isotopes document intense felsic regional arc volcanism during PTB transition • Geochemical proxies record evolution of source magma chemistry in volcanic arc system • A positive shift of Nd isotopes indicates regional inputs from juvenile continental crust • Zr and Nd isotopes useful in documenting mixing of volcanic and detrital materials [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Permian-Triassic mass extinction (PTME), the most severe biocrisis of the Phanerozoic, has been widely attributed to intense volcanism. Although the Siberian Traps Large Igneous Province is regarded as the main trigger of this bioevent, volcanic-arc activity around the margins of the Tethys Ocean may have played a significant role also. Here, we report results of a high-resolution study of zirconium (Zr) isotopes in bulk limestone and volcanic ash beds of the Permian-Triassic transition at Meishan, South China. Mass-dependent fractionation of Zr isotopes, which is controlled by magmatic crystallization, has the potential to differentiate between primitive and evolved igneous sources. The Zr isotopic composition (δ94/90Zr) of volcanic ash in Permian-Triassic transition beds at Meishan is more positive than mantle values, indicating that inputs were probably dominated by regional arc volcanism. The sedimentary beds having the heaviest Zr isotopes during the pre-PTME interval may also record inputs from a felsic volcanic source. A mixing model indicates that the observed negative shift of δ94/90Zr at the PTME horizon was likely due to detrital Zr inputs linked to intensified continental weathering. This study demonstrates that volcanism in South China during the Permian-Triassic transition was linked to regional arc magmatism. • First use of Zr isotopes to trace volcanic sources during a mass extinction event. • Zr isotopes of volcanic ash indicate volcanic inputs linked to felsic arc magmatism. • Zr isotopes of carbonate record arc magmatic activity prior to PTB mass extinction. • Massive erosion of upper crustal material commenced during PTB mass extinction. • Erosion of upper continental crustal material continued into Early Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geotechnical Journal is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Highlights: [•] Predictive models for tunnel convergence were proposed based on ANN and MARS. [•] The models were developed using field data from Daguan tunnels, China. [•] The proposed models exhibit excellent prediction capability. [•] ANN shows lightly higher accuracy but MARS is more interpretable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Canadian Geotechnical Journal is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA molecules with post-transcriptional regulatory activity in various biological processes. Pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii is one of the main species cultured for marine pearl production in China and Japan. In this study, we constructed two small RNA libraries of mantle central (MC) and mantle edge (ME) from P. f. martensii and obtained 24,175,537 and 21,593,898 clean reads, respectively. A total of 258 miRNAs of P. f. martensii (Pm-miRNA) were identified, and 93 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) including 49 known Pm-miRNAs and 44 novel Pm-miRNAs were obtained from the MC and ME. The target transcripts of these DEMs were obviously enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, and others. After over-expression of Pm-miR-124 and Pm-miR-9a-5p in the MC by mimic injection into the muscle of P. f. martensii , nacre exhibited a disorderly growth as detected by scanning electron microscopy. Pm-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit, Pm-neuropeptide Y and Pm-chitin synthase were investigated as the targets of Pm-miR-124; and Pm-tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 and Pm-chitin synthase were investigated as the targets of Pm-miR-9a-5p. These predicted target transcripts were down-regulated after the over-expression of Pm-miR-124 and Pm-miR-9a-5p in MC. This study comprehensively analyzed the miRNAs in mantle tissues to enhance our understanding of the regulatory mechanism underlying shell formation. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 1040 valid measurement data and subjective questionnaires were obtained. • Acceptable temperature range of older people in all seasons was assessed. • Existing adaptive thermal comfort models were not suitable for older people. • Adaptive thermal comfort models of older people in different seasons were established. • The prediction of winter and summer model were both reliable. This research focused on adaptive thermal comfort in homes for older people in the hot summer and cold winter climate zone of China. A field study was conducted throughout the four seasons beginning in January 2014 and ending in April 2017 in Shanghai, China. The survey included simultaneous measurements of outdoor and indoor environmental parameters and an assessment of the participants' sensations using questionnaires. A total of 19 homes for older people and 64 buildings were surveyed; 1040 measured data points and subjective questionnaires were obtained. The sensation ratings were analyzed, and thermal comfort temperature was calculated using regression methods. Results showed that thermal comfort assessments of older people in Shanghai should use –0.2 < TSV < +0.2 as the standard, yielding acceptable temperature ranges for older people of 14.1–19.4 ℃ in winter, 23.8–27.0 ℃ in summer, and 20.6–31.7 ℃ in mid-season. Adaptive