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Purpose: The study aimed to test the overall changes of health-related fitness (HRF) in minority Chinese college students and to examine HRF differences in gender, race, and year in college. Method: Participants (n = 1320) were minority college students with more than two-thirds females (ie 76.1%), and Hui, Tibetan, and Mongolia consisted of 13.8%, 13.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. Student HRF was tracked for four years. Data were analyzed using multilevel latent growth curve modeling. Results: Muscular strength and endurance were the weakest component in minority college students' HRF, while body mass index was within the category of "excellent". Males outperformed female on all components of HRF. Conclusions: It is suggested that interventions concerning minority females' HRF and muscular strength and endurance for both genders be constructed and tested.

For primary and secondary school students, enhancing reading skills at the basic education level is crucial for their lifelong linguistic and cognitive development. However, instructors may find reading teaching, particularly the teaching of whole-book reading, time-consuming and unproductive. This article is a case study of the possibilities of advancing whole-book reading education via regional instructional cooperation, citing the practices of Yangzhong City in China's Jiangsu province as an example. It also highlights the implications of Yangzhong City's experiences for popularizing regional instructional cooperation in Chinese language education across the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated the benefits of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) in reducing cardiovascular risk. However, its role in subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) progression remains unclear. We aim to examine the association of CVH, estimated by the American Heart Association's new Life's Essential 8 (LE8), with the progression of SA. METHODS This prospective cohort study was conducted among 972 asymptomatic Chinese participants and followed up for 5.7 years. The LE8 score (range, 0–100) consisted of blood pressure, lipids, glucose, body mass index, smoking status, diet health, physical activity and sleep health was evaluated in 1998 and 2008–2009. Progression of SA was determined by carotid plaque and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in 2008–2009 and 2013–2014. Log-binomial regression model was used to estimate the association of LE8 score with SA progression. RESULTS Each 10 points increment in LE8 score was associated with 15.2% (RR: 0.848, 95% CI: 0.797–0.902), 17.7% (RR: 0.823, 95% CI: 0.766–0.884) and 12.0% (RR: 0.880, 95% CI: 0.845–0.916) lower risks of carotid plaque, CAC and overall SA progression, respectively. Compared with participants with non-ideal CVH at both visits, the participants with ideal CVH at both visits had 39.1% (RR: 0.609, 95% CI: 0.494–0.752), 41.0% (RR: 0.590, 95% CI: 0.456–0.764) and 29.7% (RR: 0.703, 95% CI: 0.598–0.825) lower risks of carotid plaque, CAC and overall SA progression, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Higher LE8 scores were associated with lower risks of SA progression. Besides, long-term maintenance of optimal CVH was more beneficial to prevent SA progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional Educational Researchers (PER) are a crucial component of China's Five-Level Education and Teaching Research System (ETRS), which has been of fundamental importance to Chinese basic education development. PERs play a significant role in directing teachers' professional development, advancing basic education curriculum reform, and supporting educational decision-making. This article explains the concept of the PER in the context of the ETRS, describes the professional criteria for being a PER, and expounds on their significance for basic education advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new marine nematode species belonging to the order Monhysterida are described from the sea of China. Halomonhystera zhangi sp. nov. is characterized by its relatively small body size; short anterior sensory setae; small, circular amphidial fovea located at the level of buccal cavity base; funnel-shaped buccal cavity; an excretory-secretory system with a large ventral gland and opening as a very narrow canal just posterior to the level of cephalic setae; slightly curved slender spicules with cephalated proximal end and tapered distal end; rod-like gubernaculum without apophysis; two papilliform precloacal supplements just in front of the cloaca; conico-cylindrical tail with two ventral papillae, each with a seta; and distance between the vulva and anus slightly longer than the tail length. This is the first new species of epiphytic nematode reported in China. The second new species, Stylotheristus flagellicaudatus sp. nov., has a relatively shorter body and longer tail; striated cuticle; The anterior sensilla arranged in two circles, the first circle consisting of six inner labial setiform papillae (3-4 µm) and the second circle consisting of 16 long setae (12-19 µm); a transversely oval amphideal fovea; a well-developed muscle around the funnel-shaped buccal cavity; short spicules and a gubernaculum composed of a single piece; and precloacal supplements absent. An updated key to all species of Halomonhystera and pictorial key to all species of Stylotheristus are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calotes wangi sp. nov., a new species of the agamid genus Calotes Cuvier, 1817, from southern China and northern Vietnam, is described. This species can be distinguished from all known congeners by a combination of morphological characteristics and genetic divergence in the mitochondrial tRNA, ND2, and CO1 genes. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that the new species was formed as a monophyletic group and that considerable genetic divergence existed between its congeners (minimum p-distance, 4.6%). Calotes wangi sp. nov. is distinguished by a combination of the following characteristics: average SVL < 90 mm for adult males; 10-14 dorsal eyelid scales; scales on side of neck and adjacent shoulder area pointing obliquely upward; keels on neck scales weakly to strongly developed; fold in front of the shoulder absent; pair of dark triangular patches extending from the front of the shoulder to the jaw angles; and orange coloration of the tongue. Calotes wangi sp. nov. is similar to C. irawadi but differs in having scales between the nasal shield and the orbit and a fourth toe with a claw that can reach between the eyes and tympanum (even to the snout when hind the limbs are adpressed forward). Phylogenetic analyses revealed two well-supported subspecies, Lineages A and B in C. wangi sp. nov., with mean uncorrected p-distances between them of 2%. We propose that Lineage A, which is mainly from the central and southern Wuzhi Mountains on Hainan Island, is a subspecies, C. w. hainanensis ssp. nov. Lineage B mainly comprises individuals from other sites on the island plus the adjacent mainland, and is described as subspecies, C. w. wangi ssp. nov. A diagnostic key to all Calotes species of China is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The benefits of healthy lifestyles are well recognized. However, the extent to which improving unhealthy lifestyles reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk needs to be discussed. We evaluated the impact of lifestyle improvement on CVD incidence using data from the China-PAR project (Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China). METHODS A total of 12,588 participants free of CVD were followed up for three visits after the baseline examination. Changes in four lifestyle factors (LFs) (smoking, diet, physical activity, and alcohol consumption) were assessed through questionnaires from the baseline to the first follow-up visit. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The risk advancement periods (RAPs: the age difference between exposed and unexposed participants reaching the same incident CVD risk) and population-attributable risk percentage (PAR%) were also calculated. RESULTS A total of 909 incident CVD cases occurred over a median follow-up of 11.14 years. Compared with maintaining 0-1 healthy LFs, maintaining 3–4 healthy LFs was associated with a 40% risk reduction of incident CVD (HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.45–0.79) and delayed CVD risk by 6.31 years (RAP: −6.31 [−9.92, −2.70] years). The PAR% of maintaining 3–4 unhealthy LFs was 22.0% compared to maintaining 0-1 unhealthy LFs. Besides, compared with maintaining two healthy LFs, improving healthy LFs from 2 to 3–4 was associated with a 23% lower risk of CVD (HR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.60–0.98). CONCLUSIONS Long-term sustenance of healthy lifestyles or improving unhealthy lifestyles can reduce and delay CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infections poses a significant challenge in global pig farming. To address this issue, the study was conducted to identify and characterize 19 ETEC isolates from fecal samples of diarrheic pigs sourced from large-scale farms in Sichuan Province, China. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were utilized for identification and characterization. The isolates exhibited substantial resistance to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, ampicillin, tetracycline, florfenicol, and sulfadiazine, but were highly susceptible to amikacin, imipenem, and cefoxitin. Genetic diversity among the isolates was observed, with serotypes O22:H10, O163orOX21:H4, and O105:H8 being dominant. Further analysis revealed 53 resistance genes and 13 categories of 195 virulence factors. Of concern was the presence of tet(X4) in some isolates, indicating potential public health risks. The ETEC isolates demonstrated the ability to produce either heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) alone or both heatlabile enterotoxin (LT) and ST simultaneously, involving various virulence genes. Notably, STa were linked to human disease. Additionally, the presence of 4 hybrid ETEC/STEC isolates harboring Shiga-like toxin-related virulence factors, namely stx2a, stx2b, and stx2e-ONT-2771, was identified. IncF plasmids carrying multiple antimicrobial resistance genes were prevalent, and a hybrid ETEC/STEC plasmid was detected, highlighting the role of plasmids in hybrid pathotype emergence. These findings emphasized the multidrug resistance and pathogenicity of porcine-origin ETEC strains and the potential risk of epidemics through horizontal transmission of drug resistance, which is crucial for effective control strategies and interventions to mitigate the impact on animal and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The widespread popularity of e-cigarettes is considered an important public health concern. However, only some studies have investigated the prevalence of e-cigarette use in Shanghai, China. Research on the perceived harmfulness of e-cigarettes and public support for e-cigarette regulations in China is limited. This study aimed to estimate e-cigarette awareness, prevalence, and associated factors among adults in Shanghai, China. METHODS This study used data from a representative survey conducted in Shanghai, China, in 2019. The survey was conducted at 64 surveillance points in Shanghai, China, using a multistage, stratified, cluster-randomized sampling design, recruiting community-based Chinese adults aged ≥15 years. Based on the principles outlined in the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) China Project, data were collected by conducting face-to-face interviews in households. Of the 3200 selected households, 3060 people completed the individual survey. The overall response rate was 97.4%. RESULTS In all, 72.3% of the respondents had heard of e-cigarettes. The respondents who had used e-cigarettes at some point in their life, used them in the last 12 months, and used them currently were 5.8%, 2.6%, and 1.3%, respectively. Among adult residents who had heard of e-cigarettes, 38.2% thought they were less harmful than traditional cigarettes. The respondents who perceived e-cigarettes as more harmful than traditional cigarettes were less likely to have ever used e-cigarettes (AOR=0.2; 95% CI: 0.1--0.5, p=0.0015) and more likely to support incorporating e-cigarettes into the regulation of smoking control (AOR=3.9; 95% CI: 1.8--8.6, p=0.0008). CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that the awareness about e-cigarettes was high, and the prevalence of e-cigarette use was similar to the findings from previous studies in China. The harmful perception of e-cigarettes warrants further attention from public health practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 10 km struck Menyuan County, Haibei Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China, on January 8, 2022. This earthquake damaged some railway bridges on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Passenger Dedicated Line. This study combines relevant historical earthquake damage experience, considers the effects of earthquake intensity, site soil classification, superstructure type, foundation failure factor, number of spans, and total bridge length, and develops empirical formulas for seismic damage prediction of railway bridges using ordinal logistic regression model in SPSS software. Since the accuracy of both predictions for seismic damage is practically the same, using this regression to predict seismic damage to railway bridges is considered valid. The predicated seismic damage matrix, as were the anticipated multi-intensity mean damage index and the empirical vulnerability curve based on the two-parameter lognormal distribution function, were generated on this basis. We get a risk assessment of future seismic damage for regional bridges when they experience different intensities or peak ground acceleration. According to the conclusions, although the suggested particular equations and vulnerability curves do not apply to the remainder of the region owing to geographical uniqueness, the technical approach is valid. It may be used as a reference for seismic damage prediction and vulnerability evaluation in other regions. The earthquake damage prediction matrix derived from the regression analysis can provide reasonable and fast forecasts before the next earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT has been widely used in tumor diagnosis, staging, and response evaluation. To determine an optimal therapeutic strategy for lung cancer patients, accurate staging is essential. Semi-quantitative standardized uptake value (SUV) is known to be affected by multiple factors and may fail to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. Lymph nodes (LNs) in the mediastinal and pulmonary hilar regions with high FDG uptake due to granulomatous lesions such as tuberculosis, which has a high prevalence in China, pose a diagnostic challenge. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of the quantitative metabolic parameters derived from dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT in differentiating metastatic and nonmetastatic LNs in lung cancer. Methods: One hundred and eight patients with pulmonary nodules were enrolled to perform 18F-FDG PET/CT dynamic + static imaging with informed consent. One hundred and thirty-five LNs in 29 lung cancer patients were confirmed by pathology. Static image analysis parameters including LNSUVmax, LN-SUVmax/primary tumor SUVmax (LN-SUVmax/PT-SUVmax), mediastinal blood pool SUVmax (MBP-SUVmax), LN-SUVmax/MBP-SUVmax, and LN-SUVmax/short diameter. Quantitative parameters including K1, k2, k3 and Ki and of each LN were obtained by applying the irreversible two-tissue compartment model using in-house Matlab software. Ki/K1 was computed subsequently as a separate marker. We further divided the LNs into mediastinal LNs (N=82) and pulmonary hilar LNs (N=53). Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Independent-samples T-test and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed on each parameter to compare the diagnostic efficacy in differentiating lymph node metastases from inflammatory uptake. P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Among the 135 FDG-avid LNs confirmed by pathology, 49 LNs were non-metastatic, and 86 LNs were metastatic. LN-SUVmax, MBP-SUVmax, LNSUVmax/MBP-SUVmax, and LN-SUVmax/short diameter couldn't well differentiate metastatic from non-metastatic LNs (P>0.05). However, LNSUVmax/PT-SUVmax have good performance in the differential diagnosis of non-metastatic and metastatic LNs (P=0.039). Dynamic metabolic parameters in addition to k3, the parameters including K1, k2, Ki, and Ki/K1, on the other hand, have good performance in the differential diagnosis of metastatic and non-metastatic LNs (P=0.045, P=0.001, P=0.001, P=0.001, respectively). For ROC analysis, the metabolic parameters Ki (AUC of 0.672 [0.579-0.765], sensitivity 0.395, specificity 0.918) and Ki/K1 (AUC of 0.673 [0.580-0.767], sensitivity 0.570, specificity 0.776) have good performance in the differential diagnosis of metastatic from non-metastatic LNs than SUVmax (AUC of 0.596 [0.498-0.696], sensitivity 0.826, specificity 0.388), included the mediastinal region and pulmonary hilar region. Conclusion: Compared with SUVmax, quantitative parameters such as K1, k2, Ki and Ki/K1 showed promising results for differentiation of metastatic and nonmetastatic LNs with high uptake. The Ki and Ki/K1 had a high differential diagnostic value both in the mediastinal region and pulmonary hilar region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Renal impairment (RI) is associated with worse outcomes in the treatment of intravenous thrombolysis and emergent endovascular treatment (EVT) in anterior circulation stroke. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of RI with short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusions (VBAO) who received EVT. Methods Consecutive patients with VBAO receiving EVT involving 21 stroke centers were retrospectively included. Multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of RI with mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) during the hospital stay, and also mortality, favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-3), and functional improvement (shift in mRS score) at 3 months and 1 year follow-up. The association between RI and the risk of recurrent stroke was evaluated with multivariate competing-risk regression analyses. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, RI was independently associated with sICH (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.55 to 7.18), as well as mortality (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.47 to 4.38; OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.72 to 8.08), favorable functional outcome (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.66; OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.51), and functional improvement (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.74; OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.60) at 3 months and 1 year follow-up, respectively, but RI was not associated with in-hospital mortality. Additionally, there was no significant association between RI and recurrent stroke within 1 year. Conclusions Our findings suggest that RI is associated with a higher risk of sICH in hospital and a decrease in survival, favorable functional outcome, and functional improvement at 90 days and 1 year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inula cappa is a commonly used medicine in the Miao area of Guizhou Province in China. We established an in vitro inflammatory model of mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells to study the different pharmacokinetics of five anti-inflammatory active ingredients in the I. cappa extract namely luteolin (LUT), chlorogenic acid (CA), cryptochlorogenic acid (CCA), 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,4-DCQA) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (4,5-DCQA), in a normal and an inflammatory cell model. First, RAW264.7 cells were treated in vitro with l μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h to establish an inflammatory cell model. Then, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the five ingredients were compared in normal and inflammatory cells after treatment with 200 μg/ml and 800 μg/ml of I. cappa extracts. After treatment with 1 μg/ml LPS for 24 h, the volume of RAW264.7 cells was increased, the morphology was changed, the antennae were obvious, and the secretion of inflammatory factors nitric oxide and TNF-α was increased. The pharmacokinetics results showed that the five ingredients in normal and inflammatory cells exhibited an increase in Cmax and AUC values with increasing doses, and the Cmax and AUC values of five ingredients were positively correlated with the extract concentration. Each of these five ingredients presented nonlinear pharmacokinetic characteristics. After treatment with 200 μg/ml of I. cappa extract, the uptake of five ingredients increased in inflammatory cells, Tmax was prolonged, MRT and t1/2 were prolonged, and CL_F and Vz_F were decreased, while after treatment with 800 μg/ml of I. cappa extract, the uptake of five ingredients decreased, Tmax was prolonged, absorption was faster, and MRT and t1/2 were prolonged. The five analyzed components in I. cappa extract exerted different effects on normal cells and LPS-induced inflammatory cells. Compared to normal cells, the uptake of five ingredients in inflammatory cells was faster and the AUC and Cmax values increased with increasing doses, showing a dose-dependent nonlinear pharmacokinetic profile. These results indicate that the pharmacokinetic effects of the five analyzed ingredients in I. cappa extract are changed in the inflammatory state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper first theoretically analyzes the influence of the development of Fintech on the operating benefit of banks from the perspective of competition and diminishing marginal benefit, then the annual data of 38 banks listed in China's A-share market from 2015 to 2020 were selected for empirical and robustness tests by system GMM. The results show that there is a significant "inverted U-shaped" relationship between the development of Fintech and the operating benefit of banks, which is robust and dependable. Finally, relevant feasible suggestions for the development of Fintech in banks are provided, in order to help banks' digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov., a new music frog species, is proposed, based on a series of specimens collected from Mt Daming, Guangxi, southern China. The new species is close to N. yeae, N. daunchina, N. yaoica, and N. chapaensis from southwestern and south-central China and northern Indochina, while the relationships among these species remain unresolved. Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by the genetic divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and COI genes, the behavior of nest construction, the advertisement call containing 6-11 rapidly repeated regular notes, and a combination of morphological characteristics. Furthermore, the Nidirana populations recorded in Guangxi are clarified in this work, providing valuable new information on the knowledge of the genus Nidirana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applied the C-band vertically pointing radar with frequency-modulation continuous-wave technology to obtain the continuous observation data of four shallow and two deep snow events during the winter of 2015-2016 in the midlatitudes of China. Generating cells (GCs) were found near the echo tops in every event. The ice particle number concentration (N), ice water content (IWC), and median mass diameter (Dm) retrieved from radar Doppler spectra were used to analyze the microphysical properties in the snow clouds. The clouds were divided into upper GC and lower stratiform (St) regions according to their vertical structure. The fall streaks (FSs) associated with GCs were embedded in the St regions. In the GC regions, the N values in shallow events were smaller compared with those in deep events, and Dm and IWC were larger. In the St regions, N decreased compared with that in the GC regions, and Dm and IWC increased, implying the existence of aggregation and deposition growth. The growth of particle size and mass mainly occurred in the St regions. The increases of N were usually observed near -5°C accompanied by bimodal Doppler spectra, which might be caused by ice multiplication. The average ratios of the median N, Dm, and IWC inside GCs to those outside GCs were 2, 1.3, and 2.5, respectively, for shallow events, with 1.7, 1.2, and 2.3, respectively, for deep events. These values were basically the same as those for the FSs, implying the importance of GCs to the enhanced ice growth subsequently found in FSs. The larger values of N, Dm, and IWC inside GCs could be related to the upward air motions inside GCs. The first Ze-IWC relationship suitable for snow clouds in the midlatitudes of China was also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in regulating many biological processes of eukaryotes. Batrachuperus karlschmidti, as an endangered amphibian species of salamander endemic to China, has attracted much attention because of its high values for paleontology evolutionary history research and decreasing population size. Most miRNAs have been identified in animals, no study is available concerning the miRNAs in B. karlschmidti. Herein, deep sequencing technology was used to identify and analyze miRNAs in B. karlschmidti. Totally, 13 377 954 reads were yielded. Of them, 2 724 630 unique reads representing 866 known and three novel miRNAs were identified. All these identified miRNAs were also verified using stem-loop qRT-PCR test method. Additionally, 5452 candidate target genes were predicted. GO and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the majority of targets were involved in a broad range of biological processes and metabolic pathways. Results also revealed that certain miRNA target genes are transcription factors, which might be associated with environmental adaptation of B. karlschmidti. Overall, our results provided the first large-scale identification and characterization of miRNAs in B. karlschmidti. Discovery of miRNAs in B. karlschmidti contributes to a better understanding of the complex roles of miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in gene expression in regulating diverse biological processes and greatly facilitates further functional studies on miRNAs in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In China, lack of evidence remains a significant challenge for the national initiative to promote physical activity (PA). We aimed to quantify the beneficial effects of meeting or maintaining the recommended PA level [150 minutes per week (min/wk) of moderate PA or 75 min/wk of vigorous PA or an equivalent combination] on incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Chinese population. Methods We included 100,560 participants without history of CVD from three cohorts in the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR) project. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD events and its subtypes, including stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and CVD death. Results During a median follow-up of 7.3 years (range: 6-15 years), 777,163 person-years and 4693 incident CVD events were observed. Compared with participants who were inactive at baseline, the multivariable adjusted HR (95% CI) of developing CVD was 0.74 (0.69-0.79) for those who met recommended moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) level at baseline. Furthermore, the risk of CVD incidence was reduced with increment of MVPA (Ptrend < 0.001), and the HR (95% CI) of highly-active versus inactive category was 0.62 (0.56-0.68). Compared with individuals who were inactive both at the baseline and follow-up, those keeping active over the period of follow-up had a substantial lower risk of incident CVD with the HR (95% CI) of 0.57 (0.43-0.77). Conclusions The findings demonstrated that meeting and maintaining the recommended MVPA level could reduce the cardiovascular risk. Wider adoption of the PA recommendations would have considerable health impacts to the Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated winter field campaign was conducted to investigate the atmospheric boundary layer structure and PM2.5 concentration at three sites over the Yangtze River delta (YRD) in China: Shouxian (a rural area), a site in a northern suburb of Nanjing, and Dongshan (a residential area). Two temperature inversion layers and air pollution events occurred simultaneously from 30 to 31 December 2016, local time, over the YRD. It was found that the two inversion layers were related to the presence of a high pressure system, resulting in divergence in the upper boundary layer and radiative cooling near the ground at night. Dominated by agricultural and residential biomass burning, the surface emission sources from the Shouxian rural area were moderately strong. After the formation of the two inversions, the vertical distribution of PM2.5 concentration below the upper inversion layer was uniform as a result of thorough boundary layer mixing in the earlier hours. During nighttime at the Nanjing site, air pollutant plumes from nearby elevated point sources could not easily diffuse downward/upward between the two inversion layers, which led to a distinct peak in the PM2.5 concentration. At the Dongshan site, the emission sources were weak and the nighttime PM2.5 concentration above 100 m was high. The surface PM2.5 concentration gradually increased from early morning to noon, which was attributed to emissions related to the local residents. The results indicated that the vertical distribution of pollutants was affected by a combination of local emissions, vertical boundary layer structure, and horizontal and vertical transports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been shown that the entities in