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The recovery of the global economy in the aftermath of COVID-19 faces enormous challenges. Ensuring stable income growth of the population has become an important means for developing countries to ensure sustained economic development. Raising the overall income of the population is a public initiative that benefits all citizens; therefore, governments of developing countries should promote the implementation of relevant public policies and the provision of public goods to ensure that existing economic instruments can benefit the entire population. In this regard, public space, as a typical form of public good, may play an important role in promoting the benefits of existing economic policies for all residents. This paper examines how residents' use of public space contributes to their income growth through social capital. Hypotheses are tested based on an econometric analysis of 1565 questionnaires received from Chinese workers. The results show that residents' use of public space can indeed be an important way to increase their income, which is realized through the enhancement of social capital. The research presented in this paper provides a new influence variable of public space to improve residents' income. Further, it improves people's understanding of the three classical concepts—public space, social capital, and income—by establishing the logical connection and theoretical explanation of physical space, emotional space, and value space in human society. The conclusions of this paper highlight the important role of public space in urban and rural development planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported a 51-year-old male electric welder with stage I pneumoconiosis, who had no significant cough, sputum, fever, chest pain, or other discomfort. However, regular physical examination at our hospital revealed bilateral pulmonary nodules with cavity formation. Blood routine, liver or kidney function, and infection-related biomarkers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT), were normal. Sputum and alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears, BALF Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) PCR, and T-SPOT.TB were negative. The nucleic acid sequence of Mycobacterium europaeum was detected by BALF metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), which was confirmed by the subsequent positive culture for NTM. Considering stable conditions, no significant discomfort, and no significant changes in the lung lesion, the patient was diagnosed with inactive nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicoceles are a common cause of male infertility, affecting up to 35% of men undergoing fertility evaluations. This study aims to investigate the potential influence of altitude and residence time on the occurrence of varicoceles, as well as on sperm quality and sterility in plateau areas. A total of 168 patients with varicocele were enrolled in the study, and the study population was divided into groups based on their direct exposure to different high altitudes due to their living locations. The internal diameter in Quiet breath (Dr), internal diameter in Valsalva maneuver (Dv), reflux peak value, and reflux time are gradually increased accompanied with altitude elevation and residence time extension. The number of cases above 4,500 m also increased with the severity of varicocele, and the altitude of clinical types was higher than that of subclinical types of varicocele. Especially above 4,500 m, the Dv, Dr, reflux peak value, and reflux time all increased with the severity of varicocele. The severity of varicocele was positively correlated with the residence time in plateau area. Patients with residence time of more than 1 year had higher values of Dr, Dv, differentiation time, reflux peak value, and reflux time than those with residence time of less than 1 year. Compared to 3,650 m, patients with varicocele in 4,500 m also have worse semen quality. Both altitude and residence time are strongly positively related to the severity and incidence rate of varicocele in plateau areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the distinct profiles of work alienation among Chinese nurses, examine the demographic factors associated with profile memberships, and then explore the relationship between latent categories of work alienation and job embeddedness. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 523 nurses was conducted from July to August 2023. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to identify distinct profiles of nurses based on three aspects: powerlessness, helplessness, and meaningfulness. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the predictors of profile membership. Hierarchical regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between profile memberships and job embeddedness. Results: Three subgroups of work alienation of nurses were identified: 23.1%, 57.8%, and 19.1% in the low work alienation group (profile 1), the moderate work alienation group (profile 3), and the high work alienation group (profile 2), respectively. Nurses with college degrees were more likely to be grouped into moderate work alienation. Nurses who did not work night shifts were more likely to have low or moderate levels of work alienation. Nurses earning 2,000–3,000 and 3,001–5,000 yuan per month were likely to be in the low work alienation group. The different categories of work alienation significantly predicted job embeddedness among nurses (ΔR2 = 0.103, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Work alienation has an important impact on clinical nurses' job embeddedness. Nursing managers should pay attention to the differences in individual work alienation status and adopt reasonable management strategies to improve the level of job embeddedness, ensure the quality of care, and reduce nursing turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litchi (Litchi chinensis) is an evergreen fruit tree grown in subtropical and tropical countries. China accounts for 71.5% of the total litchi cultivated area in the world. Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum species is one of the most important diseases of litchi in China. In this study, the causal pathogens of litchi anthracnose in Hainan, China, were determined using phylogenetic and morphological analyses. The results identified eight Colletotrichum species from four species complexes, including a proposed new species. These were C. karsti from the C. boninense species complex; C. gigasporum and the proposed new species C. danzhouense from the C. gigasporum species complex; C. arecicola, C. fructicola species complex; C. arecicola, C. fructicola and C. siamense from the C. gloeosporioides species complex; and C. musicola and C. plurivorum from the C. orchidearum species complex. Pathogenicity tests showed that all eight species could infect litchi leaves using a wound inoculation method, although the pathogenicity was different in different species. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report that identifies C. arecicola, C. danzhouense, C. gigasporum and C. musicola as etiological agents of litchi anthracnose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We developed a nomogram to predict 3-year, 5-year and 7-year cancer survival rates of cancer patients. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 20,491 surviving patients first diagnosed with cancer in Guangzhou from 2010 to 2019. They were divided into a training and a validation group. Lifestyle, clinical and histological parameters (LCH) were included in multivariable Cox regression. Akaike information criterion was used to select prediction factors for the nomogram. The discrimination and calibration of models were assessed by concordance index (C-index), area under time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (time-dependent AUC), and calibration plots. We used net reclassification index (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) to compare the clinical utility of LCH prediction model with the prediction model based on lifestyle factors (LF). Results: 13 prediction factors including age, sex, BMI, smoking status, physical activity, sleep duration, regular diet, tumor grading, TNM stage, multiple primary cancer and anatomical site were included in the LCH model. The LCH model showed satisfactory discrimination and calibration (C-index = 0.81 (95% CI 0.80–0.82) for training group and 0.80 (0.79–0.81) for validation group, both time-dependent AUC > 0.70). The LF model including smoking status, physical activity, sleep duration, regular diet, and BMI showed less satisfactory discrimination (C-index = 0.60 (95% CI 0.59–0.61) for training and 0.60 (0.58–0.62) for validation group). The LCH model had better accuracy and discriminative ability than the LF model, as indicated by positive NRI and IDI values. Conclusions: The LCH model shows good accuracy, clinical utility and precise prognosis prediction, and may serve as a tool to predict cancer survival of cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The introduction of multiparameter MRI and novel biomarkers has greatly improved the prediction of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). However, decision-making regarding prostate biopsy and prebiopsy examinations is still difficult. We aimed to establish a quick and economic tool to improve the detection of csPCa based on routinely performed clinical examinations through an automated machine learning platform (AutoML). Methods: This study included a multicenter retrospective cohort and two prospective cohorts with 4747 cases from 9 hospitals across China. The multimodal data, including demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, and ultrasound reports, of consecutive participants were retrieved using extract-transform-load tools. AutoML was applied to explore potential data processing patterns and the most suitable algorithm to build the Prostate Cancer Artificial Intelligence Diagnostic System (PCAIDS). The diagnostic performance was determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for discriminating csPCa from insignificant prostate cancer (PCa) and benign disease. The clinical utility was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA) and waterfall plots. Results: The random forest algorithm was applied in the feature selection, and the AutoML algorithm was applied for model establishment. The area under the curve (AUC) value in identifying csPCa was 0.853 in the training cohort, 0.820 in the validation cohort, 0.807 in the Changhai prospective cohort, and 0.850 in the Zhongda prospective cohort. DCA showed that the PCAIDS was superior to PSA or fPSA/tPSA for diagnosing csPCa with a higher net benefit for all threshold probabilities in all cohorts. Setting a fixed sensitivity of 95%, a total of 32.2%, 17.6%, and 26.3% of unnecessary biopsies could be avoided with less than 5% of csPCa missed in the validation cohort, Changhai and Zhongda prospective cohorts, respectively. Conclusions: The PCAIDS was an effective tool to inform decision-making regarding the need for prostate biopsy and prebiopsy examinations such as mpMRI. Further prospective and international studies are warranted to validate the findings of this study. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100048428. Registered on 06 July 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust detection of patterns at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) is a fundamental challenge of analysing high-frequency data, particularly in water quality monitoring. When conducting water quality data analysis, an indispensable step is to clean the data noise. In this paper, a new method named ADAPTIVE-EWT-MFE, based on empirical wavelet transform (EWT) and multiscale fuzzy entropy (MFE), is proposed to implement time series data cleaning. EWT-MFE can decompose the spectrum into different intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). According to different characteristics of the IMFs, an adaptive and adjustable parameter based on MFE, which reflects the intrinsic characteristics, is introduced into the threshold function to improve the performance of noise cleaning. Finally, this hybrid data cleaning method is designed to filter the high-frequency noise on the IMFs. Results show that our proposed method not only has great potential to improve the noise-cleaning performance but also does not distort noise-free data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally cervical cancer incidence rate has been declining continuously. However, an unfavorable trend has been observed in China during the past decades, and the underlying reasons remain unclear. We hereby explore the recent trends of cervical cancer incidence, as well as the underlying determinants using data from Guangzhou, one of biggest cities in China.Methods: City-wide cancer registration data were obtained from the Guangzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control from 2004 to 2018. We used the Joinpoint regression models to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of age-standardized and age-specific incidence rates by regions and by histological subtype. Age-period-cohort models were applied to analyze the period and birth cohort effects on the time trends.Results: The age-standardized rates (ASRs) of cervical cancer incidence increased at an annual rate of 2.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0%-3.2%] during 2004-2018. The largest increase in ASRs was found for rural regions, with AAPC of 6.6% [95% CI: 3.7%-9.5%], followed by the suburbs (2.2% [95% CI: 1.0%-3.4%]), while there was no statistically significant increase in urban regions. The ASRs of adenocarcinoma increased faster than those of the squamous cell carcinoma (AAPC = 6.53% [95% CI: 5.0%-8.1%] versus 1.79% [95% CI: 0.8%-2.8%]). A downward trend in urban regions was found in the 20-49 age group, whereas an upward trend was found in the 50 + age group, especially in rural regions. An inverted V-shape was found for cohort effects, with the peak varied by regions, i.e., peaked in the 1966 and 1971 birth cohort in the urban and suburb regions, respectively. Period effects kept increasing during the study period.Conclusions: We systematically examine the disparities in the increases of cervical cancer incidence rates using city-wide data from Guangzhou. Extensive efforts are warranted to address the large urban-rural disparities in cervical cancer prevention. The combined strategies of vaccination, screening, and health education should be reinforced and locally customized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between rumination (deliberate or intrusive), emotional expressivity (positive or negative), and posttraumatic growth among patients within 1 month after an accidental injury. Using a cross‐sectional design, 313 patients were investigated in two comprehensive hospitals. The results revealed that intrusive rumination had a significant positive effect on posttraumatic growth, partly through four different pathways: (i) the mediating role of deliberate rumination; (ii) the chain mediating role of deliberate rumination and negative emotional expressivity; (iii) the chain mediating role of negative emotional expressivity and positive emotional expressivity; and (iv) the chain mediating role of negative emotional expressivity, positive emotional expressivity, and deliberate rumination. Interventions to encourage emotional expressivity and facilitate the transition from intrusive rumination to deliberate rumination may promote posttraumatic growth soon after an accidental injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To reveal the relationship between anti-Golgi antibody (AGA) and clinical diseases through retrospective analysis. Methods The clinical data of 584 cases testing positive for AGA in the past 11 years were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results AGA pattern accounted for.2% of positive ANA results. In total, 35.0% of diagnosed patients had autoimmune diseases (AID), mainly rheumatoid arthritis (RA). High-titer AGA (≧1:1000) was common in AID. In nondiagnosed patients with clinical symptoms, joint pain/muscle pain was the most common. Conclusions Positive AGA with high titer was closely related to RA. Joint pain/muscle pain was the most common symptom in patients who tested AGA positive. Therefore, AGA may be a key indicator of RA in the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle could reduce the cancer mortality in the western population. We conducted a city-wide prospective study in China investigating the association of a healthy lifestyle score with all-cause mortality and the life expectancy in cancer survivors.Methods: This prospective cohort study included 46,120 surviving patients who were firstly diagnosed with cancer in Guangzhou. Five low-risk lifestyle factors including never smoking, never alcohol use, regular physical activity (≥ 2 h/week), sufficient sleep (≥ 6 h/day), and normal or high BMI (≥ 18.5 kg/m2) were assessed and a lifestyle score (0-5, a higher score indicates healthier lifestyle) was generated. Hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality and the life expectancy by levels of the lifestyle scores were estimated.Results: Of 46,120 cancer survivors registered from 2010 to 2017, during an average follow-up of 4.3 years (200,285 person-years), 15,209 deaths were recorded. Adjusted HRs for mortality in cancer survivors with lifestyle score of 0-2, versus 5, were 2.59 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.03-3.30) in women, 1.91 (95%CI 1.77-2.05) in men, 2.28 (95%CI 2.03-2.55) in those aged <65 years, and 1.90 (95%CI 1.75, 2.05) in those aged ≥ 65 years. Life expectancy at age 55 for those with a score of 0-2 and 5 was 53.4 and 57.1 months, respectively. We also found that cancer survivors with healthy lifestyle scores of 5 showed 59.9 months of life expectancy on average, which was longer than those with a score of 0-2.Conclusion: Adopting a healthy lifestyle was associated with a substantially lower risk of all-cause mortality and longer life expectancy in cancer survivors. Our findings should be useful for health education and health promotion in primary care and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aseptic meningitis is most often caused by enteroviruses (EVs), but EVs associated with aseptic meningitis have not yet been reported in Liaocheng. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic characteristics of EVs causing aseptic meningitis in children in Liaocheng.Methods: We reviewed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 504 paediatric cases of aseptic meningitis in Liaocheng from 2018 to 2019 and analysed the phylogeny of the predominant EV types causing this disease.Results: A total of 107 children were positive for EV in cerebrospinal fluid samples by nested PCR. Most of the positive patients were children 13 years old or younger and had symptoms such as fever, headache and vomiting (P < 0.05). The seasons with the highest prevalence of EV-positive cases were summer and autumn. The 107 EV sequences belonged to 8 serotypes, and echovirus types 18, 6 and 11 were the three dominant serotypes in Liaocheng during the 2-year study period. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the E18 and E6 isolates belonged to subgenotype C2, while the E11 isolates belonged to subgenotype D5. VP1 analysis suggested that only one lineage of these three types was cocirculating in the Liaocheng region.Conclusions: This study demonstrated the diverse EV genotypes contributing to a large outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Liaocheng. Therefore, large-scale surveillance is required to assess the epidemiology of EVs associated with aseptic meningitis and is important for the diagnosis and treatment of aseptic meningitis in Liaocheng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diagnosis of pediatric pancreatitis has been increasing over the last 20 years. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics for pediatric acute pancreatitis (AP) with adult AP, and investigate the risk factor for acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) in children.Method: From June 2013 to June 2019, a total of 130 pediatric patients with AP at the inpatient database were enrolled. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for ARP in children.Result: Major etiologic factors in 130 patients were biliary (31.5%), idiopathic (28.5%). The etiology of pancreatitis in children was markedly different from that in adults (p < 0.001). Compared with the adult patients, the pediatric patients had significantly lower severity (p = 0.018) and occurrence rate of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.041), SIRS (p = 0.021), acute peripancreatic fluid collection (p = 0.014). Univariate and Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that female (p = 0.020; OR 3.821; 95% CI 1.231-11.861), hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.045; OR 3.111; 95% CI 1.024-9.447), pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.023; OR 5.768; 95% CI 1.278-26.034) were the independent risk factors of ARP. Hypertriglyceridemia AP had the highest risk of recurrence compared to other etiology (p = 0.035).Conclusion: Biliary and idiopathic disease were the major etiologies of AP in children. Children have simpler conditions than adults. Female, hypertriglyceridemia, and pancreatic necrosis were associated with the onset of ARP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in China and worldwide. New drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 are in urgent need. Considering the long development time for new drugs, the identification of promising inhibitors from FDA-approved drugs is an imperative and valuable strategy. Recent studies have shown that the S1 and S2 subunits of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 utilize human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) as the receptor to infect human cells. Methods: We combined molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to identify potential inhibitors for ACE2 from available commercial medicines. We also designed coronavirus pseudoparticles that contain the spike protein assembled onto green fluorescent protein or luciferase reporter gene-carrying vesicular stomatitis virus core particles. Results: We found that thymoquinone, a phytochemical compound obtained from the plant Nigella sativa, is a potential drug candidate. SPR analysis confirmed the binding of thymoquinone to ACE2. We found that thymoquinone can inhibit SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and NL63 pseudoparticles infecting HEK293-ACE2 cells, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 4.999, 7.598, and 6.019 μM, respectively. The SARS-CoV-2 pseudoparticle inhibition had half-maximal cytotoxic concentration of 35.100 μM and selection index = 7.020. Conclusion: Thymoquinone is a potential broad-spectrum inhibitor for the treatment of coronavirus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind farms offer a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels and can mitigate their negative effects on climate change. However, wind farms may have negative impacts on birds. The East China Coast forms a key part of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, and it is a crucial region for wind energy development in China. However, despite ducks being the dominant animal taxon along the East China Coast in winter and considered as particularly vulnerable to the effects of wind farms, the potential negative impacts of wind farms on duck populations remain unclear. We therefore assessed the effects of wind farms on duck abundance, distribution, and habitat use at Chongming Dongtan, which is a major wintering site for ducks along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, using field surveys and satellite tracking. We conducted seven paired field surveys of ducks inside wind farm (IWF) and outside wind farm (OWF) sites in artificial brackish marsh, paddy fields, and aquaculture ponds. Duck abundance was significantly higher in OWF compared with IWF sites and significantly higher in artificial brackish marsh than in aquaculture ponds and paddy fields. Based on 1,918 high‐resolution satellite tracking records, the main habitat types of ducks during the day and at night were artificial brackish marsh and paddy fields, respectively. Furthermore, grid‐based analysis showed overlaps between ducks and wind farms, with greater overlap at night than during the day. According to resource selection functions, habitat use by wintering ducks was impacted by distance to water, land cover, human activity, and wind farm effects, and the variables predicted to have significant impacts on duck habitat use differed between day and night. Our study suggests that wintering ducks tend to avoid wind turbines at Chongming Dongtan, and landscape of paddy fields and artificial wetlands adjoining natural wetlands is crucial for wintering ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedimentary successions provide direct evidence of climate and tectonics, and these give clues about the causes of the mass extinction around the Permian–Triassic boundary. Terrestrial Permian–Triassic boundary strata in the eastern Ordos Basin, North China, include the Late Permian Sunjiagou, Early Triassic Liujiagou and late Early Triassic Heshanggou formations in ascending order. The Sunjiagou Formation comprises cross‐bedded sandstones overlaid by mudstones, indicating meandering rivers with channel, point bar and floodplain deposits. The Liujiagou Formation was formed in braided rivers of arid sand bars interacting with some aeolian dune deposits, distinguished by abundant sandstones where diverse trough and planar cross‐bedding and aeolian structures (for example, inverse climbing‐ripple, translatent‐ripple lamination, grainfall and grainflow laminations) interchange vertically and laterally. The Heshanggou Formation is a rhythmic succession of mudstones interbedded with thin medium‐grained sandstones mainly deposited in a shallow lacustrine environment. Overall, the sharp meandering to braided to shallow lake sedimentary transition documents palaeoenvironmental changes from semi‐arid to arid and then to semi‐humid conditions across the Permian–Triassic boundary. The die‐off of tetrapods and plants, decreased bioturbation levels in the uppermost Sunjiagou Formation, and the bloom of microbially‐induced sedimentary structures in the Liujiagou Formation marks the mass extinction around the Permian–Triassic boundary. The disappearance of microbially‐induced sedimentary structures, increasingly intense bioturbation from bottom to top and the reoccurrence of reptile footprints in the Heshanggou Formation reveal gradual recovery of the ecosystem after the Permian–Triassic boundary extinction. This study is the first to identify the intensification of aeolian activity following the end‐Permian mass extinction in North China. Moreover, while northern North China continued to be uplifted tectonically from the Late Palaeozoic to Late Mesozoic, the switch of sedimentary patterns across the Permian–Triassic boundary in Shanxi is largely linked to the development of an arid and subsequently semi‐humid climate condition, which probably directly affected the collapse and delayed recovery in palaeoecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Snail, galectin-3, and IGF1R in benign and malignant pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) and explore their role in the diagnosis of malignant PPGL. Methods. We retrospectively collected and analyzed surgical tumor tissue from 226 patients initially diagnosed with PPGL who underwent surgery from Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2016 at West China Hospital, Sichuan University. We observed and quantified the expression of Snail, galectin-3, and IGF1R in paraffin-embedded samples by immunohistochemical staining. Results. The significant difference in survival time among the three groups (benign PHEO, benign PGL, and potentially malignant PPGL) was compared by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The positive staining of Snail, galectin-3, and IGF1R in the benign PHEO group was significantly lower than that in the other three groups (P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier survival plots indicated that the survival time of the patients with intense positive staining was significantly lower than that of the patients with weak positive staining. Conclusion. The intense expression of Snail, galectin-3, and IGF1R may be valuable indicators for the diagnosis of malignant PPGL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is the most common phagocyte defect disease. Here, we describe 114 CGD patients in our center and report a rare female infant with XL-CGD to provide a better understanding of diagnosis, treatment, and prenatal diagnosis of CGD. Method: Patients were diagnosed by DHR-1,2,3 flow cytometry assays and gene analysis. X chromosome inactivation analysis and gp91phox protein test were used for a female infant with XL-CGD. Results: XL-CGD accounts for the majority of cases in China and results in higher susceptibility to some infections than AR-CGD. The DHR assay can help diagnose CGD quickly, and atypical results should be combined with clinical manifestations, genetic analysis, and regular follow-up. For prenatal diagnosis, both gDNA and cDNA genotypes of amniotic fluid cells should be identified, and cord blood DHR assays should be performed to identify female XL-CGD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) incidence has been rising in Chinese population. Current PSA-based biopsy has limited positive rate. Our research focused on development of serum markers for the diagnosis of PCa in patients with elevated PSA. miRNAs are found to be aberrantly expressed in many types of cancer. They are readily detectable in plasma and serum. Currently, miRNAs are being evaluated as potential prognostic and diagnostic tools for many types of cancer. We first profiled global serum miRNAs in a pilot set of PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) cases undergoing TRUS-guided prostate biopsy due to elevated PSA levels. A total of 20 differentially expressed miRNAs were discovered by high throughput microarray for further testing using qRT-PCR. In the training phase with 78 PCa and 77 BPH cases, miR-365a-3p, miR-4286, miR-424-5p, miR-27a-3p, and miR-29b-3p were found to have potential diagnostic value. The Logistics regression equation was established by 5 parameters including PSA, prostate volume, miR-4286, miR-27a-3p, and miR-29b-3p and ROC analysis of this model was made with AUC up to 0.892 (95% CI: 0.832-0.937, sensitivity 78.95%, and specificity 92.21%). The panel had excellent diagnostic performance and its significance was confirmed in 100 serum samples in the validation cohort. Overall, we found a panel of