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The investigation of taxonomic diversity within island plant communities stands as a central focus in the field of island biogeography. Phylogenetic diversity is crucial for unraveling the evolutionary history, ecological functions, and species combinations within island plant communities. Island effects (area and isolation effect) may shape species distribution patterns, habitat heterogeneity affects habitat diversity, and anthropogenic disturbances can lead to species extinction and habitat destruction, thus impacting both species diversity and phylogenetic diversity. To investigate how taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in island natural plant communities respond to island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances, we took the main island of Haitan (a land-bridge island) and nine surrounding islands (oceanic islands) of varying sizes as the subjects of our study on the Pingtan islands. We aim to elucidate the influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. The results showed that, (1) Both the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of plants on the Pingtan islands followed the island area effect, indicating that as the island area increases, both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity also increase. (2) Island effects and habitat heterogeneity were found to enhance taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, whereas anthropogenic disturbances were associated with a decrease in both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Furthermore, the synergistic influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances collectively exerted a negative impact on both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. (3) The contribution of explanatory variables of anthropogenic disturbances for taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity was higher than that of island effects and habitat heterogeneity. Additionally, the contribution of the explanatory variables under the combined influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances is higher than that of the individual variables for island effects and habitat heterogeneity. These findings suggest that anthropogenic disturbances emerged as the dominant factors influencing both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. These findings demonstrate the intricate interplay between island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances, highlighting their combined influence on both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity on island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in plant traits are indicative of plant adaptations to forest environments, and studying their relationships with tree growth provides valuable insights into forest regeneration. The spatial arrangement of plant seeds within the forest litter or soil critically influences the variations of root–leaf traits, thereby affecting the adaptive strategies of emerging seedlings. However, our current understanding of the impacts of individual root–leaf traits on seedling growth in different relative position, and whether these traits together affect growth, remains limited. This study focuses on the dominant tree species, Castanopsis kawakamii , within the Sanming C. kawakamii Nature Reserve of China. The present experiment aimed to examine the variations in root–leaf traits of seedling, focus on the relative positions of seeds within different layers: beneath or above the litter layer, or within the bare soil layer (without litter). Our findings provided evidence supporting a coordinated relationship between root and leaf traits, wherein leaf traits varied in conjunction with root traits in the relative positions of seeds. Specifically, we observed that seedlings exhibited higher values for specific leaf area and average root diameter, while displaying lower root tissue density. The mixed model explained 86.1% of the variation in root–leaf traits, surpassing the variation explained by the relative positions. Furthermore, soil nitrogen acted as a mediator, regulating the relationship between seedling growth and root–leaf traits, specifically leaf dry matter content and root tissue density. Therefore, future studies should consider artificially manipulating tree species diversity based on root–leaf traits characteristics to promote forest recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the carbon storage of forests and identifying the factors that influence it are essential in working towards the "dual carbon" goal. This assessment will facilitate research on carbon neutrality and promote regional ecological protection and development. This study utilized the "One Map" data of forest resources (2020) and the first year (2017) of the establishment of the national park in Wuyi Mountain National Park (WMNP). The continuous biomass expansion factor method, in conjunction with the vegetation carbon content coefficient, was employed to estimate the forest carbon storage within the park's forested areas. Subsequently, the distribution of forest carbon storage was analyzed using remote sensing estimation methods, and a comparison was made between the forest carbon storage of these two years. Finally, correlation analysis and path analysis were conducted to identify the primary factors influencing forest carbon storage. The study findings reveal that in 2020, the total carbon storage in forests reached 4.851 × 106 t C, with an average carbon density of 49.55 t C·hm−2. Furthermore, the study identified positive correlations between dominant tree species, age groups, and elevation with carbon storage, whereas slope length and aspect were found to have negative correlations. Dominant tree species were observed to have the greatest impact on forest carbon storage in both 2017 and 2020, followed by age groups. These findings offer valuable scientific insights for the implementation of forest carbon storage pilot projects in WMNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica napus (oilseed rape) is the primary source of vegetable edible oil in China, playing an important role in ensuring and stabitity the safety of national edible oil supply. The growth and development of oilseed rape are frequently attacked by various pathogens, among which Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is generally considered one of the most economically damaging, widely studied and highly concerned diseases. This article refers to relevant research results, elaborates on the pathological cycle and pathogenic mechanism of S. sclerotiorum, summarizes the progress of resistant germplasms, defense-ralated genes and mechanisms in oilseed rape. Additionary, this review introduces the newly reporeted pathogenicity factors such as SsCP1; it contains breakthroughs in the creation of resistant germplasm inherited from Brassica species; multiple studies that found the co-localization of genetic loci controlling flowering time and resistance to S. sclerotiorum in oilseed rape; and the research reveals the molecular mechanism mediated by the WRKY28-WRKF33 module finely regulates defense strength of oilseed rape after being infected with S. sclerotiorum. This review also looks forward to future research on oilseed rape resistance against S. Sclerotiorum, with a focus on exploring resistant germplasm. It aims to provide a reference for the comprehensive control of S. sclerotiorum in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is a significant foodborne pathogen and a common cause of intestinal diseases in both animals and humans. Our study investigated MLST, phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles, and resistance genes among isolates from human, animal and food. 186 C. perfringens isolates were obtained from nine provinces in China between 2013 and 2021. Additionally, some specific ST complexes were analyzed by cgMLST and cgSNP to investigate genetic relatedness. MLST indicated the most prevalent STs of C. perfringens of human and animal origin were as follows: ST221 (5/147), ST62 (4/147), ST408 (4/147), and ST493 (4/147) were predominant in humans, while ST479 (5/25) was the major type in animals. Within the same ST complex, genetically unrelated relationships or potential clustering/transmission events were further recognized by cgMLST and cgSNP, illustrating that these two methods are valuable in defining outbreaks and transmission events. All tested isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and meropenem. The rates of resistance to metronidazole, penicillin, cefoxitin, moxifloxacin, and chloramphenicol were low (metronidazole: 1.08%; penicillin: 9.68%; cefoxitin: 0.54%; moxifloxacin: 6.45%; and chloramphenicol: 3.76%). Interestingly, 49.66% of human origin were clindamycin-resistant, and 18.2% were penicillin-insensitive. Importantly, the portion of MDR isolates was significantly lower than in previous reports. The study provides an overview of the epidemiological characteristics of C. perfringens with different origins and hosts in China. C. perfringens demonstrated remarkable genetic diversity and distinct molecular features compared to antibiotic-resistance profiles from other studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a nosocomial bacterial pathogen that causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea mediated by cellular exotoxins secreted into the intestine during bacterial growth. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PCR ribotyping are the main molecular typing for C. difficile. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) was developed for genetic evolution and outbreak investigation of C. difficile with higher precision and accuracy. Methods: A total of 699 whole (complete and draft) genome sequences of distinct C. difficile strains were used in this study to identify core gene set (2469 core genes) and the cgMLST scheme for the phylogeny analysis of C. difficile. This cgMLST pipeline was then carried the Chinese Pathogen Identification Net (China PIN) for surveillance of C. difficile in China. Within the China PIN, 195 WGS of C. difficile and an outbreak of CDI with 12 WGS of C. difficile were used to evaluate the cgMLST pipeline. Results: The result displayed that mostly tested C. difficile isolates could be successfully divided into 5 classic clades and the outbreak event was also successfully identified. Discussion: The results are meaningful and offer a practicable pipeline for a national-wide surveillance of C. difficile in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed a new single-tube multiplex real-time PCR method for detecting toxigenic C. difficile directly from fecal samples using tcdA, tcdB, cdtB, and internal gene tpi as targets, which could be performed on kinds of polymerase chain reaction device including point-of-care testing (POCT), with improved detection efficiency. The specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability of each gene was evaluated using 69 C. difficile isolates and 74 fecal samples. Results were compared with established PCR, qPCR, and ELISA methods. Interspecies specificity was 100% based on six common intestinal pathogens (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus Faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium botulinum). The lower detection limit (LDL) for tcdA, tcdB, and cdtB with pure C. difficile DNA was 101,100, and 100 copies/μL, respectively, the coefficients of variation among different experimental batches and within each experimental batch were both less than 3%, which shows that this method has strong repeatability. And the LDL of fecal DNA was 5 × 100, 5 × 103, and 5 × 102 colony-forming units (CFU)/g, respectively. In addition, the efficiency for detection of tcdA was compared with established PCR and real-time PCR methods, demonstrating high consistency (98.4%) and similar sensitivity. ELISA was used to confirm inconsistent results, which were identical with our method. The sensitivity and specificity for detecting toxigenic C. difficile in fecal samples were 96.49% and 94.12% compared with the toxigenic culture (TC). This method effectively identified the toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains with high specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability, and could reduce the false positive rate of tcdA, and accurately identify the typical Asian strain RT017, making it potentially contribute to the surveillance of CDI in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional techniques for stable isotope analysis (SIA) generally require sacrificing animals to collect tissue samples. In October 2018, we examined the isotopic values of fin and muscle tissue of Gymnocypris chui (n = 19) and Gymnocypris scleracanthus (n = 28) from Lake Langcuo of the Tibetan Plateau of China to determine whether non‐lethally collected pectoral fin tissue could substitute for muscle tissue in stable isotope analysis. The results showed positive relationships (r2 > 0.7) between fin and muscle tissue for both δ15N and δ13C of G. chui and G. scleracanthus. This study demonstrates the utility of a non‐lethally technique to analyze time‐integrated dietary habits and should be applicable to other fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The significance of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (PORT) on the survival of resected IIIA‐N2 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. Here, we aimed to determine the predictive value of the three nodal classifications which might aid in PORT decision‐making. Methods: A total of 4797 patients with stage IIIA‐N2 resected NSCLC were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and were grouped by whether PORT was administered. Survival analysis was used to identify the patient groups who can benefit from PORT. Multivariate analysis was performed to confirm the independent risk factors for lung cancer‐specific survival (LCSS) and overall survival (OS). A validation cohort of 1184 patients from three medical centers in China were also included. Results: PORT was not associated with better LCSS and OS in the entire cohort after propensity score matching (PSM). However, in the subgroups of positive lymph nodes 4 (PLN4), lymph node ratio 4 (LNR4), and log odds of positive lymph nodes 4 (LODDS4), PORT exhibited its role in improving LCSS (p < 0.05). Although the three nodal classifications were all identified as independent predictors of LCSS and OS, LODDS classification had the best discriminatory ability and prognostic accuracy for stage IIIA‐N2 patients. Similar results were also obtained in the validation cohort. Conclusions: The LODDS classification not only exhibited the best prognostic performance in predicting LCSS and OS in stage IIIA‐N2 disease, but also could help tailor individualized PORT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet of Gymnocypris species and the food web structure in Lake Langcuo (4300 m above sea level) of the southwest Tibetan Plateau of China were investigated by carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope analyses. Ephemeropteran and chironomid larvae were the major components of the diet of Gymnocypris chui, making it an omnivore with animals as the majority component, while the Myriophyllum spicatum and ephemeropteran larvae was the most important for Gymnocypris scleracanthus, qualifying it as an omnivore with plants as the majority component. Ephemeropteran larvae also made up the most abundant constituent of the Triplophysa stoliczkae diet. Overall diet changed during development of G. chui, but the dominant food remained unaltered, whereas the major component of G. scleracanthus diet changed. An average trophic enrichment factor of 3.4‰ was used to calculate the trophic levels based on δ15N, with the results indicated that the food web has three trophic levels: primary producers and primary and secondary consumers. The primary consumer trophic level was represented by zooplankton, aquatic insect larvae, and gammarids, with a mean δ15N value of 7.79‰. The secondary consumer level included all fish, with a mean δ15N value of 10.68‰. The primary consumers were chiefly dependent on autochthonous carbon input. This is the first quantitative study of the food web in a lake of the Tibetan Plateau above 4000 m. The study provides information critical to lake management and conservation in the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oncomelania snails serve as the sole intermediate host for Schistosoma japonicum, one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in the world. Afforestation suppression of the Oncomelania hupensis snail has been a long-term effective national strategy to decrease snail density in China. Many previous studies have made clear that vegetation (biotic factors) and soil (abiotic factors) were the basic requirements for snail survival on beaches. Moreover, a lot of research on snail control has been focused on the specific influencing environmental factors for snail survival, such as the vegetation community structure, species composition, diversity index, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Most of the existing research has studied the influence of a single factor on snail population density. Conversely, there have been only a few studies focused on the food sources and food composition of the snails. The current research situation on snail control has indicated that the mechanisms underlying ecological snail control have not been systematically characterized. The question of whether biotic or abiotic factors were more important in influencing snail survival remains unclear. Afforestation on beaches has significantly suppressed snail density in China so far. In this study, we proposed that the reduction of snail density was not affected by a single factor but by the interactions of multiple related factors introduced by afforestation. Moreover, different biotic and abiotic factors have significantly different effects on snail control. Therefore the goal of this study was to evaluate the relative importance and interactions of related biotic and abiotic factors on snail density. Methods: Four major vegetation communities: Sedge, Reed, Artificial poplar (3 years of age) and Artificial poplar (5 years of age), on the beaches of the Yangtze River in China were selected for vegetation and snail surveys, as well as for soil sampling. Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was used to assess the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in the context of snail ecology. The soil properties were considered as abiotic factors, while algae of Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta phyla were considered to be biotic factors. In the path analysis, the total effect between the variables was the sum of the direct and indirect effects. Results: The snail density had significant correlations with soil properties, such as water content, bulk density, capillary porosity and pH value, as well as with all three types of soil algae, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, and Bacillariophyta. Snail density had a direct negative relationship with capillary porosity and soil bulk density, an indirect negative relationship with soil pH value and an indirect positive relationship with soil water content via soil algae. Meanwhile, as an important food source for the snail, the Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta algae had a significant positive correlation with snail density. High soil pH had a negative impact on Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, while soil water content had a positive impact on Chlorophyta, and soil bulk density had a negative impact on Cyanophyta. In addition, the soil pH value and soil bulk density both had negative correlations with soil water content. Conclusion: Afforestation of the beach environment can significantly reduce the snail population density by altering ecological factors. Soil algae (biological factors) might be the key element that drives ecological snail control. As important habitat determinants, the impact of the properties of the soil (non-biological factors) on the snail population was largely mediated through soil algae. Author summary: Schistosomiasis is the second largest tropical