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Situational simulation teaching method (SST mentioned below) is a mature teaching method that has been applied. It has been widely used in foreign language, law, management, clinical and other fields, and has been proved to have good teaching effect. The quality of teachers is the key to improve the international competitiveness of China's education system. With the growth of China's population and the reform and development of education, the training of pre-service teachers has become a public concern. According to the existing research, most of the pre-service teachers have good academic and moral qualities, but there are still deficiencies in teaching ability, management ability and communication ability. In view of this phenomenon, this paper puts forward a scheme of training chemistry pre-service teachers by using SST method through the way of organic chemistry teaching reform. The results show that SST method can improve students' learning quality and cultivate students' comprehensive abilities (including pre-service teachers' professional skills).

The aim of this essay is to consider some of the issues and possibilities presented by recent developments in citizenship education and drama education in China. It is written from the personal perspective of a drama practitioner whose professional life has given her first-hand experience of those developments. This essay reflected the literary legacy as explored through drama pedagogy. Using the 'Rolling Role' Learning Model invented by UK drama educator, Dorothy Heathcote, applied in the educational contexts, I will contextualise my approach to interdisciplinary education relevant to citizenship and drama education.

As Chinese students have become a larger share of the international student population at U.S. universities, their participation in Japanese language classes has increased. However, Chinese student enrollment significantly decreases after the completion of the first Japanese class, and consequently, fewer Chinese students take intermediate or advanced level classes. This study examined the experiences of Chinese international students enrolled in Japanese classes as well as those who stopped taking Japanese after the first quarter or first-year class in a private university in the United States. We used semistructured interviews to investigate the reasons and goals of Chinese international students for studying the Japanese language, the successes or challenges both inside and outside of the Japanese classroom, and the reasons students continue or discontinue learning Japanese.

Chinese higher education is experiencing rapid development and growth. With tremendous resources invested in higher education, policy makers have requested more direct evidence of student learning. However, assessment tools that can be used to measure college-level learning are scarce in China. To mitigate this situation, we translated the critical thinking test from the ETS® Proficiency Profile (EPP) into Chinese. EPP has been widely used in the United States to assess general college learning outcomes. We pilot tested the EPP--Chinese test with students from a university in China. Results suggest that (a) the test is unidimensional and therefore is sufficient to report a total score from a practical standpoint; (b) the total score reliability is satisfactory; (c) most items showed moderate correlations with the total score, but the translation of one item needs additional revision; (d) the test is correlated with related constructs (e.g., the Chinese college entrance examination and a national English test); and (e) no item showed differential item functioning or was found to be biased toward any subgroup. In summary, the Chinese version of the critical thinking test showed potential as a suitable assessment tool for Chinese college students.

Background: Antiplatelet and anticoagulation drugs complicate acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) patients. Limited data about the risk factors and patient management has been presented. This study explored the association between previous antiplatelet or anticoagulant drug usage and clinical outcomes in GIB patients to improve awareness further and optimize treatment. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, non-interventional, real-world prospective study in 106 hospitals in 23 provinces in China. GIB patients confirmed in the emergency department were included and were grouped according to previous drug histories. Univariate analysis, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate stratification models were performed separately to investigate the associations. Results: A total of 2299 patients (57.23 ± 17.21 years old, 68.3% male) were included, of whom 20.1% and 2.9% received antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy, respectively. The all-cause 28-day mortality rates in patients without antiplatelet or anticoagulants, patients undergoing antiplatelet treatment, and patients with anticoagulation therapy were 2.8%, 4.6%, and 10.5%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, both antiplatelet [odd ratio (OR), 2.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.48–5.76; p = 0.002] and anticoagulation therapy (OR, 8.87; 95% CI, 3.02–26.02; p < 0.001) were associated with higher 28-day mortality. In the subgroup analysis, blood transfusion, especially red blood cell transfusion, in patients undergoing antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy was associated with a decreased death risk. Conclusion: We confirmed an association between concurrent antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy in GIB patients and elevated 28-day mortality. Blood transfusions could improve poor outcomes in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial green transformation is an important condition for China to realize its new industrialization and a pivotal part for the country to become an industrial power. To further identify the new dynamics of industrial green transformation and clarify the effects of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) on industrial green transformation and its leapfrogging tendency, this study constructed a bilateral stochastic frontier model to measure the spillover effect, crowding out effect, and net effect of OFDI on industrial green transformation using panel data from 30 provinces from 2004 to 2020. Furthermore, the development trend of the net effect of OFDI on industrial green transformation was predicted by combining with the Markov chain method. The results showed that: 1 OFDI had both spillover and crowding out effects on industrial green transformation. The spillover effect increased industrial green transformation by 31.472%, the crowding out effect decreased it by 11.739%, and the net effect increased it by 19.733%. 2 The spillover effect of OFDI on industrial green transformation was dominant but heterogeneous in time and space. After excluding the effect of crowding out, the net effect showed an inverted U-shaped characteristic of rising and then falling during 2004-2020 and was the largest in the central region and the smallest in the eastern region. 3 The adjustment of factor dependence from resource to technology played a collaborative adaptation role in the dual effects of OFDI on industrial green transformation. 4 The net effect of OFDI on industrial green transformation was stable, with a long-term growth tendency, but also with a risk of falling. Therefore, in the future, we should continue to expand the scale of OFDI, optimize the investment structure, promote cross-border scientific and technological cooperation, and help industrial green transformation by strengthening the spillover effect of OFDI and weakening the crowding out effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal data have become a key input in internet commerce, facilitating the matching between millions of customers and merchants. Recent data regulations in China, Europe, and the United States restrict internet platforms' ability to collect and use personal data for personalized recommendation and may fundamentally impact internet commerce. In collaboration with the largest e-commerce platform in China, we conduct a large-scale field experiment to measure the potential impact of data regulation policy and to understand the value of personal data in internet commerce. For a random subset of 555,800 customers on the Alibaba platform, we simulate the regulation by banning the use of personal data in the home page recommendation algorithm and record the matching process and outcomes between these customers and merchants. Compared with the control group with personal data, we observe a significantly higher concentration in the algorithmic recommendation of products in the treatment group and a very sharp decrease in the matching outcomes as measured by both customer engagement (click-through rate and product browsing) and market transaction (sales volume and amount). The negative effect is disproportionate and more pronounced for niche merchants and customers who would benefit more from e-commerce. We discuss the potential economic impact of data regulation on internet commerce as well as the role of personal data in generating value and fostering long-tail innovations. This paper was accepted by Chris Forman, information system. Funding: Z. Yuan wants to acknowledge financial support from NSFC [Grants 72203202, 72192803 and 72141305]. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4828. