Estimated Burden of Stroke in China in 2020.

Importance: Stroke is the leading cause of death in China. However, recent data about the up-to-date stroke burden in China are limited. Objective: To investigate the urban-rural disparity of stroke burden in the Chinese adult population, including prevalence, incidence, and mortality rate, and disparities between urban and rural populations. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study was based on a nationally representative survey that included 676 394 participants aged 40 years and older. It was conducted from July 2020 to December 2020 in 31 provinces in mainland China. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was self-reported stroke verified by trained neurologists during a face-to-face interviews using a standardized protocol. Stroke incidence were assessed by defining first-ever strokes that occurred during 1 year preceding the survey. Strokes causing death that occurred during the 1 year preceding the survey were considered as death cases. Results: The study included 676 394 Chinese adults (395 122 [58.4%] females; mean [SD] age, 59.7 [11.0] years). In 2020, the weighted prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates of stroke in China were 2.6% (95% CI, 2.6%-2.6%), 505.2 (95% CI, 488.5-522.0) per 100 000 person-years, and 343.4 (95% CI, 329.6-357.2) per 100 000 person-years, respectively. It was estimated that among the Chinese population aged 40 years and older in 2020, there were 3.4 (95% CI, 3.3-3.6) million incident cases of stroke, 17.8 (95% CI, 17.5-18.0) million prevalent cases of stroke, and 2.3 (95% CI, 2.2-2.4) million deaths from stroke. Ischemic stroke constituted 15.5 (95% CI, 15.2-15.6) million (86.8%) of all incident strokes in 2020, while intracerebral hemorrhage constituted 2.1 (95% CI, 2.1-2.1) million (11.9%) and subarachnoid hemorrhage constituted 0.2 (95% CI, 0.2-0.2) million (1.3%). The prevalence of stroke was higher in urban than in rural areas (2.7% [95% CI, 2.6%-2.7%] vs 2.5% [95% CI, 2.5%-2.6%]; P = .02), but the incidence rate (485.5 [95% CI, 462.8-508.3] vs 520.8 [95% CI, 496.3-545.2] per 100 000 person-years; P < .001) and mortality rate (309.9 [95% CI, 291.7-328.1] vs 369.7 [95% CI, 349.1-390.3] per 100 000 person-years; P < .001) were lower in urban areas than in rural areas. In 2020, the leading risk factor for stroke was hypertension (OR, 3.20 [95% CI, 3.09-3.32]). Conclusions and Relevance: In a large, nationally representative sample of adults aged 40 years or older, the estimated prevalence, incidence, and mortality rate of stroke in China in 2020 were 2.6%, 505.2 per 100 000 person-years, and 343.4 per 100 000 person-years, respectively, indicating the need for an improved stroke prevention strategy in the general Chinese population.

Can global or national disability weights represent provincial level?

BACKGROUND: A universal set of disability weights(DWs) is mainly based on the survey of North America, Australia and Europe, whereas the participants in Asia was limited. The debate hasn't yet settled whether a universal DW is desirable or useful.The focus of the debate is its representativenes-s.After all, the DWs come from people's subjective evaluation of pain, and they may vary according to cultural background.The differences of the DWs could have implications for the magnitude or ranking of disease burdens.The DWs of Anhui Province has not been completely presented.This paper aims to obtain the DWs suitable for the general population of Anhui Province of China, and attempts to explore the differences between different DWs by comparing the DWs with the similar-cultural background and the DWs with cross-cultural background. METHODS: A web-based survey was conducted to estimate the DWs for 206 health states of Anhui province in 2020. Paired comparison (PC) data were analyzed and anchored by probit regression and fitting loess model. We compared the DWs in Anhui with other provinces in China and those in Global burden of disease (GBD) and Japan. RESULTS: Compared with Anhui province, the proportion of health states which showed 2 times or more differences ranged from 1.94% (Henan) to 11.17% (Sichuan) in China and domestic provinces. It was 19.88% in Japan and 21.51% in GBD 2013 respectively. In Asian countries or regions, most of the health states with top 15 DWs belonged to the category of mental, behavioral, and substance use disorders. But in GBD, most were infectious diseases and cancer. The differences of DWs in neighboring provinces were smaller than other geographically distant provinces or countries. CONCLUSION: PC responses were largely consistent across very distinct settings,but the exceptions do need to be faced squarely.The differences of DWs among similar-cultural regions were smaller than cross-cultural regions. There is an urgent need for relevant gold standards.