parasitic disease in the world after malaria. By the end of 2018, the areas in which schistosomiasis is endemic in China are distributed across 12 provinces (municipality and autonomous region). Among these areas, 5 provinces, including Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi, have continued to consolidate achievements in schistosomiasis elimination. Sichuan Province has achieved transmission interruption and 6 provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Jiangsu have achieved transmission control. Oncomelania hupensis (Snail) is the only intermediate host for the parasite schistosomiasis japonicum, so snail control is an important measure to control the spread of schistosomiasis. So far, the area the snail inhabits in China is 3.63 billion m2, with more than 95% of this distributed along the beaches of Yangtze River. Forestry schistosomiasis prevention projects has effectively reduced the snail habitat area and decreased snail population density through afforestation of these areas in China. However, the key factors that inhibit snail population growth by afforestation remain unclear. We propose to investigate the interactional relationship between biotic and abiotic factors introduced by afforestation on the distribution of the snail population. The results revealed that the number of soil algae is the important biological element determining snail distribution. Abiotic factors, such as soil properties indirectly impact on the snail population through a direct influence on soil algae. Of these, the pH value, water content, capillary porosity, bulk density interact with the algae content (Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta) to decrease snail density through afforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health is directly related to people's physical health, social adaptation and study and work efficiency. Mental health education for college students has also become the focus of education in China. By combining the knowledge network with the psychological scales, this study tried to not only find the most significant abnormal psychology but also evaluate the relationship between different abnormal psychology of college students. The data of this study were the 'The symptom Checklist scale (SCL-90)' questionnaire of the 2017 freshman census of a university in China. The data were statistically analyzed by means of knowledge network method including centrality, systematic clustering and K-plex analysis. From the results, we can see that the 'phobic anxiety' was the core dimension; all the mild symptoms were clustered into one type, and all the severe symptoms were clustered into another type; other dimensions were more closely related in addition to 'interpersonal sensitivity' and 'somatization'. In psychological measurement research, knowledge network method can be combined to better evaluate the psychological state of the groups and obtain more complete assessment results, which provides a basis for the revision of the psychological scales in terms of balance and item setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been performed worldwidely to explore the potential of animals that might be a reservoir for community associated human infections of Clostridioides difficile. Several genetically undistinguished PCR ribotypes of C. difficile from animals and human have been reported, illustrating potential transmission of C. difficile between them. Pig and calf were considered as the main origins of C. difficile with predominant RT078 and RT033, respectively. As more investigations involved, great diversity of molecular types from pig and calf were reported in Europe, North American and Australia. However, there were quite limited research on C. difficile isolates from meat animals in China, leading to non-comprehensive understanding of molecular epidemiology of C. difficile in China. Results: A total of 55 C. difficile were isolated from 953 animal stool samples, within which 51 strains were from newborn dairy calf less than 7 days in Shandong Province. These isolates were divided into 3 STs and 6 RTs, of which ST11/RT126 was predominant type, and responsible for majority antibiotic resistance isolates. All the isolates were resistant to at least one tested antibiotics, however, only two multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates were identified. Furthermore, erythromycin (ERY) and clindamycin (CLI) were the two main resistant antibiotics. None of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin (VAN), metronidazole (MTZ), tetracycline (TET), and rifampin (RIF). Conclusions: In this study, we analyzed the prevalence, molecular characters and antibiotic resistance of C. difficile from calf, sheep, chicken, and pig in China. Some unique features were found here: first, RT126 not RT078 were the dominant type from baby calf, and none isolates were got from pig; second, on the whole, isolates from animals display relative lower resistant rate to these 11 tested antibiotics, compared with isolates from human in China in our previous report. Our study helps to deep understanding the situation of C. difficile from economic animals in China, and to further study the potential transmission of C. difficile between meat animals and human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a global concern and is especially severe in China. To effectively and reliably provide AMR data, we developed a new high-throughput real-time PCR assay based on microfluidic dynamic technology, and screened multiple AMR genes in broiler fecal samples. A high-throughput real-time PCR system with an new designed integrated fluidic circuit assay were performed AMR gene detection. A total of 273 broiler fecal samples collected from two geographically separated farms were screened AMR genes. The new assay with limits of detection ranging from 40.9 to 8,000 copies/reaction. The sensitivity rate, specificity rate, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and correct indices were 99.30%, 98.08%, 95.31%, 99.79%, and 0.9755, respectively. Utilizing this assay, we demonstrate that AMR genes are widely spread, with positive detection rates ranging from 0 to 97.07% in 273 broiler fecal samples. bla CTX-M , bla TEM , mcr -1, fex A, cfr, optr A, and int l1 showed over 80% prevalence. The dissemination of AMR genes was distinct between the two farms. We successfully established a new high-throughput real-time PCR assay applicable to AMR gene surveillance from fecal samples. The widespread existence of AMR genes detected in broiler farms highlights the current and severe problem of AMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the big data era, destination images have played an increasingly important role in tourism development. However, seldom tourism research has utilised big data analytics to examine destination images from travel blogs. Therefore, this study proposes and evaluates a big data analytical approach using latent Dirichlet allocation to extract attributes of online destination images from 140,286 travel blogs about 20 cities in China. Results reveal 14 dimensions with 54 attributes of destination images of the studied cities. Interesting findings are discovered between online destination images and tourism cities. This study also summarises the implications for tourism research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that acupuncture is beneficial for the alleviation of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. However, there is a lack of clinical evidence concerning the effects of acupoint-matching on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.Methods/design: This is a parallel randomized controlled trial to evaluate the occurrence of nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy (the incidence of nausea and vomiting, frequency, VAS score, RINVR rating) as the main outcome for cancer. Quality of life, anxiety and depression scores are the secondary outcomes. Quality of life, anxiety and depression scores are the secondary phase. Use of remedy drugs, routine blood examination, and blood biochemical tests are the safety evaluation. We also compare the different effects of ST36 (single acupoint), CV12 (single acupoint), and ST36-CV12 matching groups.Discussion: The results of this trial are expected to explore the effects of matching different acupoints and to offer biologic plausibility for the use of acupuncture in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV).Trial Registration: This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov NCT02195921 , The date of registration was 17 July 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The black seabream (Sparus macrocephlus) is an economically pivotal aquaculture species cultured in China and Southeast Asian countries. To understand the molecular immune mechanisms underlying the response to Vibrio parahaemolyticus , a comparative gene transcription analysis were performed with utilized fresh livers of V. parahaemolyticus -immunized Sparus macrocephlus with a control group through RNA-Seq technology. A total of 256663 contigs were obtained after excluded the low-quality sequences and assembly. The average length of contigs collected from this research is 1066.93 bp. Furthermore, blast analysis indicates 30747 contigs were annotated based on homology with matches in the NT, NR, gene, and string databases. A gene ontology analysis was employed to classify 21598 genes according to three major functional categories: molecular function, cellular component, and biological process. A total of 14470 genes were discovered in 303 KEGG pathways. RSEM and EdgeR were introduced to estimate 3841 genes significantly different expressed (False Discovery Rate<0.001) which includes 4072 up-regulated genes and 3771 down-regulated genes. A significant enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed genes and isogenes were conducted to reveal the major immune-related pathways which refer to the toll-like receptor, complement, coagulation cascades, and chemokine signaling pathways. In addition, 92175 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 121912 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected and identified sequencely in the Sparus macrocephlus liver transcriptome. This research characterized a gene expression pattern for normal and the V. parahaemolyticus -immunized Sparus macrocephlus for the first time and not only sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the host- V. parahaemolyticus interaction but contribute to facilitate future studies on Sparus macrocephlus gene expression and functional genomics. Highlights • Transcriptome of Sparus macrocephlus liver in response to Vibrio parahaemolyticus were firstly surveyed by RNA-Seq. • 256663 contigs were obtained from two libraries through de novo assembly. • The 4072 and 3771 genes were up- and down-regulated between two libraries. • A total of 92175 SSRs and 121912 candidate SNP loci were identified in the liver transcriptome of Sparus macrocephlus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Isolated iliac artery aneurysms are the relatively uncommon condition. This study aims to evaluate the technical issues and clinical outcomes of endovascular repair in a cohort of isolated iliac artery aneurysms treated.