Root and root canal morphology of mandibular second permanent molars in the Gansu province population: A CBCT study

To study the anatomical characteristics of the root and root canal system of the mandibular second molars in the population of Gansu province, and to provide theoretical and clinical references for improving the success rate of root canal therapy (RCT) of mandibular second molars. The number of roots and root canals, root canal type and pulp chamber height of mandibular second molars were determined by observing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of people living in Gansu. The most common type of mandibular second molars in the Gansu province population was a double root with three root canals (47.55%), followed by a C-shaped root (35.56%). There were more females than males with a C-shaped root (p < 0.05). The most common root canal subtype of the C-type root was C3 (13.91%). Most of the population (77.11%) had bilateral mandibular second molars with symmetrical root canal morphology. With an increase in age, the height of the pulp chamber decreased significantly. The incidence of root canal variation of the mandibular second molars is relatively high in the population of Gansu province. Preoperative examination with CBCT is essential for mandibular second molars that need RCT to avoid root canal treatment failure and decrease the occurrence of postoperative pain as much as possible.

An unexpected new tree species from Gansu, China: Illiciumgansuense (Schisandraceae)

We describe the newly-discovered species Illiciumgansuense (Schisandraceae), discovered in the Yuhe area of Giant Panda National Park, Gansu, China. Morphologically, I.gansuense resembles I.ternstroemioides and I.arborescens. However, the new species can be distinguished by its smaller leaf size, the larger number of tepals, tepal margin ciliate, and distinct flowering and fruiting seasons.

An evaluation of the spatial rationality of provincial territory: a case study of Gansu Province

In China, utilization and evaluation of territorial space have become national strategic issues. Evaluating the rationality of urban, ecological, and agricultural space is significant in the development of territorial space and provides a theoretical basis for the optimization of provincial territorial space. The strategic positioning of Gansu Province as a national ecological environment safety barrier is significant to the protection of the ecological environment of northwest China. This study used the entropy method to evaluate the rationality of territorial space development in 14 cities in Gansu Province in 2019, using 50 indicators of urban, ecological, and agricultural space. Results reveal that in the evaluation of these three spaces, the most important influencing indicators are water supply penetration rate, proportion of desert area, and proportion of agricultural population, respectively. In the total evaluation of territorial space rationality, the city with the highest comprehensive index is Qingyang (2.0521), followed by Zhangye (1.5635), while Lanzhou (1.1553) has the lowest evaluation. In Gansu, cities with the best territorial spatial conditions are concentrated in the east, whereas those with poor territorial spatial environmental security are located in central Gansu and the Hexi Corridor. Collectively, these findings suggest that the equity and rationality of urban, ecological, and agricultural space in territorial space should be considered in territorial space planning strategies. The balance and harmony of these three spaces play a positive role in the sustainable development of the economy, society, and the environment in urban areas.

[Prevalence and risk factors of pterygium in Han and Yugur populations in Gansu Province, China]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of pterygium in Han and Yugur populations aged 40-79 years in Gansu Province, China. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A multistage cluster sampling method with urbanization level-based stratification was employed. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors of pterygium. Results: A total of 4 193 people (1 840 males, 2 353 females; 3 035 Hans, 1 158 Yugurs) aged over 40 in Gansu Province were included in the study. Among them, 391 patients (9.3%) were found to have pterygium. The prevalence of pterygium adjusted for age and sex was 9.3%. The prevalence rates of Han and Yugur participants were 8.8% (267 patients) and 10.7% (124 patients), respectively, and there was no significant difference between them (χ²=3.629, P=0.057). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the risk factors of pterygium included age (OR=3.66, 95%CI: 2.26-5.92), length of residence in the countryside (OR=2.18, 95%CI: 1.41-3.38), and education level (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.29-0.83). In the Han group, the risk factors of pterygium were age (OR=3.84, 95%CI: 2.18-6.78) and length of rural residence (OR=2.02, 95%CI: 1.23-3.33), and a higher level of education (OR=0.36, 95%CI: 0.20-0.66) was a protective factor. Older age (OR=3.11, 95%CI: 1.13-8.59) and rural residential length ratio (OR=3.28, 95%CI: 1.09-9.88) were risk factors for pterygium in Yugur population. Conclusions: The overall prevalence of pterygium in Han and Yugur populations aged over 40 in Gansu Province, China was 9.3%, with no significant difference between the two nationalities. Older age and rural residency increased the incidence of pterygium, and a higher education level was a protective factor for pterygium.(Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:600-607).

