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We examine the corporate governance and innovation relationship of China's listed firms engaging in OFDI activity. Relying on mainstream corporate governance theories, Tobin's Q as a measure of firm performance, and patents granted as a measure of successful corporate innovation, this study leverages data collected from the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the Chinese Research Data Services Platform as well as the China Stock Market & Accounting Database. Our sample includes 3,337 firms with a total 13,182 firm-year observations from the year 2010 to 2019, divided in two panel datasets including 6,581 firm-year observations for China listed firms engaging in OFDI, and 6,601 firm-year observations for China listed firms not engaging in OFDI. We find that board independence is the corporate governance component with the highest predictive significance on innovation, followed by board size, and that CEO duality is not a significant innovation predictor for China listed firms. We also find high incidence of CEO duality among China listed firms, although less frequent for firms engaging in OFDI, and that China listed firms that engage in OFDI activity are more innovative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychological birth trauma is widespread in postpartum women, and its harms are serious to mothers’ health. Existing tools rely on posttraumatic stress disorder to evaluate, which cannot effectively evaluate its connotation. The aim of this study was to develop a new instrument for use to comprehensively assess the psychological birth trauma level of women after birth and test the scale’s psychometric properties. Methods: The scale was developed and evaluated through item generation, expert consultation, pre-survey, and psychometric evaluation. A literature review, focus group, and individual deep semi-structured interviews were utilized to identify the scale items. The expert consultation evaluated the content validity. Psychometric testing was conducted in a convenience sample of 712 mothers within the first 72 h postpartum who were recruited from three hospitals in China. Results: The total Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.874. Exploratory factor analysis supported that the final scale consisted of four dimensions and fifteen items. The explanatory variance of the four factors was 66.724%. The four dimensions are named “being neglected,” “out of control,” “physiological emotional response,” and “cognitive behavioral response.” The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the fit indices were all at acceptable and good levels. Conclusion: The 15-item Birth Trauma Scale is a valid and reliable tool to evaluate the psychological trauma of mothers who experienced spontaneous childbirth. The scale is a maternal self-assessment scale that can help women understand their mental health. Healthcare providers can identify key populations and intervene with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of regional nodal irradiation (RNI) in patients with T1-2N1M0 breast cancer and to identify the subgroup that could benefit from RNI. Methods and materials: A total of 4,243 women with pT1-2N1M0 breast cancer treated at two institutions in China were retrospectively reviewed. Survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The association of risk factors with survival outcomes was evaluated using multivariable proportional hazards regression. Results: A total of 932 patients (22.0%) received RNI. At a median follow-up of 5.9 years, the 5-year locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 4.0% and 7.2% (P = 0.001), 13.2% and 10.6% (P = 0.465), 85.0% and 84.7% (P = 0.131), and 93.9% and 92.8% (P = 0.004) in the RNI and non-RNI groups, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that RNI was an independent prognostic factor for lower LRR (P = 0.001) and longer DFS (P = 0.013). Patients were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups based on the eight nontherapeutic risk factors. RNI significantly decreased the 5-year LRR (2.2% vs. 7.0%, P = 0.001) and improved the 5-year DFS (88.8% vs. 84.9%, P = 0.015) and OS (95.8% vs. 93.9%, P = 0.010) in the intermediate-risk group. However, neither the low-risk group nor the high-risk group had survival benefit from RNI. Conclusion: T1-2N1M0 breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. We found that RNI only improved survival in the intermediate-risk group. It might be omitted in low-risk patients, and the role of RNI in high-risk patients needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of hydroelectric dams can lead to major changes in hydrology for habitats within the reservoir drawdown zones. The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in China is the world's largest hydroelectric facility, with a reservoir covering 1080 km2 and a drawdown zone covering 350 km2. Since the TGD's establishment in 2008, the formerly terrestrial habitats within the dam's drawdown zone have effectively been converted to riparian habitats. A strong understanding of ecological dynamics in these novel habitats is critical to their ongoing management. Given the major contribution of insects to ecosystem function and biodiversity, we surveyed riparian insect communities semi‐annually from 2011 to 2018 across a 600‐km network of 18 sites in the TGD's drawdown zone. During this period, the total abundance of insects increased 4.4‐fold, and the composition of insect communities shifted significantly, with Diptera increasingly dominant in later years. Insect abundance trajectories were coupled with concomitant changes in local climate and soil chemistry, which have in turn been brought on by the novel hydrological regime in the drawdown zone. Revegetation efforts had limited impacts on riparian insect abundances. Overall, riparian insect communities have undergone marked shifts since the TGD started operating. We cannot explicitly attribute these effects to the TGD's establishment, but our results indicate that they might have been shaped by—or are at least coupled with—the profound changes in hydrological conditions associated with the TGD's establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have been conducted on the correlation between preschool children's executive functions and mathematical competence, the findings of those studies are inconsistent. This study used meta-analysis to investigate the correlation between executive functions and mathematical competence of preschool children in China, and then explored the moderating effects of age, gender, and instruments. The researchers conducted an extensive search of CNKI, Web of Science, Google Scholar and used screening criteria to identify 22 studies of Chinese preschoolers aged 3--7 years from 2007 to 2021. The findings indicated that there was a positive correlation between Chinese preschool children's executive functions and mathematical competence (r = 0496), of which the effect size between mathematical competence and inhibition control was 0.347, and the effect size for working memory was 0.432, with an effect size of 0.370 for cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, Moderation analysis suggests that the preschoolers' age, gender, and instruments affected the association between the executive functions and mathematical competence. The implications of these findings for theory and practice deserve further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Akkermansia muciniphila is a member of the gut microbiome, using mucin as sources of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. Since the first discovery of this unique bacterium in 2004, A. muciniphila has been extensively studied. It is considered a promising "next-generation beneficial microbe." The purpose of this paper is to sort out the research status and summarize the hotspots through bibliometric analysis of the publications of A. muciniphila. Methods: The publications about A. muciniphila from January 2004 to February 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. Visualization analyses were performed using three bibliometric tools and GraphPad Prism. Results: A total of 1,478 published documents were analyzed. Annual publication number grew from 1 in 2004 to 336 in 2021, with China being the leading producer (33.36%). De Vos, Willem M was the most productive author with the highest H-index (documents = 56, H-index = 37), followed by Cani, Patrice D (documents = 35, H-index = 25). And Scientific Reports published the most papers. PNAS was the keystone taxa in this field, with high betweenness centrality (0.11) and high frequency. The keywords with high frequency in recent years include: oxidative stress, diet, metformin, fecal microbiota transplantation, short-chain fatty acids, polyphenols, microbiota metabolites and so on. The keyword "oxidative stress" was observed to be increasing in frequency recently. Conclusion: Over time, the scope of the research on the clinical uses of A. muciniphila has gradually increased, and was gradually deepened and developed toward a more precise level. A. muciniphila is likely to remain a research hotspot in the foreseeable future and may contribute to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic discourses regarding teacher motivation have been on-going for decades for those who teach in ethnic minority areas. Yet research findings failed to provide a consistent conclusion regarding if kindergarten teachers' motivation pattern would vary based on a case-to-case scenario. Therefore, further studies are needed to probe the motivation patterns among this population. The study firstly examined kindergarten teachers' motivational profiles based on Expectancy Value Theory (EVT), and then examined how teachers' motivation related to outcome variables (work engagement, workplace wellbeing, and retention intention). Participants included 1,199 kindergarten teachers from ethnic minority areas in China. Latent profile analysis identified three motivation profiles for teachers: low value-high cost (profile 1), moderate all (profile 2), and high value-low cost (profile 3). Teacher with different motivation profiles had