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 22 consecutive patients with isolated iliac artery aneurysms between December 2006 and September 2016. Iliac artery aneurysms were treated in one of the three ways: (1) standard bifurcated aortic stent graft placement with limb extension; (2) coverage of iliac artery aneurysms with covered stent grafts; and (3) embolization of the arterial branches distal to the aneurysms with coils or vascular plugs.Results: Twenty-two patients (20 men) with a mean age 64.7 years underwent endovascular repair during the study period. The median diameter of the isolated iliac artery aneurysms was 5.9 ± 1.7 cm (2.9-9.0 cm). Technical success was 95.5%. Conversion to open surgery was performed in one patient with bilateral internal iliac artery aneurysms. Four patients underwent placement of a bifurcated stent graft. A covered stent graft was deployed in 16 patients, with embolization of internal iliac artery in 14 patients. Simple coil embolization of isolated internal iliac artery aneurysm was performed in one patient. There was one sudden cardiac death on day 4 after the procedure due to heart failure. During the follow-up period (range: 1-50 months, mean 19.8 months), five patients died of causes not related to isolated iliac artery aneurysms, and transient buttock claudication was observed in one patient.Conclusions: Our study documents the safety and effectiveness of endovascular repair of isolated iliac artery aneurysms with low morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a highly infectious, zoonotic disease. Hundreds of human plague cases are reported across the world annually. Qinghai Plateau is one of the most severely affected plague regions in China, with more than 240 fatal cases of Y. pestis in the last 60 years. Conventional epidemiologic analysis has effectively guided the prevention and control of local plague transmission; however, molecular genetic analysis is more effective for investigating population diversity and transmission. In this report, we employed different genetic markers to analyze the population structure of Y. pestis in Qinghai Plateau. Methodology/Principal finding: We employed a two-step hierarchical strategy to analyze the phylogeny of 102 Qinghai Plateau isolates of Y. pestis, collected between 1954 and 2011. First, we defined the genealogy of Y. pestis by constructed minimum spanning tree based on 25 key SNPs. Seven groups were identifi7ed, with group 1.IN2 being identified as the dominant population. Second, two methods, MLVA and CRISPR, were applied to examine the phylogenetic detail of group 1.IN2, which was further divided into three subgroups. Subgroups of 1.IN2 revealed a clear geographic cluster, possibly associated with interaction between bacteriophage and Y. pestis. More recently, Y. pestis populations appear to have shifted from the east toward the center and west of Qinghai Plateau. This shift could be related to destruction of the local niche of the original plague focus through human activities. Additionally, we found that the abundance and relative proportion of 1.IN2 subgroups varied by decade and might be responsible for the fluctuations of plague epidemics in Qinghai Plateau. Conclusion/Significance: Molecular genotyping methods provided us with detailed information on population diversity and the spatial-temporal distribution of dominant populations of Y. pestis, which will facilitate future surveillance, prevention, and control of plague in Qinghai Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context The prevalence of thyroid disease in China is on the rise, and this could be partly associated with excessive iodine intake in some individuals; therefore, increased attention is being paid to individual iodine status. However, current indices are not appropriate for evaluating individual iodine status. Objective To evaluate the association between serum iodine and urinary iodine ( UI), as well as thyroid diseases, and provide an excellent base for future individual iodine status assessment. Design, subjects and measurements A total of 902 adults were enrolled in this study including 325, 286 and 291 subjects from regions in China where iodine is adequate, sufficient and in excess, respectively. Serum iodine, UI and thyroid function were assessed, and ultrasonography performed in all subjects. Results The median serum iodine values of adults with subclinical hypothyroidism, high serum autoantibody and thyroid nodules were significantly higher than those of euthyroid adults ( P<0.05). A serum iodine level higher than 100 μg/L was considered as a risk factor for thyroid diseases. Serum iodine had strong nonlinear correlations with UI and thyroid function. When thyroid function was taken as a gold standard, the area under the receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve for serum iodine was 0.752 and UI was 0.507 for subjects with lower serum iodine and UI levels. The area for serum iodine was 0.773 and UI was 0.638 for subjects with higher serum iodine and UI levels. The areas under these curves were significantly different ( P<0.001). Conclusion In adults, serum iodine had a strong nonlinear correlation with UI and a high level of serum iodine was a risk factor for thyroid diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of a BWMS with filtration + membrane separation + deoxygenation technology in treating ballast water was investigated under marine operational circumstances in five shipboard tests. The shipboard tests were carried out between August 2020 and March 2021 onboard a bulk carrier JIN HAI HUA, which sailed between Mawei, Qinhuangdao and Caofeidian in China throughout spring, summer, and fall season. The discharge results in all five tests met the D-2 standard in IMO BWMS Code, with the shortest holding time of less than three days. The BWMS does not involve application of chemicals or generation of by-products, and is considered to be an appropriate choice for certain types of ships. • Filtration + membrane separation + deoxygenation technology is a physical process that can be considered as a new green ballast water treatment process. • The discharge results in all five tests showed compliance with the D-2 standard. • These five shipboard tests throughout three different sea areas and seasons at three diverse ports along the coastline of China. • The requirement of the minimum phytoplankton in the uptake water stipulated by IMO is a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Typical urban building-vegetation morphological prototypes are extracted. • A co-simulation technique combining urban microclimate and urban energy is proposed. • A quantitative analysis of the correlation between urban energy use and urban vegetation morphology is presented. • Key morphological parameters of vegetation affecting urban energy are determined. Studies have shown that urban vegetation can be an effective strategy for reducing energy consumption in urban buildings by regulating the microclimate and shading solar radiation on building surfaces. However, an understanding of the potential energy savings of vegetation morphological planning at the urban scale is still lacking, particularly regarding the quantitative correlation between urban vegetation morphology and its impact on urban building energy use. The morphology of the metropolitan area in Nanjing, a typical hot summer/cold winter city in eastern China, was statistically analyzed, and 40 urban building-vegetation morphological prototypes were extracted. Using the proposed co-simulation technique for urban microclimate and urban building energy, the summer and winter building energy consumption of the prototypes were simulated. A quantitative analysis was conducted on the relationship between urban vegetation morphology indexes and building energy consumption. The results indicate that strategically planned urban vegetation morphology can significantly reduce urban building energy consumption. In the summer, vegetation close to the geometric center of the site, uniformly distributed and highly mixed with buildings, can significantly reduce the building energy consumption; in the winter, the opposite is true. The presented findings provide designers and planners with strategies for incorporating urban vegetation morphology design into the construction of energy efficient cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hupehsuchus nanchangensishas been known from five specimens from the Triassic of China since its type was found in 1972. However, our knowledge of its morphology is still limited because of the poor preservation of the known specimens. This article aims to (1) update the morphological information of the animal on the basis of a new specimen from the same stratum of the type in the neighbouring Yuanan County, Hubei Province, China; (2) revise the diagnostic features of the animal and (3) make a detailed comparison to demonstrate if the members of Hupehsuchia are different from one another. Considering the body shape, the anatomy and relationships of those bones surrounding the orbit and temporal fenestrae, the sharply curved boomerang-shaped lateral elements of the gastralia, the semicircular scapula and bar-like ilium,Hupehsuchus nanchangensiscan be easily distinguished from coevalNanchangosaurus suniorParahupehsuchus longusorEohupehsuchus brevicollis. The body shape and limb morphology suggest thatHupehsuchus nanchangensismust have had a different mode of lifestyle from that of other three hupehsuchians. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An avian influenza virus (AIV) strain belonging to the H4 subtype and provisionally designated as A/duck/China/J1/2012(H4N6) was isolated from diseased ducks with respiratory disease at a commercial poultry farm in Shandong, China, in 2012. The genomic coding sequences of all eight segments of this J1 isolate were determined and used for subsequent analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of all eight segments showed that this duck H4N6 virus was of Eurasian lineage and not American lineage. The results show that the virus probably emerged because of a reassortment event involving other avian H4N6 and H6N1 viruses. Interestingly, this H4N6 virus had all the conserved features common to low-pathogenic AIVs, including the HA cleavage sequence, receptor-binding sequences for the 2,3-linked sialic acid receptor in avian species, and the PB2 627E motif. These results suggest that the duck H4N6 isolate could not cross the species barrier to infect and replicate in mammals, including humans. In addition, screening of the duck serum samples showed that only 0.57 % (2/352) of the individuals had weak but measurable hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers. The low antibody prevalence data were also supported by the failure to detect H4N6 virus (0/56) in clinical nasal swabs of the ducks. These data indicate an alternate reservoir for the H4N6 virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyptothorax annandalei belongs to the family of Sisoridae, Glyptothorax. It is distributed in the Yarlung Zangbo River of southwestern China. In this study, we first published the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Glyptothorax annandalei, which was 16,541 bp in length. This genome consists of two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and a putative control region. The overall base composition was for A(31.25%,) for T(25.67%), for C(27.66%), for G(15.42%). The PCGs start with a traditional ATG except for COX1 start with GTG, respectively, and end with stop codon TAA, TAG, or a single T base. All tRNA have the typical clover-leaf structure. The phylogenetic tree of the whole mitogenome sequence is constructed by maximum likelihood (ML) method and the phylogenetic relationship among the family Sisoridae is further analyzed. We expect to provide the theoretical basis for the further study of the phylogenetic relationship, taxonomic status, conservation and management of genetic resources of Sisoridae catfishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We enrolled 2057 hospitalized patients with T2DM and measured kidney function and ankle–brachial index (ABI). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was derived using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation and ABI was grouped as low (<0.9), low-normal (0.9-1.09), normal (1.1-1.3), and high (>1.3). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations of eGFR with ABI. Generally speaking, the ABI was negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure, fasting C-peptide, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol while positively correlated with body mass index (P < .05 to <.01). Only a low ABI was positively correlated with eGFR (P < .01). In addition to the association of the ABI with cardiovascular events, stroke, and PAD, ABI may also predict the change in renal function in patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper studies the relationship between China's intellectual property rights protection and FDI by means of time-series data, and finds that strong intellectual property protection promotes more FDI inflows to some extent. Meanwhile from the industry level, using industrial patents applications granted classified by international standards, it analyzes the relationship between the levels of intellectual property rights protection and FDI in different industries. The results show that FDI are more sensitive to intellectual property rights protection of those high techs and easily copied industries, while the level of intellectual property rights protection of those low tech industries has less effect on FDI inflow. It finally provides some policy advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the recent decade, great development has been made in the natural gas industry. By the end of 2007, the total proved geological reserves of natural gas were 6 × 1012 m3. At the same time, the increase rate of annual production has been greater and greater. From the 100 × 108 m3/year in 1976 to 500 × 108 m3/year in 2005, the required time for an increase of 100 × 108 m3 has been 20 years, 5 years, 3 years, and 1 year, respectively. The significance of studies on natural gas geology and geochemistry are: in the 1970s, it was proposed that coal measure be good gas source rocks, and that the coal measure hydrocarbon generation be dominated by gas generation with some oil generation, which opened new opportunity for coal gas exploration and made coal gas increase from 9% to 70% of the total natural gas in China; according to studies on the semi-quantitative and quantitative controlling factors on large gas fields formation and natural gas accumulation zones, 7 out of 11 large gas fields of more than 1 000 × 108 m3 were predicted in advance by 4–11 years; the gas sources of Feixianguan Formation accumulations are various, and the authors expect that there is a coal gas generation center from Longtan Formation in Bazhong, north Sichuan, which is favorable for large coal gas fields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pareuchiloglanis kamengensis belongs to the family of Sisoridae, Pareuchiloglanis. It is distributed in the Yarlung Zangbo River, the Irrawaddy River, the Nujiang River, and the Lancang River in southwestern China. In this study, we first published the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Pareuchiloglanis kamengensis, which was 16,589 bp in length. This genome consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a non-coding A + T-rich region. The PCGs start with a traditional ATG except for COX1 and NAD3, which start with GTG and ATA instead, respectively, and end with stop codon TAA, TAG, TA, or a single T base. All tRNA have the typical clover-leaf structure. The phylogenetic tree of the whole mitogenome sequence is constructed by using neighbor-joining (NJ) method and the phylogenetic relationship among the family Sisoridae is further analyzed. We except to provide the theoretical basis for the further study of the phylogenetic relationship, taxonomic status, and conservation and management of genetic resources of Sisoridae catfishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this section, authors from China attempt to use urodynamic indices to predict upper urinary tract dilation in children with neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction. OBJECTIVE To investigate the possibility of using urodynamic variables to predict upper urinary tract dilatation (UUTD) in children with neurogenic bladder-sphincter dysfunction (NBSD). PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included 200 children with NBSD, of whom 103 had UUTD and 97 did not; they were examined using routine urological, neurological and urodynamic methods. The group with UUTD was divided into three subgroups (group 1–3, from mild to severe hydronephrosis). A urodynamic risk score (URS) was calculated, including a detrusor leak-point pressure (DLPP) of >40 cmH2O, a bladder compliance (BC) of <9 mL/cmH2O and evidence of acontractile detrusor (ACD). RESULTS The postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), DLPP, incidences of ACD and DLPP of >40 cmH2O were greater and the BC significantly less in groups 1–3 than in the control group. Moreover, the BC decreased, while the PVR, DLPP and the incidence of DLPP of >40 cmH2O were significantly higher in group 3 than in group 2. The relative safe cystometric capacity of groups 2 and 3 were lower, respectively, than that of the control and group 1, and the relative unsafe cystometric capacity (RUCC) and relative risk rate of cystometric capacity (RRRCC) were significantly greater with the severity of UUTD. The maximum detrusor pressure on voiding or at maximum flow rate, and the Abrams-Griffiths number for voluntary contractile bladders, of the UUTD group were significantly higher than those of the control group. There was a positive correlation between URS and UUTD. CONCLUSIONS The selective use of urodynamic variables might be valuable for predicting the risk of UUTD in children with NBSD. Decreased BC, and increased DLPP and ACD are the main urodynamic risk factors, and they reciprocally increase the occurrence and grades of UUTD. The grades of UUTD are compatible with increases in RUCC, RRRCC and URS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different cytogenetic techniques were used to analyze the chromosomes of white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus from Mt. Tai and Jinan, Shandong Province and Ningshan, Shaanxi Province of China. Shandong populations have 2n=46 chromosomes with 4 metacentric, 2 subtelocentric, 16 telocentric pairs of autosomes and the submetacentric X and telocentric Y. The chromosomal arm number (NF) of the two populations was 56. Shaanxi population has 2n=46 chromosomes with 4 metacentric, 1 submetacentric, 1 subtelocentric and 16 telocentric pairs of autosomes and the submetacentric X and telocentric Y. The karyotype of Ningshan population showed NF=58. As the result of the comparison of C- and G-banding patterns, and compare with other species in the genus Niviventer , we suppose that