Levels, Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of PBDEs in Soils and Plants Around the Engineering Plastics Factory.

This study systematically investigated the pollution levels and migration trends of PBDEs in soils and plants around engineering plastics factory, and identified the ecological risks of PBDEs in the environment around typical pollution sources.The results showed that 13 kinds of PBDEs were widely detected in the surrounding areas, and the concentration level was higher than the general environmental pollution level. The total PBDE concentrations (∑13PBDEs) in soils ranged from 14.6 to 278.4 ng/g dry weight (dw), and in plants ranged from 11.5 to 176 ng/g dw. Both soil and plant samples showed that BDE-209 was the most important congener, the pollution level in soil and plant was similar, and the composition of PBDEs congener was similar. In the soil column (50 cm), the radial migration of PBDEs was mainly concentrated in the 0-30 cm section. Except for BDE-66, which was mainly located in the 20-30 cm soil layer, the concentration of PBDEs was the highest in the 0-10 cm region. Furthermore, the environmental risks of PBDEs in soil and plants were evaluated by hazard quotient method, and the HQ values were all < 1, which did not exhibit any ecological risk. The evaluation results also showed that the ecological risk of PBDEs in soil was higher than that of plants, especially penta-BDE, which should be paid more attention.

Trace element levels in the muscles of three tern species (Aves: Laridae) from the western Arabian Gulf: environmental assessment and implications for conservation.

In the Arabian Gulf (called also Persian Gulf; hereafter 'the Gulf'), Jana and Karan Islands are recognized as one of the most Important Bird Areas in the region. Many migratory breeding seabirds, like the Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii, White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa and Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, depend on these islands during the breeding season. However, these aquatic wildlife species are suffering from intensified urban and industrial coastal development and various contamination events including wars and related oil spills. In this study, we used these three piscivorous top predator birds to analyse the levels of 19 trace elements (TEs; i.e. Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, V and Zn) in 15 muscular tissue samples from Jana and Karan Islands. PERMANOVA analysis showed no difference in contamination profile between sites nor between species probably due to their spatial and ecological proximity and therefore similar levels of exposure to TEs. Comparing these levels with existing literature, our results showed no particular concern for all elements, except for Al (maximum values recorded = 116.5 µg g-1 d.w.) and, in two samples, Ba (33.67 µg g-1 d.w.) and Pb (5.6 µg g-1 d.w.). The results can be considered as an initial step for supplementary evaluations with a larger number of samples and specified time intervals for the collection of specimens. This study provided baseline information on the pollution status of these two ecologically important sites which require a continuous biomonitoring programme.

Nutritional Assessment Tools for Patients with Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Cancer patients are at high risk of malnutrition, which can lead to adverse health outcomes such as prolonged hospitalization, increased complications, and increased mortality. Accurate and timely nutritional assessment plays a critical role in effectively managing malnutrition in these patients. However, while many tools exist to assess malnutrition, there is no universally accepted standard. Although different tools have their own strengths and limitations, there is a lack of narrative reviews on nutritional assessment tools for cancer patients. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a non-systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from their inception until May 2023. A total of 90 studies met our selection criteria and were included in our narrative review. We evaluated the applications, strengths, and limitations of 4 commonly used nutritional assessment tools for cancer patients: the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). Our findings revealed that malnutrition was associated with adverse health outcomes. Each of these 4 tools has its applications, strengths, and limitations. Our findings provide medical staff with a foundation for choosing the optimal tool to rapidly and accurately assess malnutrition in cancer patients. It is essential for medical staff to be familiar with these common tools to ensure effective nutritional management of cancer patients.

Bioaccumulation of trace elements and hydrocarbons in chondrichthyans of the western Arabian Gulf: Environmental and human health risk assessment and implications for conservation.

This is a first attempt to assess the levels of trace elements, PAHs, and TPHs in six elasmobranch species (Carcharhinus dussumieri, C. sorrah, Chiloscyllium arabicum, Gymnura poecilura, Sphyrna lewini, S. mokarran) from the Arabian Gulf. The chemical analysis showed that the concentrations of contaminants differed significantly between liver and muscle samples with both pelagic and benthic species and all families. For all species, contaminant concentrations were significantly higher in the liver than in the muscle. While muscle contaminant concentrations differed significantly with respect to species' lifestyles and families, those of liver showed no significant differences between pelagic and benthic species, neither between the four families nor between the six species. None of the analysed contaminants exceeded the internationally recognized standards in all studied species. These results enrich the knowledge on the bioaccumulation of contaminants in elasmobranchs and allow to assess the environmental status of the Arabian Gulf.

