Understanding health education needs of pregnant women in China during public health emergencies: a qualitative study amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Public health emergencies impose unique challenges on pregnant women, affecting their physiological, psychological, and social wellbeing. This study, focusing on the context of the corona virus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in China, aims to comprehensively explore the experiences of pregnant women amidst diverse public health crises. Herein, we investigate the health education needs of pregnant Chinese women in regard to public health emergencies to provide a scientific foundation for the development of targeted health education strategies. Objective: The study described in this article aims to explore the health education needs of pregnant Chinese women in the context of public health emergencies specifying the types of emergencies of pandemics and to provide a scientific basis for targeted health education interventions. Methods: Thirteen pregnant women were purposively selected, and the rationale for this sample size lies in the qualitative nature of the study, seeking in-depth insights rather than generalizability. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, and the Colaizzi, which is a structured qualitative technique used to extract, interpret, and organize significant statements from participant descriptions into themes, providing a comprehensive understanding of their lived experiences. Results: The analysis yielded six prominent themes encompassing the following areas: I. Personal protection and vaccine safety; II. Knowledge of maternal health; III. Knowledge of fetal health; IV. Knowledge of childbirth; V. Knowledge of postpartum recovery; and VI. Knowledge sources of health education for pregnant women and their expectations of healthcare providers. Theme I was analyzed with two sub-themes (needs for personal protection knowledge, vaccine safety knowledge needs); Theme II was analyzed with three sub-themes (nutrition and diet, exercise and rest, sexual life); Theme III was analyzed with three sub-themes (medications and hazardous substances, pregnancy check-ups, and fetal movement monitoring); Theme IV was analyzed with three sub-themes (family accompaniment, analgesia in childbirth, and choice of mode of delivery); Theme V was analyzed with one sub-theme (knowledge of postnatal recovery); Theme VI was analyzed with one sub-theme (expectations of Healthcare providers). Sub-themes within each main theme were identified, offering a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by pregnant women during public health emergencies. The interrelation between sub-themes and main themes contributes to a holistic portrayal of their experiences. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to tailor health education for pregnant women during emergencies, highlighting the role of the Internet in improving information dissemination. It recommends actionable strategies for effective health communication, ensuring these women receive comprehensive support through digital platforms for better health outcomes during public health crises.

A comparative analysis of the levels and drivers of regional coordinated development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Yellow River Basin, China.

Positioned in the era of the transformation of China's primary social contradictions, this study delves into the new connotations of regional coordinated development(RCD) from the perspective of "factors" coordination within the region and constructs an RCD evaluation system from five subsystems of regional economic coordination(REC), urban-rural coordination(URC), economic and social coordination(EASC), resource and environmental coordination(RAEC), and material and spiritual civilization coordination(MASCC). Then, the Entropy weight-TOPSIS model is used to evaluate the RCD levels of the 19 provinces located in the Yangtze River Economic Belt(YREB) and Yellow River Basin(YRB) from 2010 to 2019, and the two-way fixed-effects model is employed to illustrate the driving mechanisms of various influencing factors on the RCD in YRB and YREB. The results show that:(1)the RCD levels of YRB and YREB show a fluctuating upward trend during 2010 and 2019, however, both regions have low RCD levels, as seen by the mean RCD indices for YREB and YRB, which are only 0.433 and 0.309, respectively. (2) The RCD level of YREB is higher than that of YEB. In 2019, the "coordinated" provinces in YRB and YREB account for 37.50% and 81.82% of the total number of provinces in the basins, respectively, the "uncoordinated" and "low coordinated" provinces all located in YRB. (3) The RCD of YRB and YREB is significantly improved by REC, URC and RAEC, but not significantly positively by MASCC or EASC, and insufficient development of MASCC is the main contradiction limiting the increase in the RCD level of YRB, while the low level of EASC has become the main obstacle limiting the RCD of YREB. (4)Finally, based on the varying impact degrees and directions of different influencing factors on the RCD in YRB and YREB, the recommendations to promote RCD are proposed.