serum microRNAs that have considerable clinical significance in detecting early-stage prostate cancer. When combined with PSA and prostate volume, these microRNAs exhibit favorable diagnostic potency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality prediction is an effective method for managing and protecting water resources by providing an early warning against water quality deterioration. In general, the existing water quality prediction methods are based on a single shallow model which fails to capture the long-term dependence in historical time series and is more likely to cause a high rate of false alarms and false negatives in practical water monitoring application. To resolve these problems, a new model combining recurrent neural network (RNN) with improved Dempster/Shafer (D-S) evidence theory (RNNs-DS) is proposed in this paper. Among them, the RNNs which can handle the long-term dependence in historical time series effectively are used to realize the preliminary prediction of water quality. And the improved D-S evidence theory is used to synthesize the prediction results of RNNs. In addition, an improved strategy based on correlation analysis method is presented for evidence theory to obtain the number of evidence, which reduces uncertainty in evidence selection effectively. Besides, a new basic probability assignment function which based on modified softmax function is proposed. The new function can effectively solve the problems of weight allocation failure in the traditional function. Then, data about permanganate index, pH, total phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen from Jiuxishuichang monitoring station near Qiantang River, Zhejiang Province, China is used to verify the proposed model. Compared with support vector regression (SVR) and backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and three RNN models, the new model shows higher accuracy and better stability as indicated by four indices. Finally, the engineering application of the RNNs-DS algorithm has been realized on the self-developed water environmental monitoring and forecasting system, which can provide effective support for early risk assessment and prevention in water environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subterranean termite Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) is one of the most serious pests of dikes and dams in China, and can build large subterranean cavities inside earthen dikes and dams through workers' tunnelling behaviour. For a better understanding of underground tunnelling strategies of O. formosanus, we used the tunnelling device to investigate the effect of substrate type, moisture content and ambient temperature on tunnelling behaviour. We found that the workers displayed significantly higher-tunnelling efficiency and bigger maximum tunnelling distance in sandy soil when compared to soil and sand. Meanwhile, the workers expressed significantly higher-tunnelling efficiency and bigger maximum tunnelling distance under 20% moisture content than those under 10% and 15% moisture contents. Additionally, the workers exhibited significantly higher tunnelling efficiency and bigger maximum tunnelling distance at 28 °C as compared to 22 and 25 °C. These findings suggest that the above three environmental factors had the significant impacts on tunnelling behaviour of the subterranean termite O. formosanus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Fluvial-eolian systems were identified in the Late Jurassic Tianchihe Formation. • The associations of eolian dune and eolian sandsheet indicate dry eolian system. • An evolving erg system occurred in the upper part of the Tianchihe Formation. • The vertical transition from fluvial to eolian systems suggest a drying trend. • The uplift of the East China Plateau resulted in the erg development. Abstract Eolian systems were widespread in China in the Cretaceous. However, the reports of pre-Cretaceous eolian and its related systems are scarce, which prohibits studying the construction, accumulation and preservation of eolian systems as well as its allogenic and autogenic controlling factors. In this paper, we report on fluvial–eolian successions from the Late Jurassic Tianchihe Formation in the Ningwu–Jingle Basin. These successions represent the oldest reported inland fluvial–eolian systems in China. Fourteen lithofacies types are recognized in the Tianchihe Formation and have been grouped into six facies associations, including meandering fluvial channel, levee and overbank in the lower part, and eolian sandsheet, eolian dune, ephemeral fluvial channel and floodplain in the upper part. The fluvial system comprises a series of wetting upward cycles, which indicate humid climate culminating in high precipitation and shallow water table level. Eolian dune deposits composed of grainflow, grainfall, wind ripple strata and pin stripe laminations currently implies that all deposits types are internally bounded by reactivation surface and superimposition surface, suggesting compound dunes or draas. Eolian sandsheet deposits consist dominantly of subcritical climbing translatent strata and pin stripe lamination. The association of eolian dune and eolian sandsheet is development of a dry eolian system. Twelve drying upward cycles mainly composed of eolian sandsheet–eolian dune successions and four wetting upward cycles consisting of eolian sandsheet/dune–ephemeral fluvial channel/floodplain successions occur in the eolian system. These repeated cycles likely reflect an evolving erg system directly controlled by sediment supply, sediment availability and relative water table. The vertical transition from fluvial to eolian systems indicate a local climatic oscillation from relatively humid to arid conditions, which may be related with the uplift of the East China Plateau in the Late Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tongcheng ultrapotassic rocks intrude in Mesoproterozoic limestones in Chongxin County, Gansu Province, China, at the south‐western margin of the Ordos Block. They are characterized by high K2O and Al2O3 but low SiO2, FeOT, MgO, and CaO. The ultrapotassic rocks are relatively depleted in Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, and Hf and enriched in the large‐ion lithophile elements Rb, Ba, and Th. Zircons from the ultrapotassic rocks yield an Early Cretaceous U–Pb age of 120 Ma. The slightly enriched whole‐rock Sr and Nd isotopic compositions ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.705–0.706; εNd = −4.9 to −5.2) indicate an enriched lithospheric mantle source. Combined with regional tectonic data, the Tongcheng ultrapotassic rocks were generated in an extensional environment, which were caused by the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle. Subduction of the palaeo‐Pacific Plate in Early Cretaceous resulted in large‐scale lithospheric thinning in the eastern North China Craton (NCC), which may have also occurred in the western part of the NCC, but the scale of thinning was smaller compared with that of the eastern NCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first report of sauropod tracks from the Upper Jurassic of Shanxi Province, China. Dinosaur tracks appear concentrated in five trackways, in different stratigraphic levels of the Late Jurassic Tianchihe Formation. Tracks are dominantly small and medium-size sauropod tracks and are tentatively assigned to Brontopodus based on preserved track morphology, trackway pattern and statistical analysis. The Tianchihe Formation in which the tracks appear shows a gradual change from meandering fluvial to sandy braided fluvial depositional systems developed in a seasonally arid environment. Comparisons of the evaluated speed of bipedal to quadruped trackways indicate that the slower walk more easily produces pes-dominated overprints. Trackways in the Guxian tracksite appear following different orientations, suggesting that these trackways were produced by different sauropods at different times. An unusual trackway following a curved pattern has been identified in the site and could represent a special locomotion character or a social behavior. The presence of eolian deposits in central Shanxi Province could have acted as a paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental barrier for the dispersion of the Yanliao Biota that survived in northern Hebei-western Liaoning and northestern Shanxi Province to the Ordos Basin during the Late Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited studies have examined associations between air pollutants exposure and renal function, especially in China, with the most extensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) disease burden worldwide. This study examines associations between long-term exposure to ambient PM 2.5 , NO 2 , CO, O 3 , SO 2 and renal function. We included 80,225 participants aged 30–79 years from the baseline data of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study. Three-year average concentrations of PM 2.5 , NO 2 , CO, O 3 , and SO 2 were estimated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. Renal function is determined by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. After adjusting for covariates, generalized propensity scores (GPS) weighting regression was used to estimate associations between ambient air pollutants and renal function. An increase of 0.1 mg/m3 CO (OR [odds ratio] =1.20 95% CI [confidence interval], 1.05–1.37) was positively associated with CKD. An increase of 1 μg/m3 in SO 2 (1.07, 1.00–1.14) concentration was positively associated with CKD. An increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM 2.5 (1.17, 0.99–1.38), NO 2 (1.12, 0.83–1.51) and O 3 (1.10, 0.81–1.50) concentration was not associated with CKD. These effects are stronger in those younger than 65, smoking and with low BMI. In this study, we found that long-term exposure to ambient CO and SO 2 were positively associated with CKD. Gaseous pollutants should also arouse the concern of relevant departments. [Display omitted] • A positive association between long-term exposure to ambient CO, SO 2 and CKD was observed. • Smoking, age and BMI modified the above association. • The generalized propensity scores weighting method was used to obtain approximate causal associations. • Gaseous pollutants such as CO and SO 2 should also arouse the