In vitro assessment of cytotoxicity of spent fluid catalytic cracking refinery catalysts on cell lines and identification of critical toxic metals.

The Purpose of the present study was to quantify the responses of ten cell lines (HeLa, HepG2, HEK293, MDA-MB-231, A498, A549, A357, 3 T3, BALB-C3 T3, and NIH-3 T3) to spent fluid catalytic cracking catalysts (SFCCCs) from different petroleum refineries, and relate these responses to metal concentrations of SFCCC leachates (SFCCCLs). Cytotoxicity of SFCCCs were significantly different depending on cell lines. A357 and 3 T3 cell were the most sensitive, and A498 and HeLa cells were the least sensitive. HEK293 cells showed the least fluctuation in toxic response to different SFCCCLs among all cells. Cytotoxic IC50 values of SFCCCs to 7 kinds of cells were the most correlated with vanadium (V) concentration in SFCCCLs. V is the most critical toxic factor of SFCCC. Glutathione synthesis was induced in HepG2 cells exposed to higher concentrations of SFCCCLs. SFCCCLs with low concentration of V can induce the decrease of GSH/GSSG ratio in HepG2 cells, suggesting that high concentration of V inhibits the detoxification of glutathione.

Innovative accumulative risk assessment of co-exposure to Cd, As, and Pb in contaminated rice based on their in vivo bioavailability and in vitro bioaccessibility.

The consumption of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) co-contaminated rice exposes humans to multiple heavy metals simultaneously, with relative bioavailability (RBA) and bioaccessibility (BAc) being important determinants of potential health risks. This study evaluated the relationship between in vivo RBA and in vitro BAc of Cd, As, and Pb in rice and their cumulative risk to humans. A total of 110 rice samples were collected in Zhejiang Province, China, and 10 subsamples with varying concentration gradients were randomly selected to measure RBA using a mouse model (liver, kidney, femur, blood, and urine as endpoints) and BAc using four in vitro assays (PBET, UBM, SBRC, and IVG). Our results indicated that Cd-RBA varied from 21.2 % to 67.5 %, As-RBA varied from 23.2 % to 69.3 %, and Pb-RBA varied from 22.2 % to 68.9 % based on mouse liver plus kidneys. The BAc values for Cd, As, and Pb in rice varied according to the assay. Compared to Cd and As, Pb exhibited a lower BAc in the gastric (GP) and intestinal (IP) phases. According to the relationship between the BAc and RBA values, IVG-GP (R2 = 0.92), SBRC-IP (R2 = 0.73), and UBM-GP (R2 = 0.80) could be used as predictors of Cd-, As-, and Pb-RBA in rice, respectively. The health risks associated with co-exposure to Cd, As, and Pb in contaminated rice for both adults and children exceeded the acceptable threshold, with Cd and As being the primary risk factors. The noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were markedly reduced when the RBA and BAc values were incorporated into the risk assessment. Due to the risk overestimation inherent in estimating the risk level based on total metal concentration, our study provides a realistic assessment of the cumulative health risks associated with co-exposure to Cd, As, and Pb in contaminated rice using in vivo RBA and in vitro BAc bioassays.

Correlations between geomagnetic field and global occurrence of cardiovascular diseases: evidence from 204 territories in different latitude.

BACKGROUND: The correlation between stable geomagnetic fields and unstable geomagnetic activities with mortality, incidence, and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains ambiguous. METHOD: To investigate the correlations between geomagnetic field (GMF) intensity and geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) and CVDs events in global, long-period scale, global and 204 countries and territories were included on the base of 2019 Global Burden of Disease study (GBD 2019). Data of GMF intensity, GMD frequency, CVDs events, weather and health economic indicators from 1996 to 2019 of included locations were collected. Linear regression and panel data modelling were conducted to identify the correlations between GMF intensity and CVDs events, multi-factor panel data analysis was also generated to adjust the effect of confounding factors. RESULTS: For the average data during 1996-2019, linear regression model revealed consistent positive correlations between total GMF (tGMF) intensity and mortality of total CVDs [coef = 0.009, (0.006,0.011 95%CI)], whereas negative correlations were found between horizonal GMF (hGMF) intensity and total CVD mortality [coef = -0.010 (-0.013, -0.007 95%CI)]. When considering the time trend, panel data analysis still demonstrated positive correlation between tGMF and total CVDs mortality [coef = 0.009, (0.008,0.009 95%CI)]. Concurrently, the hGMF negatively correlated with total CVDs mortality [coef = -0.008, (-0.009, -0.007 95%CI)]. When the panel models were adjusted for confounding factors, no reverse of correlation tendency was found between tGMF, hGMF and CVDs events. In high-income territories, positive correlation was found between geomagnetic storm (GMS) frequency and mortality of total CVDs [coef = 14.007,(2.785, 25.229 95%CI)], however, this positive trend faded away gradually with the latitude decreasing from polar to equator. CONCLUSIONS: Stable and long-term horizontal component of GMF may be beneficial to cardiac health. Unstable and short-term GMF called GMD could be a hazard to cardiac health. Our results suggest the importance of regular GMF in maintaining cardio-health state and the adverse impacts of GMD on cardiac health.

