Characterization of atmospheric nitroaromatic compounds in Southwest China by direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of aerosol extracts.

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) in ambient particles are of great concern due to their adverse effects on human health and climate. However, investigations on the characteristics and potential sources of NACs in Southwest China are still scarce. In this study, a field sampling campaign was carried out in the winter of 2022 at a suburban site in Mianyang, Southwest China. A direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to rapidly determine 10 NACs in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) extracts. The method was sensitive for the quantification of the NACs, with a limit of quantification (LOQ) in the range of 0.092-0.52 ng mL-1. Then, the developed method was applied to determine the concentrations of nitrophenols (NPs), nitrocatechols (NCs), nitrosalicylic acids (NSAs), and nitronaphthol in PM2.5 in Mianyang. The average concentration of total NACs was 78.2 ± 31.2 ng m-3, with daily concentrations ranging from 20.7 to 127.9 ng m-3. Among the measured NACs, 4-nitrocatechol was the most abundant, accounting for 57.8% of the NACs in winter. The five NPs compounds together contributed to 14% of the NACs, which was lower than in other Chinese cities due to the warm climate in winter in Southwest China. NSAs and nitronaphthol each accounted for less than 5% of the NACs. Three major sources of NACs were identified based on the principal component analysis, including vehicle emissions, biomass burning, and secondary formation. The significant correlation between individual NACs and NO2 supported their secondary formation sources. The good correlation between NPs and cloud amount further suggested that gas-phase oxidation was the possible NPs formation mechanism. Our findings revealed the important role of nitrocatechols in NACs in Southwest China, implying that more measures should be taken to control biomass burning and aromatic volatile organic compounds emissions to reduce the level of NACs.

Prospective evaluation of the relevance of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies for early detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese adults.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a major cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and measurement of different EBV antibodies in blood may improve early detection of NPC. Prospective studies can help assess the roles of different EBV antibodies in predicting NPC risk over time. METHODS: A case-cohort study within the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank of 512 715 adults from 10 (including two NPC endemic) areas included 295 incident NPC cases and 745 subcohort participants. A multiplex serology assay was used to quantify IgA and IgG antibodies against 16 EBV antigens in stored baseline plasma samples. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for NPC and C-statistics to assess the discriminatory ability of EBV-markers, including two previously identified EBV-marker combinations, for predicting NPC. RESULTS: Sero-positivity for 15 out of 16 EBV-markers was significantly associated with higher NPC risk. Both IgA and IgG antibodies against the same three EBV-markers showed the most extreme HRs, i.e. BGLF2 (IgA: 124.2 (95% CI: 63.3-243.9); IgG: 8.6 (5.5-13.5); LF2: [67.8 (30.0-153.1), 10.9 (7.2-16.4)]); and BFRF1: 26.1 (10.1-67.5), 6.1 (2.7-13.6). Use of a two-marker (i.e. LF2/BGLF2 IgG) and a four-marker (i.e. LF2/BGLF2 IgG and LF2/EA-D IgA) combinations yielded C-statistics of 0.85 and 0.84, respectively, which persisted for at least 5 years after sample collection in both endemic and non-endemic areas. CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese adults, plasma EBV markers strongly predict NPC occurrence many years before clinical diagnosis. LF2 and BGLF2 IgG could identify NPC high-risk individuals to improve NPC early detection in community and clinical settings.

Seafood intake in childhood/adolescence and the risk of obesity: results from a Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Obesity has been linked to various detrimental health consequences. While there is established evidence of a negative correlation between seafood consumption and obesity in adults, the current research on the association between seafood intake in childhood/adolescence and the risk of obesity is lacking. Our aim was to evaluate the association between seafood intake in childhood/adolescence and the risk of obesity in a Chinese nationwide cohort. METHODS: We utilized data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from the year of 1997 to 2015. Seafood consumption was evaluated through 3-day 24-hour recalls. In our study, overweight/obesity status was determined based on the Chinese Criteria of Overweight and Obesity in School-age Children and Adolescents (WS/T 586-2018), while abdominal obesity status was determined according to the Chinese Criteria of Waist Circumference Screening Threshold among Children and Adolescents (WS/T 611-2018). RESULTS: During an average follow-up of 7.9 years, 404 cases developed overweight/obesity among 2206 participants in the seafood-overweight/obesity analysis, while 381 cases developed abdominal obesity among 2256 participants in the seafood-abdominal-obesity analysis. The high-consumer group was associated with 35% lower risk of overweight/obesity risk and 26% lower risk of abdominal obesity after fully adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, compared with the non-consumer group. Considering different cooking methods, boiled seafood consumption was associated with 43% lower risk of overweight/obesity and 23% lower risk of abdominal obesity in the fully adjusted model, while stir-fried seafood did not demonstrate a statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Higher intake of seafood in childhood/adolescents, particularly in a boiled way, was associated with lower obesity risk.