the chromosomal evolution of Niviventer involved in pericentric inversion and heterochromatin growth. The submetacentric chromosomes of Shaanxi population would be originated from the growth of heterochromatin of the subtelocentric chromosome of Shandong population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the results of an investigation of knowledge and public awareness of stuttering among laypersons in Shanghai, China. A total number of 1968 respondents answered a questionnaire including questions about prevalence, onset, gender distribution and occurrence in different cultures, cause, treatment, intelligence and heredity of stuttering. Stuttering appears to be a disorder that most people in the Shanghai area are familiar with, and for several aspects a considerable number of respondents held views that are in line with current knowledge about stuttering. For some aspects though knowledge is limited, indicating a need for disseminating scientific information on stuttering. The results of the present study are compared with a similar Belgium study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three dimensional (3D) deposit-scale modelling was used to identify exploration targets at depth and evaluation of mineral resources including 3D geometry and attribute models. Constructing 3D deposit-scale model need to combine exploration boreholes, cross-sections, and geochemistry assays additional mining dataset. The Shanggong gold deposit is a magmatic hydrothermal deposit with an orogenic setting, and it is located in the south margin of North China Craton. On basis of the geological features of the Shanggong gold deposit, the 3D geology model and attribute modelling aims at potential targets identification and mineral resource estimation adopting different mining and exploration datasets and uncertainty analysis in 3D space. The methodology is summarized as follows: 1) the 3D geological bodies, such as stratum, fault, ore bodies model, constructed using GoCAD software, an initial range of 3D model is 15 × 13 × 3 km3; 2) Ordinary Kriging and discrete smooth interpolation (DSI) methods were used to analyze and identify the trend of the mineralization (Au) features in 3D space combined boreholes and the primary geochemical haloes dataset, and the Au/Pb ratio model is constructed using primary geochemical haloes data with DSI interpolation method; 3) the grade simulation modelling and assessing the uncertainty of the geometry and feature models using the geostatistical method. The results show as follows: 1) the high gold grade value zones are associated with intrusion and NE-trending and NNE-trending cross fault structures; 2) the high gold grade value blocks of Au/Pb ratio can be used to depict mineralization zones; 3) Ordinary Kriging and DSI methods can show the trend of the attribute model; 4) the simulation results can characterize the uncertainty of the 3D model through uncertainty analysis. • The 3D multiple geological objects model were established in Shanggong deposit by the GoCAD software. • The potential targets were recognized by the 3D Au grade simulation realization results with connection analysis. • The three targets were identified for mineral exploration by the uncertainty analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies discuss energy consumption and carbon emissions in industrial sectors. However, studies of environmental problems caused indirectly by the development of the service sector have, until now, been rather limited. Using the input-output analysis and the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, we propose an improved method for estimation of embodied CO 2 emissions efficiency in the service sector, and apply it to provincial data in China. We observe that first, the service sector emitted a significant amount of embodied CO 2 ; second, significant regional differences in CO 2 emissions efficiency exist that, nevertheless, are consistent with the levels of regional economic development. Finally, we propose several policy implications for emissions reduction. • The input-output analysis and three-stage DEA model are used together. • Service sector emits a significant amount of CO 2 indirectly through supply chains. • External environment affects emissions efficiencies to a large extent. • Embodied CO 2 emissions efficiencies present significant regional differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for indoor thermal comfort in recent years, radiant heating & cooling systems have been very popular in China. However, for the household air-conditioning in hot-summer and cold-winter regions, an effective solution of heating and cooling source supply for radiant air-conditioning system remains to be developed. In this paper, an energy-efficient radiant heating/cooling system with fresh air supply is proposed and investigated for household utilization numerically. Under summer conditions, dehumidified fresh air supply is a tough problem in radiant cooling since the chilling water temperature for radiant cooling is much higher than traditional air-conditioning systems. In the proposed system, the fresh air handling unit is composed of both pre-cooling dehumidification coil and liquid desiccant dehumidifier, where high-temperature chilling water is used for cooling source and small part of condensing heat is used for liquid desiccant regeneration. The results indicated that the fresh air can be steadily supplied and sufficiently dehumidified for indoor air quality and humidity control. The chilling water flow rate in pre-cooling coil ( m w , c o i l ) and the solution flow rate from regenerator to dehumidifier ( m s , S S ) can be recognized as control parameters to reliably regulate the indoor air humidity. The load ratio of sensible heat to latent heat had no significant impact on C O P s y s , which means the system can operate with a steady energy efficiency despite of the indoor heat load. Satisfactory energy-saving potential was revealed in the proposed system with a COP improvement of 25.8%–30.1% compared to the conventional system under typical summer conditions in Nanjing. • An integrated radiant heating/cooling system is proposed for household utilization. • The system serves effectively for heating & cooling source supply for radiant air-conditioning. • The dehumidification capacity and energy-saving performance are evaluated. • The effects of m w , c o i l and m s , S S on dehumidification performance are analyzed. • Performance evaluation is conducted in one-day simulation under summer conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy use in buildings has great variability. In order to design and operate low energy buildings as well as to establish building energy codes and standards and effective energy policy, it is crucial to understand and quantify key factors influencing building energy performance. This study investigates air-conditioning (AC) energy use of four office buildings in four locations: Beijing, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Berkeley. Building simulation was employed to quantify the influences of key factors, including climate, building envelope and occupant behavior. Through simulation of various combinations of the three influencing elements, it is found that climate can lead to AC cooling consumption differences by almost two times, while occupant behavior resulted in the greatest differences (of up to three times) in AC cooling consumption. The influence of occupant behavior on AC energy consumption is not homogeneous. Under similar climates, when the occupant behavior in the building differed, the optimized building envelope design also differed. Overall, the optimal building envelope should be determined according to the climate as well as the occupants who use the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridioides difficile is the predominant pathogen responsible for antimicrobial associated diarrhea (AAD) and health care facility-associated infectious diarrhea. The role of C. difficile in China and its impact on public health have gained attention in recent years. Most clinical C. difficile isolates in China belong to multilocus sequence type clade 1 with sequence types (STs) 3, 35 and 54 predominating. Of note, the proportion of C. difficile isolates from clade 4, especially ST37 (PCR ribotype 17), is much higher in China than in other areas. In China, the antimicrobial-resistance profile of C. difficile is similar to that of other countries, demonstrating a higher resistance rate to erythromycin, clindamycin, and fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin). In general, susceptibility to vancomycin and metronidazole of clinical C. difficile in China is high, however, some resistance to metronidazole have recently been reported. Preclinical research on C. difficile in animals in China is limited, and different studies have reported varied isolation rates and antimicrobial resistance profiles. The diverse molecular types of C. difficile in China merit further epidemiological, genomic and evolutionary investigation. While the use of probiotics in preventing C. difficile infection (CDI) have received both support and opposition, the discovery of new probiotics and new formulations are showing promising results in combating the threat posed by CDI. • C. difficile in clinical healthcare in China is gaining attention. • Most C. difficile isolates in China are clade 1; clade 4 is more than elsewhere. • Some variants resistant to metronidazole have recently been reported. • CDI in animals in China has varied isolation rates and resistant profiles. • WGS shows CDI in China has diverse molecular types with unique genetic features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: The aim of our study was to validate association between −8 C/G variant of PSMA6 gene and T2DM in Chinese Dongxiang and Han populations. Method: We genotyped PSMA6 gene −8 C/G polymorphism in the control groups and T2DM groups in two populations from China using PCR-RFLP technique. Phenotypes and biochemical indicators were measured by biochemical technique. Result: The frequencies of CG+GG genotype were observably different