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Mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been greatly reduced with the advance of intervention technology. However, adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are still common, and little is known about the driving forces of APOs among pregnant women living with HIV in China. Between January 2004 and December 2020, a total of 638 pregnancies among pregnant women living with HIV were enrolled in this study, 84 (13.2%) pregnancies with 87 APOs were reported. Preterm birth (3.8%), ectopic pregnancy (3.4%), spontaneous abortion (2.0%), and embryo arrest (1.7%) were the most common APOs in pregnant women living with HIV. Exposure to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) during the first trimester (RR = 4.077, 95% CI: 0.521, 1.484, P<0.001) and the first CD4+ T lymphocyte count (CD4 count)≤ 350/μl (RR = 2.227, 95% CI: 0.063, 0.991, P = 0.026) were risk factors of APOs. The age≤ 30 years (RR = −2.513, 95% CI: −1.067, −0.132, P = 0.012) was associated with the decreasing of APOs. Encouraging people to initiate combination antiretroviral therapy and reach a high CD4 count level before pregnancy would be helpful to prevent APOs. Pregnant women exposed to ARVs in the first trimester needed more attention for APOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among food crops, rice has the largest planting area, the highest yield per unit area and the largest total yield in China. However, cleaning performance is reduced by the high moisture content of rice during the harvesting process. In order to decrease the adhesion among wet rice threshed mixtures and improve the cleaning performance, the method of hot airflow cleaning was proposed. Firstly, the fluidization characteristics of wet sticky rice under the action of hot air were compared with those of dry particles. In this work, the minimum suspension velocity and the fastest suspension time were used and quantified to characterize the fluidization characteristics. It was found that the minimum suspension velocity and the fastest suspension time of the wet rice threshed mixture are both higher than those of dry particles due to the liquid bridge force. Moreover, the dispersion degree of the wet rice threshed mixture can be improved by the hot airflow due to the decrease in the surface water content of impurities. Secondly, the influence of the temperature and vibration frequency in the air-and-screen cleaning device on the dispersion characteristics of the wet rice threshed mixture were investigated. The accumulation mass was measured to quantify the dispersion degree. It was found that the increase in vibration frequency has little effect on the dispersion of the wet rice threshed mixture. The accumulation mass on the front of the sieve decreases slightly with the increase in the gas temperature range from ambient temperature to 30 °C. Then, the dispersion degree increases rapidly when the temperature exceeds 40 °C. The dispersion effect is the best when the temperature is 50 °C and the vibration frequency is 5 Hz. These results provide a basis for the cleaning of the wet rice threshed mixture in a combine harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare workers' voice is of importance in decreasing medical accidents and improving the efficacy of hospital units. To investigate the impact and the underlying mechanisms of supervisors' negative mood on healthcare workers' voice behavior, based on the mood contagion perspective, we designed a cross-sectional study, with 299 healthcare workers from mainland China completed the questionnaires. The results indicated supervisors' negative mood was positively related to healthcare workers' negative mood, which further led to less constructive voice and more defensive voice. Moreover, the healthcare worker's emotional intelligence aspect of self-emotion appraisal moderated this relationship, but not others-emotion appraisal. We believe healthcare workers' supervisors should pay attention to their negative mood expression and regulation. In the hope of reducing being influenced by supervisors' negative mood, training about noticing and recognizing their own emotions are needed for healthcare workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective auscultations are often hard to implement in isolation wards. To date, little is known about the characteristics of pulmonary auscultation in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the features and clinical significance of pulmonary auscultation in COVID-19 pneumonia using an electronic stethoscope in isolation wards. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 at Wuhan Red-Cross Hospital during the period from January 27, 2020, to February 12, 2020. Standard auscultation with an electronic stethoscope was performed and electronic recordings of breath sounds were analyzed. Results: Fifty-seven patients with average age of 60.6 years were enrolled. The most common symptoms were cough (73.7%) during auscultation. Most cases had bilateral lesions (96.4%) such as multiple ground-glass opacities (69.1%) and fibrous stripes (21.8%). High-quality auscultation recordings (98.8%) were obtained, and coarse breath sounds, wheezes, coarse crackles, fine crackles, and Velcro crackles were identified. Most cases had normal breath sounds in upper lungs, but the proportions of abnormal breath sounds increased in the basal fields where Velcro crackles were more commonly identified at the posterior chest. The presence of fine and coarse crackles detected 33/39 patients with ground-glass opacities (sensitivity 84.6% and specificity 12.5%) and 8/9 patients with consolidation (sensitivity 88.9% and specificity 15.2%), while the presence of Velcro crackles identified 16/39 patients with ground-glass opacities (sensitivity 41% and specificity 81.3%). Conclusions: The abnormal breath sounds in COVID-19 pneumonia had some consistent distributive characteristics and to some extent correlated with the radiologic features. Such evidence suggests that electronic auscultation is useful to aid diagnosis and timely management of the disease. Further studies are indicated to validate the accuracy and potential clinical benefit of auscultation in detecting pulmonary abnormalities in COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged fever is a particular challenge. A 47-year-old man with 5-year intermittent fever and remarkable splenomegaly was diagnosed as chronic melioidosis after splenectomy. The case would help clinicians to raise awareness and include chronic melioidosis in the differential diagnosis for patients with the travel history in melioidosis endemic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to measure the operating efficiency of internet group-buying platform, this study sorts and analyses the transaction data from a large group-buying platform in China, defines the concept of matching efficiency as the measuring index of operating efficiency and the conversion-rate indicators in each stage of matching process. The definition and analysis of matching efficiency of internet group-buying platform fills up the deficiency in internet operating efficiency measurement domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background and objectives: There is little knowledge on whether clustering of hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, alcohol drinking, overweight and central obesity increases risk of hypertension in Mongolian people of rural and animal husbandry area. Methods: A cross sectional study was performed in a Mongolian population. Demographic data, lifestyle factors, family history of hypertension, blood pressure measurements, physical examination were obtained and blood glucose and lipids were examined in 2532 individuals. Results: Hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, alcohol drinking, overweight and central obesity were all independently associated with hypertension (all P <0.01), and clustering of these risk factors correlated with risk of hypertension in Mongolian people. Age and gender-adjusted OR of hypertension for clustering of two, three and four or more factors were 1.878(1.262, 2.795), 3.735(2.529, 5.516) and 4.361(2.886, 6.589), respectively. Conclusions: Hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, alcohol drinking, overweight and central obesity were independent risk factors of hypertension. Risk of hypertension in Mongolian people increased with the number of up to five risk factors in clusters. It is imperative that risk factors be controlled at the same time for the primary prevention and early treatment of hypertension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The program for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was launched in 2003 in China, but few studies have been conducted to describe the panorama of PMTCT. We investigated the rate and associated factors of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) in China from 2004 to 2018.Methods: HIV-infected pregnant women from two areas in China between 2004 and 2018 were enrolled. Antiretrovirals (ARVs) were provided to the mothers and their babies, and the children were followed and tested for HIV.Results: In total, 857 mothers and their 899 children were enrolled, and the overall MTCT rate was 6.6% (95% CI 5.0-8.2). The MTCT rates of nonintervention, only formula feeding (FF), infant prophylaxis (IP) + FF, single dosage antiretrovirals (sdARVs) + IP + FF, zidovudine (AZT) alone+IP + FF and prenatal combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) + IP + FF were 36.4, 9.4, 10.0, 5.7, 3.8 and 0.3%, respectively. The MTCT rate declined over time. No ARVs, CD4 count < 200/μL, low birth weight, and breastfeeding were associated with MTCT of HIV. For different ARVs, a higher MTCT rate was observed for AZT alone, sdARVs, and no ARVs compared to cART for pregnant women.Conclusions: Although the overall MTCT rate remains relatively high, the real-world effect of prenatal cART+IP + FF in China has exerted the same protective effects in high-income countries. With the extension