What are they considering when they face a fetus with birth defects? A qualitative study on ethical attitudes of health professionals in China.

BACKGROUND: Birth defects are the leading cause of mortality in newborn babies and children under five years old. In response, the Chinese government has implemented a three-tiered prevention strategy, which has brought ethical concerns about fetuses with birth defects. This study aims to explore the attitudes toward fetuses with birth defects among health professionals engaged in maternal and child health services. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted among 13 health professionals engaged in maternal and child health services in Hunan Province, China. The questions were designed to elicit the participants' work experience and attitudes toward fetuses with birth defects. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews, and NVivo 12 was used for data coding and analysis. A thematic analysis approach was employed following the SRQR checklist. RESULTS: Five themes and 13 attributes were generated regarding health professionals' perspectives on fetuses with birth defects. The five themes included: (1) severity and curability of diseases (two attributes), (2) family relations (four attributes), (3) medical assessments (two attributes), (4) social situations (three attributes), (5) self-value orientations (three attributes). The findings showed that the majority of health professionals held the view that a fetus with a curable disease could be born, whereas a fetus with severe disability and teratogenesis should be terminated. Twelve out of the 13 health professionals believed that parents should be the decision-makers, while only one thought that the family should make a decision together. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward birth defects were influenced by various factors, indicating the complexity of real-world cases identified in this study. The findings highlight the dilemmas faced by both families and health professionals regarding birth defects. Adequate medical knowledge and support from society are crucial to inform decision-making among family members. Additionally, standardized norms and policies for birth defects are needed. Establishing an ethics committee for prenatal diagnosis is necessary to address current ethical issues in this field.

Human fascioliasis emergence in southern Asia: Complete nuclear rDNA spacer and mtDNA gene sequences prove Indian patient infection related to fluke hybridization in northeastern India and Bangladesh.

Fascioliasis is a snail-borne zoonotic disease with impact on the development of human subjects and communities. It is caused by two liver-infecting fasciolid trematode species, the globally-distributed Fasciola hepatica and the Africa/Asia-restricted but more pathogenic, larger F. gigantica. Fasciola gigantica is the cause of endemicity in livestock throughout the warm lowlands from Pakistan to southeastern Asia since old times. Human fascioliasis is emerging in this region at present, with an increase of patient reports. Complete sequences of rDNA ITS-1 and ITS-2 spacers and mtDNA nad1 and cox1 genes were obtained from fasciolid eggs found in the endoscopic bile aspirate from a patient of Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India. Egg measurements, pronounced ITS heterozygosity, and pure F. gigantica mtDNA haplotypes demonstrate an infection by a recent F. gigantica-like hybrid. Sequence identities and similarities with the same DNA markers found in livestock from Bangladesh prove the human-infecting fasciolid to present identical ITSs and nad1 haplotypes and only one silent transversion in cox1 when compared to a widely-spread combined haplotype in animals. In northeastern India and Bangladesh, human fascioliasis emergence appears linked to increasing livestock prevalences due to: ruminant importation from other countries because of the increasing demand of rapidly growing human populations; numerous livestock movements, including transborder corridors, due to the uncontrolled small-scale household farming practices; and man-made introduction of F. hepatica with imported livestock into an area originally endemic for F. gigantica leading to frequent hybridization. Sequences, phylogenetic trees, and networks indicate that the origins of intermediate/hybrid fasciolids and factors underlying human infection risk differ in eastern and western South Asia. The emergence scenario in southern China and Vietnam resembles the aforementioned of northeastern India and Bangladesh, whereas in Pakistan it is linked to increasing monsoon rainfall within climate change combined with an impact of an extensive irrigation system. Past human-guided movements of pack animals along the western Grand Trunk Road and the eastern Tea-Horse Road explain the F. gigantica mtDNA results obtained. Physicians should be aware about these emerging scenarios, clinical pictures, diagnostic techniques and treatment. Government authorities must appropriately warn health professionals, ensure drug availability and improve livestock control.

