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This study projects the changes in tropical cyclone (TC) landfalls in the western North Pacific under shared socioeconomic pathway (SSPs) scenarios during the TC peak season by using low‐resolution global climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6). Projections are based on the relationship between mid‐ and lower‐level atmospheric circulation and TC landfall frequency during the historical period from 1985 to 2014 and the future climate period from 2015 to 2100. The landfall areas for TCs are divided into northern East Asia (NEA), middle East Asia (MEA) and southern East Asia (SEA); the TC peak seasons are July–September for NEA and MEA, and July–November for SEA. To evaluate reproducibility, both ensemble and individual model outputs for mid‐ and lower‐level atmospheric circulations associated with TC landfall in each East Asian subregion are compared to the reanalysis. An ensemble of seven models with stable results for all three regions is more reasonable in simulating atmospheric circulation patterns than an ensemble of all CMIP6 models. The findings suggest that TC landfall is projected to increase by about 12% and 32% in NEA and MEA, respectively, in the late 21st century under the SSP5‐8.5 scenario compared to the historical period, while decreasing by 13% in SEA. These changes are consistent under both warming scenarios, and are more pronounced in the SSP5‐8.5 scenario compared to SSP1‐2.6, particularly in the later period of this century. An analysis of future atmospheric circulations suggests that global warming will weaken the western North Pacific subtropical high and cause its boundary to retreat eastward. This will lead to changes in the steering flow, which is closely related to TC tracks, resulting in TC landfalls to increase or decrease depending on the East Asian subregion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, one in three students are now enrolled in private higher education institutions (PHEIs), with the total reaching almost 70 million enrolments. This pattern is similar across a highly diverse Asia: more than 35% of students are enrolled in the private sector, and around 60% of higher education institutions (usually much smaller than their public counterparts) are private. But in East Asia, a combination of high participation rates and a rapidly ageing demographic has led to a complex, developing crisis, particularly in a much‐expanded private sector. Adding to the existing suite of problems – finance, over‐supply, declining standards, regulatory issues, and in some cases, corruption – the combined effect of recent COVID disruptions, regional economic reversals, and a rapidly ageing demographic has intensified existing problems, constituting a major crisis for the sector, especially more marginal private institutions. The analysis charts the various responses of governments in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, draws out some of the limits to reform, and poses the dilemma for the future of private higher education in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, high‐resolution CO2 concentration data were generated for East Asia to analyse long‐term changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, as East Asia is an important region for understanding the global carbon cycle. Using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF‐Chem), atmospheric CO2 concentrations were simulated in East Asia at a resolution of 9 km for a period of 10 years (2009–2018). The generated CO2 concentration data include CO2 concentrations, biogenic CO2 concentrations, anthropogenic CO2 concentrations, oceanic CO2 concentrations, biospheric CO2 uptake, biospheric CO2 release and meteorological variables at 3‐h intervals. The simulated high‐resolution CO2 concentrations, biogenic CO2 concentrations and anthropogenic CO2 concentrations are stored in NetCDF‐4 (Network Common Data Form, version 4) format and are available for download at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/PJTBF3. The simulated annual mean surface CO2 concentrations in East Asia were 391.027 ppm in 2009 and 412.949 ppm in 2018, indicating an increase of 21.922 ppm over the 10‐year period with appropriate seasonal variabilities. The monthly mean CO2 concentrations in East Asia were verified using surface CO2 observations and satellite column‐averaged CO2 mole fraction (XCO2) from Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO‐2). Based on surface CO2 observations and OCO‐2 XCO2 concentrations, the average root‐mean‐square error (RMSE) of the simulated CO2 concentrations in WRF‐Chem was 2.474 and 0.374 ppm, respectively, which is smaller than the average RMSE of the low‐resolution CarbonTracker 2019B (CT2019B) simulation. Therefore, the simulated high‐resolution atmospheric CO2 concentrations in East Asia in WRF‐Chem over 10 years are reliable data that resemble the observed values and could be highly valuable in understanding the carbon cycle in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue explores the shifting landscape of global middle‐class migration within and from East Asia by taking the relationship between mobility, parenting ideals and changing educational desires as its focus. Contributions explore how East Asian middle‐class families balance the emergent emphasis on their children's well‐being with the demands of global competitiveness as these often‐antagonistic