High-Q two-dimensional perovskite topological laser.

Quasi-two-dimensional perovskites have attracted widespread interest in developing low-cost high-quality small lasers. The nano cavity based on topologically protected valley edge states can be robust against special defects. Here, we report a high-quality two-dimensional perovskite topological photonic crystal laser based on the quantum valley Hall effect. By adjusting the position of the air holes relative to the pillar, radiation leakage in topological edge states is reduced to a large extent, electric field distribution becomes more uniform and the quality factor can be as high as 3.6 × 104. Our findings could provide opportunities for the development of high-power, stable perovskite lasers with topological protection.

Human Leukocyte Antigen Polymorphism HLA-A*24:02 is Associated with Acute Liver Disease in HBV-Infected Han Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Whether polymorphic Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 alleles were associated with acute liver disease after hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections was investigated. METHODS: In this study, from initially 100 participants in each group, HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 sequences were available from 86 acute hepatitis B (AHB) patients and from 84 HBV-resistant individuals (controls), using sequencing-based typing allele groups and alleles that exhibited differences in distribution between the case and control groups were subjected to chi-squared and logistic regression analyses to identify those associated with AHB. A dose response analysis was also performed on the effect of HLA-A*24:02 allele number on acute liver disease following HBV infection. RESULTS: The frequency distribution of HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 alleles in the control group were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (P > .05). HLA-A*24:02 (χ2 = 6.949, P = .008) occurred most frequently in the AHB and HLA-DRB1*12:02 (χ2 = 7.768, P = .005) in the control group. With adjustment for sex, the logistic regression model showed that the HLA-A*24:02 allele was significantly associated with AHB liver injury (P = .0326, OR = 2.270, 95% CI: 1.070-4.816), whereas the other HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 alleles were not (P > .05). A linear response was observed for the association between HLA-A*24:02 allele number and acute liver disease after HBV infections (χ2 = 4.428, P = .025). CONCLUSION: The HLA-A*24:02 allele may influence the severity of the cellular response to HBV infection, increasing the elimination of HBV-infected hepatocytes. The HLA-A*24:02 allele may be a potential screening marker for identifying people or regional populations in China at higher risk of acute liver disease following HBV infection.

Electrochemical sensors based on platinum-coated MOF-derived nickel-/N-doped carbon nanotubes (Pt/Ni/NCNTs) for sensitive nitrite detection.

As excess nitrite has a serious threat to the human health and environment, constructing novel electrochemical sensors for sensitive nitrite detection is of great importance. In this report, platinum nanoparticles were deposited on nickel-/N-doped carbon nanotubes, which were obtained through a self-catalytically grown process with Ni-MOF as precursors. The as-prepared Pt/Ni/NCNTs were applied as amperometric sensors and presented superior sensing properties for nitrite detection. Benefiting from the synergy of Pt and Ni/NCNTs, Pt/Ni/NCNTs displayed much wider detection ranges (0.5-40 mM and 40-110 mM) for nitrite sensing. The sensitivity is 276.92 µA mM-1 cm-2 and 224.39 µA mM-1 cm-2, respectively. The detection limit is 0.17 µM. The Pt/Ni/NCNTs sensors also showed good feasibility for nitrite sensing in real samples (milk and peach juice) analysis. The active Pt/Ni/NCNTs composites and facile fabrication technique may provide useful strategies to develop other sensitive nitrite sensors.

