Database-aided ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography Q-Exactive-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry putatively identifies 16 unexpected compounds and three anticounterfeiting pharmacopoeia quality markers for Perillae Fructus.

RATIONALE: Perillae Fructus (PF) is a common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of asthma. It has not been effectively characterized by rosmarinic acid (RosA), which is currently designed as the sole quality indicator in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. METHODS: This study introduced a database-aided ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography equipped with quadrupole-Exactive-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS/MS) technology to putatively identify the compounds in PF, followed by literature research, quantum chemical calculation, and molecular docking to screen potential quality markers (Q-markers) of PF. RESULTS: A total of 27 compounds were putatively identified, 16 of which had not been previously found from PF. In particular, matrine, scopolamine, and RosA showed relatively high levels of content, stability, and drug-likeness. They exhibited interactions with the asthma-related target and demonstrated the TCM properties of PF. CONCLUSIONS: The database-aided UHPLC/Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS/MS can identify at least 27 compounds in PF. Of these, 16 compounds are unexpected, and three compounds (matrine, scopolamine, and RosA) should be considered anticounterfeiting pharmacopoeia Q-markers of PF.

Detection of Adulterated Naodesheng Tablet (Naodesheng Pian) via In-Depth Chemical Analysis and Subsequent Reconstruction of Its Pharmacopoeia Q-Markers.

Naodesheng Tablet (Naodesheng Pian), a traditional Chinese medicine formula for stroke treatment, is made up of five herbal medicines, i.e., Sanqi, Gegen, Honghua, Shanzha, and Chuanxiong. However, the current Pharmacopoeia quality-marker (Q-marker) system cannot detect possible adulteration. Our study tried to use a new strategy, i.e., standards-library-dependent ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS) putative identification, to reconstruct the Q-marker system. Through the strategy, 30 isomers were successfully differentiated (such as 2'-hydroxygenistein, luteolin, and kaempferol; ginsenoside Rg2 and ginsenoside Rg3; ginsenoside Rf and ginsenoside Rg1). In particular, 11 compounds were unexpectedly found in Naodesheng, including 2'-hydroxygenistein, 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone, pectolinarigenin, 7-methoxy-4'-hydroxyisoflavone, scoparone, matrine, 3,3',4',5,6,7,8-heptamethoxyflavone, 5-hydroxyflavone, diosgenin, chloesteryl acetate, and (+)-4-cholesten-3-one. In total, 68 compounds were putatively identified and fully elucidated for their MS spectra. Subsequently, relevant compounds were further investigated using UV-vis scanning experiments, semi-quantitative analysis, and quantum chemical calculation. Finally, five adulterated Naodesheng Tablets were used for validation experiments. The experiment successfully detected five adulterated ones via a lower-version LC-MS analysis. On this basis, three new candidates (hydroxy safflor yellow A (HSYA), citric acid, and levistilide A), along with puerarin and notoginsenoside R1, are re-nominated as the Q-markers for LC-MS analysis. The LC-MS analysis of puerarin, notoginsenoside R1, HSYA, citric acid, and levistilide A can clearly detect adulteration regarding all five herbal medicines mentioned above. Therefore, the reconstructed Q-markers are described as a "perfect" quality control system to detect adulteration in Naodesheng and will offer a valuable recommendation for the Pharmacopoeia Commission.

Proposing anti-counterfeiting pharmacopoeia quality markers for Shenlingbaizhu granule based on UHPLC-Q-orbitrap-MS identification.