Comparative assessment of orthodontic and aesthetic outcomes after orthognathic surgery with clear aligner or fixed appliance therapy.

BACKGROUND: Clear aligner therapy has an aesthetic advantage over fixed appliance therapy. However, to our knowledge, no study has objectively compared patient orthodontic and aesthetic outcomes between clear aligner and fixed appliance therapies administered after orthognathic surgery (OGS). METHODS: This study included patients with no history of congenital craniofacial deformities who underwent surgery-first OGS and received clear aligner or fixed appliance therapy. The patients' grades on the Dental Health Component (DHC) and Aesthetic Component (AC) of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and scores on the Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index were calculated before OGS (T0), after OGS (T1), and after orthodontic therapy (T2). RESULTS: This study included 33 patients (clear aligner therapy, 19; fixed appliance therapy, 14). No considerable between-group differences were noted in the DHC and AC grades at T0, T1, or T2. Furthermore, %reduction in the PAR index score was more significant in the clear aligner group (74.4%) than in the fixed appliance group (63.2%) from T0 to T1 (p = .035); however, no between-group differences were noted from T1 to T2 or from T0 to T2. Both groups exhibited substantially improved DHC grades, AC grades, and PAR index scores at T1 and T2. CONCLUSIONS: Patient outcomes were similar between the clear aligner and fixed appliance groups after orthodontic therapy. However, the former group exhibited more favorable immediate results after OGS than did the latter group. Thus, as an adjunct therapy for patients with malocclusion, clear aligner therapy may be more effective than fixed appliance therapy.

A comprehensive review of the principles, key factors, application, and assessment of thawing technologies for muscle foods.

For years, various thawing technologies based on pressure, ultrasound, electromagnetic energy, and electric field energy have been actively investigated to minimize the amount of drip and reduce the quality deterioration of muscle foods during thawing. However, existing thawing technologies have limitations in practical applications due to their high costs and technical defects. Therefore, key factors of thawing technologies must be comprehensively analyzed, and their effects must be systematically evaluated by the quality indexes of muscle foods. In this review, the principles and key factors of thawing techniques are discussed, with an emphasis on combinations of thawing technologies. Furthermore, the application effects of thawing technologies in muscle foods are systematically evaluated from the viewpoints of eating quality and microbial and chemical stability. Finally, the disadvantages of the existing thawing technologies and the development prospects of tempering technologies are highlighted. This review can be highly instrumental in achieving more ideal thawing goals.

[GIS-based risk assessment of agrometeorological disasters of summer maize in northern mountainous area of Sichuan Basin: A case study of Wangcang County, Sichuan Province, China]. / 基于GIS的四川盆周北部山区夏玉米农业气象灾害风险评估­­ä»¥æ—ºè‹åŽ¿ä¸ºä¾‹.

Meteorological disaster is one of the main factors restricting agriculture development in China. It is important to clarify the risk of summer maize agrometeorological disaster for disaster prevention and mitigation. Based on the natural disaster risk theory, we collected meteorological data and maize yield data from 1981 to 2018 in a typical area in the northern mountainous area of Sichuan Basin (Wangcang County). The main disaster-causing factors affecting summer maize production were determined. A comprehensive agro-meteorological disaster risk assessment model for summer maize was constructed in combination with the sensitivity of pregnant environment and vulnerability of disaster bearing to evaluate the agrometeorological disasters risk of summer maize production in the northern mountainous area of Sichuan Basin. The results showed that during the study period, high temperature in mature period, rainstorm in flowering period, rainstorm in mature period, continuous rain in filling period and drought in booting stage were the main agrometeorological disasters affecting the growth and development of summer maize. The agrometeorological disaster risk of maize generally distributed in a southwest-northeast pattern, with the distribution areas of high-risk and higher-risk areas accounting for half of the total area of Wangcang County. The high-risk areas were mainly located in the southwest of the county, which was basically consistent with the high-value areas of hazard-pregnant environment sensitivity. The low-risk areas were mostly concentrated in the western part of county territory, which were also low-risk areas of high temperature in mature period, rainstorm in mature period, and rainstorm in flowering period disasters.

