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Background: Global climate change has resulted in precipitation regimes exhibiting an increasing trend in rainfall intensity but a reduction in frequency. In addition, nitrogen (N) deposition occurs simultaneously in arid and semi-arid regions. Microbial biomass, diversity, composition, and species interactions are key determinants of ecological functions. We examined the effects of changes in precipitation intensity and N addition on the soil bacterial and fungal communities in a semi-arid grassland in Inner Mongolia, China. Methods: The microbial biomass (bacterial PLFAs and fungal PLFAs) was determined through phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, and microbial diversity (Shannon index and evenness index) was determined with high-throughput sequencing (16S and ITS). Species interactions were determined using a molecular ecological network analysis. The relationships between microbial community (bacterial community and fungal community) and environmental variables were examined by Mantel tests. Results: We found that N addition decreased fungal PLFA under moderate, high, and extreme precipitation intensity treatments and increased fungal community complexity under the high precipitation intensity treatment. Furthermore, N addition increased bacterial diversity under moderate and high precipitation intensity treatments. N addition caused greater environmental stress to the fungal community, which was dominated by deterministic processes. Conclusions: The effects of N deposition on soil bacterial and fungal communities were altered by precipitation intensity. The changes in soil bacterial and fungal communities were different, implying that composition and functional traits adapt differently to projected global changes at a regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic across Chinese mainland was gradually stabilized at a low level with sporadic outbreaks, before the emergence of Omicron variant. Apart from non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), COVID-19 vaccine has also been implemented to prevent and control the pandemic since early 2021. Although many aspects have been focused, the change of the spatiotemporal distribution of COVID-19 epidemic across Chinese mainland responding to the change of prevention and control measures were less concerned. Here, we collected the confirmed case data (including domestic cases and overseas imported cases) across Chinese mainland during both 2020/04–2020/08 and 2021/04–2021/08, and then conducted a preliminary data comparison on the spatiotemporal distribution of confirmed cases during the identical period between the two years. Distribution patterns were evaluated both qualitatively by classification method and quantitatively through employing coefficient of variation. Results revealed significant differences in the homogeneity of spatiotemporal distributions of imported or domestic cases between the two years, indicating that the important effect of the adjustment of prevention and control measures on the epidemic evolution. The findings here enriched our practical experience of COVID-19 prevention and control. And, the collected data here might be helpful for improving or verifying spatiotemporally dynamic models of infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the determinants of preschool choice among middle-income parents in Shanghai, the city with the most adequate and diversified preschool services in China. We administer an online survey to 333 Shanghai middle-income parents and find that preschool quality, children's development, and parents' needs constitute the determinants of preschool choice. Furthermore, the parents are primarily concerned about program quality and the development of children's self-care abilities. Among them, 226 parents are very satisfied with the kindergarten they chose, 99 parents are satisfied, eight are generally satisfied, and none reports feeling dissatisfied. There are significant effects of preschool type, parental jobs, and parental education level on parental satisfaction. Those emerging middle-income parents can only send their children to second-level preschools, which are relatively below their expectations, they tended to have lower satisfaction. These findings imply that the educational authorities should adjust their policymaking to meet the varying needs of middle-income families in rapidly developing cities. Highlights: Preschool quality, children's development, and parents' needs are the main determinants of preschool choice. Middle-income parents' primary concerns are program quality and the development of children's self-care abilities. Three-way ANOVA showed that parental satisfaction differed significantly by preschool type, parental job, and educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon innovation plays an essential role in carbon reduction worldwide. This study investigates the nexus between low-carbon innovation, economic growth, and carbon emissions by the dynamic spatial Durbin model from 2007 to 2020. First, the Moran index results verify the provincial spatial agglomeration of carbon emissions. High-emission provinces concentrate in major economic zones and energy extraction areas. Second, the effect decomposition results show that long-term and short-term effects are consistent. Low-carbon innovation has a significant mitigation effect on carbon emissions in local regions, which effect, however, is not significant in the adjacent areas. The environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis is validated locally, but all provinces and cities have not reached the inflection point of the environmental Kuznets curve, and the linkage effect in adjacent regions remains insignificant. The above results have been