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Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most threatening health problems for the elderly males. However, our understanding of the disease has been limited by the research technology for a long time. Recently, the maturity of sequencing technology and omics studies has been accelerating the studies of PCa, establishing themselves as an essential impetus in this field. Methods: We assessed Web of Science (WoS) database for publications of sequencing and omics studies in PCa on July 3rd, 2023. Bibliometrix was used to conduct ulterior bibliometric analysis of countries/affiliations, authors, sources, publications, and keywords. Subsequently, purposeful large amounts of literature reading were proceeded to analyze research hotspots in this field. Results: 3325 publications were included in the study. Research associated with sequencing and omics studies in PCa had shown an obvious increase recently. The USA and China were the most productive countries, and harbored close collaboration. CHINNAIYAN AM was identified as the most influential author, and CANCER RESEARCH exhibited huge impact in this field. Highly cited publications and their co-citation relationships were used to filtrate literatures for subsequent literature reading. Based on keyword analysis and large amounts of literature reading, 'the molecular pathogenesis of PCa' and 'the clinical application of sequencing and omics studies in PCa' were summarized as two research hotspots in the field. Conclusion: Sequencing technology had a deep impact on the studies of PCa. Sequencing and omics studies in PCa helped researchers reveal the molecular pathogenesis, and provided new possibilities for the clinical practice of PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, one of the most populous countries in the world, has suffered the highest number of natural disaster-related deaths from fire. On local scales, the main causes of urban fires are anthropogenic in nature. Yet, on regional to national scales, little is known about the indicators of large-scale co-varying urban fire activity in China. Here, we present the China Fire History Atlas (CFHA), which is based on 19   947 documentary records and represents fires in urban areas of China over the twentieth century (1901–1994). We found that temperature variability is a key indicator of urban fire activity in China, with warmer temperatures being correlated with more urban fires, and that this fire–temperature relationship is seasonally and regionally explicit. In the early twentieth century, however, the fire–temperature relationship was overruled by war-related fires in large urban areas. We further used the fire–temperature relationship and multiple emissions scenarios to project fire activity across China into the twenty-first century. Our projections show a distinct increase in future urban fire activity and fire-related economic loss. Our findings provide insights into fire–climate relationships in China for densely-populated areas and on policy-relevant time scales and they contribute spatial coverage to efforts to improve global fire models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the tree growth–climate relationship is consistent in subtropical China has not yet been reported. To fill this gap, we chose Pinus taiwanensis which grow on Lushan Mountain in a subtropical region of China as the target tree species, established a standard tree-ring width chronology, and conducted a moving correlation analysis with climatic factors. The results showed that the relationship between radial growth of P. taiwanensis and climate changed significantly during 1980–1990. From 1955 to 1985, tree rings were negatively affected mainly by precipitation in September of the current growing season. From 1990 to 2014, however, a significant negative correlation appeared between tree rings and sunshine duration from March to April in the growing season. Our results suggest the need to pay attention to this growth–climate inconsistency when conducting dendroclimatology studies in subtropical China. However, the causes of the inconsistency still require further confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure angle, also called maximum safe slope angle, is an important design parameter for rock slope stability analysis and slope excavation. This study aims to scientifically acquire the failure angle of the jointed rock slope, and a method incorporating the kinematic analysis, Bayesian estimation and Monte Carlo simulation is proposed. The probabilistic kinematic analysis could consider the variety of discontinuity properties. The Bayesian estimation and Monte Carlo simulation could consider the varieties and uncertainties of the failure angle data. The proposed method is applied to a discontinuity-controlled rock slope located in the Fusong County, Jilin Province, China. Numerous widely scattered failure angle data is firstly obtained using the probabilistic kinematic analysis. Then the Bayesian estimation and Monte Carlo simulation are applied to determine the failure angle scientifically. The suggested failure angle of west, middle and east section of the studied slope are 65.67°, 65.79° and 64.76°, respectively. The probabilities of kinematic instabilities are also obtained based on the failure angle data. In general, the studied slope is stable and suitable to develop projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to clarify the mechanisms through which leader mindfulness enhances employee creativity, and we proposed that leader–member exchange (LMX) would act as a mediator of this relationship. To test our hypotheses we conducted a survey with 329 subordinates and 51 supervisors employed at three large manufacturing companies in China. The results of structural equation modeling show that the association of leader mindfulness with employee creativity was positive, and that LMX partially mediated this link. This study provides useful insights in explaining the impact that leader mindfulness has on employee creativity by focusing on LMX as a mediator. Our findings indicate that organizations should take leader mindfulness into account, and that managerial interventions should be implemented to establish high-quality LMX relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil bacterial communities are pivotal in regulating terrestrial biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem functions. The increase in global nitrogen (N) deposition has impacted various aspects of terrestrial ecosystems, but we still have a rudimentary understanding of whether there is a threshold for N input level beyond which soil bacterial communities will experience critical transitions. Using high‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we examined soil bacterial responses to a long‐term (13 yr), multi‐level, N addition experiment in a temperate steppe of northern China. We found that plant diversity decreased in a linear fashion with increasing N addition. However, bacterial diversity responded nonlinearly to N addition, such that it was unaffected by N input below 16 g N·m−2·yr−1, but decreased substantially when N input exceeded 32 g N·m−2·yr−1. A meta‐analysis across four N addition experiments in the same study region further confirmed this nonlinear response of bacterial diversity to N inputs. Substantial changes in soil bacterial community structure also occurred between N input levels of 16 to 32 g N·m−2·yr−1. Further analysis revealed that the loss of soil bacterial diversity was primarily attributed to the reduction in soil pH, whereas changes in soil bacterial community were driven by the combination of increased N availability, reduced soil pH, and changes in plant community