everyday clinical text are often expressed in a way that varies from how they are expressed in the nomenclature. Owing to lots of synonyms, abbreviations, medical jargons or even misspellings in the daily used physician notes in clinical information system (CIS), the terminology without enough synonyms may not be adequately suitable for the task of Chinese clinical term recognition.Methods: This paper demonstrates a validated system to retrieve the Chinese term of clinical finding (CTCF) from CIS and map them to the corresponding concepts of international clinical nomenclature, such as SNOMED CT. The system focuses on the SNOMED CT with Chinese synonyms enrichment (SCCSE). The literal similarity and the diagnosis-related similarity metrics were used for concept mapping. Two CTCF recognition methods, the rule- and terminology-based approach (RTBA) and the conditional random field machine learner (CRF), were adopted to identify the concepts in physician notes. The system was validated against the history of present illness annotated by clinical experts. The RTBA and CRF could be combined to predict new CTCFs besides SCCSE persistently.Results: Around 59,000 CTCF candidates were accepted as valid and 39,000 of them occurred at least once in the history of present illness. 3,729 of them were accordant with the description in referenced Chinese clinical nomenclature, which could cross map to other international nomenclature such as SNOMED CT. With the hybrid similarity metrics, another 7,454 valid CTCFs (synonyms) were succeeded in concept mapping. For CTCF recognition in physician notes, a series of experiments were performed to find out the best CRF feature set, which gained an F-score of 0.887. The RTBA achieved a better F-score of 0.919 by the CTCF dictionary created in this research.Conclusions: This research demonstrated that it is feasible to help the SNOMED CT with Chinese synonyms enrichment based on physician notes in CIS. With continuous maintenance of SCCSE, the CTCFs could be precisely retrieved from free text, and the CTCFs arranged in semantic hierarchy of SNOMED CT could greatly improve the meaningful use of electronic health record in China. The methodology is also useful for clinical synonyms enrichment in other languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the last decade, scrub typhus (ST) has been emerging or re-emerging in some areas of Asia, including Guangzhou, one of the most affected endemic areas of ST in China.Methods: Based on the data on all cases reported in Guangzhou from 2006 to 2014, we characterized the epidemiological features, and identified environmental determinants for the spatial distribution of ST using a panel negative binomial model.Results: A total of 4821 scrub typhus cases were reported in Guangzhou during 2006-2014. The annual incidence increased noticeably and the increase was relatively high and rapid in rural townships and among elderly females. The majority of cases (86.8%) occurred during May-October, and farmers constituted the majority of the cases, accounting for 33.9% in urban and 61.6% in rural areas. The number of housekeeper patients had a rapid increment in both rural and urban areas during the study period. Atmospheric pressure and relative humidity with lags of 1 or 2 months, distributions of broadleaved forest and rural township were identified as determinants for the spatiotemporal distribution of scrub typhus.Conclusion: Our results indicate that surveillance and public education need to be focused on the elderly farmers in rural areas covered with broadleaf forest in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to find evidence of a synergistic effect of acupoint combinations by analyzing different brain regions activated after acupuncture at different acupoint combinations. Methods: A total of 57 healthy subjects were randomly distributed into three groups: LR3 plus KI3 acupoints, LR3 plus sham acupoint, or LR3 alone. They underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan before and after acupuncture. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) values of different brain regions were analyzed to observe changes in brain function. Results: ALFF and ReHo produced an activated area in the cerebellum posterior lobe after acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints versus LR3 alone. ALFF and ReHo revealed altered activity in Brodmann area 10 (BA10), BA18, and brainstem pons after acupuncture at LR3 plus sham acupoint compared with at LR3 alone. A comparison of acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints with LR3 plus sham acupoint demonstrated an increase in BA6 of ALFF and a downregulation of ReHo. Conclusions: The increased number of brain regions with altered brain activity after acupuncture at acupoint combinations versus a single acupoint are evidence of the synergistic effect of acupoint combinations. BA6 was significantly activated after acupuncture at LR3 plus KI3 acupoints compared with at LR3 plus sham acupoint, suggesting that BA6 is the specific region of synergistic effect of acupoint combinations of LR3 plus KI3 acupoints. Affected brain regions were different between acupuncture at LR3 plus sham acupoint and LR3 alone, which indicates that the sham acupoint may have some psychological effect. However, the specific mechanism of acupoint combinations requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we determined brain regions that were activated/deactivated more by acupuncture at Taixi (KI3) than by non-acupoint or sham acupuncture. Methods: A total of 30 healthy volunteers were randomly divided into a KI3 group (15 subjects) and non-acupoint group (15 subjects). Subjects in KI3 group received a sham acupuncture and then a real acupuncture, fMRI was performed before and after sham acupuncture as well as after ture acupuncture. Subjects in non-acupoint group received a ture acupuncture and the fMRI was performed before and after ture acupuncture. The fMRI data obtained were successively analyzed using DPARSF2.3 and REST1.8 software, yielding regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) values. Results: Compared with sham acupuncture, ALFF values were higher in Brodmann area (BA) 10 and lower in BA7 and BA18. ReHo values after real acupuncture at KI3 were higher in the right sub-lobar region and BA10 and were lower in BA31. Compared with the changes before and after real acupuncture at non-acupoint, the changes at KI3 showed higher ALFF valued in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, BA10, BA39, BA31 and decreased ALFF was observed in the BA18, BA19 and BA40; and higher ReHo values were shown in left cerebellum posterior lobe pyramis, left cerebellum anterior lobe. BA37, BA10, BA39, BA31 and lower ReHo values were shown in BA18 and BA31. Conclusion: Acupuncture at KI3 has a specific effect on certain brain regions associated with perception, body movement, spirit, and association. Additionally, visual and auditory cortices were affected, which may be related to the clinical applications of KI3 acupuncture in auditory and cognitive disorders, hypomnesis, loss of concentration, and the loss of ability to work and learn. Trial registration: The research ethics committee was achieved at 01/08/2012, the NO. was ChiECRCT-2012011. Website for Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=7123. This study was registered at www.chictr.org, the Clinical Trial Registration Number was ChiCTR-TRC-12002427, and the registration number was achieved at 18/08/2012. The name of IRB that provided approval for the study and clearly