Symptoms In China Research Articles

Keeping up with the Wangs: individual and contextual influences on mental wellbeing and depressive symptoms in China

BackgroundIn recent decades, China has experienced dramatic changes to its social and economic environment, which has affected the distribution of wellbeing across its citizens. While several studies have investigated individual level predictors of wellbeing in the Chinese population, less research has been done looking at contextual effects. This cross-sectional study looks at the individual and contextual effects of (regional) education, unemployment and marriage (rate) on individual happiness, life satisfaction and depressive symptomatology.MethodsData were collected from over 29,000 individuals (aged 18 to 110, 51.91% female) in the China Family Panel Studies, and merged with county level census data obtained from the 2010 China Population Census and Statistical Yearbook. To explore contextual effects, we used multilevel models accounting for the hierarchical structure of the data.ResultsWe found that a one-year increase in education was associated with a 0.17% increase in happiness and a 0.16% decrease in depressive symptoms. Unemployed men were 1% less happy, 1% less satisfied with life and reported 0.84% more depressive symptoms than employed men while minimal effects were seen for women. Single, divorced and widowed individuals had worse outcomes than married individuals (ranging from 2.96 to 21% differences). We found interaction effects for education and employment. Less educated individuals had greater happiness and less depressive symptoms in counties with higher average education compared to counterparts in less educated counties. In contrast, more educated individuals were less satisfied with life in more educated counties, an effect that is possibly due to social comparison. Employed individuals had lower life satisfaction in areas of high unemployment, while levels were constant for the unemployed. A 1% increase in county marriage rate was associated with 0.33 and 0.24% increases in happiness and life satisfaction respectively, with no interactions. We speculate that this effect could be due to greater social cohesion in the neighbourhood.ConclusionsOur results show that policies designed to improve employment and marriage rates will be beneficial for all, while interventions to encourage positive social comparison strategies may help to offset the negative effects of increasing neighbourhood average education on the highly educated.

Developmental Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms in Chinese College Students: Latent Classes and Gender Effect

Depressive symptoms are prevalent in Chinese college students, but little is known about the heterogeneity in the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms in China. This study examined heterogeneity in the development of depressive symptoms and examined the effect of gender on the developmental trajectories over a 14-month period among Chinese college students (N = 1163, mean age 20.18, 80.31% female). Three different trajectories, moderate-increasing, high-stable and low-stable, captured the heterogeneity in the development of depressive symptoms. Gender showed significant influence on class membership. Relative to the moderate-increasing class, males emerged as significantly more likely than females to be found in the low-stable class (odds ratio (OR) = 2.73, 95% CI = (1.21, 6.13), p = 0.015) and the high-stable class (OR = 5.10, 95% CI = (1.12, 23.18), p = 0.035). The results provide additional evidence for the conclusion that the trajectories of depressive symptoms are heterogeneous with Chinese samples. Moreover, cultural difference should be paid more attention to when examining the effect of gender and other predictors of the trajectories of depressive symptoms.

Chemotaxonomic Classification of Peucedanum japonicum and Its Chemical Correlation with Peucedanum praeruptorum, Angelica decursiva, and Saposhnikovia divaricata by Liquid Chromatography Combined with Chemometrics.

The roots of Peucedanum japonicum (Apiaceae) have been used as an alternative to the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Apiaceae) to treat common cold-related symptoms in Korea. However, a variety of Peucedanum species, including the roots of P. praeruptorum or Angelica decursiva (=P. decursivum), have been used to treat phlegm–heat-induced symptoms in China. Hence, as there are differences in the medicinal application of P. japonicum roots between Korea and China, chemotaxonomic classification of P. japonicum was evaluated. Sixty samples derived from P. japonicum, P. praeruptorum, A. decursiva, and S. divaricata were phylogenetically identified using DNA barcoding tools, and chemotaxonomic correlations among the samples were evaluated using chromatographic profiling with chemometric analyses. P. japonicum samples were phylogenetically grouped into the same cluster as P. praeruptorum samples, followed by S. divaricata samples at the next cluster level, whereas A. decursiva samples were widely separated from the other species. Moreover, P. japonicum samples showed higher chemical correlations with P. praeruptorum samples or A. decursiva samples, but lower or negative chemical correlations with S. divaricata samples. These results demonstrate that P. japonicum is more genetically and chemically relevant to P. praeruptorum or A. decursiva and, accordingly, the medicinal application of P. japonicum might be closer to the therapeutic category of these two species than that of S. divaricata.