Two new Cortinarius species in subgenus Leprocybe from Southwest China.

Two new Cortinarius species in subgenus Leprocybe, Cortinarius hengduanensis and C. yadingensis, are proposed based on a combination of morphological and molecular evidence. Cortinarius hengduanensis has distinct olive tinged basidiomata, a squamulose pileus, and small, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores, the ITS sequence differs from that of C. flavifolium by at least 28 substitutions and independent positions. Cortinarius yadingensis has a squamulose pileus and subglobose to broadly ellipsoid coarsely verrucose basidiospores, the ITS sequence has at least 11 substitutions and index position deviations from the other members of the Leprocybe section. Both new species were found in mixed forests of southwest China.

The Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in Marmota himalayana (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau area, China.

Background: Cryptosporidium and Giardia are well-known important intestinal zoonotic pathogens that can infect various hosts and cause diarrhoeal diseases. We aimed to determine the epidemiological prevalence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia species in Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana, class Marmota) in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area of Qinghai Province, Northwest China. Methods: Overall, 243 Himalayan marmot fecal samples were collected in 2017 and in 2019 and a two-step nested PCR technique was performed to amplify the fragments of the SSU rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium and 18S ribosomal RNA gene of Giardia. Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium was performed with the primary primers NDIAGF2 and N-DIAGR2, the secondary primers CPB-DIAGF and CPB-DIAGR. Similarly, molecular characterization of Giardia was used the first primers Gia2029 and Gia2150c, the secondary primers RH11 and RH4. The positive PCR products were sequenced and the sequences were processed by Clustal Omega and BLAST. Phylogenetic analysis was achieved by NJ method in MEGA. Results: The infection rate of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis was 4.9% (12/243) and 0.8% (2/243) in M. himalayana, respectively. Cryptosporidium spp. are characterized as novel genotypes Cryptosporidium marmot genotype I (n=3) and Cryptosporidium marmot genotype II (n=9); G. duodenalis assemblage A (n=2) was found in M. himalayana. Conclusion: This is the first report of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis infections in M. himalayana in Qinghai of Northwest China. The results indicate the existence of Cryptosporidium species and G. duodenalis infections that may have a potential public health significance.

Perception and Acceptance of Telemedicine Use in Health Care Among the General Public in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about substantial changes in health care systems, leading to a significant shift toward telemedicine for the delivery of health care services. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness and ease of use of telemedicine services and their association with the behavioral intention to use telemedicine. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted in China. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to determine significant predictors of intention to use telemedicine consultation. Types of illnesses that favored seeking telemedicine consultation, as well as the most preferred platform for conducting telemedicine consultations, were also investigated. RESULTS: In total, 1006 participants completed the survey. A total of 44.3% (n=446) reported being very likely and 49.3% (n=496) reported being likely to seek telemedicine consultation. Overall, the majority of participants expressed strong agreement or agreement regarding the perceived usefulness of telemedicine. Likewise, the majority indicated strong agreement or agreement when it came to their perception of the ease of using telemedicine. In the partial least squares structural equation modeling, perceived usefulness (ß=0.322; P<.001) and perceived ease of use (ß=0.118; P=.01) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of seeking telemedicine consultation. A considerable number of participants expressed willingness to use telemedicine services for various medical conditions, particularly respiratory (n=340, 33.8%), skin (n=316, 31.4%), and musculoskeletal issues (n=316, 31.4%) while showing less interest in seeking telemedicine consultations for reproductive health (n=44, 4.4%) and cancer (n=64, 6.4%). The majority preferred video chat (n=443, 44%) and text chat (n=317, 31.5%) as their most preferred platforms for telemedicine consultation, while a smaller proportion preferred telephone (n=193, 19.2%) and email (n=53, 5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine has the potential to play a larger role in China's health care system. The preferences for certain platforms over others may influence service design and implementation.

