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Building on a theoretical model of decision-making under risk and uncertainty, this paper examines how Chinese college students made decisions about international moblity or immobility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper finds that among the 118 interviewees, most continued to choose to study abroad, whilst some gave up after getting offers from prestigious Western universities. We further analysed the divergent patterns of two choices which can be explained by resilience to risks and uncertainties and lack of thereof. For those who have given up studying abroad, the symbolic capital and labor market advantages brought by degrees (especially master degrees) from Western universities have become uncertain and offset by the risk of the epidemic. These findings suggest that, in addition to safety, college students will prefer certainty more than before when choosing whether to go abroad and the study abroad landscape may change based on this mindset.

Background: By investigating the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among residents during a period of low transmission, this study reflects the long-term impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify which categories of residents are more likely to develop PTSD due to an acute infectious disease crisis, facilitating the development of targeted strategies to protectmental health after outbreaks of similar acute infectious diseases in the future. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 4 to 26 February 2021. A convenience sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participants. Participants were asked to complete the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A multivariable linear stepwise regression analysis model was used to identify which factors were associated with PTSD in residents of China. Results: A total of 2,361 Chinese residents completed the questionnaire. The mean PCL-5 score for the respondents was 13.65 (SD = 8.66), with 219 (9.28%) patients having probable PTSD symptoms. Respondents who were female (b = 0.038), had a relative or friend who had contracted COVID-19 (b = 0.041), and had poor health (b = 0.184) had higher PCL-5 scores, while the population aged over 60 years (b = -0.063), who agreed that COVID-19 information was released in a timely manner (b = -0.347), who had experienced a relatively limited impact of COVID-19 on their life (b = -0.069), and who agreed that the local prevention initiatives were sophisticated (b = -0.165) had lower PTSD scores. Conclusions: Outbreaks of acute infectious diseases can have long-term psychological health effects in the general population. In addition, health policy makers need to be concerned about and implement measures to support the mental health of vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various types of land use in the agricultural and pastoral areas of northern China, including natural grassland and artificial grassland, scrub land, forest land and farmland, may change the soil microbial community However, the soil microbial communities in these different land use types remain poorly understood. In this study, we compared soil microbial communities in these five land use types within the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. Our results showed that land use has had a considerable impact on soil bacterial and fungal community structures. Bacterial diversity was highest in shrubland and lowest in natural grassland; fungal diversity was highest in woodland. Microbial network structural complexity also differed significantly among land use types. The lower complexity of artificial grassland and farmland may be a result of the high intensity of anthropogenic activities in these two land-use types, while the higher structural complexity of the shrubland and woodland networks characterised by low-intensity management may be a result of low anthropogenic disturbance. Correlation analysis of soil properties (e.g., soil physicochemical properties, soil nutrients, and microbiomass carbon and nitrogen levels) and soil microbial communities demonstrated that although microbial taxa were correlated to some extent with soil environmental factors, these factors did not sufficiently explain the microbial community differences among land use types. Understanding variability among soil microbial communities within agropastoral areas of northern China is critical for determining the most effective land management strategies and conserving microbial diversity at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are important vectors of zoonotic diseases and play a major role in the circulation and transmission of many rickettsial species. The aim of this study was to investigate the carriage of Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae (CRT) in a total of 1168 ticks collected in Inner Mongolia to elucidate the potential public health risk of this pathogen, provide a basis for infectious disease prevention, control and prediction and contribute diagnostic ideas for clinical diseases that present with fever in populations exposed to ticks. A total of four tick species, Haemaphysalis concinna (n = 21), Dermacentor nuttalli (n = 122), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 148), and Ixodes persulcatus (n = 877), were collected at nine sampling sites in Inner Mongolia, China, and identified by morphological and molecular biological methods. Reverse transcription PCR targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rrs), gltA, groEL, ompB and Sca4 genes was used to detect CRT DNA. Sequencing was used for pathogen species confirmation. The molecular epidemiological analysis showed that three species of ticks were infected with CRT, and the overall positive rate was as high as 42%. The positive rate of I. persulcatus collected in Hinggan League city was up to 96%, and that of I. persulcatus collected in Hulun Buir city was 50%. The pool positive rates of D. nuttalli and H. marginatum collected in Bayan Nur city and H. concinna collected in Hulun Buir city were 0%, 28% and 40%, respectively. This study revealed the high prevalence of CRT infection in ticks from Inner Mongolia and the first confirmation of CRT detected in H. marginatum in China. The wide host range and high infection rate in Inner Mongolia may dramatically increase the exposure of CRT to humans and other vertebrates. The role of H. marginatum in the transmission of rickettsiosis and its potential risk to public health should be further considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is progressively rising, particularly in developed nations. There is an escalating focus on the onset and progression of AD. A mounting body of research indicates that epigenetics significantly