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was conducted to characterize the need for palliative care and its effect on patients with end-stage disease in the emergency department (ED). Design: This was a prospective cohort study. A questionnaire survey was administered to patients with end-stage disease who were admitted to the resuscitation room of the ED and expected to live less than 6 months. Results: A total of 82 of 2095 patients admitted to the resuscitation room were included. Only 1 (1.22%) patient had ever received palliative care before admission. Nine patients received palliative care consultation after admission, and they were more likely to select medical places of death accompanied by their families and do not resuscitate orders at the end of life after consultation (P < 0.05). Whether the disease had previously been actively treated and the number of children impacted the choice of treatment at the end of life (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Among patients with end-stage disease admitted to the ED, knowledge of palliative care was lacking. Palliative care could help them avoid the damage caused by pointless resuscitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the viral shedding time in patients infected with the Omicron variant during Paxlovid therapy and conventional therapy and to analyze the effects of Paxlovid on patients infected with COVID-19. Methods: In this study, the demographic and clinical characteristics and laboratory data of 3159 patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant treated at Jilin Province People's Hospital were collected and analyzed. A total of 362 patients received Paxlovid therapy, and 2797 patients received conventional therapy. After propensity score matching (PSM), 1086 patients were obtained. Results: The difference in platelet (PLT) count between the two groups was statistically significant but within the normal range (P < 0.05). CT value revealed that the nucleic acid test results became negative more quickly in the Paxlovid therapy group. Analysis of the Paxlovid therapy group showed that IgG and IgM levels were increased after Paxlovid therapy administration. Conclusion: The CT value of the Paxlovid therapy group became negative more quickly. This finding suggests that Paxlovid treatment after early diagnosis of the Omicron variant may achieve good therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a major public health problem that cannot be ignored. As a widely used drug in the treatment of COVID-19, whether glucocorticoids may accelerate the clearance of COVID-19 is still not clear, and the glucocorticoids may improve the prognosis of patients is also controversial. Therefore, to explore the relationship between COVID-19 viral load and the use of glucocorticoids we designed this study. Methods: Patients with COVID-19 infection who were admitted to the emergency department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from the end of 2022 to early 2023 were enrolled in this study. Characteristics of baseline, clinical and laboratory evaluation especially immunological indicator and daily viral load were carefully collected. Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Student's t test, Mann–Whitney U test and proportional-hazards model (Cox model) were chosen as appropriate for comparison of variables. Results: By comparing the daily COVID-19 viral load and prognosis of patients with and without glucocorticoid therapy, we found that glucocorticoids did not statistically enhance the clearance or replication of COVID-19, nor did it change the 28-days and in-hospital mortality. However, glucocorticoid therapy may be a favorable factor for COVID-19 negative conversion in Cox model. The inflammatory factors in patients with glucocorticoid therapy were significantly decreased. Conclusions: We believe that the real effect of glucocorticoids may be to improve the destruction of host immune system caused by inflammatory storm through host immune regulation and then achieve the improvement of clinical symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the investigation results of a base-isolated RC frame-shear wall structure located in Luding County, Sichuan Province, China, which was damaged by a Ms 6.8 earthquake on September 5, 2022. This recently constructed school office building was about 9 km away from the epicenter. The isolation layer of this building consists of 54 rubber bearings and 12 viscous dampers. These viscous dampers or their connections failed during the earthquake, and the limit state included connection breaking or global buckling of the damper. Also, the superstructure suffered some minor damage. To investigate the cause of structural damages, a nonlinear time-history analysis is conducted using the ground motions recorded by four seismic stations close to the building. The onsite investigation and numerical simulation results revealed the possible reasons for the failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to investigate the independent associations between growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF‐15) level at admission and cardiovascular (CV) death, thrombotic events, heart failure (HF), and bleeding outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and results: We measured the plasma concentrations of GDF‐15 centrally in patients from the BIomarker‐based Prognostic Assessment for patients with Stable angina and acute coronary Syndrome (BIPass) registry, which consecutively enrolled patients with CAD from November 2017 to September 2019 at five tertiary hospitals in China. The outcomes included CV death, thrombotic events [myocardial infarction (MI) and ischaemic stroke], HF events [acute HF during hospitalization and hospitalization for HF post‐discharge (A/H HF) and cardiogenic shock], and bleeding outcomes [non‐coronary artery bypass grafting‐related major bleeding and clinically significant bleeding (CSB)] during the 12 month follow‐up period after hospitalization. Among 6322 patients with CAD {65.4% male, median age 63.7 [inter‐quartile range (IQR)] 56.0–70.1 years}, the median concentration of plasma GDF‐15 at admission was 1091 (IQR 790.5–1635.0) ng/L. Higher concentrations of GDF‐15 were associated with an increased risk of CV death [hazard ratio (HR) 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–2.88, P < 0.001], A/H HF (HR 2.69, 95% CI 1.92–3.77, P < 0.001), cardiogenic shock (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04–2.05, P = 0.029), and CSB (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.22–1.79, P < 0.001), but not for MI or stroke, after adjusting for clinical risk factors and prognostic biomarkers. Adding GDF‐15 to the model with risk factors and biomarkers improved the net reclassification for CV death, A/H HF, cardiogenic shock, and CSB. Conclusions: In patients with CAD, admission levels of GDF‐15 were associated with an increased 1 year risk of CV death, HF, and bleeding outcomes, but not with thrombotic events. GDF‐15 may be a prognostic biomarker for CV death, HF, and bleeding outcomes and could be used to refine the risk assessment of these specific clinical outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04044066 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial surface water resource, the Yangtze River has raised concerns about its water quality due to its importance in economic and social development, environmental conservation, and agricultural development. The principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and the water quality index (WQI) were utilized to assess the overall condition and detect spatiotemporal patterns and the key parameters of water quality in the Yangtze River. All usage data were determined monthly from samples taken in 2021 at the 33 Yangtze River water quality monitoring stations. The results demonstrated that 85% of the monitoring stations in the whole Yangtze River were maintained at a "good" condition, with average WQI values ranging from 71.16 to 81.25. The water quality was slightly poorer in the summer, with 56.6% of monitoring stations being in "medium" condition. Spatially, there was a downward trend in the water quality from upstream to downstream. Two significant principal component scores (PCs) were produced as a result of PCA and HCA, explaining 60.3% of the total variance in the upstream, 67.4% in the transition zone, and 50.4% in the downstream, respectively. In addition, the middle–upper reaches of water quality were found to correlated with CODMn, whereas the water quality in the downstream were mainly influenced by TUR, TP, T, and DO. The results primarily motivated our understanding of the Yangtze River's water quality status and suggested the main targets for water quality improvement in different monitoring areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies assessing the achievability of future air quality goals in China have focused on the role of reducing China's domestic emissions, yet the influence of transboundary pollution of foreign origins has been largely underappreciated. Here, we assess the extent to which future changes in foreign transboundary pollution would affect the achievability of air quality goals in 2030 and 2060 for China. We find that in 2030, under the current-policy scenario in China, transboundary contributions to population-weighted PM 2.5 in China would be reduced by 29 % (1.2 µ g m -3) as foreign countries transition from the fossil-fuel-intensive to the low-carbon pathway. By 2060, the difference would be increased to 45 % (1.8 µ g m -3). Adopting the low-carbon instead of the fossil-fuel-intensive pathway in foreign countries would prevent 10 million Chinese people from being exposed to PM 2.5 concentrations above China's ambient air quality standard (35 µ g m -3) in 2030 and 5 million Chinese people from being exposed to PM 2.5 concentrations above the World Health Organization air quality guideline (5 µ g m -3) in 2060. Meanwhile, China adopting the carbon-neutral pathway rather than its current pathway would also be helpful to reduce transboundary PM 2.5 produced from the chemical interactions between foreign-transported and locally emitted pollutants. In 2060, adopting a low-carbon pathway in China and foreign countries coincidentally would prevent 63 % of transboundary pollution and 386 000 associated premature deaths in China, relative to adopting a fossil-fuel-intensive pathway in both regions. Thus, the influence of transboundary pollution should be carefully considered when making future air quality expectations and pollution mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Polygonatum genus, belonging to the Liliaceae family, with significant medicinal and nutritional value. In China, this species is a traditional medicinal and edible herb with a long history of application and is widely appreciated by the people. However, as the demand for medicinal herbs continues to grow, excessive harvesting has led to the depletion of wild resources and the risk of genetic erosion. In addition, the chaotic cultivation of varieties and the lack of high quality germplasm resources have led to inconsistent quality of medical materials. Therefore, it is urgent to conduct genetic diversity evaluation of this species and establish a sound conservation plan. This study assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 96 samples collected from seven regions in China using the simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular marker technology. In this study, a total of 60 alleles (Na) were detected across the 10 polymorphic SSR markers used, with an average of 6.0 alleles generated per locus. The values of polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.3396 to 0.8794, with an average value of 0.6430. The average value of the effective number of alleles (Ne) was 2.761, and the average value of the Shannon's information index (I) was 1.196. The population structure analysis indicates that the Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua germplasm can be classified into three subpopulations (JZ, QY, JD) at the molecular level, which corresponds to the previous subgroups identified based on individual plant phenotypic traits. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) showed that 74% of the genetic variation was between individuals within populations in different regions. The phylogenetic analysis of the 96 germplasm samples divided them into three main populations. The QY and JD subpopulations are largely clustered together, which could be attributed to their mountainous distribution and the local climate environment. The genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) value was low at 0.065, indicating relatively low population differentiation. The ratio of the genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst) between the JZ population and the other two populations (QY and JD) is much higher than the ratio between the QY and JD populations. Based on the clustering results and the ratio of the genetic differentiation coefficient (Fst), it can be inferred that the genetic relationship between the QY and JD subpopulations is closer, with a certain degree of genetic differentiation from the JZ subpopulation. This study supports the conservation of germplasm resources of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua in China and provides new parental material for germplasm genetic improvement and breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lime mortars have played an important role in constructing ancient Chinese masonry structures, including city walls, buildings, and tombs. A tomb built with lime mortars and stones belonging a Ming high‐ranking official, Xu Jie, was discovered in Huzhou City of China. Eight different samples from Xu Jie's tomb, representing four types of lime‐mortar‐based materials: joint mortar between stone bricks, bedding mortar, grouting mortar, and plaster mortars were collected for analysis and comparison. The characterization of the construction materials has therefore become of primary importance. The function of each mortar was reported and studies into the micro‐textural features and mineralogical compositions of those mortars were performed via a multi‐analytical approach. The joint mortars were all found to be aerial lime mortars with predominately lime. The bedding mortar was found to consist of lime, soil and sand, typical of a tabia mortar. The grouting mortar was found to consist of lime and ground contact metamorphosed limestone. Analysis of plaster sample taken from the roof of the main tomb identified the presence of calcium stearate/palmitate, indicating the usage of plant‐based tung oil as an additive. The analytical results will promote our understanding of Ming architectural technology and craftsmanship, and provide critical information for the conservation of Xu Jie's tomb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Analysis of the various hydrologic features responsible for the spatial and temporal variability in large scale subsurface systems is a critical component of water resources engineering and management. Traditionally, modeling large-scale groundwater flow patterns includes simulations with underlying parameter estimations and associated overarching assumptions. More recently, subsurface hydrologists are using empirical orthogonal function analysis to separate and quantify the primary hydrologic components contributing to observed regional and local-scale groundwater hydrodynamics. In this case study, modern spatiotemporal geostatistics plus primary hydrologic component analysis were conducted on spatially and temporally distributed groundwater levels measured in the Yellow River Delta. The results demonstrate the significant interplay between surface water hydrodynamics, overall groundwater quality, and groundwater utilization at the local scale, plus the significant impact of regional-scale aquifer recharge on groundwater level seasonal variation, largely driven by precipitation events. With increased accessibility to remote sensing data, additional research using these or similar statistical approaches to interpolate, compress, and decompose those features driving subsurface fluid-flow variability will prove to be highly beneficial to water resource engineers and managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is widely used for treating critically-ill patients in the emergency department in China. Anticoagulant therapy is needed to prevent clotting in the extracorporeal circulation during CRRT. Regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) has been shown to potentially be safer and more effective and is now recommended as the preferred anticoagulant method for CRRT. However, there is still a lack of unified standards for RCA management in the world, and there are many problems in using this method in clinical practice. The Emergency Medical Doctor Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association (CMDA) organized a panel of domestic emergency medicine experts and international experts of CRRT to discuss RCA-related issues, including the advantages and disadvantages of RCA in CRRT anticoagulation, the principle of RCA, parameter settings for RCA, monitoring of RCA (mainly metabolic acid–base disorders), and special issues during RCA. Based on the latest available research evidence as well as the paneled experts' clinical experience, considering the generalizability, suitability, and potential resource utilization, while also balancing clinical advantages and disadvantages, a total of 16 guideline recommendations were formed from the experts' consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of pesticide residues in aquatic products is challenging due to low residue levels and the complex matrix interference. In this study, we developed a simple, fast method for the trace analysis of 90 pesticides and metabolites in aquatic products. The analytes covered a wide polarity range with log Kow (log octanol-water partition coefficient) ranging from −1.2 to 6.37. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and prawn (Penaeus chinensis) samples were chosen to validate the quantification method. The samples were extracted by 0.2% formic-acetonitrile, cleaned by solid-phase extraction (PRiME HLB), and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed good linearities for the analytes and were observed in the range of 0.05–50 μg/L. The recoveries of the method were within 50.4–118.6%, with the relative standard deviations being lower than 20%. The limits of quantifications (LOQs) of the method were in the range of 0.05–5.0 μg/kg, which were superior to values compared with other research. The developed method was applied to detect pesticide residues in prawn samples from eastern coastal areas of China. Three herbicide residues of diuron, prometryn, and atrazine were detected in prawn samples. The method was sensitive and efficient, which is of significance in expanding the screening scope and improving the quantitative analysis efficiency in aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convection is the main contributor to heavy rainfall over China's Yangtze‐Huai River Basin (YHRB) during Meiyu season; however, the mechanisms of convection initiation (CI) associated with the Meiyu front are still not well understood. In this study, a large set of 86,099 CI events, identified from composite reflectivity data in YHRB over six Meiyu seasons, were used to investigate the characteristics of the spatiotemporal distribution of CI in YHRB. The result showed that the overwhelming majority of CI events (∼90%) occurred in the region of existing stratiform clouds. Meanwhile, CI tended to concentrate in mountainous areas and exhibited two triggering modes. By relating the CI events with an objective analysis of ERA5 reanalysis data, it was also revealed that the characteristics of CI occurrence varied with patterns of Meiyu circulation and their interactions with local topography, and the warm air advection pattern dominated the Meiyu CI. We further illustrated that CI on the plains occurred with a morning peak corresponding to environments of high 0–3 km shear (SHR3) and low most unstable convective available potential energy (MUCAPE), while the CI near or over mountains had an afternoon peak corresponding to low SHR3 and high MUCAPE environments. Plain Language Summary: Convection occurs frequently in East Asian summer monsoon regions and brings a large amount of rainfall, especially over the Yangtze‐Huai River Basin in China during Meiyu season. Understanding the convection initiation (CI) process is crucial for forecasting subsequent precipitation and therefore has been an important research topic in regional/global climate and hydrological studies. Here, for the first time, we present a statistical analysis of a large quantity of CI events in the Yangtze‐Huai River Basin selected over six Meiyu seasons. This analysis revealed that about 90% of CI events during Meiyu were embedded in existing stratiform cloud bands, a distinct feature of the Meiyu CI from other types of CI. The hotspots, intensity, and diurnal cycle of CI events varied with large‐scale patterns of the dynamic and thermodynamic environment. These findings provide key information for improving our understanding of how convection initiates in the summer monsoon environment, which may lead to an improved forecast of convection‐related severe weather. Key Points: Convection initiation (CI) under Meiyu circulation occurs typically in the region of existing stratiform rainfall and exhibits two modesPatterns of Meiyu circulation, in conjunction with topography in the Yangtze‐Huai River Basin, regulate CI distributionOrographic CI is enhanced by the thermodynamic forcing in the afternoon while CI in the plains driven by the dynamic forcing in the morning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weight–length relationship (WLR) of fish is a crucial tool in fish biology research and has received extensive attention. However, fish growth is influenced by many factors, and the WLR also changes accordingly. Our aim was to investigate how fish body shape is affected by various factors by analyzing the existing parameters of the relationship between fish body length and weight. We analyzed 198,354 fish specimens belonging to 402 species of 82 families in China and investigated the change of fish body shape in the function of their ecology. Herbivorous fish tended to be shorter and fatter than carnivorous fish, and omnivorous fish fall somewhere in between. This difference could be due to variations in feeding habits and the availability of food sources. Additionally, fish living in lentic waters tended to have a shorter and fatter body shape compared to those living in lotic waters. This could be attributed to differences in swimming behavior in these environments. Furthermore, our results showed that the b value decreased as altitude increased, and fish tended to be thinner and longer due to lower oxygen and temperature levels in high-altitude waters. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the WLR of fish and the impact of multiple factors on fish body shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution is a severe problem in China. Research on the sources of Chinese PM 2.5 pollution has focused on the contributions of China's domestic emissions. However, the impact of foreign anthropogenic emissions has typically been simplified or neglected, partly due to the perception that the short lifetime of PM 2.5 (a few days) does not allow long-distance transport. Here we explore the role of foreign anthropogenic emissions in Chinese PM 2.5 pollution in 2015 using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model. We validate the model simulations with a comprehensive set of observations of PM 2.5 and its composition, including sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, and primary organic aerosols, over China and its surrounding regions. We find that 8 % of PM 2.5 (5 µ g m -3) and 19 % of nitrate (2.6 µ g m -3) over eastern China in 2015 was contributed by foreign anthropogenic emissions. The contributions were the highest in January (6.9 µ g m -3 PM 2.5 , with 68 % nitrate) and the lowest in July (2.7 µ g m -3 PM 2.5 , with 11 % nitrate). Yet, only 30 % of such foreign contributions in January were through direct atmospheric transport. The majority (70 %) were instead through chemical interactions between foreign-transported aerosol precursors and China's domestic emissions of pollutants. Specifically, the transport of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) from foreign countries enhanced the atmospheric oxidizing capacity and facilitated the oxidation of Chinese nitrogen oxides (NO x) to form nitric acid (HNO 3) over eastern China. The abundance of Chinese ammonia (NH 3) further partitioned nearly all HNO 3 gas to particulate nitrate, leading to considerable foreign contributions of nitrate and PM 2.5 to eastern China. Over southwestern China, foreign anthropogenic emissions contributed 4.9 µ g m -3 PM 2.5 concentrations (18 % of total PM 2.5 mass) to Yunnan Province, with 37 % as organics and 27 % as sulfate. Our findings suggest that foreign anthropogenic emissions play an important role in Chinese PM 2.5 pollution because of direct aerosol transport and, more importantly, chemical interactions between transported pollutants and China's local emissions. Thus, foreign emission reductions will be very beneficial for improving Chinese air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) is an established lung carcinogen, but the biological mechanisms of diesel‐induced lung carcinogenesis are not well understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play a potentially important role in regulating gene expression related to lung cancer. We conducted a cross‐sectional molecular epidemiology study to evaluate whether serum levels of miRNAs are altered in healthy workers occupationally exposed to DEE compared to unexposed controls. We conducted a two‐stage study, first measuring 405 miRNAs in a pilot study of six DEE‐exposed workers exposed and six controls. In the second stage, 44 selected miRNAs were measured using the Fireplex circulating miRNA assay that profiles miRNAs directly from biofluids of 45 workers exposed to a range of DEE (Elemental Carbon (EC), median, range: 47.7, 6.1–79.7 μg/m3) and 46 controls. The relationship between exposure to DEE and EC with miRNA levels was analyzed using linear regression adjusted for potential confounders. Serum levels of four miRNAs were significantly lower (miR‐191‐5p, miR‐93‐5p, miR‐423‐3p, miR‐122‐5p) and one miRNA was significantly higher (miR‐92a‐3p) in DEE exposed workers compared to controls. Of these miRNAs, miR‐191‐5p (ptrend =.001, FDR = 0.04) and miR‐93‐5p (ptrend =.009, FDR = 0.18) showed evidence of an inverse exposure–response with increasing EC levels. Our findings suggest that occupational exposure to DEE may affect circulating miRNAs implicated in biological processes related to carcinogenesis, including immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are the high‐risk group for COVID‐19, and in need of vaccination. However, humoral and cellular immune responses of COVID‐19 vaccine remain unclear in vaccinated children. To establish the rational immunization strategy of inactivated COVID‐19 vaccine for children, the immunogenicity of either one dose or two doses of the vaccine in children was evaluated. A prospective cohort study of 322 children receiving inactivated COVID‐19 vaccine was established in China. The baseline was conducted after 28 days of the first dose, and the follow‐up was conducted after 28 days of the second dose. The median titers of receptor binding domain (RBD)‐IgG, and neutralizing antibody (NAb) against prototype strain and Omicron variant after the second dose increased significantly compared to those after the first dose (first dose: 70.0, [interquartile range, 30.0–151.0] vs. second dose: 1261.0 [636.0–2060.0] for RBD‐IgG; 2.5 [2.5–18.6] vs. 252.0 [138.6–462.1] for NAb against prototype strain; 2.5 [2.5–2.5] vs. 15.0 [7.8–26.5] for NAb against Omicron variant, all p < 0.05). The flow cytometry results showed that the first dose elicited SARS‐CoV‐2 specific cellular immunity, while the second dose strengthened SARS‐CoV‐2 specific IL‐2+ or TNF‐α+ monofunctional, IFN‐γ+TNF‐α+ bifunctional, and IFN‐γ−IL‐2+TNF‐α+ multifunctional CD4+ T cell responses (p < 0.05). Moreover, SARS‐CoV‐2 specific memory T cells were generated after the first vaccination, including the central memory T cells and effector memory T cells. The present findings provide scientific evidence for the vaccination strategy of the inactive vaccines among children against COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Diesel exhaust is an established human carcinogen, however the mechanisms by which it leads to cancer development are not fully understood. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an established contributor to carcinogenesis. Recent studies have improved our understanding of the role played by epigenetic modifications in the mitochondrial genome on tumorigenesis. In this study, we aim to evaluate the association between diesel engine exhaust (DEE) exposure with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation levels in workers exposed to DEE. Methods The study population consisted of 53 male workers employed at a diesel engine manufacturing facility in Northern China who were routinely exposed to diesel exhaust in their occupational setting, as well as 55 unexposed male control workers from other unrelated factories in the same geographic area. Exposure to DEE, elemental carbon, organic carbon, and particulate matter (PM2.5) were assessed. mtDNA methylation for CpG sites (CpGs) from seven mitochondrial genes (D-Loop , MT-RNR1 , MT-CO2 , MT-CO3 , MT-ATP6 , MT-ATP8 , MT-ND5) was measured in blood samples. Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between DEE, elemental carbon, organic carbon and PM2.5 exposures with mtDNA methylation levels, adjusting for potential confounders. Results DEE exposure was associated with decreased MT-ATP6 (difference = −35.6%, P -value = 0.019) and MT-ATP8 methylation (difference = −30%, P -value = 0.029) compared to unexposed controls. Exposures to elemental carbon, organic carbon, and PM2.5 were also significantly and inversely associated with methylation in MT-ATP6 and MT-ATP8 genes (all P -values < 0.05). Conclusions Our findings suggest that DEE exposure perturbs mtDNA methylation, which may be of importance for tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Marine biodiversity is increasingly threatened by overfishing and climate change, but it is still unclear how these drivers have shaped the functional diversity (FD) of marine fish. Here, we explore how the FD of commercial marine fish communities responds to climate change and fishing pressure. Major taxa studied: Marine fish. Location: China Seas. Time period: 1989–2018. Methods: We used a catch database of four individual species and 12 species groups that were reported continuously in China from 1989 to 2018. Seven traits were selected to calculate FD. We adopted generalized linear mixed models to analyse the complex relationship among climate change, fishing pressure and several metrics of marine fish FD. We identified the percentage change in diversity for communities to assess the relative contribution of each species or species group by removing individual species or a species group from the dataset. Results: Climate change and fishing pressure exerted statistically significant opposing effects on the functional evenness (FEve) and functional divergence (FDiv) of commercial fish communities. Increasing sea surface temperature had a significant positive effect on FEve but a negative effect on FDiv. In contrast, increasing fishing pressure had the opposite effects on FEve and FDiv. These results were driven by the significantly varying relative contributions of fish species or species groups to the functional space, whereby low‐trophic‐level