Trending prevalence of healthcare-associated infections in a tertiary hospital in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate both the four-year prevalence trend of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in a large tertiary hospital and the trend regarding the prevalence of HAIs following the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in order to provide evidence of hospital infection management during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Based on the hospital's electronic nosocomial infection databases related to HAIs, we retrospectively identified the HAI cases to assess the epidemiological characteristics of HAIs from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, in a large tertiary hospital in China. Similarly, the trends of HAIs after the COVID-19 outbreak and the seasonal variation of HAIs were further analyzed. RESULTS: The HAI cases (n = 7833) were identified from the inpatients (n = 483,258) during the 4 years. The most frequently occurring underlying cause of HAIs was respiratory tract infections (44.47%), followed by bloodstream infections (11.59%), and urinary tract infections (8.69%). The annual prevalence of HAIs decreased from 2.39% in 2018 to 1.41% in 2021 (P = 0.032), with the overall prevalence of HAIs significantly decreasing since the outbreak of COVID-19 (2.20% in 2018-2019 vs. 1.44% in 2020-2021, P < 0.001). The prevalence of respiratory tract infections decreased most significantly; whereas, overall, the prevalence of HAIs was significantly greater during the winter compared with the rest of the year. CONCLUSIONS: Not only did the annual prevalence of HAIs decrease from 2018 to 2021, but it also significantly decreased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly respiratory tract infections. These results provide evidence for the need to prevent HAIs, especially during the winter season.

Fundamental roles of the Optineurin gene in the molecular pathology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord. It is caused by multiple factors, including mutations in any one of several specific genes. Optineurin (OPTN) mutation is an essential cause of some familial and sporadic ALS. Besides, as a multifunctional protein, OPTN is highly expressed and conserved in the central nervous system. OPTN exerts its functions by interacting with various proteins, often acting as an adaptor to provide a link between two or more core proteins related to autophagy and inflammation, etc. OPTN mutation mainly results in its function deficiency, which alters these interactions, leading to functional impairment in many processes. Meanwhile, OPTN immunopositive inclusions are also confirmed in the cases of ALS due to C9ORF72, FUS, TARDBP, and SOD1 mutations. Therefore, OPTN gene may play fundamental roles in the molecular pathology of ALS in addition to OPTN mutation. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the ALS pathology of OPTN defect, such as mitophagy disorder, neuroinflammation, neuronal axonal degeneration, vesicular transport dysfunction, etc., which will provide a reference for research on the pathogenesis and treatment of ALS.

Dietary alfalfa powder supplementation improves growth and development, body health, and meat quality of Tibetan sheep.

The application of alfalfa powder (AP) in Tibetan sheep to explore its healthy effects and meat quality improvement potential has not been reported. Our study found that AP improved the growth performance, serum metabolism, and antioxidation of Tibetan sheep. The edible quality, sensory quality, and nutritional quality of longissimus dorsi (LD) were analyzed. We observed lower drip loss and hue angle of meat after AP supplementation. AP also increased the cooked meat percentage, pH24h, a*24h, chroma24h, and the contents of protein and fat. The targeted metabolomics profiling revealed that the contents of essential amino acids and flavor amino acids in mutton increased by AP treatments. AP also promoted the deposition of MUFA and PUFA. Therefore, as a promising botanical supplement, AP has a positive effect on the growth, development, and body health of Tibetan sheep, and is also conductive to providing healthy and nutritious high-quality livestock products.

Effects of Different Roughage Diets on Fattening Performance, Meat Quality, Fatty Acid Composition, and Rumen Microbe in Steers.

This study aimed to evaluate different roughages on fatting performance, muscle fatty acids, rumen fermentation and rumen microbes of steers. Seventy-five Simmental crossbred steers were randomly divided into wheat straw group (WG), peanut vine group (PG) and alfalfa hay group (AG), with 5 replicates of 5 steers each. The results showed a highest average daily gain and lowest feed/gain ratio in AG group (P = 0.001). Steers fed alfalfa hay had the highest muscle marbling score and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and also the rumen NH3-N and microbial protein (MCP) concentration among the three groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that ruminal NH3-N and MCP were negatively correlated with muscle saturated fatty acid (SFA), while ruminal MCP was positively correlated with muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis indicated that fed alfalfa hay decreased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001(P = 0.005). More importantly, muscle SFA deposition were positively correlated to the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 (P < 0.05), while the muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA deposition were negatively correlated to it (P < 0.01). Therefore, alfalfa hay provides a better fattening effect on steers. Alfalfa rich in n-3 PUFA would reduce the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 involved in hydrogenation, increase the rumen protective effect of C18:3 n-3, which is beneficial to the deposition of muscle n-3 PUFA and PUFA.