contributes to AD and holds substantial promise as a novel therapeutic target for its treatment. Objective: The objective of this article is to present the AD areas of research interest, comprehend the contextual framework of the subject research, and investigate the prospective direction for future research development. Methods: ln Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC), we searched documents by specific subject terms and their corresponding free words. VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Scimago Graphica were used to perform statistical analysis on measurement metrics such as the number of published papers, national cooperative networks, publishing countries, institutions, authors, co-cited journals, keywords, and visualize networks of related content elements. Results: We selected 1,530 articles from WOSCC from January 2013 to June 2023 about epigenetics of AD. Based on visual analysis, we could get that China and United States were the countries with the most research in this field. Bennett DA was the most contributed and prestigious scientist. The top 3 cited journals were Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Neurobiology of Aging and Molecular Neurobiology. According to the analysis of keywords and the frequency of citations, ncRNAs, transcription factor, genome, histone modification, blood DNA methylation, acetylation, biomarkers were hot research directions in AD today. Conclusion: According to bibliometric analysis, epigenetic research in AD was a promising research direction, and epigenetics had the potential to be used as AD biomarkers and therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Extensive subcutaneous emphysema may lead to a significantly prolonged hospital stay, cosmetic problems, and even death without timely treatment. However, the risk factors for it have been poorly studied. Aim: To clarify the prevalence and risk factors of extensive subcutaneous emphysema after pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Material and methods: This is a retrospective matched case-control study. A sample of 86 cases and 258 matched controls was recruited from among 4339 patients admitted to the thoracic surgery department from October 2018 to October 2020 in a tertiary teaching hospital in China. Cases were patients who were diagnosed with extensive subcutaneous emphysema after pulmonary resection through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Controls were matched in a ratio of 3: 1 to the cases based on age and sex. Results: In this study, the incidence rate of extensive subcutaneous emphysema was 2.05%, and approximately 75.58% of the cases occurred within 1 to 4 days postoperatively. In univariate analysis, patients with extensive subcutaneous emphysema were also likely to have a significant lower body mass index, worse pulmonary function, greater intraoperative blood loss, longer time of operation, history of lung surgery, wider scope of surgery, and more extensive pleural adhesion. The results of multivariate logistic regression showed that segmentectomy (OR = 3.130, 95% CI: 1.055-9.283, p = 0.040), lobectomy (OR = 4.487, 95% CI: 1.704-11.812, p = 0.002), and extensive pleural adhesion (OR = 4.514, 95% CI: 1.763-11.556, p = 0.002) were independent risk factors. Conclusions: Segmentectomy, lobectomy, and extensive pleural adhesions were identified as independent risk factors for extensive subcutaneous emphysema after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on a theoretical model of decision-making under risk and uncertainty, this paper examines how Chinese college students made decisions about international mobility or immobility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing upon interviews with 118 college graduates, the paper finds that most interviewees still prioritized to study abroad, whilst some students as recipients of offers from prestigious Western universities preferred home graduate schools or prioritised employment. We further analysed the divergent patterns of two choices which can be explained by resilience to risks and uncertainties. For those who have given up studying abroad, the symbolic capital and labor market advantages brought by degrees (especially Master degrees) from prestigious Western universities have offset by the risk of the COVID-19. These findings suggest that, in addition to safety, college students will prefer certainty more than before when debating about study abroad opportunities, and the study abroad landscape may change based on this mindset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sitobion miscanthi is a major wheat pest at the grain‐filling stage found in China. Identifying parasitoid species and understanding parasitism rates are keys to controlling the aphids via natural enemies in the wheat field. RESULTS: In the present study, a method based on DNA barcoding for early determination of the community composition of Aphidiinae parasitoids and parasitism on the aphid was developed. The proposed method detected Aphidius gifuensis as the predominant parasite, with parasitism rates of 40.1 ± 2.8% in 2019 and 65.7 ± 3.7% in 2022, and found that the rate varied significantly among different wheat varieties. COI primers efficiently amplified the Aphidiinae parasitoids COI fragments and amplified the aphid COI fragments derived from parasitized (mummified) S. miscanthi. Thus, the COI barcode is not sufficiently specific to unambiguously detect immature parasitoids inside their S. miscanthi hosts. However, it can be used to detect the DNA extracted from mummified aphids. In contrast, the 16S and LWRh primers effectively amplified and identified the parasitoids in parasitized aphids. The 16S primer was reliable even in the early stages of parasitism (24 h) and for DNA samples stored at −20 °C for 5 days. The three barcodes from COI, 16S, and LWRh genes could not clearly distinguish a few certain Aphidiinae species owing to relatively low intraspecific and interspecific diversity. CONCLUSION: The morphological features remain indispensable when identifying Aphidiinae species. Nonetheless, the COI and 16S primers could be used in combination for monitoring the parasitism rates on S. miscanthi in wheat fields. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally arises from a background of liver cirrhosis (LC). Patients with cirrhosis and suspected HCC are recommended to undergo serum biomarker tests and imaging diagnostic evaluation. However, the performance of routine diagnostic methods in detecting early HCC remains unpromising. Methods: Here, we conducted a large-scale, multicenter study of 1675 participants including 490 healthy controls, 577 LC patients, and 608 HCC patients from nine clinical centers across nine provinces of China, profiled gene mutation signatures of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using Circulating Single-Molecule Amplification and Resequencing Technology (cSMART) through detecting 931 mutation sites across 21 genes. Results: An integrated diagnostic model called "Combined method" was developed by combining three mutation sites and three serum biomarkers. Combined method outperformed AFP in the diagnosis of HCC, especially early HCC, with sensitivities of 81.25% for all stages and 66.67% for early HCC, respectively. Importantly, the integrated model exhibited high accuracy in differentiating AFP-negative, AFP-L3-negative, and PIVKA-II-negative HCCs from LCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar application to soil contaminated with potentially toxic elements has been paid particular attention as an effective amendment. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of wheat straw biochar on adsorption and accumulation of Cd2+ in paddy soil and rice. Biochar was applied once in four treatments of 10, 20, 30, and 40 t ha−1 and a control check (CK) was set up in Changsha County, China. The results showed that under biochar addition the Cd2+ adsorption process was dominated by inhomogeneous multi-surface adsorption. Biochar significantly increased adsorption capacity for Cd2+ and the maximum of sorption at A40 was 2713 mg kg−1. The available Cd concentration was also decreased by transforming S1 (decreased by 25%, acid soluble Cd) to S2 (increased by 40%, oxidizable Cd) and S3 (increased by 24%, reducible Cd). Also, biochar application resulted in significant reduction in Cd concentration in rice by inhibiting migration from soil to rice. The study demonstrated that the biochar of 40 t ha−1 reduced rice grain Cd concentration to 0.18 mg kg−1, which was within the Chinese safety limit. Therefore, the dose of 40 t ha−1 would be proper for reducing risk due to Cd contamination in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the coexisting policies for mandatory and voluntary disclosure of environmental information, this paper focuses on the unique background for such disclosure in the context of domestic companies in heavy pollution industries (EHPIs), a topic thus far overlooked by the literature. We aim to identify, in regard to compulsory environmental information disclosure in financial reports, whether adding further voluntary information disclosure to corporate social responsibility (CSR) results in an extra discount from investors during an equity financing. We evaluate a sample of 4390 A-share listed companies in EHPIs operating in China between 2010 and 2018. Specifically, linguistic analysis and image recognition are conducted with Python, and a regression model is applied to test our hypotheses. The positive impact of the following variables on the cost reduction in equity capital is thus demonstrated: (a) CSR disclosure, (b) higher quality CSR reports, (c) increased environmental information disclosure in CSR reports (CSR_E), (d) more accurate environmental investment information, and (e) additional graphs and text. Moreover, the degree of CSR_E disclosure's reduction in the cost of equity is 30 times that of CSR disclosure, while charts have specific positive effects that text does not. Therefore, we identify a new path for remitting information asymmetry in a financial market by extending information manipulation research, especially studies of nonfinancial information. Overall, information disclosure should be taken seriously by both firms and supervisors. Hence, this study offers guidelines for regulatory authorities to explore the coordination effect of mandatory and voluntary disclosure policies, i.e., to achieve environmental governance and the sustainable development of enterprises by improving corporate governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article solves the problem of China's construction industry adopted by the traditional extensive construction mode for a long time. The traditional methods was falling behind as they have the largest number of accidents among various types of safety accidents in the construction industry. This paper puts forward a new mode of fine construction management based on BIM. This article depicts the experimental analysis considering 277 accidents of falling from height, accounting for 54% of the total. There were 72 collapse accidents, ranking second among all types of safety accidents in the construction industry. It further discusses the application measures and benefits of BIM Technology in fine management from four aspects of quality management, schedule control, cost management and safety management. It is demonstrated from experimentation that BIM Technology has brought good economic and social effects to aid fine management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relations of serum total homocysteine (tHcy) with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and cognitive function and evaluate whether CSVD mediates the effect of serum tHcy on cognitive function. Methods: A total of 1,033 consecutive eligible participants who received serum tHcy, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuropsychological assessment were included in this retrospective study. White matter hyperintensity, lacune, cerebral microbleed, and enlarged perivascular space were evaluated based on brain MRI. We used multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis, and mediation analyses to assess the relations of serum tHcy with CSVD and cognitive function. Results: Serum tHcy levels were higher in patients with cognitive impairment than those with no cognitive impairment. Logistic regression analyses showed elevated serum tHcy was associated with cognitive impairment [odds ratio (OR): 10.475; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.522 to 24.264; p < 0.001] and a higher CSVD burden score (OR: 17.151; 95% CI: 8.785 to 33.921; p < 0.001) after adjusting potential confounders. Compared with the lowest tHcy quartile, the multivariable-adjusted OR of the highest quartile was 4.851 (95% CI: 3.152 to 7.466; p for the trend < 0.001) for cognitive impairment, 3.862 (95% CI: 2.467 to 6.047; p for the trend < 0.001) for a severe CSVD burden score. Mediation analyses showed significant moderating effects (9.3-23.6%) by different imaging markers of CSVD on the association between higher serum tHcy levels and cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Elevated serum tHcy is associated with cognitive impairment and the development of CSVD. A proportion of the association between elevated serum tHcy and cognitive impairment may be attributed to the presence of different imaging markers of CSVD, especially the severe CSVD burden score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal variations in surface and atmosphere