of prenatal cART for pregnant women with HIV, the MTCT rate of HIV has gradually declined in China. However, the coverage of prenatal cART for pregnant women should be further improved. The effect of only post-exposure prophylaxis for infants was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) and polymyxin B are the last resort for carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) infections in some countries, but data comparing the effectiveness of the two antibiotics are limited. • CAZ/AVI therapy was associated with treatment success among patients with CRGNB infection, but did not improve 28-day in-hospital survival compared with polymyxin B. • CRGNB patients with a Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 5 and APACHE II score ≥ 15 had poor a prognosis. To compare the effectiveness of ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) and polymyxin B against carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CRGNB) infections in western China. The medical records of patients with CRGNB infections in this hospital from 2018–2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The data included demographic characteristics, laboratory results, antibiotic strategies and clinical outcomes. A total of 378 patients with CRGNB infections were enrolled, including 112 patients in the CAZ/AVI group and 266 patients in the polymyxin B group. The most common pathogen was carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (44.44%). The rates of treatment failure at 28 days (65.04% vs. 45.54%; P = 0.000) and 28-day in-hospital mortality (20.30% vs. 9.82%; P = 0.014) in the polymyxin B group were higher than those in the CAZ/AVI group. Multivariable analysis revealed that multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (OR 2.730; P = 0.017), acute renal failure (OR 2.595; P = 0.020), higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (OR 1.184; P = 0.011) and Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ scores (OR 1.149; P = 0.000) were independent risk factors for treatment failure, whereas CAZ/AVI therapy (OR 0.333; P = 0.002) had a protective effect. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that CCI ≥ 5 and APACHE II score ≥ 15 were associated with a higher 28-day in-hospital mortality rate (P < 0.001). CAZ/AVI therapy was associated with treatment success among patients with CRGNB infection. However, CAZ/AVI therapy did not improve 28-day in-hospital survival compared with polymyxin B. The CCI ≥ 5 and APACHE II score ≥ 15 affected 28-day in-hospital mortality of CRGNB-infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidences of noncompliance with COVID-19 prevention and control policies have occurred worldwide, increasing the risk to public safety and making epidemic control more difficult. We applied the approach–inhibition theory of power perception to investigate the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of the relationship between individuals' power perception and their prevention and control policy compliance. This study collected data from 303 participants in 45 counties (districts) spanning one province in China. Results show that individuals' sense of power was negatively related to their prevention and control policy compliance, with risk perception mediating and group policy control moderating this relationship. The findings provide a reference for assessing the effectiveness and relevance of government epidemic prevention and control. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has substantially altered resource availability and the stoichiometry of microbial biomass in terrestrial ecosystems. However, variations of microbial biomass stoichiometry are not paralleled by changes in the stoichiometry of available resources, resulting in stoichiometric imbalances that constrain microbial growth and nutrient cycling and thus affect carbon (C) cycling. How soil microbes cope with stoichiometric imbalances and the impacts of their responses on microbial-mediated C cycling still remain a puzzle. To help address this puzzle, we performed an eight-year field manipulative experiment with six N addition levels in a semiarid grassland in northern China. We measured soil available nutrients, nutrients within microbial biomass, and the potential activity of ecoenzymes related to microbial nutrient acquisition. Our results showed that resource stoichiometric imbalances, including C:N, C:P, and N:P, responded non-linearly to N addition. Specifically, stochiometric imbalances increased up to intermediate doses and then decreased. These nonlinear responses implied that increasing N addition enhanced microbial C limitation rather than P limitation. Data on microbial adaptive responses to resource stoichiometric imbalances revealed that, under C limitation, soil microbial communities regulated their ecoenzyme production and threshold element ratios (TER) to maintain stoichiometric homeostasis, supporting the consumer-driven nutrient recycling theory (CNR). Using piecewise structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that