significant differences in work engagement, workplace wellbeing, and retention intention. In addition, chain mediation analysis revealed that work engagement and workplace wellbeing mediated the relationship between motivation profiles and retention intention. The implications of the findings for study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Regular retrospective analysis is necessary for potential improvement in clinical practice for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds. Comorbidities and outcomes have demonstrated spatial and temporal diversity, emphasising the importance of updates in epidemiology. The complexity of healing hard-to-heal wounds has long been known, and so we sought evidence-based improvement on the current principles of treatment. Method: Demographic and clinical information of patients from the WoundCareLog database was collected. Patients who met the inclusion criteria and completed follow-up after treatment were included. Comorbidities were diagnosed and classified into eight categories based on ICD-10. We compared the demographic and aetiological characteristics between patients with and without comorbidities by t-test and Chi-squared test. The impact of comorbidities on wound healing were evaluated with a multivariate Cox model. Results: A total of 2163 patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled, of whom 37.0% were aged 61–80 years, 36.0% were aged 41–60 years and 60.8% were male. The lower extremities and buttocks were the most commonly affected areas with hard-to-heal wounds. Non-traumatic wounds accounted for 66.6% of cases, and infection, pressure and diabetes were the most common causes. Paralysis and diabetes were the most important factors which led to a prolonged healing process and inferior clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Comorbidities of hard-to-heal wounds were treated as separate contributors and their weighted effect on outcome was calculated through correlation analysis. Paralysis and diabetes were the most unfavourable comorbidities affecting the treatment of non-traumatic hard-to-heal wounds. Our study highlighted the priority of comorbidity treatment through data-driven approaches. It provides potential value in developing better public health strategies and preventive medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orphans and vulnerable children fall under the category of children who are at risk of exposure to more stressful circumstances and receive less social assistance compared to other children. This study aims to investigate the impact of group counseling based on social intervention and psychological therapy (SSGPC) on social support and the perceived stress growth of orphans and vulnerable children. In one special educational needs school in Nanning, China, the SSGPC was developed and implemented. Using the social support and post-stress growth scales, the researchers investigated the effects of SSGPC on orphans and vulnerable children. Twenty-seven orphans and vulnerable children between the ages of nine and 12 were arbitrarily assigned to the experimental and control groups. A pre-test post-test method of quasiexperimental design was applied, with 13 participants in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. The results revealed that the intervention group had significantly higher scores for social support and post-stress growth than the control group. The SSGPC had significantly improved the levels of social support for orphans. The findings indicated that the SSGPC provided an effective way to improve social support and post-stress growth of orphans and vulnerable children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Eutrichosomella Girault is recorded for the first time from China (Yunnan Province), and Eutrichosomella yunnanensis sp. nov. (♀, ♂) is described and illustrated. A distribution map of this genus is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The significance of different ages of perianal disease (PD) onset in patients with perianal Crohn's disease (PCD) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the impact of paediatric-onset PD (POP) and adult-onset PD (AOP) on the Crohn's disease (CD) course in a Chinese cohort.Methods: The medical records of diagnosed PCD patients from 2008 to 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The cumulative incidence and predictors of intestinal resection were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analysis.Results: Complex perianal fistulas (71.7% vs 50.0%, p = 0.011) and infliximab (IFX) treatment (33.3% vs 22.0%, p = 0.044) were more common among the POP patients (age < 18 years old, n = 84). A younger PD onset age (15.1 ± 2.9 vs 30.2 ± 10.5 years, p < 0.001) and shorter PCD diagnostic delay (12 vs 24 months, p = 0.033) was found in the POP cohort. AOP patients (age ≥ 18 years old, n = 209) had a higher rate of current smoking (12.9% vs 4.8%, p = 0.040), stricturing behaviour (42.1% vs 27.4%, p = 0.024) and intestinal resection (21.1% vs 4.8%, p = 0.001). The cumulative probability of intestinal resection in AOP patients was higher than that in POP patients (p = 0.007). In multivariable analysis, AOP (OR: 4.939, 95% CI 1.538-15.855, p = 0.007), stricturing behaviour (OR: 1.810, 95% CI 1.008-3.251, p = 0.047) and rectal inflammation (OR: 3.166, 95% CI 1.119-8.959, p = 0.030) were predictive factors for CD-related intestinal resection in all PCD patients. AOP patients with complex perianal fistula (OR: 2.257, 95% CI 1.041-4.891, p = 0.039) and POP patients with rectal inflammation (OR: 3.166, 95% CI 1.119-8.959, p = 0.030) were more likely to suffer intestinal resection. The IFX administration significantly decreased the rate of intestinal resection in AOP patients (r = - 0.900, p = 0.037).Conclusions: The AOP patients have more complicated luminal disease and higher rate of intestinal resection than COP patients. The perianal diseases onset-age can provide clinical treatment guidance for individual management of CD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Risk of venous thrombosis is increased in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); data on Asian IBD patients is limited and status quo of thrombosis screening and prophylaxis are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the incidence, screening, prophylaxis, and risk factors for venous thrombosis among Asian IBD patients. Methods: Medical files of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) from 17 hospitals across China between 2011 and 2016 were reviewed for venous thrombosis, use of screening and prophylaxis. A case-control study was performed among hospitalized patients with venous thrombosis and their age-, sex-matched IBD controls hospitalized around the same period; disease characteristics and known provoking factors of venous thrombosis were recorded. Risk factors were analyzed in both univariate and logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 8,459 IBD patients were followed for 12,373 person-year. Forty-six patients (0.54%) had venous thrombosis, yielding an incidence of 37.18 per 10,000 person-year. Incidence increased with age, especially among CD. Less than 20% of patients received screening tests and 35 patients (0.41%) received prophylaxis. Severe disease flare was an independent risk factor for venous thrombosis (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: CD, 9.342 [1.813-48.137]; UC, 5.198 [1.268-21.305]); past use of steroids and extensive involvement were 2 additional risk factors in CD and UC, respectively. Conclusions: Incidence of venous thrombosis in China was 37.18 per 10,000 person-year (0.54%). Use of screening and prophylaxis were rare. Severe disease flare was an independent risk factor for thrombosis among hospitalized patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of Paraphytis Compere, P. bannaensis sp. nov. and P. pseudovittatus sp. nov., are described from the Xishuangbanna Rainforest (Southwest China). A key to species from China based on females is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When building a multi-parameter water quality testing model for marine environmental pollution emergency response, the characteristics of marine environmental data are analyzed based on the method of a data-driven model artificial neural network, and the mapping relationship between state variables of the marine environment is established by taking state variables of the marine environment as input-output parameters of the model. The method of emergency multi-parameter inversion of the combined unit model is used to optimize the inversion of emergency parameters (chemistry and biology) of a data-driven model with regional variation, and to invert the near-optimal solution. Based on the inversion results, a non-conservative water quality testing model of marine environmental pollution is constructed from the two emergency parameters of chemistry and biology. This model mainly studies the decomposition rate of nitrogen and phosphorus and the effects of phytoplankton growth, respiration, withering and sedimentation on the nutrient value from the two aspects of chemical decomposition speed and biological process which affect the change of the nutrient value of marine environmental pollution. The water quality concentration of the marine environment is determined according to nutrient value, and the ocean ring is realized. The test results of the water quality test model are as follows: the predicted values of chlorophyll and inorganic nitrogen content in Liaodong Bay and Bohai Bay, China is in good agreement with the measured values, and the predicted values of inorganic nitrogen, chlorophyll current and water level in the nutrient salts of Liaodong Bay and Bohai Bay are in good agreement with the measured values. The test results are of high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 10-15% of the population worldwide, results in high morbidity and mortality, and requires costly treatment and renal replacement therapy. Glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and persistent intestinal flora disturbance are common in CKD. