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Aim: To construct a popularization of an emergency science capacity index system for nurses based on the iceberg model. Design: A mixed‐method research design incorporating quantitative and qualitative components was used. Methods: In this study, the first draft of the questionnaire was developed through literature analysis and semi‐structured interviews. According to the Delphi expert inclusion criteria, 20 experts with rich experience in the field of science popularization were selected, and the system of emergency science popularization ability of nurses was ultimately developed through two rounds of consultation according to the Delphi method. The weights of various indicators were determined through hierarchical analysis. Results: Following two rounds of Delphi surveys, a total of 3 primary, 6 secondary, and 26 tertiary indicators were identified. The indicators were found to be highly significant, with variation coefficients ranging from 0.063 to 0.140. The Kendall's harmonization coefficients for the primary, secondary, and tertiary indicators were 0.350, 0.341, and 0.146, respectively. The popularization of the emergency science capacity system has a certain scientific and practical significance, which is of guidance to the competency of nurses in public health emergencies. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution. This study did not involve patients, service users, caregivers, or members of the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idesia polycarpa is a woody oil plant with great development and application prospects. However, stem canker disease of I. polycarpa was frequently observed in Henan and Hubei provinces of China in 2020–2022. The seriousness of the disease caused a large number of trees deaths, which affected seedling production and fruit yield, restricting the development of the I. polycarpa industry. We performed isolation, purification and pathogenicity analysis of canker samples. Pathogenicity tests reproduced typical canker disease symptoms on detached branches of I. polycarpa. Based on morphological observations, conidial morphology and phylogenetic analysis of isolates with high similarity to the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), EF‐1α and TUB2 sequences screened in GenBank by BLAST, the pathogen of canker disease on I. polycarpa was identified as Botryosphaeria dothidea. This is the first report of B. dothidea as the pathogen of stem canker of I. polycarpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe current status of job satisfaction among Chinese medical social workers and the impact of organizational support and professional identity on job satisfaction among Chinese medical social workers were investigated in the context of the Healthy China Initiative. This article used quantitative research methods, and the data were drawn from the China Social Work Longitudinal Study (CSWLS). The article’s sample comprises 218 medical social workers who participated in a medical social work module survey and who are directly engaged in social service practices in hospitals in China. The results showed that the job satisfaction score of Chinese medical social workers was 3.58, which was considered good. Professional identity can significantly and positively predict and impact job satisfaction, and as a dimension of professional identity, professional enthusiasm has a significant impact on job satisfaction. Organizational cultural support significantly affects job satisfaction and organizational support mediates this relationship between professional identity and job satisfaction among medical social workers. Together, these findings suggest that organizational support and professional identity significantly impact the job satisfaction of medical social workers in China. Future studies should aim to promote professional enthusiasm and enhance organizational culture support to improve job satisfaction among medical social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An important first step in enhancing professional palliative care training is to investigate the educational needs of pediatric clinicians in this field. The aims of this research were to analyze the extent of end-of-life care experience of Chinese pediatric clinicians and identify the differing educational needs of physicians and nurses as well as associated impact factors. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey via a structural questionnaire was used in this research. Results: In total, 187 clinicians, comprising 52 physicians and 135 nurses, participated in this study. The topics "pain management", "symptom management", and "discussing the prognosis with family members" were the most expressed educational needs among both physicians and nurses. Compared to nurses, physicians placed greater emphasis on the importance of "communication" and "pain and symptom management" (p < 0.05). Clinicians with more extensive end-of-life care experience more strongly felt the importance of learning about pain management and communication regarding end-of-life care (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Research showed that the education currently provided to pediatric clinicians does not meet their distinctive needs. Future palliative care education must be a continuing multi-level, interdisciplinary program and different education should be provided to physicians and nurses based on their respective needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Montane habitats are characterized by mountainous regions with steep environmental gradients within a small geographic area. These habitats play a prominent role in shaping vertical species distributions due to multiple correlations between elevation and a host of environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and anthropogenic disturbances. Thus, they make for a fascinating natural laboratory for biodiversity studies. Our study addresses the regional and elevational patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic species diversity in the amphibians of Fujian Junzifeng National Nature Reserve located in eastern China. By combining various diversity indices, we provide a multi-dimensional framework to study the distribution mechanism of amphibian species diversity along a large elevational gradient, in the hopes of contributing to a greater understanding and effective conservation of mountainous amphibian diversity. Elevational gradients provide an excellent opportunity to assess biodiversity patterns and community structure. Previous studies mainly focus on higher elevations or are limited to small areas in mountainous regions. Little information can be found on amphibian biodiversity in middle- and low-elevational areas, hence our study was devoted to filling up the current gaps in these research areas. To understand the variability of biodiversity of amphibian species in the Fujian Junzifeng National Nature Reserve in eastern China, our study included taxonomic and phylogenetic components to describe the various patterns of regional and elevational distribution. The results showed that (1) most of the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity metrics were correlated; with regard to the surveyed area, Faith's phylogenetic diversity index (PD) and net relatedness index (NRI) were positively correlated with the Shannon–Wiener index (H'), Margalef index (DMG), and species richness (S), while negatively with the Pielou index; whereas for elevation, only the Pielou index was positively correlated with the nearest taxon index (NTI), but negatively with other indices; (2) taxonomic and phylogenetic diversities did not differ among the three survey locations but differed significantly along the elevational gradient; Simpson index, H', S, and DMG had a hump-shaped relationship with elevations, and PD decreased gradually with the increase in elevation, whereas NRI and NTI sharply increased at the elevation above 900 m; (3) the species range size and the corresponding midpoint of amphibians were affected by a strong phylogenetic signal, which supports the elevational Rapoport's rule upon removal of Pachytriton brevipes and Boulenophrys sanmingensis from the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pear is a widely eaten fruit all over the world. Volatile aroma is an important factor affecting fruit quality and the fatty acid metabolism pathway is important in synthesizing volatile aromas. In this study, Panguxiang (Pyrus spp. Panguxiang) is a new variety bred from P. bretschneideri Rehd. cv. 