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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Dissemination of blaNDM-5 and mcr-8.1 in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae in an animal breeding area in Eastern China

Animal farms have become one of the most important reservoirs of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. (CRK) owing to the wide usage of veterinary antibiotics. “One Health”-studies observing animals, the environment, and humans are necessary to understand the dissemination of CRK in animal breeding areas. Based on the concept of “One-Health,” 263 samples of animal feces, wastewater, well water, and human feces from 60 livestock and poultry farms in Shandong province, China were screened for CRK. Five carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and three carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella quasipneumoniae (CRKQ) strains were isolated from animal feces, human feces, and well water. The eight strains were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, plasmid conjugation assays, whole-genome sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis. All strains carried the carbapenemase-encoding gene bla NDM-5 , which was flanked by the same core genetic structure (IS 5 - bla NDM-5 - ble MBL - trpF - dsbD -IS 26 -IS Kox3 ) and was located on highly related conjugative IncX3 plasmids. The colistin resistance gene mcr-8.1 was carried by three CRKP and located on self-transmissible IncFII(K)/IncFIA(HI1) and IncFII(pKP91)/IncFIA(HI1) plasmids. The genetic context of mcr-8.1 consisted of IS 903 - orf - mcr-8.1-copR-baeS-dgkA - orf -IS 903 in three strains. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis confirmed the clonal spread of CRKP carrying- bla NDM-5 and mcr-8.1 between two human workers in the same chicken farm. Additionally, the SNP analysis showed clonal expansion of CRKP and CRKQ strains from well water in different farms, and the clonal CRKP was clonally related to isolates from animal farms and a wastewater treatment plant collected in other studies in the same province. These findings suggest that CRKP and CRKQ are capable of disseminating via horizontal gene transfer and clonal expansion and may pose a significant threat to public health unless preventative measures are taken.

Yang, Chengxia↗
DOE OSTI2022

Metabolic activity and community structure of prokaryotes associated with particles in the twilight zone of the South China Sea

The twilight zone is an important depth of the ocean where particulate organic matter (POM) remineralization takes place, and prokaryotes contribute to more than 70% of the estimated remineralization. However, little is known about the microbial community and metabolic activity associated with different particles in the twilight zone. The composition and distribution of particle-attached prokaryotes in the twilight zone of the South China Sea (SCS) were investigated using high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR, together with the Biolog Ecoplate™ microplates culture to analyze the microbial metabolic activity. We found that α- and γ-Proteobacteria dominating at the lower and upper boundary of the twilight zone, respectively; Methanosarcinales and Halobacteriales of the Euyarchaeota occupied in the larger particles at the upper boundary. Similar microbial community existed between euphotic layer and the upper boundary. Higher amount of shared Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in the larger particles along the water depths, might be due to the fast sinking and major contribution of carbon flux of the larger particles from the euphotic layer. In addition to polymers as the major carbon source, carbohydrates and amino acids were preferentially used by microbial community at the upper and lower boundary, respectively. This could potentially be attributed to the metabolic capabilities of attached microbial groups in different particles, and reflected the initial preference of the carbon source by the natural microbes in the twilight zone as well. The microbial structure and carbon metabolic profiles could be complemented with metatranscriptomic analysis in future studies to augment the understanding of the complex carbon cycling pathways in the twilight zone.

Liu, Hao↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ocular biological parameters and prevalence of myopia in vocational high school and general high school in China

Significance Higher prevalence of myopia is possibly associated with more extended schooling schedules. Therefore, adjustments to high school curricula may aid in reducing the prevalence of myopia among adolescents. Purpose To investigate the prevalence of myopia among 15- to 18-year-old adolescents in Tianjin, China, and to evaluate the impact of different educational schedules on the prevalence of myopia among high school students. Methods This is a school-based epidemiological study with a cross-sectional design. Ocular biological parameters and noncycloplegic photorefraction were examined using optical biometry devices and photoscreener devices. Each student’s spherical equivalent (SE) and ocular biometry were recorded, and the prevalence of myopia was calculated. Results A total of 2,867 participants (1,519 males and 1,348 females) were tested for non-cycloplegic refraction, axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens thickness (LT). In this research, the overall prevalence of myopia was 81.6%, with high myopia accounting for 11.8%. Myopia prevalence was substantially higher in general high schools than in vocational high schools, with 86.1 and 70.1%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of myopia ( p = 0.744) or high myopia ( p = 0.851) across the three vocational school years. In the general high school, however, there was an increase of 4.6% ( p < 0.05) in myopia prevalence between year 10 and year12. Conclusion Comparing vocational and standard high school students, there are considerable disparities in prevalence of myopia, spherical equivalent, and ocular biological parameters. The prevalence of myopia and high myopia increased among standard high school students, but remained relatively consistent among students in vocational schools.