Assessing the competitiveness of Indian solar power industry using the extended Five Forces Model: a green innovation perspective.

India's demand-supply imbalance electricity market results from the country's rapid population growth and extensive industrialization. Due to increased costs, many residential and commercial customers have difficulty paying their electric bills. Households with lower incomes are confronted with the most severe energy poverty in the entire country. A sustainable and alternative form of energy is required to solve these issues. Solar energy is a sustainable energy choice for India; however, the solar industry faces many issues. One of them is managing end-of-life cycle photovoltaic (PV) waste, as massive deployment of solar energy capacity has resulted in generating large amounts of PV waste, ultimately affecting environmental and human health. Therefore, this research employs "Porter's Five Forces Model" to analyze the factors that significantly impact the competitiveness of India's solar power industry. The inputs for this model consist of semi-structured interviews conducted with experts in the solar power industry on various solar energy-related issues and a critical analysis of the national policy framework using the relevant literature and official statistics. The impact of five significant stakeholders of the solar power industry on solar power generation in India is evaluated: buyers, suppliers, competitors, substitutes, and potential competitors. Research findings indicate the Indian solar power industry's current status, challenges, competition environment, and future estimates. This study will help the government and stakeholders to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting the competitiveness of the Indian solar power sector and suggest policy recommendations to formulate procurement strategies that promote sustainable development within the solar industry.

The impact of COVID-19 on economy, air pollution and income: evidence from China.

The global pandemic caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 has posed significant risks to our health. Preventive measures such as closed management have greatly affected the economies, environments and societies of various countries. Economy, air pollution and income are three important interconnected aspects of sustainable development. However, current research lacks systematic quantitative analysis of their relationships. To fill the gap, this study adopts monthly data from January 2016 to April 2022 and constructs both a Simultaneous Equation Model (SEM) and a Time Varying Parameter Stochastic Volatility Vector Autoregressive (TVP-SV-VAR) model to empirically analyze the impact of COVID-19 on China's economy, air pollution and income. This study finds that the COVID-19 has a negative impact on China's economy and income, and a positive impact on air pollution, and the impact of the COVID-19 is systematic. In addition, there is an inverted-U shaped relationship between air pollution and economics, and a positive correlation between economic and income. The impact of COVID-19 on the economy, air pollution and income show a process of sharp fluctuations to gradual stabilization that gradually stabilized over time. This process is time-varying in the short-term, medium-term and long-term. The impacts are persistent at three different time points (before, during and after the outbreak of COVID-19), but the negative impact on the economy and income is persistent, while the positive impact on air pollution is limited. This study provides a more systematic and dynamic understanding of the COVID-19 preventive and mitigation measures in China and even the world, which helps to provide insights into the formulation of more comprehensive planning strategies in the future. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00477-023-02450-z.

3D doppler ultrasound imaging of cerebral blood flow for assessment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in mice.

