Search

In this prospective, multicenter, Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02987244), patients with peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) who had responded to first-line chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin or epirubicin, vincristine or vindesine, etoposide, and prednisone (Chi-CHOEP) were treated by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or with chidamide maintenance or observation. A total of 85 patients received one of the following interventions: ASCT (n = 15), chidamide maintenance (n = 44), and observation (n = 26). estimated 3 PFS and OS rates were 85.6%, 80.8%, and 49.4% (P = 0.001). The two-year OS rates were 85.6%, 80.8%, and 69.0% (P = 0.075).The ASCT and chidamide maintenance groups had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) than the observation group (P = 0.001, and P = 0.01, respectively). The overall survival (OS) differed significantly between the chidamide maintenance group and the observation group (P = 0.041). The multivariate and propensity score matching analyses for PFS revealed better outcomes in the subjects in the chidamide maintenance than observation groups (P = 0.02). The ASCT and chidamide maintenance groups had significant survival advantages over the observation group. In the post-remission stage of the untreated PTCL patients, single-agent chidamide maintenance demonstrated superior PFS and better OS than observation. Our findings highlight the potential benefit of chidamide in this patient subset, warranting further investigation through larger prospective trials. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02987244. Registered 8 December 2016, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02987244. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to identify predictors of severe white matter hyperintensity (WMH) with obesity (SWO), and to build a prediction model for screening obese people with severe WMH without Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination. Patients subjects and methods: From September 2020 to October 2021, 650 patients with WMH were recruited consecutively. The subjects were divided into two groups, SWO group and non-SWO group. Univariate and Logistic regression analysis were was applied to explore the potential predictors of SWO. The Youden index method was adopted to determine the best cut-off value in the establishment of the prediction model of SWO. Each parameter had two options, low and high. The score table of the prediction model and nomogram based on the logistic regression were constructed. Of the 650 subjects, 487 subjects (75%) were randomly assigned to the training group and 163 subjects (25%) to the validation group. By resampling the area under the curve (AUC) of the subject's operating characteristics and calibration curves 1,000 times, nomogram performance was verified. A decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the nomogram's clinical usefulness. By resampling the area under the curve (AUC) of the subject's operating characteristics and calibration curves 1,000 times, nomogram performance was verified. A decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the nomogram's clinical usefulness. Results: Logistic regression demonstrated that hypertension, uric acid (UA), complement 3 (C3) and Interleukin 8 (IL-8) were independent risk factors for SWO. Hypertension, UA, C3, IL-8, folic acid (FA), fasting C-peptide (FCP) and eosinophil could be used to predict the occurrence of SWO in the prediction models, with a good diagnostic performance, Areas Under Curves (AUC) of Total score was 0.823 (95% CI: 0.760--0.885, p < 0.001), sensitivity of 60.0%, specificity of 91.4%. In the development group, the nomogram's AUC (C statistic) was 0.829 (95% CI: 0.760--0.899), while in the validation group, it was 0.835 (95% CI: 0.696, 0.975). In both the development and validation groups, the calibration curves following 1,000 bootstraps showed a satisfactory fit between the observed and predicted probabilities. DCA showed that the nomogram had great clinical utility. Conclusion: Hypertension, UA, C3, IL-8, FA, FCP and eosinophil models had the potential to predict the incidence of SWO. When the total score of the model exceeded 9 points, the risk of SWO would increase significantly, and the nomogram enabled visualization of the patient's WMH risk. The application prospect of our models mainly lied in the convenient screening of SWO without MRI examination in order to detect SWO and control the WMH hazards early. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the predictors for short and long term urinary continence (UC) recovery after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) from clinical and oncological variables. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 142 prostate cancer patients who underwent LRP between September 2014 and June 2021 at a tumor specialist diagnosis and treatment center in China. The rate of post-prostatectomy incontinence (PPI) was evaluated from immediate and at 3, 6 and 12 mo after LRP, and UC was defined as the use of no or one safety pad. Sixteen clinical and oncological variables were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis to determine whether they were associated with short (3 mo) or long term (12 mo) UC recovery after LRP. Results: After eliminating patients who were lost to follow-up, 129 patients were eventually included. The mean ± SD age was 68 ± 6.3 years. The UC rates of immediate, 3, 6 and 12 mo after the operation were 27.9%, 54.3%, 75.2% and 88.4%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that membranous urethral length (MUL) was a protective predictor of UC after catheter extraction(P < 0.001), and at 3 mo (P < 0.001), 6 mo (P < 0.001) and 12 mo (P = 0.009) after surgery. Conclusion: MUL is a significant independent factor that can contribute to short and long term UC recovery post-LRP, which may assist clinicians and their patients in counseling of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium wilt of banana caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is a soil-borne disease, and it is devastating. At present, the biological control using antagonistic microorganisms to mitigate TR4 is one of the best strategies as a safe and green way. Yunnan has abundant and diverse microbial resources. Using the dual-culture method, the antagonistic endophytic fungi against TR4 were isolated and screened from the root nodule of Dolichos lablab. The effect of the highest antagonistic activity strain on the morphology of the TR4 mycelium was observed using the scanning electron microscope. According to morphological characteristics and sequence analysis, the strain was identified. The biocontrol effect and plant growth promotion were investigated by greenhouse pot experiment. Using the confocal laser scanning microscope and the real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, the dynamics of TR4 infestation and the TR4 content in banana plant roots and corms would also be detected. In this study, 18 native endophytic fungi were isolated from a root nodule sample of Dolichos lablab in the mulch for banana fields in Yuxi, Yunnan Province, China. The YNF2217 strain showed a high antagonistic activity against TR4 in plate confrontation experiments, and the inhibition rate of YNF2217 is 77.63%. After TR4 culture with YNF2217 for 7 days in plate confrontation experiments, the morphology of the TR4 mycelium appeared deformed and swollen when observed under a scanning electron microscope. According to morphological characteristics and sequence analysis, the strain YNF2217 was identified as Pochonia chlamydosporia. In the greenhouse pot experiment, the biocontrol effect of YNF2217 fermentation solution on TR4 was 70.97% and 96.87% on banana plant leaves and corms, respectively. Furthermore, YNF2217 significantly promoted the growth of banana plants, such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf number, pseudostemgirth, and both the aboveground and underground fresh weight. Observations of TR4 infestation dynamics in banana roots and corms, along with real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, verified that YNF2217 inoculation could significantly reduce the TR4 content. Therefore, YNF2217 as P. chlamydosporia, which was found first time in China and reported here, is expected to be an important new fungal resource for the green control of Fusarium wilt of banana in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deer tuberculosis is a chronic zoonotic infectious disease, despite the existence of socio-economic and zoonotic risk factors, but at present, there has been no systematic review of deer tuberculosis prevalence in mainland China. The aim of this meta-analysis was to estimate the overall prevalence of deer TB in mainland China and to assess possible associations between potential risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. Methodology: This study was searched in six databases in Chinese and English, respectively (1981 to December 2023). Four authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts of all retrieved articles to establish the inclusion exclusion criteria. Using the meta-analysis package estimated the combined effects. Cochran's Q-statistic was used to analyze heterogeneity. Funnel plots (symmetry) and used the Egger's test identifying publication bias. Trim-andfill analysis methods were used for validation and sensitivity analysis. we also performed subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Results: In this study, we obtained 4,400 studies, 20 cross-sectional studies were screened and conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results show: The overall prevalence of tuberculosis in deer in mainland China was 16.1% (95% confidence interval (CI):10.5 24.6; (Deer tuberculosis infected 5,367 out of 22,215 deer in mainland China) 5,367/22215; 1981 to 2023). The prevalence in Central China was the highest 17.5% (95% CI:14.0-21.9; 63/362), and among provinces, the prevalence in Heilongjiang was the highest at 26.5% (95% CI:13.2-53.0; 1557/4291). Elaphurus davidianus was the most commonly infected species, with a prevalence of 35.3% (95% CI:18.5-67.2; 6/17). We also assessed the association between geographic risk factors and the incidence of deer tuberculosis. Conclusion: Deer tuberculosis is still present in some areas of China. Assessing the association between risk factors and the prevalence of deer tuberculosis showed that reasonable and scientific-based breeding methods, a suitable breeding environment, and rapid and accurate detection methods could effectively reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. In addition, in the management and operation of the breeding base, improving the scientific feed nutrition standards and establishing comprehensive standards for disease prevention, immunization, quarantine, treatment, and disinfection according to the breeding varieties and scale, are suggested as ways to reduce the prevalence of deer tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal contamination from coal mining