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Introduction: Early onset sepsis (EOS) remains a potentially fatal newborn condition, especially in very preterm infants. Data on the pathogen distribution and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of EOS among very preterm infants are scarce but essential for the choice of empirical antibiotic administration. We sought to assess the epidemiologic characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of pathogens causing EOS among a cohort of very preterm infants in China. Methods: This prospective, observational study included a cohort of infants born at a gestational age (GA) less than 32 weeks of 32 newborn intensive care units (NICUs) in China between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020. EOS was defined by isolation of pathogenic species from blood culture within 72 h of birth. Results: A total of 108 EOS cases (18.4 per 1000 admissions) were identified among 5865 very preterm infants. Incidence of EOS increased with the decrease of GA and birthweight. Escherichia coli (n = 44, 40.7%) was the most common pathogen, followed by Klebsiella spp. (n = 10, 9.3%). The distribution and proportion of pathogenic bacteria varied significantly by GA. E. coli and Klebsiella spp. showed high resistance to ampicillin and third-generation cephalosporins, while they showed good susceptibility to carbapenem antibiotics and piperacillin–tazobactam. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that pathogens causing neonatal EOS showed high rates of resistance to ampicillin and third-generation cephalosporins. This raised questions about the best empirical antibiotic choice for preterm infants suspected of having EOS in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), a common type of occupational diseases, have become the main cause of absenteeism and early retirement in the occupational population, as well as a major risk factor for occupational disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of occupational stress and mental health on MSDs in coal miners in Xinjiang, China, to provide a theoretical basis for reducing the incidence of MSDs in coal miners and improving their physical and mental health.Methods: In this study, stratified cluster random sampling was used to randomly select six coal mining companies in Xinjiang, and 1675 coal miners were surveyed by questionnaire. The status of occupational stress, mental health and MSDs among coal miners was investigated by means of the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI), Symptom Checklist-90(SCL-90), and Musculoskeletal disorders scale (MSDs) questionnaire.Results: The prevalence of MSDs among coal miners was higher, and there were statistical differences among different sexes, ages, working years, shifts, types of work, educational level and monthly income (P < 0.001). The prevalence of MSDs in different body parts in the occupational stress group and mental disorder group was higher than that in the normal group. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that females had an increased risk of developing MSDs (OR = 2.23, 95% CI.:1.50,3.33). The risk of MSDs was higher with age < 30 years (30-39 years,OR = 2.39, 95% CI.,1.68,3.40; 40-49 years,OR = 2.15, 95% CI.:1.52,3.04; 50-60 years:OR = 3.25, 95% CI.:2.09,5.07), and the longer the working years, the higher the risk of MSDs (OR = 1.90, 95% CI.:1.38,2.62). The two shifts group (OR = 2.18, 95% CI.:1.59,2.98) had an increased risk of developing MSDs compared with the fixed day shift group. The risk of MSDs was lower in heading drivers (OR = 0.41, 95% CI.:0.29,0.60,) and transport workers (OR = 0.30, 95% CI.:0.20,0.43). The higher the education level, the lower the risk of MSDs (high school: OR = 0.46, 95% CI.:0.34,0.62, junior college and above: OR = 0.12, 95% CI.:0.08,0.17), and the higher the monthly income, the lower the risk of MSDs (OR = 0.50, 95% CI.:0.34,0.74). Occupational stress (OR = 1.32, 95% CI.:1.05,1.67) and mental disorder(OR = 2.94, 95% CI.:2.25,3.84) increased the risk of MSDs. A Bayesian network diagram showed that occupational stress and MSDs have direct effects on mental disorders, and occupational stress can have indirect effects on mental disorders through MSDs.Conclusion: Our research shows that MSDs are common among coal miners. Occupational stress and psychological disorders can increase the incidence of MSDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the influencing factors among coal mine workers employed in on-site operations. The job burnout scale and MSD scale were implemented to investigate a random sample of 1,500 coal mine workers working in on-site operations in Xinjiang, China. In total, 1,325 valid questionnaires were collected, with a recovery rate of 88.33% (1,325/1,500). The rate of job burnout was 90%, of which 39.8% were categorized as mild burnout, 43.8% as moderate burnout, and 6.4% as severe burnout; the average job burnout score was 50.77 ± 11.93. The annual prevalence of MSDs was 65.6%, with the highest annual prevalence in the waist (50.7%), followed by the neck, shoulder, and knee, and the lowest prevalence in the elbow (18.8%). Of the areas of the body affected by work-related MSDs, the highest proportion of requests for leave of absence was related to the waist, accounting for 25.7% of