Challenges and support needs in psychological and physical health among pilots: a qualitative study.

Introduction: Physical and mental health problems among pilots affect their working state and impact flight safety. Although pilots' physical and mental health problems have become increasingly prominent, their health has not been taken seriously. This study aimed to clarify challenges and support needs related to psychological and physical health among pilots to inform development of a more scientific and comprehensive physical and mental health system for civil aviation pilots. Methods: This qualitative study recruited pilots from nine civil aviation companies. Focus group interviews via an online conference platform were conducted in August 2022. Colaizzi analysis was used to derive themes from the data and explore pilots' experiences, challenges, and support needs. Results: The main sub-themes capturing pilots' psychological and physical health challenges were: (1) imbalance between family life and work; (2) pressure from assessment and physical examination eligibility requirements; (3) pressure from worries about being infected with COVID-19; (4) nutrition deficiency during working hours; (5) changes in eating habits because of the COVID-19 pandemic; (6) sleep deprivation; (7) occupational diseases; (8) lack of support from the company in coping with stress; (9) pilots' yearly examination standards; (10) support with sports equipment; (11) respecting planned rest time; and (12) isolation periods. Discussion: The interviewed pilots experienced major psychological pressure from various sources, and their physical health condition was concerning. We offer several suggestions that could be addressed to improve pilots' physical and mental health. However, more research is needed to compare standard health measures for pilots around the world in order to improve their physical and mental health and contribute to overall aviation safety.

Comparing Strain Assessment in Compressed Sensing and Conventional Cine MRI.

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of compressed sensing (CS) acceleration methods compared to conventional segmented cine (Seg) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for evaluating left ventricular (LV) function and strain by feature tracking (FT). In this prospective study, 45 healthy volunteers underwent CMR imaging used Seg, threefold (CS3), fourfold (CS4), and eightfold (CS8) CS acceleration. Cine images were scored for quality (1-5 scale). LV volumetric and functional parameters and global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), and radial strains (GRS) were quantified. LV volumetric and functional parameters exhibited no differences between Seg and all CS cines (all P > 0.05). The strains were similar for Seg, CS3, and CS4 (all P > 0.05). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in GRS and GCS between Seg and CS8 (all P > 0.05), but the global longitudinal strain was significantly lower for CS8 versus Seg (P < 0.001). Image quality declined with CS acceleration, especially in long-axis views with CS8. CS cine MRI at acceleration factor 4 maintained good image quality and accurate measurements of LV function and strain, although there was a slight reduction in the quality of long-axis images and GLS with CS8. CS acceleration up to a factor of 4 enabled fast CMR evaluations, making it suitable for clinical use.

The application of demographic characteristics of Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in pest risk assessment of IPM.

Ectropis grisescens Warren is one of the most important pests of tea plants. In this study, data on the development, survival, and fecundity of E. grisescens were collected at 15, 22, and 32 °C and analyzed by using the age-stage, two-sex life table. At 15 °C, the duration of the preadult period of E. grisescens was significantly prolonged (81.06 days), with high mortality (69.0%), and the proportion of emerged female adults was extremely low (7.0%). At 32 °C, the preadult period was significantly shortened (29.12 days), with high preadult mortality (74.0%), and a low proportion of emerged female adults (15.0%). At 22 °C, with low preadult mortality (24.0%), and a high proportion of emerged female adults (26.0%). The overall effects of the shorter preadult duration, higher preadult survival rate, higher proportion of emerged female adults, higher fecundity (F = 350.88 eggs/♀), and higher net reproductive rate (R0 = 91.23 offspring/individual) at 22 °C resulted in the highest values of the intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.1054 days-1) and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.1112 days-1). Computer simulation showed that E. grisescens populations can increase much faster at 22 °C than at 15 and 32 °C. The weighted population size and cumulative weighted insect-days provided the dynamics necessary for estimating the damage potential of E. grisescens in devising economical pest management programs. Our results demonstrate that populations of E. grisescens were able to develop at a broad range of temperatures and adapt to the high temperatures. These finding can be utilized to improve the management of E. grisescens.

Global, regional, and national burden of digestive diseases: findings from the global burden of disease study 2019.