calls for advanced bioremediation, i.e., using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) technology. Yet, the interaction of SRB with native soil microbiota during metal sequestration, especially in the presence of plants, remains ambiguous. In this study, we assessed the metal sequestration capabilities, ecological network interactions, and enzymatic functions in soils treated with a predominant SRB consortium, mainly Desulfovibrio (14 OTUs, 42.15%) and Desulfobulbus (7 OTUs, 42.27%), alongside Acacia dealbata (AD) and Pisum sativum (PS) plants. The SRB consortium notably enhanced the immobilization of metals such as Zn, Cu, As, and Pb in soil, with the conversion of metals to residual forms rising from 23.47 to 75.98%. Plant inclusion introduced variability, potentially due to changes in root exudates under metal stress. While AD flourished, PS demonstrated significant enhancement in conjunction with SRB, despite initial challenges. Comprehensive microbial analyses revealed the pivotal role of SRB in influencing microbial networking, underpinning critical ecological links. This interplay between plants and SRB not only enhanced microbial diversity but also enriched soil nutrients. Further, enzymatic assessments, highlighting enzymes like NADH:ubiquinone reductase and non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase, reinforced contribution of SRB to energy metabolism and environmental resilience of the entire soil microbial community. Overall, this research underscores the potential of SRB-driven bioremediation in revitalizing soils affected by coal mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoproterozoic banded iron formation (BIF) iron ore of the Zhengjiapo region of the Changyi metallogenic belt, Eastern Block of North China Craton contains abundant coexisting antiperthite and mesoperthite textures. The antiperthite and mesoperthite occur in felsic domains of the Zhengjiapo BIF ore and enable derivation of peak temperature metamorphic conditions. Thermodynamic phase modeling shows that equilibrium conditions of corresponding textures, considering the related mineral assemblage of Pl + Qz + Kfs + Mag + Opx + L, are in the range of 870–940 °C and 5.0–6.8 kbar. Ternary feldspar thermometry using reintegrated compositions of antiperthite and mesoperthite in the felsic domain of the studied BIF iron ore reveals even higher peak metamorphic temperatures of 1045–1080 °C. The ultra-high temperature–low pressure conditions of Precambrian BIF have not yet been reported from the North China Craton. The documented ultra-high temperature metamorphism of the Zhengjiapo BIF iron ore in the Changyi metallogenic belt indicates that the BIF was involved in the collision-related tectonic process during Paleoproterozoic to have occurred in the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogenic belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although previous studies reported that gut fungal microbiota was associated with Crohn's disease (CD), only a few studies have focused on the correlation between gut fungi and clinical phenotypes of CD. Here, we aimed to analyze the association between intestinal fungi and the occurrence of CD, disease activity, biological behaviors, and perianal lesions. Stool samples from subjects meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were collected for running internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) high-throughput sequencing. Then, correlation analysis was conducted between intestinal fungi and different clinical groups. There were 45 patients with CD and 17 healthy controls (HCs) enrolled. Results showed that two phyla, Rozellomycota and Mortierellomycota, were not present in patients with CD compared to HCs. At the same time, there was a higher abundance of fungal genera and species belonging to the phylum Ascomycota in patients with CD. SparCC network analysis showed fewer interactions among the fungal communities in patients with CD compared to HCs. Exophiala dermatitidis was positively associated with the clinical active stage and platelet count. The genus Candida was with significantly higher abundance in the non-B1 CD group based on the Montreal classification. Clonostachys, Humicola, and Lophiostoma were significantly enriched in patients with CD with perianal lesions. Our results demonstrated that the composition of the intestinal fungal microbiota in patients with CD and HCs was markedly different, some of which might play a pathogenic role in the occurrence of CD and perianal lesions. Exophiala dermatitidis and genus Candida might be associated with active disease stage and type non-B1 CD (CD with intestinal stenosis or penetrating lesions, or both), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) in Chinese pregnant women by Chinese-specific BMI categories and compare the new recommendations with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines.Design: Multicentre, prospective cohort study. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the OR, 95 % CI and the predicted probabilities of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The optimal GWG range was defined as the range that did not exceed a 1 % increase from the lowest predicted probability in each pre-pregnancy BMI group.Setting: From nine cities in mainland China.Participants: A total of 3731 women with singleton pregnancy were recruited from April 2013 to December 2014.Results: The optimal GWG (ranges) by Chinese-specific BMI was 15·0 (12·8-17·1), 14·2 (12·1-16·4) and 12·6 (10·4-14·9) kg for underweight, normal weight and overweight pregnant women, respectively. Inappropriate GWG was associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Compared with women gaining weight within our proposed recommendations, women with excessive GWG had higher risk for macrosomia, large for gestational age and caesarean section, whereas those with inadequate GWG had higher risk for low birth weight, small for gestational age and preterm delivery. The comparison between our proposed recommendations and IOM 2009 guidelines showed that our recommendations were comparable with the IOM 2009 guidelines and could well predict the risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes.Conclusions: Inappropriate GWG was associated with higher risk of several adverse pregnancy outcomes. Optimal GWG recommendations proposed in the present study could be applied to Chinese pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a major chronic bacterial disease in cattle and is the major economic and animal welfare issue in the world. Although the economic costs and public health safety risks associated with the disease are considerable, the overall epidemiology of the Chinese yak (Bos grunniens) bTB is unclear. To fully reveal the basic prevalence of yak bTB in different regions of China, we searched five databases including PubMed, Science Direct, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang and Chongqing VIP. Based on the incidence and prevalence of yak tuberculosis in China from 1982 to 2020, a meta-analysis of yak bTB in China was established for the first time. By formulating the search formula, 97 studies were searched in five databases. According to the established exclusion criteria and excluded comments and repeated and irrelevance research, we finally selected 19 cross-sectional studies, which showed the prevalence of bTB in Chinese yaks. Random-effect meta-regression model analysis showed that the estimated prevalence of 122,729 yaks in China was 1.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.0-1.0). The regional prevalence varies greatly, northwest China prevalence rate 0. 39% (95% CI: 0.2-0. 64) and southwest China prevalence rate 2.59% (95% CI: 1.94-3.34); in terms of province level, the prevalence was highest in Tibet 2.59% (95% CI: 1.94-3.34), followed by Xinjiang 2.36% (95% CI: 0.86-4.58), and Shanxi has the lowest 0.00% (95% CI: 0.00-0.98). This systematic review and meta-analysis identified the estimated prevalence of bTB in Chinese yaks and estimated the underlying factors associated with bTB, including geographic location, sampling year, age, and TB detection method. Provide evidence to plan corresponding disease control strategies for policymakers and to assess future economic risks accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a significant burden to the public health in China as it can lead to various gastric diseases including peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. Since most infections occurred during childhood, it is therefore necessary to understand the prevalence and risk determinants of this bacterial infection in children. Herewith, we conducted a cross-sectional study in the Kuichong Subdistrict of Shenzhen City to assess the prevalence and risk factors of H. pylori infection among children. Methods: From September 2018 to October 2018, 1,355 children aged 6–12 years from four primary schools in the Kuichong Subdistrict of Shenzhen City were recruited. These children were screened for H. pylori infection using the 13C-urea breath test. In addition, parents were requested to fill out a standardized questionnaire. The chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for H. pylori. Results: Among 1,355 children recruited in this study, 226 (16.7%; 95% CI [14.7–18.7]) were positive of H. pylori infection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified six factors significantly associated with H. pylori infection children including parent(s) with tertiary education level (OR: 0.64; 95% CI [0.46–0.89]), testing bottle feed temperature using the mouth (OR: 1.79; 95% CI [1.19–2.68]), sharing of cutlery between the feeding person and young children during meals (OR: 1.84; 95% CI [1.22–2.78]), eating fruit after peeling (OR: 2.56; 95% CI [1.4–4.71]), frequent dining out (OR: 3.13; 95% CI [1.46–6.68]) and snacking (OR: 1.43; 95% CI [1.01–2.01]). Conclusions: Overall, better educated parent(s) played a protective role against the acquisition of H. pylori infection in children. Testing bottle feed temperature using the mouth, cutlery sharing between the feeding person and young children, and snacking posed a lower but significant risk for H. pylori infection. Only eating peeled fruits and frequent dining out were associated with greater infection risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jiawula Ag–Pb–Zn deposit is located in the northern part of the Great Xing'an Range metallogenic belt within the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Here, we report results from muscovite 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and fluid inclusion study and formulate a vertical projection map of the ore grade in this deposit. The muscovite from the Jiawula deposit yields a plateau age of 133.27 ± 0.66 Ma and a 40Ar/39Ar isochron age of 131.88 ± 0.83 Ma. The muscovite 40Ar/39Ar data indicate a discrete second hydrothermal event postdating the mineralization, which we correlate with post‐collisional extension after the subduction direction of the Palaeo‐Pacific Plate changed. Low‐salinity aqueous fluid inclusions in quartz from the Jiawula deposit represent meteoric water or groundwater. Based on the fluid inclusion study, the fluids were trapped during cooling and decompression, which may have resulted in metal precipitation. We envisage that the copper precipitated from a high‐temperature fluid in the southern domain whereas lead, zinc, and silver precipitated at a lower temperature in the north. The spatial distribution of the ore‐forming elements, therefore, reflects the ore fluid migration‐cooling path from the south to north. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The assessment of nutritional status and the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer has become one of the important goals of current clinical treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional status in hospitalized gastric cancer patients by using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to analyze the influence of nutritional status on the patients' quality of life (QOL).Methods: We reviewed the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer for 2322 hospitalized patients using PG-SGA to assess their nutritional status and collected data on clinical symptoms, the anthropometric parameters (height, weight, body mass index (BMI), mid-arm circumference (MAC), triceps skin-fold thickness (TSF), and hand-grip strength (HGS). We also collected laboratory data (prealbumin, albumin, hemoglobin) within 48 h after the patient was admitted to the hospital. The 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used for QOL assessment in all patients.Results: By using PG-SGA, we found 80.4% of the patients were malnourished (score ≥ 4) and 45.1% of the patients required urgent nutritional support (score ≥ 9). In univariate analysis, old age (> 65 years, p < 0.001), female (p = 0.007), residence in a village (p = 0.004), a lower level of education (p < 0.001), and self-paying (p < 0.001) were indicated as risk factors of patients with gastric cancer to be suffering from severe malnutrition. There was a negative correlation between PG-SGA and various nutritional parameters (p < 0.05). The quality of life was significantly different in gastric cancer patients with different nutritional status (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Malnutrition of hospitalized patients with gastric cancer in China is common and seriously affects the patients' quality of life. The nutritional status should be evaluated in a timely manner and reasonable nutritional intervention should be provided as soon as possible. The PG-SGA was fit for using as a clinical nutrition assessment method, being worthy of clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal and oil shale are two common sedimentary energy sources which are often symbiotically developed in Mesozoic–Cenozoic continental fault basins. However, the mechanisms and characteristics of the symbiotic development are not yet clearly known. In this research study, the typical continental fault basins of eastern China were chosen as examples for the purpose of conducting an examination of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblage types, genetic environmental differences, and transformation mechanisms, as well as the development and occurrence characteristics of different assemblage types. Through a large number of investigations, systematic experimental testing, and sequence stratigraphy studies, the following conclusions were obtained: (1) There were five types of coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages observed in the continental fault basins, (2) The development of coal and oil shale deposits requires a warm and humid climate, stable structure, abundant organic matter supply, a certain water depth, and a lower terrestrial source debris supply. The observed differences were that the water depth conditions were diversified in the study area, as well as the sources, types, and content of the organic matter. (3) The rapid transformations of the coal and oil shale genetic environments were mainly controlled by the tectonic settings and climatic conditions, which were determined to control the changes in the water depths, salinity, redox conditions, and lake productivity of the genetic environments. Also, in the symbiotic assemblages, genetic environment changes had induced the development of oil shale deposits, which gradually evolved into coal genetic environments. (4) In the isochronous sequence stratigraphic framework of the coal and oil shale symbiotic assemblages, the lake expansion system tracts (EST) were determined to be the most beneficial to the growth of all the types of assemblages and were characterized by more assemblage development phases and smaller bed thicknesses. From the early to the late stages of the EST, and from the lakesides to lake centers, the thicknesses of the coal seams in the symbiotic assemblages showed trends of thinning, while the thicknesses of the oil shale deposits exhibited increasing trends. The early stages of high stand system tracts were found to be beneficial to the development of the symbiotic assemblages of coal seams overlying the oil shale. This tract type generally presented large bed thicknesses and distribution ranges. The low stand system tract and the late high stand system tract were determined to be unconducive to the development of the symbiotic assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese cinema has seen a rise in 3-D productions, most of which are wuxia films, between 2010 and 2018. To explore new spatial aesthetics in 3-D wuxia films, this article compares two 3-D wuxia remakes with their 2-D originals: Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) with New Dragon Gate Inn (1992), and Sword Master (2016) with Death Duel (1977). It asks the following questions: how do 3-D spatial aesthetics differ from the spatial configuration of 2-D wuxia films? What does the stereoscopic space add to (or take away from) traditional wuxia films? How is the relationship between the knights-errant and jianghu represented in the 3-D space? This comparative study argues that the 3-D films largely rely on exploiting the positive parallax to create a more 'voluminous' and performative, but less affective, jianghu world, compared to their 2-D originals. It raises questions about how to incorporate depth-oriented aesthetics with narrative engagement in wuxia films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The standard treatment for esthesioneuroblastoma, a rare malignant nasal vault neoplasm, is not established.Methods: We retrospectively assessed the clinicopathological features, prognostic factors and treatment methods for 187 patients with esthesioneuroblastoma treated in China between 1981 and 2015. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests.Results: Twenty-three (12.3%), 48 (25.7%) and 113 (60.4%) patients had Kadish stage A, B and C esthesioneuroblastoma; 3 (1.6%) had unknown stage. Overall, 117 (62.6%) patients received surgery and combined radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy; 35 (18.7%) received radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy; 32 (17.1%) received surgery alone; and 3 (1.6%) received palliative treatment. Three-year OS and DFS for the entire cohort were 66.7% and 57.5%, respectively. Three-year OS for stage A, B and C were 91.3%, 91.2% and 49.5% (P < 0.0001). Three-year OS was 16.7% and 66.7% for patients with and without distant metastasis (P < 0.0001). Surgery and combined radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy led to better OS and DFS than other treatment modes (both P < 0.0001). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed distant metastasis (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.162, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.145, 4.082, P = 0.017) and not receiving a combined modality treatment (HR = 2.391, 95% CI = 1.356, 4.218, P = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors for poor OS and DFS.Conclusions: This study indicates surgery and combined radiotherapy may currently be the optimal treatment for esthesioneuroblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The interactions of drivers on takeaway packaging waste generation in China were explored. • The nighttime economy has the largest driving effects. • The interaction between education level and millennial has inhibitory effects. • The interaction of driving factors should be considered in waste management. The growing food delivery industry has led to the emergence of takeaway packaging waste generation (TPWG) as a pressing environmental issue, particularly in China. Regional heterogeneity in socioeconomic development, population size, and geographical location results in large differences in the regional TPWG in China. This study explored the socioeconomic and environmental drivers of TPWG in 2018 and their interactions based on the geographical detector model. The results showed that socioeconomic factors (i.e., nighttime economy) had significant exacerbating effects, and their interactions further amplified the impacts on TPWG. The one-way effect of environmental factors was minimal; however, the effects were enhanced upon their interactions with socioeconomic factors (i.e., urbanization and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita). The interactions between education level and socioeconomic factors (i.e., percentage of millennial) reduced TPWG. By combining the spatial statistical analysis, this study provided a way of thought in exploring interactions (i.e., direction, strength, nonlinearity) between driving factors of TPWG. Results could provide decision-making basis for localized and targeted municipal waste management and packaging waste reduction. Inhibitory drivers and their decreasing interactions should be better taken into account in policymaking to provide novel insights for effective takeaway packaging waste management in China and other countries with fast-growing food delivery industries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spatially varying effects of multiple determinants of CO 2 emissions are investigated in Chinese cities. • eXtreme Gradient Boosting and multiscale geographically weighted regression were combinedly adopted. • Socioeconomic factors had more significant impacts on emissions than urban forms, while the contribution from urban forms increased. • Technological innovation and high population density reduced emissions, especially in southeastern coastal region. • Urban expansion, fragmentation, and shape complexity increased emissions; urban compactness initially curbed emissions. Excessive anthropogenic carbon emissions due to rapid socioeconomic development and urban expansion have resulted in significant climate change. Different levels of socioeconomic development and urban forms combinedly affecting CO 2 emissions at city level is still unclear, specifically considering the temporal and spatial heterogeneity. This study investigated the varying importance, spatial multiscale variation, and spatial heterogeneity of socioeconomic and urban form drivers on CO 2 emissions of 275 cities in China for