pelagic fish species or species groups are closer to the boundaries of the functional trait space than high‐trophic‐level demersal fish species or species groups. Main conclusions: The FD of commercial marine fish communities responds significantly to climate warming and increasing fishing pressure, with opposite effects driven by different response patterns of fish species or species groups. Our results suggest that management actions should address the two issues simultaneously, because considering only one will unleash greater functional changes in the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To construct a coupling model between resources for governmental affairs services and population data and its evaluation system, this research investigates and surveys offline (site, hardware, and human resources) and online service resources of governmental affairs on the basis to the Seventh National Census. The study aims to provide countermeasures and suggestions to promote governmental affairs service resources for people in specific areas more effectively. Method. This study analyzes and examines spatial matching between governmental affairs' service resources and the population by using principal component analysis. Using the coupling matching degree model for reference, this study constructs a matching model based on governmental affairs' service resources and its evaluation system. Furthermore, the study analyzes and demonstrates the coupling matching degree between governmental affairs' service resources and the population system. Conclusions. Over the past five years, the matching level between governmental affairs' service resources and the population has been categorized as moderate coordinative matching on the whole. From the perspective of changing trends, which are affected by population fluctuations, the matching degree also fluctuates, thus indicating a close relationship. Therefore, some relevant governmental departments need to continue promoting the "One Net, One Access, One Time" reform further and encouraging the equal allocation of governmental affairs' service resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete facilities in the severe-cold areas of western China (salt lake environments and heavy saline soils) are seriously damaged by the multiple corrosion effects of freeze–thaw cycles and sulfate corrosion. Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) cement-based material has become an ideal concrete structural component because of its superior performance. Because concrete structural repair materials are used in heavy-corrosion environments, their durability in those environments should also be considered. Regarding the salt-freezing resistance of MPC, the existing studies have all used a NaCl solution as the heat transfer medium. In addition to chlorine salt, sulfate, especially Na2SO4, is also common in typical use environments such as oceans, salt lakes, and groundwater. To evaluate the sulfate freeze–thaw resistance of potassium magnesium phosphate cement (MKPC) mortar, in this study the strength development, weight loss, and water absorption of MKPC mortar specimens subjected to different freeze–thaw cycles were tested and compared with those for Portland cement (P.O) mortar specimens of the same strength grade. The results showed that the P.O mortar specimen completely lost its strength after 75 cycles of rapid water freezing and thawing and 50 cycles of sodium sulfate solution (5%) freezing and thawing. However, the residual strength rating of the MKPC mortar specimen after 75 cycles of water freezing and thawing and 100 cycles of sodium sulfate solution freezing and thawing was higher than 75%. After 50 rapid freeze–thaw cycles in water and a 5% Na2SO4 solution, the P.O mortar specimen's mass loss exceeded the 5% failure standard, whereas the mass loss of the MKPC mortar specimens was much less than 5%. Before the freeze–thaw cycles, the water absorption of the P.O mortar specimen was close to 8 times that of the MKPC mortar specimen, and after 50 water freeze–thaw cycles and 25 sulfate solution freeze–thaw cycles, the water absorption reached 4.88% and 5.68%, respectively. However, after 225 freeze–thaw cycles in water and the sulfate solution, the water absorption rates of MKPC mortar specimens were 2.91% and 2.51% respectively. The test and analysis results show that the freeze–thaw resistance of MKPC mortar was much higher than that of Portland cement mortar specimens. Those results provide a prerequisite for applying and expanding the use of MKPC-based materials in severe-cold areas of western China (salt lake and heavily saline soil environments). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interannual variation of springtime extreme precipitation (SEP) days in North China (NC) and their reliance on atmospheric circulation patterns are studied by using the continuous daily record of 396 rain gauges and the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis during 1979–2019. The SEP days are defined as the days when at least 10% of rain gauges in NC record daily precipitation no less than 10.5 mm. Results show that the number of SEP days shows large interannual variability but no significant trend in the study period. Using the objective classification method of the obliquely rotated principal analysis in T-mode, we classify the atmospheric circulation into five different patterns based on the geopotential height at 700 hPa. Three circulation patterns all have fronts and are associated with strong southerly wind, leading to 88% of SEP days in NC. The strong southerly wind may provide moisture and dynamic forcing for the frontal precipitation. The interannual variation of SEP days is related with the number of the three above-mentioned dominant circulation patterns. Further analysis shows that the West Pacific pattern could be one of the possible climate variability modes related to SEP days. This study reveals that the daily circulation pattern may be the linkage between SEP days and climate variability modes in NC. Significance Statement: Springtime extreme precipitation (SEP) has important social and economic impacts on North China (NC), but few studies have examined the variation of SEP in NC. We find that the number of SEP days has no significant trend but shows large interannual variability during 1979–2019. The interannual variation of SEP days is mainly determined by the total days of three frontal circulation patterns associated with strong southerly wind. Based on the daily circulation pattern, the West Pacific pattern is found to be one of the possible climate variability modes related to SEP days. These findings may shed light on the understanding of SEP in midlatitudes around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronary artery calcification and cardiac abnormalities are common in hemodialysis patients. The value of lanthanum carbonate over calcium‐based phosphate binders in managing the progression of coronary artery calcification is debated. We reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the two strategies in these patients. Methods: RCTs comparing lanthanum carbonate with calcium‐based phosphate binders used in adult hemodialysis patients were identified in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal, and Wanfang databases. Findings Ten RCTs involving 687 patients were suitable for inclusion. Compared with calcium‐based phosphate binders, lanthanum carbonate yielded lower coronary artery calcium scores (weighted mean difference, WMD: −74.28, 95% CI: −149.89, 1.33), change in coronary artery calcium scores (WMD: −105.18, 95% CI: −113.83, −96.53), and left ventricular mass index (WMD: −29.95, 95% CI: −54.25, −7.45). Lanthanum carbonate was significantly associated with lower levels of serum phosphate (WMD: −0.18, 95% CI: −0.26, −0.10), calcium (WMD: −0.22, 95% CI: −0.25, −0.20), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) (standard mean difference: −3.78, 95% CI: −5.60, −1.96) but not intact parathyroid hormone (WMD: −4.23, 95% CI: −64.12, 55.65). Moreover, a reduced risk of nonfatal cardiovascular events (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.10–0.97) but not all‐cause mortality (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.39–3.01) in lanthanum carbonate therapy was observed. Discussion In hemodialysis patients, lanthanum carbonate therapy may impede the progression of coronary artery calcification and left ventricular mass index and lead to reduced serum phosphate, calcium, FGF23, and nonfatal cardiovascular events compared with calcium‐based phosphate binders. However, more well‐designed RCTs are required for confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential health risk of heavy metals (HMs) in campus dust may threaten the health of thousands of students, teachers, and their families in Wuhan, the university cluster in Central China every day. In this research, the pollution characteristics and health risk with HMs was the first time presented in campus dust from the canteen, playground, dormitory, and school gate to date. The average HMs concentration in campus dusts ranked Pb (83.5 mg kg−1) > Cu (70.2 mg kg−1) > Zn (47.2 mg kg−1) > Cr (46.0 mg kg−1) > Ni (22.7 mg kg−1) > As (15.2 mg kg−1) > Cd (3.38 mg kg−1). The HMs would more likely to accumulate in dormitory dust and canteen dust. In the downtown area, Zn, As, and Cd had been preliminarily identified from fossil fuel combustion and natural geochemical processes. Cu and Pb would source from cooking and traffic transportation. Ni and Cr would likely reflect the contributions of natural soil weathering. No significant non-carcinogenic health risks were found to students or teachers from campus dust. Their children would more likely to exposure health risks when eating in the canteen, playing on the playground, or walking around the school gate. While the incremental lifetime cancer risk values revealed respiratory intake of HMs does not pose a carcinogenic risk on the campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The restoration of lake ecosystems requires a good knowledge of the lake's history and the driving mechanism of environmental changes. In this study, we used Lake Datong, the largest inland lake in Hunan Province China, as an example to study the effects of aquaculture, based on historical data of aquatic creature, diatom inferred-total phosphorous (DI-TP) data, and an Ecopath