'Biyang piaoli' and, unlike most white pear varieties cultivated in China, its aroma is also vital. The study aimed to explore unique pear resources of rich fruit aroma and to clarify the metabolism and regulation mechanism of the aromatic components in pear fruit. This paper used physiological and transcriptome methods to explore the molecular network behind volatile aroma formation in Panguxiang revealed via fatty acid metabolic pathways. Through transcriptome sequencing, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified yellow functional modules and several biological and metabolic pathways related to fatty acid formation. Finally, we identified seven and eight hub genes in the fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid metabolism pathways, respectively. Further analysis of the co-expression network allowed us to identify several key transcription factors related to the volatile aroma, including AP2/ERF-ERF, C3H, MYB, NAC, C2H2, GRAS, and Trihelix, which may also be involved in fatty acid synthesis and further influence the formation of aroma. Pears are popular table fruits, grown and consumed worldwide for their excellent color, aroma, and taste. Volatile aroma is an important factor affecting fruit quality, and the fatty acid metabolism pathway is important in synthesizing volatile aromas. Most of the white pear varieties cultivated in China are not strongly scented, which significantly affects their overall quality. Panguxiang is a white pear cultivar, but its aroma has unique components and is strong. The study of the mechanisms by which aroma is formed in Panguxiang is, therefore, essential to improving the quality of the fruit. The study analyzed physiological and transcriptome factors to reveal the molecular network behind volatile aroma formation in Panguxiang. The samples of Panguxiang fruit were collected in two (fruit development at 60, 90, 120, and 147 days, and fruit storage at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days) periods. A total of nine sample stages were used for RNA extraction and paired-end sequencing. In addition, RNA quantification and qualification, library preparation and sequencing, data analysis and gene annotation, gene co-expression network analysis, and validation of DEGs through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-;PCR) were performed in this study. The WGCNA identified yellow functional modules and several biological and metabolic pathways related to fatty acid formation. Finally, we identified seven and eight hub genes in the fatty acid synthesis and fatty acid metabolism pathways, respectively. Further analysis of the co-expression network allowed us to identify several key transcription factors related to the volatile aroma, including AP2/ERF-ERF, C3H, MYB, NAC, C2H2, GRAS, and Trihelix, which may also be involved in the fatty acid synthesis. This study lays a theoretical foundation for studying volatile compounds in pear fruits and provides a theoretical basis for related research in other fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meadow soil is a vital ecosystem component and can be influenced by meadow vegetation. Evaluating soil quality in mountain meadows subjected to different levels of tourism disturbance is essential for scientific research, ecological restoration, and sustainable management. This study aimed to evaluate meadow soil quality at different tourism-disturbance levels and attempted to establish a minimum data set (MDS) with compatible indicators for soil quality assessment of subtropical mountain meadows. We analyzed fifteen soil physical, chemical, and biological indicators in control check (CK), light disturbance (LD), medium disturbance (MD), and severe disturbance (SD) meadow areas in Wugong Mountain, west of Jiangxi, China. In addition, a soil quality index (SQI) was determined using the established MDS based on the integrated soil quality index. Average soil permeability, soil pH, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and number of fungal OTUs were finally introduced into the MDS to evaluate meadow soil quality at different tourism-disturbance levels. The study found that the soil of the Wugong Mountain meadow was acidic, the bulk density was loose, and the nutrient content was rich. Additionally, SQI decreased with increase in tourism-disturbance level. The mean SQI values of the Wugong Mountain meadow areas were: CK, 0.612; LD, 0.493; MD, 0.448; and SD, 0.416. Our results demonstrate that the SQI based on the MDS method could be a valuable tool with which to indicate the soil quality of mountain meadow areas, and the SQI can be regarded as a primary indicator of ecological restoration and sustainable management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurses play critical roles when providing health care in high-risk situations, such as during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, no previous study had systematically assessed nurses' mental workloads and its interaction patterns with fatigue, work engagement and COVID-19 exposure risk. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via online questionnaire. The NASA Task Load Index, Fatigue Scale-14, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were used to assess nurses' mental workload, fatigue and work engagement, respectively. A total of 1337 valid questionnaires were received and analyzed. Nurses were categorized into different subgroups of mental workload via latent class analysis (LCA). Cross-sectional comparisons, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and multivariate (or logistic) regression were subsequently performed to examine how demographic variables, fatigue and work engagement differ among nurses belonging to different subgroups. Results: Three latent classes were identified based on the responses to mental workload assessment: Class 1 – low workload perception & high self-evaluation group (n = 41, 3.1%); Class 2 – medium workload perception & medium self-evaluation group (n = 455, 34.0%); and Class 3 – high workload perception & low self-evaluation group (n = 841, '62.9%). Nurses belonging into class 3 were most likely to be older and have longer professional years, and displayed higher scores of fatigue and work engagement compared with the other latent classes (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that high cognitive workload increased subjective fatigue, and mental workload may be positively associated with work engagement. Group comparison results indicated that COVID-19 exposure contributed to significantly