structure. In addition, we found that N addition shifted bacterial communities toward more putatively copiotrophic taxa. Overall, our study identified a threshold of N input level for bacterial diversity and community composition. The nonlinear response of bacterial diversity to N input observed in our study indicates that although bacterial communities are resistant to low levels of N input, further increase in N input could trigger a critical transition, shifting bacterial communities to a low‐diversity state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chickenpox is a common contagious disease that remains an important public health issue worldwide. Over 90% of unvaccinated individuals become infected, but infection occurs at different ages in different parts of the world. Many people have been infected by 20 to 30 years of age in China, and adults and pregnant women who become infected often develop severe infection. Furthermore, a mortality rate of 2-3 per 100,000 infected persons has been reported. In this study, we explore the temperature-dependent transition of patterns of reported chickenpox cases in two large subtropical climate cities, Wuhan and Hong Kong, China, to aid in the prediction of epidemics and preparation for the effects of climatic changes on epidemiology of chickenpox in China.Methods: We used a time series analysis comprising a spectral analysis based on the maximum entropy method in the frequency domain and the nonlinear least squares method in the time domain. Specifically, the following time series data were analyzed: data of reported chickenpox cases and meteorological data, including the mean temperature, relative humidity and total rainfall in Wuhan and Hong Kong from January 2008 to June 2015.Results: The time series data of chickenpox for both Wuhan and Hong Kong have two peaks per year, one in winter and another in spring, indicating a bimodal cycle. To investigate the source of the bimodal cycle of the chickenpox data, we defined the contribution ratio of the 1-year cycle, Q 1, and the 6-month cycle, Q 2, as the contribution of the amplitude of a 1-year cycle and a 6-month cycle, respectively, to the entire amplitude of the time-series data. The Q 1 values of Wuhan and Hong Kong were positively correlated with the annual mean temperature and rainfall of each city. Conversely, the Q 2 values of Wuhan and Hong Kong were negatively correlated with the annual mean temperature and rainfall of Wuhan and Hong Kong.Conclusion: Our results showed that the mean temperature and rainfall have a significant influence on the incidence of chickenpox, and might be important predictors of chickenpox incidence in Wuhan and Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ku80 is a DNA repair protein which involves in cell apoptosis and chemoresistance. However, it is unclear whether Ku80 correlates with the efficiency of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in human lung adenocarcinoma, and modulates cisplatin/pemetrexed-induced lung cancer cell apoptosis in vitro.Methods: We recruited 110 patients with stage IIIA lung adenocarcinoma, who received 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and their lungs were reevaluated by CT scan. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR was performed to detect the expression level of Ku80. A549 cells were transfected by lentiviral vector containing shRNA and full length cDNA to knockdown or upregulate Ku80 gene expression. CCK8 assay, flow cytometry and Western blot were employed to determine the viability and apoptosis of A549 cells treated with cisplatin combined with pemetrexed.Results: Ku80 expression was detected in 76 patients (69%). There were 38 patients who responded to chemotherapy, where Ku80 was positively expressed in 7 cases (18.4%). Immunohistochemical score of Ku80 protein in the response group (2.079 ± 1.617) to chemotherapy was lower than that in the nonresponse group (5.597 ± 2.114, P < 0.05). Tissue samples from the nonresponse group exhibited higher Ku80 mRNA levels compared to the response group. Ku80 knockdown by shRNA augmented cisplatin/pemetrexed-induced decline in viability, whereas Ku80 overexpression attenuated viability reduction induced by these drugs compared to control A549 cells. Both flow cytometry and Western blot analysis displayed that the apoptotic rate of Ku80 shRNA-transfected A549 cells was significantly increased compared to control cells treated with cisplatin/pemetrexed, which was lowered by Ku80 overexpression.Conclusion: Ku80 could predict the probability of resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma, and reduced cisplatin and pemetrexed-induced apoptosis in A549 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead, a ubiquitous heavy metal, can be found in the environment and food. The present study is the first to estimate the lead dietary exposure of Shenzhen adults (≥ 20 years old) in various age-gender subgroups, and to assess the associated health risk. Food samples that represented the Shenzhen people's dietary pattern were collected and prepared for analysis. Lead was determined in 13 food groups using 276 individual cooked samples by inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dietary exposures were estimated by combining the analytical results with the local food consumption data of Shenzhen adults. The mean and 95th percentile lead exposure of Shenzhen adults were 0.59-0.73 and 0.75-0.94 µg kg-1 bw day-1, respectively. In all food groups, the highest lead exposure was from 'Eggs and their products' (42.4-51.6% of the total exposure); preserved eggs being the main contributor. The other major contributors to lead exposure of Shenzhen adults were 'Fish and seafood, and their products' (14.3-16.7% of the total exposure) and 'Vegetables and their products' (15.5.16.2% of the total exposure). The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used for the risk assessment of lead, and the results showed that the risk was considered to be low in all age.gender groups for Shenzhen adults. However, having considered a number of toxic effects of lead, it is suggested that more efforts should be made to reduce the lead levels in foodstuff for Shenzhen adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pulmonary adenocarcinoma is a predominant pathologic non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) with a high morbidity in China. Even at histological stage I, many patients still experience recurrence after radical surgery; therefore, it is critical to determine useful indicators to stratify patients according to recurrent risk. Centrosomal protein 55 ( CEP55) shares certain characteristics with oncogenes and aberrant expression of CEP55 can lead to tumorigenesis. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of CEP55 in stage I pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Methods We enrolled 106 patients with stage I pulmonary adenocarcinoma who had received complete resection in our study. CEP55 expression levels in the pulmonary tissues of all patients were validated by Western blot analyses and immunohistochemistry. SPSS 17.0 software was employed to analyze the correlation between CEP55 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients, as well as prognosis. Results CEP55 overexpression was detected in 67 patients (63.2%). Overexpression is associated with tumor differentiation ( P = 0.036), T stage ( P = 0.000) and visceral pleural invasion ( P = 0.009). Patients with CEP55 overexpression had worse survival compared with those with low expression ( P = 0.043). Univariate analysis revealed that T stage ( P = 0.000), differentiation degree ( P = 0.002), visceral pleural invasion ( P = 0.000), and tumor size ( P = 0.013) were also significant prognostic factors. Conclusion CEP55 is a useful predicator to improve stratification of patients with stage I pulmonary adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To study rhein-induced apoptosis signaling pathway and to investigate its molecular mechanisms in primary human hepatic cells. Results. Cell viability of HL-7702 cells treated with rhein showed significant decrease in dose-dependent manner. Following rhein treatment (25 µM, 50 µM, and 100 µM) for 12 h, the detection of apoptotic cells was significantly analyzed by flow cytometry and nuclear morphological changes by Hoechst 33258, respectively. Fatty degeneration studies showed upregulation level of the relevant hepatic markers (P < 0.01). Caspase activities expressed significant upregulation of caspase-3, caspase-9, and caspase-8. Moreover, apoptotic cells by rhein were significantly inhibited by Z-LEHD-FMK and Z-DEVD-FMK, caspase-9 inhibitor, and caspase-3 inhibitor, respectively. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by fluorometry. Additionally, NAC, a ROS scavenger, significantly attenuated rhein-induced oxidative damage in HL-7702 cells. Furthermore, real-time qPCR results showed significant upregulation of p53, PUMA, Apaf-1, and Casp-9 and Casp-3 mRNA, with no significant changes of Fas and Cytochrome-c. Immunoblotting revealed significant Cytochrome-c release from mitochondria into cytosol and no change in Fas expression. Conclusion. Taken together, these observations suggested that rhein could induce apoptosis in HL-7702 cells via mitochondria-mediated signal pathway with involvement of oxidative stress mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To report on six cases of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome ( CAIS) and a review of the relevant published work. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of a total of six patients with CAIS who were admitted to our hospital between September 1985 and June 2012. All surgical patients were examined for sex chromosomes and sex hormone levels pre- and postoperatively, respectively, and underwent lower abdominal B ultrasounds and pathological examinations among other tests. Results Five of the patients were treated with castration, one patient aged 5 years was treated conservatively Tissue from surgical resections showed normal testicular tissue that comprised Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, and pathological examinations showed no sign of testicular cancer. Following corrective operations, postoperative complications, such as female secondary sexual characteristics, stagnation and osteoporosis, have not developed. Sex hormone level ratio changed significantly after being treated with castration compared with preoperative levels; mainly testosterone and estrogen decreased significantly ( P < 0.05), while luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone significantly increased ( P < 0.05). However, prolactin did not change significantly ( P > 0.05). Conclusion The study show that removal of the testes in CAIS patients after puberty is safe and reliable. Meanwhile, it is essential to provide a hormone drug after being treated with castration. Further studies are needed to evaluate the safety and the quality of life for CAIS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aiming to the present situation and the existence problem of the characteristic agriculture production management of the south China, this article takes the characteristic agriculture of the Guangdong province as representative and enumerates the key factors of the characteristic industry chain in details. Through analysing and studying the key factors and the relation of each factors, the article propose that a set of “the government supervises, the scientific research support, the enterprise operation, the rural civilians benefit” as the characteristic agricultural industry chain service pattern, designed and developed the agricultural production, supplies and sales information service platform, and further introduces the application effect of the platform and the next research direction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• NDVI and tree rings were used to detect forest declines during 2009–2014. • Spatial pattern of decline risks was identified using decision trees in June 2012. • Elevation was the dominant factor shaping the topographic pattern of forest decline. Forest decline is mostly attributed to factors related to climate change and human activities. However, it is not well-known how topographic factors indirectly shape the forest decline. In this study, we analyzed the topographic patterns of growth decline in Pinus densiflora forests in the Mengshan Mountains of eastern China. A forest decline event occurring in 2009–2014 was identified using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and tree-ring widths. A decision tree model was developed to extract the topographic pattern of the forest decline. Boosted regression tree model indicates that the relative influence of elevation is 93.6%, and the remaining relative influence includes aspect, slope, and landform. We conclude that topography, elevation in particular, indirectly shapes the vulnerability of sites to forest decline and can thus be used to predict the spatial decline risks. Our findings provide new insights into the role of topography in forest decline and hold implications for predicting decline risk and protecting forests in a rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of a leadership training course organized by the Shanghai Mental Health Center and the Pacific-Rim College of Psychiatrists (PRCP), held at the Shanghai Mental Health Center in China on October 14 and 15, 2011. The event tackled issues concerning leadership in psychiatry including quality assurance in research, the challenges in psychiatric education and training in China, and the role of public officials in developing community-wide response systems.

• Glendonites are widely distributed in Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation of South China. • Host strata are characterized by positive δ13C and record excursion EP1. • Calcitic glendonites are characterized by variable and extremely negative δ13C. • Doushantuo glendonites represent a cooling event prior to EN3 or Shuram excursion. • Low T°C, phosphate, and anoxic conditions facilitated glendonite/ikaite formation. Glendonites are pseudomorphs of syndepositional or early authigenic ikaite (CaCO 3 ·6H 2 O) that often forms at near-freezing temperatures. Silicified glendonite has been reported from inner-shelf deposits of the lower Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation at a single stratigraphic section in South China, where they are stratigraphically associated with the positive δ13C excursion EP1 but predate the negative δ13C excursion EN3 (=Shuram excursion), indicating a period of cool climate somewhere between ~609 Ma and ~551 Ma. This interpretation predicts a wider geographic distribution of Ediacaran glendonites in equivalent strata in the Yangtze Block of South China. To test this prediction, we conducted a regional survey of Doushantuo Formation and found that, although glendonites are not universally present, they occur in expected stratigraphic intervals and in association with EP1 at two new sections representing inner-shelf and intrashelf basin facies. The wide but not ubiquitous distribution of Doushantuo glendonites indicates that ikaite precipitation and glendonite formation was controlled by both regional climatic and local geochemical factors. Glendonites at the new localities are stellate clusters pseudomorphed by calcite spar and sometimes are rimmed with silica. The calcite spar is characterized by highly variable and mostly negative δ13C