the N-induced reduction of soil microbial respiration was directly linked to increasing TER but was indirectly linked to soil enzyme stoichiometry and microbial biomass stoichiometry. These results suggest that coordinated regulation of microbial biomass stoichiometry and soil enzyme stoichiometry lead to a higher C use efficiency (CUE) and a lower nutrient use efficiency, further lowering microbial respiration. These results highlight the importance of stoichiometric imbalance in regulating microbial respiration and may help project how stoichiometric changes induced by global N deposition control terrestrial C and nutrient flows. Image 1 • C:N:P stochiometric imbalances responded non-linearly to N addition. • Increasing N addition enhanced microbial C limitation rather than P limitation. • Soil microbial communities maintain stochiometric homeostasis under C limitation. • N addition-induced higher CUE resulted in lower microbial respiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the age structure, growth pattern, mortality and exploitation rates of Leuciscus chuanchicus in the upstream Ningxia section of the Yellow River, four sampling surveys were conducted between 2022 and 2023. A total of 472 individuals were measured for their total length ( TL ) and body weight ( W ). Age determination was performed using otoliths. The collected samples had a range of total lengths from 4.52 to 37.45 cm, body weights ranging from 0.68 to 552.43 g, and ages ranging from 1 to 7 years old. The relationship between total length and body weight was expressed as W = 0.0052 L 3.19 for all samples, which indicates that the growth of L. chuanchicus adheres to allometry. The Von Bertalanffy growth equation revealed that the fish had an asymptotic total length ( L ∞ ) of approximately 37.9 cm with a growth coefficient ( K ) value of approximately 0.461 yr -1 . Using the age-based catch curve method, the calculated total instantaneous mortality rate ( Z ) for all samples was determined as being equal to approximately 1.1302 yr -1 . Additionally, three methods were used to estimate the average instantaneous rate of natural mortality ( M ), resulting in an approximate value of 0.7167 yr -1 for all samples. Furthermore, the instantaneous rate of fishing mortality ( F ) for all samples was calculated as 0.4134 yr -1 , leading us to determine that the exploitation rate ( E ) is 0.3658. It was concluded that the growth rate of L. chuanchicus in the upstream of the Yellow River is relatively fast, and L. chuanchicus has not been subjected to excessive exploitation, yet its relatively high natural mortality rate underscores the need for targeted management measures aimed at preserving its habitat., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Xiong et al.)

Balkground: Gobio huanghensis is a small economic fish endemic to the Yellow River at the junction of the Tibetan Plateau and the Huangtu Plateau in China. To understand the impact of environmental changes and human activities on the ecological structure of the G. huanghensis population, a comparative study was conducted on the age composition, growth characteristics, mortality rate, and exploitation rate of the G. huanghensis populations in the Gansu and Ningxia sections of the upper Yellow River., Results: During the investigation, a total of 1147 individuals were collected, with 427 individuals collected from the Gansu section and 720 individuals from the Ningxia section. The results showed that G. huanghensis in the Gansu section exhibited a total length ranging from 5.00 to 22.80 cm, with an average of 12.68 ± 4.03 cm. In the Ningxia section, the total length of G. huanghensis ranged from 2.15 to 20.65 cm, with an average of 9.48 ± 3.56 cm. The age composition of G. huanghensis in the Gansu section ranged from 1 to 7 years, where female fish were observed between 1 and 7 years old, and male fish between 1 and 6 years old. In the Ningxia section, both female and male fish ranged from 1 to 5 years old. The relationships between total length and body weight were (Gansu section, R 2 = 0.9738) and (Ningxia section, R 2  = 0.9686), indicating that fish in the Gansu section exhibit positive allometric growth, while fish in the Ningxia section exhibit negative allometric growth. The von Bertalanffy growth equation revealed that G. huanghensis in the Gansu section exhibited an asymptotic total length L ∞ of 27.426 cm with a growth coefficient K of 0.225 yr -1 , while in the Ningxia section, the asymptotic total length L ∞ was 26.945 cm with a growth coefficient K of 0.263 yr -1 . The total mortality rate (Z) values of G. huanghensis were 0.7592 yr and 1.1529 yr in the Gansu section and Ningxia section, respectively. The average natural mortality rate (M), estimated by three different methods, in the Gansu section was 0.4432 yr, while it was 0.5366 yr in the Ningxia section. The exploitation rate (E) of G. huanghensis was 0.4163 in the Gansu section and 0.5345 in the Ningxia section, indicating that the population in the Ningxia section may