higher mental workload levels. Conclusions: The complex scenario for the care of patients with infectious diseases, especially during an epidemic, raises the need for improved consideration of nurses' perceived workload, as well as their physical fatigue, work engagement and personal safety when working in public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the mobility and availability of Cd, Pb, and As pollution in the sediments of the Xijiang River Basin, China. The speciation analysis and ecological risk assessment of Cd, Pb, As in 21 sediment samples from the Xijiang River basin were studied by the sequential extraction technique, the enrichment factor (EF), the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), the potential ecological risk index (RI), the potential ecological risk factor (Eri), the risk assessment code (RAC), and the modified potential ecological risk index (MRI) assessment method. Metal speciation analysis indicated that the exchangeable and carbonate fraction were the primary binding phase for Cd in the sediment. However, the residual fraction was the major host for Pb and As. The Cd, Pb, and As speciation were highly correlated with Mn, organic matter (OM), carbonate (Carb), and pH. The RAC and MRI results showed that the mobility and availability of Cd, Pb, and As in the sediment followed the order of Cd > As > Pb. The higher mobility of Cd posed an elevated environmental risk. Moreover, it was found that the Diaojiang River had high ecological risk levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the mining industry mainly contributed to the enrichment of Cd, Pb, and As. This study provides a better understanding to predict and possibly find ways to control pollution of Cd, Pb, and As in sediments of such basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuticular waxes covering the plant surface play pivotal roles in helping plants adapt to changing environments. However, it is still not clear whether the responses of plant cuticular waxes to their growing environments are inheritable. We collected seeds of Medicago ruthenica (a perennial legume) populations from 30 growing sites in northern China and examined the variations of leaf cuticular waxes in a common garden experiment. Four wax genes, MrFAR3-1, MrFAR3-2 , MrCER1 , and MrKCS1 , involved in biosynthesis of predominant wax classes (primary alcohol and alkane) and wax precursors, were isolated to test the contributions of genetic variations of the coding sequences (CDS) and the promoter sequences and epigenetic modifications. The plasticity responses of the cuticular waxes were further validated by two stress-modeling experiments (drought and enhancing ultraviolet B). Great variations in total wax coverage and abundance of wax classes or wax compounds were observed among M. ruthenica populations in a common garden experiment. Stress-modeling experiments further validated that M. ruthenica would alter leaf wax depositions under changed growing conditions. The transcriptional levels of the wax genes were positively or negatively correlated with amounts of cuticular waxes. However, the analysis of promoter methylation showed that the methylation level of the promoter region was not associated with their expressions. Although both promoter sequences and CDS showed a number of polymorphic sites, the promoters were not naturally selected and insignificant difference could be observed in the numbers and types of acting elements of the four wax genes among populations. In contrast, the CDS of the wax genes were naturally selected, with a number of missense mutations resulting in alterations of the amino acid as well as their isoelectric points and polarities, which could impact on enzyme function/activity. We conclude that long-term adaptation under certain environments would induce genetic mutation of wax biosynthesis genes, resulting in inheritable alterations of cuticular wax depositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Access to antibiotics without a prescription from retail pharmacies has been described as a major contributor to anti-microbial resistance (AMR) globally. In the context of high rates of AMR, the Chinese government has recently introduced strict policies regarding hospital antibiotic use, but the existing ban on antibiotic sales without prescription in retail pharmacies has not been strongly enforced. In 2016, a goal of prescription-only antibiotics by 2020 was announced. The objective of the study was to determine progress towards the 2020 goal, through estimating the proportion of retail pharmacies selling antibiotics without prescription across the three regions of mainland China. Methods: Using the Simulated Patient method, we conducted a cross-sectional survey across purposively-sampled retail pharmacies in urban and rural areas of 13 provinces in eastern, central and western China. Medical students presented a scenario of a mild upper respiratory tract infection, following a strict three-step protocol. They recorded the pharmacy characteristics, and details of their experience, including at which step antibiotics were offered. Results: Complete data were obtained from 1106 pharmacies. Antibiotics were obtained in 925 (83.6, 95% CI: 81.5, 85.8%) pharmacies without a prescription, 279 (25.2%) at Stage 1 (symptoms only described), 576 (52.1%) at stage 2 (asked for antibiotics), and 70 (6.3%) at Stage 3 (asked for penicillin or cephalosporins). There were significant differences between provinces, with antibiotic access (at any stage) ranging from 57.0% (57/100) in Zhejiang (81/82) to 98.8% in Guizhou. However, there were no significant differences in access to antibiotics by level of city, county, township or village (P = 0.25), whether the pharmacy was part of a chain or independent (P = 0.23), whether a licensed pharmacist was attending (P = 0.82) or whether there was a sign saying that prescriptions were required for antibiotics (P = 0.19). Conclusions: It is easy to obtain antibiotics without a prescription in retail pharmacies in China, despite the fact it is against the law. This must be addressed as part of the wider anti-microbial stewardship effort which could include intense enforcement of the existing law, supported by a public education campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the Chinese government implemented the Action Plan for Comprehensive Management of the Bohai Sea(CMAP-BS) to improve the marine ecological environment in the Bohai rim. This study considered the Bohai rim as the research area to explore the impact of China's marine governance policies on the marine ecological environment and its mechanism of action. To this end, we used panel data of coastal provinces and municipalities from 2010 to 2020 and adopted a Differences-in-Differences model to analyse the impact of CMAP-BS on its marine ecological environment. Results of the baseline regression suggested that CMAP-BS can improve its marine ecological environment. To corroborate our findings, we further conducted a robustness test; the results were consistent. Heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy effect of CMAP-BS is more pronounced in areas with a better level of economic development than in those with less economic development. Further research and analysis showed that the improvement of the marine ecological environment can be achieved by adjusting the model of agricultural development. • Using empirical methods to analyse the impact of China's marine governance policies on marine ecological environment. • We provide empirical evidence