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Every year, millions of people worldwide (including a major portion in China) are suffering from lung cancer disease (Chinese report of Smoking and Health 2017). The aim of this paper is to develop a new fuzzy soft expert system which can be used to predict lung cancer disease. A prediction process using this fuzzy soft expert system is composed of four main steps: (1) Transform real-valued inputs into fuzzy numbers. (2) Transform fuzzy numbers of data into fuzzy soft sets. (3) Reduce, using normal parameter reduction method, the obtained family of fuzzy soft sets into a new family of fuzzy soft sets. (4) Use the proposed algorithm to get the output data. An experiment is conducted on forty five patients (thirty males, fifteen females, all are cigarette smokers) who endure treatment in the Respiratory Department of Nanjing Chest Hospital, China. The number of training data taken was 55 records, and the remaining 45 records were used for the testing process in our system by using weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, persistence a cough, blood in sputum, and age of patients. The quantized accuracies of the proposed system were found to be 100 % . In this work, we developed a fuzzy soft expert system based on fuzzy soft sets; we used a fuzzy membership functions and an algorithm to predict those patients who may suffer lung cancer. In this way, it is possible to conclude that the use of fuzzy soft expert system can produce valuable results for lung cancer detection. It is found that the fuzzy soft expert system developed is useful to the expert doctor to decide if a patient has lung cancer or not. Finally, we introduce comparison diagnosed between our proposed system and the fuzzy inference system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blastocystis is an enteral eukaryote with an omnipresent existence in animals and humans globally. Animals have been proposed to be a major reservoir for the transmission of Blastocystis to individuals due to their high prevalence and large amount of zoonotic subtypes. However, limited data on Blastocystis infection in experimental macaques in China exists. The objective of the current study was to investigate the frequency and subtypes of Blastocystis infection in macaques in southwestern China. A total of 505 fecal samples were collected from experimental macaques in Yunnan province and were analyzed by nested PCR and phylogenetic analyses on the basis of small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragments. A total of 235 specimens were positive for Blastocystis sp., and the prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was 46.5% (235/505). Significant differences in prevalence were also observed among the various species of macaques (P < 0.0133, df = 2, χ2 = 8.64) and the different feed types (P < 0.0093, df = 1, χ2 = 6.77). Moreover, three zoonotic subtypes, ST1, ST3, and ST5, were identified by DNA sequence analysis. There were mainly single subtype infections with some mixed subtype infections, and the predominant subtype was ST3. The results suggested a high prevalence and diversified subtypes in macaques in Yunnan province, southwestern China. Macaques are likely to be potential reservoirs capable of zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis sp. to humans. To our knowledge, this study is the first large-scale systematic analysis of Blastocystis sp. colonization in Yunnan province in the subtropics of China; these results contribute to the in-depth study of genetic characteristics and the prevention, control, and treatment of Blastocystis sp. in macaques in Yunnan province and other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the molecular characteristics and intracellular growth ability of Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) strains from 1989 to 2016 in Sichuan Province, China. Seventy-nine isolates of L. pneumophila were collected from environmental and clinical sources, including cooling towers, hot springs, bath water, fountains, and patients, and identified with 16S rRNA gene analysis and serum agglutination assay. The isolates were then typed by Sequence-Based Typing (SBT), and Genotyping of forty-two LP1 strains were analyzed by means of multiple-locus VNTR analysis with 8 loci (MLVA-8). All strains were further analyzed for two virulence genes: Legionella vir homologue (lvh) and repeats in structural toxin (rtxA). The intracellular growth ability of 33 selected isolates was determined by examining their interaction with J774 cells. All isolates were identified to L. pneumophila including 11 serogroups, among which the main serogroup were LP1, accounting for 54.43%. Thirty-three different sequence types (STs) from five main clonal groups and five singletons were identified, along with 8 different MLVA patterns. Both the lvh and rtxA loci were found in all 79 strains. Thirty isolates showed high intracellular growth ability in J774 cells. L. pneumophila is a potential threat to public health, and effective control and prevention strategies are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, cabbages ( Brassica oleracea L.) showing symptoms of proliferated axillary buds, crinkled leaves and plant stunting with shortened internodes typical to phytoplasma infection were found in a breeding facility in Beijing, China. Three symptomatic plants and one symptomless plant were collected, and total DNA was extracted from the midrib tissue and the flowers. With phytoplasma universal primers R16F2n/R16R2, a special fragment of 1247 bp (16S rDNA) was obtained from all three symptomatic cabbage plants, but not from the one symptomless cabbage plant. The 16S rDNA sequence showed 99% similarity with the homologous genes of the aster yellows group phytoplasma (16SrI group), and the phytoplasma was designed as CWBp-BJ. Phylogenetic and computer-simulated restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 16S rDNA gene revealed that CWBp-BJ belongs to subgroup 16SrI-B. This is the first report of a phytoplasma associated with cabbage witches'-broom in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaporitic deposits put great influence on the division of diagenetic systems, and different diagenetic systems experienced different diagenetic evolutions