the years 2005, 2012, and 2015, using the eXtreme Gradient Boosting and multiscale geographically weighted regression models. Results showed that while socioeconomic factors (i.e., per capita GDP) had more significant impacts on CO 2 emissions than that of urban forms (i.e., urban shape), the contribution from urban forms presented a rapid increase. Technological innovation and high population density reduced CO 2 emissions at the national level in China, with accentuated effects in the southeastern coastal region; urban expansion, fragmentation, and shape complexity of urban forms increased CO 2 emissions. While urban compactness initially curbed CO 2 emissions, beyond a point, it promoted the growth of CO 2 emissions. A compact but polycentric urban structure is therefore suggested for cities to achieve emission reduction targets. Results could provide a basis for decision-making on localized and targeted carbon emission reduction at city-level. Based on the analysis of global and local effects, inhibitory drivers should be better considered in policy formulation to provide novel insights for sustainable cities and low-carbon growth in China and other developing countries with similar rapid urban expansion, from the perspective of socioeconomic development and effective urban spatial planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of somatotypes has important significance for medical and physical anthropology as well as sports science. The aim of this study was to understand the somatotype components of the Han population in Xi'an and compare the somatotypes of the Han and five other nationalities in China. The study sample consisted of 429 people of Han nationality (207 males, 222 females) from Xi'an, China, aged ≥20 years old. The Heath-Carter anthropometric method was employed. We evaluated the differences in age and sex by one-way ANOVA and t test. A comparison of somatotypes between the Han and other nationalities was made using the U test. The results showed that the male and female samples all could be classified as having a mesomorphic endomorph profile. The difference in endomorphy was strongest between sexes in all age groups ( P < 0.01). There were prominent differences in mesomorphy and ectomorphy between males and females in the 50-59- and ≥60-year-old age groups. In females, the differences in somatotype components appeared to be distinguished between ages ( P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). However, in males, there were prominent differences in somatotype components between the 20-29 year olds and all other age groups ( P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) except for between those 20-29 and ≥60 years old in endomorphy. Compared with the other five nationalities, there were prominent differences in somatotype components between males and females. These results suggest that the somatotype of the Han population in Xi'an, China, has a predominantly mesomorphic endomorph profile. The endomorphic component shows distinct differences between ages and genders, respectively. Additionally, there are distinct differences in the somatotype components between Xi'an Han and five other nationalities in China in males and females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disequilibrium in different fire causes was analyzed by considering province, month and hour. The spatial and temporal distribution characteristic between fire causes and influence factors were investigated based on Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve, which provided a novel method and perspective to measure the disequilibrium of fire occurrence. Seven causes of fires were chosen and there existed an obvious disequilibrium between different provinces. It illustrated that playing with fire tend to keep an extreme disequilibrium both in month and hour. The high-risk factors were explored and these factors should be paid more attention. The results enhance understanding of the spatial and temporal pattern of fires and contribute to the improvement of fire prevention and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities consume most of the global energy and account for approximately 75% of global CO 2 emissions. Moreover, resource-based cities tend to consume higher amounts of fossil fuel and produce higher carbon emissions than other cities, whereas there are still insufficiencies about energy carbon reduction in resource-based cities in developed urban agglomerations. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the energy planning of such cities to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and this is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality in urban agglomerations. This study aims to apply a scenario-based analysis approach to a resource-based heavy industrial city in China, Tangshan, based on the Long-range Energy Alternative Planning model, to explore Tangshan's future energy consumption, generation, and associated carbon emissions from 2010 to 2050. The impacts of different energy policies are analyzed for the Tangshan energy system by considering four scenarios. Under each scenario, energy consumption increased steadily by 2050, but the growth rate is different. The business as usual scenario is the fastest, and the low-carbon scenario is the slowest. In the comprehensive and integrated low-carbon transition scenarios, CO 2 is expected to peak at 298.34 million tons (Mt) in 2028. The main industrial sectors of Tangshan with high output value, high energy consumption, and high carbon emissions include smelting and pressing of ferrous metals, petroleum processing and coking, raw chemical materials and chemical products, etc. Combining Tangshan's coal resource endowment, the development of renewable energy, and introducing advanced technology can effectively reduce carbon emissions and increase the diversity of energy supply. We analyzed the cost-benefit of the energy system and found that the implementation of carbon capture and storage technology could effectively reduce carbon emissions by 219.62 Mt and increased costs by 563.12 billion yuan. The research could provide a scientific basis for the medium and long-term energy sustainable transformation of resource-based cities, especially for resource-based cities in urban agglomerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study sample consisting of 429 people (207 males, 222 females) of Han nationality in Shaanxi, China. Five types of tongue movements were investigated, including tongue rolling, tongue folding, tongue twisting, pointed tongue and clover-leaf tongue. The results revealed that the frequencies of tongue rolling, tongue folding, tongue twisting, pointed tongue and clover-leaf tongue were 63.6, 14.0, 12.6, 54.8 and 0 %, respectively. There were no significant gender differences except with pointed tongue. Compared with other nationalities, tongue rolling, tongue folding, and pointed tongue of Han in Shaanxi had an average frequency. Tongue twisting and clover-leaf tongue had low frequencies. There were significant differences in frequency of clover-leaf tongue between Han and another seven nationalities of China ( P < 0.01). Furthermore, only three pairs of trait correlations were exhibited among ten pairs of types of tongue movement combination traits when analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The data indicated that the correlations of tongue movement were between tongue rolling and tongue folding, between pointed tongue and tongue rolling, and also between tongue folding and pointed tongue, respectively. Additionally, there were significant differences in frequency of tongue movements with age. The possible mechanism of variations of tongue movements with aging may involve the degradation of tongue function, and differential gene activation and modulation, or protein translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies are needed to evaluate the ability of Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) for forest aboveground biomass (AGB) extraction in mountainous areas. In this article, forest biomass was estimated at plot and stand levels, and different biomass grades, respectively. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data with about one hit per m2 were first used for forest biomass estimation at the plot level, with R 2 of 0.77. Then the LiDAR-derived biomass, as prior knowledge, was used to investigate the relationship between ALOS PALSAR data and biomass. The results showed that at each biomass level, the range of the back-scatter coefficient in HH and HV polarization (where H and V represent horizontal and vertical polarizations, respectively, and the first of the two letters refers to the transmission polarization and the second to the received polarization) was very large and there was no obvious relationship between the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) back-scatter coefficient and biomass at plot level. At stand level and in different biomass grades, the back-scatter coefficient increased with the increase of forest biomass, and a logarithm equation can be used to describe the relationship. The main reason may be that forest structure is complex at the plot level, while the average value could partly decrease the influence of forest structure at stand level. Meanwhile, terrain radiometric correction (TRC) was investigated and found effective for forest biomass estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The Middle–Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt (MLYRMB), extending from Daye in Hubei Province in the west to Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province in the east, hosts a number of large polymetallic (Cu–Au–Mo, Fe, Zn, Pb, and Ag) deposits and constitutes one of the most important metallogenic belts in China. The Cu–Au–Mo deposits in the Jiurui district are an important component of the MLYRMB. In this study we carried out precise and detailed zircon U–Pb dating for all types of magmatic rocks from the Wushan ore deposit in the Jiurui district. Three samples of Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries from different ore belts at Wushan were analyzed and yielded zircon U–Pb ages of 148.0±1.0Ma, 145.4±0.9Ma and 147.3±0.9Ma, respectively. A series of dykes were emplaced immediately following the Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries at Wushan. A dark-colored basic dyke which intruded into the granodiorite porphyry at Wujia gold deposit near Wushan was dated at 144.5±1.2Ma. Two lamprophyre dykes taken from the north ore belt at Wushan underground mining stops were dated at 143.6±0.9Ma and 144.3±0.9Ma, respectively. A late-stage dyke which was also taken from the Wushan north ore belt yielded an age of 142.6±1.0Ma and might represent the end of magmatism in the Wushan ore deposit. These new geochronological data demonstrate that the time range of magmatism in the Wushan ore deposit is approximately between 148Ma and 143Ma, showing that the magmatic activity at Wushan was rapid and intensive. The ages of Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries from other areas in the Jiurui district, such as the Dongleiwan, Yangjishan and Chengmenba ore deposits, were also measured and yielded zircon U–Pb ages of 141.5±1.7Ma, 143.4±1.4Ma and 146.6±1.0Ma, respectively. Combined with those previously reported zircon U–Pb age results from the Jiurui district, the present age data set demonstrates that extensive magmatism in the Jiurui district was coeval and intensive, marked by a magmatic activity in the age range of 148 to 138Ma and peaked between 148Ma and 142Ma. According to the statistics of all those precise zircon U–Pb ages, the Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries in the Edong and Tongling districts in the MLYRMB show similar ages, and they have a slightly younger peak age and a longer duration than that of the Jiurui district. The geographic shape of the MLYRMB in the Cretaceous shows an arcuate structure, the Jiurui district is located at the transitional point of the arcuate structure and the Edong and Tongling districts are situated on both sides of the arcuate structure. Considering that the Jiurui district has a slightly older peak age and a shorter duration of magmatic activity than that in the Edong and Tongling districts, it seems that the arcuate structure of the MLYRMB played an important role in the formation of these Cu–Au–Mo-related porphyries. Consequently, we suggest that the genesis of the Late Mesozoic magmatic rocks along the MLYRMB may have been due to a tectonic activity developed from southeast to northwest, which probably has a close relationship with the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate beneath the Eurasian plate in Mesozoic times. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This essay focuses on urban-set transnational films - films that employ transnational or trans-regional capital and creative talents, and are shown to both domestic and international audiences. The films in question are also culturally important for their depiction of contemporary Chinese society and their exploration of social and spatial transformations in the era of globalisation. The three films selected are set in the city of Shanghai: Shanghai story (Peng Xiaolian 2004), The postmodern life of my aunt (Ann Hui 2006), and The longest night in Shanghai (Zhang Yibai 2007). Through a close analysis, the article examines how these films engage with issues related to Shanghai's urban transformation, such as the relationships between the local and the global, the traditional/communal and the postmodern/monumental spaces, as well as the position of women in the changing cityscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhao W-Y, Zhang L, Han S, Zhu Y-H, Wang L-M, Zhou M-S, Zeng L. Evaluation of living related kidney donors in China: policies and practices in a transplant center. Clin Transplant 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0012.2010.01229.x. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Background: Rigorous donor evaluation is essential for living related donor kidney transplantation (LRDKT). However, guidelines for living kidney donor evaluation are absent in China. The aim of this study is to describe the initial experience in the living kidney donor evaluation process in a single transplant center in China. Methods: The evaluation process of our center is sequentially divided into five steps: outpatient consultation and information, preliminary evaluation, comprehensive evaluation, final informed consent, and ethics committee oversight. Results: Between June 2007 and March 2009, 124 potential living donors were evaluated in our center, of whom 82 (66.1%) became effective donors and the remaining 42 (33.9%) were excluded. The exclusion reasons were related to clinical problems in 27 cases, psychosocial problems in seven cases, and suspected organ trading in eight cases. Conclusion: Although strongly forbidden by Chinese laws, organ trading remains a threat to the healthy development of LRDKT in China. To prohibit organ trading, the kinship between the donor and recipient should be carefully identified. Guidelines for living donor evaluation appropriate to the actual situation in China should be set up for the sake of safety and to protect the rights and interests of both donors and recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To investigate the condition of teeth defect and denture restoration among the middle aged and elder people in Shanghai and to analyse the variation tendency so as to provide relevant policy basis for the government. METHODS: Multistage stratification isasteric random sample was used to acquire the teeth defect and denture restoration information among 791 people from 35 to 44 and 788 people from 65 to 74 years old, respectively. SPSS13.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The teeth defect rate of the middle aged and elder people in Shanghai was 2 1.0% and 8 1.0%, respectively. The mean permanent teeth number was 28.9 and 19.5. The edentulous rate of the elder people was 10.8%. The defect rate was highest in the molar area, and lowest in the canine agra. The denture restoration rate of the middle aged and elder people was 59.6% and 61.7%, respectively. The rate of the removable denture restoration was higher than that of the fixed denture. The rate of full denture, fixed denture and informal fixed bridge restoration in the suburb area was higher than that in the urban area (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The condition of teeth defect and denture restoration among middle aged and elder people in Shanghai is still unsatisfactory even though it has been getting better in the last decade. It is suggested that the government take efforts to lessen the teeth defect by control of caries and periodontal disease, and to improve the restoration level of the middle aged and elder people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is an effective measure of atmospheric water demand of the land surface. In-depth investigations of the relationship between ETo and primary climatic factors can facilitate the adaptable agriculture and optimize water management, especially in the ecologically fragile Taihang Mountains (THM). This work assessed the spatiotemporal dynamics of ETo and its driving climatic factors from 1973 to 2016 in THM. Results showed: (1) Annual ETo slightly increased during 1973–2016; relative humidity (RH) decreased more slowly, the temperature increased more rapidly, and wind speed (WS) decreased more rapidly at higher elevation than those at lower elevations; (2) two breakpoints occurred in ETo series at 1990 and 1997, and an "evaporation paradox" existed in 1973–1990; (3) ETo at higher elevations had greater sensitivity to changes in RH and lower sensitivity to changes in Tmax and WS. Sensitivity of ETo to minimum air temperature (Tmin) at middle elevations was lowest among three elevation bands; (4) RH and sunshine duration (SD) were the dominant climatic factors of ETo for most periods and stations. This study helps us understand the impact of climate change on ETo in mountainous areas and confirms reference evapotranspiration in high-elevation areas is particularly sensitive to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One striking feature of Li Shangyin's... (ca. 812-58) poetry is its ambiguity, which has fascinated and frustrated generations of critics and scholars, giving rise to widely divergent interpretations. Through an analysis of Li Shangyin's famous poem "Jin se"... (The ornamented zither) and a survey of representative interpretations of his poetry by different schools in history, this article describes some of Li Shangyin's ambiguous characteristics and points out the inappropriateness and harmfulness of the interpretations that have resulted from misuse of certain criteria derived from the Chinese tradition of canonical exegesis. Believing that Li Shangyin's creation of highly ambiguous semantic structures in his poems was more for aesthetic than for political considerations, the author suggests that, in reading Li Shangyin's ambiguous poems, one should allow flexibility in terms of their topical references so as properly to grasp and appreciate the ambiguous significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the basis of urban social-economic development, water and energy resources are indivisible and interrelated in the production and consumption activities of cities. The frequent intercity trade of energy-related goods aggravates water withdrawal in neighboring cities and causes the spatial transfer of resources. The spatial correlation of water withdrawal and energy consumption is rarely considered in the city-level water-energy nexus. As one of China's most serious water shortage regions, Hebei Province is the third-largest energy consumer in China and is a major supplier of mineral resources, industrial raw materials, water resources, electricity, and agricultural products to Beijing and Tianjin. The spatial Durbin model with the two-way fixed effects is applied to explore spatial effects of water-energy nexus in cities of Heibei province. Seven influencing factors, including energy consumption, energy structure, population, GDP, water withdrawal intensity, urbanization, and agriculture structure were considered. Results showed that all factors had positive impacts on water withdrawal except energy structure. Water withdrawal intensity made the most considerable contribution to water withdrawal, followed by urbanization, energy consumption, GDP, industrial structure, and population. The urbanization level of neighboring cities exerted the most significant positive spatial spillover impact on local water withdrawal, whereas the energy consumption showed a negative impact. The exploration of city-level spatial correlation regarding water withdrawal and energy consumption provides a reference for regional cooperation to improve resource utilization efficiency, establishing sustainable energy and water systems, and promoting sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campylobacteriosis is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Consumption of chicken meat is considered the main route for human infection with Campylobacter. This study aimed to determine the critical factors for Campylobacter cross-contamination in Chinese commercial kitchens during chicken handling. Five commercial kitchens were visited to detect Campylobacter occurrence from 2019 to 2020. Chicken samples (n = 363) and cotton balls from the kitchen surfaces (n = 479) were collected, and total bacterial counts and Campylobacter spp. were detected. Genotypic characterization of 57 Campylobacter jejuni isolates was performed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). In total, 77.41% of chicken carcass samples and 37.37% of kitchen surfaces showed Campylobacter spp. contamination. Before chicken preparation, Campylobacter spp. were already present in the kitchen environment; however, chicken handling significantly increased Campylobacter spp. prevalence (p < 0.05). After cleaning, boards, hands, and knives still showed high bacterial loads including Campylobacter spp., which related to