Adult Children's Intergenerational Mobility and Older Adults' Self-Rated Health: A U.S.-China Comparison.

This study examines whether and how adult children's educational mobility is associated with the self-rated health of older adults aged 50 and above in China and the United States. The analytic sample included 12,445 Chinese respondents from the 2011 to 2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, and 17,121 US respondents from the 2010 to 2012 Health and Retirement Study. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between children's educational mobility and parents' self-rated health, and the Karlson-Holm-Breen-method was used for mediation analysis. Adult children's upward mobility was associated with their parents' better health in both countries. This association was mediated by child-to-parent economic support, as well as parents' social engagement and depressive symptoms in China; in the United States, parents' depression was the only significant mediator. This study is among the first to empirically show the benefit of adult children's upward mobility for their parents' health. The cross-national differences in the mediating paths suggest that the cross-over effect of children's intergenerational mobility on their parents' health is embedded within specific sociocultural contexts.

Molecular and immunochemical characterization of profilin as major allergen from Platanus acerifolia pollen

BackgroundThe Platanus acerifolia (P. acerifolia) pollen is one of the most common causes of allergic respiratory symptoms in China. However, the allergenic components in P. acerifolia are not fully studied yet. The study aimed to determine the molecular and immunochemical characterization of the profilin from P. acerifolia pollen. MethodsThe coding sequence of profilin was amplified, cloned, and then expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 cells and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. Protein refolding was followed by structural characterization and homology 3D model building. The allergenicity and cross-reactivity were assessed by ELISA, immunoblotting, or basophil activation test (BAT) using the sera of P. acerifolia allergic patients. ResultsThe cDNA sequence of profilin was cloned with a 396 bp open reading frame coding for 131 amino acids. The molecular weight of the profilin was approximately 14 kDa, and the predicted structure consisted of 3 α-helixes and 7 β-sheets. Physicochemical analysis indicated the profilin was a stable, relatively thermostable, and relatively conserved protein. The allergenicity determined by ELISA, western blot, and BAT suggested 76.9% (30/39) of the P. acerifolia pollen allergic patients displayed specific IgE recognition of the profilin. The profilin shared > 80% sequence identity with Pop n 2, the profilin from Populus nigra, and observed a significant cross-reactivity with Pop n 2 in IgE-inhibition assay. ConclusionProfilin, as one of the major component allergens in P. acerifolia pollen, was identified and characterized at molecular and immunochemical levels in this study. These findings would contribute to developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for P. acerifolia pollen allergic patients.

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Herbal Medicine Xiao Yao San in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background and Aims: Functional gastrointestinal disorders are now named disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) according to the Rome IV criteria, characterized by the interaction of gastrointestinal symptoms and dysregulation of central nervous systems. Xiao-Yao-San (XYS) is effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms in China, especially in patients with concurrent mood disorders. A meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiao-Yao-San for FGIDs. Methods: We searched randomized controlled trials in seven databases from their inception till November 22, 2021. Pooled analysis included therapeutic efficacy, symptom score, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) score, and the recurrence rate. Conventional meta-analysis with random-effects model or fixed-effects model and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were performed. Results: A total of 48 RCTs were eligible for inclusion (n = 4,403). Meta-analysis results showed that XYS could improve the effective rate of FGIDs compared with western drugs [RR = 1.23; (95%CI, 1.19–1.27); p < 0.00001], and XYS combined with western medicine could also improve the effective rate [RR = 1.26; (95%CI, 1.21–1.33); p < 0.00001]. In addition, XYS could reduce the symptom score [SMD = −1.07; (95%CI −1.42, -0.72); Z = 6.03; p < 0.00001], SAS score [MD = −6.24; (95%CI −7.48, −4.99); Z = 9.81; p < 0.00001] and SDS score [MD = -6.70; (95%CI −8.18, −5.21); Z = 8.83; p < 0.00001] of FGIDs patients, and reduce the recurrence rate [MD = -6.70; (95%CI −8.18, −5.21); Z = 8.83; p < 0.00001]. XYS was safe in most cases and no serious adverse events were observed in any of the included trials. TAS showed adequate “information size” for the primary outcome, and further confirmed the efficacy of XYS in the treatment of FGIDs. Conclusion: XYS could improve symptoms and reduce recurrence rates in FGIDs patients, and XYS may be a potential candidate for the treatment of FGIDs. However, due to the limited quality of current studies, more long-term, randomized, double-blinded clinical trials are needed in future studies. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=284308, identifier CRD42021284308.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Few studies have focused on depressive symptoms among patients with chronic low back pain in China. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain.Methods: From May to August 2021, 1,172 patients with chronic low back pain were recruited in China. Depressive symptoms were assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire. Associations of demographic characteristics, clinical characters and social-psychological factors with depressive symptoms were investigated among patients with chronic low back pain.Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 25.00%. Logistic regression analysis found that duration of pain in 1-5 years (1-3 years: OR = 2.91, 95%CI: 1.65-5.14, 3-5 years: OR = 3.09, 95%CI: 1.55-6.15) and more severe pain (OR = 1.13, 95%CI: 1.10-1.17) were associated with higher risks of depressive symptoms. Better family function (good family function: OR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.15-0.41, moderate family dysfunction: OR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.29-0.77) and higher pain self-efficacy (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.93-0.95) were associated with lower risks of depressive symptoms.Conclusion: Patients with chronic low back pain have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in China. Duration of pain, pain severity, family function and pain self-efficacy were predictors of depressive symptoms among chronic low back pain patients in China. Early identification of the associated factors may be helpful for the timely management of depressive symptoms.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Symptoms in China: A Longitudinal, Population-Based Study