requests, while the lowest proportion (13.4%) was related to the wrist. In addition, the incidence of MSDs increased with the years of service. The lowest incidence of MSDs was associated with the two-shift and three-group working pattern. The prevalence of MSDs in the neck and waist was higher in women than in men. The prevalence of MSDs in various body parts increased with the years of service. Moreover, multiple logistic regression indicated that three shifts with four groups (OR = 1.096 , 95% CI: 0.832-1.445), working more than 10 years (OR = 3.396 , 95% CI: 2.369-5.748), working more than 20 years (OR = 3.008 , 95% CI: 1.419-6.337), significant bending (OR = 2.062 , 95% CI: 1.400-3.038), forward neck tilting (OR = 1.572 , 95% CI: 1.071-2.281), maximum force operation within a short period of time (OR = 1.7222 , 95% CI: 1.164-2.547), repeated movement of upper arms or fingers (OR = 1.495 , 95% CI: 1.034-2.161), slip or fall incidents (OR = 1.124 , 95% CI: 1.039-1.216), work under conditions of cold or temperature variations (OR = 1.911 , 95% CI: 1.342-2.720), mild burnout (OR = 1.492 , 95% CI: 1.016-2.191), moderate burnout (OR = 1.852 , 95% CI: 1.267-2.708), and severe burnout (OR = 2.001 , 95% CI: 1.145-3.496) were risk factors for MSDs. In conclusion, there is a high annual prevalence of MSDs among the coal mine workers employed in on-site operations in Xinjiang, China. Measures to reduce this prevalence are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) is a way of giving surfactant without endotracheal intubation and has shown to be promising in reducing the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. However, the mechanism underlying its beneficial effect and variations in the technique of administration may prevent its widespread use. This trial aims to evaluate the effects of two methods of surfactant administration, LISA or endotracheal surfactant administration followed by low peak pressure (LPPSA) ventilation, in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).Methods: The LISA Or Low Peak Pressure trial is to be conducted in 14 tertiary neonatal intensive care units in China. A total of 600 preterm infants born with gestational age between 250/7 and 316/7 weeks and with a primary diagnosis of RDS will be involved in the study. Infants will be randomized to the LISA or LPPSA group when surfactant therapy is indicated. Primary outcomes include mortality, severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA), and mechanical ventilation (MV) in the first 72 h of life. Secondary outcomes include the days of MV, duration of all sorts of non-invasive respiratory support, fraction of inspired oxygen, oxygen saturation before and after surfactant administration, and time required to perform the procedure for surfactant administration. The incidence of comorbidities, including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA), pneumothorax, and massive pulmonary hemorrhage within 48 h of surfactant administration, and the failure rates of each technique will be determined.Discussion: Data from recent systematic review and meta-analysis have suggested a possible improvement in outcomes of preterm infants with RDS by the LISA technique. However, robust evidence is lacking. Why LISA plays a potential role in reducing respiratory morbidity, mainly BPD in preterm infants, remains unclear. The possible explanations are the active and uninterrupted delivery of continuous positive airway pressure during the LISA procedure and the avoidance of complications caused by intubation and relatively high pressure/volume ventilation following surfactant administration. We hypothesized that LISA's effectiveness lies mainly in avoiding relatively high-pressure positive ventilation immediately following surfactant administration. Thus, this multicenter randomized controlled trial will focus on issues of endotracheal intubation and the pressure/volume used during conventional surfactant administration. The effectiveness, safety and comorbidities of preterm infants following LISA or LPPSA will be evaluated.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1900020970. Registered on 23 January 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Job burnout is increasingly common among occupational groups, and it is evolving into a new occupationally harmful phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of job burnout and its influence on the working ability of copper-nickel miners in Xinjiang, China, and to provide a theoretical basis for alleviating job burnout and improving the working ability of copper and nickel miners.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in June 2017 to September 2018 in Hami City, Xinjiang Autonomous Uygur Region, China. According to the main production process stratification of copper-nickel ore (mining unit, beneficiation unit, smelting unit), a self-administered questionnaire survey on the general situation of miners was conducted on the basis of the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory and Work Ability Index Questionnaire among 1400 miners registered in the human resources department of copper and nickel mines by stratified cluster sampling.Results: There were 1014 miners with different degrees of burnout, accounting for 80.86% of the total: 432 people reported mild burnout (34.45%), 516 reported moderate burnout (41.15%), and 66 reported high burnout (5.26%). There were significant differences in the degree of burnout according to sex, age, education level, monthly income, and work unit (p < 0.05). The level of male burnout was higher than that of females. Miners aged 35-40 years, with a high-school education, a monthly income of less than 2500 yuan, and who belonged to the smelting unit had the highest job burnout.There were significant differences in working ability among miners with different burnout level (p < 0.01). Partial correlation analysis showed that work ability was negatively correlated with emotional exhaustion, reduced sense of achievement, and total burnout score (p < 0.001). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that the education level, professional title,work units and job burnout level had a pronounced impact on the working ability of miners (p < 0.001); The reduced level of education, primary title, smelting unit, and the increase in job burnout are risk factors for the reduction of working ability.Conclusions: Our results indicate that job burnout is common among copper and nickel miners. Furthermore, working ability decreases with an increase in job burnout, and reducing job burnout can improve the working ability of copper and nickel miners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: protein glycosylation varies with the physiological and pathological status of the cell. Consequently, analysis of protein-linked glycans has growing importance both in basic glycobiological research and as a potential tool for monitoring the physiological state in humans.Design, setting and participants: a total of 265 healthy northern Chinese men and women were grouped by age and gender. The mean age in males and females was similar.Objective: the study is aimed to evaluate the effects of the age and gender on the human serum N-glycans profiles in the clinical diagnose of ageing and disease.Methods: the 265 human serum N-glycan profiles were obtained by DNA sequencer-assisted fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis. Comparison of N-glycan profiles was carried out among the different genders and age groups and the data were analysed with the GeneMapper software.Results: age-related changes in the three N-glycan structures (NGA2F, NGA2FB and NA2F) were observed. Interestingly, fucosylation of N-glycans was significantly different (P < 0.0001) between men and women: more core-α-1,6-fucosylated glycans were detected in women, whereas more branching-α-1,3-fucosylated N-glycans were seen in men.Conclusions: the N-glycome profile in serum is gender and age dependent. This should be taken into consideration in the development of serum glycome markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics pose a threat to marine environments through their physical presence and as vectors of chemical pollutants. However, the impact of microplastics on the accumulation and human health risk of chemical pollutants in marine organisms remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in marine organisms from Sanggou Bay and analyzed their correlations. Results showed that microplastic and PAHs concentration ranged from 1.23 ± 0.23 to 5.77 ± 1.10 items/g, from 6.98 ± 0.45 to 15.07 ± 1.25 μg/kg, respectively. The microplastic abundance, particularly of fibers, transparent and color plastic debris, correlates strongly with PAH contents, indicating that microplastics increase the bioaccumulation of PAHs and microplastics with these characteristics have a significant vector effect on PAHs. Although consuming seafood from Sanggou Bay induce no carcinogenic risk from PAHs, the presence of microplastics in organisms can significantly increases incremental lifetime cancer risk of PAHs. Thus, microplastics can serve as transport vectors for PAHs with implications for the potential health risks to human through consumption. This study provides new insight into the risks of microplastics in marine environments. [Display omitted] • The microplastic and PAHs pollution in organisms from Sanggou Bay were investigated. • Notable correlation were observed between microplastic and PAHs contents in organisms. • The PAHs in organisms pose no cancer risk to humans based on the ILCR analysis. • The microplastic characteristics in organisms affect human health risks of PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk coagulation is an important step in the production of fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese. Jujube is gaining popularity and acceptance as a food ingredient. In China, jujube yogurt is popular among consumers. However, there is limited information on the effect of jujube on acid- and rennet-induced coagulation properties of milk. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of jujube pulp at different concentrations on acid- and rennet-induced coagulation kinetics of milk and the microstructure of acid- and rennet-induced gels. During acid-induced coagulation, with increasing jujube pulp concentration, the initial pH value decreased; however, the final pH value increased. The initial elasticity index (EI) value increased, and the time point at which the mean square displacement curves lost the linear trend advanced. The sample with 10% jujube pulp had the densest structure and highest EI value. During rennet-induced coagulation, with increasing jujube pulp concentration, the production rate and amount of caseinomacropeptide decreased, and the final EI value increased. Protein aggregates in rennet-induced gels became rough, and the sample with 20% jujube pulp had the highest EI value. This study provides a new perspective and understanding of the application of jujube in fermented dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic (MP) pollution is attracting growing global attention, but little is known about the factors influencing MP occurrence and distributions in marine sediments. Here, MPs were sampled from the sediments of two semi-enclosed bays (Jinghai Bay and Laizhou Bay) and two coastal open zones (Lancelet Reserve and Solen grandis Reserve) in China. The order of MP abundance was Jinghai Bay > Laizhou Bay > Lancelet Reserve > Solen grandis Reserve. Average MP diversity indices for Laizhou Bay (1.84 ± 0.18), Lancelet Reserve (1.59 ± 0.43), S. grandis Reserve (1.58 ± 0.89), and Jinghai Bay (1.43 ± 0.14) revealed Laizhou Bay had the most complicated MP sources. A significant negative correlation between MP abundance and sediment grain size occurred in the semi-enclosed coastal zones (p = 0.004, r = −0.618) rather than in the open coastal zones (p = 0.051, r = −0.480), indicating small sediment particles can strongly enhance MP accumulation in semi-enclosed costal sediments. Although anthropogenic activities influence the MP distribution at source, the composition of regional and local sediments might impact MP occurrence in semi-enclosed coastal zones from the sink. These results help to improve our understanding of the fate and inventory of MPs in coastal sediments. [Display omitted] • Small sediment particle can enhance MP accumulation in semi-enclosed costal sediments. • Coastal zones with low diversity and high abundance of MPs deserve more attention. • Shannon Weaver Index is a good indicator to reflect the diversity of marine MPs. • Both anthropogenic activities and sediments composition influence the MP distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution in marine environments has become a major global environmental issue. However, the source of microplastics in marine environments is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the distribution and the source of microplastics in surface seawater from Sanggou Bay, China. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics was 20.06 ± 4.73 items/L, which represented a medium and high level relative to other sea areas. Microplastics of <0.5 mm dominated. Most particles were granular and transparent, and polyethylene was the dominant polymer. We estimated that 62.76% of the microplastics originated from mariculture facilities, an indication that mariculture contributes significantly to microplastics pollution, and calculated that 96.15 kg was present in surface seawater of Sanggou Bay. Our findings indicated that more attention should be paid to mariculture-derived microplastics pollution in the future. Unlabelled Image • Microplastic pollution was at a medium and high level relative to other areas • Estimated 62.76% of microplastics derived from mariculture plastic facilities • Estimated microplastics inventory in surface seawater of Sanggou Bay was 96.15 kg • Mariculture-derived microplastic should be paid more attention to [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the marine environment has attracted considerable global attention. However, the colonization of microorganisms on mariculture-derived MPs and their effects on mariculture remain poorly understood. In this study, the MPs (fishing nets, foams and floats) and a natural substrate, within size ranges (1–4 mm), were then incubated for 21 days in Sungo Bay (China), and the composition and diversity of bacterial communities attached on all substrates were investigated. Results showed that bacterial communities on MPs mainly originated from their surrounding seawater and sediment, with an average contribution on total MPs adherent population of 47.91% and 37.33%, respectively. Principle coordinate analysis showed that community similarity between MPs and surrounding seawater decreased with exposure time. In addition, lower average bacterial community diversity and higher relative abundances of bacteria from the genera Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas and Alteromonas on MPs than those in their surrounding seawater and sediments indicated that MPs might enrich potential pathogens and bacteria related with carbohydrate metabolism. They are responsible for the significant differences in KEGG Orthology pathways (infectious disease and carbohydrate metabolism) between MPs and seawater. The KO pathway (Infectious Diseases) associated with MPs was also significantly higher than those with feathers in the nearshore area. MPs might be vectors for enrichment of potentially pathogenic Vibrio , and enhance the ecological risk of MPs to mariculture industry. Image 1 • MPs promote the adhesion of resident bacterial communities in seawater and sediments. • MPs are prone to enrich bacteria belong to Vibrio , Pseudoalteromonas and Alteromonas. • Organic matter plays an important role in formation of bacterial communities on MPs. • Enrichment of potential pathogens on MPs implies higher infection