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Students' perceived values and costs of learning chemistry influence their performance and intentions of choosing chemistry-related majors or careers. Based on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory, this study adopted a mixed method approach to examine the conceptualization of values and costs among Chinese high school students and identify their relations with chemistry test performance across gender. Qualitative content analyses revealed that students' perceived values for chemistry could be categorized into five broad categories: utility value, epistemic value, intrinsic value, aesthetic value, and social value. Chi-square tests and multidimensional scaling revealed that boys and girls perceived values and costs in different ways: relational utility value was more salient to boys while practical utility value and epistemic value were more salient to girls; Girls perceived greater distinctions among different types of values (i.e., epistemic- and emotional-related values) and costs (i.e., emotional and ego cost) than boys. Independent t tests showed that boys reported mostly higher values and lower costs than girls. Hierarchical multiple regression found that gender, intrinsic value, social value and cost significantly predicted students' chemistry exam scores. In addition, the interaction between gender and social value was identified. This study highlights the complexity of perceived values and costs of learning chemistry and provide implications for developing activities or interventions that foster student engagement in chemistry learning.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to compare the Sniffin' Sticks 12‐identification test (SIT‐12), China‐modified version of the SIT‐12 test (Ch‐SIT‐12) and brief smell identification test for Chinese (B‐SITC) in Chinese population of Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Methods. 36 patients with PD and 7 patients with MSA were enrolled in this study. Three olfactory testing methods (SIT‐12, Ch‐SIT‐12, and B‐SITC) were used to test the olfactory function in all participants. Furthermore, demographic and clinical data were collected. Results. There was no significant difference between three olfactory tests in patients with PD (B‐SITC vs. SIT‐12: P = 0.508; Ch‐SIT‐12 vs. B‐SITC: P = 0.146; and SIT‐12 vs. Ch‐SIT‐12: P = 0.375). Tremor‐dominant (TD) subtypes have better olfactory function than akinetic‐rigid dominant (ARD) subtypes when using Ch‐SIT‐12 (77.8% vs. 29.6%, P = 0.019) or B‐SITC (55.6% vs. 14.8%, P = 0.026). There was a statistical difference between the PD and MSA using Ch‐SIT‐12 to test the olfactory function (P = 0.046). Conclusions. Our results indicated that SIT‐12, Ch‐SIT‐12 and B‐SITC can be used for the detection of olfactory dysfunction in Chinese population of PD. TD subtypes may have better olfactory function than ARD subtypes. In addition, Ch‐SIT‐12 may be used to differentiate PD from MSA, but that should be confirmed in a larger population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation and implementation of clinical practice guidelines for integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) is crucial to the adoption of medical science and technological findings and is an important way for TCM to be made available to the world. First, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) of TCM and WM integration in recent years was analyzed to clarify the current situation and problems in the existing guidelines according to the following four perspectives: (1) perspective of TCM and WM integration in guidelines, (2) diagnosis Using integrated TCM and WM, (3) integration of TCM and WM treatment, (4) promoting TCM and WM integration. Secondly, the information and quality evaluation of CPGs for integrated Chinese and Western medicine in 2020–2022 were analyzed to explore the degree and methods of integration of Chinese and Western medicine guidelines. And last this study aimed to lay a foundation for the further establishment of Chinese characteristic, repeatable, and calculable clinical practice guidelines of TCM and WM integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM, which then forms a unique modern medical system in China. Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China, and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines limit its development. The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM. To realize the progression of "integration" to "organic integration", a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstetrical infection is one of the causes of maternal death and a difficult problem for many clinicians. Changes in the demographic and obstetric background of pregnant women following the Universal Two-Child Policy may have an impact on some fertility phenomena. And with the increase in the number of deliveries, the limited medical resources become more scarce. How will China's health system quickly adapt to the growing needs and expectations for maternal health and ensure the provision of qualified and accessible medical services? In addition, what social support measures should be provided to reduce preventable obstetric complications? Given the relatively low per capita share of medical resources in China, how should China deal with the impact of the Universal Two-Child Policy? Therefore, more studies based on the change of fertility policy are needed. We try to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of obstetric infection before and after the Universal Two-Child Policy, with a view to providing reference for the prevention and control of obstetric infection in regions after the change of fertility policy, and also hope to make corresponding contributions to the solution of the above problems through relevant studies.Methods: The subjects of the survey were 268,311 pregnant women from Hebei Province Maternal Near Miss Surveillance System (HBMNMSS) of Hebei Women and Children's Health Center from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017. We analyzed the region, time and population distribution characteristics of obstetric infection, compared the epidemiological factors of obstetric infection before and after the Universal Two-Child Policy, and analyzed the relevant risk factors of obstetric infection.Results: The incidence of obstetric infection increased nearly twice after the Universal Two-Child Policy. The incidence of obstetric infection was highest in Chengde (1.9%), a city with a northward geographical distribution, Baoding (1.6%), Cangzhou (1.5%) followed; The higher the hospital grade, the higher the incidence; The incidence of obstetric infections in hospitals at all levels has increased; The age of onset before the Universal Two-Child Policy was (27.82 ± 5.047) years old, and the age after the Universal Two-Child Policy was (28.97 ± 4.880) years old; The incidence of obstetric infections is higher in winter. The rate of abortion-related infection (increased from 0.61 to 1.65%) and the rate of pregnant women with high school education (increased from 0.35 to 0.74%) increased significantly. The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis after the Universal Two-Child Policy showed that anemia (OR = 1.249, 95%CI: 1.071-1.458), chronic hypertension (OR = 1.934, 95%CI: 1.375-2.722), mild preeclampsia (OR = 2.103, 95%CI: 1.323-3.344) and severe preeclampsia (OR = 2.228, 95%CI: 1.703-2.916) were independent risk factors for obstetric infection. Gestational age ≥ 37 weeks was a protective factor.Conclusion: After the Universal Two-Child Policy, the prevention and control of obstetric infections should be strengthened, especially for abortion-related infections and elderly maternal with obstetric complications and complication in high-grade hospitals in winter. Educational background is also one of the factors that should be considered in the prevention of obstetric sensation. Prolonging gestational age is helpful to reduce the incidence of obstetric infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on multi-task principal–agent theories, we aim in this paper to explore a hitherto understudied politics–infrastructure nexus using a data set of Chinese municipal leader profiles. Analysing a panel dataset of 2,399 political leaders’ profiles and infrastructure-investment change across 283 Chinese cities from 2002 to 2016, we demonstrate that city leaders adopt an inverted U-shaped curve regarding infrastructure-investment growth over their tenures. The investment fluctuation strengthens in municipalities with a relatively lower degree of institutional development and in municipalities which have fewer political resources. Furthermore, a higher frequency of political turnover leads to a higher average growth rate of infrastructure investment. This study suggests that fluctuation in infrastructure investment in China is aligned with political incentives, offering new opportunities for comparative studies of global relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: cblC deficiency is the most common type of methylmalonic aciduria in China. Late-onset patients present with various non-specific symptoms and are usually misdiagnosed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical features of patients with late-onset cblC deficiency and explore diagnosis and management strategies around puberty.Results: This study included 56 patients (35 males and 21 females) with late-onset cblC deficiency who were admitted to our clinic between 2002 and September 2021. The diagnosis was confirmed by metabolic and genetic tests. The clinical and biochemical features, disease triggers, outcome, and associated genetic variants were examined. The onset age ranged from 10 to 20 years (median age, 12 years). Fifteen patients (26.8%) presented with symptoms after infection or sports training. Further, 46 patients (82.1%) had neuropsychiatric diseases; 11 patients (19.6%), cardiovascular diseases; and 6 patients (10.7%), pulmonary hypertension. Renal damage was observed in 6 cases (10.7%). Genetic analysis revealed 21 variants of the MMACHC gene in the 56 patients. The top five common variants detected in 112 alleles were c.482G > A (36.6%), c.609G > A (16.1%), c.658_660delAAG (9.8%), c.80A > G (8.0%), and c.567dupT (6.3%). Thirty-nine patients carried the c.482G > A variant. Among 13 patients who exhibited spastic paraplegia as the main manifestation, 11 patients carried c.482G > A variants. Six patients who presented with psychotic disorders and spastic paraplegia had compound heterozygotic c.482G > A and other variants. All the patients showed improvement after metabolic treatment with cobalamin, L-carnitine, and betaine, and 30 school-aged patients returned to school. Two female patients got married and had healthy babies.Conclusions: Patients with late-onset cblC deficiency present with a wide variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms and other presentations, including multiple organ damage. As a result, cb1C deficiency can easily be misdiagnosed as other conditions. Metabolic and genetic studies are important for accurate diagnosis, and metabolic treatment with cobalamin, L-carnitine, and betaine appears to be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and adverse outcomes among the older people remains controversial. Objective to further clarify the association between admission LDL-C levels and cardiovascular mortality (CVM) among oldest old individuals (≥80 years) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Design a prospective cohort study. Setting two-centre. Subjects a consecutive sample of 1,224 oldest old individuals with AMI admitted to Beijing FuWai and Shenzhen FuWai hospitals. Methods all individuals were subdivided according to baseline LDL-C levels (<1.8, 1.8–2.6 and ≥ 2.6 mmol/l) and further stratified by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations (<10 and ≥10 mg/l). The primary outcome was CVM. The time from admission to the occurrence of CVM or the last follow-up was analysed in Kaplan–Meier and Cox analyses. Results the median age of the overall population was 82 years. During an average of 24.5 months' follow-up, 299 cardiovascular deaths occurred. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that LDL-C < 1.8 mmol/l group had the highest CVM among oldest old individuals with AMI. Multivariate Cox regression analysis further revealed that compared with those with LDL-C levels <1.8 mmol/l, subjects with LDL-C levels ≥2.6 mmol/l (hazard ratio: 0.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.46–0.98) had significantly lower risk of CVM, especially in those with high hsCRP levels. Moreover, when categorising according to LDL-C and hsCRP together, data showed that individuals with low LDL-C and high hsCRP levels had the highest CVM. Conclusions LDL-C < 1.8 mmol/l was associated with a high CVM after AMI in oldest old individuals, especially when combined with high hsCRP levels, which may need to be confirmed by randomised controlled trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a major type of bladder cancer with a high incidence worldwide, resulting in a great disease burden. Treatment and surveillance are the most important part of NIMBC management. In 2018, we issued "Treatment and surveillance for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer in China: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline". Since then, various studies on the treatment and surveillance of NMIBC have been published. There is a need to incorporate these materials and also to take into account the relatively limited medical resources in primary medical institutions in China. Developing a version of guideline which takes these two issues into account to promote the management of NMIBC is therefore indicated. We formed a working group of clinical experts and methodologists. Through questionnaire investigation of clinicians including primary medical institutions, 24 clinically concerned issues, involving transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), intravesical chemotherapy and intravesical immunotherapy of NMIBC, and follow-up and surveillance of the NMIBC patients, were determined for this guideline. Researches and recommendations on the management of NMIBC in databases, guideline development professional societies and monographs were referred to, and the European Association of Urology was used to assess the certainty of generated recommendations. Finally, we issued 29 statements, among which 22 were strong recommendations, and 7 were weak recommendations. These recommendations cover the topics of TURBT, postoperative chemotherapy after TURBT, Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy after TURBT, combination treatment of BCG and chemotherapy after TURBT, treatment of carcinoma in situ, radical cystectomy, treatment of NMIBC recurrence, and follow-up and surveillance. We hope these recommendations can help promote the treatment and surveillance of NMIBC in China, especially for the primary medical institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the surgical and oncological outcomes of laparoscopic restaging compared with laparotomy for apparent early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: A retrospective chart review was undertaken of patients who underwent laparoscopic (laparoscopy group) or laparotomic (laparotomy group) restaging at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China, between January 2012 and December 2017. All patients had apparent stage I epithelial ovarian cancer that was incompletely staged at the initial surgery. Results: A total of 157 patients were included, with 50 in the laparoscopy group and 107 in the laparotomy group. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. No cases were converted from laparoscopy to laparotomy. The laparoscopy group had a significantly shorter operating time (p<0.001), less estimated blood loss (p<0.001), and a shorter postoperative hospitalization duration (p<0.001) than the laparotomy group. Transfusions were required in only eight laparotomy patients. No significant differences in postoperative complications were observed between the two groups (p=0.55). Eighteen (11.5%) patients were upstaged to stage II or stage III after surgery. A total of 123 (78.3%) patients received postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy. During the follow-up period, 15 (9.6%) patients experienced disease recurrence, and 3 patients died of disease progression. Five-year disease-free survival (p = 0.242, log-rank test) and overall survival (p = 0.236, log-rank test) were not affected by the surgical approach. Conclusions: Laparoscopic restaging showed more favorable operative outcomes than laparotomy. Surgical restaging via laparoscopy versus laparotomy was not associated with worse survival in women with apparent stage I epithelial ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doctor-patient communication is pivotal for the delivery of effective health care, patient satisfaction and retention, and the development of patient loyalty to the provider. However, the interactional dynamics of loyalty in real-life communication are left underexplored. In this regard, this study aims to examine and analyze loyalty in naturally occurring routine chronic encounters. Based on audio-recordings collected in a state-run tier-three hospital in China, the study uses conversation analysis to examine the sequential placement of loyalty display and its interactional functions in different environments. The findings report two sequential environments where loyalty display emerges: the opening and closing phases. The findings also show that loyalty is mainly produced by the patient to display affiliation and commitment, indicate their preferred treatment options, and rekindle a disconnected relationship. This work contributes to a more nuanced understanding of loyalty display in service and institutional encounters. • Patient loyalty often occurs in medical openings and closings. • It displays affiliation and commitment. • It may suggest a particular treatment. • It may be provided to repair a relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA), a rare inherited disorder, is the most common organic aciduria in China, and prenatal diagnosis has contributed to its prevention. However, the prenatal diagnosis of MMA using cultured amniocytes or chorionic villi to detect gene mutations is exclusively applicable to families with a definite genetic diagnosis. To evaluate the reliability of mass spectrometry assays for the prenatal diagnosis of MMA, we conducted a retrospective study of our 10 years' experience. Materials and methods: This retrospective compare study reviewed the medical records for maternal and fetuses data for 287 mothers with a family history of MMA from June 2010 to December 2020. Methylmalonate and propionylcarnitine in cell-free amniotic fluid were measured using a stable isotope dilution method (GC/MS) and MS/MS-based method (LC/MS/MS). Total homocysteine (tHcy) was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Depending on the presence of disease-causing gene mutations in probands, gene studies on amniocytes from 222 pregnant women were performed. Results: For 222 fetuses of the families with definite genetic diagnosis, gene analyses were performed using cultured amniocytes. 52 fetuses were affected by MMA, whereas 170 were "unaffected". For GC/MS and LC/MS/MS, the specificity was 96.5% and 95.9%, sensitivity was 71.2% and 84.6%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 86.0% and 91.6% and 86.3% and 95.3%, respectively. Propionylcarnitine/butyrylcarnitine ratio showed the highest accuracy and could thus serve as a sensitive indicator to identify those at a risk for MMA. When GC/MS and LC/MS/MS were performed in parallel, the specificity was 92.5% and sensitivity was 95.6%. When evaluating tHcy, the positive and negative predictive values were 95.0% and 96.1%, respectively. In 65 fetuses without family genetic diagnosis, 11 were finally confirmed to have MMA and 54 were "unaffected" by amniotic fluid biochemical assays. The 54 children showed normal urine organic acids and healthy development after birth. Conclusions: Amniotic fluid biochemical assays using GC/MS and LC/MS/MS in parallel increased the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis of MMA. Propionylcarnitine is a more reliable marker than methylmalonic acid in amniotic fluid. Further, tHcy is recommended for the prenatal diagnosis of combined MMA and homocysteinemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate changes result in the expansion of lower elevation plants to higher elevations. The rapid upward expansion of herbaceous plants into the alpine tundra on Changbai Mountain resulted in changes in different levels of ecosystem organization. However, the responses and feedback of litter properties and soil mesofauna to herbaceous plants expansion have not been studied yet. To understand the mechanisms underlying those changes, we conducted a field experiment in the range of 2250–2300 m in the alpine tundra of the Changbai Mountain and collected a total of 288 samples from four degrees of herbaceous plants expansion to study the litter physiochemical properties, soil mesofauna, and soil nutrient contents, and their relationships in that tundra ecosystem suffered from various degrees of herbaceous invasion. We found that herbaceous plant expansion is responsible for a major shift in the dominant species of soil mesofauna from mites to collembolan and has significant impacts on the community structure (R2=0.54, p=0.001) and diversity of soil mesofauna (Shannon-Weiner index, p=0.01). The increasing herbaceous plant expansion resulted in a significant increase in litter biomass from 91g·m−2 in the original tundra vegetation (OIT) to 118g·m−2 in the moderately invaded tundra (MIT), and an increase in litter thickness from 2.37 cm (OIT) to 3.05 cm (MIT). And, the litter total nitrogen content significantly increased, but the values of the litter carbon content, the lignin content, the C/N ratio, and the lignin/N ratio decreased with increased herbaceous coverage (both p<0.05). The litter physical properties pathway (biomass and thickness) directly explained 31% of the total variance in soil mesofauna diversity and 59% of the total variance in soil mesofauna community composition. Furthermore, both the soil available nutrients (incl. AN and AP) and plant biomass (incl. the total plant biomass and herbs/shrubs biomass) significantly increased with increasing coverage of herbaceous plant (both p<0.05), and litter chemical properties pathway directly explained 50% of the soil nutrient content variance and indirectly explained 20% of soil nutrient by affecting soil mesofauna. We found that both soil available nutrients and soil mesofauna were positively correlated with the herbaceous expansion from OIT to MIT, indicating a positive feedback of herbaceous expansion, and the abundance of soil mesofauna decreased in the severely invaded tundra vegetation, suggesting a negative feedback. While, both litter N content and soil available nitrogen were consistently increased in the severely invaded tundra vegetation, indicating a positive feedback of herbaceous expansion. Therefore, this study provides new insights into the process of herbaceous plant expansion into tundra, and provides possible evidence for further expansion according to responses and feedback of in litter properties and soil mesofauna to herbaceous plants expansion. Furthermore, these positive or/and negative feedback systems in the Changbai alpine tundra ecosystem in relation to herbaceous expansion have important implications for the tundra protection, and thus, need to be deeply studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the most common chronic respiratory disease worldwide, not only leads to the decline of pulmonary function and quality of life consecutively, but also has become a major economic burden on individuals, families, and society in China. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore the risk factors for developing COPD in the Chinese population that resides in China and to provide a theoretical basis for the early prevention of COPD. Methods: A total of 2457 cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies published related to risk factors for COPD in China were searched. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 articles were selected. Stata 11.0 was used for meta-analysis. After merging the data, the pooled effect and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between risk factors and COPD. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2 and Cochran's Q tests. Begg's test was used to assess publication bias. Results: Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) (pooled effect = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.16~2.58; P <0.01), smoking history (pooled effect = 2.58; 95%CI: 2.00~3.32; P <0.01), passive smoking history (pooled effect = 1.39; 95%CI: 1.03~1.87; P = 0.03), male sex(pooled effect = 1.70; 95%CI: 1.31~2.22; P <0.01), body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 (pooled effect = 1.73; 95%CI: 1.32~2.25; P <0.01), exposure to biomass burning emissions (pooled effect = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.32~2.06; P <0.01), childhood respiratory infections (pooled effect = 3.44; 95%CI: 1.33~8.90; P = 0.01), residence (pooled effect = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.09~1.42; P <0.01), and a family history of respiratory diseases (pooled effect = 2.04; 95%CI: 1.53~2.71; P <0.01) were risk factors for COPD in the Chinese population. Conclusion: Early prevention of COPD could be accomplished by quitting smoking, reducing exposure to air pollutants and biomass burning emissions, maintaining body mass index between 18.5 kg/m2 and 28 kg/m2, protecting children from respiratory infections, adopting active treatments to children with respiratory diseases, and conducting regular screening for those with family history of respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition influences tree hydraulic architecture and thus the growth and survival; but the responses of leaf hydraulic traits remain uncertain, and may vary with species or plant functional types. Methods We used the 16-year N addition experiment (10 g N m−2 year−1) on Fraxinus mandshurica (ash, broadleaf angiosperm) and Larix gmelinii (larch, conifer gymnosperm) plantations in northeastern China and examined the effect of N addition on their leaf hydraulics. We measured the leaf pressure–volume traits by the bench drying method and quantified the maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (K leaf_max) and resistance to embolism (P 50leaf) by the timed rehydration method. Important Findings Larch had higher K leaf_max and stronger drought tolerance (i.e. lower relative water content at turgor loss point (RWCtlp) and modulus of elasticity (ε), and more negative P 50leaf) than ash. N addition increased the leaf osmotic potential at turgor loss (π tlp) and full turgor (π 0), and leaf capacitance (C leaf_mass) for ash but not for larch, indicating that ash is more sensitive to N addition. N addition consistently increased K leaf_max and P 50leaf values for both species. π tlp and π 0 were positively while C leaf_mass was negatively correlated with leaf density (LD) for ash. K leaf_max was positively but P 50leaf was negatively related with LD for larch. There were negative relationships between K leaf_max and P 50leaf for both species. Overall, our findings suggest that long-term N addition decreases the leaf drought tolerance for these two important tree species, which improve the understanding of the tree hydraulic performance under N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperalgesic priming (HP) is a model of the transition from acute to chronic pain. Electroacupuncture (EA) could inhibit pain development through the peripheral dorsal root ganglia; however, it is unclear whether it can mitigate the transition from acute to chronic pain by attenuating protein expression in the p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) pathway in the spinal dorsal horn. Aims: We aimed to determine whether EA could prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain by affecting the p38 MAPK/TNF-α pathway in the spinal dorsal horn in a rat model established using HP. Methods: We first randomly subdivided 30 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats into 5 groups (n = 6 per group): control (N), sham HP (Sham-HP), HP, HP + SB203580p38 MAPK (HP+SB203580), and HP + Lenalidomide (CC-5013) (HP+Lenalidomide). We then randomly subdivided a further 30 male SD rats into 5 groups (n = 6 per group): Sham-HP, HP, sham EA (Sham EA), EA (EA), and EA + U-46619 p38 MAPK agonist (EA+U-46619). We assessed the effects of EA on the mechanical paw withdrawal threshold and p38 MAPK/TNF-α expression in the spinal dorsal horn of rats subjected to chronic inflammatory pain. Results: Rats in the EA group had reduced p38 MAPK and TNF-α expression and had significantly reduced mechanical hyperalgesia compared with rats in the other groups. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that EA could increase the mechanical pain threshold in rats and inhibit the transition from acute pain to chronic pain. This mechanism could involve reduced p38 MAPK/TNF-α expression in the spinal dorsal horn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sour or wild jujube fruits and dried seeds are popular food all over the world. In this study, we reported a high-quality genome assembly of sour jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill. var. spinosa), with a size of 406 Mbp and scaffold N50 of 30.3 Mbp, which experienced only γ hexaploidization event, without recent genome duplication. Population structure analysis identified four jujube subgroups (two domesticated ones, i.e., D1 in West China and D2 in East/SouthEast China, semi-wild, and wild), which underwent an evolutionary history of a significant decline of effective population size during the Last Glacial Period. The respective selection signatures of three subgroups were discovered, such as strong peaks on chromosomes #3 in D1, #1 in D2, and #4 in wild. Genes under the most significant selection on chromosomes #4 in wild were confirmed to be involved in fruit variations among jujube accessions, in transcriptomic analysis. Our study offered novel insights into the jujube population structure and domestication and provided valuable genomic resources for jujube improvement in stress response and fruit flavor in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technology of pulse-plasma modification of the working surface of the die of 4Kh5MF1S tool steel (analogues are X40CrMoV5-1 in the EU and 4Cr5MoSiV1 in China) was considered. The mentioned tool is used for stamping billets of titanium VT6 alloy (wt.%: Al -- 3.0--6.8; V -- 3.5--5.0; Ti -- base), which is performed at temperatures of up to 700 °C. The die surface is heated, which leads to its oxidation and diffusion redistribution of alloying elements. Pulse-plasma stamping leads to the formation of elastic-plastic deformations of the surface layer in a tool steel, which in combination with pulsed thermal and electromagnetic effects provides a refinement of the alloy structure and intensifies the diffusion mechanisms of alloying elements. The studies showed that the modified layer (over 80 µm thickness) in 4Kh5MF1S steel, formed in the process of pulse-plasma treatment, contains up to 2.5 % carbon, up to 12 % oxygen and up to 3 % tungsten. In the mentioned layer the presence of nanocrystalline structures with a size of less than 100 nm was revealed. The hardness of the modified layer is more than 700 HV0.025. The surface roughness after pulse-plasma treatment did not change. Experience of industrial use of this technology showed that modification of a surface of the die from 4Kh5MF1S steel provided its high serviceability at a deep drawing of products from the heated (to 700 °C) sheet of VT-6 titanium of 3 mm thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CPGs are not uniformly successful in improving care and several instances of implementation failure have been reported. Performing a comprehensive assessment of the barriers and enablers is key to developing an informed implementation strategy. Our objective was to investigate determinants of guideline implementation and explore associations of self-reported adherence to guidelines with characteristics of participants in China.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey, using multi-stage stratified typical sampling based on China's economic regional divisions (the East, the Middle, the West and the Northeast). 2-5 provinces were selected from each region. 2-3 cities were selected in each province, and secondary and tertiary hospitals from each city were included. We developed a questionnaire underpinned by recommended methods for the design and conduct of self-administered surveys and based on conceptual framework of guideline use, in-depth related literature analysis, guideline development manuals, related behavior change theory. Finally, multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression to produce adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).Results: The questionnaire consisted of four sections: knowledge of methodology for developing guidelines; barriers to accessing guideline; barriers to guideline implementation; and methods for improving guideline implementation. There were 1732 participants (87.3% response rate) from 51 hospitals. Of these, 77.2% reported to have used guidelines frequently or very frequently. The key barriers to guideline use were lack of education or training (46.2%), and overly simplistic wording or overly broad scope of recommendations (43.8%). Level of adherence to guidelines was associated with geographical regions (the northeast P < 0.001; the west P = 0.02; the middle P < 0.001 compared with the east), hospital grades (P = 0.028), length of practitioners' practice (P = 0.006), education background (Ph.D., P = 0.027; Master, P = 0.002), evidence-based medicine skills acquired in work unit (P = 0.012), and medical specialty of practitioner (General Practice, P = 0.006; Surgery, P = 0.043).Conclusion: Despite general acknowledgement of the importance of guidelines, the use of guidelines was not as frequent as might have been expected. To optimize the likelihood of adherence to guidelines, guideline implementation should follow an actively developed dissemination plan incorporating features associated with adherence in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between a (GT)n dinucleotide length polymorphism in the promoter region of heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) and the risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia remains controversial. This meta-analysis was, therefore, performed with aims to examine the correlation between the HMOX1 (GT)n repeat length polymorphism and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia susceptibility.Materials and methods: We searched the databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data, with all reviewed studies published before 28 June 2018. After the evaluation of quality, we used RevMan to perform the meta-analyses. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the effect of HMOX1 gene promoter polymorphisms on the risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.Results: Seven studies, involving 584 patients with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and 1655 controls, were included. A statistically significant association was found between the HMOX1 (GT)n repeat length polymorphism and risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia under the allele (allele S vs. allele L: OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.22-2.67, p = .003), recessive (genotype SS vs. genotypes LS + LL: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.02-1.86, p = .04), dominant (genotypes SS + LS vs. LL: OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.01-1.76, p = .01), and homozygous genetic models (genotype SS vs. genotype LL: OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.02-2.11, p = .003), but not under the heterozygous genetic model. Interestingly, subgroup analysis revealed that the cutoffs of the S allele < 25 showed significant associations in any of the five genetic models (allele S vs. allele L: OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.68-3.05, p < .00001; genotype SS vs. genotypes LS + LL: OR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.41-4.65, p = .002; genotypes SS + LS vs. genotype LL: OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.28-2.59, p = .0009; genotype SS vs. genotype LL: OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.50-6.36, p = .002; genotype LS vs. genotype LL: OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.11-2.42, p = .01); however, this association was not observed in the cutoffs of the S allele ≥25.Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that there is a significant association between the HMOX1 (GT)n repeat length polymorphism and susceptibility to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Newborns carrying shorter (GT)n repeats in the HMOX1 gene promoter may have a higher risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cobalamin C deficiency (cblC) caused by the MMACHC mutations is the most common type of the disorders of intracellular cobalamin metabolism. While the c.609G > A mutation is most frequent in Chinese cblC patients, its correlation with phenotype has not been delineated. Here we aim to investigate the factors affecting variable phenotypes and outcomes associated with the MMACHC c.609G > A homologous mutation in 149 Chinese cases to have implications for treatment and prevention.Methods: We assessed 149 cblC patients caused by MMACHC c.609G > A homozygous mutation. The clinical manifestations, complications, treatment, and outcomes were evaluated; 120 patients were followed-up till December 2019.Results: Two patients (1.3%) were prenatally diagnosed, treated after birth and consequently showed normal development. In 15 patients (10.1%) detected by newborn screening, 10 were treated at the age of 2 weeks and showed normal development, while the other 5 were treated after onset and showed neurologic disorders. All 132 clinically diagnosed patients (88.6%) developed symptoms at age from few minutes after birth to 72 months. Among them, 101 (76.5%) had early-onset (before the age of 12 months) and 31 (23.5%) had late-onset (after the age of 12 months). Totally 5 patients died and 24 were lost to follow-up. Of the 132 clinical diagnosed patients, 92 (69.7%) presented with developmental delay, 65 (49.2%) had seizures, 37 (28.0%) had anemia, 24 (18.2%) had feeding difficulty, 23 (17.4%) had ocular problems, and 22 (16.7%) had hydrocephalus. Compared with the non-developmental delay group, the onset age, the age at treatment initiation and the time from onset to treatment initiation were later in the developmental delay group. Seizure group showed significantly higher urinary methylmalonic acid concentration. During long-term follow-up, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels were significantly higher in patients in the uncontrolled group than those in the seizure-free group.Conclusions: Most cblC patients caused by MMACHC c.609G > A homozygous mutation showed early-onset. The clinically diagnosed patients usually showed the presence of irreversible brain disorders. Patients treated from the pre-symptomatic stage showed favorable outcomes. Therefore, newborn screening, prenatal diagnosis and early treatment are crucial and the c.609G > A mutant allele should be listed in the pre-pregnancy carrier screening panel in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the safety and efficacy of local intra-gestational sac methotrexate injection followed by dilation and curettage (D&C) in treating cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP).Method: Medical records of CSP patients treated with local intra-gestational sac methotrexate injection followed by dilation and curettage were analyzed at the Maternal and Child Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.Results: Thirty-one patients were included in this study. The mean gestational age, sac diameter and thickness of the uterine scar were 49.6 ± 7.7 days, 1.8 ± 0.6 cm and 0.30 ± 0.15 cm, respectively. The median pretreatment serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) level was 40,887 mIU/mL, with the 25th and 75th percentiles at 19,852 and 74,552, respectively. The median blood loss during D&C was 20 mL with the 25th and 75th percentiles at 10 mL and 50 mL. Following D&C, a Foley's balloon catheter compression was implanted in 26 (83.9%) patients due to active uterine bleeding. All patients had a β-HCG regression time of ≤ 4 weeks after D&C. While 30 patients (96.8%) had a uterine recovery time of ≤ 4 weeks, and 29 patients (93.5%) had resumption of menstruation of less than 6 weeks. Three patients (9.7%) had complications. One of them suffered from massive vaginal bleeding and underwent s blood transfusion. There were no other complications, such as pelvic infection and uterine rupture during the procedures. And no patient was converted to surgical resection or uterine artery embolization. Overall, 30 patients (96.8%) were treated successfully.Conclusion: Local intra-gestational sac methotrexate injection followed by D&C with the aid of a Foley's balloon catheter compression appears to be a safe and effective treatment for CSP. Further randomized controlled trials are suggested to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease (AD) outcomes remain controversial. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of AD. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data were searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials from inception to January 19, 2019. Data were extracted and evaluated by two authors independently. The data analysis was conducted using R (version 3.6.0) and RStudio (version 1.2.1335) software. Results: Thirty trials involving 2,045 patients were included. Acupuncture plus drug therapy may have been more beneficial for general cognitive function in AD patients than drug therapy alone (short-term treatment: MD, mean difference = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.77; p < 0.01; medium-term treatment: MD = 4.41, 95% CI: 1.83, 7.00; p < 0.01). People who received acupuncture plus drug therapy attained higher ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scores than patients who received drug therapy alone for medium-term treatment duration (MD = −2.14; 95% CI: −3.69, −0.59; p < 0.01). However, there is no statistically significant difference in subgroup effect on MMSE (Mini-mental Status Examination) and ADLs (p > 0.05) when comparing acupuncture treatment with drug therapy (such as Donepezil hydrochloride, Nimodipine, or Yizhijiannao), or acupuncture plus drug therapy (such as Donepezil hydrochloride, Dangguishaoyaosan, or Jiannaosan) with drug therapy alone. There was also no significant difference in general cognitive function, ADLs, or incidence of adverse events between acupuncture treatment and drug therapy (p > 0.05). Conclusions: This review indicates that acupuncture plus drug therapy may have a more beneficial effect for AD patients than drug therapy alone on general cognitive function in the short and medium term and on ADLs in the medium term. Acupuncture alone may not have superior effects compared with drug therapy on global cognitive function, ADLs, and incidence of adverse events. Duration of treatment may not modify the effect of acupuncture in comparison with drug therapy. Additional large-scale and high-quality clinical trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) are being widely applied in various fields. Therefore, hAMSCs represent a promising candidate to facilitate cartilage regeneration. Nonetheless, no studies have investigated the application of hAMSC sheets to repair cartilage defects in vivo. Purpose: To evaluate hAMSC sheets encapsulating cartilage particles to promote repair of rabbit osteochondral defects. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: hAMSC sheets were constructed with passage 3 hAMSCs. The phenotypic and structural characteristics of hAMSC sheets were evaluated by flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The potential for chondrogenic differentiation of hAMSC sheets was assessed by cartilage-specific marker staining, immunohistochemistry, and mRNA and protein expression (SOX9, COLII, and ACAN). Osteochondral defects (diameter, 3.5 mm; depth, 3 mm) were created in the left patellar grooves of 20 New Zealand White rabbits (female or male). The defects were treated with hAMSC sheet/cartilage particles (n = 5), cartilage particles (n = 5), hAMSC sheets (n = 5), or fibrin glue (n = 5). Macroscopic and histological evaluations of the regenerated tissue were conducted after 3 months. The survival time and differentiation of transplanted hAMSCs in the defect area were evaluated by immunofluorescence. Results: hAMSC sheets had a multilayered structure, with cells stacked layer by layer. Importantly, hAMSC sheets highly expressed phenotypic markers of mesenchymal stem cells. Cartilage-specific marker staining and immunohistochemistry were positive, and mRNA and protein expression was higher in the chondrogenically induced hAMSC sheet group than in the hAMSC sheet group (P <.05). hAMSC sheet/cartilage particles formed a large amount of hyaline-like cartilage in the defect area. In addition, macroscopic and histological scores were significantly higher than those in the other groups. Integration with surrounding normal cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration in the hAMSC sheet/cartilage particles group were better when compared with the other groups. A large number of human nuclear-specific antigen-positive cells were observed in the defect area of hAMSC sheet/cartilage particles and hAMSC sheet groups. Moreover, some positive cells expressed SOX9. Conclusion: hAMSC sheets encapsulating cartilage particles facilitate osteochondral defect repair. Clinical Relevance: Delivery of cells in the form of a cell sheet in conjunction with cartilage particles provides a novel approach for cell-based cartilage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Talaromyces marneffei is a common cause of infection in immunocompromised patients in Southeast Asia and Southern China. The pathogenicity of T. marneffei depends on the ability of the fungus to survive the cytotoxic processes of the host immune system and grow inside host macrophages. These mechanisms that allow T. marneffei to survive macrophage-induced death are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the role of a calcineurin homolog (cnaA) from T. marneffei during growth, morphogenesis and infection. Deletion of the cnaA gene in T. marneffei resulted in a strain with significant defects in conidiation, germination, morphogenesis, cell wall integrity, and resistance to various stressors. The Δ cnaA mutant showed a lower minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against caspofungin (16 μg/ml to 2 μg/ml) and micafungin (from 32 μg/ml to 4 μg/ml) compared with the wild-type. These results suggest that targeting calcineurin in combination with echinocandin treatment may be effective for life-threatening systemic T. marneffei infection. Importantly, the cnaA mutant was incapable of adapting to the macrophage environment in vitro and displayed virulence defects in a mouse model of invasive talaromycosis. For the first time, a role has been shown for cnaA in the morphology and pathogenicity of a dimorphic pathogenic filamentous fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)‐associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs) may account for 8–9% of all gastric cancer (GC) patients. All previous reports on EBVaGC were retrospective. Prospective study is warranted to evaluate the exact role of EBV status in predicting the prognosis of GC. It is of special interest to figure out whether dynamic detection of plasma EBV‐DNA load could be a feasible biomarker for the monitor of EBVaGC. From October 2014 to September 2017, we consecutively collected GC patients (n = 2,760) from Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center for EBER examination. We detected EBV‐DNA load in plasma and tissue samples of EBVaGC patients at baseline. Subsequently, plasma EBV‐DNA load was dynamically monitored in EBVaGC patients. The overall prevalence of EBVaGC is 5.1% (140/2,760). The incidence rate of EBVaGC decreased with advanced AJCC 7th TNM stage (p < 0.001), with the corresponding percentages of 9.3, 9.9, 6.7 and 1.4% for Stage I, II, III and IV patients. EBVaGC patients were predominately young males with better histologic differentiation and earlier TNM stage than EBV‐negative GC (EBVnGC) patients. EBVaGC patients were confirmed to had a favorable 3‐year survival rate (EBVaGC vs. EBVnGC: 76.8% vs. 58.2%, p = 0.0001). Though only 52.1% (73/140) EBVaGC patients gained detectable EBV‐DNA and 43.6% (61/140) reached a positive cutoff of 100 copies/ml, we found the plasma EBV‐DNA load in EBVaGC decreased when patients got response, while it increased when disease progressed. Our results suggested that plasma EBV‐DNA is a good marker in predicting recurrence and chemotherapy response for EBVaGC patients. What's new? Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV)‐associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGC) may account for 8–9% of all gastric cancers (GC). The exact role of EBV status in predicting the prognosis of GC remains to be clarified, however. Here, the authors report a prevalence of EBVaGC in GC in China of 5.1%, as defined by EBER staining in cancerous tissue. EBVaGC patients had a better overall survival than EBV‐negative patients. Though only half of EBVaGC patients gained detectable plasma EBV‐DNA levels, elevated plasma EBV‐DNA predicted relapse and poor response to chemotherapy. Dynamic detection of plasma EBV‐DNA load may offer an easily accessible biomarker to monitor EBVaGC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's large-scale high-speed rail (HSR) construction has raised heated debates worldwide. Differing from previous research on metropolitan areas, this study examines on the economic impacts on periphery cities connected by HSR lines. Using a unique panel dataset of 237 Chinese non-core cities at the prefecture level spanning from 2002 to 2016, this study adopts a spatial difference-in-differences model to investigate the impact of HSR on service industry output. The estimation results suggest that the operation of HSR has a significant negative impact on service industry output of non-core cities, confirming the existence of a siphoning effect of HSR. Such negative impact varies with the profile of the non-core cities. HSR-connected non-core cities in the relatively well-developed coastal region, medium-sized and located within half-an-hour's travel time to mega cities tended to be associated with the most pronounced reductions. These findings provide important implications to the Chinese government and could be cogent for those planning or constructing HSR lines in other countries, given the numerous ongoing HSR initiatives around the globe. • This study adopts a spatial DID model to investigate the economic impact of HSR in connected non-core cities. • Non-core HSR cities exhibit lower service industry output due to the siphoning effect induced by HSR. • Non-core cities located in the better-developed coastal regions experience more service industry losses compared to the interiors. • The medium-sized non-core cities suffer more losses than both the large-sized and small-sized cities. • The non-core cities close to the core cities experience more reductions compared to the faraway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To compare the differences in psychosocial behaviour reactions, psychosocial needs, anxiety and depression before and after colostomy surgery and to explore the predictors of psychosocial behaviour reactions. Background: Colorectal cancer is increasing worldwide. Abdominoperineal resection accompanied by permanent colostomy can cause complicated psychosocial reactions and needs. However, colostomy patients' trajectories of psychosocial adjustment at different time points must be discussed. Design: A longitudinal study. Methods: Using a convenience sampling method, 67 patients planning to undergo colostomy surgery were recruited from a tertiary cancer centre in southern China from January 2013–January 2014. Data collection consisted of two phases, conducted 1–2 days before surgery and 1–2 days prior to discharge. The Ostomy Psychosocial Behaviour Reaction Questionnaire, the Ostomy Psychosocial Needs Questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and a self‐designed demographic questionnaire were used to collect data. STROBE guidelines were followed. Results: The participants had a moderate level of psychosocial behaviour reactions, a deep and wide range of psychosocial needs and a high incidence of anxiety and depression before and after surgery. Anxiety before surgery was significantly higher than that after surgery. Psychosocial needs and anxiety were significant predictors of psychosocial behaviour reactions. Conclusions: Patients' anxiety was alleviated after surgery. The combination of ascertaining and meeting various psychosocial needs and managing negative emotions was helpful in alleviating patients' stress responses before and after surgery. Relevance to clinical practice: An increased focus on the relationships among psychosocial behaviour reactions, psychosocial needs, anxiety and depression at different time points in colostomy patients is necessary for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the geochemical characteristics, sources and accumulation process of Lower-Jurassic Sangonghe Formation tight sandstone oil, multiple geochemical analyses were performed on source rocks, oil samples and sandstone particles from Wenjisang area in Turpan Basin. The results show that coal-measure source rocks have relatively higher organic matter abundance and type-II organic matter for Xishanyao and Badaowan Formations, with the potential of liquid hydrocarbon generation. Oil samples of Sangonghe Formation have the characteristics of coal-measure-formed oil. Higher maturity indicate the oil may be mainly generated by Lower-Jurassic Badaowan Formation source rocks. Quantitative fluorescence parameters also reflect that hydrocarbons charged into Sangonghe Formation through continuous migration from the bottom of sand body to the top gradually. In down dip direction of Wenjisang area may develope continuous tight oil and gas reservoirs in Lower Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse male reproduction caused by phthalate ester (PAE) exposure has been well documented in vivo. However, existing evidence from population studies remains inadequate to demonstrate the impact of PAE exposure on spermatogenesis and underlying mechanisms. Our present study aimed to explore the potential link between PAE exposure and sperm quality and the possible mediation by sperm mitochondrial and telomere in healthy male adults recruited from the Hubei Province Human Sperm Bank, China. Nine PAEs were determined in one pooled urine sample prepared from multiple collections during the spermatogenesis period from the same participant. Sperm telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) were determined in sperm samples. The sperm concentration and count per quartile increment in mixture concentrations were −4.10 million/mL (−7.12, −1.08) and −13.52% (−21.62%, −4.59%), respectively. We found one quartile increase in PAE mixture concentrations to be marginally associated with sperm mtDNAcn (β = 0.09, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.19). Mediation analysis showed that sperm mtDNAcn significantly explained 24.6% and 32.5% of the relationships of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) with sperm concentration and sperm count (β = −0.44 million/mL, 95% CI: −0.82, −0.08; β = −1.35, 95% CI: −2.54, −0.26, respectively). Our study provided a novel insight into the mixed effect of PAEs on adverse semen quality and the potential mediation role of sperm mtDNAcn. [Display omitted] • Nine phthalate esters (PAEs) were determined in repeated urine samples over 90 days. • Sperm TL and mtDNAcn were determined in sperm samples among healthy men. • PAE mixtures were negatively associated with semen quality. • MEHP was mainly associated with semen quality and sperm cellular function. • Sperm mtDNAcn may play a mediating role between PAE exposure and semen quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crizotinib is an anti‑cancer drug with a substantial beneficial effect in advanced non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement. However, the real‑world data currently available on this drug are limited. Thus, the present study aimed to retrospectively examine the treatment patterns and survival outcome of 83 advanced NSCLC patients with ALK rearrangement in a single center in China. Of the 83 patients enrolled, 33 (39.8%) patients received crizotinib and