of causal relationships between marine governance policies and marine ecological environment. • We highlight the impacts of agricultural pollution on marine marine ecological environment. • Our study finds that the effectiveness of CMAP-BS shows geographical differences as per the economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats choose their habitats based on microclimate, structure, environment, human disturbance and availability. Selection of suitable roosts by bats can have fitness benefits by providing shelter and a place to rear young. To clarify the mechanism of habitat selection by Stoliczka's trident bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus), roost selection, ecology and diet of this species were studied from December 2013 to September 2017 in mainland China. Ninety-six potential roosts were investigated. Of these, 73 roosts were occupied by bats, and 20 of these roosts were used by A. stoliczkanus. Eighteen variables related to habitat characteristics were measured, and A. stoliczkanus habitat preferences were evaluated using independent-samples t -tests and Chi-square tests. The major environmental factors affecting selection of roosts were determined by principal component analysis (PCA). Roosts used by A. stoliczkanus were significantly smaller in size than those used by other bat species, with more and narrower entrances. Hibernation roosts of A. stoliczkanus had relatively longer roost length, as well as lower entrances. Breeding roosts of A. stoliczkanus were close to the nearest water source and had more entrances, with more area covered by water. Disturbance levels were significantly higher in non-breeding roosts than that in breeding roosts, and disturbance levels were lower in hibernation roosts than non-hibernation roosts. Entrances of breeding roosts were more commonly located on sunny slopes, while entrances of hibernation roosts were more commonly located on shady slopes. Our results are the first to describe roost characteristics and habitat selection of A. stoliczkanus , and increase our understanding of the ecology and habitat of this species. The diet of A. stoliczkanus mainly includes five orders of insects, namely, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, and Diptera, and showed clear seasonal variation from summer to autumn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hipposideros pratti is mainly distributed in mainland China. Many geographical barriers, which might cause different populations of H. pratti to appear differentiation, exist in its distribution areas. Whether the differentiation having reached the levels for subspecies classification requires further study. Currently, there is not a comprehensive study for the external measurements and molecular sequences of H. pratti . The taxonomic status of H. pratti subspecies remains uncertain. To explore the differences and taxonomic status of H. pratti , we conducted a series of surveys on bats in four different areas of China from 2012 to 2015. We performed multivariate morphometric analyses using 16 external and 25 skull measurements and analysed sequence data of two mitochondrial genes (Cytb and COI). Scatter plots indicated that both external and cranial measurements of samples from the four geographical regions separated into two groups: specimens from Western mountain and plateau subregion in Central China (CW) and Southwest mountainous subregion in Southwest China (WS) gathered into a CW-WS group, and specimens from Eastern hilly and plain subregion in Central China (CE) and Min-Guang coastal subregion in Southern China (SM) gathered into a CE-SM group. The divergence between the CW-WS and CE-SM groups for the Cytb and COI genes were 1.6–2.4% and 1.9–2.3%, respectively, which reached the levels required for identifying subspecies classification according to previous studies. Moreover, in the phylogenetic tree based on Cytb and COI sequences, specimens from the regions CW and WS formed a clade, and specimens from the regions CE and SM formed another clade. Both the morphological and molecular results support the conclusion that H. pratti from the CW-WS group represents H. p. pratti , and the CE-SM populations should be termed H. p. sinicus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomacea canaliculata , as an invasive snail in China, can adversely affect agricultural crop yields, ecological environment, and human health. In this paper, we studied the molluscicidal activity and mechanisms of arecoline against P. canaliculata. The molluscicidal activity tests showed that arecoline exhibits strong toxicity against P. canaliculata, and the LC 50 value (72 h) was 1.05 mg/L (15 ± 2 mm shell diameter). Additionally, Molluscicidal toxicity were negatively correlated with the size of snails. Snails (25 ± 2 mm shell diameter) were choosed for mechanisms research and the result of microstructure and biochemistry showed that arecoline (4 mg/L, 20 ℃) had strong toxic effect on the gill, and the main signs were the loss of cilia in the gill filaments. Moreover, arecoline significantly decreased the oxygen consumption rate, ammonia excretion rate and inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Then, the changes in protein expression were studied by iTRAQ, and 526 downregulated proteins were found. Among these, cilia and flagella-associated 157-like (Pc CFP) and rootletin-like (Pc Roo) were selected as candidate target proteins through bioinformatics analysis, and then RNA interference (RNAi) was adopted to verify the function of Pc CFP and Pc Roo. The results showed that after arecoline treated, the mortality and the cilia shedding rate of Pc Roo RNAi treated group was significantly lower than control group. The above results indicate that arecoline can bind well with protein Pc Roo, and then leads to the drop of gill cilia, affect respiratory metabolism, accelerate its entry into hemolymph, inhibit AChE and finally leads to the death of P. canaliculata. • Arecoline has strong toxicity against P.canaliculata, and its molluscicidal toxicity were negatively correlated with size.mg/L • Arecoline has strong toxicity against P.canaliculata, and 526 downregulated proteins were identified in gill. • Protein PcRoo is a target protein when arecoline interacted with P.canaliculata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to understand the distribution and roost characteristics of cave-dwelling bats and to identify those sites that are important for the conservation of bat species in China. A total of 129 roosts in four zoogeographic regions in China, 56 of which had not been previously surveyed, were investigated in this 3-year study (2010-2013). Approximately 95,000 bats representing 32 species were recorded, and the results will provide a reference for future bat research. The bat species of central China are the most abundant because a total of 21 species were found in that region. Southwest China had the largest average number of bat species in each roost, whereas southern China had the largest average number of bats in each roost. Natural caves accommodated >57,000 individuals representing 29 bat species, and the average number of bats in each natural cave was 723.1. The general trend in the number of bat species was decreasing with an increase in altitude. At present, few caves have adequate protection, and some bat populations are under serious threat. The data will help local governments develop suitable strategies to promote local tourism while protecting important habitats of animal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper fakes the Tongyu County as an example, based on the evaluation indicator system of eco-environmental stress, using the method of the entropy -GM(1,1), the eco-environmental stress is evaluated and forecasted. Results show that the shortage of wafer resources, the desertification, the salinization, the grassland degeneration and the population increase are major stress factors of eco-environmenf worsening in the Tongyu County; eco-environmental stress coefficient from 1994 to 2013 in the region was increasing year by year, and the stress degree jumped from level-ill to level-IV. The forecast results show that it the measures don't be taken to protect eco-environment, the stress coefficient still grows, and the stress degree aggravates. In view of the above situation, we fake the measures to lighten eco-environmenf stress, and promote the coordinated development of resources, environment and social economy, which is linking rivers and lakes, wafer resources optimization, preventing and controlling the deseritication and the salinization, improving the degenerated grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the gradual aging of the population, geriatric depression has become a major public health issue in China owing to its overall upward trend and associated negative socio-economic impact. Dearth of information regarding the burden and correlates of geriatric depression among Uyghur minority population in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, called for a comprehensive survey involving representative sample for designing efficient targeted intervention to control this disabling disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1329 consenting Uyghur elderly in 2011 in six randomly selected communities/villages in Xinjiang. Information about socio-demographics, behavior, negative life-events, satisfaction regarding income/quality of life and other chronic diseases were collected while assessment of geriatric depression was done using Geriatric Mental State Schedule (GMS). Results: Among these participants, majority were currently married, had attended elementary school or less, had an average annual family income of less than 3000 Yuan/person, had strong religious beliefs while 10.61% (2.77% in urban and 23.60% in rural area) had geriatric depression (5.91% among male and 14.58% among females). 61.83% were suffering from other chronic diseases, 96.16% could take care of themselves and 39.28% had experienced negative events during last two years. Religious belief (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI 1.18–13.03), satisfaction regarding quality of life (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.37–0.84) and income (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.35–1.60), suffering from more chronic diseases (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.42–2.04), experiencing three or more negative events (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI 0.92–3.22) and lack of ability to take self-care (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.09–4.48) were all associated with having geriatric depression with or without adjustment for gender, education and occupation. Conclusion: High prevalence of geriatric depression among Uyghur elderly in Xinjiang seemed to call for urgent interventions, specifically targeting rural residents, who experienced more negative life-events, were suffering from chronic diseases and were dissatisfied with their income and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel copolymer consisting of sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) and 2-aminoethyl methacrylate (AEMA) named as poly(SBMA-co-AEMA) was synthesized by conventional free-radical polymerization, the poly(SBMA-co-AEMA) zwitterionic copolymer was immobilized onto glass slides surface through polydopamine (PDA)-anchored coating and formed poly(SBMA-co-AEMA)-g-PDA coating. The defined copolymer was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy ( ¹H NMR) and gel permeation chromatography. The surface morphology, thickness, and chemical component of poly(SBMA-co-AEMA)-g-PDA coating were studied by atom force microscope, ellipsometry, and X-ray photoeleetron spectroscopy, respectively. The hydrophilicity and stability of these coatings were investigated by static water contact angles. And finally, the poly(SBMA-co-AEMA)- g-PDA coating was successfully applied into capillary inner surface for suppression electro-osmotic flow and protein separation by capillary electrophoresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dynamic epigenetic changes during hibernation occur in some hibernating rodents, but these changes are poorly understood in hibernating bats. Populations of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in north China hibernate and provide an opportunity to study how epigenetic markers and modifiers differ in the active and torpid states of a chiropteran. We used fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (F-MSAP) and qRT-PCR techniques to determine changes in the global DNA methylation levels and mRNA expression levels of methylation-related proteins. These included DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs), methyl-CpG-binding proteins (MBPs, including MBDs, UHRFs, and zinc-finger protein family) in active and torpid R. ferrumequinum. In the torpid state, both the relative global methylation and the relative mRNA expression levels of some DNMTs and MBPs, including dnmt3b and zbtb4 , increased significantly compared to the expression levels of these in the active state. These changes may involve methylation or assist in regulation of a particular subset of genes according to hibernation status. This indicates that epigenetic mechanisms may exist and facilitate the hibernation process of R. ferrumequinum. [Display omitted] • The global DNA methylation level increased in torpid state. • Some MBPs showed higher mRNA expression levels in hibernation. • Epigenetic marker and modifiers may facilitate the hibernation of the great horseshoe bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of food-borne diseases and surveillance among physicians in Guangdong, China. A total of 812 participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire with in-person interviews taking place in 10 hospitals. The ratio of male to female was 1:1. The majority of the respondents worked in internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and clinical laboratory specialties and had been working as a physician for less than 20 years. Most of the respondents had at least university undergraduate degrees. Results showed over 50% of respondents could not identify the characteristics of food-borne diseases (except food poisoning), and 60% of respondents were not aware of the existence of the Pulsed Field Gel Eelectrophoresis (PFGE) system, which would allow them to monitor food-borne illnesses. 