concern of relevant departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkholderia thailandensis infection in humans is uncommon. We describe a case of B. thailandensis infection in a person in China, a location heretofore unknown for B. thailandensis. We identified the specific virulence factors of B. thailandensis, which may indicate a transition to a new virulent form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder, with phagocytes failing to produce antimicrobial superoxide due to deficient NADPH oxidase activity. Mutations in the gene encoding CYBB are responsible for the majority of the CGD cases. To date, there have been no reports on large samples of children with CGD in China. Therefore, in this study, we described the clinical and molecular features of 38 suspected CGD patients from 36 unrelated Chinese families. Methods: Clinical diagnosis was performed using dihydrorhodamine assays detected by flow cytometry. Molecular analysis was used to identify underlying CGD-causative genes. Results: The mean age of onset in our 38 patients was 3.4 months, while the mean age at diagnosis was 31.7 months. Apart from recurrent pneumonia and abscesses, tuberculosis (TB) and Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infections were notable features in our cohort. Overall, 17 cases died and patient 1 did not participate in the follow-up period . In total, we identified 29 different CYBB gene mutations in 31 patients. We found NCF1 and CYBA mutations in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. In addition, we identified 31 carriers and prenatally diagnosed 4 CGD and 4 healthy fetuses. Conclusions: The results of our study demonstrate that children with BCG infections or recurrent TB infections should have immune function screening tests performed. Moreover, newborns with family histories of primary immunodeficiency diseases should avoid of BCG vaccination. Molecular analysis is an important tool for identifying patients, carriers, and high-risk CGD fetuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous transitional successions are widely distributed in the Tethyan Himalaya, southeast of Yangzuoyong Co Lake, southern Tibet. In ascending order, these include the Weimei (J3, Tithonian), Sangxiu/Jiabula formations (K1, Berriasian). The J/K boundary is located between the Weimei Formation and Sangxiu/Jiabula Formations. Ammonites found in J/K boundary sections in the research area have been classified into three assemblages: Valanginites–Phyllopachyceras assemblage zone (Valanginian), Spiticeras–Thurmanniceras assemblage zone (Berriasian) and Haplophylloceras–Blanfordiceras–Himalayites assemblage zone (Tithonian). Six nannofossil zones: Calcicalathina oblongata assemblage zone, Speetonia colligate zone, N. st. steinmannii zone, N. st. minor zone, P. beckmanni–N. st. minor interval zone, Conusphaera–Polycostella–Nannoconus–Watznaueria assemblage zone were recognized as well. On the basis of lithology, biostratigraphy and geochronology of the J/K transitional deposition succession, this study suggests that the J/K boundary, in southern Tibet, is located on the bottom of P. beckmanni–N. st. minor interval zone, which is further definited as and disappear of Polycostella beckmanni. To address the paucity of previously reported reliable ages for the J/K boundary, this study reports four U–Pb zircon ages (140–142 Ma) obtained with Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) from the volcanic rocks interbedded in the lower Sangxiu Formation, which is expected to provides a direct date reference for the J/K boundary in the Tethyan Himalaya, southern Tibet. From integration of our new (SIMS) U–Pb zircon ages with calcareous nannofossils and ammonites, the age of the N. st. minor zone (NK-D) directly above the P. beckmanni-N. st. minor interval zone (NJK-C) of the basal Berriasian in the Tethyan realm is estimated to be 141–142 Ma. This research is not only helpful to improve the isotopic determination of absolute age for the J/K boundary, but also implies that the Tethyan Himalaya of southern Tibet may be an ideal location in which to explore the J/K boundary in both biostratigraphy and geochronology in future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: To compare the clinical outcomes and associated costs between laparoscopic and abdominal surgery for patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Methods: From 2003 to 2008, 115 patients who underwent laparoscopically-assisted surgery for endometrioid endometrial cancers were enrolled in this retrospective study. Another 123 patients who had abdominal surgery for the same histological type of endometrial cancer were included as the control group. The clinico-pathological variables, surgical outcome, costs, death and case recurrence of the two groups were compared. Results: There was no difference in the patients' age, body mass index, FIGO stage, histological grade or surgical types between the two groups. The patients in the laparoscopy group had less blood loss ( P = 0.010), a shorter hospital stay ( P < 0.001), less postoperative pain ( P < 0.001) and lower complication rates ( P < 0.001) than those treated by laparotomy. The total costs in the laparoscopy group were higher than that in the laparotomy group ($2073 vs $1638, P < 0.001). Patients in the laparoscopy group returned to usual activity more quickly ( P = 0.001) and went back to work earlier ( P = 0.013) than those in laparotomy group. With a median follow-up of 42 months for the laparoscopy group and 40 months for the laparotomy group, there was no significant difference in the number of cases with respect to death ( P = 1.000) or recurrence ( P = 1.000). Conclusions: Laparoscopically-assisted surgery is as effective as the laparotomy approach for the treatment of early-stage and advanced-stage endometrial cancer. The relatively higher cost of the laparoscopic surgery may be compensated by its benefits. In developing countries such as China, laparoscopically-assisted surgery is also an attractive alternative for selected patients with endometrial cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies the resource dependence and behavior theories to explore the determinants of top managers' crisis awareness under the recent financial turmoil. After examining the 217 listed Chinese enterprises in mechatronics and textiles, we have arrived at two key conclusions. First, the strength of crisis awareness is mainly influenced by the existence of slack resources. Second, the behavior theory is more powerful than the resources dependence theory in explaining the formation of managerial crisis awareness in China. Such findings strongly suggest that top managers of Chinese enterprises enhance their crisis awareness, pay attention to the possible negative impact of the financial turmoil and take effective countermeasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy development has complex ecological consequences for many bird species. Previous environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for avian taxa mainly focused on the direct and indirect impacts of wind farm, such as collision mortality, flight changes, and habitat displacement. Their impact on waterbird behavior is less studied, especially foraging behaviors, which determine their energy budget and, thus, their reproduction and survival. In this study, we examined the effect of wind farms and the surrounding landscape on the abundance and energy budget-related behaviors of little egrets (Egretta garzetta), a dominant resident waterbird species near wind farms along the East China coast, from June to October 2019. Three egret behavioral categories were recorded, i.e., rest, locomotion, and foraging, and three foraging subcategories, i.e., stand-and-wait, walk slowly, and walk quickly. We also measured the distance to the wind farm and five landscape variables (aquaculture pond edge, ditch, marsh grassland, marsh open water, and river) within each quadrat. We found no significant effect of the distance to the wind farm on the abundance of little egrets, although their abundance was positively and negatively related to the aquaculture pond edge and marsh open water, respectively. The distance to the wind farm was positively correlated with stand-and-wait foraging. In addition, the river was negatively correlated with locomotion. Marsh open water was negatively correlated with walk slowly foraging. Therefore, the abundance of little egrets in Chongming Dongtan was not affected by the wind farm, although the wind farm resulted in changes to some of their behavior. Overall, the effect of this wind farm on little egrets was limited. We suggest aquaculture ponds mainly inhabited by egrets as alternatives for coastal wind farm development. We also highlight the behavioral evaluation of waterbirds as a complementary technique for EIAs of wind farm developments. • The distance to the wind farm didn't affect the abundance of little egret. • The distance to the wind farm was positively related to stand-and-wait foraging and might decrease foraging efficiency. • Three landscape variables surrounding the wind farm were correlated with the abundance and behavior of little egrets. • Resident bird species such as little egret was possibly slightly impacted by wind farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the prevalence of self-neglect and associated factors among older adults admitted to the hospital in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The cross-sectional study conducted at a Chinese comprehensive hospital between January and April 2021, 452 older adults were recruited to complete the Abrams Geriatric Self-Neglect Scale, Social Support Rate Scale, FRAIL scale, Barthel index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with elder self-neglect. The results showed that the prevalence of self-neglect among our sample was 30.3%. Factors that were associated with the risk of elder self-neglect included male, having multiple children (≥4), receiving infrequent visits from children, frailty, and depression. There is a need to screen for self-neglect among older adults admitted to the hospital in the COVID-19 pandemic context. Tailored interventions are warranted to improve the quality of life of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating animal studies have demonstrated the harmful contribution of ambient air pollution (AP) to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), but corresponding epidemiological evidence is limited. We examined the associations between long-term AP exposure and MAFLD prevalence in a Chinese population. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 90,086 participants recruited in China from 2018 to 2019. MAFLD was assessed based on radiologically diagnosed hepatic steatosis and the presence of overweight/obese status, diabetes mellitus, or metabolic dysregulation. Residence-specific levels of air pollutants, including particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of ≤1 μm (PM 1), ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5), and ≤10 μm (PM 10), and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), were estimated by validated spatiotemporal models. We used logistic regression models to examine the AP–MAFLD associations and further evaluated potential effect modifications by demographics, lifestyle, central obesity, and diabetes status. Increased exposure levels to all 4 air pollutants were significantly associated with increased odds of MAFLD, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.13 (95% CI 1.10–1.17), 1.29 (1.25–1.34), 1.11 (1.09–1.14), and 1.15 (1.12–1.17) for each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and NO 2 , respectively. Further stratified analyses revealed that individuals who are male, alcohol drinkers, and current and previous smokers, those who consume a high-fat diet, and those with central obesity experience more significant adverse effects from AP exposure than other individuals. This study provides evidence that long-term exposure to ambient PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and NO 2 may increase the odds of MAFLD in the real world. These effects may be exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyle habits and central obesity. We conducted an epidemiological study on the potential effect of ambient air pollution on the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in approximately 90 thousand adults in China. We found that long-term exposure to ambient air pollution may increase the odds of MAFLD, especially in individuals who are male, smokers, and alcohol drinkers, those who consume a high-fat diet, and those with central obesity. [Display omitted] • Epidemiologic evidence on the potential role of ambient air pollution in MAFLD is limited. • This study found significant positive associations between air pollution and the odds of MAFLD. • Unhealthy lifestyle habits and the presence of central obesity may exacerbate the harmful effects. • This large-scale human study provides robust results and calls for more prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is limited in responses of watershed dissolved nitrogen (N) export to different land uses in Baijiang soil area under sub-humid cool-temperate climates. This study provided comparisons of three adjacent sub-watersheds (SWs) with contrasting land uses (SW 1: mixed land uses of woodland, dry cropland and residential area; SW 2: dry cropland dominated; and SW 3: paddy field dominated) after agricultural land use conversion (from woodland to dry cropland at SW 1 and SW 2 and from dry cropland to paddy field at SW 3) at the Abujiao River watershed, NE China. Exports of total dissolved N (TN), nitrate N (NO 3 -N) and ammonium N (NH 4 -N) in base and storm flows during the pre-growing, growing and post-growing seasons were investigated. Water discharge at the sub-watersheds mainly occurred as base flow with mean base flow index ranging within 0.62 – 0.69, while base flow and storm flow N exports were comparable. Across sub-watersheds, TN, NO 3 -N and NH 4 -N exported equally through base flow (1.36 – 3.16, 0.56 – 1.69 and 0.24 – 0.63 kg km−2 d−1, respectively) and storm flow (1.42 – 2.95, 0.54 – 1.66 and 0.42 – 0.63 kg km−2 d−1, respectively). SW 3 presented greater N export than SW 1 and SW 2 through base flow in the pre-growing (3.49 – 3.55, 3.21 – 4.30 and 3.27 – 4.47 times for TN, NO 3 -N and NH 4 -N, respectively) and growing seasons (1.95 – 3.32, 2.34 – 2.62 and 1.94 – 2.46 times for TN, NO 3 -N and NH 4 -N, respectively) and through storm flow in the pre-growing season (2.73 – 3.97, 2.59 – 4.02 and 3.38 – 4.00 times for TN, NO 3 -N and NH 4 -N, respectively). No significant difference in N export were found between SW 1 and SW 2. This study suggested special emphasis on the increased export of dissolved N through base flow and storm flow after dry croplands were converted to paddy fields. • Watershed dissolved N exports in sub-humid cool-temperate climates were studied. • Dissolved N exports from sub-watersheds with contrasting land uses were compared. • Paddy field dominant sub-watershed inclined to export greatest dissolved N. • Dry cropland dominant and mixed land use sub-watersheds exported comparable dissolved N. • Dissolved N exports through base and storm flows at sub-watersheds were comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in China has produced numerous well preserved fossils of feathered theropods and early birds. Recent discoveries of feathered dinosaurs, as well as transitional pterosaurs and a sexually mature individual of Darwinopterus preserved together with an egg from the Daohugou Biota of an earlier age than the Jehol Biota, in northeastern China, have greatly enriched our knowledge of the transition from dinosaurs to birds and primitive to derived pterosaurs. The age estimate of fossils or host strata, however, has proven to be contentious and varies widely from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. Here, we report a SHRIMP U–Pb zircon date unambiguously associated with the fossil horizons, and thus, for the first time, provide an age calibration for the earliest appearance of feathered dinosaurs and transitional pterosaurs. Date results indicate that the feathered dinosaurs of China were present more than 161Ma ago, unquestionably older than Archaeopteryx in Germany, and are the earliest known feathered dinosaurs in the world. Furthermore, feathers appeared in ornithischians before 159Ma rather than late in the Early Cretaceous. The known transitional pterosaurs first emerged before 161Ma. The Daohugou Biota, containing mammals, primitive pterosaurs, insects and plants, in addition to the feathered dinosaurs, was living in Inner Mongolia ,western Liaoning and northern Hebei in northeastern China during the Middle Jurassic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dyslipidemia is a crucial risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have suggested that air pollution is associated with blood lipids. However, little evidence exists in low- and middle-income regions. We aimed to investigate the association between air pollution and blood lipids in southwestern China. We included 67,305 participants aged 30–79 years from the baseline data of the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study. Three-year average concentrations of particles with diameters ≤1 μm (PM 1), particles with diameters ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5), particles with diameters ≤ 10 μm (PM 10), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and ozone (O 3) were estimated using satellite-based spatiotemporal models. Individual serum lipids, including cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were measured. Linear, logistic, and quantile regression models were used to evaluate the association between ambient air pollution and blood lipids. All five air pollutants in our study were associated with lipid levels. Increased air pollution exposure was associated with a high risk of dyslipidemia. Each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM 2.5 was associated with 0.92% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64%, 1.20%), 2.23% (95% CI: 1.44%, 3.02%), and 3.04% (95% CI: 2.61%, 3.47%) increases in TC, TG, and LDL-C levels, respectively, and a 2.03% (95% CI: 1.69%, 2.37%) decrease in HDL-C levels, and high risks of dyslipidemia (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.18). Stronger associations of air pollution with blood lipids were found in participants with high lipid levels than in those with low lipid levels. Long-term exposure to air pollutants was associated with blood lipid levels and the risk of dyslipidemia. People with high lipid levels were more susceptible to air pollution. Therefore, air pollution prevention and control may help reduce the incidence of dyslipidemia and the burden of CVDs. • Ambient air pollution was associated with blood lipid levels. • Long-term exposure to air pollutants was associated with the risk of dyslipidemia. • People with high blood lipid levels were more susceptible to air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DOC dynamics in the soil-overlying water system were examined. • Net movement of DOC at the soil-overlying water interface was identified. • Ca2+ and Mg2+ had stronger effects on DOC dynamics than Na+, K+, Cl−, NO 3 − and SO 4 2−. • Increased Ca2+ and Mg2+ in surface soil (0–20 cm) enhanced soil DOC retention. • DOC loss by drainage mainly occurred at the vegetative stage. Cations and anions exerted important effects on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) release and retention in arable soils. However, knowledge is limited on DOC loss from rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddies by drainage and its association with common ions under a conventional irrigation and drainage regime. This study aimed to investigate DOC dynamics in the soil-overlying water system and the synergistic behaviors of common ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO 3 − and SO 4 2−) contributing to variations in DOC flux in drainage water at the pre-growing, vegetative and reproductive stages of rice cultivation in the Sanjiang Plain of NE China. Samples of overlying water and soil in three layers (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) were collected before drainage to evaluate variations of DOC and common ions across rice growing stages and to estimate DOC loss by drainage. Sorption experiments were conducted to determine DOC sorption capacities of surface soil (0–5 cm). Compared with the pre-growing stage, DOC concentrations in overlying water and soil significantly increased at the vegetative