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by the intestinal microbiota, have been previously reported to ameliorate kidney injury; however, the specific concentrations and types that are required to improve renal function remain unknown. The present study aims to evaluate the levels of SCFAs in healthy and CKD patients, and to test the hypothesis that SCFAs play a critical role in delaying CKD progression. One hundred and twenty-seven patients with CKD and 63 healthy controls from China were enrolled in the present study. Butyrate, which is considered beneficial to humans, was almost three-times higher in healthy volunteers than that in CKD5 subjects (P=0.001). Moreover, the serum SCFA levels in controls were significantly higher than that in CKD patients (P<0.05), and the butyrate level among CKD5 patients (1.48 +- 0.60 µmol/l) was less than half of that in controls (3.44+- 2.12 µmol/l, P<0.001). In addition, we observed an inverse correlation between butyrate level and renal function (P<0.05). A CKD rat model transplanted with microbiota obtained from CKD patients exhibited accelerated CKD progression via increased production of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which was reversed by supplementation with extra butyrate. Our results showed that SCFA levels were reduced in CKD patients and that butyrate supplementation might delay CKD progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English abstracts of technical papers plays a key role in promoting the research finds and academic exchange. Based on the self-made corpus on research article abstracts, we attempt to explore the lexical and syntactic features of the China-based research article abstracts. The results show that these abstracts enjoy characteristics of higher lexical density, lower STTR, higher repetition of high frequency words and more frequent use of nominalization structure. From the aspect of syntactic features, English abstracts in Chinese scientific journals tend to use more compound sentences and passive voice structures with shorter average sentence length. These stylistic features are not consistent with the established writing norm. Chinese researchers are suggested to follow the current established norms of academic papers for a better communication with their western peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As a key industry promoting the transformation of the labour force and proving labour cognitive level, education and training has strong economic externality with positive external effects on socio-economic development according to many economists. However, the research on the economic evaluation of education and training industry is very limited. From the Western economics perspective of externality, this paper analyses education and training industry on the basis of the important role of human capital in China's economic transformation. The difference between education training's spillover effect and the relative marginal production factor's productivity is calculated by using the fidelity model. In this way, labour cognitive level can be quantified. The more people who receive education training, the more they can promote the economic efficiency of enterprises, and the more they can promote the harmonious development of the entire society and economy. Education and training industry has a positive externality effect that can improve labour cognitive level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The incidence of severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is not low, especially in mainland China in almost every year recently. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to generate large-scale evidence on the risk factors of severe HFMD to provide suggestions on prevention and controlling. Methods. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang (Chinese) were searched to identify relevant articles. All analyses were performed using Stata 14.0. Results. We conducted a meta-analysis of 11 separate studies. Fever (odds ratio (OR) 7.396, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.565-15.342), fever for more than 3 days (OR 5.773, 95% CI 4.199-7.939), vomiting (OR 6.023, 95% CI 2.598-13.963), limb trembling (OR 42.348, 95% CI 11.765-152.437), dyspnea (OR 12.869, 95% CI 1.948-85.017), contact with HFMD children (OR 5.326, 95% CI 1.263-22.466), rashes on the hips (OR 1.650, 95% CI 1.303-2.090), pathologic reflexes (OR 3057.064, 95% CI 494.409-19000), Lethargy (OR 31.791, 95% CI 3.369-300.020), convulsions (OR 23.652, 95% CI 1.973-283.592), and EV71 infection (OR 9.056, 95% CI 4.102-19.996) were significantly related to the risk of severe HFMD. We did not find an association between female sex (OR 0.918, 95% CI 0.738-1.142), scatter-lived children (OR 1.347, 95% CI 0.245-7.397), floating population (OR 0.847, 95% CI 0.202-3.549), rash on the hands (OR 0.740, 95% CI 0.292-1.874), rash on the foot (OR 0.905, 95% CI 0.645-1.272), the level of the clinic visited first (below the country level) (OR 5.276, 95% CI 0.781-35.630), breast feeding (OR 0.523, 95% CI 0.167-1.643), and the risk of severe HFMD. Conclusions. Fever, fever for more than 3 days, vomiting, limb trembling, dyspnea, contact with HFMD children, rashes on the hips, pathologic reflexes, lethargy, convulsions, and EV71 infection are risk factors for severe HFMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Danjiangkou Reservoir, an important drinking water source, has become a hot spot internationally due to its draining catchment has been increasingly affected by anthropogenic activities. However, its natural water chemistry (major elements) received little attention though it is crucial for water quality and aquatic ecology. Major ions during 2004–2014 were determined using stoichiometry to explore their shifts and the driving factors in the Danjiangkou Reservoir. Results show significant differences in monthly, spatial and annual concentrations of major ions. Waters are controlled by carbonate weathering with the dominant ions of Ca 2+ and HCO 3 − total contributing 74% to the solutes, which are consistent with regional geography. Carbonate dissolution was produced by sulfuric acid and carbonic acid in particular. The relative abundance of Ca 2+ gradually decreases, Na + + K + abundance, however, has doubled in the recent 11 years. Population and human activities were the major drivers for several major ions, i.e., Cl − and Na + concentrations were explained by population and GDP, and SO 4 2− by GDP, industrial sewage and energy consumption. Estimation indicated that domestic salts and atmospheric deposition contributed 56% and 22% to Cl − , respectively. We conclude waters in the Reservoir are naturally controlled by rock weathering whilst some key elements largely contributed by anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Chinese fauna of Pteroptrix currently includes 26 species, of wihich 19 species were described originally as new from China: 2 by Howard (1907), 2 by Compere (1953), 1 by Flanders (1966), 1 by Viggiani and Ren (1986), 4 by Huang (1991), 4 by Huang et al. (1992), 1 by Viggiani and Ren (1993), 4 by Huang (1994). New information Pteroptrix pedicellata sp. n. is described in detail and illustrated; the male of P. processa (Huang) is reported for the first time. New distributional data for three species, P. leptocera (Huang), P. orientalis (Silvestri) and P. processa (Huang), are also provided from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeine is a kind of psychostimulant that naturally exist in foods. The benefits and risks of caffeine depend on the dose. Moreover, the intake of caffeine from dietary sources in China has seldom been assessed. We calculated the dietary caffeine intake of Chinese adult consumers from 2004 to 2018 and analyzed its consumption trends by using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and the National Food and Beverage Consumption Survey. Caffeine contents in different dietary items were determined by HPLC. Monte Carlo simulations were applied to estimate caffeine intake. Mann-Kendall trend test and linear regression were used to analyze the trend of caffeine consumption. Among 79,173 individuals, 3972 (5%) of the adult Chinese population consumed caffeine between 2004 and 2018. The average caffeine intake was 123 mg/day for male consumers and 116 mg/day for female consumers. The median and P75 caffeine intake raised over the 14 years. Traditional tea leaves, coffee and sodas are the main sources of caffeine intake. Our findings indicate that most Chinese adults consumed caffeine within the safe level (400 mg/day), but the caffeine consumption has shown an increasing trend in recent 14 years. [Display omitted] • The percentage of caffeine consumers in China in 2018 was 27 times than that in 2004. • Average caffeine intakes: 123 mg/day for men and 116 mg/day for women. • The median and P75 of Chinese adults' caffeine intake increased between 2004 and 2018. • Traditional tea leaves, coffee and sodas contributed most of the caffeine intake. • 5.5% of caffeine consumers consumed caffeine at levels over 400 mg/day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ~350 km2 water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) of China, situated at the intersection of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, experiences a great hydrological change with prolonged winter inundation. Soil samples were collected in 12 sites pre- (September 2008) and post submergence (June 2009) in the WLFZ and analyzed for soil nutrients. Self-organizing map (SOM) and statistical analysis including multi-way ANOVA, paired-T test, and stepwise least squares multiple regression were employed to determine the spatio-temporal variations of soil nutrients in relation to submergence, and their correlations with soil physical characteristics. Results showed significant spatial variability in nutrients along ~600 km long shoreline of the TGR before and after submergence. There were higher contents of organic matter, total nitrogen (TN), and nitrate (NO3-) in the lower reach and total phosphorus (TP) in the upper reach that were primarily due to the spatial variations in soil particle size composition and anthropogenic activities. Submergence enhanced soil available potassium (K), while significantly decreased soil N, possibly due to the alterations of soil particle size composition and increase in soil pH. In addition, SOM analysis determined important roles of soil pH value, bulk density, soil particle size (i.e., silt and sand) and nutrients (TP, TK, and AK) on the spatial and temporal variations in soil quality. Our results suggest that urban sewage and agricultural runoffs are primary pollutants that affect soil nutrients in the WLFZ of TGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication nonadherence is a major problem in the management of hypertension. The aim of this study was to develop a family member-based supportive therapy for patients with hypertension to provide an affordable way to access essential health services and to ensure adequate control of blood pressure. This study applied a mixed methods approach using qualitative and quantitative study designs in Yangzhong County, a rural area in the People's Republic of China. Findings from indepth interviews demonstrated that the limited effects of traditional health education, a lack of professional advice regarding antihypertensive treatment, and age were related to a patient's adherence with regular blood pressure measurement and taking medication. We also performed a quantitative study, selecting two villages in Yangzhong County as study sites. A total of 188 patients with hypertension were invited to participate in a 6-month family member-based intervention trial. The primary outcomes were the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention strategy. Secondary outcomes included medication adherence and changes in blood pressure. More than 75% of patients expressed a wish for external reminders, and 93.5% responded that they would accept the family member-based supervision. The patients preferred their spouse or a child as the supervisor. After the 6-month intervention, the proportion of patients with uncontrolled blood pressure decreased from 87.2% to 45.7%. This pilot study shows that external supervision by family members is acceptable and feasible for patients with hypertension; it also shows favorable effects with regard to improved treatment adherence and blood pressure control. Future randomized controlled trials with modified intervention measures are needed to validate this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate Pill Cam colon capsule endoscopy ( PCCE) in detecting the severity and extent of active ulcerative colitis ( UC), in comparison with conventional endoscopy. Methods From July 2009 to June 2012, patients with confirmed UC were enrolled in this prospective single-center study. After they had undergone the PCCE, they received a conventional colonoscopy. The extent of mucosal damage and inflammatory lesions during both procedures was recorded for comparison. In addition, the regimen of bowel preparation, completion rate, colonic cleansing, compliance or adverse events were analyzed. Results A total of 26 patients was consecutively included, among whom one was withdrawn. The remaining 25 (nine females and 16 males with a mean age of 44.2 years) completed the study. There was significant correlation in the severity (κ = 0.751, P < 0.001) and extent (κ = 0.522, P < 0.001) of UC between the PCCE and conventional colonoscopy. In addition, the excellent to good rate of colonic cleanliness in PCCE was 80%. There were no remarkable adverse events during the study. Conclusion PCCE provides an outstanding performance in the detection of the severity and extent of active UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the filling of the Three Gorges Reservoir, original vegetation in the water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) between the elevations of 145 and 175 m disappeared due to the reversal of submergence time (winter flooding) and prolonged inundation duration (nearly half a year). To better understand the relationships between the environmental factors and recovered plant communities for reconstructing floristically diverse riparian zone, we conducted a field survey in 11 sites in the WLFZ in June 2010, and vegetation composition, flooding characteristics, heavy metals, and soil major nutrients were determined. Consequently, the canonical correspondence analysis was used to investigate the relationships between plant species composition and flooding characteristics, heavy metal contamination, and soil nutrients. Results demonstrated that vegetation in the WLFZ was dominated by annuals, i.e., Echinochloa crusgalli and Bidens tripartita, and perennials including Cynodon dactylon, and plant species richness and diversity were negatively associated with flooding duration, heavy metal contamination, and nutrients including total phosphorus, available phosphorus, available potassium, and nitrate. Our results suggest that plant species, recovering mainly through soil seed bank and regeneration of remnant individuals, have been influenced by the combined effects of environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) in the Three Gorges Reservoir is located in the intersection of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and assessing heavy metal pollution in the drown zone is critical for ecological remediation and water conservation. In this study, soils were collected in June and September 2009 in natural recovery area and revegetation area of the WLFZ, and geochemical approaches including geoaccumulation index ( I) and factor analysis and soil microbial community structure were applied to assess the spatial variability and evaluate the influence of revegetation on metals in the WLFZ. Geochemical approaches demonstrated the moderate pollutant of Cd, the slight pollutant of Hg, and four types of pollutant sources including industrial and domestic wastewater, natural rock weathering, traffic exhaust, and crustal materials in the WLFZ. Our results also demonstrated significantly lower concentrations for elements of As, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Mn in the revegetation area. Moreover, soil microbial community structure failed to monitor the heavy metal pollution in such a relatively clean area. Our results suggest that revegetation plays an important role in controlling heavy metal pollution in the WLFZ of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With the completion of the Three Gorges project, native vegetation in the water level fluctuation zone between the elevations of 145m to175m disappeared due to the inundation with a hydrological regime with flooding in winter instead of summer, a reversal of the natural one. We conducted a field experiment in the riparian ecosystem in the Three Gorges Reservoir to study nitrogen (N) dynamics under short-term revegetation and flooding during the period from 2008 to 2009. Soil chemical and physical characteristics, net mineralization potential rate (NMPR), net nitrification potential rate (NNPR), and denitrification potential rate (DPR) were determined in the laboratory. These results showed a significant decrease in inorganic N (NH4 +-N and NO3 −-N) following the short-term revegetation and flooding, which was probably related to the interactions between surface flow, flooding, plant N uptake, and N transformation. Plants in conjunction with flooding increased the NMPR and NNPR, and increased the DPR only at the beginning of the revegetation and then decreased DPR after the flooding by regulating the concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and C:N ratios in soil, and decreasing the soil bulk density. Vegetation types affected N dynamics by changing SOC, soil N availability, and C:N ratios. The inorganic N, NMPR, and NNPR were higher in shrub soil than those in herb and tree soils due to higher SOC, whereas the DPR in tree soils was lower compared to shrub and herb soils because of lower C:N ratios together with the lower SOC. These results imply that soil inorganic N declined following the revegetation and flooding, and the revegetation in the riparian zone could potentially improve water quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The water-level-fluctuation zone (WLFZ) between the elevations of 145–175m in China''s Three Gorges Reservoir has experienced a novel hydrological regime with half a year (May–September) exposed in summer and another half (October–April) submerged in winter. In September 2008 (before submergence) and June 2009 (after submergence), soil samples were collected in 12 sites in the WLFZ and heavy metals (Hg, As, Cr, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn) were determined. Enrichment factor (EF), factor analysis (FA), and factor analysis-multiple linear regression (FA-MLR) were employed for heavy metal pollution assessment, source identification, and source apportionment, respectively. Results demonstrate spatial variability in heavy metals before and after submergence and elements of As, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn are higher in the upper and low reaches. FA and FA-MLR reveal that As and Cd are the primary pollutants before submergence, and over 45% of As originates from domestic sewage and 59% of Cd from industrial wastes. After submergence, the major contaminants are Hg, Cd, and Pb, and traffic exhaust contributes approximately 81% to Hg and industrial effluent accounts about 36% and 73% for Cd and Pb, respectively. Our results suggest that increased shipping and industrial wastes have deposited large amounts of heavy metals which have been accumulated in the WLFZ during submergence period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study on the variation in life-history traits between two populations of Asian yellow pond turtle or Mauremys mutica in Zhejiang and Hainan, China. The study primarily investigated the differences in body size and growth rate of hatchlings. The Zheijiang population was found to have larger hatchling body mass compared with the Hainan population. Faster growth was observed in hatchlings from the Hainan population. There was a sex-specific difference in growth rates in the Hainan population. According to the authors, the findings suggest that there is more energy in eggs from the Zhejiang population as it produces larger hatchlings.