risk to mariculture. Lower bacterial community diversity and higher relative abundances of bacteria from the genera Vibrio , Pseudoalteromonas and Alteromonas on MPs than those in surrounding seawater and sediments indicated the selectively enrichment of potential pathogens and bacteria related with carbohydrate metabolism on MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino ( Solanum muricatum ), a horticultural crop that has experienced significant growth in the highlands of China over the past two decades, is widely embraced by consumers due to its distinctive taste and nutritional advantages. This study focused on the cultivar 'Qingcanxiang' of pepino grown on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was analyzed using UPLC-QTOF-MS and RNA-seq transcriptome sequencing. Fruit samples were collected at three distinct stages of development, and the results of the metabolomics and transcriptomics were compared and correlated. The study's findings indicate that the 'Qingcanxiang' fruit contained a total of 187 metabolites, comprising 12 distinct categories of compounds, including amino acids and their derivatives, organic acids, sugars and alcohols, phenols and phenolic acids. Of these metabolites, 94 were identified as differential. Significant variations in nutrient composition were observed across the three growth stages of the fruit. Specifically, the stage spanning from the growth to the maturation was identified as the critical stages for nutrient accumulation and flavor development. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed a set of highly associated genes between aspartate and quinic acid, namely SIR2 , IRAK4 , RP-L29 , and CCNH . These genes are potentially involved in the regulation of both amino acid and phenolic acid synthesis. Through the application of metabolomics and transcriptomics, this investigation elucidates the alterations in metabolites and the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms of pepino fruits during three growth stages. The findings furnish a theoretical foundation for the evaluation of nutritional quality and the enhancement of breeding strategies for pepino.

In order to assess the effectiveness of the Special Antimicrobial Stewardship Campaign launched by Ministry of Health of China in 2011, this study focused on the effectiveness and trends in the clinical use of antimicrobial drugs in selected hospitals in Southern Sichuan, China. This study collected and analyzed antibiotic data from 9 hospitals in Southern Sichuanin 2010, 2015, and 2020, including the rate of antibiotic use, expense, the intensity of antibiotic use and antibiotic use during the type I incisions of perioperative period. After 10 years of continuous improvement, the utilization rate of antibiotics in outpatients of the 9 hospitals continued to decline and was controlled below 20% by 2020, while the utilization rate in inpatients also significantly decreased, most were controlled within 60%. The use intensity of antibiotics (DDD (defined daily doses) per 100 bed-days) decreased from an average of 79.95 in 2010 to 37.96 in 2020. The prophylactic use of antibiotics decreased significantly in type I incision. The proportion of use within 30 min-1 h before operation was significantly increased. After the special rectification and sustained development of the clinical application of antibiotics, the relevant indicators of antibiotics tend to be stable, indicating that this Administration of antimicrobial drugs is conducive to improving the level of rational clinical application of antibiotics., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Different statistical methods include various subjective criteria that can prevent over-testing. However, no unified framework that defines generalized objective criteria for various diseases is available to determine the appropriateness of diagnostic tests recommended by doctors. We present the clinical decision-making framework against over-testing based on modeling the implicit evaluation criteria (CDFO-MIEC). The CDFO-MIEC quantifies the subjective evaluation process using statistics-based methods to identify over-testing. Furthermore, it determines the test's appropriateness with extracted entities obtained via named entity recognition and entity alignment. More specifically, implicit evaluation criteria are defined-namely, the correlation among the diagnostic tests, symptoms, and diseases, confirmation function, and exclusion function. Additionally, four evaluation strategies are implemented by applying statistical methods, including the multi-label k-nearest neighbor and the conditional probability algorithms, to model the implicit evaluation criteria. Finally, they are combined into a classification and regression tree to make the final decision. The CDFO-MIEC also provides interpretability by decision conditions for supporting each clinical decision of over-testing. We tested the CDFO-MIEC on 2,860 clinical texts obtained from a single respiratory medicine department in China with the appropriate confirmation by physicians. The dataset was supplemented with random inappropriate tests. The proposed framework excelled against the best competing text classification methods with a Mean&#95;F 1 of 0.9167. This determined whether the appropriate and inappropriate tests were properly