the remaining 50 (60.2%) patients received chemotherapy as the initial therapy. The first‑line use of crizotinib prolonged the PFS1 (progression‑free survival to the first detection of subsequent disease progression) compared with chemotherapy (median, 18.5 vs. 4.9 months; P<0.001), however, it did not prolong the overall survival (OS; P=0.802). At the last follow up, 71 (85.5%) patients had received crizotinib and 12 (14.5%) patients were crizotinib‑naive. Patients who had received crizotinib exhibited a significantly longer OS as compared with those who were crizotinib‑naive [hazard ratio (HR) for mortality, 0.279; 95% confidence interval, 0.107‑0.727; P<0.05). Among the 71 patients who had received crizotinib, this was administered as a first‑line therapy in 33 (46.5%) cases, as a second‑line therapy in 22 (31.0%) cases and after the second‑line therapy in 16 (22.5%) cases. No significant difference in the OS among the three groups was observed (P=0.577). The Cox multivariate analysis identified the following independent negative prognostic factors for OS: Smoking history (HR=4.565), liver invasion at diagnosis (HR=4.294) and bone invasion at diagnosis (HR=2.587). In addition, the use of crizotinib (HR=0.319) was identified as a positive prognostic factor for OS. In conclusion, the present real‑world study revealed that the use of crizotinib improved the long‑term survival of patients with ALK‑positive advanced NSCLC. There was no difference in survival outcome between patients with initial use of crizotinib and those with subsequent use of crizotinib after first‑line therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To reveal nurses’ self‐reported practice of managing chest tubes and to define decision‐makers for these practices. Background: No consensus exists regarding ideal chest‐tube management strategy, and there are wide variations of practice based on local policies and individual preferences, rather than standardised evidence‐based protocols. Design: This article describes a cross‐sectional study. Methods: Questionnaires were emailed to 31 hospitals in Tianjin, and the sample consisted of 296 clinical nurses whose work included nursing management of chest drains. The questionnaire, which was prepared by the authors of this research, consisted of three sections, including a total of 22 questions that asked for demographic information, answers regarding nursing management that reflected the practice they actually performed and who the decision‐makers were regarding eight chest‐drain management procedures. McNemar's test was used to analyse the data. Results: The results indicated that most respondents thought that it was necessary to manipulate chest tubes to remove clots impeding unobstructed drainage (91.2%). Most respondents indicated that dressings would be changed when the dressing was dysfunctional. At the same time, more than half of respondents approved of changing dressings routinely, and the frequency of changing dressings varied. When drainage was employed for pleural effusion and for a pneumothorax, 64.6% and 94.5% of respondents, respectively, considered that underwater seal‐drainage bottles should be changed routinely, and the frequency of changing bottles both varied. The results indicated that nurses were the primary decision‐makers in the replacement of chest tubes, manipulation of chest tubes and monitoring of drainage fluid. Conclusions: There was considerable variation in respondents’ self‐reported clinical nursing practice regarding management of chest drains. The rationale on which respondents’ practices were based also varied greatly. This study indicated that nurses were the primary decision‐makers for three of eight procedures regarding management of chest drains, which reflects that clinical nurses’ decision‐making power regarding management of chest drains was weak. Relevance to clinical practice: This study describes the nurse‐reported practices of Chinese nurses from Tianjin, including changing and selecting dressing types, manipulating chest tubes, clamping drains and replacing drainage bottles, and the study defines who the decision‐makers were for these interventions. By focusing on nurses’ self‐report of behaviours in managing chest drains (actual nursing practice vs. nursing knowledge), this article also relates the literature to the research findings and denotes the gaps in knowledge for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spines or trichomes on the fruit of cucumbers enhance their commercial value in China. In addition, glabrous mutants exhibit resistance to aphids and therefore their use by growers can reduce pesticide residues. Previous studies have reported two glabrous mutant plants containing the genes, csgl1 and csgl2. In the present study, a new glabrous mutant, NCG157, was identified showing a gene interaction effect with csgl1 and csgl2. This mutant showed the glabrous character on stems, leaves, tendrils, receptacles and ovaries, and there were no spines or tumors on the fruit surface. Inheritance analysis showed that a single recessive gene, named csgl3, determined the glabrous trait. An F2 population derived from the cross of two inbred lines 9930 (a fresh market type from Northern China that exhibits trichomes) and NCG157 (an American processing type with glabrous surfaces) was used for genetic mapping of the csgl3 gene. By combining bulked segregant analysis (BAS) with molecular markers, 18 markers, including two simple sequence repeats (SSR), nine insertion deletions (InDel) and seven derived cleaved amplified polymorphism sequences (dCAPs), were identified to link to the csgl3 gene. All of the linked markers were used as anchor loci to locate the csgl3 gene on cucumber chromosome 6. The csgl3 gene was mapped between the dCAPs markers dCAPs-21 and dCAPs-19, at genetic distances of 0.05 cM and 0.15 cM, respectively. The physical distance of this region was 19.6 kb. Three markers, InDel-19, dCAPs-2 and dCAPs-11, co-segregated with csgl3. There were two candidate genes in the region, Csa6M514860 and Csa6M514870. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the expression of Csa6M514870 was higher in the tissues of 9930 than that of NCG157, and this was consistent with their phenotypic characters. Csa6M514870 is therefore postulated to be the candidate gene for the development of trichomes in cucumber. This study will facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS) of the smooth plant trait in cucumber breeding and provide for future cloning of csgl3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the oncologic and reproductive outcomes after progestin treatment of complex endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) and grade 1 endometrial carcinoma (EC).Methods: In a retrospective study, data were obtained for patients aged 20-42years with CEH or grade 1 EC at presumed stage IA (without myometrial invasion) who wished to preserve fertility and were treated at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China, between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2011. Patients had received oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (250-500mg/day) or megestrol acetate (160-480mg/day) for at least 6months. Response to progestin treatment was assessed histologically.Results: Among 53 included patients, 39 (74%) achieved complete response after a median period of 6 (3-24) months. Complete response was less frequent among obese than nonobese patients (4/12 [33%] vs 35/41 [85%]; P=0.001). Disease recurrence was recorded in 10 (26%) patients with complete response; the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 71%. Among the 33 patients who retained a desire to conceive, 17 (52%) became pregnant.Conclusion: Fertility-sparing management with oral progestin is effective. Obesity is associated with a lower probability of long-term success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational diabetes mellitus affects millions of pregnant women. Lifestyle intervention is recommended as the first-line treatment, in which exercise plays an important role. Effective and safe exercise is required to facilitate glycaemic control and improve delivery outcomes. To investigate the efficacy and safety of the original Gymnastics for Pregnant Women program for glycaemic control and delivery outcomes improvement in gestational diabetes mellitus women. The study was a two-arm parallel randomized controlled clinical trial. The study was conducted in a tertiary specialized maternity hospital in Hangzhou, China. Totally 131 eligible pregnant women were enrolled from June to December 2020. Participants were randomly allocated to the control group (conventional intervention) or experimental group that engaged in the original Gymnastics for Pregnant Women program. The primary outcomes included glycaemic control during pregnancy and postpartum. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, maternal and neonatal outcomes. Participants showed a significant improvement in glycaemic control after engaging in the intervention for 2 weeks; the improvement was most significant in terms of the 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (P < 0.05). The fasting blood glucose and 2-h postprandial plasma glucose data indicated a higher glycaemic control rate in the experimental than control group (86.16% vs. 66.67%, P = 0.008; and 84.62% vs. 36.36% [6.09 ± 0.79 vs. 6.96 ± 1.06 mmol/L], P < 0.001, respectively). After delivery, the 2-h oral glucose tolerance test results indicated better glycaemic control in the experimental than control group (75.44% vs. 57.41% [6.93 ± 1.44 vs. 7.79 ± 2.03 mmol/L], P = 0.047). Additionally, the 2-h oral glucose tolerance test in the experimental group with reasonable exercise frequency (≥ 10 times per week) had the best glucose level (6.81 ± 1.30 mmol/L), followed by the experimental group with a lower exercise frequency (< 10 times per week) (7.35 ± 1.83 mmol/L) and the control group (7.79 ± 2.03 mmol/L). No statistical differences in maternal or neonatal outcomes were observed between the control and experimental groups (P > 0.05). In addition, there were no adverse events in the experimental group; however, in the control group, two cases experienced at least one hypoglycaemic episode and two cases received insulin during the study period. The original Gymnastics for Pregnant Women was associated with greater improvements in blood glucose levels during pregnancy and postpartum compared with a conventional intervention for women with gestational diabetes mellitus. ChiCTR2000033963 (2020-06-22). The original Gymnastics for Pregnant Women program improves glycaemic control in GDM women but does not affect delivery outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to evaluate reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the nursing field in China. Over the last decade, evidence-based nursing has been gradually known and accepted by nurses in China, and the number of systematic reviews or meta-analyses of nursing flied has steadily increased, but the quality of these reviews is unsatisfactory. The Chinese Journal Full-Text Database, the Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database and the Wanfang Database were searched for systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the nursing field, from inception through December 2011. The Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses and the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews checklists were used to assess