Background: The global burden of digestive diseases has been rising in the last 30 years. The rates and trends of incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for digestive diseases need to be investigated. Methods: We extracted the data on overall digestive diseases and by cause between 1990-2019 from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019 website, including the absolute number and the corresponding age-standardized rates of incidence (ASIR), deaths (ASDR), and DALYs (ASDALYs). Results: Globally, the incident cases, deaths, and DALYs of digestive diseases in 2019 increased by 74.44, 37.85, and 23.46%, respectively, compared with that in 1990, with an increasing ASIR of 0.09%, as well as decreasing ASDR and ASDALYs of 1.38 and 1.32% annually. The sociodemographic index (SDI) of overall digestive diseases showed a slight increase in ASIR from low to middle-low regions. The downtrend in ASDR and ASDALYs was found in all SDI regions. The burden of incidence was higher in females, while the burden of deaths and DALYs was higher in males for the overall digestive diseases and most causes. The estimated annual percentage changes were significantly associated with the baseline ASIR, ASDR, and ASDALYs for the overall digestive diseases, and the negative correlations between ASDR, ASDALYs, and human development index both in 1990 (R = -0.68, R = -0.69) and 2019 (R = -0.71, R = -0.73) were noticed. Conclusion: The findings indicate that digestive diseases remain a significant public health burden, with substantial variation across countries, sexes, and age groups. Therefore, implementing age, gender, and country-specific policies for early screening and targeted interventions could significantly reduce the global burden of digestive diseases.

The global burden and trends of four major types of heart disease, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

OBJECTIVES: The global burden of heart disease is severe and increasing in the coming years. This study aims to analyze the global burden of heart disease. STUDY DESIGN: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), hypertensive heart disease (HHD), and non-rheumatic valvular heart disease (NRVHD) were selected and analyzed from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. METHODS: The prevalence, deaths, disability-adjusted life years and their corresponding age-standardized rates were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. In addition, estimated annual percentage change was calculated to better assess epidemiological trends. In addition, we performed an age-period-cohort analysis using the Nordpred package in R program to predict death trends over the next 20 years. RESULTS: Globally, the prevalence of four heart diseases (RHD, IHD, HHD, and NRVHD) increased by 70.5%, 103.5%, 137.9%, and 110.0% compared with 1990, respectively. The deaths cases of RHD decreased by 15.6%, whereas IHD, HHD, and NRVHD increased by 60.4%, 76.6%, and 110.6%. Compared with absolute values, their corresponding age-standardized rates only showed a slight increase trend or even decreased in some areas with high sociodemographic index. In the next 20 years, the absolute values of deaths will continue to increase, whereas their age-standardized rates of deaths will flatten out. CONCLUSIONS: Globally, the absolute values of heart disease have increased over the past 30 years and will continue to increase over the next 20 years. Targeted prevention and control strategies and measures need to be developed and improved to reduce this burden.

Comparison of Aptamer Signaling Mechanisms Reveals Disparities in Sensor Response and Strategies to Eliminate False Signals.

Aptamers are nucleic acid-based affinity reagents that have been incorporated into a variety of molecular sensor formats. However, many aptamer sensors exhibit insufficient sensitivity and specificity for real-world applications, and although considerable effort has been dedicated to improving sensitivity, sensor specificity has remained largely neglected and understudied. In this work, we have developed a series of sensors using aptamers for the small-molecule drugs flunixin, fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl and compare their performance─in particular, focusing on their specificity. Contrary to expectations, we observe that sensors using the same aptamer operating under the same physicochemical conditions produce divergent responses to interferents depending on their signal transduction mechanism. For instance, aptamer beacon sensors are susceptible to false-positives from interferents that weakly associate with DNA, while strand-displacement sensors suffer from false-negatives due to interferent-associated signal suppression when both the target and interferent are present. Biophysical analyses suggest that these effects arise from aptamer-interferent interactions that are either nonspecific or induce aptamer conformational changes that are distinct from those induced by true target-binding events. We also demonstrate strategies for improving the sensitivity and specificity of aptamer sensors with the development of a "hybrid beacon," wherein the incorporation of a complementary DNA competitor into an aptamer beacon selectively hinders interferent─but not target─binding and signaling, while simultaneously overcoming signal suppression by interferents. Our results highlight the need for systematic and thorough testing of aptamer sensor response and new aptamer selection methods that optimize specificity more effectively than traditional counter-SELEX.

