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The sand-fixing shrub Caragana microphylla (Fabaceae) is extensively used for vegetation restoration in areas of northern China undergoing desertification. Although the understanding of its genetic variation and related determinants is an important component of plant conservation and ecological restoration in the face of a changing global environment, the relationship between genetic diversity in C. microphylla and climatic factors is unknown. In this study, we assessed population genetic variation in C. microphylla along temperature and humidity gradients in northern China using inter-simple sequence repeat ( ISSR) markers. In general, high levels of genetic diversity were uncovered in the 13 populations studied. The number of polymorphic loci ranged from 14 to 63 and polymorphism percentages ranged from 8.75 to 39.38%. Observed and effective allele numbers were 1.09-1.40 and 1.06-1.30, respectively. Nei's genetic diversity index ( h) was calculated as 0.0340-0.1663 and Shannon's diversity index ( I) was 0.0502-0.2403. At the species level, h and I were 0.2579 and 0.3965, respectively. Populations from low hydrothermal level areas, experiencing severe desertification and habitat fragmentation, exhibited the greatest genetic diversity. Genetic diversity in C. microphylla was positively correlated with annual temperature range, cold index, mean annual rainfall and hydrothermal synthesis index, whereas a negative association was found with mean annual temperature. Using redundancy analysis, we found that mean annual rainfall and cold index explained 87.8% of observed genetic variation, suggesting that genetic diversity in C. microphylla depends primarily on these two factors. Our data are relevant to the restoration and management of degraded ecosystems in arid and semiarid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elbow tuberculosis (TB) is not rare in China. Most patients are diagnosed when it is at an advanced stage and with bony ankylosis complications. For a developing country, such as China, it is important for there to be safe and cost-effective procedures. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was designed to assess the effects of improved forked excision arthroplasty for treating elbow TB. There were 20 patients (average age, 48.45 years). For all patients, the preoperative diagnosis was elbow TB at an advanced stage. All patients underwent forked excision arthroplasty. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with the Mayo's elbow performance score (MEPS). Mean follow-up was at 74.4 months. Results: At the last follow-up, the mean postoperative MEPS was 83.7 compared with the preoperative MEPS of 20.25. Results of Mayo's elbow performance index were excellent in seven patients, good in 12 and fair in one, and none were poor. The range of elbow motion also improved significantly. Conclusion: This study of forked elbow excision arthroplasty has shown promising results for treating elbow TB. Most patients had ideal postoperative outcomes and exhibited painless elbow joints, with satisfactory functional recovery at medium-term follow-up. Further studies with longer follow-up are warranted. Level of evidence: III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both Agriophyllum squarrosum and Artemisia halodendron play essential roles in the vegetation rehabilitation process in Horqin desert. Responses of germination to temperature, water potential, and burial depth in the two species were studied experimentally. The results showed that: (1) seeds of the two species could germinate with high final percentages (> 67%) at prevailing surface soil (0-5 cm) temperatures from April to July. However, Agriophyllum squarrosum had more efficient mechanisms to ensure that seeds germinate quickly at prevailing May temperatures but slowly at the temperatures of April and July, in comparison to Artemisia halodendron; (2) Artemisia halodendron had higher final germination percentages than Agriophyllum squarrosum when water potential was low (p < .0.01); and (3) seedlings of Artemisia halodendron emerged well only at a depth less than 1 cm and did not emerge at all when the burial depth reached 4 cm, while those of Agriophyllum squarrosum emerged with a final percentage of 21.6% even at the depth of 4 cm. These different characteristics of seed germination and seedling emergence could partially explain the phenomenon that Agriophyllum squarrosum always precedes Artemisia halodendron in establishing on moving sand dunes in Horqin desert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Williams stock evaluation model and from the perspective of market, what resulted from the security markets when they responded to the changes of nominal and actual interest rates are emphatically studied, thus developing a model of response to the change of interest rate in China's security markets. Empirical tests and analyses were done using the related 18-year data from both Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges since they were started, with the results theoretically explained. It was revealed that the response of Chinese security markets to the change of interest rate is in an opposite direction, and it is more obvious to the change of long-term interest rates than that of short-term rates. Also it is more obvious to the change of nominal interest rates than to that of actual rates. The response to the change of interest rate relates closely to the fluctuation in its own lagging