observed from multiple satellites prior to strong earthquakes have been widely reported ever since seismic thermal anomalies were discovered three decades ago. These thermal changes are related to stress accumulation caused by the tectonic activities in the final stage of earthquake preparation. In the present paper, we focused on the thermal changes associated with the 2021 Madoi M 7.3 earthquake in China and analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of the Index of Microwave Radiation Anomaly (IMRA) and the Index of Longwave Radiation Anomaly (ILRA) based on 8-year microwave brightness temperature (MWBT) and 14-year outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data collected by satellites. We also explored their responses in different tectonic units (seismogenic fault zone and active tectonic block). Our results indicated that the enhanced IMRA was distributed along the seismogenic fault since mid-February and reappeared for a longer time and with stronger intensity in March and April 2021. The pronounced enhancement in the ILRA was observed within one month over Bayan Har tectonic and adjacent blocks. The higher ILRA over the tectonic blocks in the southern Tibet Plateau at the beginning of 2021 could be associated with the regional stress accumulation, as proven by the occurrences of two moderate earthquakes during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power engineering is complex, involving many participants, numerous management factors, and different stages. To improve the quality management level of power engineering and realize the standardization of power engineering quality management, power engineering construction quality management standardization (CQMS) is evaluated using the order relation analysis method (G1 method) and the cloud model method. Firstly, based on systematic thinking and practice in China, the CQMS framework is proposed, and the evaluation index system including organizational performance, management behaviour performance, and entity performance related to power engineering construction quality is established. Subsequently, the G1 method is used to determine the weight of each index, and the cloud model method is used to implement the evaluation process. The results are divided into five grades, representing the five grades of construction quality management. Finally, taking a practical multiterminal DC demonstration project in China as an example, the CQMS performance is described and evaluated. The evaluation results directly reflect the level and difference of CQMS and show that this evaluation method can provide a reference for CQMS in power engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common aggressive malignancies worldwide, particularly in northern China. The absence of specific early symptoms and biomarkers leads to late-stage diagnosis, while early diagnosis and risk stratification are crucial for improving overall prognosis. We performed UPLC-MS/MS on 450 ESCC patients and 588 controls consisting of a discovery group and two validation groups to identify biomarkers for early detection and prognosis. Bioinformatics and clinical statistical methods were used for profiling metabolites and evaluating potential biomarkers. A total of 105 differential metabolites were identified as reliable biomarker candidates for ESCC with the same tendency in three cohorts, mainly including amino acids and fatty acyls. A predictive model of 15 metabolites [all-trans-13,14-dihydroretinol, (±)-myristylcarnitine, (2S,3S)-3-methylphenylalanine, 3-(pyrazol-1-yl)-L-alanine, carnitine C10:1, carnitine C10:1 isomer1, carnitine C14-OH, carnitine C16:2-OH, carnitine C9:1, formononetin, hyodeoxycholic acid, indole-3-carboxylic acid, PysoPE 20:3, PysoPE 20:3(2n isomer1), and resolvin E1] was developed by logistic regression after LASSO and random forest analysis. This model held high predictive accuracies on distinguishing ESCC from controls in the discovery and validation groups (accuracies > 89%). In addition, the levels of four downregulated metabolites [hyodeoxycholic acid, (2S,3S)-3-methylphenylalanine, carnitine C9:1, and indole-3-carboxylic acid] were significantly higher in early cancer than advanced cancer. Furthermore, three independent prognostic markers were identified by multivariate Cox regression analyses with and without clinical indicators: a high level of MG(20:4)isomer and low levels of 9,12-octadecadienoic acid and L-isoleucine correlated with an unfavorable prognosis; the risk score based on these three metabolites was able to stratify patients into low or high risk. Moreover, pathway analysis indicated that retinol metabolism and linoleic acid metabolism were prominent perturbed pathways in ESCC. In conclusion, metabolic profiling revealed that perturbed amino acids and lipid metabolism were crucial metabolic signatures of ESCC. Both panels of diagnostic and prognostic markers showed excellent predictive performances. Targeting retinol and linoleic acid metabolism pathways may be new promising mechanism-based therapeutic approaches. Thus, this study would provide novel insights for the early detection and risk stratification for the clinical management of ESCC and potentially improve the outcomes of ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the trends in characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients in tertiary Chinese medicine (CM) hospitals in China between 2006 and 2013. Methods: This retrospective study was based on two nationwide epidemiological surveys of AMI in tertiary CM hospitals during 2 years (2006 and 2013). Patients admitted to the hospital for AMI were enrolled. Hospital records were used as the data source. Case data were derived regarding baseline characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients to assess changes from 2006 to 2013. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between prognosis, general influencing factors of disease, and various treatment measures. Results: Totally 26 tertiary CM hospitals in 2006 and 29 tertiary CM hospitals in 2013 (18 were repetitive) were surveyed. A total of 2,311 patients with AMI were enrolled (1,094 cases in 2006 and 1,217 cases in 2013). From 2006 to 2013, the mean age did not significantly change, but the proportion of patients younger than 65 years increased. The prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia also increased. Significant increases were observed in primary percutaneous coronary intervention [20.48% (2006) vs. 24.90% (2013)] and revascularization [36.11% (2006) vs. 52.42% (2013)]. In-hospital mortality decreased from 11.15% in 2006 to 10.60% in 2013. A mortality logistic regression analysis identified reperfusion therapy [odds ratio (OR), 0.222; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.106–0.464], Chinese patent medicines (OR, 0.394; 95% CI, 0.213–0.727), and CM decoctions (OR, 0.196; 95% CI, 0.109–0.353) as protective factors. Conclusion: Reperfusion and revascularization capabilities of tertiary CM hospitals have improved significantly, but in-hospital mortality has not significantly decreased. Efforts are needed to improve medical awareness of AMI and expand the use of CM to reduce in-hospital mortality in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transportable fountain clock with high reliability is important for high-precision time-frequency measurements. Because of its relatively small cold atoms' collision frequency shift and ease of attaining high quantum state preparation efficiency, the rubidium atomic fountain clock has an indicated higher stability and reliability. This paper reports the design and operation of a transportable rubidium atomic fountain clock developed by the Shanghai Institute of Optical and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Science. After being transported more than 1000 km from Shanghai to the Changping Campus of the National Institute of Metrology, China, the optical platform and other hardware of the fountain clock did not need to be adjusted. The rubidium fountain clock maintained a stability of 4.0 × 10−13τ1/2, reaching 5.0 × 10−16 at 300 000 s. After transportation, the rubidium fountain clock and a cesium fountain clock (NIM5) were operated together against the reference frequency of a hydrogen maser. In three separate operating periods, over a total of nearly three months, the average frequency repeatability of the rubidium fountain was less than 3.8 × 10−15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks (Arthropoda, Ixodida), after mosquitoes, are the second most prevalent vector of infectious diseases. They are responsible for spreading a multitude of pathogens and threatening the health and welfare of animals and human beings. However, given the history of tick-borne pathogen infections in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, surprisingly, neither the genetic diversity nor the spatial distribution of haplotypes within ticks has been studied. Methods: We characterized the haplotype distribution of Dermacentor nuttalli in four main pastoral areas of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, by sampling 109 individuals (recovered from sheep) in April–August 2019. The 16S rRNA gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) were amplified and sequenced from extracted DNA. Results: Twenty-six haplotypes were identified using 16S rRNA sequences, 57 haplotypes were identified with COI sequences, and 75 haplotypes were identified with ITS2 sequences. Among the three genes, total haplotype diversity was greater than 0.7, while total nucleotide diversity was greater than 0.06. Neutrality tests revealed a significantly negative Tajima's D result, while Fu's Fs was not significantly positive. Fixation index values (FST) indicated that the degree of genetic differentiation among some sampled populations was small, while for others it was moderate. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the variation within populations was greater than that among populations. The mismatch analysis of D. nuttalli exhibited double peaks. Conclusion: The genetic diversity of D. nuttalli populations in our region can likely adapt to different geographical environments, thereby leading to genetic diversity, and creating genetic differentiation among different populations. However, genetic differentiation is cryptic and does not form a pedigree geographical structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore whether plasma circular RNAs (circRNAs) can diagnose hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), microarray and qPCR were used to identify plasma circRNAs that were increased in HBV‐related HCC patients compared to controls (including healthy controls, chronic hepatitis B and HBV‐related liver cirrhosis). A logistic regression model was constructed using a training set (n = 313) and then validated using another two independent sets (n = 306 and 526, respectively). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. We identified a plasma circRNA panel (CircPanel) containing three circRNAs (hsa_circ_0000976, hsa_circ_0007750 and hsa_circ_0139897) that could detect HCC. CircPanel showed a higher accuracy than AFP (alpha‐fetoprotein) to distinguish individuals with HCC from controls in all three sets (AUC, 0.863 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.819–0.907] vs. 0.790 [0.738–0.842], p = 0.036 in training set; 0.843 [0.796–0.890] vs. 0.747 [0.691–0.804], p = 0.011 in validation set 1 and 0.864 [0.830–0.898] vs. 0.769 [0.728–0.810], p < 0.001 in validation set 2). CircPanel also performed well in detecting Small‐HCC (solitary, ≤3 cm), AFP‐negative HCC and AFP‐negative Small‐HCC. What's new? To date, one limitation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the lack of serum biomarkers with satisfactory diagnostic accuracy. Here, the authors explored whether plasma circRNAs can be biomarkers to diagnose hepatitis B virus‐related HCC in 1155 participants from three hospitals in China. They identified a plasma circRNA panel (CircPanel, including hsa_circ_0000976, hsa_circ_0007750, and hsa_circ_0139897) that showed higher accuracy than the clinically‐used serum biomarker AFP in distinguishing individuals with HCC or Small‐HCC from controls and performed well in diagnosing AFP‐negative HCC and AFP‐negative Small‐HCC. Altogether, the findings point to CircPanel as a promising potential biomarker in HCC diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on long-term systematic sampling, information is currently limited regarding the impacts of different air pollution levels on variations of bacteria, fungi and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOMs) in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), especially their interactions. Here, PM 2.5 samples were weekly collected at different air pollution levels in Beijing, China during one-year period. Microbial composition was profiled using Illumina sequencing, and their interactions were further investigated to reveal the hub genera with network analysis. Diversity of bacteria and fungi showed obvious seasonal variations, and the heavy- or severe-pollution levels mainly affected the diversity and composition of bacteria, but not fungi. While, the community structure of both bacteria and fungi was influenced by the combination of air pollution levels and seasons. The most abundant bacterial genera and some genera with highest abundance in heavy- or severe-pollution days were the hub bacteria in PM 2.5. Whereas, only the dominant fungi in light-pollution days in winter were the hub fungi in PM 2.5. The complex