thermal comfort models in different seasons showed that, first, the predictions of the winter and summer models were both reliable. Second, the thermal adaptive models of the mid-season intersected with the ASHRAE 55 model at 20.5 ℃ and was within the applicable range of the mid-season model (10–20.8 ℃); under the same outdoor temperature conditions, the neutral temperatures predicted by the EN15251 model and the ASHRAE 55 model were higher than the predicted values of the mid-season thermal adaptive model. Third, the slopes of both the winter and summer thermal adaptive models were slightly lower than those of the GB/T50785-2012 model. These results can be used to assess indoor thermal comfort in homes for older people and help create age-friendly building environments in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of aged population in most countries of our world, researching the thermal perceptions and demands of these people to building thermal environments has become a hot topic. To analyze the variation of the older people’s thermal sensation and neutrality, a comprehensive field study had been conducted in 19 aged-care homes with 1040 subjects aged 70 and above involved from January 2014 to April 2017 in Shanghai, China. During the survey, environmental parameters and thermal perceptions were recorded simultaneously. The variations of thermal sensation and neutrality were analyzed throughout all seasons. The results showed older people’s thermal sensation correlated with operative temperature in a significant level, while age and gender showed no effect with thermal sensation. An adaptive comfort model was proposed based on Griffiths method, with daily neutral temperature varying from 12.4 °C to 29.7 °C for 3.8 °C to 29.3 °C range of outdoor temperature. The EN15251 and ASHRAE adaptive models were identified to be not accurate to predict older people’s neutral temperature. According to comparative studies, the older adults were regarded to have different thermal responses to indoor and outdoor thermal environment from that of Chinese non-older people. This study provides systematical analysis on the dynamic variations of Chinese older persons’ thermal sensation and neutrality across seasons, and the findings can be reliable references for the people who manage or design aged-care homes to create a comfortable thermal environment for older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Existing problems of the traditional ballast water system were reviewed. • A new ballast water system based on flexible water-filled containers was developed. • Equivalent volume method was proposed to determine the geometric size. • Field stability tests of the flexible water-filled containers were conducted. • Equipment layout and water supply-discharge technologies were designed. Ballast water systems are an indispensable part of the installation of immersed tunnels and are utilized to increase or reduce the total weight of immersed tunnel elements in the processes of floating transportation, mooring and sinking. Traditional ballast water systems generally utilize rigid tanks, which consist of retaining walls made of steel-wood parts, for water supply and discharge. However, there are many drawbacks to the traditional ballast water system based on rigid tanks. For example, the construction of rigid ballast tanks is a complex process that is not very efficient and but is very costly. In addition, the processes of installing and dismantling the steel panels of rigid ballast tanks involve substantial welding work and many fire operations, which result in a substantial amount of smoke and dust inside the tunnel elements, resulting in a construction environment that is harmful to human health. Based on the Yuliangzhou Immersed Tunnel, which extends across the Hanjiang River in Xiangyang, China, a new type of ballast water system with flexible water-filled containers was developed to address the abovementioned problems. The equivalent volume method was proposed to determine the geometric size of the flexible water-filled containers. Field stability tests of the flexible water-filled containers were conducted on a 4.8% slope. The experimental results showed that the designed flexible container could meet the actual water demand of tunnel element immersion, without sliding or rolling during water injection, and that the relationship between the water amount and water pressure was approximately parabolic. In view of the specific functions in different installation stages of tunnel elements, the equipment layout of the new type of ballast water system was determined. Based on the processes of tunnel element installation, water supply and discharge technologies were designed. This system has been successfully applied in the Yuliangzhou Immersed Tunnel project, which supports the use of these technologies in immersed tunnel construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, massive interbedded sandstone and slate anti-dip slopes have been discovered in the southwest and northwest regions of China. The distinct mechanical properties of different rock layers make these slopes particularly unique. In this paper, the finite-discrete element method (FDEM) is used to study the toppling failure mechanism of soft-hard interbedded anti-dip rock slopes (SHIADRSs). Firstly, the numerical model of soft-hard interbedded anti-dip rock slope (SHIADRS) is established based on a centrifugal loading test. Then, the stress state, evolution of displacement and cracks, and progress of toppling failure in the