Liu, Yang↗
DOE OSTI2023

COVID-19 vaccination status, side effects, and perceptions among breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional study in China

Introduction Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, vaccination data of this population are limited. Methods A cross-sectional study of COVID-19 vaccination was conducted in China. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination status. Results Of 2,904 participants, 50.2% were vaccinated with acceptable side effects. Most of the participants received inactivated virus vaccines. The most common reason for vaccination was “fear of infection” (56.2%) and “workplace/government requirement” (33.1%). While the most common reason for nonvaccination was “worry that vaccines cause breast cancer progression or interfere with treatment” (72.9%) and “have concerns about side effects or safety” (39.6%). Patients who were employed (odds ratio, OR = 1.783, p = 0.015), had stage I disease at diagnosis (OR = 2.008, p = 0.019), thought vaccines could provide protection (OR = 1.774, p = 0.007), thought COVID-19 vaccines were safe, very safe, not safe, and very unsafe (OR = 2.074, p < 0.001; OR = 4.251, p < 0.001; OR = 2.075, p = 0.011; OR = 5.609, p = 0.003, respectively) were more likely to receive vaccination. Patients who were 1–3 years, 3–5 years, and more than 5 years after surgery (OR = 0.277, p < 0.001; OR = 0.277, p < 0.001, OR = 0.282, p < 0.001, respectively), had a history of food or drug allergies (OR = 0.579, p = 0.001), had recently undergone endocrine therapy (OR = 0.531, p < 0.001) were less likely to receive vaccination. Conclusion COVID-19 vaccination gap exists in breast cancer survivors, which could be filled by raising awareness and increasing confidence in vaccine safety during cancer treatment, particularly for the unemployed individuals.

Xu, Yali↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessing heterogeneity of patient and health system delay among TB in a population with internal migrants in China

Backgrounds The diagnostic delay of tuberculosis (TB) contributes to further transmission and impedes the implementation of the End TB Strategy. Therefore, we aimed to describe the characteristics of patient delay, health system delay, and total delay among TB patients in Shanghai, identify areas at high risk for delay, and explore the potential factors of long delay at individual and spatial levels. Method The study included TB patients among migrants and residents in Shanghai between January 2010 and December 2018. Patient and health system delays exceeding 14 days and total delays exceeding 28 days were defined as long delays. Time trends of long delays were evaluated by Joinpoint regression. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze influencing factors of long delays. Spatial analysis of delays was conducted using ArcGIS, and the hierarchical Bayesian spatial model was utilized to explore associated spatial factors. Results Overall, 61,050 TB patients were notified during the study period. Median patient, health system, and total delays were 12 days (IQR: 3–26), 9 days (IQR: 4–18), and 27 days (IQR: 15–43), respectively. Migrants, females, older adults, symptomatic visits to TB-designated facilities, and pathogen-positive were associated with longer patient delays, while pathogen-negative, active case findings and symptomatic visits to non-TB-designated facilities were associated with long health system delays (LHD). Spatial analysis revealed Chongming Island was a hotspot for patient delay, while western areas of Shanghai, with a high proportion of internal migrants and industrial parks, were at high risk for LHD. The application of rapid molecular diagnostic methods was associated with reduced health system delays. Conclusion Despite a relatively shorter diagnostic delay of TB than in the other regions in China, there was vital social-demographic and spatial heterogeneity in the occurrence of long delays in Shanghai. While the active case finding and rapid molecular diagnosis reduced the delay, novel targeted interventions are still required to address the challenges of TB diagnosis among both migrants and residents in this urban setting.

Sun, Ruoyao↗
DOE OSTI2021

Evaluating China’s Passenger Vehicle Market under the Vehicle Policies of 2021–2023

China is well known for its determination on large-scale vehicle electrification, which currently is mainly driven by fuel economy and electric vehicle policies mixed with the extensive charging infrastructure support and monetary incentives from the government. This study adopted the New Energy and Oil Consumption Credits (NEOCC) model 2020 version, a vehicle policy analysis tool developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in order to systematically quantify the potential impacts of the “Passenger Cars Corporate Average Fuel Consumption and New Energy Vehicle Credit Regulation”, which is a revised version released in June 2020 for the timeframe 2021–2023, the so-called dual credit policy (2021–2023). It was found that, under the dual credit policy (2021–2023), the sales of hybrid electric vehicles could reach 0.91 million by the end of 2023, which would increase much faster than they did in 2018–2020. The annual sales share of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) could reach 11.7%, and the PEV stocks could achieve 11.70 million by the end of 2023 if it keeps the expansion to the level of how it was in 2017. In addition, the BEVs with long electric range (such as 400 km) and the plug-in hybrid electric SUVs could be the most popular PEV types.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Measurement report: Molecular composition, optical properties, and radiative effects of water-soluble organic carbon in snowpack samples from northern Xinjiang, China