positive correlations of bacterial or fungal pathogens would aggravate the air pollution effects on human health, despite of their low relative abundances. Moreover, the strong co-occurrence and co-exclusion patterns of bacteria and fungi in PM 2.5 were identified. Furthermore, the hub environmental factors (e.g., relative humidity and atmospheric pressure) may play central roles in the distributions of bacteria and fungi, including pathogens. Importantly, AOMs showed significant co-occurrence patterns with the main bacterial and fungal genera and potential pathogens, providing possible microbiological evidences for controlling ammonia emissions to effectively reduce PM 2.5 pollution. These results highlighted the more obvious air pollution impacts on bacteria than fungi, and the complex bacterial-fungal interactions, as well as the important roles of AOMs in airborne microbial interactions webs, improving our understanding of bioaerosols in PM 2.5. Image 1 • H or S-pollution levels significantly affected variations in bacteria, but not fungi. • Abundant bacteria were also hub bacteria in PM 2.5 , but it was not true for fungi. • Complex interactions of pathogens would aggravate haze impacts on human health. • Strong co-occurrence and co-exclusion patterns of bacteria and fungi were observed. • AOMs were positively related to dominant bacteria and fungi, as well as pathogens. Interactions among bacteria, fungi, AOMs and environmental variables at different air-pollution levels provide new insight into the bioaerosols in PM 2.5 in Beijing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Biochar has shown to be a great product to control the bioavailability of potentially hazardous elements (PHE) in contaminated soils. Despite the advantages associated with the application of biochar in agricultural soils, relatively few studies have focused on the effects of biochar amendments on soil chemical properties, accumulation of arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and lead in rice tissues, and their availability in soil systems. Materials and methods: The field experiment was conducted at the paddy soils in Hunan Province, China. The soil texture was sandy clay loam. Wheat-derived biochar was applied once to the experimental plots at the rates of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t ha−1, and referenced as A0, A10, A20, A30, and A40, respectively. For PHE determination, soil samples and plant samples were digested with a mixed solution of HCl:HNO3 (4:1, V:V) and HCl:HClO4 (4:1, V:V), respectively, and the arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and lead in the digest solution were measured by ICP-MS (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). The soil available fraction of PHE (arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and lead) was extracted by diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and measured by inductively ICP-MS. Results and discussion: Biochar amendment increased chemical properties of soil organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, nitrate nitrogen, and available phosphorus. Soil DTPA extractable arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and lead concentrations were significantly reduced. Arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and lead in rice shoots, and arsenic, cadmium, and zinc in roots significantly decreased after amendment. Concentrations in rice tissues positively and negatively correlated with the soil available fraction of PHE and soil chemical properties, respectively. Soil electrical conductivity negatively correlated with the soil available fraction of PHE. Concentrations of arsenic, zinc, cadmium, and lead in rice roots declined relative to increases of cation exchange capacity (arsenic, zinc), available phosphorus (cadmium), and nitric nitrogen (lead) content. Similar relationships were observed between cation exchange capacity and PHE in shoots. Conclusions: Biochar creates avoidance of PHE through regulating chemical properties through biochar sorption capacity. Cation exchange capacity, available phosphorus, and nitric nitrogen were the principle factors affecting roots uptake of arsenic, zinc, cadmium, and lead. Biochar soluble salts could decline availability of metals/metalloids in soils through precipitation. Wheat-derived biochar application is an alternative safe product to immobilize PHE in rice paddy soils by restricting the risk of PHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground cherry (Physalis pubescens) is widely cultivated in Northeast China as one of its popular fruits. In the summer of 2017, suspected bacterial disease symptoms consisting of water-soaked spots and brown interveinal necrotic lesions with chlorotic margins were observed on ground cherry leaves in a field of Hailun County in Northeast China. From infected leaves, bacteria with pale-yellow, mucoid, domed circular colonies were repeatedly isolated. Based on biochemical tests and genetic characterizations of hrpB and concatenated four housekeeping genes (lepA-gyrB-gapA-gltA), the bacteria isolates obtained in this study were identified as Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria. Pathogenicity of these isolates was confirmed on ground cherry, tomato and pepper seedlings by artificial inoculation. It was further confirmed that none of the related pathogens X. vesicatoria, X. gardneri or X. euvesicatoria pv. perforans were detected by species-specific PCR in field samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria causing bacterial spot of ground cherry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal anomalies associated with earthquakes using satellite infrared data are being studied in different parts of the world for more than three decades. The thermal anomalies have emerged as one of the potential earthquake precursor. However, often cloud cover obstructs detection of the thermal anomalies. Compared to infrared, passive microwave sensors provide information about the thermal radiations under any weather conditions. In the present study, we have carried out detailed analysis of brightness temperature data derived from the Defense Meteorological Space Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) to determine thermal anomalies associated with the 1997 Manyi and 2001 Kokoxili earthquakes. Brightness temperature data for 13 years period from 1996 to 2008 observed from F13 satellite were considered to avoid difference in the sensor sensitivity. Based on 9 years background data that ignoring data for the years in which strong earthquake occurred, we computed Index of Microwave Radiation Anomaly (IMRA) over the Manyi-Yushu Fault (MYF) and Kun Lun Fault (KLF) zones, Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicate that the microwave