tested to be robust. Third, the results of the mechanism analysis show that environmental policies, absorptive capacity, and financial development play a moderating role in the relationship between low-carbon innovation and carbon emissions. Finally, the heterogeneity test showed significant differences between Eastern, Central, and Western. The direct effect of low-carbon innovation exists in Eastern and central regions; the spillover effect of low-carbon innovation is only in the eastern region. In addition, corresponding measures are proposed based on the conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of digital financial inclusion in economic development has been widely appreciated, and its carbon emission mitigating effect on the household sector needs to be noticed. This study investigates the impact of digital financial inclusion on household carbon emissions based on panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020. The results show that digital financial inclusion has a significant and robust mitigation effect on household carbon emissions and that digital financial inclusion impacts mainly from the breadth of coverage and the degree of digitization. The heterogeneity test results show that this mitigation effect is mainly found in the central and western inland regions as well as in the northern regions with high winter heating demand. In addition, this mitigation effect is mainly found in urban rather than rural areas. The results of the mechanism analysis show that digital financial inclusion reduces household carbon emissions through two pathways, electricity consumption and natural gas consumption share, and no significant mediating effect is observed for residential consumption share. The results of this study shed light on the relationship between digital financial inclusion and carbon emissions in the household sector and provide a reference for decision-making to address household carbon emission mitigation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the short-term effects of ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure on the economic burden of ischemic stroke is limited. This study aimed to explore the association between short-term ambient SO2 exposure and hospitalization costs for ischemic stroke in Chongqing, the most populous city in China. The hospital-based study included 7271 ischemic stroke inpatients. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the association between SO2 concentration and hospitalization costs. Propensity score matching was used to compare the patients' characteristics when exposed to SO2 concentrations above and below 20 μg/m3. It is found that short-term SO2 exposure was positively correlated with the hospitalization costs of ischemic stroke. The association was more evident in males, people younger than 65, and people hospitalized in the cool seasons. Besides, among the components of hospitalization costs, medicine costs were most significantly associated with SO2. More interesting, the lower concentration of SO2, the higher costs associated with 1 μg/m3 SO2 change. Above all, SO2 was positively associated with hospitalization costs of ischemic stroke, even at its low levels. The measures to reduce the level of SO2 can help reduce the burden of ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) is one of the serious viral pathogens infecting strawberry worldwide. To understand the molecular characterization of SVBV from China, complete genome sequences of sixteen SVBV isolates were cloned and sequenced. Sequence comparison showed they shared high nucleotide sequence identity (93.6–99.5%) with isolates from China and Japan (96.6–98.4%), while relatively low identity with the isolates from Canada (91.9–93.7%) and USA (85.5–85.9%). Phylogenetic analyses based on the complete genome sequence or coat protein (CP) gene showed the SVBV isolates clustered into three clades correlated with geographic distribution. Recombination analyses identified 13 recombinants and 21 recombinant events, indicating frequent and multiple recombinations in SVBV evolution. Furthermore, a sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method was developed for rapid detection of SVBV isolates, which could be especially suitable for seedling propagation, virus-free culture and routine diagnostics in field investigation. This study offers new understanding of the molecular evolution and may help to improve the management of SVBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One novel ascomycetous yeast strain TF5-16-2 was isolated from water samples of Tuofengling crater lake located in Da Hinggan Ling Mountain, in the Inner Mongolia province of China. Morphological, physiological characteristics, as well as phylogenetic analyses of D1/D2 domains of the large subunit rRNA (LSU), ITS region, small subunit rRNA (SSU), and elongation factor-1α (EF-1α) were performed and finally confirmed the phylogenetic placement of strain TF5-16-2 in the genus Wickerhamomyces. Sequences analysis revealed that strain TF5-16-2 differed from its most closely related phylogenetic neighbors 'Candida' silvicultrix CBS 6269T and Wickerhamomyces anomalus CBS 5759T by 8.0% (including 2.3% gaps), 8.5% (including 2.4% gaps) divergences in D1/D2 domains of LSU, and 11% (including 4.3% gaps) and 13% (including 4.4% gaps) divergences in ITS region, respectively. As the considerable sequence divergence and distinguishable physiological characteristics, strain TF5-16-2 was proposed as a new species of the genus Wickerhamomyces, with the name Wickerhamomyces kurtzmanii sp. nov. (holotype = CGMCC 2.5597, Mycobank number is MB829959). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength of sandstone decreases significantly with higher water content attributing to softening effects. This scenario can pose a severe threat to the stability of reservoirs of pumped storage power stations developed from abandoned mines, especially when subjected to the cyclic loading condition caused by the repeated drainage and storage of water (fatigue damage). Based on this, it is essential to focus on the fatigue failure characteristics. In this study, the mineral composition of the used sandstone of Ruineng coal mine in Shanxi Province, China, was first tested to elucidate the rock softening mechanism after absorbing water. Next, a numerical model for replicating the mechanical behavior of water-bearing sandstone was established using two-dimensional particle flow code (PFC2D) with a novel contact model. Then, 16 uniaxial cyclic loading simulations with distinct loading parameters related to reservoir conditions (loading frequency, amplitude level, and maximum stress level) and different water contents were conducted. The numerical results show that all these three loading parameters affect the failure characteristics of sandstone, including irreversible strain, damage evolution, strain behavior, and fatigue life. The influence degree of these three parameters on failure behavior increases in the order of maximum stress level, loading frequency, and amplitude level. However, for the samples with different water contents, their failure characteristics are similar under the same loading conditions. Furthermore, the failure mode is almost unaffected by the loading parameters, while the water content plays a significant role and causing the transformation from the tensile splitting with low water content to the shear failure with higher water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study first attempts to use the parameterized quadratic directional distance function (DDF) approach to calculate China's provincial carbon abatement cost and carbon reduction potential (CRP) under different scenarios from 2000 to 2017. Afterward, considering three different scenarios, we analyze the spatio-temporal characteristics and the dynamic evolution pattern of CRP. We also employ spatial Durbin model (SDM) to investigate the influencing factors of CRP. The results are obtained as follows: (1) CRP across the three scenarios varies considerably across provinces and different-located groups. CRP higher areas are mainly located in the economically developed eastern coastal regions, while most provinces with low CRP are concentrated in the western region. (2) Provinces with a similar CRP showed a significant geographic agglomeration, and the agglomeration effect was strengthened first and then weakened. Simultaneously, the local spatial distribution of moderation carbon reduction potential (MCRP), fairness carbon reduction potential (FCRP), and efficiency carbon reduction potential (ECRP) shows a slight spatial polarization feature. (3) Through the SDM analysis and spillover effect decomposition, we find that improvement of regional CRP not only depends on economic development, industrial structure adjustment, and energy efficiency elevation, but also involves energy structure optimization, low-carbon innovation, and population. The low-carbon innovation provides critical support for local CRP under the efficiency scenario but restrains the local CRP under the fairness scenario. Therefore, the central government should emphasize local conditions and the ex-ante scenario assessment, strengthen regional interactive governance, optimize energy efficiency, and promote the application of clean energy to enhance CRP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bacterial strain, Gram staining negative, aerobic, long rod, motile bacterium with flagellum, designated strain YIM 98829T, was isolated from the Aiding Lake in Xinjiang province, North-West China. The isolate produced oval subterminal endospores in swollen sporangia. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The cell wall peptidoglycan contained ornithine, serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and alanine, while diaminopimelic acid could not be detected. The major whole-cell sugars contained xylose, glucose, galactose, and mannose. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unknown phospholipid, and two unidentified aminophospholipids were part of the polar lipid profile. Iso-C15:0 and anteiso-C15:0 were the major fatty acids. The DNA G + C content of the type strain was 38.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate belongs to the genus Alkalibacillus. However, it differed from its closest relatives, A. haloalkaliphilus DSM 5271T (97.04%), A. filiformis 4AGT (96.99%), and A. silvisoli BM2T (96.95%) in some physiological characteristics. DNA–DNA hybridization result indicated low levels of relatedness between strain YIM 98829T and A. haloalkaliphilus JCM 12303T (16.9%). On the basis of physiological, phenotypic, and chemotaxonomic data, strain YIM 98829T represents a novel species of genus Alkalibacillus, for which the name Alkalibacillus aidingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 98829T (= NBRC 114103T = CGMCC 1.17260T = DSM 112470T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperatures are important for the production of spring maize in northern China. While the low-temperature tolerance of maize seeds can be improved by coating them, this can result in environmental pollution, high costs, and instability. Therefore, identifying new varieties of maize is the most effective method of improving the ability of maize crops to withstand low temperatures. In this experiment, four low-temperature tolerant maize inbred lines (DNF266, Zhong 451, B73, Dan 340) and four low-temperature sensitive maize inbred lines (Luyuan 92, Ji 853, Huangzaosi, Si 144) were selected from the northern spring maize area. The griffing double-row hybridization design