desires are projected onto old and new migration destinations against the background of global geopolitical and economic power shifts. Instead of reifying the simplistic binary of hierarchical, achievement‐oriented East Asian 'Confucian educational norms' versus democratic, well‐being‐focussed Western ideals, the contributions offer a nuanced understanding of how these educational ideals coexist within the social, cultural, political and economic contexts of families. By carefully assessing the dialectically entwined intimate experiences of parents and children, the articles collected here set out to broaden our understanding of how middle‐class families in Singapore, South Korea, Japan and China attempt to negotiate the tension between prioritizing children's happiness and maintaining global competitiveness result in a variety of strategies from migrating to less obvious international destinations to crafting domestic alternatives. Taken together, the articles reveal consistent patterns of middle‐class migration and child‐rearing decisions that contest and reshape conventional notions of success, attesting to a shift in global middle‐class migration trends and to the importance of child‐rearing in migratory decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large‐scale apparent polar wander occurred during the Jurassic interval, which is interpreted as true polar wander (TPW). As the motion is nearly orthogonal to the TPW axis, the North China Block (NCB) experienced the largest latitudinal and environmental changes and provides unique constraints on Jurassic TPW. However, due to the lack and uneven quality of paleomagnetic data, TPW records in North China are controversial. Here, we report a new paleomagnetic pole (80.8°N, 13.0°E, A95 = 7.4°) from the late Jurassic sills and dykes that intrude the Nandaling and Xiahuayuan formations in the NCB. The new pole places the NCB at 36.8° ± 7.4°N at 155 ± 3.4 Ma, using Beijing as the reference site. Combined with the reliable Jurassic poles, our study reveals a large, steady southward shift of 37.3° ± 7.2° for the NCB during the Middle and Late Jurassic, and reflects a component of TPW. The position of ∼155 Ma pole also supports significant TPW prior to ∼160 Ma and agrees with proposals attributing the diachronous 165–155 Ma aridification across the Eastern Asian blocks. Plain Language Summary: True polar wander (TPW) refers to the rotation of a planet's upper solid shell relative to the spin axis, which helps stabilize its rotation and may result in rapid plate shift and environmental change. A large‐scale TPW occurred in the Jurassic but the configuration of which is controversial. Due to its unique location, North China provides unique constraints on Jurassic TPW, including paleolatitudinal, rotational and facies changes. Here we report new paleomagnetic data from a suite of sills and dykes in the North China Block (NCB). Combined with the available Jurassic paleomagnetic data, our study reveals a large, steady southward shift of ∼4,000 km for NCB between ∼174 and 147 Ma, and reflects a component of a proposed monster Jurassic TPW. The plate motion of the NCB also supports significant TPW prior to ∼160 Ma, that is compatible with the diachronous aridification through East Asia between ∼165 and 155 Ma. Key Points: A new paleopole reported from the late Jurassic sills and dykes positions the North China Block (NCB) at ∼37°N at ∼155 MaThe NCB experienced a huge, steady southward shift of ∼4,000 km during ∼174–147 Ma, reflecting a component of true polar wander (TPW)The plate shift of the NCB supports considerable TPW prior to ∼160 Ma, which is compatible with the ∼165–155 Ma aridification across East Asia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion In this study, we aim to explore the genetic imprint of Bronze Age globalization in East Asia from a phylogeographic perspective by examining the Y‐chromosome haplogroup Q1a1a‐M120, and to identify key demographic processes involved in the formation of early China and the ancient Huaxia people.Over the past few decades, we have collected the sequences of 347 Y chromosomes from the haplogroup Q1a1a‐M120. These sequences were utilized to analyze and reconstruct a highly revised phylogenetic tree with age estimates. And we analyzed the geographical distribution and spatial autocorrelation of nine major sub‐branches of Q1a1a‐M120. Finally, we observed the expansion of Q1a1a‐M120 from the beginning of the Bronze Age in East Asia, along with the continuous dissemination of its sub‐lineages among East Asian populations.We suggest that certain sub‐lineages played a significant role in the formation of states and early civilizations in China, as well as in the development of the ancient Huaxia people, who are the direct ancestors of the Han population. Overall, we propose that haplogroup Q‐M120 played a role in the introduction of Bronze Age culture to the central region of East Asia. Therefore, it is haplogroup Q‐M120, rather than the Western Eurasian paternal lineage, that expanded and contributed to the gene pool of the East Asian population.In summary, the globalization of the Bronze Age led to large‐scale population replacement and admixture across various regions of Eurasia; our findings highlight the unique demographic processes that occurred in East Asia during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals that colonize islands often undergo significant evolutionary changes in