First identified Toxoplasma gondii Type I in market-sold ducks in Fujian province, China: a significant for public health.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular protozoan that can cause toxoplasmosis in all warm-blooded hosts. This study focused on the prevalence and genetic characterize of T. gondii in ducks from Fujian province, China. Genomic DNA was extracted from duck tissue samples (heart, liver, lung, and muscle). To assess the genetic diversity of the T. gondii isolates, it was determined by using multilocus polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. A total of 586 ducks from 5 cities in Fujian province were tested, and 35 (6.0%) of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene. Further genotyping of these positive samples at 10 genetic markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico) using PCR-RFLP revealed that one tissue samples (heart samples from Fuzhou ducks) were identified as Type I (ToxoDB#10). This study is the first report on the prevalence and genetic characterization of T. gondii in ducks in Fujian province, and Type I (ToxoDB#10) is found in ducks in China for the first time. The findings document the genetic characterization of T. gondii in free-range ducks from Fujian Province, thereby enriching the understanding of T. gondii genetic diversity in China. Moreover, these results provide essential data support for further prospective studies and underscores the "One Health" concept, emphasizing the integral link among human, animal, and environmental health.

Dynamic evolution of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy over 2021-2023 among Chinese population: Repeated nationwide cross-sectional study.

Globally, the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine had been faced with a significant barrier in the form of vaccine hesitancy. This study adopts a multi-stage perspective to explore the prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, focusing on their dynamic evolutionary features. Guided by the integrated framework of the 3Cs model (complacency, confidence, and convenience) and the EAH model (environmental, agent, and host), this study conducted three repeated national cross-sectional surveys. These surveys carried out from July 2021 to February 2023 across mainland China, targeted individuals aged 18 and older. They were strategically timed to coincide with three critical vaccination phases: universal coverage (stage 1), partial coverage (stage 2), and key population coverage (stage 3). From 2021 to 2023, the surveys examined sample sizes of 29 925, 6659, and 5407, respectively. The COVID-19 vaccine hesitation rates increased from 8.39% in 2021 to 29.72% in 2023. Urban residency, chronic condition, and low trust in vaccine developer contributed to significant COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy across the pandemic. Negative correlations between the intensity of vaccination policies and vaccine hesitancy, and positive correlations between vaccine hesitancy and long COVID, were confirmed. This study provides insights for designing future effective vaccination programs for emerging vaccine-preventable infectious X diseases.

Attributable liver cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years in China and worldwide: profiles and changing trends.

OBJECTIVE: Liver cancer is a major health concern globally and in China. This analysis investigated deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) with respect to etiologies and risk factors for liver cancer in China and worldwide. METHODS: Global and China-specific data were collected on liver cancer deaths, DALYs, and age-standardized rates (ASRs) from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 database. Liver cancer etiologies were classified into five groups and risk factors were categorized into three levels. Each proportion of liver cancer burden was calculated in different geographic regions. The joinpoint regression model were used to assess the trends from 1990-2019. RESULTS: Liver cancer accounted for 484,577 deaths worldwide in 2019 with an ASR of 5.9 per 100,000 population. China had an elevated liver cancer death ASR in 2019 and males had an ASR 1.7 times the global rate. The global ASR for DALYs peaked at 75-79 years of age but peaked earlier in China. Hepatitis B virus was the prominent etiology globally (39.5%) and in China (62.5%), followed by hepatitis C virus and alcohol consumption. In high sociodemographic index countries, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has gained an increasing contribution as an etiologic factor. The liver cancer burden due to various etiologies has decreased globally in both genders. However, metabolic risk factors, particularly obesity, have had a growing contribution to the liver cancer burden, especially among males. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an overall decreasing trend in the liver cancer burden in China and worldwide, there has been a rising contribution from metabolic risk factors, highlighting the importance of implementing targeted prevention and control strategies that address regional and gender disparities.