SHIADRS are analyzed. Besides, the effect of rock structure, slope angle, dip angle, and rock mechanical properties on the toppling failure of SHIADRS is discussed. The simulation results show that the toppling failure process of SHIADRS can be divided into three stages. The stress distribution in hard rock (HR) is obviously different from that in soft rock (SR) layers. HR layers bear greater bending moments than HR layer during the toppling failure of the soft-hard interbedded anti-dip rock slopes. In addition, the stability of SHIADRS is negatively correlated with the slope angle and the dip angle of rock layer. Compared to the inclination angle of rock layers, the slope angle has a more significant impact on the stability of slopes. The internal friction angle of the rock layer has almost no effect on the toppling failure of SHIADRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Existing problems of the existing bulkheads were reviewed. • A new steel bulkhead based on the prefabrication and assembly method was developed. • Structural components of the new steel bulkhead were designed. • Gasketed seam mechanical and sealant behavior was investigated through simulations. • A strategy of installing and dismantling the new steel bulkhead panels was proposed. Temporary bulkheads installed at the end of each tunnel element are indispensable for immersed tunnel elements to be watertight and float. Currently, welded steel bulkheads and cast-in-place concrete bulkheads have been applied in the installation of most immersed tunnels; however, these bulkheads have many inherent drawbacks. For example, existing cast-in-place concrete bulkheads are bulky and cannot be recycled after demolition. In addition, existing welded steel bulkheads, which cannot be fully reused, are installed and dismantled with a large number of on-site welding operations. Relying on the Yuliangzhou Immersed Tunnel in China, a novel steel bulkhead based on the method of prefabrication and assembly, namely, a piece-assembled steel bulkhead, was developed to address the abovementioned problems. The structural components of the new steel bulkhead applied to realize full recycling mainly include steel bulkhead panels, ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) sealing gaskets, steel bearings, and steel connecting bolts. The water tightness function of the new bulkhead was achieved through the compression deformation of the designed EPDM sealing gaskets inside the assembly seams, which were designed as multihole structures to save manufacturing material. Nonlinear finite element simulations were conducted to investigate the gasketed seam mechanical and sealant behavior. It was concluded that the control threshold value of gasketed seam compression displacement needed to satisfy the design requirement for a 250 kPa waterproof capacity could be taken as 15 mm, while that for seam offset displacement was set to 40 mm. To achieve the fast and efficient construction of the new steel bulkhead, a strategy of symmetrically installing and removing steel bulkhead panels piece by piece at one carriageway bore was proposed, and an automatic installation trolley that adjusts the bulkhead panel position in three directions was designed and developed. Finally, the on-site monitoring of the assembly seam displacements and the stress and deformation of the H-shaped steel beam verified that the new steel bulkhead was in a safe state and displayed good watertightness. This bulkhead was successfully applied in the Yuliangzhou Immersed Tunnel project, and this test application supports the use of these technologies in immersed tunnel construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the coal mining goes deeper, strong mining induced tremors frequently occur, which seriously threaten the safety of underground miners and ground residents, as well as the productivity and effectiveness of mining activities. The deep-hole blasting technology is expected to weaken or fracture the roof, thereby reducing the risk of strong mine tremors. However, the effectiveness of this technology lacks systematic study. This paper investigates the characteristics of mine tremors and stress distribution before and after deep-hole blasting during the mining process in Dongtan coal mine in Shandong province, China, and reveals the effect of deep-hole blasting in preventing and controlling strong mine tremors. After the deep-hole blasting, the energy and spatial distribution of the mine tremors change greatly. The energy of small mine tremors increases by an order of magnitude, but large-energy mine tremors (hazardous mine tremors) are basically eliminated. Combined with the results of stress monitoring, the deep-hole blasting technology could effectively weaken and fracture the thick-and-hard strata overlying the coal seam, so as to achieve the purpose of discharging strain energy in overlying rock. The implementation of deep-hole blasting technology will not eliminate mine tremors, but it could reduce or eliminate the strong mine tremors caused by the instantaneous fracturing of the large-scale suspended roof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For underground engineering with complex structure, it is important to carry out reliability analysis to ensure engineering safety. This research takes China's first underground research laboratory (URL) for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Beishan area as engineering background. Firstly, based on a large number of drilling core data of Beishan site, the optimal probability