period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional and structural brain alterations have been noted in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the most common entrapment peripheral neuropathy. Previous studies were mainly focused on somatosensory cortices. However, the changes of white matter diffusion properties in nonsensorimotor cortices remain uninvestigated. We utilized a modified tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) pipeline to explore CTS-related white matter plasticity, omitting the skeletonization step and registering diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data to a study-specific, high resolution T1 template by an optimized registration method. The modified TBSS was demonstrated to be more sensitive to detect changes in white matter integrity than the standard TBSS approach. In this study, 25 moderate/severe CTS patients and 17 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were evaluated with DTI. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) were calculated for group comparison. And the relationship between diffusion parameters and clinical assessments was also analyzed. Comparing with the healthy controls, CTS patients showed significantly increased FA and decreased RD in areas of multisensory integration and motor control involving the central opercular cortex and supplementary motor area (SMA) of the dominant hemisphere. Moreover, altered diffusion parameters in the central opercular cortex of the dominant hemisphere were significantly correlated with Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) scores. It is considered to be a form of maladaptive neuroplastic response to CTS-associated afference and motor control deficits. Such insight may be helpful in developing new strategies for the treatment of CTS., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ten new nortriterpenes, euphorbiumrins A-J (1-10), together with three known analogues (11-13) were isolated from the latex of Euphorbia resinifera. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (IR, UV, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR). Their inhibitions on tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) were evaluated and compound 5 exhibited significant anti-TYLCV activity with an inhibition rate of 71.7% at concentration of 40 μg/mL., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two new steroidal alkaloids (1-2), together with seven known related steroidal alkaloids (3-9), were isolated from the rhizomes of Veratrum nigrum L. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, and by comparison with literature data. Compound 1 possessed a rare 1, 3-oxazolidine unit within varazine-type alkaloids, and 2 was a 9-hydroxy-4-one derivative of 3-veratroylgermine. All isolates were evaluated inhibit tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) activity. Compounds 5 and 7 (40 μg/mL) showed a significant anti-TYLCV activity in the host Nicotiana benthamiana with inhibition rates 74.6% and 63.4%, respectively, which are higher than that of the positive control ningnanmycin (51.4%)., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Study Design: Hospital-based retrospective study Objectives: To evaluate the pathogenetic features of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) during 1999-2016 according to changed injury etiology with time, explore different characteristics of patients suffered a TSCI during 1999-2007 and 2008-2016 in Tianjin, China. Setting: Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Methods: In this study, the medical records of TSCI patients were obtained from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital (TMUGH) from 1st January 1999 to 31th December 2016. Variables were recorded, including age, gender occupation, etiology, the level of injury, America Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale, the severity, concomitant injuries, death and its cause. To explore the differences in characteristics by etiology and by two periods, related statistical methods were used to calculate the correlation of some variables. Differences in etiology of TSCI during 1999-2016 were evaluated and differences in epidemiological characteristics were separately compared and analyzed between the 1999-2007 period and the 2008-2016 period. Results: From 1999-2016, 831 TSCI cases were identified and 96 cases were excluded from analyses. The male-to-female ratio was 2.9:1 and the mean age was 49.7±15.2 years, which changed significantly between 1999-2007 (45.1±14.2) and 2008-2016 (51.6±15.2). Traffic accidents (45.8%) were the leading cause of TSCI during the 1999-2007 period, followed by low falls (30.7%). However, the opposite result was observed during the 2008-2016 period. Significant difference was observed compared with thoracic, lumbar and sacral levels, cervical level was the most commonly affected levels and the percentage decreased to a certain degree between 1999-2007 and 2008-2016 (from 84.4% to 68.9%). The proportions of ASIA grades A, B, C, and D were 20.5%, 10.3%, 23.3%, and 45.9%, respectively. The percentage of complete tetraplegia decreased from 22.9% in 1999-2007 to 13.2% in 2008-2016, and the percentage of incomplete paraplegia increased from 9.7% to 27.9%. Conclusion: According to the changes in the epidemiological characteristics of TSCI, relevant health service, laws and regulations, preventative strategies should be readjusted to follow up the changing situation and epidemiological characteristics of TSCI.