Is there more to bitcoin mining than carbon emissions?

Critics decry cryptocurrency mining as a huge waste of energy, while proponents insist on claiming that it is a green industry. Is Bitcoin mining really worth the energy it consumes? The high power consumption of cryptocurrency mining has become the latest global flashpoint. In this paper, we define the Mining Domestic Production (MDP) as a method to account for the final outcome of the Bitcoin mining industry's production activities in a certain period time, calculate the carbon emission per unit output value of the Bitcoin mining industry in China, and compare it with three other traditional industries. The results show that Bitcoin mining does not always have the highest when compared with others. The contribution of this paper is that we give a new perspective on thinking whether Bitcoin mining is more efficient to make more profit, in terms of the same amount of carbon emissions per unit compared to other industries. Moreover, it could even be argued that Bitcoin may present an opportunity for some developing countries to build out their electrical capacity and generate revenue.

Global, regional, and national deaths, disability-adjusted life years, years lived with disability, and years of life lost for the global disease burden attributable to second-hand smoke, 1990-2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

BACKGROUND: Smoke-free policies have led to a decline in smoking prevalence. Nevertheless, as the global population grows, more non-smokers are exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) hazards. Mitigating SHS hazards requires a systematic analysis of the global disease burden attributable to SHS. METHODS: Data on SHS was extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. First, we measured the disease burden of SHS by the number of cases and age-standardized rates of deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and years of life lost (YLLs) from 1990 to 2019. Second, trends in the disease burden of SHS in different periods were estimated based on the annual percentage change (APC) by joinpoint regression analysis. Finally, using histogram plots, world maps, Pearson correlation analysis, and population attributable fraction (PAF), we conducted a stratified analysis of SHS exposure by sex, age, geographic location, sociodemographic index (SDI) level, and disease. RESULTS: The number of deaths caused by SHS remained stable between 1990 and 2019, and the number of YLDs more than doubled in three decades. In contrast, the number of DALYs and YLLs caused by SHS decreased. The declining trend in deaths (APC = -1.42 % [95 % UI -1.79 %, -1.05 %]), DALYs (APC = -1.91 % [95 % UI -2.15 %, -1.67 %]), and YLLs (APC = -1.28 % [95 % UI -1.93 %, -0.64 %]) had slowed down in recent years, while SHS-related YLDs were still increasing (APC = 1.84 % [95 % UI 0.74 %, 2.96 %]). From 2010 to 2019, we found that SHS exposure increased the risk of tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (PAF increased by 11.75 %), breast cancer (PAF increased by 5.36 %), diabetes mellitus (PAF increased by 8.24 %), and ischemic heart disease (PAF increased by 4.46 %). In addition, the disease burden caused by SHS was highest in middle SDI and low-middle SDI countries. CONCLUSION: The global disease burden attributable to SHS is still severe, and policymakers need to implement more effective measures to reduce the harm of SHS.

Effects and central mechanism of electroacupuncture and MRI-navigated rTMS for PSD: study protocol for an fMRI-based single-center, randomized, controlled, open-label trial.