8% of respondents would not collect stool specimens for culture. Only 10% of respondents had positive attitudes towards reporting cases when there was only one suspected case. The predominant reason for non-reporting centered on physicians overlooking patients symptoms as minor with assuming of regular therapy being effective. Thus, physicians considered reporting unnecessary. In diagnosis, when patients presented with symptoms of the nervous system, the muscular system, fever, headache, and dizziness, most of the respondents would consider food-borne diseases depending on the situation. Results of this study show that there is need for food-borne disease surveillance education programs. Adequate education for physicians on food-borne diseases is critical not only for proper treatment of food-borne diseases in patients, but also for on time reporting to health authorities. In order to evaluate the results of the education sessions, further study of the assessment system is necessary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A field study was conducted from 2002 to 2007 to investigate the influence of row spacing of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on soil evaporation (E), evapotranspiration (ET), grain production and water use efficiency (WUE) in the North China Plain. The experiment had four row spacing treatments, 7.5cm, 15cm, 22.5cm, and 30cm, with plots randomly arranged in four replicates. Soil E was measured by micro-lysimeters in three seasons and ET was calculated from measurements of soil profile water depletion, irrigation, and rainfall. The results showed that E increased with row spacing. Compared with the 30-cm row spacing (average E =112mm), the reduction in seasonal E averaged 9mm, 25mm, and 26mm for 22.5cm, 15cm, and 7.5cm row spacings, respectively. Crop transpiration (T) increased as row spacing decreased. The seasonal rainfall interception and seasonal ET were relatively unchanged among the treatments. In three out of five seasons, the four different treatments showed similar grain yield, yield components and WUE. We conclude that for winter wheat production in the North China Plain, narrow row spacing reduced soil evaporation, but had minor improvements on grain production and WUE under irrigated conditions with adequate nutrient levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Selecting more water efficient cultivars is an important way to reduce water use in a water-scarce region. The objectives of this study were to measure the grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars to understand the genetic gains in yield and WUE and their associated physiological and agronomic traits in Hebei province, North China Plain (NCP). Two groups of winter wheat cultivars were tested. Group 1 included 16 winter wheat cultivars that were released between 1998 and 2002 and were tested during the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 seasons under two water regimes. Group 2 included 10 cultivars released between 1970 and 2000, and were tested during the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons under three water regimes. Results showed that WUE increased substantially from 1.0–1.2kgm−3 for cultivars from the early 1970s to 1.4–1.5kgm−3 for recently released cultivars. There was also a variation in yield and WUE of about 20% among Group 1 cultivars. Most of the cultivars in both groups had similar responses to water supply. WUE was greater for less irrigated treatments and maximum grain production was achieved with moderate water deficit. The genetic gains in grain yield were associated with increasing in biomass, harvest index and kernel numbers per spike for cultivars released in different years. Among the Group 1 cultivars, the ones with higher yield generally had higher WUE. No significant correlations were found between WUE and physiological traits such as ash content, chlorophyll content, or relative water content among the cultivars released recently. However, a significant relationship was found between stomatal conductance or ash contents and WUE or grain yield among the Group 2 cultivars. Relationships were apparent between WUE and date of anthesis and harvest index (P <0.05) in Group 1. Earlier flowering cultivars tended to have higher grain yield. In Group 2, flowering date was advancing by about 4 days over the 30 years of crop breeding. The positive relationship between grain yield and WUE for all the cultivars indicated that using a higher yielding cultivar has the potential to improve WUE and thereby to save water. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Field experiments were carried out in two parts at the Luancheng Experimental Station in the North China Plain. Part I, which was a continuous experiment that ran from 1990 to 2008, investigated the change of grain yield, evapotranspiration (ET), root size and soil water utilization of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under three water regimes (rain-fed, two and four irrigation applications). Part II used 10 cultivars released from 1970 to 2000 that were grown under the same condition for two seasons (2005/2006 and 2006/2007) to compare root size, root:shoot ratio and soil water depletion (SWD). The results of testing in Part I showed that the yield and ET of winter wheat gradually increased from 1990 to the present. There was no consistent change in total root length (TRL) over time. The difference in root size among seasons and irrigation treatments mainly occurred in the upper soil profile, where the root length density (RLD) was greater. No direct relationship was found between root size and soil water use. Thus, TRL was not a factor that indicated the water extracting capacity of crops. The results from Part II revealed that the seasonal ET of earlier released cultivars (ERC) was similar to that of recently released cultivars (RRC) under well-watered conditions. However, ET was slightly increased from ERC to RRC under water deficit conditions, indicating high soil water depletion by RRC. TRL decreased from ERC to RRC and was significantly correlated with plant height. The breeding of winter wheat that reduced plant height not only increased harvest index, but also reduced root size, resulting in a smaller root:shoot ratio. The reduction in TRL from ERC to RRC mainly occurred in the top soil profile. The results from both tests indicate that TRL is not a factor that determines soil water use; rather, the distribution of RLD along the soil profile plays more important role in soil water utilization. Smaller root size in the upper soil layer did not affect soil water uptake, and might be more economical in terms of production efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Risk of anterior cruciate ligament is a persistent and severe problem in athletes owing to strenuous exercise-induced lower-body injury. Tendon of deer liquid (TD) a familiar traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for strengthening the bones and muscles. In this study, we seek to demonstrate the application of TD in improving endurance exercise performance and reducing the risk of endurance training injury for free boxing players. Sixteen male free boxing players were randomly assigned to the TD and placebo groups. Body composition, clinical biochemistry profiles, kinematic and physiology exercise tests were evaluated at 2 time points – pre-supplementation (pre-) and after 6 weeks post-supplementation (post-). TD group exhibited significant increase in levels of serum total protein (TP) compared to the placebo group after a 6-week supplementation. Following the treadmill test, serum glucose and maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) levels were increased in the TD group. In the endurance test consisting of 200 counts of drop vertical jumps (DVJs), subjects in the TD group also showed an increase in vertical jump height and reduced risk of musculoskeletal system injuries. TD supplementation leads to better physiological adaptation in free boxing players and has the potential for use as a nutrient supplement toward a variety of benefits for endurance athletes. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS; OMIM 154500) is a craniofacial developmental disorder., Methods: To investigate the genetic features of a four-generation Chinese family with TCS, clinical examinations, hearing tests, computed tomography, whole-exome sequencing (WES), Sanger sequencing, reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and the Minigene assay were performed., Results: The probands, an 11-year-old male and his cousin exhibited typical clinical manifestations of TCS including conductive hearing loss, downward slanting palpebral fissures, and mandibular hypoplasia. Computed tomography revealed bilateral fusion of the anterior and posterior stapedial crura and malformation of the long crura of the incus. WES of both patients revealed a novel heterozygous intronic variant, i.e., c.4342 + 5&#95;4342 + 8delGTGA (NM&#95;001371623.1) in TCOF1. Minigene expression analysis revealed that the c.4342 + 5&#95;4342 + 8delGTGA variant in TCOF1 caused a partial deletion of exon 24 (c.4115&#95;4342del: p.Gly1373&#95;Arg1448del), which was predicted to yield a truncated protein. The deletion was further confirmed via RT-PCR and sequencing of DNA from proband blood cells. A heterozygous variant in the POLR1C gene (NM&#95;203290; exon6; c.525delG) was found almost co-segregated with the TCOF1 pathogenic variant., Conclusions: In conclusion, we identified a heterozygous TCOF1 splicing variant c.4342 + 5&#95;4342 + 8delGTGA (splicing) in a Chinese TSC family with ossicular chain malformations and facial anomalies. Our findings broadened the spectrum of TCS variants and will facilitate diagnostics and prognostic predictions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Papillomas originating from the Schneiderian epithelium within the middle ear are extremely rare and may be associated with a high rate of recurrence and malignant transformation. Oncocytic papillomas represent the rarest pathological subtype of such tumors. The current investigation aimed to determine whether there exists a distinct mechanism underlying the incidence of oncocytic papillomas arising primarily within the middle ear, and to explore potential treatment strategies to ensure complete removal and prevent recurrence., Study Design: Search of the English literature for cases of middle ear papilloma and RNA sequencing analysis of three samples from one new case presenting at the Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University (Shanghai, China), with recurrent middle ear oncocytic papilloma, along with two normal mucosal samples., Setting: Academic, tertiary referral hospital., Patient and Interventions: The patient underwent open mastoidectomy and endoscopic tympanoplasty twice in 6 years. Histopathology confirmed oncocytic papilloma in middle ear. The patient has been free of the disease at 18 months of follow-up without radiation, whereas the RNA-seq analysis of the samples in endoscopic operations remained nonmalignant., Results: Only four cases of primary middle ear oncocytic papillomas have been reported. Recurrent masses usually originate from around the eustachian tube, which may explain the pathogenesis of this lesion. RNA-seq analysis was used to identify 1,317 (UP, 239; DOWN, 1078) differentially expressed genes between papillomas and normal mucosa. The involvement of some hub proteins (e.g., FN1, CXCL8, L10, JUN, and FOS) in the pathogenesis of primary middle ear papillomas was found to align with the observed clinical features., Conclusion: The middle ear oncocytic papillomas were extremely rare and remained incompletely understood. The findings of this first RNA-seq analysis of this rare tumor may serve to enhance comprehension of and aid in the management of middle ear papillomas., Competing Interests: The authors disclose no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023, Otology & Neurotology, Inc.)

Objectives: This study compared the rate of graft success, as well as hearing improvement and dry ear time between dry ears and wet ears with otomycosis or without otomycosis in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) after endoscopic cartilage myringoplasty., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai. In total, 83 patients with CSOM (43 with dry ears and 40 with wet ears) were included. Among the 40 patients with CSOM and wet ears, 25 exhibited otomycosis. All patients underwent endoscopic myringoplasty, and perforations were repaired using tragal cartilage with a single-sided perichondrium. Patients were followed up for at least 6 months. Pure-tone hearing was examined preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The graft uptake rate, hearing improvement, and dry ear time were compared between the groups., Results: The graft success rate did not differ significantly between the dry-ear and wet-ear groups (95.35% and 90.00%, respectively). Furthermore, the graft success rate also did not differ significantly between patients with wet ears and otomycosis and those with wet ears without otomycosis (92.00% and 86.67%, respectively). Hearing gain did not differ significantly between the dry-ear and wet-ear groups. No significant difference in hearing gain was also found in patients with wet ears with or without otomycosis. However, the time to dry ear was significantly longer in the wet-ear group than in the dry-ear group., Conclusion: Patients with CSOM and wet ears required more time to achieve a completely healthy status. However, the graft success rate and hearing improvement were not affected by a wet middle ear and otomycosis. Thus, endoscopic myringoplasty using tragus cartilage is an effective treatment for refractory CSOM in patients with wet ears and otomycosis.

The prevalence of Salmonella serovar 1,4,[5],12:i:- among diarrhea patients has increased considerably in many countries around the world, including China. However, the characterization of this serovar of human origin has been less reported from China. We characterized 76 isolates of Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- gained from diarrhea patients from 2014 to 2018 in the Jiangsu Province of eastern China. These isolates fell into a single-sequence type (ST34) determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and into 44 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis band patterns, with 1 pattern (JSSMM015) comprising 12 isolates (15.9%). By means of PCR-based assays, the seven prophage located virulence genes were detected in our Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- isolates with a high rate of gipA , gtgB , sspH1 , sspH2 , sodC1 , and gtgE (93.4-97.4%), and with a moderate rate of sopE (42.1%). In contrast, none of the five plasmid-borne virulence genes ( spvC , pefA , mig5 , rck , and srgA ) was identified. We tested the isolates' susceptibility to 18 antibiotics of 9 categories using the VITEK 2 system. A high proportion (89.5%) of the isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) strains with full resistance to cefazolin, cefotetan, amikacin, gentamycin, and tobramycin, followed by resistance to ampicillin (88.2%) and ampicillin/sulbactam (80.3%). The resistance to piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, and levofloxacin was scarce (2.6-9.2%). Notably, an isolate from 2018 was resistant to carbapenems. blaTEM-1B and aac(6')-Ib-cr were the most common drug resistance genes presented in cephalosporin- and fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. All Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- isolates were capable of forming biofilm, with 13.2% of them having strong ability. However, no association was indicated between the scale of biofilm formation ability and MDR. Our results indicate that the combination of these characteristics may together provide a selective and competitive advantage to those Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- isolates, contributing to their increasing prevalence observed worldwide.