have been overexploited., Conclusion: Prolonged fishing pressures and environmental changes may have led to variations in the ecological parameters of the G. huanghensis population between the Gansu and Ningxia sections., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and bone resorption markers in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis fractures and identify risk factors for second fractures., Methods: This retrospective analysis of 1,239 older women with fractures with a median age of 70 years who attended Shanghai General Hospital from January 2007 to December 2016, included a first fracture group (1,008 cases) and a second fractures group (231 cases). The risk factors for fractures were analyzed by comparing these groups on clinical characteristics, BMD, and bone metabolism markers stratified by quartiles of serum C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for second fractures., Results: In the whole sample, BMD was negatively correlated with age and serum osteocalcin and positively correlated with body mass index (BMI). In women with first fractures, those in the highest quartile of serum CTX had the lowest spine and hip BMD. Second fractures were significantly associated with BMI, lower spine and hip BMD, and higher serum osteocalcin but not CTX. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that high BMI (odds ratio [OR], 1.08 [95% CI, 1.03-1.14]; P = 0.001), low lumbar BMD (OR, 0.24 [95% CI, 0.07-0.82]; P = 0.023), low total hip BMD (OR, 0.05 [95% CI, 0.00-0.88]; P = 0.041), and lack of antiosteoporosis treatment (OR, 2.71 [95% CI, 2.71-4.08]; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for second fractures., Conclusions: In older women with fractures, BMD was significantly lower in women with second fractures than in those with first fractures. Higher levels of serum CTX and osteocalcin, which indicates increased bone resorption, were negatively correlated with BMD. In women with a first fracture, serum CTX higher than 605 pg/mL was negatively correlated with BMD, whereas no correlation was found between different CTX and BMD in women with second fractures. High BMI and low BMD as well as not receiving antiosteoporosis treatment were independent risk factors for second fractures., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure/conflicts of interest: None reported., (Copyright © 2023 by The Menopause Society.)

Background: As postmenopausal osteoporotic fractures can cause higher rates of disability and mortality in women; it is essential to analyze the factors associated with primary and recurrent fractures in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) patients., Methods: Retrospective analysis of 2478 PMOP patients aged ≥ 50 years who attended the Shanghai General Hospital from January 2007 to December 2016, including 1239 patients with no fractures and 1239 patients with histories of fractures (1008 in the primary fracture group and 231 in the re-fracture group). All patients' basic clinical data, serum biochemical and bone metabolic markers, bone mineral density (BMD), and other indicators were recorded uniformly. Comparing the differences between the clinical characteristics of patients with primary and recurrent fractures, as well as the differences in the clinical characteristics of patients with primary and recurrent fractures in combination with different diseases, further analyses the risk factors for primary and recurrent fractures in PMOP patients. SPSS.26 was used for statistical analysis., Results: Compared to the unfractured group, the fractured group was older and had lower height and bone mineral density (all P < 0.01), with the re-fractured group having lower BMD at each key site than the primary fracture group (all P < 0.01). Analysis of the combined disease subgroups showed that serum BGP levels were lower in the primary and re-fracture patients with diabetes than in the non-diabetic subgroup (P < 0.05), and serum CTX levels were lower in the re-fracture group with diabetes than in the primary fracture group with diabetes (P < 0.05). Patients with recurrent fractures with cardio-vascular diseases had lower BMD than the subgroup without cardio-vascular diseases (P < 0.05) and also had lower BMD than the group with primary fractures with cardio-vascular diseases (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age, overweight, low lumbar spine and total hip BMD were risk factors for primary and recurrent fractures; and comorbid chronic liver and kidney diseases were risk factors for primary fractures., Conclusion: PMOP patients with advanced age, overweight, low bone mineral density, and comorbid chronic liver and kidney diseases are at greater risk of fractures and require early intervention to reduce fractures occurrence. Moreover, those who are elderly, overweight, and have low bone density should also be aware of the risk of re-fractures., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To identify risk factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after major oral oncological