values as low as −37‰, indicating that diagenetic transformation of precursor ikaite to calcitic glendonite may be related to anaerobic oxidation of organic matter or methane in sediment. The new data suggest an early Ediacaran cold period prior to EN3 or the Shuram excursion and facilitation of glendonite/ikaite formation by both climatic and local geochemical conditions such as redox conditions and phosphate concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiometric dating of Neoproterozoic Cryogenian glacial deposits is critical for constraining the duration of the Sturtian and Marinoan ice ages and understanding the climate, geochemistry, and biology related to these Snowball Earth events. U Pb zircon dating of volcanic tuffs on different continents has constrained the chronology of the Sturtian Ice Age, but the timing of onset of the Marinoan Ice Age remains in doubt due to the rarity of datable volcanic tuff beds at or near the base of the glacial succession. Here, we report two new laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U Pb ages for volcanic tuffs within the nonglacial Datangpo Formation from a condensed Cryogenian section in South China. A tuff sample 1.1 m above the Sturtian glacial diamictites of the Gucheng Formation and below a distinctive manganese carbonate layer in the Datangpo Formation, yielded an age of 660.1 ± 3.6 Ma, providing a new age constraint for the end of the Sturtian Ice Age in South China. This result is consistent with those of previous studies, indicating that the Sturtian Ice Age may have terminated before ∼660 Ma. A second tuff located 0.4 m below the boundary between Datangpo Formation and overlying Marinoan diamictites yielded an age of 651.2 ± 3.3 Ma, providing a new age constraint for the onset of the Marinoan Ice Age in South China. This result is consistent with a previously reported maximum depositional age of 651.69 ± 0.64 Ma, by chemical abrasion-isotope dilution-thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-ID-TIMS), for the nonglacial Thorndike submember in Death Valley (USA). This consistency in zircon ages suggests that the Marinoan Ice Age began after 654.5 Ma, and that its duration in South China did not exceed 19 Myr, with age errors incorporated. Our new ages from a shelf section in South China supply reliable geochronological data and constraints on the Cryogenian ice ages. • LA-ICP-MS U Pb dating of zircons in tuffs from mid-Cryogenian Datangpo Fm. • New age of 660.1 ± 3.6 Ma for basal Datangpo limits Sturtian deglaciation to > ∼ 660 Ma. • Age of 651.2 ± 3.3 Ma for upper Datangpo limits onset of Marinoan Ice Age to <654.5 Ma. • These results are consistent with existing radiometric age framework for Datangpo Fm. • The Datangpo Fm. may represent a highly condensed shelf deposit [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of large paleobiological databases has provided an opportunity to reassess the pattern and timing of marine biodiversity changes during the Late Ordovician, which has newly revealed a major decline in biodiversity during the middle to late Katian Stage (448.7–446.7 Ma) and a rapid faunal recovery during the latest Hirnantian to early Telychian stages (444.7437.1 Ma), herein termed the "Katian Extinction" (KE) and the "Early Silurian Recovery" (ESR), respectively. Being only recently recognized, the kill mechanism of the KE and the environmental conditions associated with the ESR have received little attention to date. Here, we report whole-rock iron isotopic compositions (δ56Fe IRMM-14) for the YD-1 drillcore in South China and, combined with other geochemical proxies, use them to investigate environmental influences on the KE and ESR. Iron isotopes are more sensitive to fluctuations in the oxic-to-suboxic part of the redox spectrum than commonly used proxies (e.g., Fe-speciation and trace-metal data) because sediment δ56Fe increases in the oxic zone as a result of 56Fe uptake by Fe(III), whereas it decreases in the suboxic zone due to fractionation in favor of 55Fe during dissimilatory iron reduction. The Katian Extinction coincided with decreasing δ56Fe IRMM-14 (from +0.35‰ to 0.00‰) as well as increasing C org /P and Mo EF , supporting an anoxia-driven biocrisis. Enhanced rates of organic carbon accumulation (OCAR) and biogenic silica accumulation (SiAR) from the Rhuddanian to mid-Aeronian were potentially induced by widespread upwelling in the Yangtze Sea linked to the post-Hirnantian eustatic transgression. Our study provides insight into the causes of the Katian Extinction, which was an integral part of the multi-phased Late Ordovician Mass Extinction, and documents the environmental conditions in the Yangtze Sea in which the Early Silurian Recovery occurred. • Analysis of environmental changes during LOME-0 and Early Silurian Radiation. • Decreased δ56Fe in late Katian indicates a transition from oxic to anoxic conditions. • The mid-Katian extinction event in South China linked to expanded marine anoxia. • Elevated productivity during Rhuddanian linked to greater salinity and upwelling. • Upwelling in Yangtze Sea led to biodiversity recovery of Early Silurian Radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CIA of the Doushantuo Formation decrease in the intervals of EP1, EN2, and EN3. • The decreasing CIA in EP1 is consistent with the occurrence of glendonites. • The decreasing CIA in the EN2 is possibly related to the Gaskiers glaciation. • At least three relative colder periods are identified in the Doushantuo Formation. The Ediacaran Period (635–541 Ma) witnessed rapid turnovers of marine organisms that eventually led to the early Cambrian radiation. The Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation (ca. 635–551 Ma) serves as one of the most important and intensively studied stratigraphic units for understanding the co-evolution of life and environment during this critical time interval. To better understand the early-middle Ediacaran climate change, we reconstruct a temporal variation curve of chemical index of alteration (CIA) from a drill core and an outcrop of the Doushantuo Formation, in combination with previously published CIA data from segments of time-equivalent strata. The results show three distinct decreases in CIA values that correlate well with the positive carbon isotope (δ13C) excursion at the low Doushantuo Formation (EP1) and the negative δ13C excursion at the middle (EN2) and upper (EN3) Doushantuo Formation. The decline of CIA in EP1 is consistent with occurrence of glendonites at the same stratigraphic interval that suggests a cooling event. The low CIA values in EN2 and EN3 also suggest relatively colder periods that are consistent with evidence from strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) and oxygen isotope (δ18O) data. With existing bio- and chemostratigraphic constraints, the cooling event associated with EN2 might be synchronous with the Gaskiers glaciation. The other two cold periods associated with EP1 and EN3, however, have not been documented from other successions globally, which needs to be tested in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is critical to investigate the effects of competition and climate on forest growth as they are main forces affecting forest dynamics. However, in subtropics of China such a study has never been conducted. Here we conducted a pioneer study to evaluate the effects of competition and climate on growth of Chinese red pine (Pinus massoniana) in mixed forests of subtropical China along a broad latitudinal gradient (23°N∼32°N). Twenty-three plots (20m × 20m) were randomly selected from 11 sites and competition and tree radial growth data were collected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to detect the potential spatial pattern in site-specific