[Formation and development of Dao-di herbs "Long" medicines]

Gansu province,which spans the Yangtze river,is in the upper reaches of the Yellow river and located at the intersection of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau,the Inner Mongolia plateau and the Loess plateau. All of these areas are highly respected by doctors of all ages as they have enriched the resources of traditional Chinese medicines. In the interaction between the heavens and the earth,the interaction between the people and the future has been passed down to the present. As one of the abbreviations of Gansu province, &quot; Long&quot; is not only the symbol and representative of the Gansu region,but also the symbol of the authentic medicinal materials in Gansu. This paper sorts out the evolution of the name &quot; Long&quot; medicines,the development status and development limitations of &quot; Long&quot; medicines. It is believed that although the production areas of authentic medicinal materials in Gansu have changed in different historical periods,the core varieties have been used ever since. Today,with the great development of the Chinese medicine industry,Gansu province pays attention to the limitations of the current regional and technological competitiveness in the province,and gives full play to its own advantages,which can help the &quot; Long&quot; medicines stand out among the medicinal materials. Furthermore,it lays the foundation for the development of the industry and the application of high quality Chinese herbal medicines in clinical practice.

Epidemic features of seasonal influenza transmission among eight different climate zones in Gansu, China

BACKGROUNDS

Seasonal influenza remains epidemic globally with a substantial health burden. Understanding the transmission patterns and epidemic features of influenza may facilitate the improvement of preventive and control measures. This study aims to assess the epidemic features of influenza among different climate zones and identify high-risk zones across Gansu province, China.

METHODS

We collected weekly influenza cases at county-level between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2016, as well as climate zones classification shapefile data from Köppen-Geiger climate map. We compared the epidemic features (Frequency index (α), Duration index (β) and Intensity index (γ)) of influenza among different climate zones. Spatial cluster analysis was used to examine the high-risk areas of transmission of influenza.

RESULTS

The distribution of cases existed significant differences among eight climate zones (F-test: 267.02, p < 0.05). The highest mean weekly incidence rate (per 100,000 population) was 0.59 in snow climate with dry winter and warm summer (Dwb). The primary (relative risk (RR): 3.61, p < 0.001) and secondary (RR: 2.45, p < 0.001) clusters were located in Dwb. The highest values of α, β and γ were 1.00, 261 and 154.38 in Dwb. The hot spots (high-high clusters) of the epidemic indices were detected in Dwb.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found the variability of epidemic features of influenza among eight climate zones. We highlight that Dwb was the high-risk zone where influenza clustered with the highest incidence rate and epidemic temporal indices. This provide further insight into potential improvement of preventive measures by climate zones to minimize the impact of epidemics.

Babesia divergens in human in Gansu province, China

Human babesiosis is an important tick-borne infectious disease. We investigated human babesiosis in the Gansu province and found that it is prevalent in this area with a prevalence of 1.3%. Results of gene sequencings indicate that 1.3% of patients were positive for Babesia divergens. This initial report of human B. divergens infections in Gansu Province should raise awareness of human babesiosis.

First molecular evidence of Babesia occultans and Theileria separata infection in ticks and sheep in China

Protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia and Theileria are significant tick-borne pathogens of domestic animals and cause economic losses to the livestock industry in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In this study, 274 blood samples and 32 tick samples were collected from four counties of Wuwei City in northwestern China in June and July in 2018. The DNA from the field samples was analyzed for Babesia or Theileria infection using specific PCR and sequencing based on 18S rRNA gene fragments. The total infection rates were 0.4% for B. motasi and T. separata (both 1/274) in sheep, 3.1% for T. annulata (1/32), 6.2% for B. occultans (2/32) and 9.4% for B. bigemina (3/32) in ticks, respectively. In particular, T. separata has been for the first time detected in sheep in China and B. occultans in Hyalomma asiaticum from Gansu Province of China.