distribution model of the rock mechanical parameters is established by statistical analysis. After that, a typical underground structure of the URL, which consists of a shaft and three intersecting tunnels at the depth of −560 m, is selected as research object. The reliability indexes of the structure are calculated by Response Surface-Monte Carlo method. The results show that after excavation, most of the reliability indexes of the structure are above 4.2. The structure is safe as a whole. Due to the interaction between different tunnels/shaft, the minimum reliability index appears at the intersecting corner of the tunnels/shaft, which indicates that the intersecting areas are the weakest area of the structure. The reliability calculation results are basically in good agreement with the geo-mechanical model test results, which verify the validity of the reliability calculation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern tunnel support design theory holds that surrounding rock not only generates load, but also takes load together with support system. However, how much loads will be taken by surrounding rock and support system respectively is still not clear. In order to investigate the cooperative effect of rock-support system for deep tunnel in complicated rock strata, we performed a true three-dimensional geo-mechanical model test to simulate tunnel construction crossing a weak fault based on the engineering background of Xianglushan Tunnel of Yunnan Water Diversion Project in China. Our test results reveal that: (1) the mechanical behavior of surrounding rock is influenced by the lithology. The evolution and distribution characteristics of displacement and stress are significantly different in various rock strata; (2) weak fault has little influence on the proportion of load taken by surrounding rocks, but has a distinct impact on the proportion of loads taken by supporting system components. Surrounding rock is the absolute dominant load-bearing body, taking about 97% of the excavation-induced load; (3) the bearing capacity of bolt is weak, and its main function is to reinforce surrounding rock. The lining is mainly used to bear load. Test results obtained in this study can provide important physical basis for the development of the construction scheme and the optimization of support design. These results can also serve as the benchmark for the validation of numerical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the incidence rate, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen, China., Methods: Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital, the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022. The incidence, clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed., Results: The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137, 1/6 060, and 1/7 704, respectively. Ischemic stroke accounted for 75% (27/36); boys accounted for 64% (23/36). Among the 36 neonates, 31 (86%) had disease onset within 3 days after birth, and 19 (53%) had convulsion as the initial presentation. Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates (61%) had left cerebral infarction and 13 (36%) had basal ganglia infarction. Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates, among whom 9 (75%) had involvement of the middle cerebral artery. Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates, with sharp waves in 21 neonates (72%) and seizures in 10 neonates (34%). Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals. Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates (33%, 12/36), with a mean score of (32±4) points. The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age, with 44% (12/27) of the neonates having a good prognosis., Conclusions: Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke, often with convulsions as the initial presentation, involvement of the middle cerebral artery, sharp waves on electroencephalography, and a relatively low neurodevelopment score. Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method, and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Strain KC 927 T was isolated during an investigation of the soil bacteria diversity on Jiaozi Mountain, central Yunnan, Southwest China. The strain was Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, oxidase-negative, catalase-positive and aerobic. Results of 16S rRNA gene alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain KC 927 T was a member of the genus Chryseobacterium and closely related to Chryseobacterium caseinilyticum GCR10 T (98.4%), Chryseobacterium piscicola DSM 21068 T (98.3 %) and ' Chryseobacterium formosus ' CCTCC AB 2015118 T (97.9 %). With a genome size of 4 348 708 bp, strain KC 927 T had 33.5 mol% DNA G + C content and contained 4012 protein-coding genes and 77 RNA genes. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain KC 927 T and C. caseinilyticum GCR10 T , C. piscicola DSM 21068 T and ' C. formosus ' CCTCC AB 2015118 T were 80.1, 79.6 and 90.7 %, and 25.5, 23.6 and 42.0 %, respectively. The main polar lipid of strain KC 927 T was phosphatidylethanolamine and the respiratory quinone was MK-6. The major fatty acids (≥10 %) were iso-C 15 : 0 , iso-C 17 : 1  ω 9 c and iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH. Evidence from phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses support that strain KC 927 T represents a new species of the genus Chryseobacterium , for which the name Chryseobacterium luquanense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KC 927 T (=CGMCC 1.18760 T =JCM 35707 T ).