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Symptoms in China: A Longitudinal, Population-Based Study

The Association Between Family Function and Adolescents' Depressive Symptoms in China: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis.

The complex interrelationships between family function and adolescents' depressive symptoms are not yet fully clarified, especially in China. Based on the family systems theory, this study explored the relationships between family function and Chinese adolescents' depressive symptoms by a 3-year longitudinal study design. Three waves of data were collected from 1,301 Chinese middle school students in Grade 7 to Grade 9. All participants completed the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (CFAI) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) once a year during the junior middle school period. Our results showed that both family function and adolescent depressive symptoms were stable in Grade 7 and Grade 8, but in Grade 9, family function increased and depressive symptoms declined. Furthermore, we found that the family function in Grade 7 negatively influenced depressive symptoms of adolescents in Grade 8, while adolescent depressive symptoms in Grade 8 negatively impacted subsequent family function in Grade 9, namely there was a circular effect between family function and adolescent depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that the associations between family function and adolescents' depressive symptoms are dynamic and time-dependent. Our study contributes to the intervention aimed at the reduction of adolescent depressive symptoms from the family perspective.

Isolation and Identification of Type F Bovine Enterovirus from Clinical Cattle with Diarrhoea.

Recently, bovine enterovirus (BEV) has caused several respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases outbreaks in cattle. Monitoring the epidemiological and pathogenic characteristics of this virus is crucial to controlling its spread. We isolated a BEV strain with typical cytopathic effects from the faeces of cows with significant diarrhoeal symptoms in China and observed the viral particles within 20–30 nm through transmission electron microscopy. Then, we designated this strain as HB19-1 in this study. The multistep growth curves showed that the virus propagated well in the MDBK cells. Molecular genetic analysis of VP1 indicated that HB19-1 belonged to the BEV-F1 group. Although the challenged ICR mice did not exhibit typical disease symptoms in animal infection assay, we observed significant pathological damage in the lungs, intestines, and muscle tissues. In summary, we isolated a BEV strain HB19-1 causing severe diarrhoea in cattle and proposed reinforcing the epidemiological surveillance of this virus.

Caring as curing: Grandparenting and depressive symptoms in China

Research on grandparenting (i.e., caring for grandchildren) and mental health in Asian contexts has been limited, despite the rapid growth of older adults who take care of grandchildren. This study aims to investigate how grandparenting influences depressive symptoms in China. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011–2015, N = 4354), we conducted fixed effects regression models to examine the association between various types of grandparenting and depressive symptoms among older adults between the ages of 45 and 80. The results show that for grandparents, providing care to their grandchildren in skipped-generation households (i.e., grandparent-grandchildren families without adult children) is associated with a lower level of depressive symptoms compared to providing no care, after controlling for socioeconomic status, health behaviors, social support, and basic demographic characteristics. Other types of care (i.e., multigenerational household grandparenting, and part-time and full-time noncoresident grandparenting) are not significantly linked to caregiving grandparents’ depressive symptoms. Overall, our findings suggest that sociocultural contexts need to be considered in explaining the different mental health implications of grandparenting.