surgery., Methods: This retrospective study reviewed data from patients that underwent major surgery for oral cancer at a tertiary referral hospital in China between January 2005 and July 2016. SSI was diagnosed within 30 days. Demographic, cancer-related, preoperative, perioperative and postoperative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate analyses of the risk factors for SSI., Results: A total of 786 patients were enrolled, of whom 125 had SSI (15.9%), which were all incisional. Independent risk factors for SSI, identified by multivariate analysis, were diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 2.147, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.240, 3.642), prior radiotherapy (OR 4.595, 95% CI 1.293, 17.317) and oral-neck communication (OR 2.838, 95% CI 1.263, 7.604); and factors reflecting large extent resections were tracheostomy (OR 2.235, 95% CI 1.435, 3.525), anterolateral thigh flap (OR 1.971, 95% CI 1.103, 3.448) and latissimus dorsi flap (OR 4.178, 95% CI 1.325, 13.189)., Conclusions: Multiple risk factors were associated with SSI after major oral oncological surgery. To minimize SSI risk, surgeons managing oral cancer patients should have a better understanding of the risk factors, including diabetes mellitus, prior radiotherapy, tracheostomy, oral-neck communication and flap reconstruction.

We report the first OXA-181-producing strain in China. blaOXA-181 was found in sequence type 410 (ST410) Escherichia coli strain WCHEC14828 from a Chinese patient without recent travel history. Genome sequencing and conjugation experiments were performed. blaOXA-181 was carried on a 51-kb self-transmissible IncX3 plasmid and was linked with qnrS1, a quinolone resistance gene. blaOXA-181 was introduced onto the IncX3 plasmid from a ColE2-type plasmid, and IncX3 plasmids have the potential to mediate the dissemination of blaOXA-181., (Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Background: Low-grade chronic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction have been hypothesized to underlie the constellation of cardiometabolic risk factors, possibly by inducing insulin resistance. In the present study, we investigated associations between inflammation, endothelial dysfunction biomarkers and insulin resistance [measured by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)] in a large community population., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 2589 participants aged 20 years and older in Inner Mongolia, China. Overnight fasting blood samples were obtained to measure the plasma glucose, serum insulin and biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and angiotensin II., Results: Among the residents of Inner Mongolia, levels of C-reactive protein (7.58 versus 5.63), soluble E-selectin (20.69 versus 17.93) and angiotensin II (51.80 versus 48.00) were all significantly higher in individuals with a higher HOMA-IR than in those with lower HOMA-IR. Higher HOMA-IR was also positively and significantly (p < 0.05) associated with higher C-reactive protein (odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.19, 1.82), and higher soluble E-selectin (odds ratio 1.53, 95% confidence interval 1.24, 1.88), adjusted for multivariables., Conclusions: Elevated C-reactive protein and soluble E-selectin were associated with higher HOMA-IR among residents of Inner Mongolia. This study suggests that inflammation and endothelial dysfunction may relate to insulin resistance., (2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: There is little knowledge on comparisons of cardiovascular risk factors between prehypertension and hypertension in Mongolian populations, Inner Mongolia, China., Methods and Results: A total of 2,589 Mongolians aged 20 years and over were recruited as study participants. Demographic data, lifestyle factors, family history of hypertension, blood pressure measurements, physical examination and blood samples were obtained and analyzed for all individuals. Prehypertensives and hypertensives accounted for 38.39% and 37.39%, respectively, in all participants. Multivariate logistic regression using proportional odds model showed that hypertension was significantly associated with age (odds ratio was 5.79, 8.84, 30.05 and 32.28 for age 40-, 50-, 60- and 70-, respectively), family history of hypertension (7.12), alcohol drinking (2.03), overweight (4.69) and hyperlipidemia (3.49), and prehypertension significantly associated with age (3.65 for age 70-84), hyperlipidemia (1.80) in males. In females, hypertension was significantly associated with age (8.58, 14.40, 33.00, 63.67 for age 40-, 50-, 60- and 70-, respectively), family history of hypertension (5.65), overweight (3.16) and high C-reactive protein (> or = 10.356 mg/L), and prehypertension significantly associated with age (1.72, 2.00, 2.74 and 6.67 for age 40-, 50-, 60- and 70-, respectively) and overweight (1.68)., Conclusions: Prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors and number of risk factors in hypertensives were higher than that in prehypertensives.

