Search

A large-scale experiment on coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) was conducted to investigate the experimental spontaneous combustion period (ESCP) and limit parameters. Coal samples were collected from the Wenjiapo coal mine in the Binchang mining area in Shaanxi Province, China. Specifically, the high-temperature point (HTP) migration of coal and the variations in the oxygen consumption rate, heat release intensity, lower limit oxygen concentration (LOC), maximum air leakage intensity (ALI), and minimum residual coal thickness (RCT) during CSC were investigated. The ESCP was discovered to be 35 days. During CSC, the HTP moved from the middle of the coal body to the bottom where air was supplied. Heat release intensity and oxygen consumption rate were directly proportional to coal temperature. Under the same conditions, minimum RCT increased with ALI, lower LOC decreased as RCT increased, and maximum ALI increased with RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effects of Chinese medicine (CM) involving triple rehabilitation therapy on the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: A total of 722 patients recruited from 38 community health service centers located in China from March 2013 to March 2017 were randomly divided into treatment and control groups equally, using a cluster randomization design. Health education combined with CM involving triple rehabilitation therapy for KOA (electro-acupuncture, Chinese medicinal herb fumigating-washing, and traditional exercises) was administered in the treatment group while conventional rehabilitation therapy (physical factor therapy, joint movement training, and muscle strength training) was administered in the control group. Patients with a visual analog scale (VAS) scores ≽4 were treated with dispersible meloxicam tablets (7.5 mg, once daily). The Lequesne index scores, VAS scores, range of motion (ROM), lower limb muscle strength, knee joint circumference, quantitative scores of KOA symptoms, and the short-form 36 item health survey questionnaire (SF-36) scores were measured for each patient at 5 checkpoints (before treatment, at the 2nd week and the 4th week during the 4-week treatment period, at 1 month and 3 months after end of treatment), and adverse reactions were observed also. Results: A total of 696 patients completed the entire process, with 351 in the treatment group and 345 in the control group. At all treatment checkpoints, the treatment group demonstrated better outcomes than the control group with regard to the total Lequesne index scores, effective rate and improvement rate of the total Lequesne index scores, VAS scores, lower limb muscle strength, knee circumference, quantitative scores of KOA symptoms, and SF-36 scores as well (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No adverse reactions were encountered in this study. Conclusions: CM involving triple rehabilitation therapy can alleviate KOA-related pain and swelling, improve lower limb muscle strength, promote flexion and activity of the knee and improve the quality of life in patients undergoing KOA. It is suitable for patients with early or mid-stage KOA. (Registration No. ChiCTR-TRC-12002538) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• During the Early Triassic, the study area is dominated by fine-grained mixed rocks that formed in a storm-controlled neritic shelf environment. • Mixed sediments formed via facies mixing and punctuated mixing. • From southeast to northwest, the South Yellow Sea Basin contains four paleogeographic units: coast, carbonate platform, shallow shelf, and deep-water basin. • The Qinglong Formation strata exhibit weak hydrocarbon generation and strong sealing. Drilling results from borehole CSDP-2 show that typical fine-grained mixed rocks occur in the Lower Triassic succession in the Central Uplift of the South Yellow Sea Basin, which reveals the storm event and possible double-provenance supply, and advances the previous understanding. We document the rock types, sedimentary structures and textures, and formation mechanisms of fine-grained mixed rocks on the basis of core and thin-section observations, XRD whole-rock geochemical, major and trace element, and laser particle-size analyses. During the Early Triassic, a storm-controlled neritic shelf and restricted platform were the main sedimentary environments of the Central Uplift, and the deposition was dominated by fine-grained mixed rocks, with some argillaceous siltstone and silt-bearing limestone. Formation of the fine-grained mixed rocks is attributed to facies mixing and punctuated mixing under the comprehensive influence of the paleogeographic background, paleoclimate variations, eustatic sea-level change, sediment supply, and storm events. Facies mixing is apparent in the succession as alternations of restricted platform, evaporated platform, brackish platform, and lagoon deposits. Mixed rocks formed by punctuated mixing exhibit an orderly succession of turbidity current, debris flow, storm current, and weak tractive current sediments. The geological significances of this research are twofold. In the South Yellow Sea Basin, the neritic shelf that formed in the Central Uplift gradually changed to a shallow-water carbonate platform in the Southern Depression and Wunansha Uplift. A deep-water basin formed in the Northern Depression. This palaeogeographic pattern is consistent with that of the Lower Yangtze continental region, revealing that two possible ancient provenances, the Cathaysia Wuyi Terrane and the North China Craton, may exist simultaneously. The Lower Triassic strata are characterized by weak hydrocarbon generation and strong sealing, and could act as caprocks for the underlying Permian hydrocarbon system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is a common stressor for aquatic animals, including Epinephelus coioides , with a considerable impact on sustainable aquaculture. E. coioides is a widely consumed fish in China owing to its high nutritious value and taste. However, water hypoxia caused by high density culture process has become a great threat to E. coioides culture, and its response to hypoxia stress has not been discussed before. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the response of E. coioides to acute hypoxia using transcriptomic techniques. To this end, RNA sequencing was performed on the liver tissues of fish exposed to normoxic and hypoxic conditions for 1 h. The results presented 503 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver tissue of fish exposed to hypoxic condition compared with those in the normoxic group. Enrichment analysis using the Gene Ontology database showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched for functions related to cell apoptosis signaling pathways, insulin resistance, antioxidant enzymes, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis signaling pathways. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that HIF-1, PI3K-AKT, IL-17, NF-kappa B, and MAPK signaling pathways were significantly enriched by the DEGs. The DEGs were mainly involved in immune response, inflammatory response, cell apoptosis regulation, energy metabolism, and substance metabolism. Additionally, the hypoxia response in E. coioides was mainly regulated via the PI3K-AKT-HIF-1 signaling axis. Overall, the findings of this study contribute to the understanding of hypoxia stress response in E. coioides , and provides target genes for breeding hypoxia-tolerant Epinephelus spp. [Display omitted] • The hypoxia response mechanism in liver tissues of Epinephelus coioides was first revealed. • Glycolytic metabolism is the main energy source of grouper under acute hypoxia stress. • The PI3K-Akt signaling pathway plays a key role in the hypoxia mechanism in the liver tissues of Epinephelus coioides. • Epinephelus coioides can prolong survival time under acute hypoxia stress by altering biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture is an important protein source in many countries, including China. Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) is widely used to reduce the environmental pressure of aquaculture and to increase profits. However, effects of IMTA on host immune and metabolic responses, the dynamics of bacterial communities, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are relatively understudied. In this study, the IMTA mariculture systems with different combinations of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × E. lanceolatus ♂), the whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), and the alga (Gracilaria bailinae) were constructed to evaluate the effects of different culture systems on the aquatic environment and cultured species during the initial stage of aquaculture. Results showed that G. bailinae could effectively remove inorganic nutrients accumulated in water, which in turn significantly promoted growth and enhanced non-specific immunity and glycolipid metabolism in the hybrid grouper. Although ARGs were present throughout the culture process, the relative abundance of ARGs in three of the four culture systems decreased with culture time. This was especially the case in the monoculture and the fish-algal IMTA systems, indicating that these aquaculture systems had a scavenging effect on ARGs in the environment. Correlation and network analyses indicated that ARGs were not significantly correlated with environmental factors but were closely related to bacterial communities. Approximately 25 bacterial groups of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria were significantly correlated with ARGs, including aminoglycoside, beta-lactamase, chloramphenicol, and multidrug resistance genes. Moreover, tnpA-07 , a transposase gene, indirectly affected ARGs through its interaction with Acteroidetes and Proteobacteria. This study provides insights into further optimizing culture methods and controlling the spread and ecological risk of ARGs in IMTA systems. • Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) of two or more species is effective in minimizing the impacts of aquaculture. • Macroalga Gracilaria bailinae significantly reduces inorganic nutrients in the medium. • Monoculture and mixed culture with G. bailinae can reduce the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). • ARGs are closely related to Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the rates and characteristics of parathyroid disorder and thyroid cancer in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 vs sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (SPHP) undergoing parathyroidectomy.Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1-associated primary hyperparathyroidism (MPHP) or SPHP who underwent initial or reoperative parathyroid exploration from 1999 to 2019 were identified via a clinical database. The data for MPHP patients (n = 15) were compared to those of a selected 2:1 age- and sex-matched SPHP cohort (n = 30) who all underwent thyroidectomy for concurrent thyroid nodules.Compared with that of the SPHP group, the parathyroid hormone level of the MPHP group was much higher (470.67 ± 490.74 pg/mL vs 217.77 ± 165.60 pg/mL, P = .001). Multiglandular parathyroid disease (6/15 [40%] vs 3/30 [10%], P = .026) and more hyperplasia (7/15 [46.7%] vs 5/30 [16.7%], P = .039) were found in the MPHP group, and more parathyroid lesions presented as a round shape (long/short meridian < 2) by ultrasound (16/20 [80%] vs 8/31 [25.8%], P < .001). Regarding thyroid nodules, there was no difference in the rate of histologic thyroid cancer, but more thyroid cancer was found in the last 5 years among the MPHP cases (5/9 [55.6%] vs 3/18 [16.7%], P = .052).Multiglandular parathyroid disease and hyperplasia were more frequent in the MPHP cohort than in the SPHP cohort, and the parathyroid lesions usually presented with a round shape on ultrasonography. More concurrent thyroid cancer was found in MPHP than SPHP patients over the previous 5 years., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Rainfall is limited and unevenly distributed across different seasons in the sub-humid but drought-prone area on Loess Plateau, China. Understanding the effects of water supply on the growth of forage crops is of great significance for guiding forage cultivation. Pot experiment was carried out in a shelter in this study. There were five cropping patterns, including monoculture of common vetch, oat and maize, oat/common vetch intercropping, and oat/maize intercropping. There were three water supply levels, including high (low limit of 70% field capacity), medium (low limit of 55% of field capacity) and low (low limit of 40% of field capacity) water. The results showed that land equivalent ratio in the oat/common vetch intercropping group were 1.20, 1.21 and 1.19 at the high, medium and low water supply levels, respectively, and those in the oat/maize intercropping were 1.17, 1.11 and 1.03. Such results indicate that all of the intercropping systems had yield advantages compared with all monoculture. Among the five planting patterns under the same water supply level, the total dry matter yield of maize monoculture was the highest, and that of common vetch monoculture was the lowest. Yields of dry matter and crude protein of oat increased with the decreases of water supply, while common vetch and corn monoculture showed opposite trends. On per plant basis, intercropping increased dry matter yield and crude protein yield of oat, while decreased the yield of common vetch and maize, oat showed an intercropping advantage. Compared with the high water treatment, dry matter yield of the oat/common vetch intercropping increased insignificantly by 4.1% and 4.8% respectively compared with that in the treatments of medium water and low water, whereas dry matter yield of the oat/maize intercropping was significantly reduced by 8.0% and 13.0% respectively. Compared with high water treatment, root/shoot ratio of the oat/common vetch intercropping was significantly increased by 33.4% and 58.4% under the treatments of medium and low water respectively. However, medium and low water supply significantly reduced root/shoot ratio in the oat/maize intercropping. Compared with high water treatment, water use efficiency of the oat/common vetch intercropping significantly increased by 11.7% and 12.9% under the treatments of medium and low water respectively, while water use efficiency of oat/maize intercropping was not affected by water application. In summary, yield of forage maize monoculture and oat/forage maize intercropping were higher, but they were sensitive to water shortage and had low yield stability. Under insufficient water conditions, yield stability, crude protein production and water use efficiency in oat/common vetch intercropping system were greater. Consequently, we suggest this system should be used in the study area.

Objective To investigate the relationship between body mass index(BMI)and risk levels of thyroid nodules in a multi-center healthy population. Methods A total of 6070 subjects were enrolled from five medical physical examination centers in China from January 2015 to December 2017. All the participants'general information and parameters were recorded. Thyroid nodules were detected by color Doppler ultrasonography. All ultrasound doctors received uniform training before study. Results Among all the subjects,5773(95.1%;with 4274 nodules identified in 2833 subjects)were from northern China and 297(4.9%,with 183 nodules identified in 158 subjects)from central China(χ 2 =1.923,P=0.092). The nodules were single in 1479 of 2991 subjects(49.4%)and multiple in 1512 subjects(50.6%). Nodules larger than 1 cm accounted for 13.3% and nodules smaller than 1 cm accounted for 86.7%. Compared with the non-thyroid nodule group,the thyroid nodule group had significantly more women(χ 2 =156.36,P=0.000),older age(t=-18.768,P=0.000),and higher fasting blood glucose(FBG) level(t=-3.808,P=0.000). Among all the nodules,the prevalence rates of benign,very-low-risk,low-risk,moderate risk,and high risk were 4.5%,6.6%,85.0%,0.1%,and 3.7%,respectively,according to the ATA guidelines. Notably,there were 4291 nodules at moderate or lower risks and 166 nodules at high risk. Compared with the former,patients with high-risk nodules had significantly lower BMI(χ 2 =25.161,P=0.000)and high FBG(t=3.357,P=0.000). Multivariate non-conditional Logistic regression showed low BMI(OR=2.900,95%CI:1.461-5.783,P=0.002)and high FBG level(OR=0.803,95%CI:0.675-0.955,P=0.013)were independent risk factors for high-risk nodules. Compared with subjects with normal weight or obese populations,subjects with low BMI had significantly higher detection rate of high-risk nodules(χ 2 =25.16,P=0.000). In ≥55 year-old group,significantly more high-risk nodules were detected in low BMI group(χ 2 =44.868,P=0.000). Conclusion Low weight is associated with high-risk thyroid nodules among people ≥55 years old.