Association between Subjective Body Image, Body Mass Index and Psychological Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Conflicting findings were reported about the associations between subjective body image (SBI), body mass index (BMI) and psychological symptoms in China and other countries in the world. In this study, we aim to explore the associations between SBI, BMI, and psychological symptoms based on a large-scale, national wide survey among Chinese adolescents. Methods: The 2014–2015 China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) database, with 8134 middle school students (4137 boys and 3997 girls), was analyzed to explore the association between SBI, BMI and psychological symptoms. SBI was assessed by one question about the perception of own body shape with options “very thin”, “slightly thin”, “average”, “weak heavy”, and “very heavy”. BMI was calculated by the self-reported body weight and height. Psychological symptoms were evaluated by 10 items involving both aspects of depression and anxiety. Results: The results indicated that both boys and girls who perceived weak or very heavy weight were positively associated with psychological symptoms (p < 0.05). For boys, perceiving very thin body image was also in higher risk of psychological symptoms (p < 0.05), after controlling social-demographic variables and BMI. Comparing with normal weight boys or girls, obese boys (β = −2.22, 95% CI −3.37~−1.07) and overweight girls (β = −1.03, 95% CI −2.01~−0.06) were in lower levels of psychological symptoms after controlling for SBI. Other factors associated with psychological symptoms were family economic status, academic performance, and self-rated health status. Conclusions: A deviation from an “average” SBI was positively associated with psychological symptoms, which should be scanned when evaluating the Chinese adolescents’ mental health. These findings provide epidemiological evidence for the association between SBI and psychological symptoms in non-western social contexts.

Individual Differences in Tendencies Toward Internet Use Disorder, Internet Literacy and Their Link to Autistic Traits in Both China and Germany.

Recent evidence demonstrates that Internet Use Disorder tendencies (IUD; formerly known as Internet Addiction) are associated with higher tendencies toward autistic traits. In the present study, we aimed to further explore this association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits in a large cohort of German and Chinese subjects (total N = 1,524; mostly student background) who completed the short Internet-Addiction-Test, the Autism-Spectrum-Quotient, and the Internet-Literacy-Questionnaire. Moreover, the present research also enabled us to study potential differences in the investigated variables between the Chinese and German cultures. First, the results indicated higher occurrence of IUD symptoms in China. Moreover, Chinese subjects scored significantly higher on all ILQ dimensions than German participants, with the exception of self-regulation where the reverse picture appeared. Second, results confirmed a positive association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits both in China and Germany, although effect sizes were low to medium (China: r = 0.19 vs. Germany: r = 0.36). Going beyond the literature, the present study also assessed individual differences in Internet Literacy and shows in how far variables such as technical expertise, production and interaction, reflection and critical analysis as well as self-regulation in the realm of the Internet usage influence the aforementioned association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits. Although the present study is limited by being of correlational nature it is discussed how the association between IUD tendencies and autistic traits might be explained.

The association between water source and depressive symptoms in China: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study

BackgroundThis study investigates the associations between residential water sources and symptoms of depression and the relationships between switching residential water sources and symptoms of depression in middle-aged and elderly people in China. MethodsThe cross-sectional study included 12,713 participants and the longitudinal study included 8,286 participants. Symptoms of depression were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multiple logistic and Cox regression analyses were used to identify associations between water sources and symptoms of depression. ResultsParticipants without tap water were more likely to have depressive symptoms than participants with tap water (odds ratio (OR): 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–1.42) (hazard ratio (HR): 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09–1.28). The lack of access to tap water in residence was positively related to the prevalence and incidence of symptoms of depression in almost all subgroups. Changing the water source from non-tap to tap water decreased the risk of depressive symptoms (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60 - 0.79). LimitationsThe results may not be generalizable to the whole population. ConclusionsThese results suggest that no tap water in residence is a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Therefore, providing tap water in residence may help prevent depression.