First Report of Trichoderma hamatum Causing Postharvest Bulb Rot on Lilium davidii var. willmottiae in China.

Lilium davidii var. willmottiae, known as Lanzhou lily, is a famous edible crop that is mostly distributed in the middle area of Gansu Province in China. In the winter of 2019, symptoms of bulb rot were observed on Lanzhou lilies harvested from Lanzhou, Gansu Province, during storage at the Institute of Grassland, Flowers and Ecology (39°57'55.984" N, 116°20'8.124" E), Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, at an incidence of nearly 50%. The decayed bulb (Fig.1a)was washed under tap water and surface disinfested with 75% ethanol for 1 min, followed by 2.5% sodium hypochlorite for 5 min, and washed with sterile distilled water three times. The 5 mm×5 mm tissue pieces from the junction of the diseased part and the healthy part were clipped, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and subsequently incubated at 25 °C. Thirteen dominant pure fungal isolates with the same morphological characteristics were obtained by the hyphal-tip method. Three representative isolates LZ-8, LZ-9-2 and LZ-10 were chosen for phylogenetic analyses. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1a), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) sequences were PCR amplified using the primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), EF1-728F/EF1-986R (Carbone and Kohn 1999), and RPB2-5F2/RPB2-7cR (O'Donnell et al. 2022), respectively. BLAST analysis showed that the ITS,TEF-1a, and RPB2 sequences of the isolates LZ-8 (GenBank accession nos. PP422096, PP447248, and PP447251), LZ-9-2 (GenBank accession nos. PP422098, PP447249, and PP447252) and LZ-10 (GenBank accession nos. PP422099, PP447250, and PP447253) had 99.27 to 99.71% identity with multiple GenBank sequences of Trichoderma hamatum, and the three DNA fragments of the three isolates showed 100% sequence identity. A phylogenetic tree based on concatenated sequences of the three genes using maximum -likelihood analyses revealed that the three isolates LZ-8, LZ-9-2 and LZ-10 were in the same clade with T. hamatum strains (Fig.2). One representative isolate, LZ-10, was chosen for morphological studies and test of the pathogenicity. The colony of LZ-10 on PDA appeared white with cotton-shaped aerial hyphae early, which later turned light green to green and formed concentric rings (Fig.1d-1f). At the end of conidiophores, three to six pear-shaped branches were irregularly gathered(Fig.1h). Conidia were ellipsoid with the size of 3.1 to 4.4 × 2.2 to 3.1 µm (n =20) (Fig.1g). These morphological characteristics were consistent with the description of Trichoderma hamatum. (Kamala et al. 2015, Han et al. 2017).To test pathogenicity, healthy bulbs were punctured with disposable sterilized needles and soaked in equal amounts of sterile water and conidial suspension (1×107 conidia/mL) for 30 min respectively. The pathogenicity experiment was repeated three times. After 6 days of inoculation at 25 °C and 80% relative humidity, the surface of the inoculated bulbs produced water-stained spots and mycelium layers(Fig.1b-1c) consistent with the symptoms exhibited by Lilium davidii var. willmottiae bulbs during storage, meanwhile the uninoculated lily bulbs remained symptomless. Trichoderma hamatum was reisolated from the infected bulbs and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics, fulfilling Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bulb rot on Lilium davidii var. willmottiae caused by Trichoderma hamatum in China. This study will contribute to a better understanding and controlling of this postharvest disease in Lilium davidii var. willmottiae.

Depressive symptoms and its multifaceted associated factors among young men who have sex with men facing the dual threats of COVID-19 and mpox in China.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of human beings since 2020, especially the young people and the pre-existing marginalized groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the multi-country outbreak of mpox in 2022 additionally posed a significant stress on the most-affected communities (i.e., MSM). This study investigated the level of depressive symptoms and its multifaceted associated factors among Chinese young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in this unique period. METHODS: In September 2022, a large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted among YMSM aged 18-29 years across six representative provinces in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to test the various types of associated factors of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Among the 2493 participants, 65·6 % (n = 1638) reported mild to severe depressive symptoms. The hierarchical regression analysis identified that depressive symptoms was significantly positively associated with unemployment, having substance use in the past 6 months, a higher level of MSM self-stigma, incompletion of COVID-19 vaccination, greater mpox risk perception, and presence of mpox related-like symptoms. LIMITATIONS: This study used the facility-based sampling method to recruit the participants, which may lead to selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese YMSM faced significant mental health challenges during the concurrent epidemics of COVID-19 and mpox, which was associated with their socio-economic status, risk behaviors, stigma, and multiple diseases-related variables. Proactive measures may hold promise as effective strategies for mitigating mental distress among marginalized groups during public health crises.