INTRODUCTION: Shenlingbaizhu granule, a Traditional Chinese Medicine prescription comprising Renshen, Gancao, and Shanyao, is widely consumed in China nowadays. OBJECTIVE: The study tries to propose pharmacopoeia quality markers (Q-markers) to prevent counterfeiting involving Renshen, Gancao, and Shanyao. METHODOLOGY: A novel strategy, that is, library-based ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry, was used to analyse the lyophilised aqueous powder of Shenlingbaizhu granule. Subsequently, quantum chemistry calculation and UV-vis spectra scanning were also performed through theoretical or experimental approaches. RESULT: Thirty-two isomers have been strictly distinguished, especially positional isomeric isochlorogenic acid B versus isochlorogenic acid C, positional isomeric schaftoside versus isoschaftoside, positional isomeric ginsenoside Rg2 versus 20S-ginsenoside Rg3, and stereoisomeric 20S-ginsenoside Rg3 versus 20R-ginsenoside Rg3. Seventeen compounds were unexpectedly observed, particularly scoparone and pectolinarigenin, while a total of 76 bioactive compounds have been putatively identified in the study. The quantum chemistry calculation and UV-vis spectra scanning results revealed that glycyrrhizic acid, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, and diosgenin displayed different dipole moment values and maximum absorption wavelengths from each other. CONCLUSION: The study recommends glycyrrhizic acid, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1, and diosgenin as four anti-counterfeiting Q-markers for the pharmacopoeia. The anti-counterfeiting Q-markers can be detected using conventional HPLC. The observation of 17 unexpected compounds updates our knowledge regarding the bioactives of Shenlingbaizhu granule.

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics reveal the toxic mechanisms of mercury exposure to an endangered species Tachypleus tridentatus.

Mercury (Hg) pollution is threatening the health of endangered Tachypleus tridentatus whereas the toxic mechanism is still unclear. This study combined transcriptomic and metabolomics technology to reveal the toxic mechanisms of mercury (Hg 2+, 0.025 mg/L) exposing to T. tridentatus larvae for 15 days. Mercury induced cellular toxicity and cardiovascular dysfunction by dysregulating the genes related to endocrine system, such as polyubiquitin-A, cathepsin B, atrial natriuretic peptide, etc. Mercury induced lipid metabolic disorder with the abnormal increase of lysoPC, leukotriene D4, and prostaglandin E2. Cytochrome P450 pathway was activated to produce anti-inflammatory substances to reconstruct the homeostasis. Mercury also inhibited arginine generation, which may affect the development of T. tridentatus by disrupting the crucial signaling pathway. The mercury methylation caused enhancement of S-adenosylmethionine to meet the need of methyl donor. The mechanisms described in present study provide new insight into the risk assessment of mercury exposure to T. tridentatus.

Comparative Mitogenome Analyses Uncover Mitogenome Features and Phylogenetic Implications of the Reef Fish Family Holocentridae (Holocentriformes).

To understand the molecular mechanisms and adaptive strategies of holocentrid fish, we sequenced the mitogenome of eight species within the family Holocentridae and compared them with six other holocentrid species. The mitogenomes were found to be 16,507-16,639 bp in length and to encode 37 typical mitochondrial genes, including 13 PCGs, two ribosomal RNAs, and 22 transfer RNA genes. Structurally, the gene arrangement, base composition, codon usage, tRNA size, and putative secondary structures were comparable between species. Of the 13 PCGs, nad6 was the most specific gene that exhibited negative AT-skews and positive GC-skews. Most of the genes begin with the standard codon ATG, except cox1, which begins with the codon GTG. By examining their phylogeny, Sargocentron and Neoniphon were verified to be closely related and to belong to the same subfamily Holocentrinae, while Myripristis and Ostichthys belong to the other subfamily Myripristinae. The subfamilies were clearly distinguished by high-confidence-supported clades, which provide evidence to explain the differences in morphology and feeding habits between the two subfamilies. Selection pressure analysis indicated that all PCGs were subject to purifying selection. Overall, our study provides valuable insight into the habiting behavior, evolution, and ecological roles of these important marine fish.

Distribution and co-occurrence networks of the bacterial community in sediment cores from the subtropical Daya Bay, China.

The bacterial community plays an important role in biogeochemical cycles in marine sediment. However, little is known about the vertical profiles and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial community in sediment cores from the marine environment. In this study, five sediment cores were taken from a subtropical bay in China, heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities. The bacterial composition in sediment cores was investigated by using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. A principal coordinates analysis and an adonis analysis of the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) compositions showed that spatial variation, rather than vertical variation, determined the bacterial structure in sediment cores. The bacterial complexity varied greatly across the five sediment cores, and the rare taxa played an important role in supporting the stability of the bacterial network. This study revealed that sediment properties and anthropogenic activities may induce a shift in the bacterial composition in sediment cores of a subtropical bay.