reporting characteristics and methodological quality, respectively. A total of 63 systematic reviews or meta-analyses were identified. The deficiencies of methodological quality were mainly in literature searches, heterogeneity handling, recognition and assessment of publication bias. In addition, the deficiencies of reporting characteristics were reflected in incomplete reporting of literature search, quality assessment, risk of bias and results. Focusing on improving the quality of reporting and methodological quality of systematic reviews or meta-analyses in the nursing field in China is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar plantations are widely used for timber production and ecological restoration in northern China, a region that experiences frequent droughts and water scarcity. An open-path eddy-covariance (EC) system was used to continuously measure the carbon, water, and energy fluxes in a poplar plantation during the growing season (i.e., April–October) over the period 2006–2008 in the Daxing District of Beijing, China. We examined the seasonal and inter-annual variability of gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and ecosystem respiration (ER). Although annual total precipitation was the lowest in 2006, natural rainfall was amended by flood irrigation. In contrast, no supplementary water was provided during a severe drought in spring (i.e., April–June), 2007, resulting in a significant reduction in net ecosystem production (NEP=−NEE). This resulted from the combined effects of larger decrease in GEP than that in ER. Despite the drought – induced reduction in NEP, the plantation forest was a strong carbon sink accumulating 591±62, 641±71, and 929±75gCm−2 year−1 for 2006, 2007, and 2008, respectively. The timing of the drought significantly affected the annual GEP. Severe drought during canopy development induced a lasting reduction in carbon exchange throughout the growing season, while the severe drought at the end of growing season did not significantly reduce carbon uptake. Additionally, irrigation reduced negative drought impacts on carbon sequestration. Overall, this fast growing poplar plantation is a strong carbon sink and is sensitive to the changes in environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a rare type of genetic associated immune disorder, is poorly characterized in mainland China. We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients with SCID who received treatment from 2004 to 2011 in Shanghai, China, and herein summarize their clinical manifestations and immunological and preliminary genetic features. The male-to-female ratio was 10:1. Twenty five patients presented with X-SCID symptoms. Only one patient was diagnosed before the onset of symptoms due to positive family history. The mean time of delay in the diagnosis of X-SCID was 2.69 months (range, 0.5-8.67). Thirty-seven of the 44 patients died by the end of 2011 with the mean age of death being 7.87 months (range, 1.33-31). Six patients received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); only one of them survived, who was transplanted twice. The time between onset and death was shorter in the HSCT-treated group compared with the untreated group (2.87 ± 1.28 and 3.34 ± 0.59 months, respectively), probably due to active infections during transplantation. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) complications occurred in 14 of the 34 patients who received BCG vaccination. Transfusion-induced graft-versus-host disease occurred in 5 patients. Total 20 mutations in interleukin-2 receptor subunit gamma ( IL2RG) were identified in 22 patients, including 11 novel mutations. Most patients were misdiagnosed before referred to our SCID Center. Therefore, establishing more diagnostic centers dedicated to the care of PID and accessible by primary immunodeficiency patients will facilitate early, correct diagnosis and better care of SCID in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peter H.L. Chang was educated with China's traditional culture in his childhood and then he was brought into contact with western culture in his youth. He supposed that the western culture affected him greater in his latter years when he gave interviews with reporters. With respect to China's traditional culture, he believed that the moral theories of the Neo-Confucian scholars during the Song dynasty hindered the sci-tech development in China. He emphasized that the dream and conviction are necessary to everyone in regard to the philosophy of life, and no root you could find out for yourself without dream and conviction. "Think of other people's interests as possible, and you shall be quite fair in your words and deeds", he said. Remembering the historical period when he followed the commands of Chiang Kai-Shik to exterminate Chinese Communists, he pointed out that the root cause of why KMT was defeated by CPC was that the former lost the loyalty of the people. He studied the history of the Ming dynasty when he was imprisoned by Chiang. The reason why he did so was, as what he explained, to explore the historical fact that China became weak from strong via studying the history of the Ming and Qing dynasties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) has recently been recognized as an important respiratory pathogen, especially in children. At present, our understanding of the characteristics of hMPV from China is very limited. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were taken from 310 hospitalized pediatric patients. Twenty (6.5%) of them were infected with hMPV, and they all developed pneumonia. Sixty five percent (13/20) of the cases were under 12 months. Phylogenetic analysis of F gene fragments indicated that three sub-genotypes of hMPV(A2a/A2b, B1,B2) circulated in Tianjin and A2b was the predominant subtype. The Vero-E6 cell line was better than LLC-MK2 for hMPV isolation. Three hMPV strains were successfully isolated using the Vero-E6 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines dietary advice-giving in regular consultations for patients with chronic conditions in two types of clinical practices: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine practiced in mainland China. Dietary habits are unanimously considered relevant to the patient's health, particularly in chronic conditions. This article reports the differences in where and how dietary advice is occasioned and co-constructed by participants in two settings. One significant finding of this paper is that while Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors take dietary talk to instruct patients and put it into the treatment recommendation, WM doctors may treat it as incidental and only valuable for diagnostic assessment, leaving its treatment opaque and not discussed with the patient. Data are in Mandarin Chinese. Using Conversation Analysis, the article describes the interactional organisation of dietary advice delivery in different medical practices and ascribes their differences to clinical pathology. • Diet as a treatment proposal or not. • Infrequent dietary advice-giving in WM encounters. • Frequent dietary advice-giving in TCM closings. • The organisation of advice reflects clinical understandings of diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Accurate and rapid species identification is crucial in early monitoring and intervention of a pest, especially for a new and emerging pest. Here, the first detailed morphological features of Rhynchaenus maculosus at four life-cycle stages are reported for traditional species identification. Morphology-based identification is not only time-consuming but often inconclusive for closely related sibling species, juveniles, and even not feasible in the absence of key morphological characters. To overcome the limitations of traditional methods in species identification, DNA barcodes (mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1, CO1) were successfully used to identify the pupal and larval specimens as R. maculosus and allocate the undetermined morphospecies in GenBank into their possible taxa. The integration of molecular identification with the morphology-based identification proved to be effective in the accurate and rapid identification of R. maculosus. The oak flea weevil, Rhynchaenusmaculosus Yang et Zhang 1991, is a newly emerging pest that severely damages oak (genus Quercus) in China. The first R. maculosus outbreak occurred in 2020 and caused spectacular damage to all oak forests in Jilin province, northeast China. The lack of key morphological characters complicates the identification of this native pest, especially in larva and pupa stages. This is problematic because quick and accurate species identification is crucial for early monitoring and intervention during outbreaks. Here, we provided the first detailed morphological description of R. maculosus at four life stages. Additionally, we used DNA barcodes from larva and pupa specimens collected from three remote locations for molecular identification. The average pairwise divergence of all sequences in this study was 0.51%, well below the 2% to 3% (K-2-parameter) threshold set for one species. All sample sequences matched the R. maculosus morphospecies (KX657706.1 and KX657707.1), with 99.23% to 100% (sequence identity, E value: 0.00) matching success. The tree based on barcodes placed the specimens into the Rhynchaenus group, and the phylogenetic relationship between 62 sequences (30 samples and 32 from GeneBank) had high congruence with the morphospecies taxa. The traditional DNA barcodes were successfully transformed into quick response codes with larger coding capacity for information storage. The results showed that DNA barcoding is reliable for R. maculosus identification. The integration of molecular and morphology-based methods contributes to accurate species identification of this newly emerging oak pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outlines some of the major challenges in land use and transportation planning facing the metropolitan area of Beijing, China. Urban planning; Lessons from the experiences of foreign capital cities.