from CC genotype in the T2DM groups and control groups (for Dongxiang population: OR=1.341, 95% CI: 1.101–1.632, P =0.004; for Han population: OR=1.313, 95% CI: 1.085–1.569, P =0.006 after adjusting for gender, age, and BMI, respectively). In the Dongxiang population, the FPG, HOMA-IR, SBP and TG levels of CG+GG genotype were markedly higher than those of the CC genotype in control group (all P <0.05). However, in the Han population, we only found that the FPI level of the CC genotype was significantly higher than that of the CG+GG genotype in control group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Our investigation suggests that −8 C/G variant of PSMA6 gene may be associated with T2DM and diabetes-related metabolic traits in Chinese Dongxiang and Han populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The concept of net zero energy building (NZEB) has attracted worldwide attention and has the potential to achieve significant energy and emissions reductions. Various technical strategies have been demonstrated to be able to achieve the net-zero-energy target. However, this issue becomes more complex when the economic performances of these strategies are considered. Although studies on the economic performance of NZEBs can be found in the literature, gaps in the research still exist. This paper presents a systematic methodology that combines life cycle cost analysis, benefit-cost analysis, and dynamic building performance simulation to effectively evaluate the economic performance of individual NZEB technologies and holistic technical strategies and determine the most economically competitive options. To demonstrate the application and validity of the methodology, a case study of office buildings in the Yangtze River Delta region of China is presented. Although this case study is ad hoc, the proposed methodology is applicable to buildings of other types and in other regions as long as the climatic and economic conditions are known. • A methodology for developing economically efficient NZEB strategies is proposed. • The methodology combines building energy simulation, LCC and benefit-cost analysis. • A prototype of office buildings in the Yangtze River Delta region is established. • Economically competitive NZEB strategies for the prototype building are developed. • Without extra rooftop PV, designing the prototype as NZEB is economically inviable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the purpose of exploring the widely distributed Mesozoic granitoids in SE China and the related mineralization, we carried out a new 530-km-long seismic wide-angle reflection and refraction (WARR) profile along the transect Wanzai- Hui'an. Based on a previous exploration in 2012 and the analysis of this WARR profile, we have deduced a detailed P-wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle. The main results are: (1) The crustal thickness is about 30 to 32 km beneath the Yangtze Block and West Cathaysia, and 29 to 30 km below the East Cathaysia, which represents a significant thinning with respect to the worldwide average thickness of shields and platforms. (2) The variation in seismic velocity between the upper crust and middle-lower crust in the Yangtze Block and the Cathaysia Blocks indicates that the Shaoxing-Jiangshan-Pingxiang Fault (SJPF) is the tectonic boundary between the Yangtze and Cathaysia and the Zhenghe-Dapu Fault (ZDF) is the tectonic boundary between the west and east Cathaysia. (3) The middle crust exhibits a low P-wave velocity layer of 6.2 km/s below the Wuyishan Metallogenic Belt (WMB). This low velocity layer can be attributed to the delamination during the Caledonian orogeny and the Yanshanian extension. (4) The middle-lower crust shows a clear lateral velocity variation from west to east in Cathaysia. The subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate is believed to be the main reason for the extensional tectonic environment and magmatism during the Yanshanian (Jurassic-Cretaceous) period, leading to significant crustal and lithospheric thinning. Relatively high velocity in the middle-lower crust and widely disseminated Cretaceous volcanic rocks in East Cathaysia may be related to the slab rollback of the Paleo-Pacific plate in the late Yanshanian (Cretaceous) period. [Display omitted] • We have obtained a crustal P-wave velocity model for Cathaysia, SE China. • The crust is thinned distinctly due to the extensional tectonic environment. • Relatively high velocity is observed in middle-lower crust of East Cathaysia. • A low velocity layer at 20 km depth below the Wuyishan Metallogenic Belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pingtan Island is located on the southeastern coast of China between the Changle-Zhao'an and Binhai fault zones. We use P- and S-wave traveltime data from marine large-volume airgun sources for 3-D velocity structure inversion, and the spatial resolution is high at depths of 1–3 km. The isotropic inversion results show that the velocity in the island is higher in the midwestern area, which consists of sedimentary plains. The velocity is lower in the southern and eastern areas, which consist of eroded hills. Then we perform azimuthally anisotropic inversion using the obtained isotropic model as the initial model. The fast directions in the island are predominantly NE-SW and NNE-SSW, consistent with the main fault structures along the southeastern coast of China. The magnitude of anisotropy gradually decreases from south to north, consistent with the decreasing intensity of fault activity from south to north. On the southeastern coast of China, the fast direction in the upper crust is nearly orthogonal to that in the upper mantle from previous studies, which is nearly parallel to the absolute plate motion in the lower crust and upper mantle. The faults along the Fujian coastal area and Taiwan formed at different time period. But the fast directions in these two areas are similar. Therefore, the fast direction is mainly dominated by the trends of faults and fractures in the upper crust. And it is dominated by aligned olivine crystals induced by plate motion in the lower crust and upper mantle. Unlabelled Image • The shallow crustal velocity structure on Pingtan Island in southeastern China corresponds well with the landforms. • The fast direction is dominated by the trends of faults and fractures at shallow depths. • The fast directions in the upper crust and upper mantle are nearly orthogonal on the southeastern coast of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the development of thoracic deformity in Children. A retrospective analysis was performed with the medical records of 39 pediatric OSAS patients with thoracic deformity and matching 39 without thoracic deformity as control group between January 2015 and June 2019. The contrast was performed with age, gender, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), the lowest oxyhemoglobin saturation (loSpO2)at night, tonsil and adenoid size, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)and trace elements and metals between two groups. BMI, AHI, the lowest SpO2, Phosphorus and Zinc were the risk factors of thoracic deformity. Age, gender, disease history, the size of tonsil and adenoid, ALP and other trace elements were no significant difference occurred between two groups. OSAS characterized by apnea and hypoxia which are caused by narrow upper airway may be one cause of thoracic deformity in children. Pediatricians, thoracic and otolaryngologic surgeons should be alert to OSAS when thoracic deformities are diagnosed in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that antibiotic usage is associated with the development of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), especially clindamycin, third-generation cephalosporins, and fuoroquinolones. Antibiotic resistance rates to many antibiotics varies a lot by study. We performed a study focused on antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates of C. difficile from more widespread geographic regions across China. Of 319 C. difficile isolates tested against 11 antibiotics, 313 (98.1%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic. The highest rate of resistance was to ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, and erythromycin across all age groups, similar to previous studies. However, all isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin. Overall the resistance rate to tested antibiotics was lower than other reports in China except for chloramphenicol and meropenem. Genotype ST37/RT017 in clade 4 was resistant to more antibiotics than other types. Unexpectedly, RT078 isolates in this study were susceptible to almost all tested antibiotics. In addition, the proportion of multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates observed (17%) in this study was much lower than several European studies (up to 55%) and a previous study in China (78%). Although isolates from patients aged between 65 and 85 were more resistant to antibiotics in comparison to other age groups, MDR isolates were still detected in children below 2-years of age. The highest percentage of MDR isolates was determined in South China, an area that is most developed economically. The clade 4, RT017 (ST37) has been associated with outbreaks in Europe and North America and is responsible for most C. difficile infections (CDIs) in Asia. In addition, RT017 is often clindamycin and fluoroquinolone resistant. This study provided a relatively comprehensive description of antibiotic resistance of C. difficile in China, and further elucidates the epidemiology and antibiotic resistance of clinical isolates of C. difficile in China at a national level. • A total of 319 C. difficile strains were classified into 44 STs/29RTs. • Resistances to CIP, CLI and ERY were most common and none was detected for MTZ and VAN. • ST37/RT017 in clade 4 showed resistance to more antibiotics than other types. • The highest accumulation of resistance was found in RTs 017, 012, 001 and 046. • The resistance rates were seem to associated with age and economic developed areas in China. [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.