Background: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most common mental complication after stroke and has a serious impact on functional outcomes and quality of life for stroke patients. Antidepressants are the first-line treatment for PSD; however, many reported side effects remain. Clinical research and practice guidelines have shown that electro-acupuncture (EA) or rTMS have a positive effect on PSD. However, there are few clinical studies on EA and MRI-navigated rTMS for PSD that explore the fMRI-based central mechanism in depression. Methods: In this randomized, controlled, open-label trial, 64 patients with PSD will be randomly allocated into the experiment group (n = 32) or control group (n = 32). The experiment group will receive EA and MRI-navigated rTMS and the control group will receive MRI-navigated rTMS treatment, in 12-20 sessions over 4 weeks. In addition, 10 healthy people for fMRI scanning will be recruited as a healthy control group without any intervention. The primary outcome will be the change from baseline in the Hamilton Depression Scale-24 item (HAMD-24) scores at week 4. The primary analysis of the central mechanism will mainly involve cortical morphology, local spontaneous brain activity, and the default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity based on fMRI at 0 and 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes will include the neuro-patho-physiological and quality of life changes in cortical excitability, determined using the motor evoked potential test (MEP), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D) Scale, Modified Barthel Index (MBI) Scale, and Health Scale of Traditional Chinese Medicine (HSTCM). Additional indicators will include the Acceptability Questionnaire and Health Economics Evaluation (cost-effectiveness analysis) to assess the acceptability and economic practicality of the treatment under study. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and post intervention. Discussion: EA and MRI-navigated rTMS therapy could become an alternative treatment for PSD, and it is expected that this trial will provide reliable clinical evidence and a potential central mechanism for the future use of EA and MRI-navigated rTMS for PSD. Clinical trial registration: NCT05516680, ClinicalTrials.gov (registered in August 2022).

Assessment of the Clinical Trials Safety Profile of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors Among Patients With Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the safety and adverse event profiles of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors is important in guiding cancer immunotherapy. Consequently, we designed this meta-analysis to evaluate the safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in clinical trials involving cancer patients. METHODS: Four safety indicators comprising treatment-related adverse events, death, discontinuation of therapy and grades 3-5 adverse events were evaluated using the random effect model. The quality of enrolled trials was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS: Forty-four clinical trials were included in the final meta-analysis. Compared with chemotherapy, the risk of death due to the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors was much lower than that experienced in the control group (OR = 0.65, 95%CI: [0.47, 0.91], I2 = 0%, Z = 2.52 (P = 0.01)). Similar observations were apparent regarding the other three indicators of safety and also when the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors alone is compared with the combined use of PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. When used together with chemotherapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors increased the incidence of the adverse events as compared to the use of chemotherapy alone. Increased risks for adverse events were also noticed with the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors over the use of a placebo. CONCLUSION: The use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors alone is associated with a better safety profile compared to either the use of chemotherapy or the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with other anticancer regimens.

Managing the trade-offs among yield, economic benefits and carbon and nitrogen footprints of wheat cropping in a semi-arid region of China.

It is critical to understand how farming practices affect the carbon and nitrogen footprints of agricultural production. Grain yield, economic return, and carbon and nitrogen footprints of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were examined under different tillage-mulch practices. Wheat was grown over 15 years (2002-2016) in the semi-arid region of the western Loess Plateau of China under six tillage-mulch practices: traditional plough with no straw mulching (T), no-till without straw mulching (NT), traditional plough with straw mulching (TS), no-till without straw mulching (NTS), traditional plough with plastic mulching (TP), no-till with plastic mulching (NTP). Average wheat yield over 15 years under NTS, NTP, TP and TS was increased by 28, 24, 22, and 13%, respectively, compared to T. Average net return was greatest under NTS and lowest under TP. The soils under all six tillage-mulch practices gained a considerably large amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) over the 15 yr. The increase in SOC in the 0-30 cm soil layer was greatest under NTS and lowest under T. When changes in soil C were included in the calculations, treatments of NT, TS, NTS, and NTP sharply reduced total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission compared to T. Compared to T, the carbon footprint was decreased by 180, 44, and 123% under NTS, NT, and TS, respectively, but was increased by 153% under TP. Compared to T, the nitrogen footprint was 24-26% lower in TP and NTP, but was not significantly different under NTS, NT, and TS. Therefore, NTS enhanced yield and net return, and reduced GHG and the carbon footprint without increasing the nitrogen footprint, and should be adopted to mitigate the environmental impacts of wheat production in the semiarid Loess Plateau.