brightness temperature at 19.35 GHz has higher sensitivity to the seismic anomalies in comparison to the other higher frequency channels. The IMRA with multi-region, multi-frequency, and multi-parameter variation were analyzed to validate our results. In addition, variation of different parameters (microwave brightness temperature, near surface air temperature and carbon monoxide-CO) observed for Kokoxili earthquake shows the transfer process of thermal anomalies from the focal region to the atmosphere during the preparation and occurrence of earthquake. Passive microwave satellite data combined with other surface and atmospheric parameters provide better understanding of physical mechanism of thermal anomalies associated with earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a serious epidemic in China and other countries, resulting in worldwide concern. With active efforts of prevention and control, more and more patients are being discharged. However, how to manage these patients normatively is still challenging. This paper reports an asymptomatic discharged patient with COVID-19 who retested positive for SARS-CoV-2, which arouses concern regarding the present discharge standards of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An accurate staging system is crucial for cancer management. Evaluations for continual suitability and improvement are needed as staging and treatment methods evolve.Methods: This was a retrospective study of 1609 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma investigated by magnetic resonance imaging, staged with the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/International Union Against Cancer (UICC) staging system, and irradiated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy at 2 centers in Hong Kong and mainland China.Results: Among the patients without other T3/T4 involvement, there were no significant differences in overall survival (OS) between medial pterygoid muscle (MP) ± lateral pterygoid muscle (LP), prevertebral muscle, and parapharyngeal space involvement. Patients with extensive soft tissue involvement beyond the aforementioned structures had poor OS similar to that of patients with intracranial extension and/or cranial nerve palsy. Only 2% of the patients had lymph nodes > 6 cm above the supraclavicular fossa (SCF), and their outcomes resembled the outcomes of those with low extension. Replacing SCF with the lower neck (extension below the caudal border of the cricoid cartilage) did not affect the hazard distinction between different N categories. With the proposed T and N categories, there were no significant differences in outcome between T4N0-2 and T1-4N3 disease.Conclusions: After a review by AJCC/UICC preparatory committees, the changes recommended for the 8th edition include changing MP/LP involvement from T4 to T2, adding prevertebral muscle involvement as T2, replacing SCF with the lower neck and merging this with a maximum nodal diameter > 6 cm as N3, and merging T4 and N3 as stage IVA criteria. These changes will lead not only to a better distinction of hazards between adjacent stages/categories but also to optimal balance in clinical practicability and global applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roles of Q (q) Wave in Lead I and QRS Axis for Diagnosing Loss of LV Capture During CRT Introduction Loss of left ventricular (LV) capture may lead to deterioration of heart failure in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Recognition of loss of LV capture in time is important in clinical practice. Methods and Results A total of 422 electrocardiograms were acquired and analyzed from 53 CRT patients at 8 different pacing settings (LV only, right ventricle [RV] only, biventricular [BV] pacing with LV preactivation of 60, 40, 20, and 0 milliseconds and RV preactivation of 20 and 40 milliseconds). A modified Ammann algorithm by adding a third step-presence of Q (q, or QS) wave-to the original 2-step Ammann algorithm and a QRS axis shift method were devised to identify the loss of LV capture. The accuracy of modified Ammann algorithm was significantly higher than that of Ammann algorithm (78.9% vs. 69.1%, P < 0.001). The accuracy of the axis shift method was 66.4%, which was significantly lower than the modified Ammann algorithm (P < 0.001) and similar to the original one (P = 0.412). However, in the ECGs with QRS axis shift, 96.8% were correctly classified. LV preactivation or simultaneous BV activation and LV lead positioned in nonposterior or noninferior wall could elevate the accuracies of the modified Ammann algorithm and the QRS axis shift method. Conclusions The accuracy of the modified Ammann algorithm is greatly improved. The QRS axis shift method can help diagnose LV capture. The LV preactivation, or simultaneous BV activation and LV lead positioned in nonposterior or noninferior wall can increase the diagnostic power of the modified Ammann algorithm and QRS axis shift method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dose-response data indicate that rotavirus (RV) may be one of the more infective agents among enteric viruses. The major limitation at present in the assessment of infection from rotavirus is lack of quantitative data on viral infectivity. In this work, an integrated cell culture and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ICC-qPCR) method and a Beta-Poisson model for risk assessment were employed. A set of 28 surface seawater samples was collected from December 2010 to September 2011 in Bohai Bay, China, to enable a seasonal risk assessment of infective RV at recreational beaches. Thirty-two percent of the samples were positive for rotavirus, and the estimated concentration range of infectious human rotavirus was 1 to 279 PFU/L. We further confirmed that the contamination of seawater with rotavirus was higher in autumn and winter, which was in reasonable agreement with the trend observed in a prior epidemiological study. Our preliminary risk assessment indicated the daily risk of illness at almost all the contaminated sites exceeded an acceptable threshold of marine recreational water quality (19 illnesses per 1000 swimmers). The detection method and dose-response model in the current work appear useful for evaluating pathogenic risks of seawater to vacationers and can inform management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of crocin on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a sham-operated group (sham) and five ovariectomy (OVX) subgroups, that is, OVX with vehicle (OVX), OVX with 17β-estradiol (E2, 25 μg/kg/day), and OVX with graded crocin doses (5, 10, or 20mg/kg/day). Daily oral administration of E2 or crocin started 4 weeks after OVX and lasted for 16 weeks. Our results showed that crocin dose-dependently inhibited the BMD reduction of L4 