Aims: Suboptimal perfusion leading to heart failure (HF) often occurs after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), despite restoration of epicardial coronary flow in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) era. We determined the clinical implications of angio-based coronary functional assessment in evaluation of suboptimal perfusion and further outcomes among STEMI patients after successful PPCI., Methods and Results: In this study, STEMI patients in the Chinese STEMI PPCI registry trial (NCT04996901) who achieved post-PPCI thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade 3 flow were retrospectively screened. Post-procedural quantitative flow ratio (QFR), angio-based microvascular resistance (AMR), and coronary flow velocity (CFV) of the infarct-related artery were calculated. QFR and AMR measure epicardial stenosis severity and microvascular resistance, respectively. QFR+ was defined as QFR < 0.90 while QFR- was QFR ≥ 0.90. AMR+ was defined as AMR ≥ 250 mmHg*s/m while AMR- was AMR < 250 mmHg*s/m. The primary outcome was 30-day new-onset HF. The Kaplan-Meier curves were used to establish the associations between QFR, AMR, CFV, and HF incidences. The relationship between CFV and combined QFR and AMR indices was further assessed. Independent predictors were determined using Cox regression analysis. The receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to assess discriminant ability to predict HF. A total of 942 patients (mean age was 57.8 ± 11.7 years and 84.6% were men) were enrolled. Among them, 129 patients had new-onset HF episodes. Patients in the QFR-/AMR- group had a low risk of HF compared with those in the QFR+/AMR+ group (10.5% vs. 27.3%, P = 0.027). A higher CFV ≥ 17.4 cm/s was associated with low HF incidences as compared with CFV < 17.4 cm/s (10.3% vs. 16.8%, P = 0.005), whereas isolated QFR or AMR did not reveal any marked differences in HF incidences (P = 0.150 and 0.079, respectively). The highest and lowest medians of CFV were observed in the QFR-/AMR- and QFR+/AMR+ groups, respectively. CFV correlated well with the QFR/AMR ratio (adjusted R 2  = 1, P < 0.001) and post-PPCI CFV was found to be an independent predictor of post-STEMI HF (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.61, 95% confidence interval: 0.41-0.90, P = 0.012). The area under curve estimate of the multivariable regression model was 0.749., Conclusions: CFV is an integrated coronary physiological assessment approach that incorporates epicardial and microcirculatory contributions. Patients with post-PPCI CFV < 17.4 cm/s were strongly associated with a high risk for post-STEMI HF, even achieving thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade 3 flow. The immediate angio-based coronary functional assessment is a feasible tool for evaluating suboptimal perfusion and risk stratification., (© 2023 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Introduction: Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a nosocomial bacterial pathogen that causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea mediated by cellular exotoxins secreted into the intestine during bacterial growth. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PCR ribotyping are the main molecular typing for C. difficile . Whole genome sequencing (WGS) core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) was developed for genetic evolution and outbreak investigation of C. difficile with higher precision and accuracy., Methods: A total of 699 whole (complete and draft) genome sequences of distinct C. difficile strains were used in this study to identify core gene set (2469 core genes) and the cgMLST scheme for the phylogeny analysis of C. difficile . This cgMLST pipeline was then carried the Chinese Pathogen Identification Net (China PIN) for surveillance of C. difficile in China. Within the China PIN, 195 WGS of C. difficile and an outbreak of CDI with 12 WGS of C. difficile were used to evaluate the cgMLST pipeline., Results: The result displayed that mostly tested C. difficile isolates could be successfully divided into 5 classic clades and the outbreak event was also successfully identified., Discussion: The results are meaningful and offer a practicable pipeline for a national-wide surveillance of C. difficile in China., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wang, Xie, Zhang, Du, Li, Bia, Cui, Wu and Lu.)

The aim of this study was to reveal the influence of heavy metal emissions from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants on the surrounding soil environment. Seven heavy metals, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Ni, were detected in the flue gas of six coal-fired power plants in Shijiazhuang, and the heavy metals in the soil surrounding the power plants were analyzed. The source analysis and health risk assessment of the heavy metals were carried out. The results showed that after a series of flue gas pollutant control measures, the emission concentrations of different heavy metals in the flue gas of the coal-fired power plants ranged from 0.11 to 6.32 mg·(MW·h) -1 , and Cu, Cr, and Ni were the main pollutants. The total amount of the seven heavy metal elements discharged into the atmosphere by each power plant was 33.56-275.71 kg·a -1 . The average contents of Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Ni in the surface soil surrounding the coal-fired power plant were higher than the background values of Hebei soil, and the contents were 1.16-2.32 times higher than the background values. The heavy metal content in the soil around the power plants was proportional to the heavy metal emissions in the flue gas. The heavy metal content in the soil under different wind directions first increased and then decreased gradually with the increase in distance from the power plants. Source analysis showed that coal combustion emissions contributed the most to heavy metals in soil around the power plants (41.4%), followed by industrial emissions (23.6%) and transportation emissions (19.6%). Altogether, human activities played a leading role in soil heavy metal enrichment, accounting for 84.6%. The health risk assessment showed that the overall health risk of metal elements in the soil surrounding the power plant was within acceptable limits.

Background: This study aimed to describe length of stay (LOS) to discharge and site variations among very preterm infants (VPIs) admitted to 57 Chinese neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to investigate factors associated with LOS for VPIs., Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled all infants < 32 weeks' gestation and admitted to 57 NICUs which had participated in the Chinese Neonatal Network, within 7 days after birth in 2019. Exclusion criteria included major congenital anomalies, NICU deaths, discharge against medical advice, transfer to non-participating hospitals, and missing discharge date. Two multivariable linear models were used to estimate the association of infant characteristics and LOS., Results: A total of 6580 infants were included in our study. The overall median LOS was 46 days [interquartile range (IQR): 35-60], and the median corrected gestational age at discharge was 36 weeks (IQR: 35-38). LOS and corrected gestational age at discharge increased with decreasing gestational age. The median corrected gestational age at discharge for infants at 24 weeks, 25 weeks, 26 weeks, 27-28 weeks, and 29-31 weeks were 41 weeks, 39 weeks, 38 weeks, 37 weeks and 36 weeks, respectively. Significant site variation of LOS was identified with observed median LOS from 33 to 71 days in different hospitals., Conclusions: The study provided concurrent estimates of LOS for VPIs which survived in Chinese NICUs that could be used as references for medical staff and parents. Large variation of LOS independent of infant characteristics existed, indicating variation of care practices requiring further investigation and quality improvement., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between the TSHR, BRAF, and PIK3CA gene copy number variations (CNVs) and thyroid nodules by analyzing gene CNVs, and to explore the interaction between iodine status and the above genes CNVs in the occurrence of thyroid nodules., Methods: Three hundred and ninety-five subjects were selected from 3 regions with different iodine status in Shanxi Province of China, including 192 patients with thyroid nodules and 203 healthy controls. The basic information about subjects had been obtained through a questionnaire. B ultrasound was utilized to check thyroid nodules. Blood and urine samples were harvested to detect the thyroid function and urinary iodine concentration. Real-time quantitative polymerase chains reaction (RT-PCR) served to detect CNVs in DNA from human blood., Results: There was an association between TSHR gene CNV and thyroid nodules (χ 2  = 8.403, P = 0.004). The prevalence of BRAF and PIK3CA gene CNVs was not statistically significant between the case group and the control group. Differences in the TSHR gene CNV rates for cases of the 3 areas were statistically significant (χ 2  = 10.072, P = 0.007). No statistical difference in the prevalence rates of the 3 genes CNVs between diverse characteristics of thyroid nodules was observed. UIC > 300 μg/L (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.02-2.96, P = 0.041) and TSHR gene CNV (OR = 3.53, 95% CI: 1.40-8.92, P = 0.008) were risk factors for thyroid nodules. There was no significant interaction between the UIC and the examined genes CNVs., Conclusions: TSHR gene CNV and high urinary iodine levels can increase the risk of thyroid nodules. But the interactions between the 3 above genes CNVs and iodine nutrition were not found in the occurrence of thyroid nodules.

Langcuo Lake is a typical plateau lake in the southern Tibet, with an altitude of 4300 m. Gymnocypris chui and Gymnocypris scleracanthus coexisted in this lake. In this study, we investigated the food composition and trophic niche of two Gymnocypris fishes in autumn by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes technique in 2018. We further analyzed their interspecific diet relationship, including the diet similarity index and overlap coefficient. The results showed that G. chui mainly feed on ephemeroptera larvae, chironomidae larvae, periphytic algae, gammarus and plankton, while G. scleracanthus mainly feed on ephemeroptera larvae, periphytic algae, chironomidae larvae, gammarus and aquatic vascular plants. Two Gymnocypris fishes had trophic niche overlap. The δ 13 C range value (CR=1.60), δ 15 N range value (NR=1.89), and total area of convex hull (TA=1.80) of G. chui were lower than those of G. scleracanthus , with the difference values being 0.09, 0.57 and 1.29, respectively. The diet similarity index and overlap coefficient of those two species were higher, with a value of 94.2% and 91.5%, respectively. Our results suggested that the interspecific diet competition may be intense between the G. chui and G. scleracanthus in Langcuo Lake in autumn.