The effect of different dietary structure on gastrointestinal dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy based on gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) difficulties are very common among children with cerebral palsy (CP) and comorbid epilepsy. GI function is influenced by dietary structure on gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to compare gut microbiota differences in two dietary groups of this population and examine whether such differences are related to GI dysfunction. METHODS: Forty children with CP and epilepsy were recruited from a social welfare center, including 23 consuming a fluid diet (liquid diet group) and 17 consuming a normal diet (general diet group). Bacterial DNA was extracted from feces, the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified from the DNA, and high-throughput sequencing of the amplified sequences was performed. Microbe prevalence levels were compared on multiple phylogenic levels. RESULTS: Gut microbial populations differed substantially between the liquid diet group and general diet group. The only two phyla that differed significantly between the two groups were Bacteroidetes (p = 0.034) and Actinobacteria (p = 0.013). Regarding representation of genera, Prevotella species were selectively predominant in the general diet group (25.849% vs. 3.612% in the liquid diet group, p < 0.001), while Bifidobacterium species were selectively predominant in the liquid diet group (24.929% vs. 12.947% in the general diet group, p = 0.013). The gut microbiota of children in the general diet group contained more butyric acid-producing microbiota which was also common in healthy people (e.g. Lachnoclostridium, Dorea, Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, and Coprococcus). The gut microbiota of children in liquid diet group however, were rich in symbiotic pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Collinsella, Alistipes, and Eggerthella). CONCLUSION: The gut microbiota of children with CP and epilepsy consuming a liquid diet had elevated levels of symbiotic pathogens and diminished intestinal barrier protection bacteria, relative to a general diet group. These differences in bacterial microbiota were associated with GI dysfunction symptoms.

Quality by Design-Based Assessment for Analytical Similarity of Adalimumab Biosimilar HLX03 to Humira®.

Quality by design (QbD) is an efficient but challenging approach for the development of biosimilar due to the complex relationship among process, quality, and efficacy. Here, the analytical similarity of adalimumab biosimilar HLX03 to Humira® was successfully established following a QbD quality study. Quality target product profile (QTPP) of HLX03 was first generated according to the public available information and initial characterization of 3 batches of Humira®. The critical quality attributes (CQAs) were then identified through risk assessment according to impact of each quality attribute on efficacy and safety. The anticipated range for each CQA was derived from similarity acceptance range and/or the corresponding regulatory guidelines. Finally, a panel of advanced and orthogonal physicochemical and functional tests and comparison of 6 batches of HLX03 and 10 batches of the reference standard demonstrated high similarity of HLX03 to Humira®, except for slightly lower percentage of high mannosylated glycans (%HM) in HLX03 which had no effect on FcγRIII binding and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). All above demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency of QbD-based similarity assessment of a biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb).

Eutrophication control strategies for highly anthropogenic influenced coastal waters.

Rapid economic development and urbanization necessitate an understanding of anthropogenic effects on coastal eutrophication. It is a significant challenge for governments to alleviate water degradation and remediate coastal ecosystems. Shenzhen Bay in China, located in a developed and populous area, was selected to analyze the decadal scale influence of anthropogenic activities on eutrophication as well as the effectiveness of governmental remediation strategies. The results showed that the contribution of nutrients from anthropogenic sources accounted for over 80% of the total loads into the bay. Beginning in 1990, increased anthropogenic activities resulted in the loss of environmental capability and resilience, exacerbated eutrophication and water quality degradation. However, the status of eutrophication has been improved since 2005, following the application of intensive management actions implemented in 2000. The practice of eutrophication control suggested that, in view of technical and engineering feasibility, coastal strategies for similar shallow bays should initially reduce phosphorus, followed by nitrogen and eco-remediation to alleviate the serious aquatic situation immediately. The recovery period of eutrophication would be at least five years after governmental actions from Shenzhen Bay's experience. Furthermore, simulated scenarios indicated that eutrophication ranking of Shenzhen Bay could reach and remains medium Moderate, following a 35% reduction in total nitrogen and a 20% reduction in total phosphorus with corresponding eco-remediation.

Research on Occupational Safety, Health Management and Risk Control Technology in Coal Mines.