method was used to prepare 28 hybrid combinations. After analysing the general combining ability and the special combining ability of each combination, we found that the indoor low-temperature index and low-temperature seedings were extremely similar for all combinations. The hybridization and parental inbred lines were subjected to low-temperature treatments under both laboratory conditions and in the field. Several low-temperature indexes were assessed to identify what results could be produced from combining them. Under both treatments, the inbred line DNF266 had a higher general combining ability and the Zhong 451 × Dan 340 hybrid combination had a higher special combining ability. These results provide technical support for breeding new low-temperature varieties of maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a series of earthquakes have occurred in Sichuan province, southwest China. On April 20, 2013, 1013 landslides were triggered in the Lushan earthquake within the research area of 1215.87 km2. On August 8, 2017, 821 landslides were induced in the Jiuzhaigou earthquake within the study area of 541.61 km2. The slope, aspect, elevation, distance to the river, distance to fault, stratum lithology, curvature, and PGA as evaluation factors were chosen to research the distribution characteristics of coseismic landslides. The relationship between influence factors and distribution of coseismic landslides were analyzed using landslide area density (LAD), defined as the ratio between the coseismic landslides area and the total area under the specific classification of eight factors, and landslide number density (LND), interpreted as the number of landslides per square kilometer affected by an earthquake. Both the LAD and LND curves show the common correlations between distribution characteristics of coseismic landslides and the classification of eight factors. The high density of coseismic landslides was found at locations where the valley evolves from U-shaped to V-shaped, along slopes with an inclination between 20 and 50°. Due to the effect of river cutting erosion and human engineering activities, massive coseismic landslides appeared within the scope of 200 m from the river system. Eight hundred sixty small shallow coseismic landslides were found less than 3 km from the seismogenic fault in both earthquakes. Both concave and convex terrain has the same effect of promoting coseismic landslides. The strata of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous are more prone to coseismic landslides occurrence. In the event of another earthquake of similar magnitude in southwest China in the future, the research results can quickly predict the distribution of coseismic landslides and provide a scientific basis for emergency rescue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Loess Plateau in Northern China, repeated freeze-thaw (FT) cycles deteriorate the strength and structure of loess as a foundation soil, resulting in the instability or failure of supporting structure. Lignosulfonate is an eco-material, utilized as an effective and nontraditional stabilizer to improve the engineering properties of metastable soils. A series of laboratory tests, including unconfined compression tests, cyclic loading-unloading tests and scanning electron microscopy, on calcium lignosulfonate (CL)- and sodium lignosulfonate (SL)-stabilized loess were performed to investigate the stabilization effect, deterioration mechanisms of the FT cycles, and the resistance to FT cycles. Two traditional stabilizers, quicklime (QL) and sodium silicate (SS), were selected, and the engineering properties of QL- and SS-stabilized loess were compared with those of CL- and SL-stabilized loess. The results showed that the strength values of CL- and SL-stabilized loess specimens decreased by 34.2% and 50% respectively, after 20 FT cycles, whereas those of the traditionally SS- and QL- stabilized specimens decreased by 85.3% and 82.87%, respectively. The elastic moduli of SL- and QL-stabilized loess specimens decreased by 22.1% and 92.0%, respectively. The mean energy dissipations of nontraditionally treated specimens also decreased significantly less than those of traditionally treated specimens. Overall, the results showed CL and SL had better stabilization effects on engineering properties of loess than QL and SS, and their stabilized loess specimens exhibited stronger resistance to FT cycles. The study findings demonstrated the significant potential of lignosulfonate for extensive application in cold loess areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to explore detailed spatial distribution characteristics, identify key factors weight, and establish an accurate susceptibility regionalization model of coseismic landslides by the Mw 6.6 Iburi, Japan, earthquake sequence of 6 September 2018. Based on the remote sensing interpretation database, 5,977 individual coseismic landslides were delineated, which occupies an area of about 15.26 km2. The relationship between eight key factors and spatial distribution of coseismic landslides were precisely analyzed by the landslide area density (LAD) and landslide point density (LPD) curves. In order to obtain the weight of eight key factors more accurately, this paper compares the similarities and differences of the two curves in the earthquakes with similar magnitude, which was included the Lushan and Jiuzhaigou earthquake in China. According to the weight of eight key factors, the improved weight of evidence method was used to produce the susceptibility regionalization map of coseismic landslides in the Iburi earthquake. The results show that the improved weight of evidence method has better precision and can provide a scientific coseismic landslides susceptibility regionalization map for disaster prevention and mitigation in the Iburi earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have identified numerous factors that may affect the sleep quality and quality of life (QOL) in outpatients with schizophrenia. However, the clinically stable inpatients who represent a large proportion of the population with schizophrenia in China have not received enough attention. The present study was performed to explore the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of sleep disturbance and QOL in clinically stable inpatients with schizophrenia in rural China.Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed, and 207 clinically stable inpatients with schizophrenia were selected from Chifeng Anding Hospital, located in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in northern China. All subjects were interviewed by the same investigator using standardized assessment instruments. QOL and sleep disturbance were measured using the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used to identify the factors influencing sleep disturbance and QOL. Antipsychotics taken by individuals were converted into olanzapine equivalent doses as the main confounding factor to be controlled.Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 58%, and sleep disturbance was significantly associated with depression (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.17-1.52) and coping mechanisms (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.98). We observed large differences between the sexes: the QOL of male inpatients with schizophrenia was substantially better than that of female inpatients, with a standard coefficient of 0.19 ± 1.62. Other factors related to QOL were depression (0.42 ± 0.30), hope (- 0.21 ± 0.19), general psychopathology symptoms (0.21 ± 0.24) and personal and social performance (- 0.12 ± 0.07).Conclusions: The depressive symptoms of inpatients with schizophrenia should receive more attention. More targeted interventions, such as the early identification and treatment of depression, should be promptly administered to improve the patient's hospitalization experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is among the largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), worldwide Thus, its emissions mitigation is of global concern. The power generation sector is responsible for nearly half of China's total CO2 emissions and plays a key role in emissions mitigation. This study is an integrated evaluation of abatement technologies, including both low-carbon power generation technologies and retrofitting options for coal power plants. We draw marginal abatement cost curves for these technologies using the conservation supply curve method. Using scenario analysis for the years 2015 to 2030, we discuss the potential performance of abatement technologies. Marginal costs for the analyzed abatement technologies range from RMB − 357.41/ton CO2 to RMB 927.95/ton CO2. Furthermore, their cumulative mitigation potential relative to the baseline scenario could reach 35 billion tons of CO2 in 2015–2030, with low-carbon power generation technologies and coal power abatement technologies contributing 55% and 45% of the total mitigation, respectively. Our case study of China demonstrates the power generation sector's great potential to mitigate global emissions, and we suggest nuclear power, hydropower, and the comprehensive retrofitting of coal power as key technology options for the low-carbon transition of the energy system and long-term emissions mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, but effective therapies remain the topic of many research activities. Many recent studies have thus focused on particular gut microbiota due to their important roles in treating cancers, but very few microbes of therapeutic value have been reported. In this study, we isolated four bacterial strains, BY38, BY40, BY43 and BY45, from the fecal specimens of healthy individuals and cancer patients. The treatment of cancer cells with the products of these cultured bacteria induced significant inhibitory effects on the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells and colorectal cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the four anticancer strains belong to the genus Bacillus, and flow cytometry assays indicated that the inhibitory effects might be achieved through the induction of cell apoptosis. These results suggest that these bacteria could be novel and promising anticancer agents against cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hourly mapping by a Geostationary Ocean Color Imager was used to reveal the spatial pattern and tidal variation of total suspended solids (TSS) over the Yangtze Bank in the Yellow and East China Seas during the winter. The TSS form a tongue-shaped structure, which decreases further offshore in a stepwise manner. The stepwise change is separated by two fronts of TSS, which are located near the 20-m and 50-m isobaths. The tidal variation of TSS concentration during the study period is evident and can be divided into three stages: decay, maintenance, and growth. Compared with the relatively stationary TSS during the maintenance stage, drastic changes exist during the decay and growth stages. In terms of tide-induced mixing, the dynamic analysis shows that both the topography and the tidal currents play an important role in the spatio-temporal variation of TSS during the tidal period. In particular, spatial distribution is primarily determined by the topography, whereas the temporal variations in tidal scale are determined by the tidal currents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The questions of how to mitigate climate change and its impact on human health are currently high on the Chinese agenda for future development. The emission trading scheme (ETS) has