Database-aided UHPLC-Q-orbitrap MS/MS strategy putatively identifies 52 compounds from Wushicha Granule to propose anti-counterfeiting quality-markers for pharmacopoeia.

Wushicha Granule, an over-the-counter-drug (OTC) prescription, consists of 19 traditional Chinese herbals medicines (CHMs), such as Chaihu, Hongcha, Chuanxiong, Houpo, and Gancao. The five however have not been effectively characterized by the quality-markers (Q-markers) system in current Pharmacopoeia. The study therefore established a novel database-aided ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-orbitrap MS/MS) strategy. The strategy has putatively identified 52 compounds from Wushicha Granule, mainly including flavonoids, saponins, alkaloid, lignins, and lactones. Especially, saponin "glycyrrhetinic acid" in the Granule was specifically identified as 18ß-configuration (rather than 18α-configuration). Meanwhile, two pairs of isomers were fully discriminated, including vitexin vs isovitexin and daidzein vs 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone. 8ß-Glycyrrhetinic acid, together with saponin saikosaponin A, alkaloid caffeine, lactone S-senkyunolide A, and lignin magnolol, were further studied using quantum chemical calculation, UV-vis spectra, and anti-counterfeiting validation experiment. In the validation experiment, they have successfully recognized 6 counterfeit Wushicha Granules, by means of a LC-MS equipped extraction software. Based on these results, 8ß-glycyrrhetinic acid is recommended to replace the old Q-marker "glycyrrhetinic acid"; while saikosaponin A, caffeine, S-senkyunolide A, and magnolol are recommended as new Q-markers. These recommendations can not only recognize the counterfeits regarding Chaihu, Hongcha, Chuanxiong, Houpo, and Gancao, but also prevent the possible safety-incident. All these will greatly improve the efficiency and specificity of current Pharmacopoeia.

Composition and Long-Term Variation Characteristics of Coral Reef Fish Species in Yongle Atoll, Xisha Islands, China.

Yongle Atoll was the largest atoll in the Xisha Islands of the South China Sea, and it was a coral reef ecosystem with important ecological and economic values. In order to better protect and manage the coral reef fish resources in Yongle Atoll, we analyzed field survey data from artisanal fishery, catches, and underwater video from 2020 to 2022 and combined historical research to explore the changes in fish species composition and community structure in Yongle Atoll over the past 50 years. The results showed that a total of 336 species of fish were found on Yongle Atoll, belonging to 17 orders and 60 families. Among them, Perciformes had the most fish species with 259 species accounting for 77.08% of the total number of species. The number of fish species in the coral reef of Yongle Atoll was exponentially correlated with its corresponding maximum length and significantly decreases with its increase. The fish community structure of Yongle Atoll changed, and the proportion of large carnivorous fish decreased significantly, while the proportion of small-sized and medium-sized fish increased. At the same time, Yongle Atoll has 18 species of fish listed on the IUCN Red List, 15 of which are large fish. The average taxonomic distinctness (Delta+, Δ+) and the variation taxonomic distinctness (Lambda+, Λ+) in 2020-2022 were lower than the historical data, and the number of fish orders, families, and genera in Yongle Atoll has decreased significantly, which indicates that the current coral reef fish species in Yongle Atoll have closer relatives and higher fish species uniformity. In addition, the similarity of fish species in Yongle Atoll was relatively low at various time periods, further proving that the fish community structure has undergone significant variation. In general, due to multiple impacts, such as overfishing, fishing methods, environmental changes, and habitat degradation, the fish species composition of Yongle Atoll may have basically evolved from carnivorous to herbivorous, from large fish to small fish, and from complexity to simplicity, leaving Yongle Atoll in an unstable state. Therefore, we need to strengthen the continuous monitoring of the coral reef ecosystem in Yongle Atoll to achieve the protection and restoration of its ecological environment and fishery resources, as well as sustainable utilization and management.

Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-Quadrupole-Exactive-Orbitrap-tandem mass spectrometry-based putative identification for Eucommiae Folium (Duzhongye) and its quality-marker candidate for pharmacopeia.