Examines the draft assembly of the rice genome of Oryza sativa ssp. indica, the major food crop in China. Construction of draft genome sequence; Consistency of Big-Assembler; Consistency of the rice draft sequence.

• Long-term, repeated flooding reduced soil total N by 17% and total P by 24%. • Soil metal concentrations were higher under disrupted flooding regimes. • Plant diversity and species richness were negatively affected by frequent flooding. • Soil micro-organisms were generally unaffected by flooding regime. The operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), the largest hydropower dam in the world, has triggered a dramatic shift in the flooding regimes of sites upstream of the reservoir. Little is known about how disrupted flooding regimes and consequent management approaches might affect the ecological and biogeochemical characteristics of riparian ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the effects of disruptions to natural flooding regime on basic soil properties, soil nutrient and heavy metal levels, and key characteristics of riparian plant and soil microbial communities. To do this, we used an elevational gradient that encompassed four flooding duration zones (0 (i.e., control), 169, 237, 286 days of flooding per year on average). The disrupted flooding regimes were associated with levels of soil total N and P that were on average 17% and 24% lower, respectively, than those in the non-flooded areas. On the other hand, the concentrations of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn) were higher in flood-affected areas than in the non-flooded areas. Increased flooding frequency was also associated with lower plant diversity and species richness relative to non-flooded areas. Thus, disruption of the natural flooding regime had strong and often negative consequences for the ecological and biogeochemical properties of the riparian ecosystems in our study. There was some evidence that riparian plant communities were able to partially recover from prior flooding during a single growing season, even after nine years of repeated flooding, and these recovery trajectories were associated with shifts in soil chemical properties during the same period. However, revegetation efforts had few effects on ecosystem properties or their recovery trajectories following flooding events, suggesting that natural regeneration could be a useful option for the management of these sites. We conclude that the unnatural flooding regimes associated with large scale reservoir development are likely to have profound impacts on the structure and functioning of riparian ecosystems, and these will pose a considerable challenge for environmental management and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Antibiotic resistance genes in wetlands across the Tibetan Plateau were analyzed. • Spatial geographical distance did not influence the ARG profile. • Bacterial community was the main driver shaping the ARG diversity and distribution. • Soil moisture and temperature were also positively correlated with ARG abundance. Abstract Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been identified as emerging pollutants in the environment. However, little information is available for ARGs in natural wetlands at high altitude. In this study, we investigated 32 wetlands across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with the variation of wetland types, altitude, and environmental factors, to assess the determinant factor of ARGs in this area. ARGs were detected in all the wetlands, ranged from 1.80 × 105 to 1.35 × 107 copies per gram of soils. The ARGs in wetland soils were diverse and abundant, and varied from each site, but the spatial geographical distance did not influence the ARG profile. The mobile genetic elements in wetlands ranged from 3.13 × 103 to 1.02 × 106 copies per gram of soil, indicating the low abundance of mobile genetic elements suggests a lower transfer rate of ARGs between bacteria in the Plateau. Bacterial community composition was the main driver in shaping the ARG diversity and geographic distribution. Soil moisture and temperature were positively correlated with ARG abundance in this region. These results not only provide a better understanding of the background levels of ARGs in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, but also shed light on the influence of climate change and increased human activities on the distribution of ARGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discussed the distributions, sources and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water-level-fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China, in where the rapid transfer of pollutants between the water and terrene environment cased by the cycle of water fluctuation is of great concern. Twenty-four soil samples were collected in two sampling campaigns, i.e., in September 2012 (the water levels started rising from 145 m) and in June 2013 (the water levels just fell to 145 m), and subsequently they were analyzed for 16 USEPA priority PAHs. Total PAH concentrations (Σ 16 PAHs) ranged from 18.40 to 392.29 ng·g − 1 (mean 87.66 ng·g − 1 ) in 2012, and 54.00 to 463.08 ng·g − 1 (mean 133.84 ng·g − 1 ) in 2013. The concentrations of ΣPAHs in soil sample in 2013 were significantly higher than those in 2012. The concentrations of ΣPAHs in the upstream counties (Banan, Changshou, Fuling and Fengdu) were significantly higher than that in the middle and the lower reaches counties (Zhongxian, Wanzhou, Yunyang, Fengjie, Wushan, Badong, Guizhou and Lanlingxi). The compounds of 3-rings and 4-rings were the major components of PAHs in this area. Individual PAH concentrations were not significantly correlated with total organic carbon (TOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), possibly due to the soil microbial mineralized or degraded PAHs and the semi-continuous inputs from anthropogenesis sources. Source identification indicated that PAHs were mainly derived from river transport and combustion. The incremental lifetime cancer risks ranged from 10 − 9 to 10 − 6 , indicated that the carcinogenic risk for the residents was negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Different temperatures, air humidity, soil moisture content, and light intensity had significant effects on the photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of Distylium chinense from heterogeneous habitats. • D. chinense adopted different photosynthetic acclimation patterns and species-specific water use strategies under heterogeneous habitats. • D. chinense adjusted leaf area, specific leaf area, stomatal conductance, photochemical quenching coefficient and non-photochemical quenching to photochemically fix and store more carbon to meet their needs for growth under heterogeneous habitats. Distylium chinense is an evergreen dominant shrub with strong adaptability under heterogeneous habitats, including natural riparian zone (NRZ), anti-seasonal water level fluctuation zone (ASWLFZ), and no water level fluctuation zone (NWLFZ) in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) in China. In order to understand the photosynthetic ecological adaptability and habitat adaptation strategies of D. chinense under heterogeneous habitats, its photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were investigated. The results showed that photosynthetic characteristics were significantly different among heterogeneous habitats (p <0.05). The PSII potential activity and PSII maximum photochemical efficiency (F v /F m) of D. chinense in the ASWLFZ were the highest among heterogeneous habitats. Non-photochemical quenching coefficient (qN) in the NWLFZ was higher than that in the NRZ and ASWLFZ (p <0.05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that water use efficiency and stomatal conductance were correlated with specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area and leaf dry weight. Regression curve fitting and canonical correspondence analysis revealed that light intensity, soil water content, air humidity and temperature were the main factors affecting photosynthetic characteristics and leaf functional traits. Our results evidenced that D. chinense adapted to the high water content and low light intensity environments, especially in the valley waterfall habitats, by increasing stomatal conductance and net photosynthetic rate, reducing SLA and maintaining moderate qN and F v /F m with adopting a profligate water use pattern to improve photosynthetic productivity. Therefore, D. chinense has a wide photosynthetic acclimation to different environments, which provided baseline information for the conservation and ecological restoration in the newly formed hydro-fluctuation zone and other similar degenerative riparian ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrologic changes enhanced CH 4 emission, but inhibited CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes. • N and N + P addition increased N 2 O fluxes, which is contrary to p addition. • No interactive effects of hydrologic changes and nutrient additions on GHGs fluxes. • Global warming potential was reduced by continuous flooding and enhanced by N + P. Changes in global rainfall patterns and construction of artificial dams have led to widespread alteration of hydrological processes in riparian ecosystems. At the same time, many riparian ecosystems, such as those associated with the Yangtze, are being subjected to enhanced inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) due to intensified agricultural activity in surrounding uplands. Together, these environmental changes may alter the magnitude and direction of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) fluxes from riparian soils. We conducted an in situ experiment combined with quantitative PCR approach (qPCR) to elucidate the effects of hydrological alterations (continuous flooding (CF), periodic flooding (PF), and no flooding (NF)) and nutrient addition (N addition (urea, 100 kg N ha−1 y−1), P addition (P 2 O 5 , 20 kg ha−1y−1), N + P addition, and control (CK)) on three major GHGs including carbon dioxide (CO 2), methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) fluxes as well as the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that hydrological alterations greatly affected GHGs emissions, possibly by altering soil moisture, soil organic C, and C:N ratios. The CF, with higher soil moisture and lower C:N ratio, increased CH 4 emissions 13-fold and reduced CO 2 and N 2 O emissions by 37.3% and 72.2% averaged over the growing seasons compared with no flooding. PF enhanced CH 4 emissions 5.7-fold and decreased N 2 O emissions by 69.0% in comparison with no flooding. Nutrient additions had no significant effect on CO 2 or CH 4 flux, but P addition significantly lowered N 2 O flux. Interactions between hydrological alterations and nutrient additions were not detected for any GHGs. As a result, hydrological alterations and nutrient additions affected the global warming potential (GWP) of growing season GHG budgets on a 100-year time horizon, mainly by changing the CO 2 emissions. CF reduced GWP from 597 to 439 g CO 2 -eq m−2, and N + P addition enhanced GWP from 489 to 625 g CO 2 -eq m−2. The qPCR analysis revealed that decreased CH 4 oxidation potential may lead to the enrichment of CH 4 emissions under the hydrological alterations, and reduced nitrification and denitrification potential contributed to the reduction of N 2 O fluxes under all the treatments. Our study indicates that continuous flooding could curb the contribution of riparian GHGs fluxes to global warming but that the combination of N and P additions may increase the greenhouse effect mainly by regulating the CO 2 emissions of growing season in riparian ecosystem. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) components can be highly variable in aquatic ecosystems, and play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycles. To comprehend potential effects of nutrient enrichment on portion of DOC biodegradability (%BDOC), we conducted an extensive investigation on 26 urban lakes in a major metropolitan area in subtropical China in a small gradient of trophic levels from mesotrophic to light and middle eutrophic. In addition to field measurements on lake ambient conditions and laboratory analysis of DOC characteristics, we conducted a 28-day temperature-controlled incubation experiment, in which %BDOC of lake waters was determined. In the mesotrophic waters, %BDOC ranged from 0.6 to 41.4 % (11.2 ± 8.9 %). The %BDOC levels spanned from 5.2 to 20.2 % (10.7 ± 4.0 %) in the light eutrophic waters, and the %BDOC ranged from 2.7 to 35.0 % (13.7 ± 8.4 %) in the middle eutrophic waters. We found a significant change in DOC chemical composition across the study lakes characterized by shifting of trophic levels. Although the experiment found significant changes in the factors that can influence %BDOC, a significant difference was not observed in %BDOC among the three trophic levels. The %BDOC was primarily influenced by the inherent DOC concentration and aromaticity, with eutrophication leading to the varied driving factors of %BDOC in lake systems. We show that most of the lake water DOC was stable. The findings indicate the intricate interplay between biological metabolism and nutrient availability governing %BDOC dynamics in urban lake ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate disparities in gene expression profiles between Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma (OCCC) and High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma (HGSOC)., Study Design: A descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: The Second People's Hospital of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China, between 31st December 2017 and December 2023., Methodology: Basic and clinical diagnostic information, along with genetic test reports, were compiled from all patients within the included groups. Differential gene expression between the two cohorts was scrutinised to elucidate its clinical significance., Results: Comparative analysis revealed nine differentially expressed genes in OCCC relative to HGSOC, with six exhibiting significant disparities (p <0.05). These genes are implicated in pivotal cellular processes including the cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA damage repair, and the PI3K pathway. Notably, aberrant expression patterns, such as overexpression of MET and downregulation of PTEN and SMARCA4, correlated with adverse prognosis and survival outcomes in selected patients., Conclusion: Distinctive gene expression profiles between OCCC and HGSOC underscore disparate tumorigenic mechanisms, thereby laying a foundation for the tailored therapeutic interventions. Further elucidation of the identified differentially expressed genes is warranted to delineate their role in OCCC pathogenesis and prognostic significance., Key Words: Ovarian clear cell carcinoma, High-grade serous ovarian cancer, Gene expression profiles, Homologous recombination repair.