A Plasmon Resonance Enhanced Photo-Electrode to Promote NH3 Yield in Sustainable N2 Conversion.

A key challenge for electrochemical nitrogen reduction reactions (NRR) is the difficulty for conventional catalysts to achieve high currents at low H* coverage to produce appreciable NH3 . Herein, we specially designed an Au nanoparticle-embedded ZnSe photo-electrode to solve the problem. As-designed photo-electrode achieves excellent NRR performance with a high NH3 yield (12.2 µg cm-2 h-1 ) and Faradaic efficiency (27.3 %). Our work reveals that the unique plasmon resonance effect of embedded Au nanoparticles plays a key role in increasing catalytic current when the H* coverage is decreased. Moreover, we successfully established a correlation between H* coverage and NRR performance based on theoretical calculations and experimental observations. This work paves the path for the future design of catalytic materials to overcome the selectivity and yield challenge of sustainable NH3 production.

Alloying Matters for Ordering: Synthesis of Highly Ordered PtCo Intermetallic Catalysts for Fuel Cells.

Porous carbon-supported atomically ordered intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are promising electrocatalysts in boosting oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for fuel cell applications. However, the formation mechanism of IMC structures under high temperatures is poorly understood, which hampers the synthesis of highly ordered IMC catalysts with promoted ORR performance. Here, we employ high-temperature X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopic elemental mapping techniques to study the formation process of IMCs, by taking PtCo for example, in an industry-relevant impregnation synthesis. We find that high-temperature annealing is crucial in promoting the formation of alloy particles with a stoichiometric Co/Pt ratio, which in turn is the precondition for transforming the disordered alloys to ordered intermetallic structures at a relatively low temperature. Based on the findings, we accordingly synthesize highly ordered L10-type PtCo catalysts with a remarkable ORR performance in fuel cells.

Functionalized nickel(II)-iron(II) dithiolates as biomimetic models of [NiFe]-H2ases.

To develop the structural and functional modeling chemistry of [NiFe]-H2ases, a series of new biomimetics for the active site of [NiFe]-H2ases have been prepared by various synthetic methods. Treatment of the mononuclear Ni complex (pnp)NiCl2 (pnp = (Ph2PCH2)2NPh) with (dppv)Fe(CO)2(pdt) (dppv = 1,2-(Ph2P)2C2H2, pdt = 1,3-propanedithiolate) and KPF6 gave the dicarbonyl complex [(pnp)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)2(dppv)](PF6)2 ([1](PF6)2). Further treatment of [1](PF6)2 and [(dppe)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)2(dppv)](BF4)2 (dppe = 1,2-(Ph2P)2C2H4) with the decarbonylation agent Me3NO and pyridine afforded the novel sp3 C-Fe bond-containing complexes [(pnp)Ni(SCH2CH2CHS)Fe(CO)(dppv)]PF6 ([2]PF6) and [(dppe)Ni(SCH2CH2CHS)Fe(CO)(dppv)]BF4 ([3]BF4). More interestingly, the first t-carboxylato complexes [(pnp)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)(t-O2CR)(dppv)]PF6 ([4]PF6, R = H; [5]PF6, R = Me; [6]PF6, R = Ph) could be prepared by reactions of [1]PF6 with the corresponding carboxylic acids RCO2H in the presence of Me3NO, whereas further reactions of [4]PF6-[6]PF6 with aqueous HPF6 and 1.5 MPa H2 gave rise to the µ-hydride complex [(pnp)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)(µ-H)(dppv)]PF6 ([7]PF6). Except for H2 activation by t-carboxylato complexes [4]PF6-[6]PF6 to give a µ-hydride complex ([7]PF6), the sp3 C-Fe bond-containing complex [2]PF6 was found to be a catalyst for proton reduction to H2 under CV conditions. Furthermore, the chemical reactivity of the µ-hydride complex [7]PF6 displayed in the e- transfer reaction with FcPF6 in the presence of CO, the H2 evolution reaction with the protonic acid HCl, and the H- transfer reaction with N-methylacridinium hexafluorophosphate ([NMA]PF6) was systematically studied. As a result, a series of the expected products such as H2, ferrocene, the dicarbonyl complex [1](PF6)2, the µ-chloro complex [(pnp)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)(µ-Cl)(dppv)]PF6 ([8]PF6), the t-MeCN-coordinated complex [(pnp)Ni(pdt)Fe(CO)(t-MeCN)(dppv)](PF6)2 ([9](PF6)2) and the H- transfer product AcrH2 were produced. While all the newly prepared model complexes were structurally characterized by spectroscopic methods, the molecular structures of some of their representatives were confirmed by X-ray crystallography.