Passenger airline networks are an important agent of social and economic connections between cities, and embody characteristics of complex networks. The study on the survivability of passenger airline networks has positive significance on their healthy and safe development. There have been several in-depth empirical studies on the impact of macrostructural characteristics of complex networks on network survivability, however few studies have focused on the impact of microstructure on network survivability, which is the focus of this paper. As the basic building blocks of the network, colored motifs can distinguish the different functions of nodes or edges in the motif, and then comprehensively depict the network microstructure. We used this characteristic to study the impact of microstructure on network survivability, in this paper. Passenger airline networks of different airlines in China during 2018, were studied, and the three-node and four-node colored motifs of different airline networks were identified. Complex network indexes were used to measure the survivability of airline networks under intentional and random attacks. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted between the survivability coefficient of each airline network and the concentration of colored motifs to explore the impact of colored motif characteristics on network survivability. The results show that: (1) microscopic topological structures represented by colored motifs in airline networks are closely related to the macro spatial structural modes of airline networks (such as hub and spoke model); (2) vast majority of passenger airline networks in China are more vulnerable to intentional attacks and are robust in the face of random attacks; (3) from the perspective of topological structures of network motifs, motifs with radial and loop structures have positive impacts on network survivability under intentional attacks, while motifs with loop structures had negative impacts on network survivability under random attacks; (4) from the perspective of the type of colored motifs, motifs with a large number of hub nodes, high degree of agglomeration, and strong hub-and-spoke effect can enhance the ability of the network to resist intentional attacks. The agglomeration of non-hub nodes has a positive effect on network survivability under intentional attacks, and a linear structure with hub nodes at both ends can enhance the ability of airline networks to resist random attacks. In actual route planning, adjusting the type of colored motif from the microstructural perspective can be a good means to enhance the survivability of the entire airline network. • It is found that network motifs could affect the passenger airline network survivability. • Colored motifs analysis was employed to reveal the network microstructure. • The effects of different motifs on survivability were tested through scenario simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 16-year N addition effects on hydraulic traits was studied in a larch plantation. • N addition decreased branch hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to cavitation. • N addition increased leaf hydraulic conductance and vulnerability to cavitation. • N addition induced a stronger vulnerability segmentation in the larch trees. Nitrogen (N) deposition can influence tree hydraulic architecture and water relations that interactively affect tree growth and forest productivity, but responses of tree hydraulic traits to long-term N addition are poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of 16-year N addition on the hydraulic traits of both leaves and branches of Larix gmelinii in northeastern China. We found that N addition decreased the hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to cavitation of branches, which were associated with a positive response of the wood density. Conversely, N addition significantly increased the hydraulic conductance and vulnerability to cavitation of leaves. A trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety was observed in both leaves and branches. N addition induced a stronger vulnerability segmentation compared to the control trees, implying that the larch trees may acclimate to long-term N addition with a safer hydraulic strategy. Overall, our findings of the contrasting responses of the hydraulic traits between the leaves and branches and the increased vulnerability segmentation to the long-term N addition may be beneficial for the larch trees to adapt to the escalating global N deposition and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In China, patients with cleft lip tend to be blood group A. Thus, blood group A gene can be viewed as a marker gene for cleft lip. Based on the principle of linkage analysis, we may find a causative gene for cleft lip near blood group A gene. Among those genes that flank blood group A gene, FPGS gene, only 5.5cM apart from blood group A gene, is suspected to be a good candidate causative gene for cleft lip. A normal FPGS gene plays an essential role in intracellular folate homeostasis and metabolism, while a variant FPGS gene would lead to folate disturbances or even folate deficiency. Since folate deficiency has been documented to contribute to cleft lip, the resulting folate deficiency induced by a variant FPGS gene would contribute to cleft lip, further strengthening that FPGS gene is a good candidate causative gene for cleft lip. We therefore propose FPGS gene as a novel causative gene for cleft lip. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years, China's energy structure has been adjusted unceasingly, where the proportion of natural gas has been increasing year by year, and its external dependence has also been increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the correlation between China's natural gas market and the international energy market. This paper studies the dynamic relationship between China's total natural gas consumption, consumption structure, and the international price of oil from the perspectives of mutation and time-variance, using the cointegration test with regime shifts and a state space model. The results show that during the global financial crisis in 2008, the cointegration relationship between China's total natural gas consumption and the international oil price has undergone structural changes. January 2012 and March 2015 are potential structural mutation points. After the structural mutation, the impact of the international price of oil on China's total natural gas consumption has weakened. From a structural point of view, urban gas and power generation gas have both been greatly affected by the change of oil price, while industrial gas and chemical gas are less affected. The conclusion here will provide an important empirical reference for optimizing the structure of natural gas consumption and maintaining energy security in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The statement format of the Decisional Conflict Scale (sf-DCS) is designed and widely used to assess patients' state of uncertainty during health related decision making. As yet no Mandarin version of the sf-DCS has been produced. This study aims to produce the first Mandarin version of the sf-DCS and test its validity and reliability in mainland China.Methods: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the sf-DCS into Mandarin was carried out in accordance with previously published guidelines. The psychometric properties of sf-DCS were assessed in two hypothesized decision-making contexts through online surveys.Results: In the online survey designed to test scale validity and reliability, 437 people responded to the influenza immunization survey and 238 responded to the breast cancer screening survey. The results confirm that the Mandarin version of sf-DCS has good criteria validity and the exploratory factor analysis suggested a fitted revised five factors model by removing three items. Respondents who were "unsure" about their decisions/intentions, had read less information, and reported lower self-perceived prior knowledge level scored higher on sf-DCS. The Cronbach's alpha for the sf-DCS total score was 0.963 and that for each subscale ranged from 0.784 to 0.937 in both decision making contexts, and the test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.528.Conclusions: The Mandarin version of sf-DCS has good criteria validity and its internal consistency is satisfactory. Our analysis suggests a refinement of the original sf-DCS's factor structure is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Identification of QSB based on comparing 16S rRNA gene sequences was developed. • QSB in activated sludge primarily belong to rare taxa and conditionally rare taxa. • QSB exhibited higher average clustering coefficient than non-QSB. • QSB keystones and QSB nodes had a positive impact on network complexity. • QSB communities directly contributed to maintaining network robustness. Quorum-sensing bacteria (QSB) are crucial factors for microbial communication, yet their ecological role in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains unclear. Here, we developed a method to identify QSB by comparing 16S rRNA gene sequences. QSB in 388 activated sludge samples collected from 130 WWTPs across China primarily were identified as rare taxa and conditionally rare taxa. A co-occurrence network shared by all sludge communities revealed that QSB exhibited higher average clustering coefficient (0.46) than non-QSB (0.15). Individual sludge networks demonstrated that quorum sensing microbiomes were positively correlated with network robustness and network complexity, including average clustering coefficient and link density. We confirmed that QSB keystones and QSB nodes have a positive impact on network complexity by influencing network modularity through a structural equation model. Meanwhile, QSB communities directly contributed to maintaining network robustness (r = 0.29, P < 0.05). Hence, QSB play an important role in promoting network complexity and stability. Furthermore, QSB communities were positively associated with the functional composition of activated sludge communities (r = 0.33, P < 0.01), especially the denitrification capacity (r = 0.45, P < 0.001). Overall, we elucidated the ecological significance of QSB and provided support for QS-based regulation of activated sludge microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thinning increased topsoil C, N, and P. • Increment of recalcitrant C was responsible for the increased total C. • Increment of labile N was responsible for the increased total N. • Thinning inhibited or had no effect on C-degrading enzymes. • Thinning stimulated the N and P-degrading enzymes. Thinning, an important management practice for reducing plant competition and improving wood production in forests, profoundly influences the soil carbon (C) and nutrient cycling by changing the microclimate, quantity and quality of litter inputs of the systems. This study aimed to evaluate responses of the C, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations of the topsoil (0–10 cm) to long-term thinning treatments and explore their underlying mechanisms in a 60-year-old Korean larch (Larix olgensis) plantation in northeastern China. The treatments included quartic thinning with low-intensity (LT4), triple thinning with medium-intensity (MT3), twice thinning with high-intensity (HT2), and control. We found that thinning increased the soil total C concentration by 48.7–50.3%. Both the labile and recalcitrant C fractions had positive responses to thinning, but the response of the latter was significantly greater than that of the former. The treatments increased the recalcitrant C concentration by 69–75%, suggesting that the increase of the recalcitrant C fraction was mainly responsible for the thinning-induced increase in the total C concentration, which supports that root-derived C is retained more efficiently in soils than the leaf-derived C. However, the oxidative and hydrolytic C-degrading enzymes were inhibited (peroxidases) or not significantly affected (phenol oxidase, α -1,4-glucosidase, β -1,4-glucosidase) by thinning, which may be conducive to the soil C sequestration especially for the recalcitrant C. Additionally, thinning significantly increased the soil N and P availability and the activities of N-acetyl- β -glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase, suggesting that the thinning-induced increments of soil N and P availability may be related to the increases in the activities of N and P-releasing enzymes. Overall, our findings illustrate that the long-term thinning not only increased soil C sequestration and stability, but also improved soil nutrient availability in the larch plantations, which may be mediated by shifts in the activities of extracellular enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]