standard tree-ring chronologies during the common period (1990-2015). The linear mixed-effect models (LMMs) were employed to quantify the relationships between cumulated basal area increment (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years) of subject trees and six distance-independent competition indices. The relationships between tree radial growth and climate were evaluated by response analyses. Finally the best predicted competition index and climate factor were employed in a full model and their relative importance were calculated. The PCA results allowed classifying the mixed forests into southeastern and northern groups along the Nanling Mountains and Wuyi Mountains. LMMs results revealed that competition pressures mainly come from density and size of larger individuals. Response coefficients demonstrated that precipitation in September and sunshine duration in October influenced trees radial growth of southeastern group and northern group respectively. Our results clearly showed that effects of competition on tree radial growth decreased from southeast to north while effects of climates increasing over this large spatial scale. This is the first attempt to clarify the effects of competition, and further quantify the contributions of competition and climate on tree radial growth in China subtropics. Our finds will certainly contribute to a better policy-making for sustainable forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neoproterozoic strata exposed in southwestern Hubei Province preserve vital information for understanding the provenance of Cryogenian sedimentary rocks on the Yangtze Block, South China. However, the provenance and depositional age of these strata remain ambiguous. Here, we report new detrital zircon U Pb ages from the basal and lower Cryogenian Datangpo Formation in southwestern Hubei Province. Two samples yielded four main age clusters at 662–659 Ma, 751–745 Ma, 812–792 Ma and 838–837 Ma, with three minor peaks at 2014 Ma, 2437 Ma and 2602 Ma, indicating that fine-gained siliciclastic deposits of the Datangpo Formation were mainly sourced from Neoproterozoic rocks. The youngest zircon groups for the two samples have average ages of 661.6 ± 3.8 Ma and 659.0 ± 2.9 Ma. These data show that the maximum depositional age of the Datangpo Formation on the Yangtze Block is ca. 661 Ma. The results are consistent with published Cryogenian geochronological data and demonstrate that the Sturtian deglaciation in South China likely occurred at ca. 661 Ma. Based on the comprehensive analysis of this study and previously published data, we infer that siliciclastics of the Cryogenian Nanhua System in the southwestern Hubei Province were mainly derived from the northern and northwestern margins of the Yangtze Block. The pre-Neoproterozoic zircons were most likely derived from the Yudongzi, Kongling, Douling, Zhongxiang, Huangtuling complexes, whereas the Neoproterozoic zircons were mainly sourced from the Bikou Terrane, Hannan Massif, Wudangshan Group, and Huangling Batholith. Comparison with detrital zircon age distributions from Australia, India, and Antarctica implies that Nanhua System siliciclastics in the southwestern Hubei Province were sourced internally within the South China Craton. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that the South China Craton was located on the periphery of the Rodinia supercontinent rather than in its interior. • LA-ICP-MS U Pb dating of detrital zircons in siltstones from Cryogenian Datangpo Fm. • Minimal depositional ages (MDA) based on zircons of 661.6 ± 3.8 Ma and 659.0 ± 2.9 Ma • Termination of Sturtian Ice Age in Yangtze Gorges area constrained to ca. 661 Ma • Provenance of Nanhua System siliciclastics from N and NW margins of Yangtze Block • South China Craton was located on periphery of Rodinia supercontinent, not interior [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Because of the need to understand the links and feedbacks of the carbon cycle during times of global greenhouse conditions numerous studies have focused on the Cretaceous climate. Much of what we know about this warm period in Earth's history comes from the study of ocean sediments recovered from both ocean drill cores and marine sediments exposed at the Earth's surface. In contrast, there are few studies of Cretaceous terrestrial sediments. The Songliao basin located in northeast China offers a unique opportunity to understand Cretaceous paleoclimate of terrestrial settings because it contains a nearly complete record of lacustrine sediments deposited throughout the Cretaceous and there is an active drilling program to recover core from this paleolake. We present carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopic data from ostracods collected from two drill cores (SK-1 (N) and SK-1 (S)) that cover a time interval that extends from the Turonian through the Maastrichtian. These data record robust isotopic trends with numerous carbon and oxygen isotope shifts that are both rapid and long-term. We tentatively interpret this record to reflect changes in both global climate and regional basin evolution. In the Turonian and Coniacian Qingshankou Formation we observe several carbon isotope shifts that appear to be correlative to marine isotopic records based upon timing and magnitude of the isotopic changes. We suggest that the carbon isotope record in the Songliao basin reflect the decrease in carbon isotope ratios following the strong positive excursion at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary, a positive isotope excursion in the late Turonian, and the negative isotope shift that occurs at the Turonian/Coniacian boundary. Upward in the section, however, the marine and Songliao isotopic records diverge as sediment sources shift from the southwest, east and north to more northerly. Strontium isotopes record the change in source region as they increase markedly between the Coniacian/Santonian Yaojia and Santonian/Campanian Nenjiang Formations. As this is the first isotopic record of the Songliao basin we are cautious about many of our interpretations of these isotopic data. Yet it is clear that with tighter age constraints and focused sampling centered on many of the isotope excursions presented here will allow for a deeper understanding of the terrestrial response to changing climate and the hydrologic response to basin evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A statistical survey was conducted at the Burn Unit of the Tangdu Hospital, Shaanxi, China, during the 10-year period from January 2000 to December 2009. In this retrospective study, 383 patients who admitted to our burn unit because of electrical trauma were included. Data including the patient''s general condition, clinical presentation, complications and operation times was collected retrospectively and analyzed with epidemiological methods. Subjects in our collective were predominantly male (90.3%, n =346/383) and were composed by those who injured in work-related incidents (78.3%, n =300/383), rural individuals (58.2%, n =223/383) and students (9.4%, n =36/383). High voltage was directly correlated to severity clinical complications, and amputation. The percentage of myocardial impairment was 79.3% (n =92/116) among patients who suffered with electrical current through heart tissue. Along with the more developed east area of China, electrical injuries are becoming a growing concern of the developing West part in China as well. Electrical injuries induce serious tissue damage, need long hospital stay, and result in high rate of permanent disability and economic hardship for the afflicted families. A competent prevention program needs to be developed to address this problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Late