Light at night and cause-specific mortality risk in Mainland China: a nationwide observational study.

BACKGROUND: While epidemiological studies have found correlations between light at night (LAN) and health effects, none has so far investigated the impacts of LAN on population mortality yet. We aimed to estimate the relative risk for mortality from exposure to LAN in Mainland China. METHODS: This time-stratified case-crossover nationwide study used NPP-VIIRS to obtain daily LAN data of Mainland China between 2015 and 2019. The daily mortality data were obtained from the Disease Surveillance Point System in China. Conditional Poisson regression models were applied to examine the relative risk (RR) for mortality along daily LAN in each county, then meta-analysis was performed to combine the county-specific estimates at the national or regional level. RESULTS: A total of 579 counties with an average daily LAN of 4.39 (range: 1.02-35.46) were included in the main analysis. The overall RRs per 100 nW/cm2/sr increases in daily LAN were 1.08 (95%CI: 1.05-1.11) for all-cause mortality and 1.08 (95%CI: 1.05-1.11) for natural-cause mortality. A positive association between LAN and all natural cause-specific mortality was observed, of which the strongest effect was observed on mortality caused by neuron system disease (RR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.14-1.52). The results were robust in both younger and old, as well as in males and females. The more pronounced effect of LAN was observed in median LAN-level regions. Combined with an exposure-response curve, our study suggests a non-linear association between LAN and mortality in China. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows LAN is associated with mortality in China, particularly for neuron system disease-related mortality. These findings have important implications for public health policy establishment to minimize the health consequences of light pollution.

National incidence and mortality of hospitalized sepsis in China.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a leading cause of preventable death around the world. Population-based estimation of sepsis incidence is lacking in China. In this study, we aimed to estimate the population-based incidence and geographic variation of hospitalized sepsis in China. METHODS: We retrospectively identified hospitalized sepsis from the nationwide National Data Center for Medical Service (NDCMS) and the National Mortality Surveillance System (NMSS) by ICD-10 codes for the period from 2017 to 2019. In-hospital sepsis case fatality and mortality rate were calculated to extrapolate the national incidence of hospitalized sepsis. The geographic distribution of hospitalized sepsis incidence was examined using Global Moran's Index. RESULTS: We identified 9,455,279 patients with 10,682,625 implicit-coded sepsis admissions in NDCMS and 806,728 sepsis-related deaths in NMSS. We estimated that the annual standardized incidence of hospitalized sepsis was 328.25 (95% CI 315.41-341.09), 359.26 (95% CI 345.4-373.12) and 421.85 (95% CI 406.65-437.05) cases per 100,000 in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. We observed 8.7% of the incidences occurred among neonates less than 1 year old, 11.7% among children aged 1-9 years, and 57.5% among elderly older than 65 years. Significant spatial autocorrelation for incidence of hospitalized sepsis was observed across China (Moran's Index 0.42, p = 0.001; 0.45, p = 0.001; 0.26, p = 0.011 for 2017, 2018, 2019, respectively). Higher number of hospital bed supply and higher disposable income per capita were significantly associated with a higher incidence of hospitalized sepsis. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a greater burden of sepsis hospitalizations than previous estimated. The geographical disparities suggested more efforts were needed in prevention of sepsis.

Loss of life expectancy due to stroke and its subtypes in urban and rural areas in China, 2005-2020.