Abstract. Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in the cryosphere has an important impact on the biogeochemistry cycling and snow–ice surface energy balance through changes in the surface albedo. This work reports on the chemical characterization of WSOC in 28 representative snowpack samples collected across a regional area of northern Xinjiang, northwestern China. We employed multimodal analytical chemistry techniques to investigate both bulk and molecular-level composition of WSOC and its optical properties, informing the follow-up radiative forcing (RF) modeling estimates. Based on the geographic differences and proximity of emission sources, the snowpack collection sites were grouped as urban/industrial (U), rural/remote (R), and soil-influenced (S) sites, for which average WSOC total mass loadings were measured as 1968 ± 953 ng g−1 (U), 885 ± 328 ng g−1 (R), and 2082 ± 1438 ng g−1 (S), respectively. The S sites showed the higher mass absorption coefficients at 365 nm (MAC365) of 0.94 ± 0.31 m2 g−1 compared to those of U and R sites (0.39 ± 0.11 m2 g−1 and 0.38 ± 0.12 m2 g−1, respectively). Bulk composition of WSOC in the snowpack samples and its basic source apportionment was inferred from the excitation–emission matrices and the parallel factor analysis featuring relative contributions of one protein-like (PRLIS) and two humic-like (HULIS-1 and HULIS-2) components with ratios specific to each of the S, U, and R sites. Additionally, a sample from site 120 showed unique pollutant concentrations and spectroscopic features remarkably different from all other U, R, and S samples. Molecular-level characterization of WSOC using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) provided further insights into chemical differences among four types of samples (U, R, S, and 120). Specifically, many reduced-sulfur-containing species with high degrees of unsaturation and aromaticity were uniquely identified in U samples, suggesting an anthropogenic source. Aliphatic/protein-like species showed the highest contribution in R samples, indicating their biogenic origin. The WSOC components from S samples showed high oxygenation and saturation levels. A few unique CHON and CHONS compounds with high unsaturation degree and molecular weight were detected in the 120 sample, which might be anthraquinone derivatives from plant debris. Modeling of the WSOC-induced RF values showed warming effects of 0.04 to 0.59 W m−2 among different groups of sites, which contribute up to 16 % of that caused by black carbon (BC), demonstrating the important influences of WSOC on the snow energy budget.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Applying double cropping and interactive irrigation in the North China Plain using WRF4.5

Abstract. Irrigated cultivation exerts a significant influence on the local climate and the hydrological cycle. The North China Plain (NCP) is known for its intricate agricultural system, marked by expansive cropland, high productivity, compact rotation, a semi-arid climate, and intensive irrigation practices. As a result, there has been considerable attention on the potential impact of this intensive irrigated agriculture on the local climate. However, studying the irrigation impact in this region has been challenging due to the lack of an accurate simulation of crop phenology and irrigation practices within the climate model. By incorporating double cropping with interactive irrigation, our study extends the capabilities of the Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model, which has previously demonstrated commendable performance in simulating single-cropping scenarios. This allows for two-way feedback between irrigated crops and climate, further enabling the inclusion of irrigation feedback from both ground and vegetation perspectives. The improved crop modeling system shows significant enhancement in capturing vegetation and irrigation patterns, which is evidenced by its ability to identify crop stages, estimate field biomass, predict crop yield, and project monthly leaf area index. The improved simulation of large-scale irrigated crops in the NCP can further enhance our understanding of the intricate relationship between agricultural development and climate change.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Forecasting the Impact of Dual-credit Policy (2021-2023) on China's Electric Vehicle Market

China is well known for its ambition on large-scale vehicle electrification which currently is mainly driven by fuel economy and electric vehicle policies. This study adopts the New Energy and Oil Consumption Credits (NEOCC) model, a vehicle policy analysis tool developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to systematically quantify the potential impacts of the “Passenger Cars Corporate Average Fuel Consumption and New Energy Vehicle Credit Regulation” which was released in June 2020 for the timeframe 2021-2023, so called dual-credit policy (2021-2023). It is found that, under the dual-credit policy (2021-2023), the sales of low fuel consumption conventional vehicles will increase faster than they were in 2018-2020, and the share of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) could reach 11.4% by 2023 if it keeps the expansion as it was in 2017. Besides, the BEVs with long electric range (such as 400 km) and the plugin hybrid SUVs would be the most popular PEV types.