classified. The four evaluation strategies captured the features effectively, and they were imperative. Therefore, the proposed CDFO-MIEC is feasible because it exhibits high performance and can prevent over-testing., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Strategies and measures for fighting occupational stress in China are inadequate. This study aimed to determine the level of occupational stress in coal miners and to assess the associations between occupational stress and job burn-out, depression and hypertension. The results could provide clues for preventive measures and strategies to improve the psychological well-being of this population., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Xinjiang Coal Administration Bureau., Participants: Four coal mines were selected randomly (computer-generated random number-based selection process) from the 21 coal mines of Xinjiang, and all miners with >1 year of employment were screened for participation., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: A general demographic questionnaire, the Self-rating Depression Scale, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model and the Maslach Burn-out Inventory., Results: A total of 1400 questionnaires were collected, including 1334 (95.3%) valid questionnaires. This survey indicated that 1107 (83.0%) participants with an ERI score >1 (high occupational stress) and 227 (12.8%) had ERI ≤1. Severe depression was found in 21.7% of the participants. Job burn-out was positively correlated with occupational stress, which was, in turn, associated with depression. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that depression (β=0.006, p=0.012), sex (β=0.358, p<0.001) and occupational stress (β=0.702, p<0.001) were independently associated with job burn-out. Working years (β=-0.086, p = 0.015) and job burn-out (β=0.022, p < 0.001) were directly associated with depression., Conclusion: This study highlights that occupational stress may affect job burn-out, depression symptoms and hypertension. A higher degree of occupational stress was associated with poorer mental status and hypertension., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Monitoring the ingestion of microplastics by fish in the environment is crucial to understanding the risks posed by microplastics in the marine ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the ingestion of microplastics in deep-sea fish from the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. All fish samples were contaminated by microplastics, reflecting a high level of microplastic pollution in this region. The average abundance of microplastics in the stomachs of sampled fish was 1.96 ± 1.12 items/individual and 1.53 ± 1.08 items/g, and levels in the intestines of sampled fish were 1.77 ± 0.73 items/individual and 4.82 ± 4.74 items/g. Fish were collected from depths of 200 to 209 m and 453 to 478 m, and no significant difference in the quantity of microplastics ingested was detected among different depths in this range. The microplastics ingested by fish were dominated by plastics that were <1 mm in size, film-like in shape, transparent in color and composed of cellophane. Our results suggest that the ingestion of microplastics by fish is closely related with the microplastic pollution in the marine environment., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of occupational stress and its influence on the quality of life of copper-nickel miners, in order to provide a theoretical basis for alleviating occupational stress to improve their quality of life. Stratified cluster sampling and a self-administered questionnaire survey were used. The Effort⁻Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and the SF-36 (36-Item Short Form) health survey scale were administered to all 2000 miners registered with a copper-nickel mining human resources department and who had been on duty for more than one year. In total, 1857 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 92.85%. The percentage of the copper-nickel miners suffering from occupational stress was 42.65%. A statistically significant difference was observed in relation to the prevalence of occupational stress among miners of different genders, ages, education levels, and operating units. The occupational stress detection rate was higher for males than females. Miners aged between 30 and 34 years exhibited the highest level of occupational stress compared to other age groups. Those with a junior college education exhibited the highest rate of occupational stress compared to those with other levels of education. Those working in the smelting unit exhibited the highest rate of occupational stress compared to those working in other operational units. Those classified as experiencing stress (an ERI score >1) had lower quality of life scores than miners classified as not experiencing stress (an ERI score ≤1). The results show that level of education, monthly income, and degree of occupational stress affect quality of life among copper-nickel miners. It was found that older age, lower income, higher education level, and higher degree of occupational stress were factors related to poorer quality of life. Copper-nickel miners have high levels of occupational stress, and occupational stress is a risk factor that can diminish quality of life.