become one of China's most important instruments to address climate change through a market mechanism. In the wake of the evolution from regional pilots to a nationwide scheme, it is inevitable to be confronted with tremendous political–economic–institutional challenges. To facilitate a smooth start-up of the upcoming nationwide ETS, this study provides a systematic overview of seven ETS pilots, involving the detailed comparison of ETS design and the in-depth evaluation of market performance, both internal and external performance, based on trading data. Then, the achievements and deficiencies of seven ETS pilots are summarized, several challenges for the current time are discussed, and policy proposals for China's national-level ETS are navigated further coupled with international experience. This study finds that China's ETS pilots, from the short-term perspective, are successful, especially in the reinforcement of China's capacity to develop a market-based scheme in an economy that still cherishes many non-market endowments. However, deficiencies lie in both the internal and external market performance, such as the carbon price lacking a signal function, insufficient incentives for compliance, too low market liquidity, and much too high market fragmentation. Moreover, the retrospective examination of China's ETS pilots suggests that a nationwide ETS should at least be based on an extension of the cap duration from single year to several years, uniform rules on monitoring/reporting/verification and allowance allocation, and the improvement of institutional foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivating residents to deliver environmental complaints is beneficial for environmental authorities to help them manage environmental issues and alleviate the adverse effects caused by climate change. The major aim of the present study is to understand how climate-change information and residents' health-risk perceptions (both physical and mental dimensions) affect residents' environmental complaint behavior. The research framework was developed according to planned behavior theory, risk perception behavior and information behavior models. This framework was empirically assessed by employing questionnaire survey data gathered from 1273 respondents in China. The results indicate that climate-change information and residents' health-risk perceptions have all significantly positive effects on residents' attitudes toward environmental complaints and their intention to submit environmental complaints. Meanwhile, residents' health-risk perception is also positively affected by climate-change information. Mental health-risk perception plays a much stronger role in determining a residents' attitude and intention to submit an environmental complaint than does physical health-risk perception. Furthermore, attitude toward environmental complaint, perceived behavioral control and subjective norm all have significantly positive effects on a residents' intention to submit an environmental complaint. Additionally, this study also addresses the intention–behavior gap and suggests a positive relationship between intention and behavior. The present study may provide some practical implications to motivate residents to submit environmental complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are a major constraint to the survival and productivity of animals. In southern China, goats are the most important small domestic ruminants. Methods: From May 2013 to May 2017, we conducted a longitudinal study of hircine GIN infections in Huangshantou Town, Gongan County, Hubei Province, China, using fecal egg counts. Results: Our investigation revealed that the GINs of goats in Hubei Province have changed significantly. Over 90% of eggs detected in the first month of investigation, May 2013, belonged to the species Haemonchus contortus and Chabertia sp. There was no seasonal variation in positive rates (PRs) of GINs, but the mean eggs per gram (EPG) of GINs were higher between April and July than between September and November (P < 0.05). The gradual increase in the percentage of H. contortus eggs among all detected eggs during our research and the low cure rate of IVM mass treatment revealed the emergence of IVM resistance in H. contortus. After the implementation of an integrated GIN control strategy, which included two mass treatments (one in April/May with ABZ and another in September/October with IVM + ABZ), in 2016 and 2017, both the PRs and EPG of GINs were significantly reduced. Conclusion: The results presented here reveal that controlling GINs of small ruminants in small farms in southern China requires an integrated control strategy that should include monitoring of infection and anthelmintic resistance, and increased farmer education on the importance of using the appropriate drugs at the correct dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Fuzheng Kang’ai Formula (扶正抗癌方, FZKA) plus gefitinib in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted from 2009 to 2012 in South China. Seventy chemotherapynaive patients diagnosed with stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer with EGFR mutations were randomly assigned to GF group [gefitinib (250 mg/day orally) plus FZKA (250 mL, twice per day, orally); 35 cases] or G group (gefitinib 250 mg/day orally; 35 cases) according to the random number table and received treatment until progression of the disease, or development of unacceptable toxicities. The primary endpoint [progression-free survival (PFS)] and secondary endpoints [median survival time (MST), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and safety] were observed.Results: No patient was excluded after randomization. GF group had significantly longer PFS and MST compared with the G group, with median PFS of 12.5 months (95% CI 3.30-21.69) vs. 8.4 months (95% CI 6.30-10.50; log-rank P<0.01), MST of 21.5 months (95% CI 17.28-25.73) vs. 18.3 months (95% CI 17.97-18.63; log-rank P<0.01). ORR and DCR in GF group and G group were 65.7% vs. 57.1%, 94.3% vs. 80.0%, respectively (P>0.05). The most common toxic effects in the GF group and G group were rash or acne (42.8% vs. 57.1%, P>0.05), diarrhea (11.5% vs. 31.4%, P<0.05), and stomatitis (2.9% vs. 8.7%, P>0.05).Conclusion: Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer selected by EGFR mutations have longer PFS, MST with less toxicity treated with gefitinib plus FZKA than gefitinib alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) is an economically important virus that causes maize rough dwarf disease and rice black-streaked dwarf disease in East Asia. To study RBSDV variation and recombination, we examined the segment 9 (S9) sequences of 49 RBSDV isolates from maize and rice in China. Three S9 recombinants were detected in Baoding, Jinan, and Jining, China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Chinese RBSDV isolates could be classified into two groups based on their S9 sequences, regardless of host or geographical origin. Further analysis suggested that S9 has undergone negative and purifying selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional waterlog disaster integrated risk system, affected by natural, social, and economic systems and its combination relationship, is a complex system with certain structure and function. Waterlog disaster integrated risk results from the combined effects of regional environment, impact factors, vulnerability, and disaster-reducing capability of flood hazards in the drainage area. Waterlog disaster integrated risk system can be divided into four subsystems of hazard, vulnerability, disaster-reducing capability, and disaster conditions. Evaluation indexes are selected using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process method, and the evaluation index system is established. Then, the waterlog disaster integrated risk evaluation model is proposed based on set pair analysis method. Taking Huaihe river in Anhui Province of China as the typical area in this study, the results show that the proposed approach is able to obtain the spatial distribution characteristics of waterlog hazard, vulnerability, mitigation capabilities, and integrated disaster risk within the study area. From the quantitative point of view, identification of the areas with high flood risk can provide a scientific basis for the flood management and technical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Reach, in the upper Yellow River, is one of the most serious reaches suffering from ice flood disaster in China. Firstly, according to its characteristics of ice condition evolution and ice disaster, the concept of ice disaster risk of Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Reach was defined, the risk factors of ice disaster were discussed, and the theory and method of 'risk identification-risk estimation-risk assessment-risk management' for the ice disaster risk analysis of Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Reach was proposed. Then, the comprehensive evaluation model of ice disaster risk was established using the projection pursuit, fuzzy clustering and accelerating genetic algorithm method. Finally, the ice disaster risk grade was formulated, and the ice disaster risk of 1991-2010 for the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Reach was evaluated in this paper. The results show that the application results were consistent with the practical characteristics of water regime, meteorological and ice condition, revealing the rationality of the risk evaluation model. This study aims at enriching and developing the theory and method for the ice disaster risk analysis and providing scientific decision basis for the ice-prevention preparedness of Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Reach, in the upper Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing number of outbreaks of food-borne diseases caused by okadaic acid (OA) and its analogue dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1), two key diarrhetic shellfish poison (DSP) toxins, OA and DTX-1, have become a serious threat to public health and have attracted significant public attention in China. The aim of our study was to monitor OA and DTX-1 contamination in commercially available seafood and to provide references for tracking these toxins and preventing disease outbreaks. From 2010 to 2012, 40 species were collected from six coastal cities of four inland seas in China. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a lateral flow immunochromatographic (LFIC) test strip were used to analyse the samples, and the results were further confirmed using a commercially available ELISA kit. The monitoring results indicated that 23 of 40 species were positive for contamination. In addition, 14 of the positive species were determined to be inedible because the content of OA and DTX-1 was above the regulatory limit. Simultaneously, we verified that the digestive glands of shellfish tended to accumulate toxin, in contrast to the flesh. The highest concentrations of OA and DTX-1 were recorded in Scapharca broughtonii, which was collected from Qing Dao, in relation to the other analysed species. Moreover, the Arca family as well as Mytilus galloprovincialis were severely contaminated by OA and its analogue. The above results indicate that some of the commercially available seafood from the coastal cities in China may be inedible due to serious marine toxin contamination. The results of this study might play an important role in protecting consumer health and safety screening of marine products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]