Stroke is characterised by high mortality and disability rate in China. This study aimed to explore the temporal trends in years of life lost (YLL) and loss of life expectancy due to stroke and its subtypes in urban and rural areas in China during 2005-2020. Data were obtained from China National Mortality Surveillance System. Abbreviated life and stroke-eliminated life tables were generated to calculate loss of life expectancy. The YLL and loss of life expectancy due to stroke in urban and rural areas at both national and provincial level during 2005-2020 were estimated. In China, the age-standardised YLL rate due to stroke and its subtypes were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. The YLL rate due to stroke showed a downward trend in both urban and rural residents from 2005 to 2020, decreased by 39.9% and 21.5%, respectively. Loss of life expectancy caused by stroke decreased from 1.75 years to 1.70 years from 2005 to 2020. During which, loss of life expectancy due to intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) decreased from 0.94 years to 0.65 years, while that of ischaemic stroke (IS) increased from 0.62 years to 0.86 years. A slightly upward trend was observed in loss of life expectancy caused by subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), from 0.05 years to 0.06 years. Loss of life expectancy due to ICH and SAH was always higher in rural areas than in urban areas, whereas that of IS was higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Rural males suffered the greatest loss of life expectancy due to ICH and SAH, while the highest loss of life expectancy caused by IS was found in urban females. Furthermore, Heilongjiang (2.25 years), Tibet (2.17 years) and Jilin (2.16 years) were found to have the highest loss of life expectancy caused by stroke in 2020. Loss of life expectancy caused by ICH and SAH was higher in western China, while the disease burden of IS was heavier in northeast China. Stroke remains a major public health problem in China, although the age-standardised YLL rate and loss of life expectancy due to stroke decreased. Evidence-based strategies should be conducted to reduce the premature death burden caused by stroke and prolong life expectancy in Chinese population.

Place of death among individuals with chronic respiratory diseases in China: Trends and associated factors between 2014 and 2020.

Background: Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is a common cause of mortality in China, but little is known about the place of death (POD) among individuals with CRD. Methods: Information about CRD-caused deaths was obtained from the National Mortality Surveillance System (NMSS) in China, covering 605 surveillance points in 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Both individual- and provincial-level characteristics were measured. Multilevel logistic regression models were built to evaluate correlates of hospital CRD deaths. Results: From 2014 to 2020, a total of 1,109,895 individuals who died of CRD were collected by the NMSS in China, among which home was the most common POD (82.84%), followed by medical and healthcare institutions (14.94%), nursing homes (0.72%), the way to hospitals (0.90%), and unknown places (0.59%). Being male, unmarried, having a higher level of educational attainment, and being retired personnel were associated with increased odds of hospital death. Distribution of POD differed across the provinces and municipalities with different development levels, also presenting differences between urban and rural. Demographics and individual socioeconomic status (SES) explained a proportion of 23.94% of spatial variations at the provincial level. Home deaths are the most common POD (>80%) among patients with COPD and asthma, which are the two major contributors to CRD deaths. Conclusion: Home was the leading POD among patients with CRD in China in the study period; therefore, more attention should be emphasized to the allocation of health resources and end-of-life care in the home setting to meet the increasing needs among people with CRD.

Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behavior of Micron-Sized TiB2/AlZnMgCu(Sc,Zr) Composites Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting.

In this paper, micron-sized TiB2/AlZnMgCu(Sc,Zr) composites were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) using directly mixed powder. Nearly fully dense (over 99.5%) and crack-free SLM-fabricated TiB2/AlZnMgCu(Sc,Zr) composite samples were obtained and its microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. It is found that the laser absorption rate of powder is improved by introducing micron-sizedTiB2 particles, then the energy density required for SLM forming can be reduced, and the densification can finally be improved. Some crystalline TiB2 formed a coherent relationship with the matrix, while some broken TiB2 particles did not, however, MgZn2 and Al3(Sc,Zr) can perform as intermediate phases to connect these non-coherent surfaces to aluminum matrix. All these factors lead to an increase in strength of the composite. The SLM-fabricated micron-sized TiB2/AlZnMgCu(Sc,Zr) composite finally shows a very high ultimate tensile strength of ~646 MPa and yield strength of ~623 MPa, which are higher than many other aluminum composites fabricated by SLM, while maintaining a relatively good ductility of ~4.5%. The fracture of TiB2/AlZnMgCu(Sc,Zr) composite is occurred along the TiB2 particles and the bottom of the molten pool. This is due to the concentration of stress from the sharp tip of TiB2 particles and the coarse precipitated phase at the bottom of the molten pool. The results show that TiB2 plays a positive role in AlZnMgCu alloys fabricated by SLM, but finer TiB2 particles should be studied.