Eucommiae Folium (Duzhongye) is a traditional Chinese medicine with a long history of use in China. However, its quality-marker in Chinese Pharmacopoeia is poorly defined nowadays. The study, therefore, conducted an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry analysis to obtain accurate data. The obtained data were then compared with the authentic standards library using Xcalibur 4.1 software package and TraceFinder General Quan. Through the comparison, the study has putatively identified 26 bioactive compounds, which include 17 flavonoid derivatives (catechin, quercetin 3-gentiobioside, quercetin 3-O-ß-D-glucose-7-O-ß-D-gentiobioside, taxifolin, myricetin 3-O-galactoside, myricitrin, hyperoside, rutin, isoquercitrin, quercetin 3-O-ß-xylopyranoside, quercitrin, isorhamnetin 3-O-ß-D-glucoside, quercetin, kaempferol, S-eriodictyol, S-naringenin, and phloridzin), four caffeoylquinic acids (neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and isochlorogenic acid C), two alkaloids (vincamine and jervine), one lignan (pinoresinol), one xanthone (cowaxanthone B), and one steroid (cholesteryl acetate). Of these, flavonoid isoquercitrin is recommended as the new and additional pharmacopeia quality-marker candidate, which can not only overcome the unreliability of old quality-marker but also recognize the possible counterfeit.

Comparative Mitogenome Analyses Uncover Mitogenome Features and Phylogenetic Implications of the Parrotfishes (Perciformes: Scaridae).

In order to investigate the molecular evolution of mitogenomes among the family Scaridae, the complete mitogenome sequences of twelve parrotfish species were determined and compared with those of seven other parrotfish species. The comparative analysis revealed that the general features and organization of the mitogenome were similar among the 19 parrotfish species. The base composition was similar among the parrotfishes, with the exception of the genus Calotomus, which exhibited an unusual negative AT skew in the whole mitogenome. The PCGs showed similar codon usage, and all of them underwent a strong purifying selection. The gene rearrangement typical of the parrotfishes was detected, with the tRNAMet inserted between the tRNAIle and tRNAGln, and the tRNAGln was followed by a putative tRNAMet pseudogene. The parrotfish mitogenomes displayed conserved gene overlaps and secondary structure in most tRNA genes, while the non-coding intergenic spacers varied among species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the thirteen PCGs and two rRNAs strongly supported the hypothesis that the parrotfishes could be subdivided into two clades with distinct ecological adaptations. The early divergence of the sea grass and coral reef clades occurred in the late Oligocene, probably related to the expansion of sea grass habitat. Later diversification within the coral reef clade could be dated back to the Miocene, likely associated with the geomorphology alternation since the closing of the Tethys Ocean. This work provided fundamental molecular data that will be useful for species identification, conservation, and further studies on the evolution of parrotfishes.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Cheilinus trilobatus (Perciformes: Labridae).

Cheilinus trilobatus Lacépède, 1801 is a species of genus Cheilinus. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrion genome of C. trilobatus. The mitochondrial genome was 17,292 bp, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one non-coding control region (D-loop). The nucleotide composition was 27.31% A, 25.1% T, 17.23% G, and 30.36% C. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that C. trilobatus was closely related to Cheilinus oxycephalus. The complete mitogenome of C. trilobatus provided basic data for the genetic diversity conservation of this species.

Understanding the impact of unequal utilization of medical services on the consumption of resources in hemophilia.