This paper studies the occupational safety and health management methods as well as risk control technology associated with the coal mining industry, including daily management of occupational safety and health, identification and assessment of risks, early warning and dynamic monitoring of risks, etc.; also, a B/S mode software (Geting Coal Mine, Jining, Shandong, China), i.e., Coal Mine Occupational Safety and Health Management and Risk Control System, is developed to attain the aforementioned objectives, namely promoting the coal mine occupational safety and health management based on early warning and dynamic monitoring of risks. Furthermore, the practical effectiveness and the associated pattern for applying this software package to coal mining is analyzed. The study indicates that the presently developed coal mine occupational safety and health management and risk control technology and the associated software can support the occupational safety and health management efforts in coal mines in a standardized and effective manner. It can also control the accident risks scientifically and effectively; its effective implementation can further improve the coal mine occupational safety and health management mechanism, and further enhance the risk management approaches. Besides, its implementation indicates that the occupational safety and health management and risk control technology has been established based on a benign cycle involving dynamic feedback and scientific development, which can provide a reliable assurance to the safe operation of coal mines.

Assessment of Bifidobacterium Species Using groEL Gene on the Basis of Illumina MiSeq High-Throughput Sequencing.

The next-generation high-throughput sequencing techniques have introduced a new way to assess the gut's microbial diversity on the basis of 16S rRNA gene-based microbiota analysis. However, the precise appraisal of the biodiversity of Bifidobacterium species within the gut remains a challenging task because of the limited resolving power of the 16S rRNA gene in different species. The groEL gene, a protein-coding gene, evolves quickly and thus is useful for differentiating bifidobacteria. Here, we designed a Bifidobacterium-specific primer pair which targets a hypervariable sequence region within the groEL gene that is suitable for precise taxonomic identification and detection of all recognized species of the genus Bifidobacterium so far. The results showed that the novel designed primer set can specifically differentiate Bifidobacterium species from non-bifidobacteria, and as low as 104 cells of Bifidobacterium species can be detected using the novel designed primer set on the basis of Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing. We also developed a novel protocol to assess the diversity of Bifidobacterium species in both human and rat feces through high-throughput sequencing technologies using groEL gene as a discriminative marker.

Human impacts and changes in the coastal waters of south China.

Human impact on the environment remains at the center of the debate on global environmental change. Using the Hong Kong-Shenzhen corridor in south China as an example, we present evidence that rapid urbanization and economic development in coastal areas were the dominant factors causing rapid changes in coastal waters. From 1990 to 2012, coastal seawater temperature increased ~0.060°C per year, sea level rose 4.4mm per year and pH decreased from 8.2 to 7.7, much faster than global averages. In the same period, there were exponential increases in the local population, gross domestic product and land fill area. Empirical analyses suggest that the large increase in the population affected local temperature, and economic development had a major impact on local pH. Results also show that pH and temperature were significantly correlated with local sea level rise, but pH had more predictive power, suggesting it could be considered a predictor for changes in local sea level. We conclude that human activities could significantly exacerbate local environmental changes which should be considered in predictive models and future development plans in coastal areas.

Assessment of marine debris in beaches or seawaters around the China Seas and coastal provinces.

Compared with United States of America (USA), Brazil, Chile, Australia, limited attention has been paid to marine debris research in China and few studies have attempted to quantify the abundance and mass of marine debris. In this study, firstly the general status and sources of marine debris in China were assessed in the time period between 2007 and 2014, and secondly marine debris situation was evaluated in three China Sea Areas (the North China Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea) from 2009 to 2013, and finally marine debris conditions and sources were analyzed in beaches or seawaters around some coastal provinces of China during 2007-2013. Based on above analysis, the primary conclusions were as follows: (1) The mean number and weight densities of beached marine debris (BMD) and submerged marine debris (SMD) were 4.30, 0.13items/100m(2) and 133.80, 22.60g/100m(2) in China from 2007 to 2014, respectively. The average number density of the large size FMD (LOSFMD) was 0.0024items/100m(2) and that of the small and medium size FMD (SMSFMD) was 0.30items/100m(2), and the mean weight density of the SMSFMD was 1.40g/100m(2) from 2008 to 2014. The SMD and FMD densities were at the low level and the BMD density was at the high level in China. (2) The marine debris primarily was comprised of plastic, Styrofoam, wood, glass, rubber, fabric/fiber and metal, which included almost all major categories of marine debris. (3) Sources of BMD and FMD were as follows: the first source was coastal/recreational activities, followed by other disposal sources, navigation/fishing activities and the activities related smoking, and the least source being those associated with medical/sanitary activities, while the source of SMD remained unknown. (4) The mean number and weight densities of BMD were the biggest in the North China Sea, while those of FMD and SMD were the highest in the northern South China Sea. The results of this study were beneficial to the establishment of management measures for dealing with ecological and environmental problems that were generated by the high speed socio-economic development in China.