[Simultaneous determination of five lignans from Schisandra chinensis by matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction-high performance liquid chromatography].

The kidney-shaped, red-colord fruit from the plant, Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill, which belongs to the Schisandraceae family, is among the most popular remedies used in traditional Chinese medicine. The English name of the plant is "Chinese magnolia vine". It has been used in Asia since ancient times to treat a variety of ailments, including chronic cough and dyspnea, frequent urination, diarrhea, and diabetes. This is because of the wide range of bioactive constituents, such as lignans, essential oils, triterpenoids, organic acids, polysaccharides, and sterols. In some cases, these constituents affects the pharmacological efficacy of the plant. Lignans with a dibenzocyclooctadiene-type skeleton are considered to be the major constituents and main bioactive ingredients of Schisandra chinensis. However, because of the complex composition of Schisandra chinensis, the extraction yields of lignans are low. Thus, it is particularly important to study pretreatment methods used during sample preparation for the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine. Matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction (MSPD) is a comprehensive process involving destruction, extraction, fractionation, and purification. The MSPD method is simple, it requires only a small number of samples and solvents, it does not require any special experimental equipments or instruments, and it can be used to prepare liquid, viscous, semi-solid, solid samples. In this study, a method combining matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction with high performance liquid chromatography (MSPD-HPLC) was established for the simultaneous determination of five lignans (schisandrol A, schisandrol B, deoxyschizandrin, schizandrin B, and schizandrin C) in Schisandra chinensis. The target compounds were separated on a C18 column with a gradient elution of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phases, and detection was performed at a wavelength of 250 nm. First, the effects of 12 adsorbents, including silica gel, acidic alumina, neutral alumina, alkaline alumina, Florisil, Diol, XAmide, Xion, and the inverse adsorbents, C18, C18-ME, C18-G1, and C18-HC, on the extraction yields of lignans were investigated. Second, effects of the mass of the adsorbent, the type of eluent, and volume of eluent on the extraction yields of lignans were investigated. Xion was chosen as an adsorbent for MSPD-HPLC analysis of lignans from Schisandra chinensis. Optimization of the extraction parameters showed that the MSPD method had a high lignan extraction yield with Schisandra chinensis powder (0.25 g) as a fixed value, Xion as the adsorbent (0.75 g), and methanol as the elution solvent (15 mL). Analytical methods were developed for five lignans from Schisandra chinensis and these methods showed good linearity (correlation coefficients (R2)≥ 0.9999) for each target analyte. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.0089 to 0.0294 µg/mL and 0.0267 to 0.0882 µg/mL, respectively. Lignans were tested at low, medium, and high levels. The average recovery rates were 92.2% to 111.2%, and the relative standard deviations were 0.23% to 3.54%. Both intra-day and inter-day precisions were less than 3.6%. Compared with hot reflux extraction and ultrasonic extraction methods, MSPD has the advantages of combined extraction and purification, being less time-consuming, and requiring lower solvent volumes. Finally, the optimized method was successfully applied to analyze five lignans from Schisandra chinensis samples from 17 cultivation areas.

CHD8 mutations increase gliogenesis to enlarge brain size in the nonhuman primate.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects social interaction and behavior. Mutations in the gene encoding chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8 (CHD8) lead to autism symptoms and macrocephaly by a haploinsufficiency mechanism. However, studies of small animal models showed inconsistent findings about the mechanisms for CHD8 deficiency-mediated autism symptoms and macrocephaly. Using the nonhuman primate as a model system, we found that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated CHD8 mutations in the embryos of cynomolgus monkeys led to increased gliogenesis to cause macrocephaly in cynomolgus monkeys. Disrupting CHD8 in the fetal monkey brain prior to gliogenesis increased the number of glial cells in newborn monkeys. Moreover, knocking down CHD8 via CRISPR/Cas9 in organotypic monkey brain slices from newborn monkeys also enhanced the proliferation of glial cells. Our findings suggest that gliogenesis is critical for brain size in primates and that abnormal gliogenesis may contribute to ASD.