Ordovician was a time of major climatic and sea-level changes linked to the Hirnantian Glaciation, marked by large positive excursions of δ13C carb and δ13C org globally known as the Hirnantian carbon isotopic excursion (HICE). However, some Upper Ordovician sections in South China exhibit negative δ13C carb shifts within the Hirnantian-age Guanyinqiao Bed. We hypothesize that these unusual carbon-isotope patterns were due to influx of 13C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from the underlying Wufeng and overlying Longmaxi black shales as a result of greater compaction of these fine-grained siliciclastic units compared to the coarse-grained carbonate Guanyinqiao Bed. The isotopically light DIC was generated through oxidation of organic matter by either microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) or methanogenesis (with subsequent anaerobic oxidation of methane, AOM) in the black shales. This hypothesis is supported by petrographic and geochemical evidence of vertical fluid migration within the Guanyinqiao Bed and across its contacts. In the Shiqiao drillcore, the Guanyinqiao Bed exhibits a V-shaped depression at its top that is connected to vertical channels filled with secondary carbonate cements having low δ13C values. In the Huanggexi section, both the base and top of the Guanyinqiao Bed are characterized by strong U enrichments, despite unambiguously oxic depositional conditions as inferred from other proxies (Fe speciation, Mo and V concentrations). These anomalous U enrichments resulted from oxidative remobilization of U along the Guanyinqiao-black shale contacts and subsequent transport into the Guanyinqiao Bed through compactional flow. This finding demonstrates the importance of recognizing remobilized trace metals in sedimentary successions in order to avoid potential errors in redox interpretations. • Hirnantian Guanyinqiao Bed shows unusual negative δ13C carb excursion in South China. • V-shaped channel in uppermost GYQ Bed is evidence of vertical fluid migration. • Low-δ13C DIC squeezed out of Wufeng-Longmaxi black shales into GYQ Bed by compaction • Low-δ13C DIC formed in black shales by MSR oxidation of OM and/or methanogenesis/AOM • Diagenesis, not depositional anoxia, caused high U concentrations in GYQ Bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context.—: Recently, new technologies, such as next-generation sequencing and third-generation sequencing, have been used in carrier screening of thalassemia. However, there is no direct comparison between the 2 methods in carrier screening of thalassemia., Objective.—: To compare the clinical performance of third-generation sequencing with next-generation sequencing in carrier screening of thalassemia., Design.—: Next-generation sequencing and third-generation sequencing were simultaneously conducted for 1122 individuals in Hainan Province., Results.—: Among 1122 genetic results, 1105 (98.48%) were concordant and 17 (1.52%) were discordant between the 2 methods. Among the 17 discordant results, 4 were common thalassemia variants, 9 were rare thalassemia variants, and 4 were variations with unknown pathogenicity. Sanger sequencing and polymerase chain reaction for discordant samples confirmed all the results of third-generation sequencing. Among the 685 individuals with common and rare thalassemia variants detected by third-generation sequencing, 512 (74.74%) were carriers of α-thalassemia, 110 (16.06%) were carriers of β-thalassemia, and 63 (9.20%) had coinheritance of α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia. Three thalassemia variants were reported for the first time in Hainan Province, including -THAI, -α2.4, and ααααanti3.7. Eleven variants with potential pathogenicity were identified in 36 patients with positive hemoglobin test results. Among 52 individuals with negative hemoglobin test results, 17 were identified with thalassemia variants. In total, third-generation sequencing and next-generation sequencing correctly detected 763 and 746 individuals with variants, respectively. Third-generation sequencing yielded a 2.28% (17 of 746) increment compared with next-generation sequencing., Conclusions.—: Third-generation sequencing was demonstrated to be a more accurate and reliable approach in carrier screening of thalassemia compared with next-generation sequencing., Competing Interests: Liu, Mao, R. Xu, and Chen are employees of Berry Genomics Corporation. The authors have no other relevant financial interest in the products or companies described in this article., (© 2024 College of American Pathologists.)

Objective: To explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the vitamin D receptor gene ( VDR ) with circulating lipids considering gender differences., Methods: Of the Han Chinese adults recruited from a health examination center for inclusion in the study, the circulating lipids, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and other parameters were measured. The VDR SNPs of Cdx2 (rs11568820), Fok1 (rs2228570), Apa1 (rs7975232), and Taq1 (rs731236) were genotyped with a qPCR test using blood DNA samples, and their associations with lipids were analyzed using logistic regression., Results: In the female participants ( n = 236 with dyslipidemia and 888 without dyslipidemia), multiple genotype models of Fok1 indicated a positive correlation of B (not A) alleles with LDLC level ( P < 0.05). In the male participants ( n = 299 with dyslipidemia and 564 without dyslipidemia), the recessive model of Cdx2 and the additive and recessive models of Fok1 differed ( P < 0.05) between the HDLC-classified subgroups, respectively, and Fok1 BB and Cdx2 TT presented interactions with 25OHD in the negative associations with HDLC ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: In the Chinese Han adults included in the study, the Fok1 B-allele of VDR was associated with higher LDLC in females, and the Fok1 B-allele and the Cdx2 T-allele of VDR were associated with lower HDLC in males. The interaction of VD and Fok1 BB or Cdx2 TT in males synergistically decreased HDLC levels., (Copyright © 2022 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Dietary potentially toxic elements (PTEs) exposure in developing countries is of great concern. Probabilistic estimation exhibits great superiority in risk assessment by dealing with the variability and uncertainty of the parameters. Here, a probabilistic estimation based on two dimensions, PTEs in foods and food intake, was conducted. A total of 13 foods were collected from Shenzhen markets during 2005-2017, and the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg, and As were detected. A total of 853 residents from 245 households participated in a total diet study. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg and As were 0.046, 0.0196, 0.0038, and 0.029 mg kg -1 in cereals, 0.042, 0.0174, 0.0027, and 0.014 mg kg -1 in vegetables, 0.044, 0.0237, 0.0056, and 0.021 mg kg -1 in meat, and 0.081, 0.1035, 0.0257, and 0.680 mg kg -1 in aquatic products, respectively. The probability density function showed that the 95th percentiles of the Pb, Cd, Hg, As hazard quotients (HQ) and the hazard index (HI) were 0.68, 1.57, 0.38, 5.81 and 7.51, respectively. Cumulative probability and sensitivity analysis showed that cereals and vegetables contributed most to Pb and Cd exposure; aquatic products to Hg exposure; and cereals and aquatic products to As exposure. The results showed that Shenzhen residents were at risk of exposure to Cd, As, and four PTEs in combination, although a temporal decreasing trend was observed. The probabilistic estimation used here reveals a complete picture of multiple PTEs exposure risk and identifies major contributing food categories, providing a valuable means for risk assessment.