An isolate of Gram-stain-negative and strictly aerobic bacterium, designated KC 17139 T , was isolated from Jiaozi Mountain sample in Yunnan, China. Cells were non-motile cocci to oval, catalase-positive and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred at 0-7% NaCl (w/v; optimum, 0%), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and 15-45 °C (optimum, 28-37 °C). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and four unidentified aminolipids (UALs). Strain KC 17139 T contained summed feature 8 (comprising C 18:1 ω7c and/or C 18:1 ω6c), C 18:1 2OH and C 16:0 as major cellular fatty acids (> 5%) and ubiquinone-10 as the sole isoprenoid quinone. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain KC 17139 T shared highest similarities with Siccirubricoccus phaeus 1-3 T (96.7%) and Siccirubricoccus deserti SYSU D8009 T (95.0%). Strain KC 17139 T clustered with the two Siccirubricoccus type strains, but formed a separate branch in both 16S rRNA gene and genome-scale phylogenetic dendrograms. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain KC 17139 T was 71.2%. Genomic comparisons between strain KC 17139 T and its close relatives showed the highest digital DNA-DNA hybridisation to S. phaeus (35.5%), highest average nucleotide identity to S. phaeus (88.2%), indicating that strain KC 17139 T represents a novel species. On the basis of results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular analysis, we report a new bacterium strain KC 17139 T belonged to genus Siccirubricoccus, for which the name Siccirubricoccus soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KC 17139 T (= CGMCC 1.18756 T  = JCM 35132 T )., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

A novel actinobacterium, designated KC 17012 T , was isolated from lead zinc tailings collected from Lanping, Yunnan, PR China. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that KC 17012 T belonged to the genus Streptomyces and was most closely related to the type strains of Streptomyces neyagawaensis (98.34%), Streptomyces panaciradicis (98.34%) and Streptomyces heilongjiangensis (98.27%). Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed strain KC 17012 T formed a distinct clade. The genome size was 8.64 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 70.8%. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between the genome sequence of strain KC 17012 T and those of S. neyagawaensis JCM 4796 T (25.3 and 81.5 %) and S. panaciradicis NBRC 109811 T (30.1 and 85.7 %) were below the thresholds of 70 and 96% for prokaryotic conspecific assignation. The strain formed long straight aerial hyphae which generated regular short rod spores with spiny surfaces. Growth occurred at 10-45 °C, pH 6-8 and with 0-9 % NaCl (w/v). Strain KC 17012 T contained ll-diaminopimelic acid and the major whole-cell hydrolysates included glucose, mannose and ribose. The menaquinones were MK-9(H 4 ), MK-9(H 6 ) and MK-9(H 8 ). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C 15 : 0 , anteiso-C 15 : 0 , iso-C 16 : 0 and anteiso-C 17 : 0 . The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, one unidentified lipid and one unidentified phospholipid. On the basis of the results of a polyphasic taxonomic study, it is concluded that KC 17012 T represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces plumbidurans sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is KC 17012 T (CGMCC 4.7704 T =JCM 35204 T ).