state is Chinese Clinical Trail Registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pipeline construction can have considerable effects on agro-ecosystems. However, little research has documented pipeline installation disturbance on agricultural productivity. We sampled three sites in agricultural regions of West China in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces to study the effects of pipeline installation disturbance on crop productivity. Corn yield and five crop growth characteristics were measured and analyzed at six different distances on both sides of a pipeline at two sites: 0 (trench), 10 (piling or working zone), 20, 50, and 100 m. Crop productivity was assessed at a third site by sampling across pipelines at three different times after their construction (2, 6, and 8 yr). The results showed that agricultural productivity was mainly impaired inside the 20 m on both sides of the pipeline. The level of disturbance on agriculture productivity decreased as distance from pipeline increased. Crop productivity in the affected zones is expected to gradually improve over time. Pipeline installation had significant effect on soil organic matter, N content, and pH, and correlated with crop growth characteristics. Proper soil management practices, such as storing and backfilling topsoil separately from subsurface soil during the installation process, should be addressed to reduce the impacts of pipeline installation on crop productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils are among the major sources of atmospheric nitric oxide (NO), which play a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry. Here we systematically synthesized the modeling studies and field measurements and presented a novel soil NO emission inventory of terrestrial ecosystems in China. The previously modeled inventories ranged from 480 to 1375 and from 242.8 to 550 Gg N yr-1 for all lands and croplands, respectively. Nevertheless, all the previous modeling studies were conducted based on very few measurements from China. According to the current synthesis of field measurements, most soil NO emission measurements were conducted at croplands, while the measurements were only conducted at two sites for forest and grassland. The median NOflux was 3.2 ngNm1 s1 with a fertilizer induced emission factor (FIE) of 0.04% for rice fields, and was 7.1 ngNm1 s1 with an FIE of 0.67% for uplands. A novel NOemission inventory of 1226.33 (ranging from 588.24 to 2132.05) Gg N yr1 was estimated for China's terrestrial ecosystems, which was about 18% of anthropogenic emissions. More field measurements should be conducted to cover more biomes and obtain more representative data in order to well constrain soil NO emission inventory of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acupuncture may effectively treat certain symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although several studies have used functional brain imaging to investigate the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment on AD, these mechanisms are still poorly understood. We therefore further explored the mechanism by which needling at ST36 may have a therapeutic effect in a rat AD model. Methods A total of 80 healthy Wistar rats were divided into healthy control (n = 15) and pre-model (n = 65) groups. After inducing AD-like disease, a total of 45 AD model rats were randomly divided into three groups: the model group (n = 15), the sham-point group (n = 15), and the ST36 group (n = 15). The above three groups underwent PET scanning. PET images were processed with SPM2. Results The brain areas that were activated in the sham-point group relative to the model group were primarily centred on the bilateral limbic system, the right frontal lobe, and the striatum, whereas the activated areas in the ST36 group were primarily centred on the bilateral limbic system (pyriform cortex), the bilateral temporal lobe (olfactory cortex), the right amygdala and the right hippocampus. Compared with the sham-point group, the ST36 group showed greater activation in the bilateral amygdalae and the left temporal lobe. Conclusion We concluded that needling at a sham point or ST36 can increase blood perfusion and glycol metabolism in certain brain areas, and thus may have a positive influence on the cognition of AD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the last decade, major outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) have been reported in Asian countries, resulting in thousands of deaths among children. However, less is known regarding the effect of meteorological variables on the incidence of HFMD in children. This study aims at quantifying the relationship between meteorological variables and the incidence of HFMD among children in Guangzhou, China. Methods: The association between weekly HFMD cases in children aged <15 years and meteorological variables in Guangzhou from 2008 to 2011 were analyzed using the generalized additive model (GAM) and time-series method, after controlling for long-term trend and seasonality, holiday effects, influenza period and delayed effects. Results: Temperature and relative humidity with one week lag were significantly associated with HFMD infection among children. We found that a 1°C increase in temperature led to an increase of 1.86% (95% CI: 0.92, 2.81%) in the weekly number of cases in the 0-14 years age group. A one percent increase in relative humidity may lead to an increase of 1.42% (95% CI: 0.97, 1.87%) in the weekly number of cases in the 0-14 years age group. Conclusions: This study provides quantitative evidence that the incidence of HFMD in children was associated with high average temperature and high relative humidity. The one-week delay in the effects of temperature and relative humidity on HFMD is consistent with the enterovirus incubation period and the potential time lag between onset of children's sickness and parental awareness and response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marek's disease (MD) is an economically important viral disease of chickens caused by Marek's disease virus (MDV), an oncogenic herpesvirus. This disease was well controlled since the widespread use of commercial vaccines, but field MDVs have shown continuous increasing in virulence and acquired the ability to overcome the immune response induced by vaccines. Nowadays, MD continues to be a serious threat to poultry industry, isolation and characterization of MDVs are essential for monitoring changes of viruses and evaluating the effectiveness of existing vaccines. Results: Between 2008 and 2010, 18 field MDV strains were isolated from vaccinated chicken flocks in Sichuan province, China. Three oncogenic genes including Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes of the 18 isolates were amplified and sequenced. Homology analysis showed that the deduced amino acid sequences of these three genes exhibit 95.0-98.8%, 99.3-100% and 97.0-98.5% homology respectively with these of other reference strains published in GenBank. Alignment analysis of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences showed that four amino acid mutations in Meq gene and two amino acid mutations in vIL-8 gene displayed perfect regularity in MDVs circulating in China, which could be considered as features of field MDVs prevalent in recent years in China. In addition, one amino acid mutation in pp38 gene can be considered as a feature of virulent MDVs from USA, and three amino acid mutations in Meq gene were identified and unique in very virulent plus (vv+) MDVs. Phylogenetic