Associations of parental divorce with student mental health and academic outcomes: A quantitative study in rural China.

BACKGROUND: This paper examines the prevalence, correlates, and developmental consequences of divorce among junior high school students in rural China. Specifically, we investigate the connections between parental divorce and student mental health and academic performance, while also examining whether a student's living arrangement after divorce influences these outcomes. METHODS: Data were collected from 17,955 students across 122 rural junior high schools in China on their mental health, characteristics, and academic performance. Mental health was measured using the self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. RESULTS: About 8.4 % of the students had divorced parents, with increased risk observed for students who were only children, had migrant mothers, or had higher educated mothers (ORs = 4.35, 3.20, and 1.78, respectively; Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.05). Students with divorced parents exhibited a higher likelihood of internalizing (0.031), externalizing (0.5) abnormality (Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.001) and scored 0.203 SD lower on the math test (Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.001). Living arrangements post-divorce, either with a mother or a father, equally negatively impacted student mental health and academic performance, with a mitigating effect observed when grandparental childcare was provided. LIMITATIONS: Our study faced limitations in assessing the influence of grandparental childcare on coping with parental divorce due to challenges in gauging the extent of such support for students residing with a parent after divorce. CONCLUSIONS: Parental divorce among young students in rural China is associated with adverse developmental outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted programs in rural China to mitigate these risks and provide support for young students with divorced parents.

Molecular prevalence, subtype distribution, and zoonotic potential of Blastocystis sp. in wild rodents and shrews inhabiting Zhejiang province of China.

Introduction: Globally, rodents and shrew populations constitute crucial elements of diverse environments and animal communities. It is imperative to study their population dynamics to mitigate any potential negative impact on humans, as they can be involved in the transmission of critical zoonotic agents, such as Blastocystis. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence and genetic composition of Blastocystis in wild rodents and shrews residing in the Zhejiang provinces of China. Methods: A total of 652 wild rodents and and shrews were captured from three different regions in Zhejiang Province from April 1st to October 31, 2023. The DNA was isolated by collecting fresh feces from the intestines of each rodent or and shrew. Rodent and shrew species were examined by vertebrate cytochrome b (cytb) analysis and PCR amplification. Blastocystis was also found in all fecal samples using PCR analysis and sequencing of the partial small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. Results: Among all the samples, 6.6% (43/652) showed a positive result for Blastocystis. In the results, 6 species of rodent and shrew were identified with Blastocystis, including Apodemus agrarius (n = 36) (2.8%), Niviventer confucianus (n = 75) (17.3%), Rattus losea (n = 18) (5.6%), R. norvegicus (n = 155) (2.6%), R. tanezumi (n = 86) (3.5%), and Suncus murinus (n = 282) (7.4%). The existence of 6 Blastocystis subtypes, ST4 (n = 33), ST1 (4), ST7 (n = 3), ST2 (n = 1), ST3 (n = 1), and ST5 (n = 1), were confirmed by sequence analysis. Discussion: Based on the molecular data obtained, the wild rodents and shrews under investigation were found to be concurrently infected with zoonotic subtypes of Blastocystis, including ST1 to ST5 and ST7. This suggests that these animals could potentially pose a zoonotic threat to humans and other animals susceptible to Blastocystis infection.

Current status and needs of in-service training for psychiatric nurses in 24 provinces of China: a cross-sectional survey.