during geological history. In this research, we investigated genesis mechanism of dolomite in different diagenetic system from the Cambrian in Tarim Basin through the analysis of sedimentology, petrology and geochemistry. We conclude that the pre-salt was an open hydrothermal fluid transformation system, the inter-salt system was a nearly closed evaporation system dominated by seawater, and evaporated seawater caused dolomitization by reflux-seepage process. While the post-salt system was mainly affected by meteoric water. [Display omitted] • Reveal the difference of dolomite types in pre-salt system, inter-salt system and post-salt system. • The properties of dolomitization fluid were revealed through comprehensive analysis of isotopes (δ13C, δ18O, 87Sr /86Sr), fluid inclusions and rare earth elements (ΣREE). • Systematically describe the diagenetic fluid stages and diagenetic transformation intensity of pre-salt system, inter-salt system and post-salt system. Abundant energy resources that are found in Tarim Basin are hosted in pervasively dolomitized carbonates of the Cambrian age. The thick dolostone is distributed widely, deeply buried and quite complex in diagenesis. The middle Cambrian gypsum sequence is widespread in west of the Tarim basin. From bottom to top, the Cambrian is divided into pre-salt, inter-salt and post-salt with various diagenesis types and degree causing different sealing properties. Subsurface core samples from the three systems were studied using cathodoluminescence (CL), isotope studies (δ13C, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr), fluid inclusion, and elemental analysis for rare earth elements (ΣREE) to determine the origin of the dolomitizing fluids. Trace elements and isotope data show that high salinity seawater was most likely responsible for dolomitization of pre-salt system. Likewise, the pre-salt system has been the result of an open hydrothermal fluid transformation system. The inter-salt system was sealed by the upper gypsum layer and lower gypsum layer. The gypsum layer not only enhanced the sealing property of inter-salt strata but also impeded dolomitization, where the evaporating seawater caused dolomitization by reflux-seepage process. Therefore, the inter-salt system was a nearly closed evaporation system dominated by the seawater. The geochemical parameters reveal that the post-salt system has a variety of fluid sources and mainly interacts with meteoric water and seawater, since the C isotope was clearly negative and Y/Ho ratio was found low(＜30). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyse annual trends of the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) and main cause-specific U5MR in China from 1996 to 2020 and to assess the potential correlation of the healthcare system and health expenditure with the U5MR in China., Design: A retrospective observational study using national data from 1996 to 2020. Joinpoint regression was employed to model U5MR trends and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between healthcare system factors, health expenditure and U5MR., Setting: Nationwide study covering both rural and urban populations across China over a 25-year period., Results: The U5MR in China experienced a three-stage decline from 1996 to 2020 with an average annual percentage rate change (AAPC) of -7.27 (p<0.001). The AAPC of the rural U5MR (-7.07, p<0.001) was higher than that in urban areas (-5.57, p<0.001). Among the five main causes, the decrease in pneumonia-caused U5MR was the fastest while the decreases in congenital heart disease and accidental asphyxia were relatively slow. The rates of hospital delivery (r=-0.981, p<0.001), neonatal visits (r=-0.848, p<0.001) and systematic health management (r=-0.893, p<0.001) correlated negatively with U5MR. The proportion of government health expenditure in the total health expenditure (THE) correlated negatively with the national U5MR (r=-0.892, p<0.001) while the proportion of out-of-pocket health expenditure in THE correlated positively (r=0.902, p<0.001)., Conclusion: China made significant advances in reducing U5MR from 1996 to 2020. The rural-urban gap in U5MR has narrowed, though rural areas remain a key concern. To further reduce U5MR, China should focus on rural areas, pay more attention to congenital heart disease and accidental asphyxia, further improve its health policies, and continue to increase the government health expenditure., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Traditional Chinese medicines( TCMs) are easily contaminated by fungi during planting,harvesting,processing,transportation and storage. The 2015 version of Chinese Pharmacopoeia stipulates the detection of aflatoxin in Dilong. After reviewing the literature,it has been found that there are no domestic and foreign scholars who have studied the surface fungi of Dilong. Pheretima,known as Dilong in China,is a commonly used TCMs in animal. In this experiment,8 batches of Dilong were collected from retail pharmacies in Beijing. The fungi on the surface of Dilong were cultured by traditional plate method and the single strain was obtained by the top purification method. The fungal colony morphology,microstructure characteristics and DNA barcode were used to isolate and identify the fungi. At the same time,based on Illumina Hi Seq 2500 high-throughput sequencing platform,the diversity of fungi on the surface of Dilong was analyzed. The results showed that 287 strains of 9 species of fungi were isolated and identified by plate method. Combined with 3 kinds of identification method,eight of nine fungi could be identified,respectively,Aspergillus niger,Penicillium,Alternaria nees,A. flavus,and Penicillium oxalicum,Humicola sp.,Talaromyces purpurogenus and A. insuetus,1 kind of fungi was not identified yet. Among them,Penicillium and Aspergillus were the dominant genus. The results of high-throughput sequencing belonged to 2 boundaries,6 gates,19 classes,44 orders,98 families,127 genus and 121 species in different classification levels. Wallemia,Aspergillus and Cordyceps were the dominant genus,and the relative abundances are 63. 33%,15. 28%,and 10. 28%,respectively. Through the diversity study on the surface fungi of Dilong in Beijing retail pharmacies,it can provide a reference for its safe storage and clinical use.