analysis based on Meq and vIL-8 protein sequences revealed that field MDVs in China evolved independently. Virulence studies showed that CVI988 could provide efficient protection against the field MDVs epidemic recently in China. Conclusions: This study and other published data in the GenBank have demonstrated the features of Meq, pp38 and vIL-8 genes of MDVs circulating in recent years in Sichuan, China. Mutations, deletions or insertions were observed in these three genes, and some mutations could be considered as the unique marks of the MDVs circulating presently in China. The paper supplies some valuable information concerning the evolution of MDV which is useful for the vaccine development and control of MD in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine southern Chinese college student (N = 1983) stage of exercise behavior changes (SEBC) and their exercise self-efficacy (ESE). The SEBC and ESE scales were used to collect data. ANOVA was performed to investigate the differences in ESE by SEBC. Post Hoc Tukey tests were employed to determine which variables contributed to the differences. The data from the study indicated that those who maintained regular participation in exercise had significantly higher ESE than those who did not. It is concluded that improving college student ESE might lead to an increase in exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare coronary lesions in mainland Chinese and Australians using coronary angiography (CAG). Methods and results: 6251 suspected coronary heart disease (CHD) patients (3021 Chinese patients from Nanjing and 3230 Australian patients from Sydney) who underwent a CAG between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2003, were studied. Of these, 69.4% Chinese and 75.5% Australians were diagnosed with CHD. The incidences of both left main coronary artery (LM) and left anterior descending branch (LAD) lesions in Australians were higher than that for Chinese of the same gender. In the same age range, above 40, Gensini scores of Australians were significantly higher than those of Chinese. Conclusion: In both Chinese and Australians, men had more severe coronary lesions than women. Comparison among different age ranges in the 2 ethnic groups shows that Australians typically have artery lesions more than 10 years earlier than mainland Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has spread throughout China and to some degree has penetrated the general heterosexual population in some regions. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of 11,461 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic attendees in 8 cities in Guangxi, China, was conducted for syphilis and for acute and established HIV infections. Results. The prevalence of acute and established HIV infections was 1.2% among the participants. Five acute (preseroconversion) HIV infections were detected. Multivariate analysis showed that HIV infection was independently related to unmarried status (odds ratio [OR], 1.73 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.00 -2.99), less education (OR for less than primary school, 4.21 [90% CI, 1.21-14.58]), residence in city A (OR, 11.48 [95% CI, 2.05- 64.31]) or city B (OR, 7.93 [95% CI, 1.75-35.91]), working in the entertainment industry (OR, 3.98 [95% CI, 1.14 -13.88]), injection drug use (OR, 25.09 [95% CI, 10.43- 60.39]), no condom use during most recent sexual intercourse (OR, 4.97 [95% CI, 1.38 -17.88]), and syphilitic infection (OR, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.03-3.56]). Conclusions. HIV prevalence in STD clinics is significantly greater than that in the general population, and subjects were identified who would be missed by conventional surveillance. China's nationwide system of public STD clinics, which reach down to the township level, should be used for HIV control programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To measure prevalence of syphilis among the STI clinic population in Guangxi, China, and to assess the socioeconomic and behavioural characteristics associated with the infection. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional survey and syphilis and HIV serologic testing among 11 473 patients attending 14 community and hospital-based dermatovenereal clinics across eight cities in Guangxi between December 2004 and February 2006. Results: 1297 (11.9%) patients demonstrated positive toludine red unheated serum test and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination results with serologic testing. A total of 58% (752) of seropositive subjects presented with a genital ulcer, palmar/plantar rash or inguinal lymphadenopathy. Female sex (OR = 2.23, 95% confidence intervals (CI)= 1.69 to 3.00, p<0.001), less education (middle school, OR= 1.70, 95% Cl = 1.11 to 2.62, p=0.023; primary school or less, OR= 1.98, 95% Cl = 1.13 to 3.46, p =0.017) and high annual income (OR = 1 .91, 95% CI = 1 .18 to 3.10, p = 0.009 for >30 000 RMB yuan) were associated with serologically positive status. Syphilis infection was significantly more prevalent in city 2 (19.5%, OR=3.07, 95% CI=1.83 to 5.16, p<0.001), city 4(16.6%, OR=1.90, 95% Cl=1.10 to 3.28, p=0.011) and city 8 (13.8%, OR= 1.83, 95% Cl = 1.13 to 2.97, p=0.006). A total of 40.1% (532) of infected subjects engaged in commercial sex and increased rates of the infection was associated with multiple sexual partners (OR = 1 .54, 95% CI = 1.16 to 2.06, p = 0.003). A total of 1 .2% (133) of participants carried laboratory markers for HIV and 1.8% (23) of patients with syphilis were positive for HIV. Conclusions: Syphilis infection has reached alarming rates in China's STI clinic population, suggesting a generalised spread of the disease through commercial sex and bridging populations. Syphilis control is deserving of China's highest priority. Universal screening for syphilis and HIV testing in STI clinics should be considered as measures for control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some enzymatic activities were determined in the areas polluted by tailings from Tiantai Pb-Zn-Ag Mine in Zhejiang Province of China. The results indicated the soil enzymatic activities decreased significantly with increase of concentrations of heavy metals or the distance away from mining tailing center, especially dehydrogenase and urease activities. Multivariate regression analysis between heavy metal contents and soil enzymatic activities indicated that single dehydrogenase activity was very significantly correlated to combined effect of soil heavy metals in mine area. Moreover, single urease, protease and acid phosphatase activities were significantly related to the combined effect of heavy metals. The results suggest it is feasible to use soil enzymatic activities to indicate the pollution situation by combined heavy metals in the soil of mine area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Rhododendron cochlearifolium Xiang Chen & Jiayong Huang (Ericaceae), from Guizhou Province, China is described and illustrated. It differs from the most morphologically similar species R. irroratum and R. agastum mainly by having small and spoon-like leaf blades, a more loriferous inlorescence, a shorter rachis, a corolla with no nectar pouches, glabrous ilaments and a densely tomentose, eglandular ovary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an expansion of [11]. The discussions in this paper were inspired by a college entrance practice exam from China. The investigations lead us to apply techno-logical tools to explore the reections along circles. Firstly, we shall