model. Lake Datong has undergone several stages of aquaculture from 1980, with a rapid increase in fish production and fish feed supplementation at each stage. Its water quality has deteriorated since the introduction of aquaculture and the lake has become moderate eutrophic status. Results: According to the DI-TP data, before 1930, Lake Datong was in a mesotrophic status (50–60 μg/L DI-TP). Between 1930 and 1980, the number of nutrient-tolerant species increased slightly, which indicates a nutrient increase in the lake (66–83 μg/L DI-TP). From the 1980s to 2010 and especially since 2000, eutrophication increased rapidly, with eutrophic species dominating the diatom assemblage, such as Stephanodiscus hantzschii, S. minutulus, and a sudden decrease in Aulacoseira granulata (< 10%). The annual average DI-TP concentration was 202 μg/L. After 2010, DI-TP decreased to 127–152 μg/L. In 2019, consumer biomass in Lake Datong was very low because the large-scale aquaculture was restricted by local government. The biomass of submerged macrophytes was relatively high, indicating that excessive primary producers had not been used by consumers and therefore, had not entered the food web. This led to a reduction in the energy transfer efficiency (TE) of the ecosystem. Conclusions: The succession of the water ecosystem of Lake Datong is reappeared by DI-TP analysis and historical reference data. Lake Datong has experienced four stages of eutrophication succession following the introduction of aquaculture activities, with dramatic changes in the composition and biomass of its aquatic creatures. After comprehensive management in 2017, the consumer biomass of Lake Datong was at a relatively lower level, and the biomass of submerged macrophytes was higher, meaning a large quantity of primary producers had not been used by consumers, thus had not entered the food web, which consequently reduces the energy TE of the ecosystem. Future management needs to pay attention to making a suitable macrophyte harvest plan, stocking herbivorous and omnivorous fish, and establishing rational fishing, which can not only enhance the energy flows and nutrient cycling of the ecosystem, but also improve the food web structure. Our results provide important reference values and theoretical support for decision-makers and stakeholders in the subsequent management of similar shallow lake-water ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is an increasingly serious public health problem, and it has caused an outbreak in China every year since 2008. Predicting the incidence of HFMD and analyzing its influential factors are of great significance to its prevention. Now, machine learning has shown advantages in infectious disease models, but there are few studies on HFMD incidence based on machine learning that cover all the provinces in mainland China. In this study, we proposed two different machine learning algorithms, Random Forest and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), to perform our analysis and prediction. We first used Random Forest to examine the association between HFMD incidence and potential influential factors for 31 provinces in mainland China. Next, we established Random Forest and XGBoost prediction models using meteorological and social factors as the predictors. Finally, we applied our prediction models in four different regions of mainland China and evaluated the performance of them. Our results show that: 1) Meteorological factors and social factors jointly affect the incidence of HFMD in mainland China. Average temperature and population density are the two most significant influential factors; 2) Population flux has different delayed effect in affecting HFMD incidence in different regions. From a national perspective, the model using population flux data delayed for one month has better prediction performance; 3) The prediction capability of XGBoost model was better than that of Random Forest model from the overall perspective. XGBoost model is more suitable for predicting the incidence of HFMD in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is a kind of oilseed crop and also a good source of nutrition for human beings, poultry and other animals. Clomazone and acetochlor are two kinds of pesticides of great concern that are widely used to protect soybean from weeds. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the food safety of soybean after applying clomazone and acetochlor. For this purpose, the contents of clomazone and acetochlor in green soybean, green straw, mature soybean, and mature straw collected from six locations in different provinces of China were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The recoveries of the compounds at different concentration levels were 86%-110% while the relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 2% to 31 11%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for each matrix of the two herbicides were 0.01 mg/kg. Residues of clomazone and acetochlor in soybean at harvest time were all below 0.01 mg/kg at the recommended dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) may help screen vascular cognitive impairment. A recently estimated CSVD score system was suggested to capture the overall CSVD burden. The study aimed to detect the association between systemic evaluation score of cerebral vascular imaging parameters with cognitive functions. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in community settings. From October 2017 to September 2018, elder (≧60) residents were recruited through on-site visit in 6 communities from Shanghai, China. The participants underwent brain MRI, carotid ultrasound, laboratory tests of blood and urine samples. Cognitive function was evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MRI score of CSVD was calculated according to the 2012 standard for the evaluation of statistical changes in imaging. Results: Total 171 subjects completed survey and examinations. There were 55 participants diagnosed with cognitive impairment, with a total percentage of 32.2%. Participants with and without cognitive impairment showed significant differences in age, BMI and education level. Cognitive impaired participant had more disease history/comorbidity of hypertension and chronic renal insufficiency, higher level of creatinine, as well as lower level of full blood count (FBC) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). A significant difference was detected in CSVD score between participants with and without cognitive impairment. Results of linear regression analysis showed significant negative correlations between MMSE score and both left and right carotid artery peak systolic velocity (PSV), however the CSVD score was only borderline (P = 0.0566) positively correlated with MMSE. Multivariate linear correlation analysis including all collected risk factor data showed that left carotid artery PSV score was among the independent negative correlated factors of MMSE. Multivariate binary logistic analysis showed that age, education and history of hypertension were the only statistically associated factors of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: The current study identified high prevalence of cognitive impairment in a Chinese community. In addition, correlations between cerebral vascular disease imaging status and cognitive functions were confirmed although the sample size limited the possibility of screening cognitive impairment with imaging technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of pulse oximetry plethysmography (POP) for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in cardiac arrest (CA) patients.Methods: This was a multicenter, observational, prospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with cardiac arrest at 14 teaching hospitals cross China from December 2013 through November 2014. The study endpoint was ROSC, defined as the restoration of a palpable pulse and an autonomous cardiac rhythm lasting for at least 20 minutes after the completion or cessation of CPR.Results: 150 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients and 291 in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients were enrolled prospectively. ROSC was achieved in 20 (13.3%) and 64 (22.0%) patients in these cohorts, respectively. In patients with complete end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) and POP data, patients with ROSC had significantly higher levels of POP area under the curve (AUCp), wave amplitude (Amp) and ETCO2 level during CPR than those without ROSC (all p < 0.05). Pairwise comparison of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated no significant difference was observed between ETCO2 and Amp (p = 0.204) or AUCp (p = 0.588) during the first two minutes of resuscitation.Conclusion: POP may be a novel and effective method for predicting ROSC during resuscitation, with a prognostic value similar to ETCO2 at early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apparel sales forecasting plays an important role in production planning, distribution decision, and inventory management of enterprises. Especially, the sportswear market has been shown rapid growth characterized by long-term sales. This paper proposes a sales forecasting model for sportswear sales based on the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and the convolutional neural network (CNN). A novel loss function is also proposed to improve the prediction accuracy. The proposed model is trained and validated on the time-series retailing data collected from three offline local sports stores in China. The influencing factors of retailing forecasting, such as time-series sales data, product features, distribution strategy, shop size, and other parameters, were also defined. Experimental results show that the proposed forecasting model outperforms the compared statistical methods by a large margin. Specifically, the proposed model provided 65% prediction accuracy, while the compared methods provided 16% prediction accuracy. The results show that the proposed model could be potentially used in sportswear sales forecasting, especially offline clothing and other long lifecycle clothing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to present a method for calculating seismic fragility function of urban road network. In this paper, urban road system is simplified to a planar network. The spatial correlation of seismic ground motions is