Chronic Lung Diseases and the Risk of Depressive Symptoms Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Chronic lung diseases (CLDs) can reduce patients’ quality of life. However, evidence for the relationship between CLD and occurrence with depressive symptoms remains unclear. This study aims to determine the associations between CLD and depressive symptoms incidence, using the data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). CLD was identified via survey questionnaire and hospitalization. The follow-up survey was conducted in 2018 and depressive symptoms were assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). A total of 10,508 participants were studied with an average follow-up period of 3 years. A total of 2706 patients (25.8%) with newly diagnosed depressive symptoms were identified. The standardized incidence rate of depressive symptoms in baseline population with and without chronic pulmonary disease was 11.9/100 and 8.3/100 person-years, respectively. The Cox proportional risk model showed that CLD was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms (HR: 1.449, 95% CI: 1.235–1.700) after adjusting for covariates, and the HRs of depressive symptoms were higher in those participants with current smoking (HR: 1.761, 95% CI: 1.319–2.352), men (HR: 1.529, 95% CI: 1.236–1.892), living in rural areas (HR: 1.671, 95% CI: 1.229–2.272), with dyslipidemia (HR: 1.896, 95% CI: 1.180–3.045), and suffering from comorbidity (HR: 1.518, 95% CI: 1.104–2.087) at baseline survey. CLD was an independent risk factor of depressive symptoms in China. The mental health of CLD patients deserves more attention.

The characteristics and risk factors of healthcare-seeking men with lower urinary tract symptoms in China: Initial report from the POInT group.

To investigate the clinical characteristics of health care-seeking men presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in China and to reveal risk factors for symptom severity. This multicenter, hospital-based, cross-sectional study recruited 1477 eligible male subjects, who were at least 45 years, seeking health care at 9 participating hospitals across the mainland China. The general medical information and subjective symptoms were recorded, followed by the measurement of prostate volume, urodynamic indices, and laboratory tests for kidney function, plus glucose/lipid metabolism. Univariate and multivariate linear regression were employed for the detection of risk factors for symptom severity. The proportion of mild, moderate, and severe LUTS was 14.6%, 32.6%, and 52.8%, respectively, with 62.2% reporting the triple combination of storage, voiding, and postmicturition symptoms. Median prostate volume was 44.6 ml, and 71.1% were experiencing comorbidities. Thirteen independent risk factors for LUTS severity were identified, namely, nocturnal voiding episodes and the presence of straining and weak steam; the triple combination of symptom subtypes; general and nocturia quality of life; Qmax and bladder outlet obstruction index; and numbers of comorbidities, hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and cholesterol and glycosylated hemoglobin. The majority of health care-seeking LUTS men present with moderate-to-severe and overlapping symptoms, with a high prevalence of both lower urinary tract dysfunction and systemic comorbidities. The evidence from both urological and nonurological independent risk factors demonstrate the multifactorial nature of LUTS, for which a multidisciplinary management is essential.

Response surface optimization of polysaccharide extraction from Galla Chinensis and determination of its antioxidant activity in vitro

Galla Chinensis was a traditional Chinese medicine used as an ingredient in many prescriptions for the treatment of oxidant damage-associated symptoms in China. The current research on the isolation of polysaccharides from Galla Chinensis and their antioxidant activities still remain as an ongoing challenge. The purpose of this study is to develop an isolation technique for polysaccharides from Galla Chinensis and determine their antioxidant properties in vitro. An ultrasonic-assisted method of polysaccharides extraction from Galla Chinensis were firstly developed and the key parameters were optimized response surface analysis as crushing degree 100 mesh, ultrasonic time 20 min, and materials/liquid ratio 1: 40. The polysaccharides presented dose-dependent antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects in DPPH, ABTS, total antioxidant and Iron ion reduction assays. Moreover, it also demonstrated an effective protective effect for human under H2O2-induced oxidative damage on human embryonic kidneyfibroblast 293 and hepatoma 7721 cells by cell proliferation assay. The study firstly determined the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Galla Chinensis, thus providing a new natural resource for future investigation and development of the polysaccharides-based antioxidant drugs, health products or addictives.

Waltheria indica is a New Host of Phytoplasma Belongs to 16SrI-B Subgroup Associated with Virescence Symptoms in China.