OBJECTIVE: Unequal utilization of medical services will have a significant impact on the consumption of resources entitled through health insurance claims of patients. With the proposal of the goal of Healthy China, it is essential to achieve the equity of medical service utilization of patients with rare diseases to further promote social equity and justice. To analyze the consumption of medical resources of rare disease patients, so as to explore how different medical insurance types impact patients' medical resources consumption. This study pioneeringly used medical data from Peking Union Medical College Hospital. By analyzing the consumption data, this paper fills the research gap of existing studies on the analysis of medical service utilization inequality based on the perspective of insurance participation by examining the effects of different types of insurance coverage on medical resource consumption of hemophiliacs. At the same time, rare disease patients as a minority group have long been neglected in the analysis of medical resource consumption, and this paper fills the research gap of medical service utilization of this group to a certain extent by taking hemophiliacs as the object of analysis. METHODS: Based on the medical data of hemophilia patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2010 to 2020, we analyze the consumption of medical resources of the patients, and use a multiple regression model to explore how different medical insurance types impact patients' medical resources consumption. RESULTS: The study has three main findings. Firstly, the disparity in medical expenditure among different hemophilia patients is quite obvious, and the drug expense accounts for a large proportion of the total cost. Secondly, the ratio of reimbursement is generally low, and there is a wide difference in the amount of reimbursement for different types of medical insurance. Thirdly, the resource consumption of patients with different medical insurance types differs a lot. CONCLUSION: In order to improve the current medical insurance system and mechanism for providing orphan drugs, we put forward the following suggestions. First of all, the medical security system should expand its coverage to eliminate the medical expenditure gap between different hemophilia patients, therefore better promoting equity under the same insurance type. At the same time, the reimbursement level of medical expenses for patients with rare diseases should be appropriately improved, so as to reduce the financial burden of patients with rare diseases, and promote the realization of economic equity. In addition, society should pay special attention to the disadvantaged groups, reduce the differences between various medical insurance, and improve the level of health and equity of the whole society.

Distribution Pattern of Mangrove Fish Communities in China.

Mangroves are among the most productive marine and coastal ecosystems and play an important role in maintaining the stability and diversity of fish communities. To explore the structure of mangrove fish communities in China, we compiled previous studies, monographs, and two databases on 54 mangrove areas published in the past 30 years. Mangrove fish communities in China comprised Osteichthys (597 species) and Chondrichthyes (14 species), representing 611 species in 344 genera, 117 families, and 28 orders. Perciformes were the predominant taxon, with 350 species in 52 families, accounting for 57% of the total species richness. Reef fish accounted for 29.62%. With regard to feeding groups, there were 328 carnivorous species (53.68%), 214 omnivorous species (35.02%), 41 herbivorous species (6.71%), and 28 detritivores species (4.58%). Classified by body size, 57.61% were small-sized, 24.22% medium-sized, and 18.17% were large-sized fishes. A total of 5.23% (32 species) of these mangrove fish are currently on IUCN red lists, i.e., 2 species are critically endangered, 4 are endangered, 12 are vulnerable, and 14 are near threatened. Cluster analyses shows that Chinese mangroves fish were divided into two categories, i.e., coastal mangrove and island mangrove type. This is closely related to the distribution of reef fish. Moreover, the number of fish species showed a strong positive correlation with mangrove area, but not with latitude. The main reasons may be the subtropical and tropical geographic locations, as well as the characteristics of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Warm Current. The size and integrity of mangrove area are crucial to the local ecosystems; thus, protecting and restoring mangroves is of great significance to large-scale ecosystem-stability and local biodiversity.

Seasonal and spatial variation of protist communities from reef water and open ocean water in patchy coral reef areas of a semi-enclosed bay.

Protists are an important component of the marine ecosystem and play an essential role in material cycle and energy flow, but the distribution of protists in coral reefs have not been fully studied. In this study, high-throughput amplicon sequencing technology was used to study the biodiversity and community structure of protists from coral reefs and open sea areas, with the typical semi-enclosed bay Daya Bay as the research field. There were significant seasonal differences in the dominant phyla of protists, biodiversity index values and ßeta diversity (P < 0.05) but no significant differences in the different sampling areas (P > 0.05). The topological parameters of the co-occurrence network showed the protist co-occurrence network in the open sea had more complex interactions and stronger stability than in the coral reef areas because of the hydrodynamics, waves, and relatively poor nutrients. Redundancy analysis and the Mantel test showed that the structure of the protist community was affected by seawater temperature, pH, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. This study analysed the temporal and spatial differences in protists in the coral reef and open sea areas of Daya Bay to provide important information for the study of protist biodiversity and community structure in semi-enclosed bays.

Response of protist community dynamics and co-occurrence patterns to the construction of artificial reefs: A case study in Daya Bay, China.