The Effect of Multidimensional Nursing Intervention for Pain on Pain Levels in Patients with Lower Extremity Arteriosclerosis Obliterans.

Objective: This study aims to explore the effect of the multidimensional nursing intervention for pain on the pain level in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans. Methods: From January 2020 to April 2021, 132 patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University in China were enrolled in this prospective study. According to the random number table method, the patients were divided into the study group (n = 66; receiving multidimensional nursing intervention for pain) and the control group (n = 66; receiving routine nursing intervention). The pain level, sleep quality, and claudication distance were recorded before and after the intervention. The ankle brachial index before discharge and 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge was recorded. The getting out of bed time, length of hospital stay, satisfaction with pain control, and postoperative complications were also recorded. Results: The postoperative get out of bed time and hospital stay in patients in the study group were shorter than patients in the control group (P < .05). After the intervention, the pain level was lower and sleep quality higher in the study group than in the control group (P < .05), and the limp distance in the study group was longer (P < .05). Before discharge and at 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge, the ankle brachial index in the study group was higher than in the control group (P < .05). In addition, there were significant differences between the 2 groups (P < .05). Compared with the control group (10.606%), the incidence of postoperative complications in the study group (1.515%) was lower (P < .05). Conclusions: The multidimensional nursing intervention for pain may effectively reduce pain levels, improve sleep quality, increase claudication distance and improve satisfaction with pain control, thus improving patient prognosis.

Correction: A New Multiplex Assay of 17 Autosomal STRs and Amelogenin for Forensic Application.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057471.].

Optimizing pH-sensitive and time-dependent polymer formula of colonic pH-responsive pellets to achieve precise drug release.

Time-sensitive and pH-dependent polymers are generally employed to prepare colon-site delivery system, and their coating thickness and order are very important in controlling the drug release. The traditional colon-site delivery systems consist of time-dependent polymers as inner layer and pH-sensitive polymers as outer layer. However, they suffer from low drug-loading rate and immature drug release. In this study, total alkaloids of sophora alopecuroides(TASA)-loaded pellets were prepared by extrusion-spheronization method and coated with Eudragit RS30D and Eudragit S100. Pellets using Eudragit RS30D as inner layer and Eudragit S100 as outer layer were named as ERS-ES100 TCO, while pellets with Eudragit S100 as inner layer and Eudragit RS30D as outer layer were ES100-ERS NCO. Both types of formulations with varying coating ratios and orders of Eudragit S100 and Eudragit RS30D were designed and prepared. The following in vitro drug release and SEM studies indicated that ERS-ES100 TCO(F2) with 12.8% Eudragit RS30D as inner layer and 21% Eudragit S100 as outer layer released up to 42% drug in 5 h. Interestingly, ES100-ERS NCO (F4) coated with 12.8% Eudragit S100 and 14.8% Eudragit RS30D showed optimal drug release in colon. In conclusion, ES100-ERS NCO colonic delivery system achieved reduced coating thickness and improved colonic targeting compared with traditional delivery system (ERS-ES100 TCO). In addition, the similarity factors (f2 ) value of sophoridine and matrine for investigated formulation were within 50-100 and > 80, demonstrating that sophoridine and matrine in all formulations achieved a synchronous release.

Atropisomeric meroterpenoids with rare triketone-phloroglucinol-terpene hybrids from Baeckea frutescens.