Association of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor G196A and Attempted Suicide: A Case-Control Study in Rural China.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is an important public problem, the mechanism of which has not been clarified. Many studies have focused on the molecular, biological and genetic mechanisms of suicide. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) G196A is one of the most leading loci in recent studies, but the results are inconsistent. METHODS: We conducted a 1:1 age- and sex-matched case-control study in rural areas of Shandong Province, China. A total of 365 pairs of cases and controls were finally recruited into our study. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of BDNF 196G/G and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by multivariate conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: No association between BDNF polymorphisms and attempted suicide was found in the overall population. However, the BDNF 196G/G genotype was significantly related to attempted suicide in the elderly population (AOR = 7.85, 95% CI: 1.12-54.90, p = 0.038), while the associations were not significant in young and middle-aged groups. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the BDNF 196G/G genotype increases the risk of attempted suicide in elderly people.

[Analysis of projects received and funded in fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from National Natural Science Foundation of China during 2010-2013].

OBJECTIVE: To summarized the projects received and funded in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) during 2010-2013, put forward the thinking and perspective of this future trend in these fields. METHODS: The number of the funded project and total funding in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from NSFC during 2010-2013 had been statistical analyzed, in the meantime, the overview situation of various branches in basic research and further preliminary analysis the research frontier and hot issues have been analyzed. RESULTS: (1) The number of funded project were 581 in H15 of NSFC during 2010-2013, total funding reached to 277.13 million RMB, including 117 projects in H1511 (emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery and other science issue), 96 projects in H1507 (wound healing and scar), 88 projects in H1502 (multi-organ failure), 71 projects in H1505 (burn), 61 projects in H1504 (trauma). (2) The top 10 working unit for project funding in the field of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery present as Third Military Medical University (70), Shanghai Jiao tong University (69), Second Military Medical University (40), Chinese PLA General Hospital (36), Forth Military Medical University (35), Zhejiang University (22), Sun Yat-Sen University (18), Southern Medical University (14), China Medical University (11), Capital Medical University (11) respectively, the number of funded project positive correlated with funding. (3) The funded research field in H15 covered almost all important organs and system injury or repair research, our scientists reached a fairly high level in some research field, for example, sepsis, trauma, repair, et al. "Sepsis" was funded 112 projects in H15 for 4 years, the growth rate became rapid and stable comparing to shock, burns and cardiopulmonary resuscitation funded projects' number. "Emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns" research fields related to heart, lung, bone/cartilage/muscle, stomach/intestinal/liver, brain/spinal cord/peripheral nerve and other tissues/organs. The number of funded projects in plastic surgery related research fields in angioma and flap related projects were down below to 3 projects, but the number of funded project in wounds, scar repair related research field were more than other fields relatively. (4) In frontier and research hot issue, the funded rate represent as 23.8%, 21.4%, 19.0% and 23.9% in stem cell related research fields in 4 years respectively. The funded rate average to 20.9% in epigenetic related research fields for four years, the funded rate achieved to break through "zero" in autophagy related research fields, the total rate raised to 32.6% from 2011 to 2013. CONCLUSIONS: The funded number and funding were raised rapidly in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery from NSFC. The application for each proposal should be focus on concise or upgrade the scientific issues to improve the quality. The depth or systematic in content and interdisciplinary research fields (e.g. immunology) should be paid attention to. Sepsis, trauma and burns will be the main stream direction in future in the fields of emergency and intensive care medicine/trauma/burns/plastic surgery. The fields of wound healing and scar, surface organ defects, damage, repair and regeneration, surface tissue/organ transplantation and reconstruction, craniofacial deformities and correction are important develop directions in future work.