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) acutely reduces in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Clinic studies have reported that severe CBF impairment can predict HIE outcomes in neonates. Herein, the present study uses a non-invasive 3D ultrasound imaging approach to evaluate the changes of CBF after HI insult, and explores the correlation between CBF alterations and HI-induced brain infarct in mouse pups. The neonatal HI brain injury was induced in postnatal day 7 mouse pups using the Rice-Vannucci model. Non-invasive 3D ultrasound imaging was conducted to image CBF changes with multiple frequencies on mouse pups before common carotid artery (CCA) ligation, immediately after ligation, and 0 or 24 hours after HI. Vascularity ratio of the ipsilateral hemisphere was acutely reduced after unilateral ligation of the CCA alone or in combination with hypoxia, and partially restored at 24 hours after HI. Moreover, regression analysis showed that the vascularity ratio of ipsilateral hemisphere was moderately correlated with brain infarct size 24 hours after HI, indicating that CBF reduction contributes to of HI brain injury. To further verify the association between CBF and HI-induced brain injury, a neuropeptide C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) or PBS was intranasally administrated to the brain of mouse pups one hour after HI insult. Brain infarction, CBF imaging and long-term neurobehavioral tests were conducted. The result showed that intranasal administration of CNP preserved ipsilateral CBF, reduced the infarct size, and improved neurological function after HI brain injury. Our findings suggest that CBF alteration is an indicator for neonatal HI brain injury, and 3D ultrasound imaging is a useful non-invasive approach for assessment of HI brain injury in mouse model.

Ecological and human health hazards; integrated risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from the Chenab River, Pakistan.

Carcinogenic hazards to human health were investigated through oral and dermal exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from water samples (n = 120) of River Chenab, Pakistan. The Pioneering study aimed to employ an integrated geographic information system (GIS) based geostatistical method for the determination of pollution load by GC-ECD from water of River Chenab. The residual levels of OCPs detected from water samples ranged from 0.54 to 122 ng L-1 with significant prevalence of DDE and α-HCH. Results of the Nemerrow pollution index (NeI), single pollution index (SPI), and comprehensive pollution index (CPI) reflected the downstream zone a stern pollution risk zone. The spatial distribution pattern through geostatistical approaches also revealed significantly higher (p < 0.05) OCP levels in the downstream zone. Risk quotient (RQCCC) of surface water quality with respect to heptachlor epitomized a high level of risk (RQCCC > 1). Non-carcinogenic human health risk (Σ HQ) assessment ranged from 8.39 × 10-9 to 1.7 × 10-3, which represented a marginal risk through oral and dermal exposure. However, carcinogenic risks by oral exposure route were ranged from 3.57 × 10-11 to 4.46 × 10-6. Estimated cancer risk (ΣCR) exhibited a considerable carcinogenic risk posed by heptachlor, α-HCH and dieldrin. It is suggested to employ an immediate mitigation strategy for the constant discharge of OCPs in the studied area.

[Three-dimensional assessment and study on temporomandibular joint and the maxillary characteristics of skeletal Class â ¢ mandibular deviation patients].

PURPOSE: To study the temporomandibular joint morphology and position and the maxillary characteristics of skeletal Class Ⅲ mandibular deviation patients with vertical disproportion in bilateral gonions. METHODS: Overall 79 adult patients with skeletal Class Ⅲ malocclusions were selected. Craniofacial spiral CT scanning was performed, and three-dimensional reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint(TMJ) was carried out by using ProPlan CMF3.0 three-dimensional analysis software. The patients were divided into two groups according to the deviation degree of the mentum: symmetric group (the S group: n=24) and deviation group (n=55). The deviation group was divided into two subgroups according to whether there was vertical disproportion in bilateral gonions, i.e., ASV group: there were vertical differences in bilateral gonions(n=27), and ASNV group: there was no vertical difference in bilateral gonions (n=28). Seven condylar morphological and position indicators and nine maxilla-related indicators were measured. SPSS 22.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In deviation group, the condylar length on the deviated side was shorter than the opposite side, the difference value between the two sides was greater than the symmetric group, and there were asymmetry and different degrees of disproportion in the three-dimensional direction in the maxilla. In ASV group, the angle of the condylar axis to the horizontal plane on the deviated side was smaller and the anteroposterior diameter of the condyle was smaller. In ASV group, the mediolateral dimension of condyle on the deviated side were smaller. From variance analysis and multiple comparisons, the difference of condylar length on both sides in ASV group and ASNV group was greater than that in the symmetric group. There were asymmetries in the maxillae in ASV group and ASNV group, and the maxillary width on the deviated side was greater than that on non-deviated side. Transverse maxillary disproportion was more likely to occur in the ASNV group. The vertical maxillary disproportion on both sides in ASV group was larger than that in ASNV group and S group, and the deviated side was smaller than the opposite side. CONCLUSIONS: The TMJ morphology and position of skeletal Class Ⅲ mandibular deviation patients with vertical disproportion in bilateral gonions and the maxillary asymmetry in the three-dimensional direction require attention in the diagnosis and conceptual design of surgical-orthodontic treatment.