Baefrutones A-F (1-6), six new meroterpenoids with rare triketone-phloroglucinol-monoterpene/sesquiterpene frameworks, together with their biosynthetically related intermediate (±)-baeckenon B (7), were isolated from the aerial part of Baeckea frutescens under the guidance of HPLC-Q/TOF-MS2 investigation. Compounds 1-4 represent the first examples of natural meroterpenoids existing as four pairs of inseparable diastereomeric atropisomers (2 : 1, 1H NMR integration) caused by the restricted rotation around the C-6-C-7-C-1' bonds arising from the intramolecular hydrogen bond between C-1 carbonyl and 2'-OH. The discovery of these architectures not only largely enriched the chemodiversity of the meroterpenoid and atropisomer library, but also might be exciting and challenging for asymmetric organic synthesis. Their structures and absolute configurations were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction, and ECD calculations. Compounds 5 and 6 were biomimetically synthesized from 7 and ß-caryophyllene via a regioselective oxidative hetero-Diels-Alder reaction, thus providing access to the construction of the 6/6/9/4 tetracyclic ring system. The anti-inflammatory activities of these meroterpenoids were also discussed.

Patients with mild paraquat poisoning treated with prolonged low-dose methylprednisolone have better lung function: A retrospective analysis.

Lung dysfunction is an important characteristic of injury induced by paraquat (PQ). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of prolonged low-dose methylprednisolone (MP) treatment on lung function in patients with mild PQ poisoning. We analyzed the results of lung function testing in all patients with mild PQ poisoning admitted to Cangzhou Central Hospital between January 2012 and August 2017. Patients were grouped according to short-term treatment (3 mg/kg/day MP for 3 days) or prolonged treatment (3 mg/kg/day MP for 3 days, followed by dosage reduction by half every 3 days, with treatment terminated when a dosage of 0.375 mg/kg/day was reached). Lung function was evaluated at 2 to 3 months after PQ exposure. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (85.72 ±â€Š4.93% vs 78.41 ±â€Š4.58%; P < .001), forced vital capacity (81.98 ±â€Š4.93% vs 77.85 ±â€Š4.37%; P < .001), and diffusing capacity (84.27 ±â€Š5.16% vs 76.21 ±â€Š3.71%; P < .001) in the prolonged low-dose MP group were improved compared with those in the short-term MP group. Patients with mild PQ poisoning treated with prolonged low-dose MP had better lung function 2 to 3 months after PQ poisoning.

An ultra-compact rejection filter based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons.

In this paper, we propose a scheme to construct a new type of ultra-compact rejection filter by loading split-ring resonators (SRRs) on the transmission line of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). From the dispersion analysis of the spoof SPP transmission line with and without the SRR loading, we clearly reveal the mechanism of the rejection characteristic for this compact filter. Meanwhile, we fabricate two spoof SPPs waveguides loaded with different amounts of metamaterials particles, and experimentally test them using an Agilent Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and a homemade near-field scanning system. Both the simulated and measured results agree well with our theoretical analysis and demonstrate the excellent filtering characteristics of our design. The isolation of both filters can be less than -20 dB, and even reach -40 dB at rejection frequencies. The proposed rejection and stop-band filters show important potentials to develop integrated plasmonic functional devices and circuits at microwave and terahertz frequencies.

Human rotavirus strain Wa downregulates NHE1 and NHE6 expressions in rotavirus-infected Caco-2 cells.

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common cause of severe gastroenteritis and fatal dehydration in human infants and neonates of different species. However, the pathogenesis of rotavirus-induced diarrhea is poorly understood. Secretory diarrhea caused by rotavirus may lead to a combination of excessive secretion of fluid and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen. Fluid absorption in the small intestine is driven by Na+-coupled transport mechanisms at the luminal membrane, including Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE). Here, we performed qRT-PCR to detect the transcription of NHEs. Western blotting was employed for protein detection. Furthermore, immunocytochemistry was used to validate the NHE's protein expression. Finally, intracellular Ca2+ concentration was detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results demonstrated that the NHE6 mRNA and protein expressed in the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2). Furthermore, RV-Wa induced decreased expression of the NHE1 and NHE6 in Caco-2 cell in a time-dependent manner. In addition, intracellular Ca2+ concentration in RV-Wa-infected Caco-2 cells was higher than that in the mock-infected cells. Furthermore, RV-Wa also can downregulate the expression of calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) in Caco-2 cells. These findings provides important insights into the mechanisms of rotavirus-induced diarrhea. Further studies on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that downregulate NHEs in RV-induced diarrhea are required.