Gaining Insight into the Electrochemical Interface Dynamics in an Organic Redox Flow Battery with a Kinetic Monte Carlo Approach.

Finding low-cost and nontoxic redox couples for organic redox flow batteries is challenging due to unrevealed reaction mechanisms and side reactions. In this study, a 3D kinetic Monte Carlo model to study the electrode-anolyte interface of a methyl viologen-based organic redox flow battery is presented. This model captures various electrode processes, such as ionic displacement and degradation of active materials. The workflow consists of input parameters obtained from density functional theory calculations, a kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate the discharging process, and an electric double layer model to account for the electric field distribution near the electrode surface. Galvanostatic discharge is simulated at different anolyte concentrations and input current densities, which demonstrate that the model captured the formation of the electrical double layer due to ionic transport. The simulated electrochemical kinetics (potential, charge density) are found to be in agreement with the Nernst equation and the obtained EDL structure corresponded with published molecular dynamics results. The model's flexibility allows further applications of simulating the behavior of different redox couples and makes it possible to consider other molecular-scale phenomena. This study paves the way for computational screening of active species by assessing their potential kinetics in electrochemical environments.

Noninvasive assessment of liver function reserve with fluorescent dosimetry of indocyanine green.

Using in vivo multiphoton fluorescent dosimetry, we demonstrate that the clearance dynamics of Indocyanine Green (ICG) in the blood can quickly reveal liver function reserve. In normal rats, the ICG retention rate was below 10% at the 15-minute post-administration; While in the rat with severe hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the 15-minute retention rate is over 40% due to poor liver metabolism. With a 785 nm CW laser, the fluorescence dosimeter can evaluate the liver function reserve at a 1/10 clinical dosage of ICG without any blood sampling. In the future, this low-dosage ICG 15-minute retention dosimetry can be applied for the preoperative assessment of hepatectomy or timely perioperative examination.

Climate suitability assessment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Climate is an important factor that affects livability, but the climate comfort model used for low altitudes is not applicable to high altitudes, and further study on climate suitability in high-altitude areas is needed. In response to the absence of high-altitude characteristics in the current climate comfort assessment methods, this study adds oxygen content and solar radiation as plateau characteristic indicators. We use the consulting graded method (CGM), least squares method (LSM) and questionnaire survey method (QSM) to obtain comprehensive weights for oxygen content, solar radiation and comfort index to build the Climate Suitability Index of Plateau (CSIP) and assess climate suitability on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The CSIP decreases obviously as elevation increases from southeast to northwest on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which means that the climate becomes increasingly unsuitable from southeast to northwest. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is divided into four regions-"very unsuitable" (83.8 × 104 km2, 32.4%), "unsuitable" (81.5 × 104 km2, 31.6%), "suitable" (67.9 × 104 km2, 26.3%), and "very suitable" (24.9 × 104 km2, 9.6%)-by the natural break method according to the CSIP. According to the different degrees of response of population density to CSIP, we plot the climate suitability line of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to provide basic theoretical support for regional planning in the Qinghai-Tibet region. The CSIP developed in this study provides a new climate suitability assessment method for high-altitude regions and a method for planning human activities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from a climate-focused perspective.

Assessment and Feedback Control of Paving Quality of Earth-Rock Dam Based on OODA Loop.

Paving thickness and evenness are two key factors that affect the paving operation quality of earth-rock dams. However, in the recent study, both of the key factors characterising the paving quality were measured using finite point random sampling, which resulted in subjectivity in the detection and a lag in the feedback control. At the same time, the on-site control of the paving operation quality based on experience results in a poor and unreliable paving quality. To address the above issues, in this study, a novel assessment and feedback control framework for the paving operation quality based on the observe-orient-decide-act (OODA) loop is presented. First, in the observation module, a cellular automaton is used to convert the location of the bulldozer obtained by monitoring devices into the paving thickness of the levelling layer. Second, in the orient module, the learning automaton is used to update the state of the corresponding and surrounding cells. Third, in the decision module, an overall path planning method is developed to realise feedback control of the paving thickness and evenness. Finally, in the act module, the paving thickness and evenness of the entire work unit are calculated and compared to their control thresholds to determine whether to proceed with the next OODA loop. The experiments show that the proposed method can maintain the paving thickness less than the designed standard value and effectively prevent the occurrence of ultra-thick or ultra-thin phenomena. Furthermore, the paving evenness is improved by 21.5% as compared to that obtained with the conventional paving quality control method. The framework of the paving quality assessment and feedback control proposed in this paper has extensive popularisation and application value for the same paving construction scene.