Carbon emission efficiency measurement and influencing factor analysis of nine provinces in the Yellow River basin: based on SBM-DDF model and Tobit-CCD model.

The Yellow River basin (YRB) is China's most critical energy consumption and coal production area. The improvement of carbon emission reduction efficiency in this area is the key for the Chinese government to achieve the 2030 carbon peak and 2060 carbon neutral ("30.60"). Given this, this study first calculates the carbon emission efficiency of YRB from 2005 to 2019 based on the slack-based measured directional distance function (SBM-DDF) model and combined with Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) index and decomposes the carbon emission efficiency of each province. Then, a panel Tobit model with random effect is constructed to measure the influencing factors and their influence degree of carbon emission efficiency of YRB. Finally, the main influencing factors are selected, and policy suggestions on how to improve the carbon emission efficiency of each province are put forward with the help of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model. The results show that first, the carbon emission efficiency of each province is significantly different, but it shows a fluctuating upward trend on the whole. Second, the reasons for the rise or decline of the ML index in different provinces are different. Therefore, the development strategies of different provinces should be formulated from the perspective of accelerating technological progress and improving technical efficiency. Finally, the calculation results of influencing factors and coupling coordination degrees show that provinces with high coupling coordination degrees should focus on developing per capita power consumption and controlling per capita power consumption to consolidate the actual urbanization process and industrial structure adjustment. Provinces with low coupling coordination degrees should focus on maintaining the urbanization process and increasing the development of the tertiary industry. Therefore, to fundamentally reduce carbon emissions in YRB areas, we need to consider implementing differentiated emission reduction schemes based on national strategic objectives and in combination with the development characteristics of various provinces.

Comprehensive insights into the occurrence, source, distribution and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a large drinking reservoir system.

The resource, environment, and ecological value of drinking reservoirs have received widespread concerns due to the pollution of persistent organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Therefore, we comprehensively studied the occurrence, source, distribution, and risk assessment of representative PAHs in Fengshuba Reservoir (FSBR) (large drinking reservoir, China). The total concentrations of 16 USEPA PAHs in the water phase, porewater phase, sediment phase, and soil phase were in ranges of 109.72-393.19 ng/L, 5.75-35.15 µg/L, 364.4-743.71 µg/kg, and 367.81-639.89 µg/kg, respectively. The naphthalene (Nap) was the dominant PAHs in the water phase, while it was Nap and phenanthrene (Phe) in porewater, sediment, and soil phase. The main sources of PAHs in FSBR were biomass combustion. Redundancy analysis indicated that the NTU, NO2-, NH4+, Chl-α, and IC were the dominant factors influencing the PAH distribution in water phase, and the PAHs in sediment phase was affected by T and NO3-. Pseudo-partitioning coefficients indicated that the PAHs in the porewater phase were more likely to migrate to the sediment phase. Risk assessment indicated that the PAHs both in the water and sediment phases were generally in a low-risk state, while the PAHs in the soil phase were in a moderate-risk state, and the Nap was in a high-risk state, and exposure to the PAHs in FSBR through drinking and skin exposure had little impact on consumers' health. In summary, Nap could be used as a key indicator to evaluate the existence and potential risk of PAHs in FSBR.

Assessment of peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes by diffusion tensor imaging: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate diabetes peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and explore the correlation between DTI parameters and electrophysiological parameters. METHODS: We examined tibial nerve (TN) and common peroneal nerve (CPN) of 32 DPN patients and 23 healthy controls using T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and DTI. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) of TN and CPN were measured and compared between groups. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to explore the relationship between DTI parameters and electrophysiology parameters in the DPN group. Diagnostic value was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: In the DPN group, FA was decreased (p < 0.0001) and MD and RD were increased (p < 0.05, p < 0.001) in the TN and CPN compared with the values of healthy control group. Moreover, in the DPN group, FA was positively correlated with motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) (p < 0.0001), and both MD and RD were negatively correlated with MCV (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). However, there was no correlation between AD and any electrophysiological parameters. Among all DTI parameters, FA displayed the best diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.882 in TN and 0.917 in CPN. CONCLUSION: FA and RD demonstrate appreciable diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, they both have a moderate correlation with MCV.