Artificial reefs (ARs) are widely used for biodiversity conservation and coastal habitat restoration. Although protists play an important ecological role in marine ecosystems, the response of the protist community to ARs is still poorly understood. In the current study, an Illumina sequencing analysis of 18S rDNA was performed, and the diversity, community structure, and co-occurrence networks of protists in the ARs and open sea area (OW) in Daya Bay were described. The results indicated that significant seasonal differences occur in the seawater protists between the surface and bottom of the ARs and OW. However, the protists in the ARs and OW had different seasonal variations. The ARs always affected the alpha diversity of marine protists in different seasons, while the surface and bottom OW sites had different seasonal effects. The ARs sites had different effects on the community composition of the surface and bottom seawater in different seasons relative to the OW sites. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) method showed that 85 biomarkers mainly belonging to 11 taxa, including Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, and Dinophyceae, were affected by the ARs (P < 0.05, LDA > 2.0). The ARs played an important role in the seasonal changes in the protist community composition and had different effects on the dominant species of protists in the surface and bottom seawater. A redundancy analysis (RDA) significance test showed that the structure of the protist community in Daya Bay was mainly affected by environmental factors, such as seawater temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen. Compared with the OW group, the surface and bottom layers of the ARs had more complex protist interactions or more niches. The ARs increased the degree of spatial heterogeneity, which may lead to significant niche differentiation, indicating that ARs as habitat factors affect the complexity and stability of the symbiotic network of protists. The results could provide basic data on the response of the protist community to the ARs in Daya Bay and a reference for assessments of the impact of ARs on the ecological environment.

Nutrient release from fish cage aquaculture and mitigation strategies in Daya Bay, southern China.

Finfish cage culture is the most predominant form of mariculture. The rapid expansion of fish cage culture systems has raised concerns about their environmental impact, such as nutrient release. In this study, for the first time, we estimated the release of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from fish cage culture in Daya Bay, southern China, by constructing N and P budget models based on a mass balance principle. In addition, the contribution and importance of nutrients from fish culture and other nutrient sources, including submarine groundwater discharge, benthic sediments, local rivers, and atmospheric deposition were assessed. The annual amount of N and P released from fish cage culture was 205.6 metric tons (hereafter tons) of N and 39.2 tons of P, including 142.7 tons of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and 15.1 tons of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP). Among the analyzed nutrient sources, the contributions of DIN and DIP from fish culture were 7.0% and 2.7%, respectively. For cages consuming conventional trash fish, 142 kg of N and 26 kg of P were released into the environment per ton of fish products, much higher than the values (72 kg N and 17.3 kg P) for cages using formulated feed. In fish culture, the dissolved nutrients were more N rich, but the particulate nutrients were more P rich. The ratio of cage-derived N and P was 21.1, higher than the ratio of coastal seawater (27.1), indicating that cage culture may also impact the local nutrient forms around farming regions. Oyster cultivation and harvest removed 126.3 tons of N and 35.1 tons of P from of the bay. Replacing trash fish with formulated feed and co-culturing of nutrient extractive species (e.g., bivalves, macroalgae) and deposit-feeding species (e.g., sea cucumber) in fish culture zones can be efficient nutrient mitigation strategies.

Population genetic structure of Marbled Rockfish, Sebastiscusmarmoratus (Cuvier, 1829), in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Sebastiscusmarmoratus is an ovoviviparous fish widely distributed in the northwestern Pacific. To examine the gene flow and test larval dispersal strategy of S.marmoratus in Chinese and Japanese coastal waters, 421 specimens were collected from 22 localities across its natural distribution. A 458 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced to examine genetic diversity and population structure. One-hundred-six variable sites defined 166 haplotypes. The populations of S.marmoratus showed high haplotype diversity with a range from 0.8587 to 0.9996, indicating a high level of intrapopulation genetic diversity. Low non-significant genetic differentiation was estimated among populations except those of Hyogo, Behai, and Niiigata, which showed significant genetic differences from the other populations. The demographic history examined by neutrality tests, mismatch distribution analysis, and Bayesian skyline analysis suggested a sudden population expansion dating to the late Pleistocene. Recent population expansion in the last glacial period, wide dispersal of larvae by coastal currents, and the homogeneity of the environment may have important influences on the population genetic pattern. Knowledge of genetic diversity and genetic structure will be crucial to establish appropriate fishery management of S.marmoratus.

Short-term effects of ambient air pollution on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admissions in Beijing, China (2013-2017).

