Using Internet Search Queries to Assess Public Awareness of the Healthy Cities Approach: A Case Study in Shenzhen, China.

Cities around the globe are embracing the Healthy Cities approach to address urban health challenges. Public awareness is vital for successfully deploying this approach but is rarely assessed. In this study, we used internet search queries to evaluate the public awareness of the Healthy Cities approach applied in Shenzhen, China. The overall situation at the city level and the intercity variations were both analyzed. Additionally, we explored the factors that might affect the internet search queries of the Healthy Cities approach. Our results showed that the public awareness of the approach in Shenzhen was low. There was a high intercity heterogeneity in terms of interest in the various components of the Healthy Cities approach. However, we did not find a significant effect of the selected demographic, environmental, and health factors on the search queries. Based on our findings, we recommend that the city raise public awareness of healthy cities and take actions tailored to health concerns in different city zones. Our study showed that internet search queries can be a valuable data source for assessing the public awareness of the Healthy Cities approach.

Comparing the Use of Spatially Explicit Indicators and Conventional Indicators in the Evaluation of Healthy Cities: A Case Study in Shenzhen, China.

Various indicator systems have been developed to monitor and assess healthy cities. However, few of them contain spatially explicit indicators. In this study, we assessed four health determinants in Shenzhen, China, using both indicators commonly included in healthy city indicator systems and spatially explicit indicators. The spatially explicit indicators were developed using detailed building information or social media data. Our results showed that the evaluation results of districts and sub-districts in Shenzhen based on spatially explicit indicators could be positively, negatively, or not associated with the evaluation results based on conventional indicators. The discrepancy may be caused by the different information contained in the two types of indicators. The spatially explicit indicators measure the quantity of the determinants and the spatial accessibility of these determinants, while the conventional indicators only measure the quantity. Our results also showed that social media data have great potential to represent the high-resolution population distribution required to estimate spatially explicit indicators. Based on our findings, we recommend that spatially explicit indicators should be included in healthy city indicator systems to allow for a more comprehensive assessment of healthy cities.

Mitochondrial A3243G mutation causes mitochondrial encephalomyopathy in a Chinese patient: Case report.

RATIONALE: Mitochondrial mutations are associated with a wide spectrum of clinical abnormalities. More than half of these mutations are distributed in the 22 mitochondrial tRNA genes, including tRNA. In particular, the A3243G mutation in the tRNA gene causes mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 12-year-old boy was admitted to Shaoxing People's Hospital because there is a reduction in the volume of speech, dysphonia, unable to write, recognize words, and unable to wear clothes, accompanied by unstable walking after treatment of unexplained fever and somnolence. DIAGNOSES: The proband underwent a thorough examination in our hospital and was diagnosed as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. The proband carried the pathogenic heteroplasmic mutation A3243G mutation in mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Although his parents did not carry the mutation. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous acyclovir, ceftriaxone, and dexamethasone were used for the patient's antiviral, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory therapy, respectively. Intravenous mannitol was gradually tapered for reducing intracranial pressure with furosemide for inducing diuresis. Intravenous arginine could help to treat alkalosis and supple some essential amino acids. Oral oxiracetam capsules, vitamin B1, and coenzyme Q10 were used for providing nutrition and improving energy. His medications were 30 mg vitamin B1, 0.1 g vitamin C, and mecobalamin 750 µg daily after discharge from our hospital. OUTCOMES: The patient was able to walk and talk slowly with improved writing skills and no stroke-like episodes. The neurological examination was negative and muscle tension was identified as grade V. LESSONS: Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy has different phenotypes, in addition to traditional examinations, it is important for clinicians to be familiar with genetic testing methodology as well as applications of these tests in clinic to get an accurate diagnosis.

Ecological control line: A decade of exploration and an innovative path of ecological land management for megacities in China.

Ecological control line is a system innovation in the field of ecological environment protection in China and it has become as an important strategy of national ecological protection. Ten years have passed since the first ecological control line in Shenzhen was delimited in 2005. This study examines the connotations of ecological control line and the current study status in China and abroad, and then takes a brief description about the delimitation background and existing problems of the ecological control line in Shenzhen. The problem-solving strategy is gradually transforming from extensive management to refined management. This study proposes a differential ecological space management model that merges the space system, management system, and support system. The implementation paths include the following five aspects: delimiting ecological bottom lines to protect core ecological resources; formulating access systems for new construction projects to strictly control new construction; implementing construction land inventory reclamation assisted by market means; regulating boundary adjusting procedures and processes; and constructing ecological equity products by using multiple means to implement rights relief. Finally, this study illustrates the progress of the implementation and discusses the rigorousness and flexibility problems of ecological control line and calls for the promotion of the legislation. The management model and implementation paths proposed in this study have referential significance for developing countries and megacities to achieve ecological protection and sustainable development.

Polymorphisms of androgen receptor gene in childhood and adolescent males with first-onset major depressive disorder and association with related symptomatology.

This study was designed to explore the association between CAG repeats in AR gene and major depressive disorder (MDD) in male children and adolescents. The results showed that there were differences between adolescent depressive patients and adolescent controls in CAG repeats' length and alleles' distributions, and the severity of depression and anxiety was negatively correlated with the length of CAG repeats in adolescent patients. This suggested that AR gene might be involved in the depressive upset in adolescents, and the age- and sex-related prevalent differences might also be associated to CAG repeats.

Comparison of the polymorphisms of androgen receptor gene and estrogen alpha and beta gene between adolescent females with first-onset major depressive disorder and controls.

This study was to elucidate the role of genetic variation in androgen receptor (AR) gene, estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) and ER beta gene on first-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) in female adolescents. Results showed that AR gene in MDD group have shorter microsatellites' length, and ER beta gene have shorter microsatellites' length and higher rates of S alleles, SS, genotype, and lower rate of LL genotype than control group. The results suggest that shorter length of AR and ER beta gene microsatellites might influence the onset of MDD in female adolescents, a further elucidation of the mechanisms is warranted.