Rapid degradation of 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cell with pre-acclimated bioanode: A comprehensive assessment.

2,4-dichloronitrobenzene (DClNB) as a typical refractory pollutant, exists in multifarious industrial wastewater widely and poses a serious threat to the environment. An ion exchange membrane (IEM)-free microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) with pre-acclimated bioanode was built and evaluated systematically for treatment of DClNB containing wastewater. Results showed that compared with the non-acclimated or IEM-equipped MECs, the pre-acclimated IEM-free MECs had the best DClNB removal efficiency of 91.3% under COD and DClNB loading rates of nearly 1000 kg m-3 d-1 and 100 g m-3 d-1. Both of anode pre-acclimation and IEM removal reduced the electron transfer resistance by 71.1 and 194.5 Ω, respectively. Compared to the pre-acclimated IEM-equipped MEC, the cathode current efficiency of pre-acclimated IEM-free MEC increased by 13.7%. Analysis of live/dead cell staining indicated that a higher proportion of live cells was observed in the acclimated anode biofilm (66.1% vs. 47.3%), and the detoxification of DClNB in the pre-acclimated IEM-free MECs was significantly better (p < 0.05) than those of non-acclimated or IEM-equipped MECs. This study contributes to the performance improvement of the MEC process for treatment of toxic industrial wastewater.

Gb8, a new gene conferring resistance to economically important greenbug biotypes in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: A new greenbug resistance gene Gb8 conferring broad resistance to US greenbug biotypes was identified in hard red winter wheat line PI 595379-1 and was mapped to the terminal region of chromosome 7DL. Greenbug [Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)] is a worldwide insect pest that poses a serious threat to wheat production. New greenbug resistance genes that can be readily used in wheat breeding are urgently needed. The objective of this study was to characterize a greenbug resistance gene in PI 595379-1, a single plant selection from PI 595379. Genetic analysis of response to greenbug biotype E in an F2:3 population derived from a cross between PI 595379-1 and PI 243735 indicated that a single gene, designated Gb8, conditioned resistance. Linkage analysis placed Gb8 in a 2.7-Mb interval in the terminal bin of chromosome 7DL (7DL3-082-1.0), spanning 595.6 to 598.3 Mb in the Chinese Spring IWGSC RefSeq version 1.0 reference sequence. Gb8 co-segregated with a newly developed SSR marker Xstars508, positioned at 596.4 Mb in the reference sequence. Allelism tests showed that Gb8 was different from three permanently named genes on the same chromosome arm and the estimated genetic distance between Gb8 and Gb3 was 15.35 ± 1.35 cM. Gb8 can be directly used in wheat breeding to enhance greenbug resistance.

The benefit of 3D laser scanning technology in the generation and calibration of FEM models for health assessment of concrete structures.

Terrestrial laser scanning technology (TLS) is a new technique for quickly getting three-dimensional information. In this paper we research the health assessment of concrete structures with a Finite Element Method (FEM) model based on TLS. The goal focuses on the benefits of 3D TLS in the generation and calibration of FEM models, in order to build a convenient, efficient and intelligent model which can be widely used for the detection and assessment of bridges, buildings, subways and other objects. After comparing the finite element simulation with surface-based measurement data from TLS, the FEM model is determined to be acceptable with an error of less than 5%. The benefit of TLS lies mainly in the possibility of a surface-based validation of results predicted by the FEM model.

[Determination of plasma concentration of five phenolic acid by LC-MS/MS and study of pharmacokinetics in rats after Mailuoning injection].