PURPOSE: Evidence between air pollution and COPD admissions is inconsistent and limited in China. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of air pollutants on COPD admissions in Beijing, China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Daily COPD hospital admission visits derived from tertiary and secondary hospitals in Beijing were retrieved from January 2013 to February 2017. Air pollutant levels and meteorological data over the same periods were also achieved. Generalized additive model was applied to estimate the percentage changes with 95% CIs in daily admissions corresponding to 10 µg/m3 increases in pollutants levels [1 mg/m3 in carbon monoxide (CO)], stratified by age, gender, and season. RESULTS: Seventy-three thousand seventy-six COPD hospital admission visits were included with mean daily visits of 48 (21). Cumulative lag effect with per 10 µg/m3 increase in air pollutant levels was largest for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) with 3.03% (95% CI: 1.82%-4.26%) at lag 06, for sulfur dioxide (SO2) with 2.07% (95% CI: 1.00%-3.15%) at lag 01, for particulate matter ≤10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) with 0.92% (95% CI: 0.55%-1.30%) at lag 07, and for particulate matter ≤2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) with 0.82% (95% CI: 0.38%-1.26%) at lag 06, respectively. Percentage increase for each 1 mg/m3 increase in CO was 5.99% (95% CI: 2.74%-9.34%) at lag 06. Further, stronger effects on COPD admissions were found in warm seasons than in cold seasons. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposures to PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO had adverse effects on COPD hospitalizations in Beijing with different magnitudes and lag days.

Phylogeography and population structure of - grypotus (Richardson, 1846) as revealed by mitochondrial control region sequences.

The 137 individuals of Johnius grypotus were collected from seven localities from the Bohai Sea to the East China Sea. A 549 base pair (bp) fragment of the hypervariable region of the mtDNA control region was sequenced to examine genetic diversity and population structure. The populations of J. grypotus showed high haplotype diversity (h) with a range from 0.7500 to 0.9740 and low nucleotide diversity (π) with a range from 0.0024 to 0.0067. Low and non-significant genetic differentiation was estimated among populations except for North Yellow Sea population, which has a significant genetic difference with other populations. The demographic history examined by mismatch distribution analyses and Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analyses revealed that a sudden population expansion occurred almost 20 to 40 thousand years before. Relatively recent population expansion in the last glacial period, large dispersal of eggs or larvae carried by coastal current, and the homogeneity of living environment may have an important influence on the population genetic pattern.

Clinical management and associated costs for moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease in urban China: a Delphi panel study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare resource utilisation for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in China is not well understood. This Delphi panel study aimed to describe the clinical management pathways for moderate and severe AD patients in urban China and to define the amount and cost of healthcare resources used. METHODS: A panel of 11 experts was recruited from urban China to participate in two rounds of preparatory interviews. In the first round, 9 physicians specialised in dementia gave a qualitative description of the clinical management of AD patients. In the second round, 2 hospital administrators were asked about the cost of AD management and care. Results from the interviews were discussed by the experts in a Delphi panel meeting, where consensus was reached on quantitative aspects of AD management, including the rate of healthcare resource utilisation, the respective unit costs and caregiving time. RESULTS: Interviewees reported that mild AD is under-recognised in China; most patients are diagnosed with moderate to severe AD. Loss of independence and agitation/aggression are the main drivers for healthcare resource utilisation and contribute to a heavier caregiver burden. It was estimated that 70 % moderate AD patients are independent/non-aggressive at the time of diagnosis, 15 % are independent/aggressive, 10 % are dependent/non-aggressive, and 5 % are dependent/aggressive. Dependent/aggressive AD patients are more likely to be hospitalised (70-90 %) than accepted in a nursing home (0-20 %), while the opposite is true for dependent/non-aggressive patients (5-35 % for hospitalisation vs. 80 % for nursing home). Independent AD patients require 1-3 hours/day of caregiver time, while dependent patients can require up to 12-15 hours/day. Experts agreed that AD complicates the management of age-related comorbidities, found in 70-80 % of all AD patients, increasing the frequency and cost of hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi panel approach was an efficient method of gathering data about the amount of healthcare resources used and associated costs for moderate and severe AD patients in urban China. The results of this study provide a useful source of information for decision makers to improve future healthcare policies and resource planning, as well as to perform economic evaluations of AD therapies.