Objective: To study differential expression of microRNA (miRNA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) from patients with different types of aplastic anemia (AA) and explore the role of miRNA in the pathogenesis of AA., Methods: miRNA microarray were used to determine the differential expression profile of miRNA in PBMNC from patients with AA. Real-time quantitative polymerase china reaction (RQ-PCR) was used to verify the differential expression of miRNA. Candidate miRNA were analyzed with bioinformatics tools., Results: Compared with the normal controls, 6 miRNAs were up-regulated and 10 were down-regulated in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA), while 24 miRNAs were up-regulated and 12 were down-regulated in patients with chronic non-severe aplastic anemia (CAA). Compared with CAA patients, 4 miRNAs were up-regulated and 11 were down-regulated in SAA patients. Compared with normal controls, 3 miRNAs were up-regulated and 4 were down-regulated in both SAA and CAA patients. As verified by RQ-PCR, expression of miR-155-5p and miR-1260b were increased in both CAA and SAA patients compared with the normal controls (P<0.01). The expression of miR-155-5p and miR-1260b of CAA patients were higher than that of SAA patients (P<0.01). Bioinformatics analysis showed that target genes of miR-155-5p and miR-1260b may be involved in regulation of cell metabolism, gene expression and transcription, TNF signaling pathway, B cell receptor signaling pathway, Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis and other signaling process., Conclusion: There are characteristic differential expression profiles of miRNA in PBMNC from CAA and SAA patients, in which miRNA-155-5p and miRNA-1260b are both up-regulated. The common target gene predicted for miRNA-155-5p and miRNA-1260b is ETS1. miRNA-155-5p and miRNA-1260b may act synergistically to inhibit the expression of ETS1 and promote differentiation of Th17, therefore play an important role in the pathogenesis of AA.

Microplastics are emerging contaminants and have attracted widespread environmental concerns about their negative effects on the marine ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the abundances, distributions and characteristics of microplastics in surface seawater and sediments from the North Yellow Sea. The results showed that the abundance of microplastics was 545 ± 282 items/m 3 in surface seawater and 37.1 ± 42.7 items/kg dry weight in sediments, representing a medium microplastic pollution level compared with other sea areas. Small microplastics (<1 mm) made up >70% of the total microplastic numbers. Films and fibers were the dominant shapes of microplastics in both the surface seawater and sediments. Transparent microplastics were generally more common than microplastics of other colors. Based on the identification by a Fourier transform infrared microscope, polyethylene (PE) was the dominant composition of microplastics in surface seawater, while polypropylene (PP) was the most common polymer type in sediments. These results will improve our understanding of the environmental risks posed by microplastics to marine ecosystems., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and its influence on the working ability of oil workers, and to provide a theoretical basis for helping lessen the burden of MSDs and improve the man-machine environment of oil workers. The cluster sampling method was used to study 2000 workers who had been employed for more than 1 year in this field. We investigated the prevalence rate and the work ability index (WAI). A total of 1935 valid questionnaires were collected, a response rate of 96.75%. There were 1639 people who had suffered from MSDs in the past year, a prevalence rate of 84.7%. The damage detection rate in female oil workers was higher than in males, and the damage detection rate in workers aged 30 to 45 years was higher than that in the other two age groups. The detection rate in less highly-educated oil workers was higher than that in more highly-educated workers. The detection rate in divorced workers was higher than that in other groups. The detection rate in workers between the number of working years of 18 to 25 years was higher than in the other two groups. The detection rate in workers with a high professional title was significantly higher than that in lower-titled workers ( p < 0.05). The results showed that the WAI scores of the subjects with MSDs were significantly lower than for subjects without MSDs ( p < 0.05). In a logistic regression analysis, sex, number of working years and WAI index all had an impact on MSDs. We concluded that due to the demands of their role, the oil workers had serious MSDs that influenced their working ability.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of lymphoma in Jiangsu province., Methods: A total of 5 147 consecutive lymphoma samples collected from 18 hospitals in Jiangsu province from January 2007 to December 2013 and diagnosed according to the WHO classification were enrolled in this study. Basic epidemiological information including age, gender and lymphoma subtypes was analyzed., Results: The median age of all lymphoma cases was 59(2-96) years, and gender ratio (M/F) was 1.6:1. The subtypes distribution analysis revealed that Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) accounted for 5.19% (n=241), whereas non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) accounted for 94.81% (n=4 400). Further analysis displayed B-NHL formed 75.44% (n=3 501) of all cases and T/NK-NHL 16.51% (n=766), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and NK/T-cell lymphoma were the major subtypes of B-NHL and T/NK-NHL (53.50%, 1 873/3 501 and 31.85%, 244/766), respectively., Conclusion: Unique epidemiological characteristics of lymphoma in Jiangsu province was different from other regions in China and western country, which can provide strong theoretical basis for public health, clinical and basic research.