Search

Orchard residues (OR), primarily consists of pruned fruit tree branches (PFTB), serve as a significant biomass source in China and many other countries. In this study, we established a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) model for PFTB-based BDP (PFTB-BDP) using LCA and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The model was employed to evaluate the environmental impacts (EIs), abiotic depletion (AD), and comprehensive performance of PFTB-BDP. Our findings revealed that the comprehensive performance index (COPI) of PFTB-BDP ranged from 0.005 to 0.019 (person·year)/MWh. EIs exerted a more significant influence on comprehensive performance compared to AD, with the impact strength of EIs following the order of local > equal > regional > global. The maximum COPI value of PFTB-BDP amounted to 48.72% of the minimum COPI value of a coal-fired power generation (CP) system, demonstrating the superiority of PFTB-BDP over CP. The comprehensive performance of PFTB-BDP was most sensitive to total solid waste (SW) (−21.79%–17.89%) and the raw material consumption rate (−13.01%–11.58%). The outcomes of this study provide a crucial theoretical foundation and reference data for PFTB-BDP research. [Display omitted] • Currently, in China, research on orchard residues is still in its early stages. • AHP can assist decision-makers in formulating policies by providing rankings. • BFTP-BDP can effectively promote carbon emissions reduction. • Effective management and disposal of BA and FGDG are necessary. • The efficiency of biomass boilers and the quality of fuel need to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a study to determine the incidence, types and rank order of congenital anomalies and related fetal and infant mortality in Gansu province in China to provide a base-line for an intervention project directed at reducing birth defects in Gansu. Forty-two communities in four counties of Gansu were randomly selected by cluster sampling, based on economic and geographical features of the province. All infants born between 1 January 2001 and 1 January 2002 (live and stillborn) were investigated in departments of gynaecology and obstetrics, in birth control centres and in facilities for women and children in county and community hospitals. The types of birth defect were classified by the diagnostic standardisation ICD-9. The overall incidence of birth defects in Gansu was 15.4/1000 births (102/6621): 6.7/1000 (44) neural tube defects, 4.7/1000 (31) low birthweight infants, 2/1000 (13) limb defects, 0.8/1000 (five) cleft lip and palate and 0.5/1000 (three) Down's syndrome. The infant mortality rate was 14.8/1000 (98), to which birth defects contributed 7.3/1000 (48). We conclude that the incidence of birth defects in Gansu is one of the highest in China, that birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality and that neural tube defects cause most deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass-based pellet is an important source of renewable energy. In this study, to obtain the high-quality fuel pellet via the densification of pruned branches of fruit trees, we investigated the optimization of blending ratios for different raw materials using branches from jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), which is a widely distributed waste biomass resource in China. Through the characterization of raw materials and pellets, the effects of different raw materials on the storage, transportation, and combustion performances of the pellets can be understood. The cost evaluation analysis showed that the two optimized, co-densified pellets had great cost advantages compared with the pure jujube branch pellets. This indicates the potential industrial value of optimized pellets. The results of this study can help to improve the application value of orchard residues and generate an additional profit for fruit plantations, simultaneously avoiding the environmental damage caused by its open combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the stable carbon isotope signature of marine carbonate rocks (δ13C carb) are utilized as an indicator for changes in depositional environment and tracers of diagenetic alteration. Various petrologic (textural changes) and geochemical indicators (trace elements) have been used to evaluate the effect of diagenetic alteration on the δ13C carb signature. However, how diagenetic processes involving interactions between organic matter and minerals impact the δ13C carb records of marine carbonate rocks has not been investigated thoroughly. In this study, systematic stable carbon (δ13C carb) and oxygen (δ18O carb) isotope analyses were conducted on marine carbonates from the Middle Ordovician Majiagou Formation in the Ordos Basin, China to evaluate secondary overprint of the primary δ13C carb record. 