Waltheria indica L. is a kind of medicinal plants belonging to the family of Sterculiaceae distributed in China, which extracts with many active compounds used for treatment of rheumatism and sore pains (Hua et al., 2019). During September to November 2020, the plants showing abnormal symptoms including floral virescence, leaf chlorosis and leaflet, as shown in Fig.1, were found in Dingan county of Hainan province, China, with about 70% incidence. The disease symptoms which were suspected to be infected by the phytoplasma, a phloem-limited cell-wall-less prokaryotic pathogen could not be cultured in vitro, severely impacted Waltheria indica growth resulting in financial loss and ecological damage in the location. For identification of the causal pathogen, the total DNA of symptom or symptomless Waltheria indica samples were extracted using 0.10 g fresh plant tissues using CTAB method. PCR reactions were performed using primers R16mF2/R16mR1 (Lee et al., 1993) and AYgroelF/AYgroelR (Mitrović et al., 2011) specific for phytoplasma 16S rRNA and groEL gene fragments. The target productions of the two gene fragments of phytoplasma were detected in the DNA from four symptomatic plant samples whereas not in the DNA from the symptomless plant samples. The PCR productions were sequenced and the data were deposited in GenBank. The two gene fragments of the DNA extracted from the symptom plant samples were all identical, with the length of 1340 bp 16S rRNA (GenBank accession: MW353909) and 1312 bp groEL (MW353709) gene sequence fragments, putatively encoding 437 (groEL) amino acids sequence. The phytoplasma strain was named as Waltheria indica virescence (WiV) phytoplasma, WiV-hnda strain. A Blast search based on the 16S rRNA gene fragment of WiV-hnda phytoplasma strain revealed the highest level of sequence identities (99.85%) with that of 16SrI aster yellows group members (16SrI-B subgroup), such as Onion yellows phytoplasma strain OY-M (AP006628) from Japan (Oshima et al., 2004); Periwinkle virescence phytoplasma strain PeV-hnhk (KP662136), Chinaberry witches'-broom phytoplasma strain CWB-hnsy1 (KP662119) and CWB-hnsy2 (KP662120), all the strains from Hainan island of China (Yu et al., 2017). A Blast search based on the groEL gene sequence fragment of WiV-hnda indicated 99.92% sequence identity with that of 16SrI aster yellows group members (16SrI-B subgroup) such as Onion yellows phytoplasma strain OY-M (AP006628). Homology and phylogenetic analysis by DNAMAN 5.0 and MEGA 7.0 software indicated that the phytoplasma strains of WiV-hnda, OY-M, PeV-hnhk, CWB-hnsy1 and CWB-hnsy2 were clustered into one clade based on the 16S rRNA gene fragments. WiV-hnda, OY-M and Aster yellow witches'-broom (AYWB) (CP000061) phytoplasma strains were clustered into one clade based on the groEL gene fragments. To our knowledge, this was the first time that Waltheria indica virescence disease induced by 16SrI-B subgroup phytoplasma strain was reported in China. Genetic analysis showed that WiV-hnda was closely related to the phytoplasma strains causing Onion yellows in Japan, Periwinkle virescence and Chinaberry witches'-broom disease in China.

Public knowledge of stroke and heart attack symptoms in China: a cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveStroke and ischaemic heart disease have become the leading causes of death in China. We evaluated recognition of stroke and heart attack symptoms and stroke treatment-seeking behaviour in a large...

Network analysis of COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms in China: the similarities and differences between the general population and PTSD sub-population

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Prevalent Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) negatively affected individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using network analyses, this study explored the construct of PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in China to identify similarities and differences in PTSD symptom network connectivity between the general Chinese population and individuals reporting PTSD. Methods: We conducted an online survey recruiting 2858 Chinese adults. PTSD symptoms were measured using the PCL-5 and PTSD was determined according to the DSM-5 criteria. Results: In the general population, self-destructive/reckless behaviours were on average the most strongly connected to other PTSD symptoms in the network. The five strongest positive connections were found between 1) avoidance of thoughts and avoidance of reminders, 2) concentration difficulties and sleep disturbance, 3) negative beliefs and negative trauma-related emotions, 4) irritability/anger and self-destructive/reckless behaviours, and 5) hypervigilance and exaggerated startle responses. Besides, negative connections were found between intrusive thoughts and trauma-related amnesia and between intrusive thoughts and self-destructive/reckless behaviours. Among individuals reporting PTSD, symptoms such as flashbacks and self-destructive/reckless behaviours were on average most strongly connected to other PTSD symptoms in the network. The five strongest positive connections were found between 1) concentration difficulty and sleep disturbance, 2) intrusive thoughts and emotional cue reactivity, 3) negative beliefs and negative trauma-related emotions, 4) irritability/anger and self-destructive/reckless behaviour, and 5) detachment and restricted affect. In addition, a negative connection was found between intrusive thoughts and self-destructive/reckless behaviours. Conclusion: Our results indicate similarly positive connections between concentration difficulty and sleep disturbance, negative beliefs and negative trauma-related emotions, and irritability/anger and self-destructive/reckless behaviours in the general and PTSD-reported populations. We argue that self-destructive/reckless behaviours are a core symptom of COVID-19 related PTSD, worthy of more attention in future psychiatric programmers.