Ou, Shawn↗
DOE OSTI2020

Risk‐based, response‐adapted therapy for early‐stage extranodal nasal‐type NK /T‐cell lymphoma in the modern chemotherapy era: A China Lymphoma Collaborative Group study

Abstract We aimed to determine the survival benefits of chemotherapy (CT) added to radiotherapy (RT) in different risk groups of patients with early‐stage extranodal nasal‐type NK/T‐cell lymphoma (ENKTCL), and to investigate the risk of postponing RT based on induction CT responses. A total of 1360 patients who received RT with or without new‐regimen CT from 20 institutions were retrospectively reviewed. The patients had received RT alone, RT followed by CT (RT + CT), or CT followed by RT (CT + RT). The patients were stratified into different risk groups using the nomogram‐revised risk index (NRI). A comparative study was performed using propensity score‐matched (PSM) analysis. Adding new‐regimen CT to RT (vs RT alone) significantly improved overall survival (OS, 73.2% vs 60.9%, P < .001) and progression‐free survival (PFS, 63.5% vs 54.2%, P < .001) for intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients, but not for low‐risk patients. For intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients, RT + CT and CT + RT resulted in non‐significantly different OS (77.7% vs 72.4%; P = .290) and PFS (67.1% vs 63.1%; P = .592). For patients with complete response (CR) after induction CT, initiation of RT within or beyond three cycles of CT resulted in similar OS (78.2% vs 81.7%, P = .915) and PFS (68.2% vs 69.9%, P = .519). For patients without CR, early RT resulted in better PFS (63.4% vs 47.6%, P = .019) than late RT. Risk‐based, response‐adapted therapy involving early RT combined with CT is a viable, effective strategy for intermediate‐risk/high‐risk early‐stage patients with ENKTCL in the modern treatment era.

Qi, Shu‐Nan↗
DOE OSTI2022

Can fractal dimensions objectivize gastropod shell morphometrics? A case study from Lake Lugu (SW China)

1. Morphometrics are fundamental for the analysis of size and shape in fossils, particularly because soft parts or DNA are rarely preserved and hard parts such as shells are commonly the only source of information. Geometric morphometrics, that is, landmark analysis, is well established for the description of shape but it exhibits a couple of shortcomings resulting from subjective choices during landmarking (number and position of landmarks) and from difficulties in resolving shape at the level of micro-sculpture. 2. With the aid of high-resolution 3D scanning technology and analyses of fractal dimensions, we test whether such shortcomings of linear and landmark morphometrics can be overcome. As a model group, we selected a clade of modern viviparid gastropods from Lake Lugu, with shells that show a high degree of sculptural variation. Linear and landmark analyses were applied to the same shells in order to establish the fractal dimensions. 3. The genetic diversity of the gastropod clade was assessed. The genetic results suggest that the gastropod clade represents a single species. The results of all morphometric methods applied are in line with the genetic results, which is that no specific morphotype could be delimited. Apart from this overall agreement, landmark and fractal dimension analyses do not correspond to each other but represent data sets with different information. Generally, the fractal dimension values quantify the roughness of the shell surface, the resolution of the 3D scans determining the level. In our approach, we captured the micro-sculpture but not the first-order sculptural elements, which explains that fractal dimension and landmark data are not in phase. 4. We can show that analyzing fractal dimensions of gastropod shells opens a window to more detailed information that can be considered in evolutionary and ecological contexts. We propose that using low-resolution 3D scans may successfully substitute landmark analyses because it overcomes the subjective landmarking. Analyses of 3D scans with higher resolution than used in this study will provide surface roughness information at the mineralogical level. We suggest that fractal dimension analyses of a combination of differently resolved 3D models will significantly improve the quality of shell morphometrics.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Genetic variation in nitrogen‐use efficiency and its associated traits in dryland winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars released from the 1940s to the 2010s in Shaanxi Province, China

Abstract BACKGROUND Improving the nitrogen‐use efficiency (NUE) of wheat can help mitigate the problems of poor soil fertility under dryland conditions. We conducted field experiments using three nitrogen (N) fertilization levels (0, 120, and 180 kg ha −1 ) applied to eight dryland wheat cultivars to assess NUE and its associated traits. RESULTS The grain yield significantly increased with the improvement in variety, mainly as a result of a substantial increase in 1000‐grain weight and harvest index. Modern wheat varieties have stabilized at an optimal plant height and exhibited improved performance in terms of NUE, partial N productivity, N harvest index, and grain protein content compared to older varieties. The NUE of wheat gradually increased with variety replacement. The net photosynthesis rate of the flag leaves in the filling stage improved with the year of cultivar release; Increasing soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) values of flag leaves in the flowering and filling stages were observed over time, with the flag leaves of modern varieties showing a high chlorophyll content in the filling stage. Additionally, the principal component analysis showed that the SPAD value, grain number per unit area, transpiration rate, leaf area, and grain protein content positively contributed to the clustering of the N180 and modern cultivars (from the 2000s to 2010s). CONCLUSION Overall, high levels of N application did not significantly improve the NUE of wheat. However, modern wheat varieties can optimize N distribution, increase flag leaf photosynthetic capacity, and improve photosynthesis ability, thus enhancing NUE to achieve high yields under a suitable level of N supply. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Lian, Huida↗