considered. The damage probability of network edge is determined by the fragility function of single road section. By repeating simulation, a large number of samples of post-earthquake road network are obtained. Their damage states are classified as minor, moderate, extensive and complete by piece number and diameter of the maximal piece. The seismic fragility function of road network is assumed in the form of lognormal cumulative distribution function and its parameters are identified by fitting the fragility function to the exceeding probability of the damage states. To demonstrate the practicality of the proposed method, an application to the urban road network of Tangshan City is performed. The case study indicates that the rare earthquake may cause the disconnection and fragmentation of the road network with high probability. The proposed framework is a valuable contribution to the seismic performance evaluation of urban road system and provides engineers and practitioners with a tool to design road network in high seismic hazard zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urinary mutagenicity reflects systemic exposure to complex mixtures of genotoxic/carcinogenic agents and is linked to tumor development. Coal combustion emissions (CCE) and diesel engine exhaust (DEE) are associated with cancers of the lung and other sites, but their influence on urinary mutagenicity is unclear. We investigated associations between exposure to CCE or DEE and urinary mutagenicity. In two separate cross‐sectional studies of nonsmokers, organic extracts of urine were evaluated for mutagenicity levels using strain YG1041 in the Salmonella (Ames) mutagenicity assay. First, we compared levels among 10 female bituminous (smoky) coal users from Laibin, Xuanwei, China, and 10 female anthracite (smokeless) coal users. We estimated exposure–response relationships using indoor air concentrations of two carcinogens in CCE relevant to lung cancer, 5‐methylchrysene (5MC), and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Second, we compared levels among 20 highly exposed male diesel factory workers and 15 unexposed male controls; we evaluated exposure‐response relationships using elemental carbon (EC) as a DEE‐surrogate. Age‐adjusted linear regression was used to estimate associations. Laibin smoky coal users had significantly higher average urinary mutagenicity levels compared to smokeless coal users (28.4 ± 14.0 SD vs. 0.9 ± 2.8 SD rev/ml‐eq, p = 2 × 10−5) and a significant exposure‐response relationship with 5MC (p = 7 × 10−4). DEE‐exposed workers had significantly higher urinary mutagenicity levels compared to unexposed controls (13.0 ± 10.1 SD vs. 5.6 ± 4.4 SD rev/ml‐eq, p =.02) and a significant exposure‐response relationship with EC (p‐trend = 2 × 10−3). Exposure to CCE and DEE is associated with urinary mutagenicity, suggesting systemic exposure to mutagens, potentially contributing to cancer risk and development at various sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Suboptimal health status (SHS), an intermediate state between chronic disease and health, is characterized by chronic fatigue, non-specific pain, headaches, dizziness, anxiety, depression, and functional system disorders with a high prevalence worldwide. Although some lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking, alcohol consumption, physical exercise) and environmental factors (e.g. air quality, noise, living conditions) have already been studied, few studies can comprehensively illustrate the associations of lifestyle and environment factors with general, physical, mental, and social SHS.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 6750 urban residents aged 14 years or over in five random cities from September 2017 to September 2018 through face-to-face questionnaires. There were 5881 valid questionnaires with a response rate of 87%. A general linear model and structural equation model were developed to quantify the effects of lifestyle behaviors and environment factors on SHS.Results: The detection rates of general, physical, mental, and social SHS were 66.7, 67.0, 65.5, and 70.0%, respectively. Good lifestyle behaviors and favorable environment factors positively affected SHS (P < 0.001). Lifestyle behaviors had the largest effect on physical SHS (β = - 0.418), but the least on social SHS (β = - 0.274). Environment factors had the largest effect on mental SHS (β = 0.286), but the least on physical SHS (β = 0.225).Conclusions: Lifestyle behaviors and environment factors were important influencing factors of SHS. Physical SHS was more associated with lifestyle. Lifestyle and environment were similarly associated with mental and social SHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies explored the use of noninvasive biomarkers of speech and language for the detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Yet, most of them employed single task which might not have adequately captured all aspects of their cognitive functions.Objective: The present study aimed to achieve the state-of-the-art accuracy in detecting individuals with MCI using multiple spoken tasks and uncover task-specific contributions with a tentative interpretation of features.Methods: Fifty patients clinically diagnosed with MCI and 60 healthy controls completed three spoken tasks (picture description, semantic fluency, and sentence repetition), from which multidimensional features were extracted to train machine learning classifiers. With a late-fusion configuration, predictions from multiple tasks were combined and correlated with the participants' cognitive ability assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Statistical analyses on pre-defined features were carried out to explore their association with the diagnosis.Results: The late-fusion configuration could effectively boost the final classification result (SVM: F1 = 0.95; RF: F1 = 0.96; LR: F1 = 0.93), outperforming each individual task classifier. Besides, the probability estimates of MCI were strongly correlated with the MoCA scores (SVM: -0.74; RF: -0.71; LR: -0.72).Conclusion: Each single task tapped more dominantly to distinct cognitive processes and have specific contributions to the prediction of MCI. Specifically, picture description task characterized communications at the discourse level, while semantic fluency task was more specific to the controlled lexical retrieval processes. With greater demands on working memory load, sentence repetition task uncovered memory deficits through modified speech patterns in the reproduced sentences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huxingshan W deposit (0.21 Mt. WO 3 @ 0.3 %) in northeastern Hunan province is located at the western margin of the Jiangnan tungsten belt (JNB), South China. It consists of a series of magma-derived scheelite-quartz-muscovite (SQM) veins in the F1 fault (which contains over 60 % of the W resource), beneath Niutitang Formation (Fm.) carbonate rocks, and above Yijiaqiao Fm. slate (sub-economic), distal from the concealed two-mica granite, which is thought to be responsible for the tungsten mineralization. In this study, we employ LA-ICP-MS zircon and monazite U Pb, and muscovite 40Ar/39Ar dating to constrain the timing of magmatism and W mineralization at the Huxingshan deposit. Monazite and zircon dating yield coeval ages of 137.6 ± 0.5 Ma and 138.0 ± 0.5 Ma, respectively. Our muscovite 40Ar/39Ar dating yielded well plateau ages of 132.9 ± 0.6 Ma, 132.2 ± 0.6 Ma, 130.7 ± 0.5 Ma, and 129.7 ± 0.6 Ma for four representative SQM vein ore samples occurring in the Niutitang Fm. carbonate, F1 fault, and Yijiaqiao Fm. slate, indicating multiple pulses of ore-forming fluid infiltration at Huxingshan. Our age data demonstrate that the two-mica granite emplaced at ∼137.6 Ma, significantly earlier than the pulsed W mineralization at ca. 132.9–129.7 Ma. The lack of spatial and temporal association precludes any genetic link between them. Thus, we infer that the ore-forming fluids likely originated from undiscovered deep plutons and ascended through the F1 fault. Besides, our reliable ages coincide with the two periods of large-scale Mesozoic magmatism and W mineralization phases in the JNB, with the 137.6 Ma magmatism falling within the first phase (150–135 Ma), while the W mineralization (ca.132.9–129.7 Ma) falls within the second phase (130–125 Ma). Of which, the second phase, including the Huxingshan, Xianglushang, Dongping, and Jianfengpo deposits, are situated in the western JNB and show further potential in this region. [Display omitted] • The SQM (scheelite-quartz-muscovite) vein-type mineralization in Huxingshan occurs in F1 fault and beneath carbonate rocks. • The pulsed W mineralization formed at ca. 132.9–129.7 Ma cannot be sourced from the two-mica granite emplaced at ~137.6 Ma. • The Huxingshan deposit coincide with the second phase of large-scale Mesozoic W mineralization in the Jiangnan tungsten belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We examined the reliability and validity of the Healthy Fitness Measurement Scale Version 1.0 (HFMS V1.0) specifically on elderly people in China.Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study in December 2020 and enrolled 800 elderly people through stratified sampling technique, including 777 valid samples (with a mean age of 71.81 ± 8.36 years), of which 382 cases (49.2%) were women. The level of healthy fitness was measured using the HFMS V1.0. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, exploratory factor and confirmatory factor were calculated for assessing the reliability and validity of HFMS V1.0.Results: HFMS V1.0 consists of 8 dimensions and 38 items. The scale had acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.920, split-half = 0.946, test-retest = 0.878). Exploratory factor analysis showed KMO value =0.927, and uncovered 10 factors with the cumulative contribution rate of 65.71% and all factor loads over 0.40. The item distribution was consistent with the initial expectation of the scale. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit: CMIN/DF = 2.796, RMSEA = 0.048, IFI =0.914, TLI = 0.902, CFI = 0.913.Conclusion: HFMS V1.0 was shown to have acceptable reliability and validity indices for this sample. Collectively, HFMS V1.0 is reliable and efficient to measure the healthy fitness of elderly people. It is recommended to use it among the elderly in other Chinese cities in the future to ensure uniformity and objectivity. This scale can be carried out to evaluate of the effectiveness of public health measures in improving the healthy fitness level of the elderly and optimizing public health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesizing the theory of fundamental causes in the health literature with the stratification research on transitional economies, this paper investigates how the multidimensional socioeconomic status (SES), especially education and communist party membership, is associated with three self-rated health outcomes in urban China. Using data from the 2013 Chinese General Social Survey, we find that party membership is associated with better self-rated health, higher health-related quality of life and work, and lower levels of self-rated depression, whereas the effect of education is somewhat more elusive than it usually is in Western societies. Our findings suggest that the effects of socioeconomic indicators are better understood by being contextualized in a sociopolitical environment. It is also fruitful to include both global (education, income, employment status, and subjective SES) and local measures of SES (party membership and housing ownership) in exploring their associations with health in the world's largest transitional society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Developing countries need effective and efficient training curriculum for the point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the emergency department (ED). We have developed a new goal-directed training curriculum focusing on critical POCUS procedures used in ED. Methods: To evaluate the impact of the new POCUS curriculum on ED physicians' performance/self-confidence, we carried out a quasi-experimental trial at ED training center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, in which we trained two groups of physicians using either traditional curriculum or the new goal-directed curriculum. We measured the confidence in performing Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma, thoracic, vascular, ultrasound-guided puncture, echocardiography and undifferentiated shock diagnostic ultrasound at baseline, training completion and 1 month after training. We also measured the performance skills at the time of training completion. The relative value of the new curriculum was evaluated by differences in the confidence and performance measurements, with control for baseline measurements and confounding characteristics in univariate analyses and multivariate linear regression models. Results: After training, both groups of trainees reported significantly increased self-confidence in performing POCUS as compared with baseline. Trainees with the new curriculum had statistically significant higher self-confidence increase and performance scores (p < 0.05), e.g., increase in confidence for diagnosis of undifferentiated shock at training completion = 3.14 vs. 1.85, 1 month after training = 2.22 vs. 1.56, for new and traditional curriculum, respectively. The new curriculum also resulted in a higher number of shock POCUS done within 1 month after training: 1.73 vs. 0, and higher overall performance scores: 165 vs. 113. The findings were robust when controlling for imbalanced baseline characteristics in multivariate regression models. Conclusion: We conclude that a goal-directed, intensive but brief ED POCUS curriculum significantly increases trainee self-confidence, performance, and promote trainees to perform more procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study explores the preference for daily versus on‐demand pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in developing countries when both regimens are available. Methods: From 11 December 2018 to 19 October 2019, we recruited MSM for an open‐label real‐world PrEP demonstration study in four major cities in China. Subjects selected their preferred PrEP (oral tenofovir/emtricitabine) regimen (daily vs. on‐demand) at recruitment and underwent on‐site screening before initiation of PrEP. We used logistic regression to assess preference for daily PrEP and correlates. Results: Of 1933 recruited MSM, the median age was 29 years, 7.6% was currently married to or living with a female; the median number of male sexual partners was four and 6.1% had used post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in the previous six months. HIV infection risk was subjectively determined as very high (>75%) in 7.0% of subjects, high (50% to 75%) in 13.3%, moderate (25% to 49%) in 31.5% and low or none (0% to 24%) in 48.1%. On average, participants preferred on‐demand PrEP over daily PrEP (1104 (57.1%) versus 829 (42.9%)) at recruitment. In multivariable analysis, currently being married to or living with a female was associated with 14.6 percentage points lower preference for daily PrEP (marginal effect = −0.146 [95% CI: −0.230, −0.062], p = 0.001); whereas the number of male sexual partners (marginal effect = 0.003 [95% CI: 0.000, 0.005], p = 0.034) and a subjective assessment of being very high risk of HIV infection (vs. low and no risk, marginal effect size = 0.105 [95% CI: 0.012, 0.198], p = 0.027) were associated with increased preference for daily versus on‐demand PrEP. Among the 1933 potential participants, 721 (37.3%) did not attend the subsequent on‐site screening. Lower‐income, lower education level, lower subjective expected risk of HIV infection risk and younger age positively correlated with the absence of on‐site screening. Conclusions: MSM in China prefer both daily and on‐demand PrEP when both regimens are provided free. Social structural factors and subjective risk of HIV infection have significant impacts on PrEP preference and use. The upcoming national PrEP guideline should consider incorporating both regimens and the correlates to help implement PrEP in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide tolerant gene g10evo-epsps was usually used in genetically modified (GM) crops in China. To develop a detection method by specific quantitative PCR, g10evo-epsps-specific primers and probe were designed and used for accurate and precise real-time PCR (qPCR) method in house validated. Results supported the specific of the method on detecting g10evo-epsps gene from transgenic soybean ZUTS-33. Standard curves construction showed that the PCR amplification efficiency was over 90% with R² above 0.99. Limit of detection was assessed to be 8 copies and limit of quantification was estimated at 16 copies. The accuracy of qPCR method was verified by screening 5 mixed DNA samples with known levels of the ZUTS-33 event (4.5, 2, 0.5, 0.09 and 0.045%, respectively). The average bias between the quantified values and expected values of the 5 samples deviated from 0.00% to 11.11 %, and relative repeatability standard deviation ranged from 2.30% to 17.10%. The overall data indicated that this developed g10evo-epsps-specific qPCR method could meet the requirements of GM soybean screening and provide technical support for GM soybean regulation and labeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) invasive liver abscess syndrome (ILAS) with purulent meningitis was rarely identified the mainland of China. Last winter, we received 3 cases of K. pneumoniae meningitis and all of them died in a short time. We report these cases in order to find the reason of high mortality and discuss effective effort to improve these patients' prognosis.Case Presentation: Three patients with uncontrolled diabetes developed live abscess and purulent meningitis. Upon admission, the clinical manifestations, laboratory result of blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and imaging examinations were compatible with K. pneumoniae ILAS which had metastasis infection of meningitis. Even with timely adequate antibiotic therapy and strict glycemic control, all of the patients' condition deteriorated rapidly and died in a short time.Conclusion: The reason of patients' poor prognosis might be the absence of liver abscess drainage, high level of CSF protein which indicates severe inflammation and unknown special but stronger virulence factors of K. pneumoniae the patients' living place Zhangjiakou. Strict glycemic control, early drainage of liver abscess and appropriate antibiotic application are recommended for treating this condition, further progress on the pathogenesis and treatment of K. pneumoniae meningitis may help patients gain a better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impaction of jujube pits in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a special clinical condition in the northern Chinese population. Endoscopic removal is the preferred therapy, but there is no consensus on the management strategies. We reported our individualized endoscopic strategies on the jujube pits impacted in the upper GI tract.Methods: In this retrospective study, we included 191 patients (male: 57; female: 134) who presented to our hospital with ingestion of jujube pits between January 2015 and December 2017. Demographic information, times of hospital visiting, locations of jujube pits, endoscopic procedures, post-extraction endoscopic characteristics were analyzed. Management strategies including sufficient suction, repeated irrigation, jejunal nutrition and gastrointestinal decompression were given based on post-extraction endoscopic characteristics and impacted locations.Results: Peak incidence was in the second quarter of each year (85/191 cases, 44.5%). Among the 191 cases, 169 (88.5%) showed pits impaction in the esophagus, 20 (10.5%) in the prepyloric region and 2 (1.0%) in the duodenal bulb. A total of 185 patients (96.9%) had pits removed with alligator jaw forceps, and 6 (3.1%) underwent suction removal with transparent caps placed over the end of the endoscope to prevent injury on removal of these pits with two sharp painted edges. Post-extraction endoscopic manifestations included mucosal erosion (26.7%), mucosa laceration (24.6%), ulceration with a white coating (18.9%) and penetrating trauma with pus cavity formation (29.8%). All patients received individualized endoscopic and subsequent management strategies and showed good outcomes.Conclusions: Individualized endoscopic management for impacted jujube pits in the upper GI tract based on post-extraction endoscopic characteristics and impacted locations was safe, effective, and minimally invasive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]