Low-carbon tourism is an effective solution to cope with the goal conflict between developing tourist economy and responding to carbon emission reduction and ecological environment protection. Tourism scenic spots are important carriers of tourist activities and play a crucial role in low-carbon tourism. There are multiple factors affecting the low-carbon performance of a tourism scenic spot, and thus the performance evaluation and ranking of low-carbon tourism scenic spots can be framed as a hierarchical multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. This paper develops a novel method to tackle hierarchical MCDM problems, in which the importance preferences of criteria over the decision goal and sub-criteria with respect to the upper-level criterion are provided by linguistic-term-based pairwise comparisons and the assessments of alternatives over each of sub-criteria at the lowest level are furnished by positive interval values. The linguistic-term-based pairwise comparison matrices are converted into intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations and an approach is developed to obtain the global importance weights of the lowest level sub-criteria. A multiplicatively normalized intuitionistic fuzzy decision matrix is established from the interval-value-based assessments of alternatives and a method is proposed to determine the intuitionistic fuzzy value based comprehensive scores of alternatives. A case study is offered to illustrate how to build a performance evaluation index system of low-carbon tourism scenic spots located at Zhejiang Province of China and show the use of the proposed intuitionistic fuzzy hierarchical MCDM method.

To understand the risks associated with aplastic anemia (AA) in 4 cities of Zhejiang Province, China, with special focus on the joint contributions of multiple risks.Based on an Electronic Data Capture (EDC), a case control study was carried out. Data regarding socio-demographic, diseases history, living habits, and exposures to toxic substances, etc., were collected through survey questionnaires. t Test, chi-square test, or non-parametric rank sum test, and univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyze data.The univariate logistic regression analysis results indicated that among all study participants (n = 1802), AA was associated with over 30 risks, in terms of their individual behaviors, daily and environmental exposures, diseases history, and family history. Multivariate logistic regression analysis further confirmed that the independent risks related to AA included presence of chemical factory within 3 km of living residence (odds ratio [OR] = 8.73, 95% CI: 1.42-53.74, P = .019), living in a newly decorated house/apartment (OR = 25.37, 95% CI: 4.44-144.81, P < .001), vegetarian diet (OR = 131.60, 95% CI: 3.45-5020.16, P = .009), preference of sugar (OR = 89.38, 95% CI: 7.22-1106.44, P < .001), preference of oily food (OR = 55.68, 95% CI: 5.12-605.26, P = .001), drinking lake water or pond water (OR = 58.05, 95% CI: 3.21-1049.81, P < .001), habit of staying up late (OR = 11.87, 95% CI: 3.43-41.02, P < .001), infection history (OR = 10.08, 95% CI: 2.75-36.93, P < .001). Result of receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis on the joint contribution of multiple risks indicated that AA was 13.835 times likely to occur when exposed to ≥1 risks than those exposed to 0 risks (95% CI: 9.995-19.149).Our study results demonstrated a comprehensive epidemiological pattern, in which the joint contributions of individual inherited health status, environment exposure, and individual behaviors lead to the occurrence of AA.

Objective: To assess Shenzhen residents' dietary exposure to aflatoxins from 9 kinds of foods and health risk., Methods: Dietary intake of aflatoxins from local concentration data and foodstuff consumption data was simulated by Mont Carlo nonparametric probability approach., Results: Aflatoxins( AFT) average intake and high intake were 0. 8533 ng/( kg·BW·d) and 2. 1646 ng/( kg·BW·d), respectively. Aflatoxin B1( AFB1) average level intake and higher level intake were 0. 5113 ng/( kg·BW·d) and1. 3264 ng/( kg·BW·d), respectively. The potential risk for cancer using average data was estimated at 0. 0199 people/( ten thousand people·year), even though this was0. 0517 people/( ten thousand people·year) in higher level. Major exposure contribution to food were corn and products, rice and products, and peanut oil, corn oil., Conclusion: The current dietary intake of AFB1 and AFT in Shenzhen has no appreciable effect on health. Government action should be maintained and improved in order to guarantee, aiming at major exposure contribution to food, that special human exposure levels are kept was low as possible.