To establish a LC-MS/MS method for quantification of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-DCQA, ferulic acid and cinnamic acid in rats plasma and study its pharmacokinetics after administration of Mailuoning injection at a single dose to rats. Plasma samples were acidified with hydrochloric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The analytes were determined by LC-MS-MS using a ZOBAX SB C18 column with a mobile phase of methanol-water (containing 2 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetic) (60:40)at a flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1) and detected using ESI with negative ionization mode. Ions monitored in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode were m/z 353.1/191.0 [M-H]- for chlorogenic acid, m/z 178.9/134.9 [M-H]- for caffeic acid, m/z 515.2/353.0 [M-H]-for 3,4-DCQA, m/z 193.0/133.9 [M-H]-for ferulic acid, m/z 146.9/102.9 [M-H]- for cinnamic acid and m/z 246.0/125.8 [M-H]- for tinidazole (IS). After administration of Mailuoning injection at a single dose to eight Sprague-Dawley rats, the concentrations of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-DCQA, ferulic acid and cinnamic acid in plasma were determined by LC-MS/MS method. The main pharmacokinetics parameters of measured data were caluculated by using DASver 1.0 software. The linear concentration ranges of the calibration curves for chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-DCQA and cinnamic acid were 2.006-1,027 microg x L(-1) (r = 0.999 6), 1.953-1,000 microg x L(-1) (r = 0.999 7), 28.51-1.459 x 10(4) microg x L(-1) (r = 0.998 9), 1.836-940.0, g x L(-1) (r = 0.997 7) and 4.780-2,447 microg x L(-1) (r = 0.998 6) respectively. The inner and inter-days relative standard deviations were both less than 5.0%, indicating legitimate precise and accuracy to the requirement of biological sample analysis. For chlorogenic acid, the pharmacokinetic parameter t1/2, AUC0-t, and CL were (49.78 +/- 12.81) min, (123.55 +/- 14.82) mg x min x L(-1) and (0.004 3 +/- 0.000 5) L x min(-1), respectively. For caffeic acid, the pharmacokinetic parameter t1/2, AUC0-t, and CL were (36.65 +/- 10.59) min, (91.67 +/- 11.77) mg x min L(-1) and (0.005 7 +/- 0.000 7) L x min(-1), respectively. For 3,4-DCQA, the pharmacokinetic parameter t1/2, AUC0-t, and CL were (50.08 +/- 13.78) min, (278.34 +/- 31.82) mg x min x L-1 and (0.001 6 +/- 0.000 2) L x min(-1), respectively. For ferulic acid, the pharmacokinetic parameter t1/2, AUC0-t, and CL were (51.39 +/- 15.52) min, (34.72 +/- 4.67) mg x min x L(-1) and (0.000 4 +/- 0.0001) L x min(-1), respectively. For cinnamic acid, the pharmacokinetic parameter t1/2, AUCo-t, and CL were (74.42 +/- 18.32) min, (34.63 +/- 4.82) mg x min x L(-1) and (0.007 7 +/- 0.001 1) L x min-', respectively. The assay method is proved to be sensitive, accurate and convenient. It can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 3,4-DCQA, ferulic acid and cinnamic acid.

QUAL2K model used in the water quality assessment of Qiantang River, China.

Qiantang River, a subwatershed of the Yangzi River, in China, is one of the main rivers in Zhejiang province. Because the Qiantang River is polluted as a result of urbanization and industrialization, its biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration is increasing gradually, so that it is necessary to use versatile water quality models to assess the BOD concentration and make policies for pollution control. The QUAL2K model was applied to evaluate the spatial distribution of BOD in the Qiantang River. It was calibrated and validated using the data between 2000 and 2004 as a low-flow condition. Wastewater quantity, curtailed 25%, and a BOD level below 30.0 mg/L were simulated using this model. It was found that wastewater treatment is an effective method to reduce BOD content in the Qiantang River during a low-flow period. Also, the results suggest that BOD total maximum daily loads should be established to control pollution effectively. The QUAL2K model can provide the basic knowledge for water quality assessment in this area.