poor sanitary conditions and ineffective handling practices. Poor sanitation conditions on kitchen surfaces offer greater opportunities for Campylobacter transmission. Molecular typing by MLST revealed that Campylobacter cross-contamination occurred during chicken preparation. The most prevalent sequence types, ST693 and ST45, showed strong biofilm formation ability. Consequently, sanitary condition of surfaces and biofilm formation ability of isolates were the critical points contributing to spread of Campylobacter in kitchen environment. These results provide insight into potential targeted control strategies along the farm-to-plate chain and highlight the necessity for improvements in sanitary conditions. The implementation of more effective cleaning measures should be considered to decrease the campylobacteriosis risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tongue cancer has a very high incidence in China, and there is a need to develop new anti-tumour drugs against it. We synthesised 31 novel quinoline derivatives to test their anti-tumour activity. A compound referred to as " f25 " was identified through screening for its high in vitro toxicity against an oral squamous carcinoma cell line (CAL-27). f25 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against CAL-27 cells (IC 50 = 7.70 ± 0.58 μΜ). f25 also inhibited the migration and invasion of CAL-27 cells to a level comparable with that of the chemotherapy agent cisplatin. Moreover, f25 promoted the apoptosis of CAL-27 cells. Transcriptome sequencing and western blotting showed that the mechanism of action of f25 against CAL-27 cells involved the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signalling pathway. Specifically, f25 could bind to PPAR-α, PPAR-β, and PPAR-γ and increase their expression. In vivo experiments showed that treatment with f25 led to a reduction in tumour volume in nude mice without significant toxicity. Overall, this study highlights the potential of quinoline compounds (particularly f25) for the design and synthesis of anti-tumour drugs. It also underscores the importance of the PPAR signalling pathway as a target for potential cancer therapies. [Display omitted] • f25 exhibits high cytotoxicity against tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line CAL-27 cells. • f25 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of CAL-27 cells and promoted apoptosis. • f25 acts on CAL-27 cells by activating the PPAR signalling pathway thereby exerting an anti-tumour effect. • f25 inhibits tumour growth in a nude mouse model and has a high biosafety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.--Thalassemia is the most widely distributed monogenic autosomal recessive disorder in the world. Accurate genetic analysis of thalassemia is crucial for thalassemia prevention. Objective.--To compare the clinical utility of a third-generation sequencing-based approach termed comprehensive analysis of thalassemia alleles with routine polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in genetic analysis of thalassemia and explore the molecular spectrum of thalassemia in Hunan Province. Design.--Subjects in Hunan Province were recruited, and hematologic testing was performed. Five hundred four subjects positive on hemoglobin testing were then used as the cohort, and third-generation sequencing and routine PCR were used for genetic analysis. Results.--Of the 504 subjects, 462 (91.67%) had the same results, whereas 42 (8.33%) exhibited discordant results between the 2 methods. Sanger sequencing and PCR testing confirmed the results of third-generation sequencing. In total, third-generation sequencing correctly detected 247 subjects with variants, whereas PCR identified 205, which showed an increase in detection of 20.49%. Moreover, a triplications were identified in 1.98% (10 of 504) hemoglobin testing--positive subjects in Hunan Province. Seven hemoglobin variants with potential pathogenicity were detected in 9 hemoglobin testing--positive subjects. Conclusions.--Third-generation sequencing is a more comprehensive, reliable, and efficient approach for genetic analysis of thalassemia than PCR, and allowed for a characterization of the thalassemia spectrum in Hunan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has rapidly increased in subtropical ecosystems and may have altered the input of aboveground litter to soil, which substantially impacts soil carbon (C) and nutrient cycling. But how the soil processes and properties respond to N deposition under uncertain fresh litter input is poorly understood. In order to examine the responses of soil respiration and biochemical properties to N addition and aboveground litter manipulation, a field N addition and litterfall manipulation interaction experiment was performed in an evergreen broadleaf forest on the western edge of the Sichuan Basin in China. Three levels of N addition, including an N control (CN, ambient N input) and low N (LN, + 50 kg N ha−1 year−1) and high N (HN, + 150 kg N ha−1 year−1), and three levels of litterfall manipulation, including intact litter input (L0, no litter alteration), litter reduction (L−, reduced by 50%) and litter addition (L+, increased by 50%), were conducted monthly starting in January 2014 and August 2015, respectively. Soil respiration was measured monthly from January 2016 to December 2017. Soil samples were collected four times, in October 2016 and January, April and July 2017, to measure soil biochemical properties. The results showed that: (1) short-term N addition did not significantly alter the aboveground litter input in this forest; (2) soil respiration decreased with elevating N input and was associated with amount of litterfall input; (3) N addition increased the total organic C (TOC) concentration in topsoil in subplots without litterfall alteration but did not affect TOC in subplots with increased or decreased litter-input; (4) N addition decreased soil pH and did not affect soil microbial biomass regardless of whether litterfall was altered or not; (5) short-term litter manipulation did not affect any soil properties in the N control plots, but both litterfall reduction and addition tended to reduce surface soil TOC concentration in the N-added plots; and (6) both N addition and litterfall manipulation showed stronger effects on organic soil than on mineral soil. These findings indicated that elevated N input increased the surface soil C content by reducing soil respiration mainly via enhancing stabilization of soil organic matter rather than by reducing soil microbial biomass, and that altered litterfall may mitigate the N-induced increase in soil C. Because of temporal lag, long-term experimentation is needed to investigate the response of soil to altered litter input under different N addition conditions. • The aboveground litter-input was added or reduced by only 50%. • Nitrogen addition increased the topsoil TOC concentration when no litter changed. • The increase of soil C content may be due to the inhabitation of SOM decomposition. • Litterfall alteration reduced topsoil TOC concentration when N input increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Sanshandao is a representative visible gold deposit. • The remobilization of gold induced the formation of high-grade ore zone and coarse visible gold. • The combined effect of CDR and LMCE melt makes gold remobilization occur. • Extensive reduction of marine sulfates are the main source of sulphur in the Jiaodong gold deposits. The Sanshandao is a typical altered-rock-style gold deposit (>260 t @ 3.96 g/t). The deposit is located at the northernmost end of the NE-trending Sanshandao fault in the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula. The orebodies are mainly hosted by the footwall (minor in hanging-wall) of the fault, which cut Jurassic granites. According to the mineral assemblage and crosscutting relationship, five hydrothermal/mineralization stages were identified: (I) veinlet-disseminated quartz + pyrite ± chalcopyrite, (II) quartz + pyrite + chalcopyrite + native Au veining, (III) quartz + pyrite + galena + sphalerite + native Au + chalcopyrite veining, (IV-a) veinlet-disseminated siderite + pyrite + galena + sphalerite, (IV-b) ore-barren siderite, and (V) ore-barren calcite veining. Stages II and III auriferous pyrite contains visible native gold, and can be divided into four generations (Py2a, Py2b, Py3a, and Py3b). Py2a contains little native gold, whereas Py2b, Py3a, and Py3b contain much coarse-grained native gold. Gold in these pyrite generations correlates positively with the As content. Typical Py2a and Py3a porous/sieve-like texture indicates that Au remobilization has occurred, which may have controlled mainly by coupled dissolution-reprecipitation (CDR). Relative Sb-Te enrichments in Py2b and Py3a imply that a melt with low-melting point chalcophile elements (LMCEs) also facilitated Au remobilization by efficiently scavenging Au from preexisting minerals. Combined with the trace element compositions, we show that CDR may have liberated Au and LMCEs, and the subsequent fluid and LMCEs melt have altogether caused Au remobilization. The narrow δ34S V-CDT range of the pyrite from stages II-III (11.75–12.22‰ (Py2a), 10.83–12.39‰ (Py2b), 11.63–12.88‰ (Py3a), 11.91–12.67‰ (Py3b)), together with the compiled S-isotope dataset (from literature data) (δ34S V-CDT = mostly 7–10‰), indicate that reduction of marine sulfates represents the main sulfur source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Xiaotongjiapuzi is a representative invisible gold deposit. • Gold exists mainly as solid solution (Au+) in the pyrite lattice and nanoparticles (Au0). • Paleoproterozoic sedimentary and metamorphism may have formed the initial sulfur reservoir. • The Xiaotongjiapuzi gold deposit has undergone a remarkable multi-step enrichment process of ore-forming materials. Most gold ores have variable sulfur isotopic and trace elemental compositions at micro-/nano-scale, which makes the understanding of the gold formation process more challenging. The advancement of in-situ analytical techniques offer opportunity to gain insight into gold mineralization processes and ore-material source. The Xiaotongjiapuzi is a representative intrusion-related gold deposit in the Qingchengzi orefield of the Liaodong Peninsula, Eastern China. Alteration and gold mineralization comprise four stages: (I) quartz-pyrite-Au, (II) quartz-pyrite-biotite-Au, (III) Au-barren quartz-pyrite, and (IV) post-ore quartz-calcite. Detailed scanning electron microscope (SEM) backscattered electron (BSE) imaging, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) elemental and LA–multi-collector (MC)–ICP–MS sulfur isotope analyses were conducted to reveal the ore-material source and mineralization process. Three texturally distinct auriferous pyrite generations were identified: Py1 and Py2 (in both stage I and II) and Py3 (in stage II and III). Py1 is porous and weakly fragmented, poorly crystallized, and overgrown by Py2. Py2 is commonly intergrown with arsenopyrite and marcasite, whilst Py3 overgrew around Py2 or replace it. Gold exists mainly as solid