Prevalence, predictors and management of left atrial appendage thrombogenic milieu in atrial fibrillation with low thromboembolic risk.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, predictors, and management of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombogenic milieu (TM) identified with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients with low to moderate thromboembolic (TE) risk. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the baseline clinical data and TEE findings in 391 NVAF patients (54.7 ± 8.9 years, 69.1% male) with low to moderate TE risk according to the CHA2DS2-VASc score. LAA TM was defined as LAA thrombus (LAAT), sludge or spontaneous echo contrast (SEC). Management of LAA TM was at the discretion of the treating physician. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients (11.0%) were detected with LAA TM, including 5 with LAAT (11.6%), 4 with LAAT + Sect. (9.3%), 3 with sludge (7.0%), and 31 with Sect. (72.1%). In multivariate model, non-paroxysmal AF (OR 3.121; 95% CI 1.205-8.083, p = 0.019), and a larger left atrial diameter (LAD) (OR 1.134; 95% CI 1.060-1.213, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the presence of LAA TM. All LAATs or sludges effectively resolved after mean duration of 117.5 ± 20.0 days for oral anticoagulant (OAC) medication. TE events occurred in 3 patients (18.8%) among those discontinuing OAC over a mean follow-up of 26.2 ± 8.8 months, while no TE events occurred in patients with continuous OAC. CONCLUSIONS: LAA TM could be identified in 11.0% in NVAF patients with low to moderate TE risk, especially in those with non-paroxysmal AF and enlarged LAD. Short-term OAC medication could effectively resolve the LAAT or sludge.

Performance of two tools for pulmonary vein occlusion assessment with a novel navigation system in cryoballoon ablation procedure.

INTRODUCTION: Optimal occlusion of pulmonary vein (PV) is essential for atrial fibrillation (AF) cryoballoon ablation (CBA). The aim of the study was to investigate the performance of two different tools for the assessment of PV occlusion with a novel navigation system in CBA procedure. METHODS: In consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent CBA procedure with the guidance of the novel 3-dimentional mapping system, the baseline tool, injection tool and pulmonary venography were all employed to assess the degree of PV occlusion, and the corresponding cryoablation parameters were recorded. RESULTS: In 23 patients (mean age 60.0 ± 13.9 years, 56.5% male), a total of 149 attempts of occlusion and 122 cryoablations in 92 PVs were performed. Using pulmonary venography as the gold standard, the overall sensitivity, specificity of the baseline tool was 96.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 90.0%-99.1%), and 40.5% (95% CI 26.0%-56.7%), respectively, while the corresponding value of the injection tool was 69.6% (95% CI 59.7%-78.1%), and 100.0% (95% CI 90.6%-100.0%), respectively. Cryoablation with optimal occlusion showed lower nadir temperature (baseline tool: -44.3 ± 8.4°C vs. -35.1 ± 6.5°C, p < .001; injection tool: -46.7 ± 6.4°C vs. -38.3 ± 9.2°C, p < .001) and longer total thaw time (baseline tool: 53.3 ± 17.0 s vs. 38.2 ± 14.9 s, p = .003; injection tool: 58.5 ± 15.5 s vs. 41.7 ± 15.2 s, p < .001) compared with those without. CONCLUSIONS: Both tools were able to accurately assess the degree of PV occlusion and predict the acute cryoablation effect, with the baseline tool being more sensitive and the injection tool more specific.

Establishment of an in vitro safety assessment model for lipid-lowering drugs using same-origin human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells.