Phase diagram of a tubular vesicle adhering between two parallel rigid planes.

In this study, we propose a two-dimensional (2D) theoretical model to explore the adhesion behavior of a tubular vesicle adhering between two rigid planes, which are constrained by a couple of forces. Based upon the free-energy functional of the system, the equations for the equilibrium shape are derived. The general solution for the system with zero pressure is obtained analytically and the stability of the corresponding equilibrium shapes is tested by numerical simulation. With the volume constraint, three kinds of typical stable shapes are obtained through scanning the parameter space numerically. The phase diagram is obtained and it is occupied mostly by nonsymmetrical shapes. The force-displacement curves obtained for our model are in agreement with experimental results. The catastrophe of force is found at a critical state, which reveals a huge expanding force will act on the two planes by the vesicle. It also implies that vesicles can spontaneously squeeze into a slit only due to adhesion.

Effect of Qiguiyin Decoction on multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Qiguiyin Decoction, QGYD) on multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: A pseudomonal infection model in SD rats was established by injecting multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa intraperitoneally. Infected rats were randomized into four groups treated with Pure water, QGYD, ceftazidime, or combined QGYD and ceftazidime. Blood samples were obtained from the abdominal aorta. Serum was then collected and analyzed by peptide array for immune responsiveness to multidrug-resistant beta-lactamase proteins, including Verona integronen-coded metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (VIM-1), Sao Paulo metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (SPM-1), and Temoniera (TEMs). Blood levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: QGYD enhanced antibody reactivity against VIM-1 [epitopes 7-11 and 36-40] and TEM-1 [epitopes 26-27, 52-55, and 66-70]. QGYD treatment restored the compromised antibody reactivity against VIM-1 [epitopes 53-54 and 56-58] and SPM-1 [epitopes 16-19 and 82-85] following pseudomonal infection. Serum levels of IL-1ß and Th1/Th2 in the rats were significantly elevated following pseudomonal infection (P<0.05 orP<0.01). In contrast, QGYD and combination QGYD and ceftazidime treatment restored the elevated serum IL-1ß and Th1/Th2 levels to normal (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: QGYD improves the immune response to pseudomonal infection in rats by stimulating the production of protective antibodies against drug-resistant proteins VIM-1, SPM-1, and TEM-1. In addition, it protects the immune system and maintains immune responsiveness by restoring IL-1ß and Th1/Th2 levels.

Intra-Monozygotic Twin Pair Discordance and Longitudinal Variation of Whole-Genome Scale DNA Methylation in Adults.

Monozygotic twins share identical genomic DNA and are indistinguishable using conventional genetic markers. Increasing evidence indicates that monozygotic twins are epigenetically distinct, suggesting that a comparison between DNA methylation patterns might be useful to approach this forensic problem. However, the extent of epigenetic discordance between healthy adult monozygotic twins and the stability of CpG loci within the same individual over a short time span at the whole-genome scale are not well understood. Here, we used Infinium HumanMethylation450 Beadchips to compare DNA methylation profiles using blood collected from 10 pairs of monozygotic twins and 8 individuals sampled at 0, 3, 6, and 9 months. Using an effective and unbiased method for calling differentially methylated (DM) CpG sites, we showed that 0.087%-1.530% of the CpG sites exhibit differential methylation in monozygotic twin pairs. We further demonstrated that, on whole-genome level, there has been no significant epigenetic drift within the same individuals for up to 9 months, including one monozygotic twin pair. However, we did identify a subset of CpG sites that vary in DNA methylation over the 9-month period. The magnitude of the intra-pair or longitudinal methylation discordance of the CpG sites inside the CpG islands is greater than those outside the CpG islands. The CpG sites located on shores appear to be more suitable for distinguishing between MZ twins.