stage, while significant increases at the reproductive stage were merely in soil. Net movement of DOC was from soil to overlying water at the pre-growing and reproductive stages, and was close to equilibrium at the vegetative stage. Ca2+ and Mg2+ in surface soils (0–20 cm) displayed stronger capacities explaining DOC dynamics in the soil-overlying water system than the other common ions. As Ca2+ and Mg2+ in surface soils (0–20 cm) increased, DOC in the uppermost soil layers (0–20 and 20–40 cm) and overlying water increased, and DOC sorption capacities in surface soil were enhanced. DOC loss from paddy fields by drainage mainly occurred at the vegetative stage, occupying 62–83 % of the total, and much more attention ought to be paid to control drainage DOC loss during this period. In light of important roles of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in DOC dynamics and then DOC loss by drainage, appropriate measures with respect to addition of Ca2+ and Mg2+ could be taken into consideration in rice cultivation to alleviate paddy field DOC export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the regulating effect of vegetation and soil factors on microbial communities in the alpine steppe under degradation on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the alpine steppe in the Sanjiangyuan area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was chosen. We analyzed the differences in vegetation and soil factors in different stages of degradation （non-degradation, moderate degradation, and severe degradation） and detected the variations in microbial community characteristics in the alpine steppe under different degradation stages using high-throughput sequencing technology. Eventually, redundancy analysis （RDA） and multiple regression matrixes （MRM） based on the similarity or dissimilarity matrix were used to identify key environmental factors regulating microbial （bacterial and fungal） community changes under degradation. The results showed that the degradation of the alpine steppe significantly changed the community coverage, height, biomass, and important value of graminae； significantly reduced the contents of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and silt； and increased the soil bulk density and sand content. Degradation did not change the composition of bacteria and fungi, but their composition proportions changed and also resulted in the loss of microbial richness （Chao1 index and Richness index） but did not significantly change the microbial diversity （Shannon index）. With the occurrence of degradation, the vegetation characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial diversity showed a consistent change trend. Combined with the characteristics of the network topology changes （the number of nodes and clustering coefficient significantly decreased）, it was found that degradation of the alpine steppe led to the decline of interspecies interactions, decentralization of network, and homogenization of microorganisms, but the cooperation relations among the species were maintained （positive correlation connections accounted for more than 90% in all degradation stages）. Under the alpine steppe degradation, the vegetation-soil interaction had the greatest effect on soil bacterial community, whereas soil physicochemical properties had the greatest influence on soil fungal community. Specifically, vegetation community height, biomass, and soil bulk density were the mutual factors regulating soil microorganisms, whereas the vegetation Simpson index, important value of graminae, soil total phosphorus, total potassium, and silt content were the unique factors affecting the soil bacterial community, and soil pH and total nitrogen content were the particular factors affecting the soil fungal community.

Background: Environmental and lifestyle factors play an etiological role in the pathogenesis of different glomerular diseases. Thus, exploring the epidemic characteristics of renal disease in different nationalities and regions is important., Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent renal biopsy from October 2008 to October 2022 were included. The proportion and change tendency of glomerular diseases and the differences between the sexes and different ages and races were analyzed., Results: There were 15,146 cases of glomerular diseases (98.5%), involving 7538 males (49.8%) and 7608 females (50.2%). The mean age was 37.0 years (range 0-80 years). The proportion of membranous nephropathy (MN) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) showed an increased trend. The most common primary glomerulonephritis (PGN) was IgA nephropathy (IgAN, 44.6%), followed by minimal-change disease (MCD, 24.3%) and MN (15.4%). Lupus nephritis (LN, 30%) accounted for the largest proportion of SGNs, followed by Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (HSPN, 20.9%) and DN (19.8%). Compared with adults aged 18-60 years old, MCD and HSPN were more common in children and MN and DN in elderly individuals, statistically significant differences. Additionally, the sex and age distribution of PGN and SGN between the Tibetan and Han populations differed significantly, whereby LN was higher in the Han population and HSPN in the Tibetan population., Conclusion: The distribution of glomerular diseases showed age, sex and race differences. This research will be beneficial for providing epidemiological evidence for clinical diagnosis, disease prevention and public health decision-making., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Introduction: China has experienced unprecedented transformations unseen in a century and is gradually progressing toward an emerging superpower. The epidemiological trends of digestive diseases in the United States (the US) have significant prescient effects on China., Methods: We extracted data on 18 digestive diseases from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019 Data Resource. Linear regression analysis conducted by the JoinPoint software assessed the average annual percentage change of the burden. We performed subgroup analyses based on sex and age group., Results: In 2019, there were 836.01 and 180.91 million new cases of digestive diseases in China and the US, causing 1558.01 and 339.54 thousand deaths. The age-standardized incidence rates of digestive diseases in China and the US were 58417.87/100,000 and 55018.65/100,000 respectively, resulting in age-standardized mortality rates of 81.52/100,000 and 60.88/100,000. The rates in China annually decreased by 2.149% for mortality and 2.611% for disability-adjusted life of year (DALY). The mortality and DALY rates of the US, respectively, had average annual percentage changes of -0.219 and -0.251. Enteric infections and cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases accounted for the highest incidence and prevalence in both counties, respectively. The burden of multiple digestive diseases exhibited notable sex disparities. The middle-old persons had higher age-standardized prevalence rates., Conclusion: China bore a greater burden of digestive diseases, and the evolving patterns were more noticeable. Targeted interventions and urgent measures should be taken in both countries to address the specific burden of digestive diseases based on their different epidemic degree., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Peng, Xu, Huang, Shi, Wang, Chen, Zhang, Shi, Peng, Yuan and Tang.)

Purpose: Describe and analyze the trends of thyroid cancer incidence and mortality in Guangzhou, explore the potential influencing factors, and provide evidence for the government to formulate prevention and treatment measures., Methods: Incident and death cases of thyroid cancer were retrieved from the Guangzhou cancer registry. The joinpoint regression models were used to estimate the incidence and mortality trends. Age-period-cohort models were used to estimate the age, period, and cohort effects on the time trends. Grey correlation analysis was performed to explore possible connections between thyroid cancer and social factors., Results: A total of 15,955 new cases of thyroid cancer were registered in Guangzhou during 2004-2018, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of thyroid cancer increased from 4.29/10 5 in 2004 to 22.36/10 5 in 2018, with the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of 13.40%. The overall increase can be attributed to the increase in the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), which was dominated by tumors <2 cm. The ASIR was higher in women (16.12/10 5 ) compared to men (5.46/10 5 ), and young and middle-aged individuals had higher incidence rates than older people. The number of thyroid cancer deaths registered between 2010 and 2018 was 356, and the age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were stable (approximately 0.42/10 5 ). Men's ASMR (0.34/10 5 ) and women's (0.49/10 5 ) were similar, and those 60 and older had greater mortality. The period and cohort relative risks showed an overall increasing trend. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation between the ASIRs and social determinants., Conclusions: During the study period, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer among young and middle-aged people in Guangzhou showed a rapidly increasing trend, and the mortality was relatively stable. In the future, more effective preventive measures should be taken for this age group to reduce the burden of disease and avoid overdiagnosis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Land reclamation is a widely adopted method for managing land shortage and promoting coastal economic development globally. However, its impacts on biodiversity vary based on distinct reclamation histories and land use management strategies in different regions. This study aims to examine the effects of reclamation history and land use types at different spatial scales on anuran communities in coastal reclaimed land, which are an important taxon in the coastal ecosystem. We used visual and acoustic encounter methods to survey anurans in 2016 and 2017 across 20 1-km radius coastal land reclamation landscapes with different reclamation histories (10, 20, and 60 y after reclamation) in Nanhui Dongtan of Shanghai, an important coastal land reclamation region along the Yangtze River Estuary. Landscape variables (farmlands, woodlands, and impermeable surface covers, and the landscape Shannon diversity index) at four different spatial scales (250 m, 500 m, 750 m and 1000 m) and water salinity in each landscape were measured. Our findings reveal differences in anuran communities between study sites with 10, 20, and 60 years of reclamation history. Abundances of the ornamented pygmy frog (Microhyla fissipes) and Beijing gold-striped pond frog (Pelophylax plancyi) in landscapes with a 10-year reclamation history were significantly lower compared to those with histories of 20 and 60 years. Zhoushan toad (Bufo gargarizans) abundance was significantly negatively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale and impermeable surface cover at the 250 m scale; Hong Kong rice-paddy frog (Fejervarya multistriata) abundance was significantly positively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale; ornamented pygmy frog abundance was positively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale; and Beijing gold-striped pond frog abundance was significantly positively and negatively related to the landscape Shannon diversity index at the 1000 m scale and to water salinity, respectively. Amphibians quickly migrated and colonized coastal reclaimed land from older natural lands. However, two anuran species with specific habitat requirements tended to avoid areas with shorter reclamation histories. The single-species models revealed different responses to various land uses at the various scales, which indicated that land use management was important to amphibian conservation in coastal reclamation regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is growing evidence indicating a connection between fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and depressive symptoms. Metabolic risk factors are critical determinants of depressive symptoms. However, the mediating role of these factors on the association between PM 2.5 and depressive symptoms remains elusive. We aimed to investigate whether and to what extent metabolic risk factors mediated the link between long-term PM 2.5 exposure and depressive symptoms., Methods: This study comprised 7794 individuals aged between 30 and 79 years who participated in two waves of the on-site surveys in the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort. Ambient PM 2.5 concentrations were assessed utilizing a random forest method based on satellite data. We employed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 to assess depressive symptoms at wave 2, and the overall as well as three sub-domain symptom scores (emotional, neurovegetative, and neurocognitive symptoms) were calculated. Three metabolic risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, were considered. Mediation analyses were conducted to assess the indirect effects of PM 2.5 on depressive symptoms through metabolic risk factors., Results: We found a positive association between chronic exposure to ambient PM 2.5 and overall depressive symptoms as well as the three sub-domains. In mediation analyses, metabolic risk factors partially mediated the associations of PM 2.5 on depressive symptoms. The natural indirect effects (RR, 95% CI) of PM 2.5 on overall, emotional, neurovegetative, and neurocognitive symptoms mediated through metabolic risk factors were 1.004(1.001, 1.007), 1.004 (1.001, 1.008), 1.004 (1.001, 1.007), and 1.003(0.999, 1.007), respectively. Larger indirect effects were found in elderly participants (mediated proportion, 29.3%), females (13.3%), and people who did not consume alcohol (19.6%)., Conclusions: Metabolic risk factors may act as mediators in the relationship between chronic PM 2.5 exposure and depression. Treatment of metabolic risk factors may be an opportunity to reduce the burden of depression caused by long-term exposure to PM 2.5 ., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans, but no FDA-approved specific antivirals or vaccines are available to treat or prevent SFTS., Methods: The plasmids construction and transfection were performed to generate the recombinant SFTSV harboring the nanoluciferase gene (SFTSV-Nluc). Immunostaining plaque assay was performed to measure viral titers, and DNA electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing were performed to evaluate the genetic stability. Luciferase assay and quantitative RT-PCR were performed to evaluate the efficacy of antivirals in vitro. Bioluminescence imaging, titration of virus from excised organs, hematology, and histopathology and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate the efficacy of antivirals in vivo., Findings: SFTSV-Nluc exhibited high genetic stability and replication kinetics similar to those of wild-type virus (SFTSVwt), then a rapid high-throughput screening system for identifying inhibitors to treat SFTS was developed, and a nucleoside analog, 4-FlU, was identified to effectively inhibit SFTSV in vitro. SFTSV-Nluc mimicked the replication characteristics and localization of SFTSVwt in counterpart model mice. Bioluminescence imaging of SFTSV-Nluc allowed real-time visualization and quantification of SFTSV replication in the mice. 4-FlU was demonstrated to inhibit the replication of SFTSV with more efficiency than T-705 and without obvious adverse effect in vivo., Interpretation: The high-throughput screening system based on SFTSV-Nluc for use in vitro and in vivo revealed that a safe and effective antiviral nucleoside analog, 4-FlU, may be a basis for the strategic treatment of SFTSV and other bunyavirus infections, paving the way for the discovery of antivirals., Funding: This work was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Plan of China (2021YFC2300700 to L. Zhang, 2022YFC2303300 to L. Zhang), Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB0490000 to L. Zhang), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970165 to L. Zhang, U22A20379 to G. Xiao), the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (21S11903100 to Y. Xie), Hubei Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (2022CFA099 to L. Zhang)., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests and an invention patent is being applied for this study (Application No. 202310182555.1)., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Recent cross-sectional studies found that exposure to ambient air pollution (AP) was associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The alternation of blood lipids may explain the association, but epidemiological evidence is lacking. We aimed to examine whether and to what extent the association between long-term exposure to AP and incident MAFLD is mediated by blood lipids and dyslipidemia in a prospective cohort., Methods: We included 6350 participants from the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC, baseline 2018-2019, follow-up 2020-2021). Three-year average (2016-2018) of AP (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 ), blood lipids (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG with their combinations) and incident MAFLD for each individual were assessed chronologically. Linear and logistic regression was used to assess the associations among AP, blood lipids, and MAFLD, and the potential mediation effects of blood lipids were evaluated using causal mediation analysis., Results: A total of 744 participants were newly diagnosed with MAFLD at follow-up. The odds ratios of MAFLD associated with a 10 μm increase in PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and NO 2 were 1.35 (95 % CI: 1.14, 1.58), 1.34 (1.10, 1.65) and 1.28 (1.14, 1.44), respectively. Blood lipids are important mediators between AP and incident MAFLD. LDL-C (Proportion Mediated: 6.9 %), non-HDL (13.4 %), HDL-C (20.7 %), LDL/HDL (30.1 %), and dyslipidemia (6.5 %) significantly mediated the association between PM 2.5 and MAFLD. For PM 1 , the indirect effects were similar to those for PM 2.5 , with a larger value for the direct effect, and the mediation proportion by blood lipids was less for NO 2 ., Conclusion: Blood lipids are important mediators between AP and MAFLD, and can explain 5 %-30 % of the association between AP and incident MAFLD, particularly cholesterol-related variables, indicating that AP could lead to MAFLD through the alternation of blood lipids. These findings provided mechanical evidence of AP leading to MAFLD in epidemiological studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interest to disclose. We didn't use generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted technologies., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction (PND), including postoperative delirium (POD), is a common complication in elderly patients after major surgeries, often leading to poor postoperative recovery. Although the pathological mechanism underlying PND is still unclear, postoperative pain is strongly associated with the development of PND. The ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) has been reported to relieve postoperative pain in thoracic surgery. Therefore, this prospective trial hypothesises that SAPB may reduce the incidence of PND in the elderly undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy., Methods and Analysis: This study is designed as a single-centre, double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial. A total of 256 elderly patients scheduled to undergo thoracoscopic lobectomy at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital will be randomly assigned to general anaesthesia group or SAPB group. The primary outcome is the incidence of PND 7 days postoperatively or before discharge from hospital. The secondary outcomes include the occurrence of POD, the postoperative pain scores, Quality of Recovery at 1-2 days postoperatively and incidence of PND at 3 months postoperatively. The levels of fasting blood glucose in peripheral blood will be examined before and 1-2 days postoperatively., Ethics and Dissemination: The trial has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (identifier: K20-290). All participants will be required to provide written informed consent before any protocol-specific procedures. Findings will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and in national and/or international meetings to guide future practice., Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2100052633., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)