The disturbance of reactive nitrogen (N) on ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles is now one of the most severe environmental problems worldwide. Nitrate (NO 3 - ) is usually a dominant reactive N species in river ecosystems. Excessive NO 3 - concentrations in rivers have led to eutrophication and consequent ecological and environmental damages. Quantifying catchment-scale NO 3 - yield and export dynamics is crucial for effective remediation of river NO 3 - pollution. Frequently, natural abundance isotopes of NO 3 - in a river (δ 15 N/δ 18 O-NO 3 - ) are applied to identify sources and potential transformations of NO 3 - at a catchment scale, while microbial molecular techniques and 15 N pairing experiments are employed to reveal the NO 3 - production and removal processes and their underlying mechanisms in microenvironments (e.g., sediments and soils). In this study, we developed a novel protocol that couples these complementary geochemical and molecular techniques to quantify catchment-scale NO 3 - yield and fluvial export dynamics. The protocol links microscopic processes with catchment-scale geochemical characteristics to explicitly describe the NO 3 - cycling processes and their underlying abiotic and biotic mechanisms within a catchment. We applied the protocol to the Dadu and Jiazela catchments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and demonstrated the effectiveness of the protocol in determining NO 3 - yield and export dynamics in the catchments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to explore the interaction between a Chinese version of the Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (cMIND) diet and indoor air pollution and its effect on depression among older adults. This cohort study used 2011-2018 data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Participants included 2724 adults aged 65 and older without depression. The Chinese version of the Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (cMIND) diet scores ranged from 0 to 12 based on validated food frequency questionnaire responses. Depression was measured using the Phenotypes and eXposures Toolkit. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to explore the associations, and the analysis was stratified using the cMIND diet scores. A total of 2724 participants (54.3% males and 45.9% 80 years and older) at baseline were included. Living with severe indoor pollution was associated with a 40% increase in the risk of depression (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.82) compared to living without indoor pollution. Indoor air pollution exposure was significantly associated with cMIND diet scores. Participants with a lower cMIND diet score (HR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.38) had a greater association with severe pollution than those with a higher cMIND diet score. The cMIND diet may alleviate depression caused by indoor pollution among older adults., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Background: Sarcopenia was thought to be associated with adverse outcomes and will cause lots of health expenditure. But the relationship between sarcopenia and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) had been little explored. Here, we examined the distribution of sarcopenia in relation to medical and payment burdens., Methods: We used data from three waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study including 14 130 participants from 9077 households aged over 50 years old. Sarcopenia was operationalized according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019. Medical expenditure was obtained by self-reported data, and CHE was identified by WHO definitions. We used the negative binomial regression model and logistic mixed-effects models to examine the associations between sarcopenia and medical and CHE., Results: A total of 14 130 participants [52.2% female, aged 60.8 (SD 9.3)] from 9077 households were included in this study. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 19.8%, 11.9% for moderate sarcopenia, and 7.9% for severe sarcopenia, respectively. We identified 1416 household CHE events in all three waves. Severe sarcopenia was associated with an increase in the number of inpatient visits [incidence rate ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.66, P = 0.03] and the risk of CHE (odds ratio: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07, P < 0.01). We saw similar effects in health service use of sarcopenia in different socio-economic groups. Moderate sarcopenia increased the risk of CHE in the lowest socio-economic group (odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, P = 0.03) and had no statistical significance in other groups. The association between severe sarcopenia and CHE did not attenuate after the adjustment of disease factors., Conclusions: Severe sarcopenia may increase the risk of CHE. Timely and effective intervention on moderate sarcopenia from severe sarcopenia will contribute to reduce the health burden., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society on Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders.)

Aims: To construct a polygenic risk score (PRS) for coronary artery disease (CAD) and comprehensively evaluate its potential in clinical utility for primary prevention in Chinese populations., Methods and Results: Using meta-analytic approach and large genome-wide association results for CAD and CAD-related traits in East Asians, a PRS comprising 540 genetic variants was developed in a training set of 2800 patients with CAD and 2055 controls, and was further assessed for risk stratification for CAD integrating with the guideline-recommended clinical risk score in large prospective cohorts comprising 41 271 individuals. During a mean follow-up of 13.0 years, 1303 incident CAD cases were identified. Individuals with high PRS (the highest 20%) had about three-fold higher risk of CAD than the lowest 20% (hazard ratio 2.91, 95% confidence interval 2.43-3.49), with the lifetime risk of 15.9 and 5.8%, respectively. The addition of PRS to the clinical risk score yielded a modest yet significant improvement in C-statistic (1%) and net reclassification improvement (3.5%). We observed significant gradients in both 10-year and lifetime risk of CAD according to the PRS within each clinical risk strata. Particularly, when integrating high PRS, intermediate clinical risk individuals with uncertain clinical decision for intervention would reach the risk levels (10-year of 4.6 vs. 4.8%, lifetime of 17.9 vs. 16.6%) of high clinical risk individuals with intermediate (20-80%) PRS., Conclusion: The PRS could stratify individuals into different trajectories of CAD risk, and further refine risk stratification for CAD within each clinical risk strata, demonstrating a great potential to identify high-risk individuals for targeted intervention in clinical utility., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

The purpose of this study aimed to develop and validate the Food and Nutrition Literacy Questionnaire for Chinese adults (FNLQ). The dimensions and core components of Food and Nutrition Literacy were constructed though literature review and qualitative consensus study. A cross-sectional survey of 8510 participants was conducted. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined by internal consistency, the construct validity was assessed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the content validity was assessed by the Pearson correlation coefficient. From the literature review and qualitative methods, 20 core components and 50 questions of the FNLQ were developed, including 1 dimension of knowledge and 3 practice dimensions (ability of selection, preparing food and eating). The overall FNLQ questionnaire had good reliability and validity (Cronbach’s α = 0.893, χ2/DF = 4.750, RMSEA = 0.048, GFI = 0.891 and AGFI = 0.876). The average FNLQ score of all participants was (64.08 ± 12.77), and the score for the knowledge and understanding dimension was higher than that for the practice dimensions. In addition, 80 was set as the nutritional literacy threshold, and only 12.2% met this threshold in this survey. Sociodemographic and health status characteristics were predictors of FNLQ (R2 = 0.287, F = 244.132, p < 0.01). In conclusion, the FNLQ built in this study had good validity and reliability. It could be considered as a reliable tool to assess Food and Nutrition Literacy of Chinese adults.

(1) Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between dietary factors and physical function in Chinese elderly. (2) Methods: A cohort study was conducted on the association of long-term dietary intake status with physical function in older people based on the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from 2011 to 2018. The physical function of the subjects was judged according to the scores of basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The dietary diversity score was established according to the intake frequency of the food groups, and the dietary pattern score was obtained by factor analysis. The associations between dietary factors and functional impairment was investigated by logistic regressions. (3) Results: A total of 2282 subjects were included in our cohort study, 458 and 1439 of whom had BADL limitation and IADL limitation, respectively. The risk of functional impairment decreased in the consistent high dietary diversity groups compared with the consistent low dietary diversity group (p < 0.05). The fruit-egg-milk pattern, vegetable-meat-fish pattern, and condiment and tea pattern reduced the risk of functional impairment (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: Long-term maintenance of high dietary diversity and increasing total dietary intake can help maintain good physical function of Chinese elderly.