To understand the HA1 genetic variation characterization of influenza H3N2 virus isolates in Zhu-hai during 2008-2009, we selected 20 of H3N2 Influenza strains cultured in MDCK cell. Viral RNAs were extracted and amplified by using RT-PCR. The amplified products were purified after identified by gel electrophoresis and then the nucleotide sequences of the amplicons were determined. The results were analyzed by the software ClustalX and MEGA4. 1. When compared with the amino acid sequences of the epitopes of HA1 district of H3N2 influenza vaccine recommended by WHO in 2008, changes were found in those of H3N2 influenza strains in Zhuhai in 2008: K140I in all of H3N2 influenza strains, L157S in 08-0343 and 08-0677, K158R in 08-0466, 08-0620 and 08-0667, K173E in 08-0466 and 08-0620, K173N in 08-0667, and I192T in 08-0667. The epitopes of HA1 district of H3N2 influenza strains in Zhuhai in 2009 are different from that of H3N2 influenza vaccine during the same time: K173Q and P194L occur in all of H3N2 influenza strains, N144K, K158N, and N189K occur in the strains except the strain 09-0056. HA1 domain of H3N2 influenza strains in 2009 has lost a glycosylation site at amino acid position 144 while the glycosylation sites of HA1 domain of H3N2 influenza stains isolated in 2008 remained. This study suggested that H3N2 influenza virus in Zhuhai in 2008 was not evolved a novel variant and H3N2 influenza variant in 2009 was attributed to antigenic drift in HA1 district.

Objective: To construct DNA and recombinant adenovirus vector vaccines containing an env gene from the prevalent subtype B strain in China and try to use them for therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines., Methods: The candidate plasmid DNA vaccine pVR-gp160 and recombinant adenovirus vaccine rAdV-gp160 were constructed separately. BALB/c mice were immunized with these two vaccines in different administration schemes. HIV-1 Gp120-specific cellular responses and antibody levels were detected by ELISPOT and ELISA respectively., Results: DNA vaccine alone and combined vaccines in a DNA prime/rAdV-gp160 boost vaccination regimen induced high level of Gp120-specific cellular responses. While low level of Gp120-specific antibodies were elicited in all groups., Conclusion: DNA and rAdV vaccines could efficiently express Gp160 protein and activate specific cellular responses.

Objective: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous disease and an Arg723Gly mutation in beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) gene was found in 3 Spanish families with malignant HCM. We detected this gene mutation in 5 Chinese pedigrees with hypertensive cardiomyopathy., Methods: Five Chinese pedigrees with HCM and 80 age-matched normal control subjects were chosen for the study. The exons in the functional regions of the beta-MHC gene were amplified with PCR and the products were sequenced, genotype and phenotype analyzed., Results: Arg723Gly mutation was identified in exon 20 in one pedigree. In this pedigree, 13 out of 25 family members were diagnosed as HCM, 5 died of heart failure, all HCM patients in this pedigree had Arg723Gly mutation and 3 of them had NYHA III and 2 of them were diagnosed as HCM before the age of 20., Conclusions: Arg723Gly mutation was also one of the main disease-causing genes in Chinese familial HCM. The mutation of Arg723Gly is a malignant phenotype as shown by early progressive heart failure development and poor prognosis in this pedigree with Arg723Gly mutation.