Molecular identification and detection of Wohlfahrtia magnifica in ovine vulvar myiasis in Gansu, China

Traumatic myiasis causes substantial economic losses to farmers worldwide. In the present study, six flocks of sheep (2261 sheep) were investigated in Gansu, China, and 207 of 552 larvae were genetically characterized based on three genes, including cyt b, EF-1α, and white gene, by polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis. A survey of sheep in China revealed that the prevalence of vulvar myiasis of six sheep flocks was 5.00% (11/220, Flock1), 4.85% (10/206, Flock2), 4.50% (9/200, Flock3), 5.00% (15/300, Flock4), 4.68% (15/320, Flock5), 0% (0/1015, Flock6), respectively. The sequence and phylogenetic analysis showed that only Wohlfahrtia magnifica was detected in the field samples. This is the first report of ovine vulvar myiasis caused by W. magnifica in Gansu, China. Some prophylactic measures are strongly recommended to reduce the risk of sheep acquiring traumatic myiasis in Gansu, China.

Non-alkaloidal composition of Ephedra Herb is influenced by differences in habitats

Ephedra Herb is a crude drug defined as the terrestrial stem of Ephedra sinica, E. intermedia, or E. equisetina. It is often used to treat headaches, bronchial asthma, nasal inflammation, and the common cold. In this study, we isolated characteristic non-alkaloidal constituents from the extracts and identified them in relation to the habitat of Ephedra Herb. Extracts were prepared from Ephedra Herb collected from Inner Mongolia and Gansu. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed to quantitatively analyse the amount of ephedrine alkaloids in each extract. We compared the chemical compositions of the extracts by thin layer chromatography (TLC) to find spot characteristics depending on the habitat. ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and 2D-NMR spectra of the samples were also examined. The ephedrine content of all extracts satisfied the quality standard stated in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Nonetheless, we found each notable constituent characteristic to the Ephedra Herbs from both habitats. In order to identify them, Ephedra Herb extracts were separated by column chromatography, resulting in the isolation of (±)-α-terpineol-β-D-O-glucopyranoside (1) and (E)-7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloct-2-en-1-yl-β-D-O-glucopyranoside (2) as the characteristic constituents in Ephedra Herb from Inner Mongolia. Epheganoside (3), a new eudesmane-type sesquiterpene glycoside, and scopoletin (4) were found to be the characteristic constituents in Ephedra Herb from Gansu. The results obtained from this study can be used to distinguish between the habitats of Ephedra Herb.

Report of the eighth international conference on biliary tumors in Gansu province

The 8^th international conference on biliary tumors in Gansu province, co-sponsored by the Gansu Provincial Anti-Cancer Association Professional Committee of the Biliary Tumor, the Gansu Provincial Medical Association of Biliary Surgeons, the Gansu Provincial Medical Association, the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, and the Gansu Provincial Anti-Cancer Association and organized by Gansu Provincial People's Hospital and Wuwei Municipal People's Hospital, was successfully held in Wuwei Municipal People's Hospital of Gansu province from May 5 to 7, 2018. This is a grand gathering of northwest biliary surgeons in China in 2018, and the topics mainly include the latest progress of biliary surgery, the standard treatment of biliary tumor, and the discussion of hot spots and controversial issues in the field of biliary tumors.

Residential mobility during pregnancy in Urban Gansu, China

BACKGROUND

Studies on environmental exposures during pregnancy commonly use maternal residence at time of delivery, which may result in exposure misclassification and biased estimates of exposure and disease association. Studies on residential mobility during pregnancy are needed in various populations to aid studies of the environmental exposure and birth outcomes. However, there is still a lack of studies investigating residential mobility patterns in Asian populations.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 10,542 pregnant women enrolled in a birth cohort study in Lanzhou, China (2010-2012), a major industrial city. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate residential mobility patterns in relation to maternal complications and birth outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 546 (5.2%) moved during pregnancy; among those who moved, 40.5%, 34.8%, and 24.7% moved during the first, second, and third trimester, respectively. Most movers (97.3%) moved once with a mean distance of 3.75 km (range: 1-109 km). More than half (66.1%) of the movers moved within 3 km, 13.9% moved 3-10 km, and 20.0% moved > 10 km. Pregnant women who were > 30 years or multiparous, or who had maternal complications were less likely to have moved during pregnancy. In addition, movers were less likely to deliver infants with birth defects, preterm births, and low birth weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Residential mobility was significantly associated with several maternal characteristics and complications during pregnancy. The study also showed a lower likelihood of adverse birth outcomes among movers than non-movers, suggesting that moving might be related to reduce exposure to environmental hazards. These results confirm the hypothesis that residential mobility may be important with respect to exposure misclassification and that this misclassification may vary by subpopulations.