see if we choose the incoming and outing light beams to be at a specic angle within a circle, we shall create many nice geometric patterns. Secondly, we prove that the reections along the circle are periodic if the reflection angle is a rational degree. Thirdly, we replace the straight lines for light beams by two symmetric curves with respect to the corresponding normal line at the point on the circle, we will create nice patterns involving curves. Finally, we use technological tools to explore interesting scenarios when rections are done along ellipses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melioidosis, caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is considered to be endemic to Northern Australia and Southeast Asia, with high mortality and relapse rates, regardless of powerful antibiotic therapy. Here we report the first genome sequence of Burkholderiapseudomallei strain BPC006, obtained from a melioidosis patient in Hainan, China. The genome sizes of the 2 chromosomes were determined to be 4,001,777 bp and 3,153,284 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study on the investigation of person to person transmission of novel avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in eastern China in the year 2013. It states that in the study, two patients with H7N9 were studied. It mentions that the in the study clinical data, history of exposure before the onset of illness in the patients and results of laboratory testing of pathogens were investigated.

This paper outlines an investigation on current situation of Spirulina ( Arthrospira) industry in Inner Mongolia, an internal region of China with temperate continental climate. More than 20 Spirulina plants have been established in Inner Mongolia since 2001, most of which are located at Wulan Town in the Ordos Plateau. By the end of 2009, the total annual production of Spirulina in the Ordos Plateau surpassed 700 t (dw), which account for ca . 80% of the total productivity of Inner Mongolia, and ca . 20% of China. Besides abundant solar radiation and enough freshwater favorable for Spirulina production, the three technical strategies contribute to the prosperity and success of Spirulina industry in the region: (1) reducing the cost or investment by overall advantages of rich local natural resources with low cost for Spirulina production, such as alkaline lakes, coal, electricity, and sandy land; (2) controlling the culture temperature and to avoid contamination by building plastic greenhouses on raceway ponds, (3) reducing investment by simplifying the construction of the ponds and the greenhouses. As the result, the growth period of Spirulina has been prolonged from about 120 to about 165 days, the cost of Spirulina has decreased by 25-30%, and the quality of products has been enhanced substantially. Inner Mongolia is expected to become the largest base for Spirulina production not only in China, but also in the world in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of transition from "Biomedical Model" to "Biology-Psychology-Society Medical Model", the treatment model of malignant tumors has changed from single-subject treatment to multidisciplinary collaboration treatment led by a Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). On this basis, the concept of "Team Oncology Medicine" strengthens the focus of malignant tumor treatment. This is not only improving cure rate and extending life span, but also paying close attention to patients' actual demands to improve their quality of life. There are many good studies and practices of Multidisciplinary Team and Team Oncology Medicine in the world. China is currently in the exploratory phase of the malignant tumor Multidisciplinary Team treatment model. Many hospitals have investigated and practiced a Multidisciplinary Team treatment model. China is faced with many problems to scientifically construct a malignant tumor treatment model which conforms to national conditions. These conditions include a medical model, a medical care insurance system, public hospitals reform, hospital management approaches, personnel framework, concern with patients' psychosis and psychology, and whether to tell patients their actual condition and how they should express their will, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From March 31 to May 31, 2013, 132 cases of humans were infected with the H7N9 avian influenza virus, 39 of which resulted in death in China, which sparked global concerns about public health. Fortunately, no new case was reported in China since May 8, which seems like to make it step into a stable stage, and the emergency response to the event launched by Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Shandong, and Hu'nan of China have been terminated currently. However, on July 20 and August 10, two new cases were reported from two provinces - Hebei and Guangdong - where no case was reported during the period of spring of 2013. The emerged two new cases rung an alarm bell, thus, the continued public health response cannot let down its guard. Based on our before studies, we found that live poultry purchasing habits, poultry handling, and living conditions increase the risk of exposure to H7N9 virus contaminated environments in China. Due to the difficulty in changing live poultry purchasing habits and in thoroughly removing or closing live poultry markets in China, we suggest that enhanced regulation of poultry markets would be a more feasible and effective strategy to fight against H7N9 virus infection in China. Moreover, in view of the fact that frequent and inevitable contact between rural residents and poultry where rural residents lived also exists due to poultry handling and living conditions, the enhanced regulations on environmental health are also needed for free-range poultry, especially in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migrant population is a population with a high risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection and transmission. Globally, migration is likely to have a significant impact on TB epidemiology, particularly in countries that receive substantial numbers of migrants from countries with a high infection burden. China, a country with the world's second highest TB burden, faces a considerable increase in the number of rural-to-urban migrants. This population has a significant impact on urban TB epidemics and is specifically targeted by national guidelines for TB control. TB control among the migrant population has had relatively poor outcomes. Barriers to detection and treatment have both financial and non-financial aspects, such as the "migratory" nature of the migrant population, their marginalized working and living environment, poor financial status, little awareness of TB, inadequate referral to TB dispensaries, and potential social stigma in the workplace. Currently, the free TB treatment policy has limited ability to relieve the financial burden on most migrant TB patients as would allow optimal outcomes of TB detection and treatment. Universal health insurance coverage and fostering of personnel in community-based primary health care for the ruralto- urban migrant population represent two pillars of successful TB control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We announce the, draft genome sequence of Borrelia garinii strain NMJW1, isolated from Ixodespersulcatus in northeastern China. The 902,789-bp linear chromosome (28.4% GC content) contains 813 open reading frames, 33 tRNAs, and 4 complete rRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]