Aim: To investigate the current situation and need for post-competence training for psychiatric nurses in China and provide a reference for the development of training programs for psychiatric nurses. Design: A cross-sectional design. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2023 with 435 psychiatric nurses from 34 hospitals in 24 provinces of mainland China. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and chi-square tests were used for data analysis. Results: The training content for psychiatric nurses is extensive, and the training load is large. Psychiatric nurses have high training demands for first aid knowledge, emergency handling ability, and anti-riot skills. Nurses with different years of experience have different training needs. The training needs of psychiatric nurses in specialized and general hospitals also different. Conclusion: The training status of psychiatric nurses is not consistent with the demand. Managers should combine this with psychiatric nurses' own work needs to develop practical and effective training programs.

Patient preferences for generic substitution policies: a discrete choice experiment in China.

Background: Generic substitution policies have been widely implemented worldwide to enhance the accessibility of medications. Nevertheless, certain patients have voiced discontent with these policies. This study aimed to evaluate the patient preferences for generic substitution policies and explore the potential for optimization to enhance patient acceptance. Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to estimate the relative importance (RI) of five attributes, including generic consistency evaluation (GCE), reimbursement rate, medication use control, information disclosure, and post-marketing surveillance. Respondents were recruited among inpatients and outpatients in three cities and surveys were conducted face-to-face. Preference coefficients, RI of attributes, and the uptake rate of various policies were computed using a mixed logit model. The interaction effects were also included to examine preference heterogeneity. Results: A total of 302 patients completed the survey. All five attributes significantly impacted policy acceptance. GCE held the highest RI value at 56.64%, followed by reimbursement rate (RI = 12.62%), information disclosure (RI = 12.41%), post-marketing surveillance (RI = 9.54%), and medication use control (RI = 8.80%). Patient preferences varied depending on their gender and income. The patient uptake rate of China's current policy was only 68.56%. If all generics were to pass GCE without altering the other attributes, the uptake rate of policies would rise to 82.63%. Similarly, implementing information disclosure without changing other attributes would result in a 78.67% uptake rate, which is comparable to the effect of a 10% increase in reimbursement rate for generics (78.81%). Combining these policies could mitigate the adverse effects of mandatory substitution on patient. Conclusion: Chinese patient preferences for generic substitution policies were mainly influenced by GCE. China's current generic substitution policy has room for further optimization to enhance patient acceptance.

Chloroplast genome of plantago major, a medicinal plant in China.

Plantago major (Plantaginaceae) is a medicinal plant in Chinese folk culture, known for its famous medicinal components such as plantagomain. In this study, we conducted genome sequencing of P. major using Illumina sequencing technology. The assembled complete chloroplast genome had a length of 165,044 bp, comprising a large single-copy regions (82,963 bp), a small single-copy regions (4,633 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (38,724 bp). A total of 140 genes were detected, including 94 CDS, 38 tRNA, and 8 rRNA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close genetic relationship between P. major and P. rigida. These findings provide valuable data for a comprehensive understanding of the biological characteristics of P. major.

Notes on the Pselaphodes Westwood complex (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae) of Hubei, China, with description of a new species and additional faunistic data.

The Pselaphodes Westwood complex of genera is represented in Hubei Province by four genera and eight species. Recent field work at Wanchaoshan Nature Reserve, Xingshan County revealed a small series of material belonging to this complex. In this paper, we describe Pselaphodeswanchaoshanus sp. nov. and provide new faunistic data for P.nomurai Yin, Li & Zhao. A key to the hitherto known members of Pselaphodes complex that occur in Hubei is provided to facilitate ready species identification.

The first discovery of Polypedatesteraiensis (Dubois, 1987) (Rhacophoridae, Anura) in China.

Background: The genus of Polypedates Tschudi, 1838 currently comprises 25 recognised species with four of these species reported in Yunnan, China. Dubois (1987) speculated the distribution of P.teraiensis in China; however, there was no study carried out to confirm its distribution in the region. New information: We herein describe P.teraiensis as a new national record, based on a specimen collected from Yunnan border region. Phylogenetically, our sequence clustered with the sequences of recognised P.teraiensis specimens from Bangladesh, Myanmar and India. The uncorrected pairwise distances between the specimens from China and other P.teraiensis localities was small, ranging from 0.0-0.7%, based on 16S rRNA gene. Therefore, we report P.teraiensis as a new species record for China.