496 carbonate samples from the gas reservoir (potential gas source rock) were selected from one well located in the natural gas exploration target—mid-east part of the Ordos Basin. A depleted δ13C carb excursion (i.e., a shift to more negative values) occurred in the 100 m-thick anhydrite-bearing carbonate sequence of this formation. The δ13C carb and δ18O carb values for the whole rock vary from −10.9‰ to 1.8‰ and −11.5‰ to −4.0‰, respectively. The calcite veins and vug-filling calcites also have depleted carbon isotope signature ranging between −21.1‰ and −4.4‰. The secondary calcites observed under the microscope were generated by the conversion from isotopically depleted organic matter and resulted in the depleted δ13C carb signature. The commonly occurring thermochemical sulfate reduction in the study area and the degradation of potentially enriched carboxylic acid salts in anhydrite-bearing carbonate setting are major factors contributing to the depleted δ13C carb values. The conversion from organic carbon to inorganic carbon through organic matter-involved diagenetic processes plays a significant role in explaining the genesis of depleted δ13C carb excursions in deeply buried marine carbonate sequences. [Display omitted] • High-amplitude depleted δ13C carb signatures were first found to occur in the Middle Ordovician carbonate sequence. • Diagenetic processes involving organic matter impacted the original δ13C carb record. • Organic-origin calcites generated by TSR resulted in the depleted δ13C carb signatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous phosphorus release from sediments is a major cause of eutrophication in water bodies. To investigate the endogenous phosphorus morphological features and migration patterns in lakes under the influence of agricultural irrigation areas, we analyzed the changes of polymorphic phosphorus content in lake sediments under irrigation withdrawal conditions based on field sampling tests and sediment phosphorus release dynamics simulation experiments and used the diffusive flux method to determine the flux of phosphorus release from the sediment-water interface (SWI). The results showed that: (1) Data from encrypted sampling during the receding period revealed total phosphorus (TP) of lake water decreased from 0.11 mg/L to 0.05 mg/L, and TP of sediment increased from 723.53 mg/kg to 955.89 mg/kg. (2) The order of polymorphic phosphorus content of sediments at the lake inlet before the irrigation period was Fe-Al bound phosphorus (NaOH-nrP) > insoluble phosphorus > Fe-Al oxide bound phosphorus (NaOH-rP) > Calcium bound phosphorus (Ca-P) > Fe-Mn chelated phosphorus (BD-P) > active phosphorus. Interconversion between sedimentary polymorphic phosphorus is more drastic after the irrigation period. (3) The phosphorus forms extracted from sediments were ranked as insoluble phosphorus > NaOH-nrP > NaOH-rP > active phosphorus > Ca-P > BD-P. Insoluble phosphorus is the predominant form of phosphorus in sediments. (4) The TP exchange fluxes between the SWI by the diffusive flux method were 0.30 mg/(m2·h) and -0.33 mg/(m2·h) respectively. Receding water conditions promote sediment adsorption of TP from overlying water. The research findings establish a theoretical foundation for endogenous phosphorus from lake sediments in agricultural irrigation areas., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Molecular etiology of lingual hamartoma is poorly understood. This study aims to identify potentially deleterious mutations for lingual hamartoma and analyze its molecular profile by a combination of whole-exome sequencing and RNA-sequencing., Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was conducted on the proband presenting lingual hamartoma and patient's unaffected family members. Potentially pathogenic mutations were identified after filtration. The pathogenicity of the identified variants was predicted by in silico algorithms and conservative analysis. RNA-sequencing was performed to further explore the molecular profile of lingual hamartoma., Results: Whole-exome sequencing of the proband and patients' unaffected brother and parents identified a de novo mutation c.931C>T_p.Pro311Ser in the DYNC2H1 gene (NM_001080463.2). The DYNC2H1 mutation was predicted to be disease-causing for affecting highly conserved amino acid by PolyPhen2 and Mutation Taster. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that the DYNC2H1 gene was significantly down-regulated in lingual hamartoma. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed cilium assembly and Hedgehog signaling pathway were significantly affected., Conclusion: The study expanded our knowledge on the clinical and genetic spectrum of lingual hamartoma by identifying causal variants in a Chinese pedigree. DYNC2H1 is likely to participate in tongue development and its pathologic mutation may underlie the etiology of lingual hamartoma., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Infertility, an important source of stress, could affect sexual life. Extensive studies suggest that the incidence of sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent in infertile women. As the duration of infertility increases, the level of stress is also likely to increase even further, and this could aggravate psychological pain and cause sexual dysfunction. However, the effect of infertility duration on sexual health is unclear., Methods: We conducted a case-control study in which 715 patients participated between September 1,2020 and December 25, 2020. We included patients diagnosed with infertility (aged between 20 to 45), who were divided into four groups according to their infertility durations: ≤ 2 years (Group I, n = 262), > 2 years but ≤ 5 years (Group II, n = 282), > 5 years but ≤ 8 years (Group III, n = 97), and > 8 years (Group IV, n = 74). A questionnaire survey on female sexual functions and psychological depression was administered to participants, and their female sexual functions and depression status were measured using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), respectively., Results: As the number of years of infertility increased, the PHQ-9 score as well as the incidence of psychological depression increased significantly (p < 0.05), but the total score of FSFI and those of its six domains/sub-scales were not significantly different among the four groups. An analysis of the relevant factors affecting sexual functions, using the multivariable logistic regression model, revealed that when the infertility duration was greater than 8 years, there was a significant increase in the incidence of sexual dysfunction [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 5.158, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.935-13.746, P = 0.001], arousal disorder (AOR = 2.955, 95% CI: 1.194-7.314, P = 0.019), coital pain (AOR = 3.811, 95% CI: 1.045-13.897, P = 0.043), and lubrication disorder (AOR = 5.077, 95% CI: 1.340-19.244, P = 0.017)., Conclusions: An increasing infertility duration is a risk factor for the occurrence of sexual dysfunction. Hence, as the infertility duration increases, the incidence of female sexual dysfunction and psychological distress could also increase, especially when the infertility duration is more than 8 years., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the diverse histopathological types and distribution characteristics of epithelial minor salivary gland tumors (MSGTs) in a Chinese population., Study Design: We conducted a descriptive demographic study of 737 intraoral MSGTs in patients in southwest China from 1990 to 2004., Results: A total of 737 epithelial MSGTs, consisting of 340 (46.1%) benign and 397 (53.9%) malignant tumors, were confirmed in 381 males and 356 females. The average age of patients with benign and malignant tumors was 40.7 and 49.4 years, respectively. The palate was the most commonly affected site (67.4%). Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) (81.8%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) (36.0%) were the most frequent types in benign and malignant tumors, respectively., Conclusions: Comparing with reports from other countries, it is suggested that the MSGTs in this southwest Chinese population may be characterized by a higher incidence of MSGTs than in the other reviewed countries, higher incidence of malignant than benign MSGTs, absence of canalicular adenoma (CA) occurrence, and a higher incidence of myoepithelioma (MEO).

Objective: To determine the incidence, disease types, sequence of birth defects and prevalence of IgG and IgM in rubella infection in prepregnancy and pregnancy within 3 months in Gansu, People's Republic of China, and to determine a baseline of birth defects for an intervention project on birth defects in Gansu., Study Design: Liveborn and stillborn infants from January 1, 2001, to January 1, 2002, and 518 prepregnant and 373 pregnant women in 3 months in 4 counties, including 42 communities selected random by stratification cluster sampling for a survey on the economic and geographic features in the province in October 2001 were investigated. Every infant born in the study period was surveyed. The types of birth defects were classed by standard diagnostic codes (ICD-9). Five-milliliter blood samples were obtained from every prepregnant and pregnant women. Rubella IgG and IgM were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: The overall number of birth defects in Gansu was 102 (16.35%). The incidence of birth defects by sex was 62 males (18.55%) and 40 females (13.9%). The types of birth defects were neural tube defect, 44 cases (7.07%); limb defects, 13 (2.09%); cleft lip and palate, 5 (0.8%); and Down syndrome, 3 (0.48%). Low birth weight occurred in 31 cases (4.98%). The seasonal incidence birth defects was spring, 24 cases (23.52%); summer, 31 (30.39%); autumn, 26 (25.49%); and winter, 21 (20.59%). There were significant differences between 4 counties. The death rate from birth defects was 48 cases (47.06%). The positive rates of IgM and IgG of rubella infection of prepregnant women were, respectively, 5.02% and 83.78%; in pregnant women they were, respectively, 2.41% and 86.33%. The seropositive rate of rubella infection of prepregnancy was 88.80%; that of pregnancy was 88.74%., Conclusion: The rate of rubella infection in prepregnant and pregnant women within 3 months in Gansu was one of the highest in the People's Republic of China. The rate of birth defects in Gansu was one of much higher than in the People's Republic of China as a whole.