Cataract is the first cause of blindness and the major cause of visual impairment worldwide. Under conditions of global warming, researchers have begun to give attention to the influence of increasing temperature on cataract patients. Our paper aimed to investigate the association between extreme heat and hospital admissions for cataract in Hefei, China. Based on data from the New Rural Cooperative Medical System and National Meteorological Information Center, we used a generalized additive model and a distributed lag nonlinear model to examine the relationship between extreme heat and hospitalizations for cataract, with consideration of cumulative and lagged effects. When current mean temperature was above 28 °C, each 1 °C rise was associated with a 4% decrease in the number of cataract admissions (RR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94-0.98). The cumulative relative risk over 11 days of lag was the lowest, which indicated that every 1 °C increase in mean temperature above 28 °C was associated with a 19% decrease in the number of hospital admissions for cataract (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.75-0.88). In subgroup analyses, the negative association between extreme heat and hospital admissions for cataract was stronger among patients who were not admitted to provincial-level hospitals. In conclusion, this paper found that extreme heat was negatively associated with cataract hospitalizations in Hefei, providing useful information for hospitals and policymakers.

Objective: Natural killer (NK) cells serve as primary immune surveillance and are partially regulated by combinations of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and their human leukocyte antigen-C (HLA-C) ligands. Alterations in NK cell activity have been associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT). The aim of this study was to determine whether certain KIR/HLA-C genotype combinations play a role in HT pathogenesis., Methods: The present study enrolled 107 unrelated HT patients and 108 random healthy individuals in a case-control study. Blood was collected for DNA extraction; typing of KIR genes and HLA-C alleles was performed by polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP), followed by electrophoresis on agarose gels., Results: Among a panel of KIR2D/HLA-C genotype combinations, the frequency of KIR2DS2/HLA-C1 was significantly increased in HT patients compared to controls (33.64% vs. 12.96%, P<.001). To further analyze the precise genotype, we investigated inhibitory or activating KIR/HLA-C gene pairs when their corresponding activating or inhibitory KIR genes were absent in the 2 groups. Only the frequency of KIR2DS2(-)2DL2/3(+)HLA-C1(+) was significantly decreased in HT patients compared to controls (48.60% vs. 70.37%, P = .001)., Conclusion: Our data suggest that KIR2DS2/HLA-C1 may correlate with HT pathogenesis. On the contrary, the predominance of KIR2DL2/3/HLA-C1 in the absence of KIR2DS2 suggests a potential inhibitory role in HT pathogenesis. In conclusion, our findings may further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of HT and other autoimmune diseases., Abbreviations: HLA-C = human leukocyte antigen-C HT = Hashimoto thyroiditis KIR = killer immunoglobulin-like receptor NK = natural killer PCR = polymerase chain reaction.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of the T-SPOT.TB test in cases of breast turberculosis (BTB) in China., Methods: We enrolled 13 female patients with primary BTB as the BTB test group and 10 healthy volunteers as the control group. The 2 groups underwent T-SPOT.TB tests and tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) before receiving a core-needle biopsy or excision biopsy. We then collected and analyzed T-SPOT.TB and TST data., Results: The sensitivity of the T-SPOT.TB test for detection of BTB (84.6%) was significantly greater than that of TST (53.8%) (P <.05); the specificity of each test (80.0% and 60.0%, respectively) for BTB was not significantly different (P >.05)., Conclusion: The T-SPOT.TB test could be a useful adjunct to current tests for diagnosis of BTB and could be used for early diagnosis of this condition., (Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).)

The tuberous roots of Aconitum carmichaeli are largely used in traditional Chinese medicine and widely grown in Jiangyou, Sichuan, China. During the growth process, this medicinal plant releases a large amount of allelochemicals into soil, which retard the growth and development of near and late crops. Therefore, a pure culture experiment was thus carried out by seed soaking to study the allelopathic effects of extracts from tuberous roots of A. carmichaeli (ETR) on the seed germination and young seedling growth of Lolium perenne, Trifolium repens, and Medicago sativa, the late pasture grasses after cultivation of A. carmichaeli. The results showed that three pasture grasses varied significantly in seed germination and young seedling growth in response to ETR concentrations. Seed germination of M. sativa was stimulated by low ERT concentration (0.01 x g(-1)), while all of pasture grass seeds germinated poorly in solution with 1.00 g x L(-1). Seed soaking with 1.00 g x L(-1) also inhibited significantly the growth of pasture young seedlings, with M. sativa showing the highest seedling height reduction of 42.05% in seeding height, followed by T. repens (40.21%) and L. perenne with about 11%. Cultivation of L. perenne could thus be beneficial to increase whole land productivity in A. carmichaeli-pasture grass cropping systems. In addition, hydrolysis of protein, starch, and inositol phosphates was blocked and free amino acids, soluble sugars and phosphorus were decreased in seeds by seed soaking with ETR, which could be one of the reason for the inhibition of seed germination. There was a significant reduction in root vigor, nitrate reductase, and chlorophyll after the seed treatment with ETR, indicating the suppression of nutrient uptake, nitrate assimilation, and photosynthesis by allelopathic chemicals in ETR, which could lead to the slow growth rate of pasture grass seedlings.