Infestation of Oriental House Rat (Rattus tanezumi) with Chigger Mites Varies along Environmental Gradients across Five Provincial Regions of Southwest China.

Chigger mites are the exclusive vector of scrub typhus. Based on field investigations of 91 survey sites in 5 provincial regions of Southwest China, this paper reported variations of chigger infestation on the oriental house rat (Rattus tanezumi) along various environmental gradients. A total of 149 chigger species were identified from 2919 R. tanezumi in the 5 provincial regions, and Leptotrombidium deliense (a major vector of scrub typhus in China) was the first dominant chigger species, followed by Ascoschoengastia indica and Walchia ewingi. Rattus tanezumi had a stable overall prevalence (PM = 21.10%), mean abundance (MA = 7.01), and mean intensity (MI = 33.20) of chiggers with the same dominant mites in the whole Southwest China in comparison with a previous report in Yunnan Province, but chigger infestations on R. tanezumi varied along different environmental gradients. Rattus tanezumi in mountainous landscape had a higher infestation load of chiggers with higher species diversity than in flatland landscape. The infestation was higher at lower altitudes and latitudes. A high intensity of vegetation coverage was associated with high infestations. The results reflect the environmental heterogeneity of chiggers on the same host species. Warm climate and high relative humidity are beneficial to chigger infestation on R. tanezumi.

Projections of cancer mortality by 2025 in central China: A modeling study of global burden of disease 2019.

Background: In China, there are few studies that have reported future estimations for cancer mortality. Therefore, this study aimed to assess cancer mortality in China and identify priorities for future cancer control strategies. Methods: Based on the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, we extracted data on cancer-related deaths from 1990 to 2019 in Hunan Province, China. Under the current trends evaluated using a joinpoint regression model, we fitted a linear regression model for cancer mortality projections by 2025. Results: The age-standardized mortality rate of total cancer in Hunan, China, declined slowly and is projected to be 140.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 140.12-141.48) by 2025, with the mortality rate in men approximately twice that in women. In 2025, the top five causes of cancer-related deaths in males are projected to be lung, liver, colorectal, stomach, and esophageal cancers, with the corresponding causes in females being lung, breast, colorectal, liver, and cervical cancers. Between 2019 and 2025, male mortality rates due to liver and pancreatic cancer are expected to increase, while those due to the six leading female cancers will increase. Excess male deaths were associated with liver and esophageal cancers, while all main cancers in females will have excess mortality, except for colorectal cancer. Conclusion: A comprehensive cancer spectrum characteristic of both developing and developed countries will remain in Hunan, China. Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer-related deaths, and tobacco control efforts are urgently required. Additional efforts should be made to promote universal screening, improve access to cancer healthcare services, optimize medical payment models, and enhance access to valuable anticancer drugs.

Burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces, 1990 to 2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy accounts for a significant portion of the global disease burden. However, little is known about the disease burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces. METHODS: We assessed the burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions from 1990 to 2019. Burden was measured as incidence, prevalence, deaths, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), by age, sex, year, and province. We used the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) to determine the association between the provincial development level and age-standardized DALY rates of epilepsy from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In 2019, epilepsy caused 1367.51 thousand (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 979.92-1837.61 thousand) DALYs, and the age-standardized DALY rate was 99.77 (95%UI: 71.33-133.52)/100,000. The age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates for epilepsy in China were 24.65/100,000 and 219.69/100,000, increased by 45.00% (95%UI: 8.03-98.74%) and 35.72% (95%UI: 0.47-86.19%) compared with that in 1990, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, the proportion of DALY caused by epilepsy in the age group under 25 years steadily decreased. The proportion of DALYs caused by epilepsy in people aged 50 years and over increased from 9.45% and 10.22% in 1990 to 29.01% and 32.72% for male and female individuals in 2019, respectively. The highest age-standardized mortality rates were seen in Tibet (4.26 [95%UI: 1.43-5.66]/100,000), Qinghai (1.80 [95%UI: 1.15-2.36]/100,000), and Yunnan (1.30 [95%UI: 0.88-1.62]/100,000), and the lowest mortality rates were in Guangdong (0.48 [95%UI: 0.39-0.64]/100,000), Zhejiang (0.56 [95%UI: 0.44-0.70]/100,000), and Shanghai (0.57 [95%UI: 0.41-0.73]/100,000). The age-standardized DALY rates across the country and in provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions generally decreased as their SDI increased. CONCLUSIONS: The disease burden of epilepsy is still heavy in China, especially in the western provinces. The incidence and prevalence of epilepsy increased between 1990 and 2019, and the burden of epilepsy in the elderly increases gradually. This study provides evidence on epilepsy prevention and care of different regions in China.

Synthesis of rhodium intermetallic catalysts by enlarging the inter-particle distance on high-surface-area carbon black supports.

Here, we report a "critical distance" method for the synthesis of 9 kinds of sub-5 nm rhodium (Rh)-based intermetallic catalysts. Enlarging the distance between intermetallic particles on high-surface-area carbon black supports could significantly suppress the metal sintering in high-temperature annealing. The prepared Rh2Sn intermetallic catalysts exhibited enhanced activity in catalyzing the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene.

[Effects of Sediment Dredging on the Reduction in Sediment Internal Loading of Lake Taihu and the Self-recovery Ability of Benthic Organism].

Sediment dredging has a great effect on the control of lake internal loading and is one of the important methods for lake internal loading management. In this study, the dredged area of Taihu Lake was used as the main object. An estimation of the reduction in whole lake internal loading of Taihu Lake in decade years was carried out. At the same time, we evaluated the effect of sediment dredging on the control of internal loading in the northern area of Taihu Lake (Zhushan Bay and Meiliang Bay). The results indicated that a total of 42 million cubes of sediment was dredged from Taihu Lake, and the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic matter in the dredged sediment was estimated to be approximately 6.26×104 tons, 1.83×104 tons, and 11.7×105 tons, respectively. This was roughly equal to the 20 years of external loading pollution accumulated in Taihu Lake. From a long-term perspective, sediment dredging could effectively increase the water quality of Meiliang Bay within five years and that where the external loading has been controlled effectively. However, the water quality of Meiliang Bay subsequently rebounded, but dredging still reduced the nitrogen and phosphorus content in surface sediment. On the contrary, dredging could not effectively control the internal loading of Zhushan Bay, which still had a large input of external loading. The amount of sediment internal loading recovered to the original level of the pre-dredging period. In a six-year-long period of continuous monitoring of the benthic organism community of Zhushan Bay, the results indicated that sediment dredging could cause negative effects on sediment dredging initially, but the density and biomass of the benthic organisms in the dredged area had later been recovered to the un-dredged level. There was no difference between the dredged and un-dredged areas with regard to the diversity indices of benthic organisms. The results of this study indicated that sediment dredging can effectively control the lake internal loading. However, the maintenance period of dredging effects was related closely to the input intensity of the external loading. In addition, sediment dredging did not have a large influence on the benthic organism community and could recover to the original level depending on self-recovery.

Spatial, temporal and demographic patterns in asthma mortality in China: A systematic analysis from 2014 to 2020.