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Most stroke risk studies focused on more established biological and pathophysiological risk factors such as hypertension and smoking, psychosocial factors such as quality of life are often under-investigated and thus less reported. The current study aims to estimate stroke risk and explore the impact of quality of life on stroke risk among a community sample of urban residents in Shanghai., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Fengxian District of Shanghai City from December 2018 to April 2019. 4030 representative participants were recruited through a multistage, stratified, probability proportional to size sampling method and completed the study. Stroke risk was assessed using the Rapid Stroke Risk Screening Chart that included 8 risk factors for stroke. Quality of life was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-brief version (WHOQOL-BREF)., Results: One-third of residents were at risk for stroke, including 14.39% at high risk, and 18.68% at middle risk. The top three most commonly reported risk factors were physical inactivity (37.30%), hypertension (25.38%), and smoking (17.32%). Quality of life and its four domains were all independently and significantly associated with stroke risk. Multinominal logistic regressions showed that a one-unit increase in the quality of life was associated with a decreased relative risk for middle-risk relative to low-risk of stroke by a factor of 0.988 (95% CI:0.979, 0.997, P = 0.007), and a decreased relative risk for high-risk relative to low-risk of stroke by a factor of 0.975 (95% CI:0.966, 0.984, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Our findings showed an alarmingly high prevalence of stroke risk among the sample, which may require future intervention programs to focus on improving both biological and behavioral risk factors such as increasing physical activity, early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension, and smoking cessation, as well as improving psychosocial factors such as quality of life., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The HIV/AIDS epidemic rages on in China, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM with HIV/AIDS also tend to have poorer quality of life than other members of the population. A major contributor to these issues is the huge gap between the increasing demand of MSM for medical services and the availability of such services; their current needs cannot be met only with the services of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The aim of the present study was to examine the quality of life of MSM with HIV/AIDS in Shanghai, as well as determine whether it is influenced by chronic disease self-management (CDSM)., Methods: We conducted a pre-post study to evaluate the effect of CDSM on participants' quality of life. Four hundred twenty participants were assigned to either the CDSM group (n = 210) or the control group (n = 210). We collected data on quality of life (using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey [MOS-HIV]) and various psychological and behavioral variables via interviewer-administered questionnaires., Results: The physical and mental health summary scores of the MOS-HIV were 53.7 and 49.9, respectively. The CDSM group showed a significant improvement in quality of life and a significant decrease in the proportion of participants with anxiety symptoms (from 38.6% to 22.6%). Furthermore, the frequency of condom use increased from 43.3% to 47.3%., Conclusion: MSM with HIV generally had low quality of life in Shanghai. The CDSM program might help promote the quality of life of MSM while helping them practice healthy behaviors., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate the association between the CYP4F2 gene rs1558139 and rs2108622 polymorphisms and hypertension. Materials and Methods: In this meta-analysis, we searched databases for case-control studies published before May 2018 examining the associations between two polymorphic sites of the CYP4F2 gene (rs1558139 and rs2108622) and hypertension. The fixed or random effects model chosen was selected according to the heterogeneity of the studies to calculate the pooled odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Six articles in total were analyzed in this study; three investigated the rs1558139 polymorphism and six investigated the rs2108622 polymorphism. The pooled OR and 95% CI using the dominant model for rs1558139, and both the homozygous model and the recessive model of rs2108622 were statistically significant giving values of 0.83 (0.71-0.96), 0.83 (0.71-0.98), and 1.24 (1.07-1.44), respectively. The pooled OR and 95% CI of the rs1558139 polymorphism in the subgroup analysis based on gender were 1.25 (1.08-1.45) and 0.98 (0.85-1.13), whereas the results for the rs2108622 polymorphism were 1.03 (0.86-1.24) and 0.91 (0.72-1.14). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that the rs1558139 and rs2108622 single nucleotide polymorphisms of the CYP4F2 gene are associated with hypertension, with a particularly strong link between the rs1558139 polymorphism in males.

Background Material and Methods Results Conclusions.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are showing an increasing trend globally as well as in China. Elderly population are more prone to these NCDs. Situation in China is worse owing to the higher proportion of geriatric population. Burden of NCDs and the role of their socio-demographic and behavioral predictors among these elderly and more so among the ethnic minority groups among them, need to be investigated specifically, owing to their distinct genetic background, lifestyles and behavior., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1329 randomly selected persons of Uyghur ethnicity, aged 60 years or more in Xinjiang, the largest administrative division in China to measure the burden of NCDs, understand the distribution of socio-demographic, behavioral and life event-related potential correlates of them and to estimate the association of the NCDs with these correlates., Results: Among these participants 54.2% were female, 86.8% were married and more than half had only attended elementary school or less. 41.46% was suffering from at least one NCD. 20.22% had one NCD, 12.11% had two and 8.58% had three or more. 27.3% had hypertension, 4.06% had diabetes, 6.02% had hyperlipidemia, 7.37% had angina, 14.52% had cardiovascular diseases, 11.59% had any kind of cancers and 9.78% had chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Rural residents (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.17-1.80, AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.53-2.61) and current smokers had higher odds of having more NCDs (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.00-2.34). Additionally not being satisfied with current life, not being able to take care of self in daily life, currently not being involved in farm work, less intake of fresh vegetables, fruits and garlic, too less or too much salt intake, not having hobbies were found to be positively associated with having more NCDs., Conclusion: Implementation of effective intervention strategies to promote healthy life styles among the Uyghur elderly population of China seems urgent.