Label-free identification of human coronary atherosclerotic plaque based on a three-dimensional quantitative assessment of multiphoton microscopy images.

The rupture of coronary atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) and the resulting intracoronary thrombosis account for most acute coronary syndromes. Thus, the early identification and risk assessment of CAP is crucial for timely medical intervention. In this study, we propose a quantitative and label-free method for human CAP identification using multiphoton microscopy (MPM) and three-dimensional (3D) image analysis techniques. By detecting the intrinsic MPM signals, the microstructures of collagen and elastin fibers within normal and CAP-lesioned human coronary artery walls were imaged. Using a 3D gray level co-occurrence matrix method and 3D weighted vector summation algorithm, quantitative indicators that characterize the spatial texture and orientation features of the fibers were extracted. We demonstrate that these indicators show superior accuracy and repeatability over 2D texture features in CAP discrimination. Furthermore, by combining the 3D microstructural indicators, a support vector machine model that classifies CAP from the normal arterial wall with an accuracy of >97% was established. In conjunction with advances in multiphoton endoscopy, the proposed method shows great potential in providing a quantitative, label-free, and real-time tool for the early identification and risk assessment of CAP in the future.

Perfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water sources along the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province, China: Human health and ecological risk assessment.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in source water is of growing concern for its adverse effects on human health and wildlife as well. The Yangtze River is the vital drinking water source in Jiangsu Province of China, but little attention has been paid on PFASs. The occurrence, spatial distribution and temporal trend of PFASs in 21 water sources along the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River was investigated with sampling from 2018 to 2020. Moreover, health risk of PFASs was assessed by estimated intake dose and derived tolerable intake dose, while ecological risk was assessed by selected effect concentration and environmental exposure. PFASs concentrations in source water ranged from 12.0 to 128 ng/L, with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as the dominated congener. Fluorine chemical industry lead to a great increase of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in its nearest water source. The estimated daily intake of PFASs through drinking was 0.54 and 0.82 ng/kg bw/day for adults and children. The major health risk was from perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and PFOA for their toxicity on liver, reproduction, development and immunity, with the maximum hazard quotient of 0.029 and 0.043 for adults and children in the worst scenario. The ecological risks from PFASs on nine species groups ranged from 2.7 × 10-10 to 5.2. PFOA and Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) were causing significant risk on wildlife, particularly on worms, mussels, and fish, which may further influence the structure and processes in the foodweb. Overall, PFASs, especially PFOS, PFOA and PFBS, induced considerable risk on human health and aquatic species in some hotspot area. It would be necessary to include them into monitoring in China and develop standards for different protection purposes.

The Association of Socioeconomic Status with the Burden of Cataract-related Blindness and the Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure: An Ecological Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of socioeconomic status with the burden of cataract blindness in terms of year lived with disability (YLD) rates and to determine whether ultraviolet radiation (UVR) levels modify the effect of socioeconomic status on this health burden. METHODS: National and subnational age-standardized YLD rates associated with cataract-related blindness were derived from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2017. The human development index (HDI) from the Human Development Report was used as a measure of socioeconomic status. Estimated ground-level UVR exposure was obtained from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) dataset of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). RESULTS: Across 185 countries, socioeconomic status was inversely associated with the burden of cataract blindness. Countries with a very high HDI had an 84% lower age-standardized YLD rate [95% confidence interval ( CI): 60%-93%, P < 0.001] than countries with a low HDI; for high-HDI countries, the proportion was 76% (95% CI: 53%-88%, P < 0.001), and for medium-HDI countries, the proportion was 48% (95% CI: 15%-68%, P = 0.010; P for trend < 0.001). The interaction analysis showed that UVR exposure played an interactive role in the association between socioeconomic status and cataract blindness burden ( P value for interaction = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Long-term high-UVR exposure amplifies the association of poor socioeconomic status with the burden of cataract-related blindness. The findings emphasize the need for strengthening UVR exposure protection interventions in developing countries with high-UVR exposure.