Development of a new 26plex Y-STRs typing system for forensic application.

In this study, 26plex Y-STRs typing system, including 17 Y-STRs (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385ab, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and GATA H4) recommended as YHRD standard loci and nine new highly discriminating Y-STRs (DYS549, DYS643, DYS388, DYS570, DYS533, DYS576, DYS460, DYS481 and DYS449), was established with 5-dye fluorescences labelling. Developmental validation indicated that the 26plex Y-STRs typing system was reproducible, accurate, sensitive and robust. The sensitivity of the system was such that a full profile was obtainable even with 125pg of male DNA. Specificity testing was demonstrated by the lack of cross-reactivity with a variety of commonly encountered animal species and bacteria. Also, the multiplex is suitable for mixture study. An average of above 97% of the minor alleles detected with the male/male mixture with 1:3 and 3:1 ratios, while an average of above 70% of the minor alleles detected with the male/male mixture with 1:19 and 19:1 ratios. Full profiles are consistently detected with 125pg of male DNA, even in the presence of excessive amounts of female DNA. In addition, the whole PCR amplification of the 26 Y-STRs can finish in 1h, making the multiplex system suitable for fast-detection. For the forensic evaluation of the multiplex system, 516 haplotypes were found among 517 unrelated males. HD of the multiplex system was 0.9999925 while DC was 0.9980658, which is suitable for forensic application.

[Development of an 18 X-InDel multiplex PCR system].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate Insertion/Deletion (InDel) polymorphism on the X chromosome and to screen 18 InDel loci for the Chinese Han population as a forensic DNA typing system auxiliary. METHODS: Eighteen X-InDel markers were selected using the Human Genome Browser and dbSNP database. Multiplex PCR primer pairs of selected X-InDel markers were designed using Primer 3 software and divided into 3 groups according to the amplified fragment length, labeled by FAM, HEX and TAMRA fluorescence dye, respectively. The population genetics research and comparative analysis of Chinese Han nationality and 4 main minorities, the Hui, Wei, Mongol, and Tibetan nationalities, were investigated with the system. RESULTS: A new multiplex genotyping system, named InDel X-18PLEX, was successfully developed and validated, consisted of 18 X-InDel markers on the X chromosome and 1 Amelogenin gender marker. No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations was detected in the distribution of genotypes in the 5 investigated ethnic groups. However, there was significant difference between their distributions. From the investigation of Han nationality, high female (0.9999994) and male (0.999 88) overall discrimination power values were obtained, as well as high overall mean exclusion chance values in trios (0.999 992) and in duos (0.99). CONCLUSION: InDel X-18PLEX meets the requirements as a forensic DNA complementary kit, providing effective supplementary analytical tools for difficult cases.

Population genetics of 30 insertion-deletion polymorphisms in two Chinese populations using Qiagen Investigator® DIPplex kit.

Insertion-deletion polymorphisms (INDELs) are short length diallelic polymorphisms caused by the insertion or deletion of several bases. INDEL markers can serve as useful supplementary or stand-alone assays for human identification. The Qiagen Investigator(®) DIPplex kit multiplexes 30 autosomal INDELs plus amelogenin for forensic use. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic diversity of 30 INDEL markers in the Han (the largest ethnic group of China, n=565) and She population (almost the smallest ethnic group of China, n=119), and to evaluate their usefulness in forensic genetics. In the Han and She, the mean observed heterozygosity values were 0.4133 and 0.3896, and the combined matching probability values were 1.80×10(-11) and 3.17×10(-11), respectively. Furthermore, the allele frequencies for each locus were compared with those in other reported Chinese subpopulations, and the forensic efficacy was compared between this kit and in-house developed INDEL assay. This study demonstrates that the Investigator(®) DIPplex kit can be used as a supplementary tool for human identity testing in China.