Background: The relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and hypertension and interactions between CRP and other risk factors on hypertension have not been studied in Mongolian people of Inner Mongolia, China., Methods and Results: A total of 767 hypertensives and 762 non-hypertensives people aged 30 or more were selected as participants for the case-control study. Lifestyle risk factors and family history of hypertension were investigated, body weight measured, fasting plasma glucose, blood lipids, insulin and CRP examined for all participants. After adjustment for covariates, high level of CRP (>or=2.54) were associated with hypertension and the odds ratio (OR) was 1.337. The participants were also divided into even quartiles of CRP, compared to the lowest quartile, multivariate adjusted OR were 1.144, 1.330, 1.556 for the second, third and fourth quartiles of CRP, respectively. There were significant interactions between increased CRP and cigarette smoking, and insulin resistance on hypertension, corresponding relative excess risk due to interactions were 0.799 and 0.651, respectively., Conclusion: Increased CRP was associated with hypertension, there were interactions between increased CRP and cigarette smoking, and insulin resistance on hypertension in Mongolian people.

Background: Associations between pathogens and hypertension (HT) has been reported, but few studies have focused on the relationship between aggregate pathogens and HT. The present study explored whether the risk of HT is associated with each pathogen (defined as Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniaee), mycoplasma pneumoniae (m. pneumoniae), helicobacter pylori (h. pylori) and coxsackie virus) or with aggregate pathogens in chinese mongolians., Methods and Results: One thousand and thirty Chinese Mongolians aged 30 years or more were recruited, including 488 hypertensive and 942 normotensive subjects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect IgG antibodies for C. pneumoniaee, M. pneumoniae, H. pylori and Coxsackie virus. The seroprevalence of Coxsackie virus was significantly associated with HT (odds ratio (OR) 3.7 after adjustment for risk factors), but no significant association was found for C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae and H. pylori (OR 1.32, 0.75 and 1.19, respectively). The results also showed that the risk of HT was associated with the aggregate pathogens: it increased with the increasing number of pathogens, and the ORs were 1.629, 2.653, 2.129, and 5.146 for 1, 2, 3 and 4 pathogens, respectively, after controlling for risk factors., Conclusion: The risk of HT is associated with Coxsackie virus and aggregate pathogen load. The mechanism(s) underlying the associations remain to be elucidated further.

With RAPD-PCR technique, the phylogenetic tree of 16 olethreutid moth species in northeast China was constructed, and their consanguinity was analyzed. The results showed that the clustering of 3 Pandemis species,2 Argyrotaenia species and 4 Archips species on this phylogenetic tree was coincident with their morphological taxology, but that of some other species was not. For example, Clepsis rurinana and C. pallidana were not on the same clade, but on the clade with Pandemis cinnamomeana and Ptycholoma imitartor, respectively. Genetic distance could be an index for genus, and 0.7 was the boundary. The species genetic distance from the same genus was less than 0.7, while that from different genus was more than 0.7.