Background: Asthma is an important contributor to the burden of non-communicable diseases in China. Understanding spatial, temporal, and demographic patterns in asthma mortality is relevant to the design and implementation of targeted interventions. Methods: This study collected information on asthma deaths occurring across 605 disease surveillance points (DSPs) as recorded in the population-based national mortality surveillance system (NMSS) of China. Asthma was defined according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code J45-J46. Estimates of age-standardized mortality rates and total national asthma deaths were calculated based on yearly population data. Statistical analysis was performed to investigate the influence of various factors on asthma mortality. Results: Between 2014 and 2020, a total of 40 116 asthma deaths occurred in DSPs. Standardized asthma mortality per 100 000 people decreased from 1.79 (95% CI: 1.74-1.83) in 2014 to 1.07 (95% CI: 1.03-1.10) in 2020 in China. In 2020, the overall asthma mortality rate was higher for male patients than for female patients, and asthma mortality rates increased substantially with age. Age-standardized asthma mortality per 100,000 people exhibited significant geographic variation, ranging from 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89-0.98) in Eastern China to 1.04 (95% CI: 0.98-1.10) in Central China and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.29-1.45) in Western China in 2020. Asthma mortality in urban areas appeared to be higher than in rural areas. Socioeconomic factors, including gross domestic product per capita and density of hospital beds per 10,000 population, may be related to asthma mortality. Male asthma patients who lived in rural areas and were aged 65 years and above were generally at high risk of asthma-related mortality. Conclusions: This study found a spatial and temporal trend for a reduction in asthma deaths over seven years in China; however, there remain important sociodemographic groups that have not secured the same decrease in mortality rates. Trial registration: This was a purely observational study and thus registration was not required.

Burden of liver complications related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in China from 2005 to 2019: Observations from the Global Burden of Disease Study, 2019.

AIM: To assess the burden of liver complications related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (LC-NAFLD) from 2005 to 2019 in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, 2019, to present contemporary and varying profiles of China's LC-NAFLD burden. The Joinpoint Regression model and Gaussian process regression were, respectively, used to estimate the annual percentage change in prevalence rates and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates, and the relationship between the sociodemographic index (SDI) and age-standardized rates of LC-NAFLD. RESULTS: In 2019, China had 293.42 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 263.69-328.44) LC-NAFLD cases with a prevalence rate and DALYs of 20.63 (95% UI: 23.09-18.54) per 1000 people and 591.03 thousand (95% UI: 451.25-737.33), respectively. North China had the highest prevalence but the lowest DALYs of LC-NAFLD, whereas Southwest China had the lowest prevalence but the highest DALYs. LC-NAFLD were more common in men than in women (male: female ratio, 1.27) in 2019. From 2005 to 2019, the prevalence of NAFLD cases increased by 68.32% (from 174.32 million in 2005 to 293.42 million in 2019), mainly because of an age-specific prevalence rate increase. CONCLUSION: The LC-NAFLD burden in China is substantial and has increased markedly over the past 15 years. Effective measures for low SDI regions and men are needed to address the rapidly increasing NAFLD burden.

CircRNA hsa_circ_0006859 inhibits the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and aggravates osteoporosis by targeting miR-642b-5p/miR-483-3p and upregulating EFNA2/DOCK3.

Hsa_circ_0006859 has been found as a possible biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) with an effect on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Bioinformatics analysis was used to identify dysregulated RNAs involved in osteoporosis based on public datasets. Function assays were used to determine the functions of hsa_circ_0006859 on cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation in vitro. It was found that hsa_circ_0006859 was upregulated in OVX mice-derived BMSCs, but lowly expressed during osteogenic differentiation. Overexpressing hsa_circ_0006859 inhibited the cell proliferation and osteogenesis of BMSCs and hFOB 1.19 cells, vice versa. Bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) was used to induce PMOP in mice. The interactions among circ_0006859, miR-642b-5p/miR-483-3p, and EFNA2/DOCK3 were determined using the RIP assay. Silencing circ_0006859 relieved PMOP in mice. Mechanistically, circ_0006859 bound to miR-642b-5p/miR-483-3p directly, while miR-642b-5p and miR-483-3p respectively targeted EFNA2 and DOCK3. Hsa_circ_0006859 downregulated the expression of miR-642b-5p/miR-483-3p to upregulate EFNA2/DOCK3. Additionally, miR-642b-5p/miR-483-3p targeted EFNA2/DOCK3 to inhibit BMSCs osteogenic differentiation and facilitate osteoporosis progression by inactivating the Wnt signaling. In conclusion, hsa_circ_0006859 is involved in PMOP by targeting miR-642b-5p/EFNA2 and miR-483-3p/DOCK3 axes to maintain the Wnt-signaling pathway, which may be a novel possible therapeutic targets and biomarkers for PMOP.