DNA in dried blood spots of 39 vivax malaria patients (2009-2010) from Anhui (Bengbu urban district and counties of Wuhe, Huaiyuan, Mengcheng and Lixin) was extracted. The Plasmodium vivax LDH (PvLDH) gene was amplified, cloned and sequenced. The sequences were subjected to NCBI Blast program. The results showed that the targeted DNA fragment size was 951 bp without difference among the 39 samples (accession No. GU078391), and was more than 99% homologous to the PvLDH sequences in other strains from GenBank. There was only one different amino acid in the protein sequences between the isolates from Anhui and EJEU60134 or MIA061251 strains.

Objective: To understand the malaria epidemiologic characteristics in Wuhe County, Anhui Province from 2009 to 2011, so as to provide the evidence for formulating effective malaria control and prevention interventions., Methods: The data of malaria cases from the reporting system and malaria epidemiological investigations were collected and analyzed statistically in Wuhe County from 2009 to 2011., Results: The total number of malaria cases was 349 in Wuhe County from 2009 to 2011, and the incidence showed a downtrend. The sex ratio of patients was 1.42: 1 (205 males vs. 144 females). The ranks of patient age groups were 11-20 years old at the first and 31-40 at the second, and the youngest was 1 year old, and the oldest was 100 years old. The seasonal factor was observed clearly, malaria cases were rare during the period of January to March, the case numbers increased in April and reached the peak during the period of June to September, and the cases from November to December accounted for only 2.01% of the total cases. Among the 349 patients, there were only 2 patients (0.57%) living in urban areas and the rest 347 patients (99.43%) all living in rural areas. The incidence of the urban population was 0.08/10 000, and it was significantly lower than that of the rural population (1.78/10,000, P < 0.05). The highest incidences occurred in hill townships, Zhuding Town and Xiaoxi Town, the annual incidences were 5.53/10,000 and 4.78/10,000, respectively. The cases in hill townships accounted for 36.10% of the total cases. The most patients in these areas lived in brick or cement buildings without mosquito-proof doors or windows. They preferred sleeping outside during summer, and were generally lack of the malaria prevention knowledge., Conclusion: In Wuhe County, the malaria incidence is decreasing year by year, and the epidemiologic factors are related to the living conditions, mosquito-proof facility using, sleeping habit, and malaria awareness of the residents.

Using the consensus-degenerate hybrid oligonucleotide primer polymerase chain reaction method, 26 new ketoacyl synthase (KS) fragments were isolated from a marine sediment sample in the East China Sea (ECS) and analyzed by construction of a phylogenetic tree. With a digoxigenin-labeled KS gene fragment used as a probe, a partial polyketide synthase (PKS) gene cluster was isolated and identified by hybridization screening of a marine sediment sample metagenome fosmid library constructed for this study. A new acyltransferase (AT) gene was cloned from the PKS gene cluster and heterogeneously expressed as a protein fused to maltose-binding protein (MBP). Ultraviolet spectrophotometry was used to study the binding of the MBP-AT fusion protein and single AT domain to substrates using MBP and bovine serum albumin as control proteins. Binding constants (Ka, per micromolar) were calculated and used to analyze the substrate specificity of the acyltransferase. We concluded that there are many unrevealed new PKS gene clusters in marine sediments in the ECS. The acyltransferase is presumably an acetyltransferase from a new PKS gene cluster.