Evaluations of restoration success usually focus on the structural aspects of ecosystems. Pollination, as an important functional aspect, is often overlooked. Here, the shifts in pollinator assemblage and pollen limitation in the desert shrub Caragana microphylla were examined along a restoration gradient in Horqin Sand Land, northern China. We identified seven species of bees; however, only four bee species were found to be effective pollinators, with Xanthosaurus remota dominating in the fixed dunes, and with no bee species or only a single species, X. remota, being observed in the semi-fixed and mobile dunes. Flower visitation rate was nearly ten times higher in the fixed dunes than in the mobile and semi-fixed dunes. Experimental floral manipulations revealed that the fixed dune populations experienced less pollen limitation, along with the increase in pollinator availability. Between the mobile and semi-fixed dune populations, pollen limitation was severe and at similar levels. The intensity of pollen limitation was negatively related to pollinator abundance and richness. Overall, the dependence on pollinators for reproduction may be an important constraint that limits persistence in this system. Increased pollinator service during the restoration process may ameliorate pollen limitation, benefiting the restoration of vegetation in this semiarid sandy area.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered an important medium for the transport and transformation of organic pollutants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DP). However, limited data on PBDEs and no data on DP were available regarding wastewater and sludge from China, especially in Shanghai, one of the most developed cities in China. This study examined the occurrence of PBDEs and DP in a conventional WWTP in Shanghai for one year. The levels of the total PBDEs in the influent and dewatered sludge ranged from 5.31 to 27.9 ng/L and 31.0 to 99.5 ng/g, respectively, which were at the low end of the global range. DP was reported in wastewater with a mean concentration of 0.46 ng/L (range: 0.05 to 1.40 ng/L) and sludge contained DP in the range of 1.1 to 2.0 ng/g. For both PBDEs and DP, there were no significant seasonal variations observed in the four seasons. Indoor dust and outdoor air could be two main sources of PBDEs and DP in the WWTP. In both the influent and sewage sludge, BDE-209 was the most abundant congener, with contributions to the total PBDE levels ranging from 52.9 to 82.6% and 82.7 to 84.0%, respectively. The fraction of anti-DP was consistently higher than that of syn-DP, and the average of fsyn ranged from 0.16 to 0.33, which fell in the range of two commercial DP mixtures. The annual releases of PBDEs and DP via sewage sludge from WWTPs in Shanghai were estimated to be 6,370 g and 164.8 g, respectively. The fate and risk of these compounds after being released into the environment require further research. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the occurrence of DP in wastewater., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe the acute care length of stay (ACLOS) of adult patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Tianjin, China, and identify the associated demographic and clinical factors., Methods: TSCI patients admitted to a general hospital in Tianjin, China from 2004 to 2007 were identified. The predictor variables were demographic and clinical factors, including age, gender, etiology, level of injury, severity, associated injuries, surgery, and complications. The outcome variable was ACLOS. Multivariable linear regression analysis models were used to examine the association between predictor and outcome variables., Results: This study included 631 TSCI patients. The mean ACLOS was 32.4 ± 37.7 days, with a range of 1-294 days. The median number of hospitalization days was 21 days. Admission to a suburban hospital surgery, urinary infection, poorer functional status, pressure ulcers, and associated injuries were significantly associated with ACLOS., Conclusion: This study examined the effect of epidemiological and clinical factors on ACLOS in Tianjin, China. The factors that influenced the ACLOS were different from factors reported in other studies. More studies are needed in China to determine the effect of these factors on ACLOS in TSCI patients and to propose a predictive model.

Characteristics of leaf nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry at regional scale is key factors to understand spatial pattern, forecast change trends and reveal responses of terrestrial ecosystem to global change. In this study, pattern of leaf nitrogen and phosphorus of 214 plants was investigated to elucidate their relationships with rainfall and temperature in typical desert and desertified regions of northern China. The results showed that average leaf nitrogen concentration, average leaf phosphorus concentrations, and leaf N/P of 214 species are (24.45 +/- 8.1) mg/g, (1.74 +/- 0. 88) mg/g, 15.77 +/- 7.5 in these regions of northern China, respectively. Compared with other studies at global, national or regional scale, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations are significantly higher in this study (p < 0.001). However, leaf N/P didn't show any significant differences with other studies. This implies that leaf N/P is generally well-constrained. One-way ANOVA analysis showed that leaf N, P, and N/P varied significantly among trees, shrubs, graminoids, and forbs. Leaf N concentration in shrubs, forbs and leaf P concentration in forbs are averagely higher than those in other life-forms, respectively. This implies that nutrient use strategies are significantly different among plant life-forms. There are no significant differences in leaf nitrogen concentration among each typically desert and desertified region. However, Leaf phosphorus concentration and leaf N/P are significantly different among each typically desert and desertified regions. Leaf phosphorus concentrations are relatively high in Kerqin Sand Land and Mowuso Sand Land. Leaf N/P of most species in Talimu basin, Zhunger Basin, and Alashan is higher than 16, and lower than 14 of most species in Kerqin Sand land. This means that nutrient constraining in different regions varies greatly. Correlations analysis showed that leaf N, P, and N/P are significantly correlated with annual precipitation, but not significantly correlated with annual mean temperature in desert and desertified regions of northern China.