solution (Au+) in the pyrite lattice and nanoparticles (Au0), as well as (rare) micron-scale inclusions along the Py2-Py3 interface. Py2 has the highest gold content (mean 47 ppm, max 344 ppm), especially when intergrown with marcasite (Mrc1). The δ34S values of pyrite (5.71–15.31‰, n = 18) and marcasite (-19.59 to 7.45‰. n = 6) are the highest and lowest, respectively, and the values increase steadily from Py1 to Py3 (Py1: 5.71–7.54‰ → Py2: 7.44–9.55‰ → Py2 + Mrc1: 12.88–13.92‰ → Py3: 15.17–15.31‰). The Paleoproterozoic Dashiqiao and Gaixian formation host rocks contain large amount of sulfate minerals (e.g., barite and gypsum), and the coeval global sulfate has heavy sulfur isotope enrichment, suggesting that sulfate reduction may have provided H 2 S-rich fluids [Au(HS)2- and/or Au(HS)0] for the Mesozoic mineralization. For the multistage gold enrichment at Xiaotongjiapuzi, we suggest that the Paleoproterozoic sedimentary and metamorphic rocks may have formed the initial sulfur reservoir, which was then reactivated by Mesozoic magmatic-hydrothermal events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel ECOFB-MES was applied to restore practical polluted urban water bodies. • The TN removal load of ECOFB-MES was 12.7–16.6 times higher than normal ECOFB. • ECOFB-MES increased TC removal efficiency of sediment by 2.4 times. • MES enhanced pollutants removal via electrons compensation under low-carbon water. An innovative ecological floating bed coupled with sedimental microbial electrochemical system (ECOFB-MES) was designed for urban water remediation. A demonstration-scale ECOFB-MES of approximately 500 m2 was firstly constructed to perform the remediation of 8040 m2 urban water located in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. During one-year operation, the COD, NH 4 +–N, NO 3 ¯–N and TP concentrations stabilized around 10.3 ± 4.0 mg/L, 0.04 ± 0.02 mg/L, 0.61 ± 0.27 mg/L and 0.12 ± 0.05 mg/L from May 2021 to December 2021. The COD, TN and TP removal loads in April when MESs were connected were 72.47 g/d/m2, 4.26 g/d/m2 and 0.39 g/d/m2, which were 3.6, 15.3 and 2.8 times higher than those in January (open circuit). The average TC removal efficiency of sediment near anode was 36.7 %, which was 2.4 times higher than that of sediment far from anode (15.5 %). The average current of the MESs improved from 0.6 ± 0.1 mA to 32.0 ± 2.9 mA with reducing external resistance gradually, which was responsible for higher TC removal efficiency and lower dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration (7.78 ± 1.35 mg/L), which could enhance nitrogen removal. The MES enhanced the total number of species and the bacteria diversity of polyester fibers and roots in the same coupled system. The dominant functional bacteria such as Pseudomonas , Gemmobacter , Aeromonas and Arthrobacter beneficial for oxygen reduction and nitrogen removal were found on biocathode, and this indicated that biocathode of present system could reduce nitrate mainly through heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification. Results from the president research indicated that the ECOFB-MES provides a rewarding reference for practical application of polluted urban water remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Jiudian large quartz vein gold system occurs in the southern Jiaobei uplift. • Cathodoluminescence images show 4 generations of quartz associated with 4 stages. • The ore-fluid system is mesothermal, low salinity, low density, and CO 2 -rich. • Hosted in Mesozoic granite, but ore-fluids partly come from Precambrian rocks. The Jiudian large-size gold deposit occurs as quartz veins in the footwall of the ZhaoPing Fault, and belongs to the southern section of the ZhaoPing metallogenic belt in Jiaodong Peninsula, eastern China. This study presents new fluid inclusion, geochemical, stable isotopic, and mineralogical data that provide insights into the sources of the ore metals, the temperature of mineralization, and the nature of the fluids involved in four different ore-forming stages. Cathodoluminescence imaging indicates four stages of quartz: the early-stage euhedral quartz that unrelates to mineralization and contains small-size fluid inclusions (Qz-1), the quartz containing abundant fluid inclusions and coexisting with pyrite (Qz-2 and Qz-3), and the late-stage quartz occurring as sulfide-barren veinlets crosscutting previous veins or mineral assemblages (Qz-4). Fluid inclusions include three types: H 2 O–CO 2 ± CH 4 (Type 1), two-phase aqueous inclusions (Type 2), and liquid aqueous inclusions (type 3). Fluid inclusions in Qz-1 are dominated by type 1, but in Qz-4 are only type 3; whilst Qz-2 and Qz-3 contain all three types fluid inclusions. Type 1 inclusions comprise three phases (liquid H 2 O + liquid CO 2 + vapor CO 2), with two carbonic phase ratios cluster at 10 %–30 % and 60 %–90 %. Type 2 inclusions also comprise two types, with vapor/liquid ratios focusing at 10 %–40 % and 60 %–80 %, respectively. All the fluid inclusions have homogenization temperatures of 198.5–329.2 °C, salinities of 3.95–12.39 wt% NaCl equivalent, and densities of 0.72–0.96 g/cm3. The quartz of main mineralization stages recorded the highest salinity, although the density of the fluids did not change markedly over time. These fluid inclusion data indicate that the Jiudian deposit has been formed from a mesothermal fluid system enriched in CO 2 and CH 4 , and genetically belongs to the orogenic-type. The C, H, O and Pb isotopic data indicate that the ore-forming metals and fluids were mainly sourced from Precambrian metamorphic basement and Mesozoic granites, with a small contribution from the mantle. This suggests that the Early Precambrian host-rocks significantly contributed metals to the ore-forming system. Therefore, a new genetic model for the Jiudian gold deposit is proposed to incorporate the Early Precambrian basement, Mesozoic intrusive rocks and ZhaoPing fault system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and numerous carcinogens may cause DNA damage including oxidative base lesions that contribute to the risk of lung cancer. The base excision repair (BER) pathway could effectively remove oxidative lesions in which 8-oxoguanine glycosylase-1 (OGG1), x-ray repair cross-complementing 1 (XRCC1), and apurinic/apyimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) play key roles. The aim of this study was to analyze the polymorphisms of DNA BER genes (OOG1, XRCC1 and APE1) and explore their associations, and the combined effects of these variants, with risk of lung cancer. Methods: In a hospital-based, case-control study of 455 lung cancer cases and 443 cancer-free hospital controls, the SNPs of OGG1 (Ser326Cys), XRCC1 (Arg399Gln), APE1 (Asp148Glu and −141T/G) were genotyped and analyzed for their correlation with the risk of lung cancer in multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Individuals homozygous for the variants APE1 −141GG showed a protective effect for lung cancer overall (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.42–0.91; p = 0.02) and for lung adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44–0.96; p = 0.03). When analyzing the combined effects of variant alleles, 84 patients and controls were identified who were homozygous for two or three of the potential protective alleles (i.e., OGG1 326Cys, XRCC1 399Gln and APE1 −141G). ORs were significantly reduced when all patients were analyzed (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.38–0.99; p = 0.05). Conclusions: The combined effects of polymorphisms within BER genes may contribute to the tumorigenesis of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the expression and prognostic value of cytokines in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)., Methods: Clinical data of 62 patients diagnosed with DLBCL in the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province from June 2017 to November 2018 were collected. The differences in expression levels of 14 serum cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, TNF-β] in patients with different survival outcomes, and the impact of the cytokines on 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and 3-year overall survival (OS) of patients with DLBCL were analyzed retrospectively., Results: Among the 14 cytokines, only the expression of IL-10 was significantly different in patients with different survival outcomes ( P =0.007). According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off value for IL-10 was 11.74 pg/ml. Serum IL-10 was positively correlated with infection markers procalcitonin (PCT) ( r =0.321, P =0.029), C-reactive protein (CRP) ( r =0.320, P =0.013) and tumor burden index lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ( r =0.439, P <0.001) in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients. The level of IL-10 in patients with pulmonary infection was significantly higher than that in patients without pulmonary infection ( P =0.012). However, there was no statistically significant difference on the 3-year survival outcomes between patients with or without pulmonary infection. There was no significant difference in IL-10 level in patients with different Ann Arbor stages ( P >0.05). Patients with high IL-10 level (IL-10>11.74 pg/ml) had significantly higher LDH level than those with low IL-10 level (IL-10≤11.74 pg/ml) ( P <0.001). The 3-year PFS rate and 3-year OS rate of DLBCL patients with high IL-10 level were significantly lower than those of low IL-10 level group [(44.4±11.7)% vs (81.8±5.8)%, P <0.001; (61.6±11.5)% vs (93.2±3.8)%, P =0.001]., Conclusion: Serum IL-10 level in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients can reflect the inflammatory state of the body, which may be related to tumor load. Newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with serum IL-10>11.74 pg/ml have higher early mortality and worse prognosis.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the orthographic processing of simplified Chinese characters in developmental dyslexic children in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China, and provide a theoretical basis for intervention strategies for developmental dyslexia in Chinese., Methods: Using event-related potential (ERP) measures, 18 developmental dyslexic children and 23 typically developing children performed a character decision task with three types of stimuli: real characters (RCs), pseudocharacters (PCs), and noncharacters (NCs)., Results: Behavioral results showed that the control children displayed a faster and higher accurate performance than the dyslexic children across PCs and NCs. ERP data revealed that the RCs and PCs elicited a stronger P200 than the NCs. Compared with the RCs and NCs, children in the control group showed more N400 negatives for PCs. It is worth mentioning that dyslexic children did not show any difference on N400, which reflected the insufficient orthographic processing of dyslexic children in China., Conclusion: These results show that Chinese dyslexic children had orthographic processing defects., (© 2021. Huazhong University of Science and Technology.)