vertebrae and femurs caused by OVX and prevented the deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture, which were accompanied by a significant decrease in skeletal remodeling as evidenced by the lower levels of bone turnover markers. Furthermore, crocin reversed the oxidative stress status in both serum and bone tissue. The present study indicates that the administration of crocin at higher doses over a 16-week period can prevent OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats without hyperplastic effects on the uterus, which may, at least partially, be attributed to crocin's antioxidative property. In brief, crocin is a natural alternative for postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment in elderly women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The presence of transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) in human peripheral blood cells may suggest a role under pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the expression profile of TRPV2 gene and childhood asthma in the north of China. The effects of allergens exposure on the expression of TRPV2 gene were also investigated. Methods. Sixty asthmatics children confirmed by physician diagnosis and 60 healthy children as a control group were recruited. Serum total IgE and specific IgE were measured. Using quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), TRPV2 was detected in total RNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Student's t-test and chi-square test were used to analyze the relationship between TRPV2 transcript and different parameter variables on susceptibility of childhood asthma. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between TRPV2 gene and allergens. Results. The expression level of TRPV2 gene was increased 2.6 times in asthmatic children compared with controls ( p < .01). The up-regulation of TRPV2 gene and sensitization to one of three the allergens-spring pollen, dust mite, and dog and cat hair-were correlated with childhood asthma. In addition, the hypersensitivity to spring pollen, cockroach, and dust mite and up-regulation of TRPV2 gene expression may be the risk factors for the childhood asthma in Beijing. Conclusions. The increased expression of TRPV2 gene in peripheral lymphocytes is closely correlated with childhood asthma in the north of China. This study provides a potential new biomarker of childhood asthma and lays the basis for further clarification of the pathogenesis underlying asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China needs far more financing for transportation infrastructure than can be provided by the government alone. Meanwhile the capacity of the Chinese government to provide public services on its own in an effective and efficient way is being questioned and reassessed at various levels. Accordingly, the involvement of private investors in the development of Metropolitan Transportation Systems (MTS) has been promoted by the Chinese public sector by means of adopting the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. However, China's dynamic and complex political, financial, legal and regulatory environment makes the private sector adjust to accommodate the existing regime by way of understanding the driving factors in PPP applications for improving the chances of project success. This paper presents two case studies in China's MTS. Based on a case study and comprehensive literature review, 15 driving factors associated with PPP projects from the perspective of the Chinese public sector have been identified. A structured questionnaire survey targeting the public sector has been conducted to seek, analyze and integrate its perception of the driving factors. Through statistical analysis of the relative significance of each of these driving factors, the writers determined five common major dimensions of the Chinese public sector's purpose in developing PPP schemes, and the key factors that quantify each purpose. The establishment of the measures for these objectives and the key factors that quantify each of these purposes will likely be useful in encouraging private participation in infrastructure management and directing/concentrating efforts of the private sector to deliver quality public services under mutually beneficial long-term contractual arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel aryltetralone lignan, pedunculine A (1), together with a known lignan cagayanone A (2), was isolated from the leaves and twigs of Litsea pedunculata. The structure of the new lignan was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net primary productivity (NPP) is a key component of energy and matter transformation in the terrestrial ecosystem, and the responses of NPP to global change locally and regionally have been one of the most important aspects in climate-vegetation relationship studies. In order to isolate causal climatic factors, it is very important to assess the response of seasonal variation of NPP to climate. In this paper, NPP in Xinjiang was estimated by NOAA/AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The impact of climatic factors (air temperature, precipitation and sunshine percentage) on seasonal variations of NPP was studied by time lag and serial correlation ageing analysis. The results showed that the NPP for different land cover types have a similar correlation with any one of the three climatic factors, and precipitation is the major climatic factor influencing the seasonal variation of NPP in Xinjiang. It was found that the positive correlation at 0 lag appeared between NPP and precipitation and the serial correlation ageing was 0 d in most areas of Xinjiang, which indicated that the response of NPP to precipitation was immediate. However, NPP of different land cover types showed significant positive correlation at 2 month lag with air temperature, and the impact of which could persist 1 month as a whole. No correlation was found between NPP and sunshine percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hoya tengchongensis, a new species of Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepiadoideae from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Hoya serpens in its creeping habit, bearing small and suborbicular leaves, and adaxially tomentose corolla. However, H. tengchongensis differs from H. serpens in corolla size (ca 7 mm versus ca 12 mm in diam) and corona morphology (corona lobes slightly ascending versus erect). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the research on the submarine slope stability of the Caofeidian Harbor's deep channel in China. It mentions its effect on the movement of sediments and hydrodynamic environment along with geomorphic evolution. An overview of the analysis of water depth from the area of the sea is also presented.