Cardiovascular safety assessment is vital for drug development, yet human cardiovascular cell models are lacking. In vitro mass-generated human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cardiovascular cells are a suitable cell model for preclinical cardiovascular safety evaluations. In this study, we established a preclinical toxicology model using same-origin hPSC-differentiated cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) and endothelial cells (hPSC-ECs). For validation of this cell model, alirocumab, a human antibody against proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9), was selected as an emerging safe lipid-lowering drug; atorvastatin, a common statin (the most effective type of lipid-lowering drug), was used as a drug with reported side effects at high concentrations, while doxorubicin was chosen as a positive cardiotoxic drug. The cytotoxicity of these drugs was assessed using CCK8, ATP, and lactate dehydrogenase release assays at 24, 48, and 72 h. The influences of these drugs on cardiomyocyte electrophysiology were detected using the patch-clamp technique, while their effects on endothelial function were determined by tube formation and Dil-acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL) uptake assays. We showed that alirocumab did not affect the cell viability or cardiomyocyte electrophysiology in agreement with the clinical results. Atorvastatin (5-50 µM) dose-dependently decreased cardiovascular cell viability over time, and at a high concentration (50 µM, ~100 times the normal peak serum concentration in clinic), it affected the action potentials of hPSC-CMs and damaged tube formation and Dil-Ac-LDL uptake of hPSC-ECs. The results demonstrate that the established same-origin hPSC-derived cardiovascular cell model can be used to evaluate lipid-lowering drug safety in cardiovascular cells and allow highly accurate preclinical assessment of potential drugs.

High Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Acceptability and Cost-Effectiveness of the Chinese 2-Valent Vaccine Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shenyang, China.

Background: Despite the insupportable burden caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and high vaccine acceptability, vaccination programs are not currently available for men who have sex with men (MSM). We aimed to assess HPV infection by examining the willingness for vaccination among MSM and cost-effectiveness of the Chinese 2-valent HPV vaccine. Methods: We recruited MSM in Shenyang, China between July and December 2020 to conduct anal HPV testing and an online survey regarding HPV-related knowledge and vaccine acceptability. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of the Chinese 2-valent HPV vaccine. Results: A total of 234 participants completed the online survey; of those, 203 were successfully tested for HPV. The median age was 30 years [interquartile range (IQR): 23-38 years]. Most participants had at least undergraduate education (136/234, 58.1%). The acceptability rate for the free HPV vaccine was 57.7% (135/234). The prevalence of HPV types 16 and 18 was 14.9% (18/121) and 26.8% (22/82) in the willing and unwilling to vaccinate groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The prevalence of high-risk HPV among participants aged <30 and ≥50 years was 48.6 and 38.9%, respectively. Using the Chinese per capita gross domestic product (GDP) as a threshold, the Chinese 2-valent HPV vaccine would be a "very cost-effective" strategy, with an ICER value of USD 4,411. This evidence showed that the Chinese 2-valent HPV vaccine was more cost-effective than other imported vaccines. Conclusions: Targeted strategies should be utilized in MSM with different rates of vaccine acceptability. A pilot HPV vaccination program based on the Chinese 2-valent HPV vaccine for MSM is urgently warranted to reduce the burden of HPV and anal cancer.

Atmospheric oxidation of fluoroalcohols initiated by ˙OH radicals in the presence of water and mineral dusts: mechanism, kinetics, and risk assessment.

The transport and formation of fluorinated compounds are greatly significant due to their possible environmental risks. In this work, the ˙OH-mediated degradation of CF3CF2CF2CH2OH and CF3CHFCF2CH2OH in the presence of O2/NO/NO2 was studied by using density functional theory and the direct kinetic method. The formation mechanisms of perfluorocarboxylic/hydroperfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs/H-PFCAs), which were produced from the reactions of α-hydroxyperoxy radicals with NO/NO2 and the ensuing oxidation of α-hydroxyalkoxy radicals, were clarified and discussed. The roles of water and silica particles in the rate constants and ˙OH reaction mechanism with fluoroalcohols were investigated theoretically. The results showed that water and silica particles do not alter the reaction mechanism but obviously change the kinetic properties. Water could retard fluoroalcohol degradation by decreasing the rate constants by 3-5 orders of magnitude. However, the heterogeneous ˙OH-rate coefficients on the silica particle surfaces, including H4SiO4, H6Si2O7, and H12Si6O18, are larger than that of the naked reaction by 1.20-24.50 times. This finding suggested that these heterogeneous reactions may be responsible for the atmospheric loss of fluoroalcohols and the burden of PFCAs. In addition, fluoroalcohols could be exothermically trapped by H12Si6O18, H6Si2O7, and H4SiO4, in which the chemisorption on H12Si6O18 is stronger than that on H6Si2O7 or H4SiO4. The global warming potentials and radiative forcing of CF3CF2CF2CH2OH/CF3CHFCF2CH2OH were calculated to assess their contributions to the greenhouse effect. The toxicities of individual species were also estimated via the ECOSAR program and experimental measurements. This work enhances the understanding of the environmental formation of PFCAs and the transformation of fluoroalcohols.