Comparison of the INTERGROWTH-21st standard and a new reference for head circumference at birth among newborns in Southern China.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies proposed that there were racial or ethnic disparities in fetal growth, challenging the use of international standards in specific populations. This study was to evaluate the validity of applying the INTERGROWTH-21st standard to a Chinese population for identifying abnormal head circumference (HC), in comparison with a newly generated local reference. METHODS: There were 24,257 singletons delivered by low-risk mothers in four perinatal health-care centers in Southern China. New HC reference was constructed and comparison in distribution of HC categories was performed between the INTERGROWTH-21st standard and new reference after applying these two tools in study population. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between abnormal HC and adverse neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: There were 4.40% of the newborns identified with microcephaly (HC > 2 standard deviation below the mean) using the INTERGROWTH-21st standard, comparing to the proportion of 2.83% using new reference. The newborns identified with microcephaly only by the INTERGROWTH-21st standard were not at a higher risk of adverse neonatal outcome, compared with those identified as non-microcephaly by both tools (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.47-1.13). CONCLUSION: The new HC reference may be more appropriate for newborn assessment in Chinese populations than the INTERGROWTH-21st standard.

Influenza-associated Hospitalization in Children Younger Than 5 Years of Age in Suzhou, China, 2011-2016.

BACKGROUND: Studying the burden and risk factors associated with severe illness from influenza infection in young children in eastern China will contribute to future cost-effectiveness analyses of local influenza vaccine programs. METHODS: We conducted prospective, severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance at Suzhou University-Affiliated Children's Hospital to estimate influenza-associated hospitalizations in Suzhou University-Affiliated Children's Hospital by month in children younger than 5 years of age from October 2011 to September 2016. SARI was defined as fever (measured axillary temperature ≥ 38°C) and cough or sore throat or inflamed/red pharynx in the 7 days preceding hospitalization. We combined SARI surveillance data with healthcare utilization survey data to estimate and characterize the burden of influenza-associated SARI hospitalizations in Suzhou within this age group in the 5-year period. RESULTS: Of the 36,313 SARI cases identified, 2,297 from respiratory wards were systematically sampled; of these, 259 (11%) were influenza positive. Estimated annual influenza-associated SARI hospitalization rates per 1,000 children younger than 5 years of age ranged from 4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2-5) in the 2012-2013 season to 16 (95% CI, 14-19) in the 2011-2012 season. The predominant viruses were A/H3N2 (59%) in 2011-12, both A/H1N1pdm09 (42%) and B (46%) in 2012-13, A/H3N2 (71%) in 2013-14, A/H3N2 (55%) in 2014-15 and both A/H1N1pdm09 (50%) and B (50%) in 2015-16. The age-specific influenza-associated SARI hospitalization rates for the 5-year period were 11 (95% CI, 8-15) per 1,000 children 0-5 months of age; 8 (95% CI, 7-10) per 1,000 children 6-23 months of age and 5 (95% CI, 4-5) per 1,000 children 24-59 months of age, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: From 2011 to 2016, influenza-associated SARI hospitalization rates in children aged younger than 5 years of age in Suzhou, China, were high, particularly among children 0-5 months of age. Higher hospitalization rates were observed in years where the predominant circulating virus was influenza A/H3N2. Immunization for children > 6 months, and maternal and caregiver immunization for those < 6 months, could reduce influenza-associated hospitalizations in young children in Suzhou.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of DRIE Process Based on the Narrow Band Level Set and Monte Carlo Method.

A three-dimensional topography simulation of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is developed based on the narrow band level set method for surface evolution and Monte Carlo method for flux distribution. The advanced level set method is implemented to simulate the time-related movements of etched surface. In the meanwhile, accelerated by ray tracing algorithm, the Monte Carlo method incorporates all dominant physical and chemical mechanisms such as ion-enhanced etching, ballistic transport, ion scattering, and sidewall passivation. The modified models of charged particles and neutral particles are epitomized to determine the contributions of etching rate. The effects such as scalloping effect and lag effect are investigated in simulations and experiments. Besides, the quantitative analyses are conducted to measure the simulation error. Finally, this simulator will be served as an accurate prediction tool for some MEMS fabrications.