(1) Background: Improving nutrition literacy is crucial for maintaining a healthier state of the elderly to achieve healthy ageing. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a Nutrition Literacy Questionnaire for the Chinese Elderly (NLQ-E). (2) Methods: an NLQ-E was developed according to the core components of nutrition literacy for the elderly. Internal consistency, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to validate the reliability and validity of the NLQ-E. A cross-sectional study of 1490 elderly people was used to analyze the application of the NLQ-E. (3) Results: The NLQ-E was constructed with 3 domains (knowledge and understanding, healthy lifestyle and dietary behavior and skill), with a total of 25 questions. The overall NLQ-E had acceptable reliability and validity (Cronbach's α = 0.678, χ 2 /DF = 4.750, RMSEA = 0.045, PCFI = 0.776 and PNFI = 0.759). The average nutrition literacy score of the subjects in this cross-sectional study was 65.95 (65.95 ± 10.93). The OR between the nutrition literacy score and multimorbidity was 0.965 (95% CI: 0.954, 0.976); (4) Conclusions: We developed and validated the NLQ-E and found that the nutrition literacy level of the Chinese elderly was generally low. This study is of great value to improve the nutrition literacy of the elderly and effectively prevent nutrition-related chronic diseases and multimorbidity.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disease leading to infertility in women of childbearing age. Adjuvant therapy with Jinfeng pills (a traditional Chinese medicine) can increase ovarian blood flow, regulate female endocrine levels, and achieve good therapeutic effect. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of Jinfeng pills., Methods: The PubMed (2000 to August 2021), Excerpta Medica Database (2000 to August 2021), Chinese Biomedical Literature (2000 to August 2021), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (2000 to August 2021) databases were searched. All patients with PCOS were included in the randomized controlled study of Jinfeng pills combined with an adjuvant Western medicine treatment. After screening and a risk of bias assessment, Stata16.0 software was used for the analysis., Results: A total 7 of articles (comprising 691 patients; 26-83 participants per group) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the effective rate the experimental group treated with Jinfeng pills combined with adjuvant Western medicine was higher than that of the control group treated with Western medicine only [relative risk (RR) =1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03 to 1.28; P=0.015]. After treatment, the follicle-stimulating hormone level of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group [mean difference (MD) =-5.10, 95% CI: -7.95 to -2.24; P=0.0005], the estradiol level of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (MD =10.74, 95% CI: 4.19 to 17.29; P=0.001), the testosterone level of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (MD =-1.17, 95% CI: -2.09 to -0.25; P=0.01), and the pregnancy rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (RR =1.36, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.64; Z=3.183; P=0.001)., Discussion: The therapeutic effect of Jinfeng pills combined with Western medicine in treating PCOS was better than that of Western medicine alone, and there was no increase in adverse reactions.

Background: Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores have been consistently associated with several chronic diseases. This study explored the correlation between the DII and hyperuricemia in Chinese adult residents., Methods: The study included 7880 participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), which was taken in in 2009. A 3-day 24 h meal review method was used to collect diet data and to calculate the DII score. Serum uric acid was obtained to determine hyperuricemia levels. Subjects were divided into a hyperuricemia group and a non-hyperuricemia group, according to their serum uric acid level. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine the association between DII scores and hyperuricemia., Results: After adjusting for covariates, a higher DII score was determined to be associated with a higher risk of hyperuricemia. Compared to those in the highest DII score group, the lower DII score group had an inverse association with hyperuricemia risk (Q2: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70-0.99; Q3: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60-0.86; Q4: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.61-0.88). The intake of energy-adjusted protein, total fat, MUFAs, PUFAs and saturated fatty acid was higher in the hyperuricemia group., Conclusions: A higher DII score is significantly associated with a higher risk of hyperuricemia. Controlling the intake of pro-inflammatory food may be beneficial to reduce the risk of hyperuricemia.

Background: The association between childhood food deprivation (FD) and health in later life has been extensively studied; however, studies on the association between childhood food deprivation and frailty are scarce. This study assessed the associations between childhood FD and the risk of frailty at middle-age and old age., Methods: Three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 11,615 individuals aged over 45 years, were used for this research. Frailty was operationalized according to the FRAIL scale as a sum of fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illness, and the loss of weight. Childhood FD experiences and levels were measured by self-reported FD and historical content. Logistic mixed-effects models and proportional odds ordered logistic regression models were used to analyse the association between childhood FD and frailty., Findings: Childhood FD increased the odds of frailty at old age (1.30, 95% CI: 1.26-1.36). Compared with subjects with mild FD, those with extreme FD experiences had increased risks of frailty (1.34, 95% CI: 1.26-1.43). Subjects exposed to hunger at different ages all had an increased risk of frailty, and subjects who had FD during ages 6-12 (1.15, 95% CI: 1.09-1.22) were more likely to have an increased risk of frailty than those who had experienced FD in younger ages. The interaction of experience of FD at ages 0-6 and the experience of FD at ages 6-12 is not statistically significant after adjusting all covariates., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childhood FD exerts long-lasting effects on frailty among older adults in China. The prevention of childhood FD may delay or even avert the emergence of frailty in people of middle-age and old age.

Objective: To explore the correlation between purine-rich food intake and hyperuricemia in Chinese adult residents., Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the purine-rich food intake of Chinese adult residents based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2009. The subjects were divided into hyperuricemia group and nonhyperuricemia group according to serum uric acid level, and the differences of the sociodemographic information (age, gender, and region), health status (weight status, blood pressure, blood sugar status), living habits (alcohol consumption, smoking status) and food intake (purine-rich food, other food) were compared between the two groups. Logistic regressions investigated the associations between the daily intake of purine-rich food (animal-derived food and legumes) and hyperuricemia., Results: Eventually, 6813 subjects were included in our study, 1111 of them had hyperuricemia. The intake of seafood, legumes, red meat, and poultry all increased the risk of hyperuricemia ( p < 0.05), while the intake of purine-rich fungi and purine-rich vegetables did not affect the occurrence of hyperuricemia. Animal-derived food was the main source of purine-rich food consumed by Chinese adult residents (140.67g/day), which had a great impact on hyperuricemia. Finally, after adjusting for gender, age, region, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, hypertension, and refined grains intake, the risk of hyperuricemia increased by 2.40% and 1.10% for each increase of 10 g in animal-derived food intake (OR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.018-1.030) and legumes intake (OR = 1.011, 95% CI: 1.003-1.019), respectively., Conclusion: The intake of animal-derived food and legumes were positively correlated with the occurrence of hyperuricemia. Controlling the intake of animal-derived food and legumes would be more beneficial to controlling the risk of hyperuricemia.

Background: Since the National Malaria Elimination Action Plan was launched in China in 2010, local malaria transmission has decreased rapidly. Zero indigenous cases were reported since 2017. However, after 2010, the proportion of imported cases in China increased from 45.7% in 2010 to 99.9% in 2016, and almost all provinces of China have reported imported cases in recent years. Prevention of the reintroduction of malaria into China is crucial for the maintenance of its malaria-free status. Hence, it is of utmost importance to correctly identify the source of malaria infections within the country., Case Introduction and Response: In 2016 and 2017, three laboratory-confirmed cases of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum were identified in patients with no previous travel history to endemic areas were reported in Jiangsu Province, China, where malaria due to P. falciparum was eliminated about 30 years ago. These were diagnosed after 41, 31 and 39 days of seeking treatment, respectively, and all of them had received blood transfusions. Further investigations indicated that two of the cases had received blood from foreign students (from Indonesia and Ghana), and the other had received blood from an individual who had worked in Equatorial Guinea. All three blood donors were traced, and found to be carrying asymptomatic P. falciparum infections by microscopic examination and PCR. Furthermore, five polymorphic microsatellite markers (C1M4, C4M62, C13M13, C14M17, and C13M63) were typed and used to link parasites from the donors with those of the transfusion-receiving patients., Conclusions: Three transfusion-transmitted malaria cases were identified in China, all of which were due to the transfusion of blood donated by individuals who had contracted malaria outside the country. These cases can provide a reference for those faced with similar challenges in malaria case identification and classification in other regions. In addition, a stricter screening policy including the use of appropriate detection methods for malaria parasites should be developed and adopted for blood donation in regions undergoing malaria elimination.