The present study aimed to explore the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the hepatocyte nuclear factor‑4α (HNF‑4α) gene and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Chinese Bai population in Dali city, China. The polymerase chain reaction‑restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to analyze four SNPs (rs4810424, rs1884613, rs1884614 and rs2144908) in the HNF‑4α gene in 44 patients with type 2 diabetes and 87 healthy controls in Chinese Bai individuals. The haploid type was subsequently built to assess its association with the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Bai population in Dali city. No significant differences were observed between the genotype and allele frequencies of the four SNPs in the HNF‑4α gene and type 2 diabetes mellitus (P>0.05). However, the frequency of haplotype, CCTA, built by rs4810424, rs1884613, rs1884614 and rs2144908 was significantly higher in the type 2 diabetes mellitus group compared with the control group (χ2=8.34, P=0.004). The four polymorphisms, rs4810424, rs1884613, rs1884614 and rs2144908, in the HNF‑4α gene were not the susceptible loci for type 2 diabetes in the Bai population of Dali city, however, the haplotype, CCTA, built from the four SNPs may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in this population.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a structural deformity of the spine affecting millions of children. As a complex disease, the genetic aetiology of AIS remains obscure. Here we report the results of a four-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted in a sample of 4,317 AIS patients and 6,016 controls. Overall, we identify three new susceptibility loci at 1p36.32 near AJAP1 (rs241215, Pcombined=2.95 × 10(-9)), 2q36.1 between PAX3 and EPHA4 (rs13398147, Pcombined=7.59 × 10(-13)) and 18q21.33 near BCL-2 (rs4940576, Pcombined=2.22 × 10(-12)). In addition, we refine a previously reported region associated with AIS at 10q24.32 (rs678741, Pcombined=9.68 × 10(-37)), which suggests LBX1AS1, encoding an antisense transcript of LBX1, might be a functional variant of AIS. This is the first GWAS investigating genetic variants associated with AIS in Chinese population, and the findings provide new insight into the multiple aetiological mechanisms of AIS.

Background: To investigate the overexpression of Metastasis-associated gene 1(MTA1) protein and its relationship to the prognosis in esophageal squamous cell cancer after esophagectomy., Methods: 174 patients with middle third squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus underwent complete resection in Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University between January 2002 and January 2005. The overexpression of MTA1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier method was performed to calculate the survival rate, Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed to determine independent prognostic factors., Results: MTA1 protein overexpression rate in T1, T2, and T3 patients was separately 25.0, 31.9, and 53%, the difference of MTA1 protein overexpression between them was statistically significant (p = 0.017). The overexpression of MTA1 protein in patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than those without metastasis (p = 0.042). MTA1 protein overexpression correlated with significantly worsened 5-year survival for all patients as well as those with T2 and T3 tumors, N0 nodal status or N1 nodal status. However, no significant correlations with T1 patients (p = 0.061). The result of Cox analysis demonstrated that N stage and MTA1 protein overexpression were independent prognostic factors., Conclusion: MTA1 protein overexpression was detected in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and was found to be significantly associated with the T stage. The patients with MTA1 protein overexpression had a significantly lower 5-year survival rate than without MTA1 protein overexpression. Lymph node metastasis and MTA1 protein overexpression were independent prognostic factors., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility loci for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We conducted a meta-analysis of all single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that showed nominally significant P-values in two previously published genome-wide scans that included a total of 2961 ESCC cases and 3400 controls. The meta-analysis revealed five SNPs at 2q33 with P< 5 × 10(-8), and the strongest signal was rs13016963, with a combined odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.29 (1.19-1.40) and P= 7.63 × 10(-10). An imputation analysis of 4304 SNPs at 2q33 suggested a single association signal, and the strongest imputed SNP associations were similar to those from the genotyped SNPs. We conducted an ancestral recombination graph analysis with 53 SNPs to identify one or more haplotypes that harbor the variants directly responsible for the detected association signal. This showed that the five SNPs exist in a single haplotype along with 45 imputed SNPs in strong linkage disequilibrium, and the strongest candidate was rs10201587, one of the genotyped SNPs. Our meta-analysis found genome-wide significant SNPs at 2q33 that map to the CASP8/ALS2CR12/TRAK2 gene region. Variants in CASP8 have been extensively studied across a spectrum of cancers with mixed results. The locus we identified appears to be distinct from the widely studied rs3834129 and rs1045485 SNPs in CASP8. Future studies of esophageal and other cancers should focus on comprehensive sequencing of this 2q33 locus and functional analysis of rs13016963 and rs10201587 and other strongly correlated variants.

Background: Despite increasingly radical surgery for esophageal carcinoma, many patients still develop tumor recurrence after operation. This study was designed to evaluate the recurrence pattern of squamous cell carcinoma in the middle thoracic esophagus after modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of 196 patients who underwent modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection from January 1997 to January 2001. Recurrence was classified as locoregional or hematogenous recurrence. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors of postoperative recurrence., Results: The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rates in all patients were 53% and 31%, respectively. Recurrence was recognized in 96 patients (48.9%) in the 3 years after operation. The median time to tumor recurrence was 12.2 months. The pattern of recurrence was locoregional in 52 patients (mainly mediastinal in 41, single cervical/supraclavicular in 8), hematogenous in 44 patients (simultaneous locoregional and hematogenous in 10; mainly liver, bone, or lung in 39). The locoregional recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients with postoperative radiotherapy than that in patients without postoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.02). Logistic regression analysis showed that T3 (p = 0.032), N1 (p = 0.003), and postoperative radiotherapy (p = 0.022) were independent risk factors for tumor locoregional recurrence., Conclusions: About one half of the patients would develop recurrent disease within 3 years after modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection, and most of them had mediastinal lymph node, liver, bone, or lung metastasis. Postoperative radiotherapy was beneficial in the control of locoregional recurrence.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of lymph node micrometastasis (LNMM) on the basis of the detection of MUC1 mRNA, and assess the impact of these micrometastases on disease-free interval after resection of pathologic N0 (pN0) esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC)., Methods: The subjects were 93 patients who underwent complete resection of pN0 ESCC at our department between January 1999 and January 2001. All lymph nodes (426 stations) obtained from these patients were reevaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to detect MUC1 mRNA. The diagnosis of LNMM was based on the detection of MUC1 mRNA. A log-rank test was performed to compare the disease-free interval, and Cox regression multivariate analysis was performed to determine the independent prognostic factors., Results: Micrometastasis was detected in 40 lymph node stations (9.4%) from 32 patients (34.4%). Disease-free interval was significantly associated with LNMM (P = 0.0138). The 5-year survival rate of patients with LNMM was significantly lower than that of those without LNMM (P = 0.004). The results of multivariate analysis confirmed that T status and LNMM were independent prognostic factors., Conclusions: The prevalence of LNMM in patients with pN0 ESCC was 34.4% (32/93). Thus, LNMM was significantly associated with the disease-free interval. T status and LNMM were both independent prognostic factors.