[Quantitative Assessment of Skin Thickness using High Frequency Ultrasound in Systemic Sclerosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the performance of high frequency ultrasound in the assessment of skin thickness in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: The study included 82 SSc (SSc group) and 67 healthy volunteers (control group) from 2014 to 2016. The skin thickness at bilateral middle fingers and forearms,anterior chest and abdominal wall was measured using high frequency ultrasound. All the patients with SSc underwent the modified rodnan skin score (mRSS) over 17 anatomical sites by an experienced dermatologist. The differences in age,sex,height,body mass,body mass index (BMI) and skin thickness between SSc patients and healthy controls were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the performance of high frequency ultrasound in the differentiation of SSc from healthy skin,and the correlation of mRSS with skin thickness were analyzed. RESULTS: SSc patients and healthy controls shared similar demographic features (age,sex ratio,height,body mass,BMI) (P>0.05). Skin thickness values in SSc patients were increased significantly at fingers and forearms compared with healthy controls (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.938, 0.905, 0.608, 0.586, 0.398, 0.321 at right and left finger,right and left forearm,chest and abdominal wall. Among them,AUC>0.9 of right and left fingers can be used for diagnosis,The skin thickness cut-off value for determining the diagnosis of SSc were as follows: 1.35 mm at the right finger with 84.1% sensitivity and 95.5% specificity,1.26 mm at the right forearm with 86.6% sensitivity and 89.6% specificity,respectively. Skin thickness increased significantly with mRSS. The correlation of total mRSS scores with total skin thickness was 0.599 (P<0.001),and the correlation of local mRSS score with local skin thickness were 0.400-0.623 (P<0.001),with the highest correlation coefficient at right finger and the lowest at abdomen. CONCLUSION: High frequency ultrasound may reflect extent of skin involvement of SSc,and skin thickness assessed with high frequency ultrasound appeared to be highly specific and sensitive at fingers.

Hospitalization Rate and Population-based Incidence of Hospitalization for Community-acquired Pneumonia Among Children in Suzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Data on hospitalization burden of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children are very limited in China. This study aimed to estimate the hospitalization rate (HR) and population-based incidence of hospitalization of CAP for children <15 years of age in Suzhou, China. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of children hospitalized in Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital from January 2010 to December 2014. Children who were residents of downtown Suzhou, 29 days to <15 years of age, with discharge diagnosis codes (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision) including J09-J18 and J20-J22 were included. All-cause clinical community-acquired pneumonia (CCAP) and radiographically confirmed pneumonia (RCAP) were identified based on individual medical chart review. The HR and population-based cumulative incidence of hospitalization (HI) were calculated. RESULTS: Among 184,734 children <15 years of age admitted to Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital during the study period, 31,302 children were identified as having CCAP and 24,218 (77.4%) children confirmed as having RCAP. CCAP hospitalization occurred year round and peaked during winter and early spring. The overall HRs for CCAP and RCAP were 189.0 [95% confidence interval (CI): 187.1-190.9] and 146.2 (95% CI: 144-148) per 1000 hospitalizations, respectively, and the HIs per 100,000 children annually were CCAP, 3235.8 (95% CI: 3207.3-3264.2) and RCAP, 2503.5 (95% CI: 2478.3-2528.6). For children <5 years of age, the HR for CCAP was 248.4 (95% CI: 245.9-250.9) and RCAP was 194.0 (95% CI: 191.4-196.3) per 1000 hospitalizations; the HI for CCAP was 6956.2 (95% CI: 6892.8-7019.6) and 5431.9 (95% CI: 5375.4-5488.4) per 100,000 children for RCAP. The highest HR and HI were observed in children 29 days to <6 months of age: HR for CCAP was 407.4 (95% CI: 400.9-413.9) per 1000 hospitalizations and HI for CCAP was 11,203.7 (95% CI: 11,026.8-11,380.6) per 100,000 children annually. CONCLUSIONS: There is a considerable burden of CAP among children <15 years of age in Suzhou, particularly among children 29 days to <6 months of age and during winter and early spring. These data provide valuable information to monitor CAP trends over time in children of Suzhou, China.