[Genetic Polymorphisms of 27 Y-STR Loci in Dongxiang Population of Gansu Province]

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the genetic polymorphisms of 27 Y-STR in Dongxiang population of Gansu province, and to explore the population genetic relationship and the value of forensic application.

METHODS

The genotyping of 27 Y-STR loci in 526 unrelated male individuals in Dongxiang population of Gansu province were detected by STRtyper-27Y kit. The allele frequencies and haplotype diversity were also calculated. Combining with other genetics data of 14 loci in same populations, which have been published at home and abroad, the genetic distance and clustering relationship in Dongxiang population of Gansu province were calculated.

RESULTS

Totally 55 haplotypes were found in the DYS385a/b biallelic loci, 39 haplotypes in DYF387S1 loci, and 4-16 alleles in the rest 23 single copy STR loci. The GD value was from 0.453 9 （DYS391） to 0.957 5 （DYS385a/b）. Totally 471 haplotypes were observed in 27 Y-STR loci in 526 individuals, and the value of haplotypes diversity was 0.999 5. The genetic distance between Dongxiang and Tibetan populations of Gansu province was the closest （0.068 2）, while it was the longest between Dongxiang population in Gansu province and Han population in Henan province （0.084 7）. The result of dimensional analysis established upon the genetic distance was basically matched with that of the cluster analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The 27 Y-STR loci show a high genetic polymorphism in Dongxiang population of Gansu province, which has significance for the Y-STR database establishment, population genetics study and forensic practice.

Contemporary changes to herding systems in China and effects on pasture quality: a case study in Gansu Province, 2000-2012

Post-2000 efforts to protect China's pastoral areas are distinct from earlier efforts in that funding for the most recent round of policies and programs is commensurate with the task. Even with appropriate funding, however, effective methods of mitigating pasture degradation are widely disputed. The most controversial of the current policies include herding family resettlement, pasture fallow programs (herding "bans"), and the promotion of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Ideally, the policies are intended to protect grassland ecological systems while assuring acceptable revenues to affected families and regions. This article presents a case study of 49 townships in three counties in central Gansu investigating the interactions among changes in mean interpolated annual precipitation and livestock density and pasture quality. Pasture quality is assessed using mean township values of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) from 2000 to 2012 obtained by the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor of the Terra satellite. The research joins remotely sensed environmental data, interpolated annual precipitation estimates, and livestock counts at the township scale for the years from 2000 to 2012 but is also informed by in-depth interviews with herding families and husbandry officials. Joining biophysical analyses of changes in pasture with archived data and in-depth interviews, we adopt a synthetic approach to determine changes to pasture quality under post-2000 policy interventions and possible reasons for these changes. Pasture quality has improved as CAFO livestock have increased; however, herders and local officials report that some of the new policies and programs may have important unanticipated negative impacts related to pasture ecology and water consumption.

First Molecular Detection of Piroplasm Infection in Pet Dogs from Gansu, China

Babesiosis, the hemolytic disease caused by Babesia, which is a tick-transmitted obligate intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite. This disease is responsible for significant mortality and morbidity rates and enormous economic losses to the livestock industry in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In this study, blood samples were collected from 141 pet dogs from Gansu, China, and analyzed for Babesia or Theileria spp. infection using specific PCR and sequencing based on 18S rRNA gene fragments. The results indicated that 18S rRNA gene sequences from 11 samples were similar to the 18S rRNA gene sequences in Babesia canis vogeli (2) and Theileria sinensis (9). The total infected rates of B. canis vogeli and T. sinensis were 1.4% (2/141) and 6.4% (9/141), respectively. This represents the first molecular report of T. sinensis in dogs worldwide and of B. canis vogeli in dogs from Gansu province of China. Furthermore, the finding of T. sinensis in dogs may represent the common infection of this parasite occurring in Gansu.

Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels: Influence of Value Chain on Quality Criteria and Marker Compounds Ferulic Acid and Z-Ligustilide

Background:Dang gui (Apiaceae; Angelica sinensis radix) is among the most often used Chinese medicinal plants. However, hardly anything is known about its value chain and its influence on the main marker compounds of the drug. The aim of this study is to investigate the value chain of dang gui in Gansu and Yunnan, and the analysis of the marker compounds ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide concentration in relation to quality criteria such as the production area and size of the roots. Methods: During six months of field research in China, semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders of the value chain were undertaken and plant material was collected. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) was used for semi-quantitative analysis of ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide. Results: Small-scale household cultivation prevails and in Gansu-in contrast to Yunnan-the cultivation of dang gui is often the main income source of farmers. Farmers and dealers use size and odor of the root as main quality criteria. For Chinese medicine doctors, Gansu as the production area is the main criterion. Higher amounts of ferulic acid in plant material from Yunnan compared to Gansu were found. Additionally, a negative relation of root length with both ferulic acid and Z-ligustilide as well as head diameter with ferulic acid were found. Conclusions: HPTLC is a valid method for semi-quantitative analysis of the marker compounds of dang gui. However, the two main marker compounds cannot explain why size and smell of the root or production area are seen as quality criteria. This hints at the inherent difficulty to correlate quality notions of medicinal plants with specific chemical compounds. With respect to this, more attention should be paid to quality in terms of cultivation and processing techniques.

Trend Analysis of Cancer Mortality in the Jinchang Cohort, China, 2001-2010

OBJECTIVE

To describe the baseline data of cancers in the Jinchang Cohort, this paper examined trends in cancer mortality among adults investigated in Jinchang, Gansu province from 2001 to 2010.

METHODS

Mortality data were collected from company departments through administrative documents, death certificates, etc. Trend analyses of cancer mortality were performed on the basis of 925 cancer deaths between 2001 and 2010.

RESULTS

The crude mortality rate of cancer continuously increased from 161.86 per 100,000 in 2001 to 315.32 per 100,000 in 2010, with an average increase of 7.69% per year in the Jinchang Cohort (16.41% in females compared to 6.04% in males), but the age-standardized mortality rate increased only in females. Thirteen leading cancers accounted for 92.10% of all cancer deaths. The five leading causes of cancer mortality in males were lung, gastric, liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancer, whereas those in females were lung, liver, gastric, breast, and esophageal cancer.

CONCLUSION

The overall cancer mortality rate increased from 2001 to 2010 in the Jinchang Cohort, with greater rate of increase in females than in males. Lung, breast, and gastric cancer, in that order, were the leading causes of increased cancer mortality in females.

The making of family values: developmental idealism in Gansu, China

This paper examines the role of developmental thinking in the making of family values. We analyze survey data collected from Gansu Province in China with regular and multilevel logit models. The results show that individuals' endorsement of neolocal residence, self-choice marriage, gender egalitarianism, late marriage for women, and low fertility depends on the conjunction of preference for development and beliefs in its association with those family attributes, which we term developmental idealism associational evaluation. Furthermore, such impact of developmental thinking on family values holds robust in the presence of indigenous ideational forces, in this case Islamic religion. Although Islam influences family values in the opposite direction than developmental ideas do, the effect of Developmental Idealism associational evaluation does not differ significantly between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Public perception of an ecological rehabilitation project in inland river basins in northern China: Success or failure

The need for environmental protection challenges societies to deal with difficult problems because strategies designed by scientists to protect the environment often create negative effects on impoverished local residents. We investigated the effects of China's national and regional policies related to environmental protection and rehabilitation projects in inland river basins, by studying the effect of projects in the Heihe and Shiyang river basins, in northwest China. Interviews and surveys were conducted at 30 sites in the lower reaches of these two arid basins, an area that has experienced severe ecological degradation. The survey results show the ecological rehabilitation projects adversely affected the livelihoods of 70.35% of foresters, 64.89% of farmers and 62.24% of herders in the Minqing region in the lower Shiyang River Basin; also, the projects negatively affected 51.9% of residents in the Ejin Qi in the lower Heihe River Basin. This caused 16.33% of foresters, 39.90% of farmers and 45.32% of herders in the Minqing region to not support the project and 37.5% of residents in the Ejin Qi region said they will deforest and graze again after the project ends. The negative impacts of the policies connected to the projects cause these attitudes. The projects prohibit felling and grazing and require residents to give up groundwater mining; this results in a great amount of uncompensated economic loss to them. Extensive survey data document the concerns of local residents, concerns that are supported by the calculation of actual incomes. In addition, the surveys results show poorer interviewees believe the projects greatly affected their livelihoods. While citizens in this region support environment protection work, the poor require considerable assistance if one expects them to support this type of work. Governmental assistance can greatly improve their living conditions, and hence encourage them to participate in and support the implementation of the projects within and outside the districts where they live.