Purpose: Endometriosis is a common chronic gynecological disease greatly affecting women health. Prior studies have implicated that dysferlin (DYSF) aberration might be involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometriosis. In the present study, we explore the potential presence of DYSF mutations in a total of 152 Han Chinese samples with ovarian endometriosis., Methods: We analyze the potential presence of DYSF mutations by direct DNA sequencing., Results: A total of seven rare variants/mutations in the DYSF gene in 10 out of 152 samples (6.6%) were identified, including 5 rare variants and 2 novel mutations. For the 5 rare variants, p.R334W and p.G941S existed in 2 samples, p.R865W, p.R1173H and p.G1531S existed in single sample, respectively; for the two novel mutations, p.W352* and p.I1642F, they were identified in three patients. These rare variants/mutations were absent or existed at extremely low frequency either in our 1006 local control women without endometriosis, or in the China Metabolic Analytics Project (ChinaMAP) and Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) databases. Evolutionary conservation analysis results suggested that all of these rare variants/mutations were evolutionarily conserved among 11 vertebrate species from Human to Fox. Furthermore, in silico analysis results suggested these rare variants/mutations were disease-causing. Nevertheless, we find no significant association between DYSF rare variants/mutations and the clinical features in our patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report revealing frequent DYSF mutations in ovarian endometriosis., Conclusion: We identified a high frequency of DYSF rare variants/mutations in ovarian endometriosis for the first time. This study suggests a new correlation between DYSF rare variants/mutations and ovarian endometriosis, implicating DYSF rare variants/mutations might be positively involved in the pathogenesis of ovarian endometriosis., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) is one of the main economic fish species in the Yellow Sea. To understand its spawning habitat and population dynamics in the early stage, we examined the distribution and environmental characteristics of spawning ground of Japanese Spanish mackerel using their egg survey data collecting in 2015 (late May) and 2017 (late May) in the coastal waters of Yellow Sea. The generalized additive model (GAM) with the Tweedie distribution was used to analyze the distribution and environmental characteristics of its spawning ground. The results showed that egg distribution was significantly related to the location (i.e., latitude and longitude), water depth, and sea surface temperature (SST), but not related to sea surface salinity (SSS). The optimal range of depth and SST were 15-30 m and 16-20 ℃, respectively. The mackerel spawning ground mainly distributed in the region Shidao fishing ground (area near 36°30' N,121°48' E) and Haizhou Bay (33°30'-36° N,119°30'-121°30' E). There were some clear inter-annual differences in the distribution of mackerel spawning ground, with the spawning ground tending to northward in the year with higher sea temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to manage and protect the above spawning ground (especially the Haizhou Bay), establishing the corresponding ecological protection and restoration strategy, to realize sustainable exploitation of mackerel fisheries resources in the Yellow Sea.

The Chinese natural product, berberine, has biological properties that support its potential efficacy as a colon cancer prevention agent. Its longstanding use in China to treat gastrointestinal tract and rheumatologic disorders is generally regarded as safe, supporting initial investigations in an at-risk population, such as individuals with ulcerative colitis. However, the safety of berberine in this population is not established. Individuals living in China with biopsy-proven ulcerative colitis, ≤grade 2 dysplasia, and with a ulcerative colitis disease activity index (UCDAI) score ≤1 on mesalamine, were randomized 3:1 in a double-blind phase I trial to berberine 900 mg/day or placebo for 3 months, with the primary objective of assessing safety. Blood samples and biopsies of the colorectum, from prespecified locations, were collected prior to and following therapy. Secondary endpoints included changes in UCDAI score, and in tissue and plasma markers of inflammation. Of toxicities at least possibly related, one episode of grade 3 elevation in transaminases and one episode of grade 1 nausea were observed among 12 individuals on berberine, and none were observed among 4 on placebo. The mean plasma berberine concentration was 3.5 nmol/L after berberine treatment, significantly higher than 0.5 nmol/L with placebo. Berberine significantly decreased the Geboes grade in colonic tissue, but had a nonsignificant effect on other tissue or blood biomarkers related to cell growth and inflammation. The combination of berberine and mesalamine is well tolerated in Chinese with ulcerative colitis and may enhance mesalamine's anti-inflammatory effects in colonic tissue., (©2019 American Association for Cancer Research.)

This study aims to describe the spatial and temporal characteristics of human infections with H7N9 virus in China using data from 19 February 2013 to 30 September 2017 extracted from Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health (CHP) and electronic databases managed by China's Center for Disease Control (CDC) and provincial CDCs synthetically using the Geographic Information System (GIS) software ArcMap™ 10.2 and SaTScan. Based on the multiple analyses of the A(H7N9) epidemics, there was a strong seasonal pattern in A(H7N9) virus infection, with high activity in the first quarter of the year, especially in January, February, and April, and a gradual dying out in the third quarter. Spatial distribution analysis indicated that Eastern China contained the most severely affected areas, such as Zhejiang Province, and the distribution shifted from coastline areas to more inland areas over time. In addition, the cases exhibited local spatial aggregation, with high-risk areas most found in the southeast coastal regions of China. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong were the high-risk epidemic areas, which should arouse the attention of local governments. A strong cluster from 9 April 2017 to 24 June 2017 was also identified in Northern China, and there were many secondary clusters in Eastern and Southern China, especially in Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Guangdong Provinces. Our results suggested that the spatial-temporal clustering of H7N9 in China is fundamentally different, and is expected to contribute to accumulating knowledge on the changing temporal patterns and spatial dissemination during the fifth epidemic and provide data to enable adequate preparation against the next epidemic.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) remains a serious public health problem in China. To explore the temporal, spatial, and spatiotemporal characteristics of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the spatial and spatiotemporal clustering distribution and their relationships with the surrounding geographic environmental factors were analyzed. In this study, the average nearest-neighbor distance (ANN), Ripley's K-function and Moran's I statistics were used to evaluate spatial autocorrelation in the VL distribution of the existing case patterns. Getis⁻Ord Gi* was used to identify the hot-spot and cold-spot areas based on Geographic Information System (GIS), and spatiotemporal retrospective permutation scan statistics was used to detect the spatiotemporal clusters. The results indicated that VL continues to be a serious public health problem in Kashi Prefecture, China, particularly in the north-central region of Jiashi County, which is a relatively high-risk area in which hot spots are distributed. Autumn and winter months were the outbreak season for VL cases. The detection of spatial and spatiotemporal patterns can provide epidemiologists and local governments with significant information for prevention measures and control strategies.

A resazurin method was employed to test and compare cytotoxicity of extracts from fruiting bodies, insects and cultured mycelia of Cordyceps formosana against Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Results showed that the cultured mycelia had much stronger cytotoxicity than that of the fruiting bodies and infected insects. This suggests that using cultured mycelia to substitute a natural Cordyceps may result in poisoning. A combined method of HPLC-PAD-HRMS and cytotoxic analysis revealed that the most toxic compound (Compound 1) was found mainly in the cultured mycelia and also a small amount in the infected insect body of the Cordyceps, but not in the fruiting body. The second toxic compound (Compound 2) was found in all structures of Cordyceps and in cultured mycelia. Different contents of the toxic compounds resulted in the different cytotoxicity of the extracts. Compound 1 and Compound 2 were prepared with preparative HPLC as yellow and orange powders, respectively. Cytotoxic tests showed that the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) against CHO cells of Compound 1 was 18.3 ± 0.2 and 103.7 ± 5.9 μg/mL for Compound 2. Compound 1 and Compound 2 were identified as rugulosin and skyrin by HRMS, UV and NMR data. The two compounds were never previously isolated from the genera Cordyceps and Hirsutella and their cytotoxicity against CHO cells was also reported for the first time., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics and survival of Chinese patients with T- cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL)., Methods: Eleven patients with T-PLL admitted in our hospital from Jan 2006 to Oct 2012 were retrospectively analyzed., Results: Of the 11 patients, nine were males and two females, with the median age of 56.0(19-69) years old. All the patients, except for three, presented with leukocytosis. The incidence of hyperleukocytosis (1/11) was less frequent than that in the British series (75%) (P=0.000). Lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood were increased in 9 of the 11 patients with the median absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) of 17.22(0.58-148.83)×10⁹/L. Superficial lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly were the most common physical signs. It was common that serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and beta 2 microglobulin(β2-MG)were higher than normal level. All cases were positive for CD2/CD3/CD5/TCRαβ, negative for CD1a /HLA-DR and TdT, and most of them were strong positive for CD7 expression. By chromosome analyses, most cases. (9/10) have normal chromosome. This rate is significantly higher than that of the British and American series (3% and 25%, respectively) (P=0.000, P=0.001). The 14q11 abnormality and trisomy 8q, which are common among Western cases, were not observed in any of our cases. With a median follow-up of 23.0 months, three patients died. Two year progress free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 53.3% and 50%, respectively. There were 3 patients with PFS over a number of years, whether it should be considered as the T-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) is worthy of further studies., Conclusion: The common clinical manifestations of T-PLL patients were increased lymphocyte counts and lymphadenopathy as well as splenomegaly. And most cases have high level of blood LDH and β2- MG and normal chromosome karyotype.