The role of a two-assay serological testing strategy for anti-HCV screening in low-prevalence populations.

HCV screening depends mainly on a one-assay anti-HCV testing strategy that is subject to an increased false-positive rate in low-prevalence populations. In this study, a two-assay anti-HCV testing strategy was applied to screen HCV infection in two groups, labelled group one (76,442 people) and group two (18,415 people), using Elecsys electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and an Architect chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), respectively. Each anti-HCV-reactive serum was retested with the other assay. A recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) and HCV RNA testing were performed to confirm anti-HCV positivity or active HCV infection. In group one, 516 specimens were reactive in the ECL screening, of which CMIA retesting showed that 363 (70.3%) were anti-HCV reactive (327 positive, 30 indeterminate, 6 negative by RIBA; 191 HCV RNA positive), but 153 (29.7%) were not anti-HCV reactive (4 positive, 29 indeterminate, 120 negative by RIBA; none HCV RNA positive). The two-assay strategy significantly improved the positive predictive value (PPV, 64.1% & 90.1%, P < 0.05). In group two, 87 serum specimens were reactive according to CMIA screening. ECL showed that 56 (70.3%) were anti-HCV reactive (47 positive, 8 indeterminate, 1 negative by RIBA; 29 HCV RNA positive) and 31 (29.7%) were anti-HCV non-reactive (25 negative, 5 indeterminate, 1 positive by RIBA; none HCV RNA positive). Again, the PPV was significantly increased (55.2% & 83.9%, P < 0.05). Compared with a one-assay testing strategy, the two-assay testing strategy may significantly reduce false positives in anti-HCV testing and identify inactive HCV infection in low-seroprevalence populations.

Groundwater geochemical signatures and implication for sustainable development in a typical endorheic watershed on Tibetan plateau.

Groundwater resource is significantly important for sustainable development of the world, especially for arid endorheic watersheds. A total of 28 groundwaters were collected for hydrogeochemical analysis from the arid Chaka watershed on Tibetan plateau to illustrate the hydrochemical evolution, formation mechanisms and feasibility of groundwater in small arid endorheic watersheds where groundwater is much scarcer. The results showed groundwater has a slightly alkaline nature, and varies from soft fresh HCO3-Ca type to hard brackish/saline Cl-Na type along the groundwater flow path in the watershed with the total hardness in the range of 270-2,127 mg/L and the total dissolved solids in the range of 282-41,770 mg/L. Nitrogen and fluoride in phreatic water are found sporadically exceeding the permissible limits with the maximum value of 118 mg/L for nitrate, 1.2 mg/L for ammonia and 1.2 mg/L for fluoride. Hydrochemistry of phreatic and confined groundwater is naturally governed by water-rock interactions including minerals (halite, gypsum and anhydrite) dissolution, silicate weathering and cation-exchange reaction. The salinity of phreatic water is also dominantly controlled by the strong evaporation. Human activity is one of the important mechanisms influencing the hydrochemical signature of groundwater regardless of the depth. Groundwater has a great hydrogeochemical discrepancy spatially across the watershed and varies from excellent to extremely poor quality in phreatic aquifers. A better water quality that under the good to medium categories was observed in the confined aquifers with 80% of samples having the EWQI value less than 100 and others in the range of 100-150. Phreatic groundwater away from the river and in the downstream area has a relatively poor quality for domestic and agricultural purposes, and should be avoided to direct utilization. This research can improve the understanding of groundwater hydrogeochemical feature, genesis, and its constraints on the availability and feasibility of groundwater resources in small arid watersheds worldwide.

Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control and Their Associated Socioeconomic Factors in China: A Spatial Analysis of A National Representative Survey.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate and interpret the associations between socioeconomic factors and the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension at the provincial level in China. METHODS: A nationally and provincially representative sample of 179,059 adults from the China Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance study in 2015-2016 was used to estimate hypertension burden. The spatial Durbin error model was fitted to investigate socioeconomic factors associated with hypertension indicators. RESULTS: Overall, it was estimated that 29.20% of the participants were hypertensive nationwide, among whom, 34.32% were aware of their condition, 27.69% had received antihypertensive treatment, and 7.81% had controlled their condition. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was associated with hypertension prevalence (coefficient: -2.95, 95% CI: -5.46, -0.45) and control (coefficient: 6.35, 95% CI: 1.36, 11.34) among adjacent provinces and was also associated with awareness (coefficient: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.12, 4.74) and treatment (coefficient: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.21, 4.14) in local province. Beds of internal medicine (coefficient: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.23) was associated with control in local province. Old dependency ratio (coefficient: -3.58, 95% CI: -5.35, -1.81) was associated with treatment among adjacent provinces and with control (coefficient: -1.69, 95% CI: -2.42, -0.96) in local province. CONCLUSION: Hypertension indicators were not only directly influenced by socioeconomic factors of local area but also indirectly affected by characteristics of geographical neighbors. Population-level strategies should involve optimizing supportive socioeconomic environment by integrating clinical care and public health services to decrease hypertension burden.

National Program for External Quality Assessment of Chinese Newborn Screening Laboratories.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the coefficient of variation (CV) of external quality assessment (EQA) in Chinese newborn screening (NBS) laboratories. METHOD: EQA's robust CV was analyzed by the Clinet-EQA evaluation system. RESULTS: Participating laboratories of the EQA program increased annually. There was more than a 11-fold increase in phenylalanine (Phe) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). It has shown a declining robust CV, which has tended to level off in recent years. The interquartile range (IQR) of Phe and TSH's robust CV has decreased from 15.5% to 1.5% and from 22.8% to 1.8%, respectively. Compared to bacterial inhibition assay (BIA), the robust CV of Phe has been shown to be relatively reduced in the fluorescence assay and quantitative enzymatic assay (QEA). The robust CV by ELISA was relatively unstable compared to DELFIA and FEIA. In addition, the robust CVs of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 17-alpha-hydroxy progesterone (17-OHP) by Genetic Screening Processor (GSP) were lower than other systems. The median of robust CV by non-derivatized MS/MS (Fenghua) in Phe and free carnitine were around 2.2-4.7% and 2.6-5.2%. CONCLUSION: Neonatal screening has developed rapidly in China and the majority of participant laboratories had satisfactory performance for the quantitative results.

Modeling heterogeneous dynamic interactions among energy investment, SO2 emissions and economic performance in regional China.

Massive investments in energy industry may either promote or mitigate the air pollution which is likely to influence the economic performance. In light of this, the current work is an empirical examination of heterogeneous dynamic causal interactions among energy investment, sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions and economic growth in regional China. A modified STIRPAT model is developed to introduce energy investment as a determinant of technology. Based on a modified model, a simultaneous equations system has been established to examine the three-way causal interactions among the variables of interest. As a first step, an error-correction-based second generation Westerlund (Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics 69: 0305-9049, (2007). cointegration has been employed and found the long-run relationship. The simultaneous equations have been estimated by employing second generation dynamic common correlated effects mean group estimator (DCCEMGE) for 30 Chinese provinces and cities from 2001 to 2017. The empirical analysis has revealed that the energy investment induces emissions promotion effect while economic growth introduces emissions curtailment effect. However, the emissions curtailment effect remained slightly stronger than emissions promotion effect both at country and regional levels. Further, the energy investment growth uncovered economic performance enhancement effect. Furthermore, the SO2 emissions growth induced economic performance deterioration effect. In this regard, the economic performance deterioration effect exceeded the economic performance enhancement effect. Besides, there is a bidirectional causality operative between SO2 emissions and gross regional product (GRP) growth for the country as well as regional samples. On the contrary, a positive bilateral causal relationship between energy investment and GRP growth is found for the country as well as regional samples. Similarly, it has been found that there exists a positive bilateral causal association between SO2 emissions and energy investment. Graphical abstract.