comparison with their continental counterparts as a response to specific island conditions. The pace of such changes can be relatively fast, which poses challenges in the evaluation of the taxonomic status of island taxa. The Japanese and Manchurian Bush Warbler species complex (Horornis diphone–canturians), which breeds in East Asia and the Japanese Archipelago, is such an avian example. This species complex exhibits significant morphological differentiation between different taxa, and the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships within the complex are debated. Here, we updated the taxonomy of this species complex and shed insight on its evolutionary history using multi‐locus phylogeographic and acoustic analyses. Our results support the conventional treatment of the two continental taxa borealis and canturians as subspecies of H. canturians, contrary to some recent proposals that they are affiliated to H. diphone. We also document a reduction in body size, that is dwarfism, and vocal divergence in the nominate subspecies H. d. diphone, which is endemic to the remote and isolated Ogasawara Islands. These changes may have happened following colonization of these islands, which was estimated to have taken place approximately 0.2 million years ago. Although H. d. diphone is clearly distinctive and deserves recognition as an evolutionarily significant unit, H. d. diphone and other H. diphone samples were not reciprocally monophyletic. Because of this lack of reciprocal monophyly and a relatively recent divergence time, we advocate maintaining its current subspecies status. We also detected reduced genetic diversity, measured as heterozygosity, in H. d. diphone. We suggest that conservation efforts in the Ogasawara Islands should prioritize the protection of this endemic subspecies. Collectively, our findings suggest that the separation between the populations on the East Asian continent and the Japanese Archipelago, followed by colonization of remote oceanic islands through long‐distance dispersal, underlie rapid phenotypic and genetic diversification of the Horornis diphone–canturians species complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global phase 3 DESTINY‐Breast03 study (ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03529110) showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T‐DXd) over trastuzumab emtansine (T‐DM1) in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) previously treated with trastuzumab and a taxane. Here, we report a subgroup analysis of Asian patients enrolled in DESTINY‐Breast03. In total, 309 patients (149 in the T‐DXd arm and 160 in the T‐DM1 arm) from Asian countries and regions were randomized. At data cutoff (July 25, 2022), the median duration of follow‐up in the Asian subpopulation was 29.0 months with T‐DXd and 26.0 months with T‐DM1. The PFS (determined by blinded independent central review) hazard ratio was 0.30 (95% confidence interval 0.22–0.41) favoring T‐DXd over T‐DM1 (median PFS 25.1 vs. 5.4 months). Median OS was not reached in the T‐DXd arm and was 37.7 months in the T‐DM1 arm. The median treatment duration was 15.4 months with T‐DXd and 5.5 months with T‐DM1. The incidence of grade ≥3 drug‐related treatment‐emergent adverse events was similar between both treatment arms (49.0% vs. 46.5%) and was consistent with the overall DESTINY‐Breast03 population. Adjudicated drug‐related interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis occurred in 12.9% of patients treated with T‐DXd and 2.5% treated with T‐DM1, with a higher incidence in Japanese patients; none of these were grade ≥4 events. These efficacy and safety data reinforce the favorable benefit–risk profile of T‐DXd in HER2‐positive mBC, including in the Asian subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asia experienced complex climatic changes during the Eocene. Due to the lack of a high‐precision time framework covering the Eocene, the characteristics of sedimentary and climate evolution in this period remain unclear. The Jianghan Basin (Central China) developed an Eocene continental succession, which is composed of lower red beds and upper salt‐lake deposits exhibiting clear sedimentary rhythms, making these strata an ideal target for astronomical cycle analysis. Based on the established floating astronomical timescale, the lower red beds in the basin formed during the early–middle Eocene and were dominated by eccentricity cycles. The upper salt‐lake deposits formed during the middle–late Eocene and recorded obliquity cycles. The change in facies indicates that the climate transitioned from continuously arid to less arid with periodic relative wetness, which was forced by orbital cycles. Significant obliquity signals recorded by salt rhythmites responded to Eocene global temperature changes and Tibetan region uplift, which can be important markers of a monsoon‐like climate. Comparing the sedimentary and climatic characteristics of other Eocene lake basins in East Asia, the extension of the Eocene East Asian monsoon may have initiated during ca 43.6 to 40.0 Ma. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the early evolution of the East Asian monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim s : Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a significant zoonotic disease transmitted by rodents. The distribution of HFRS in the European part of Russia has been studied quite well; however, much less is known about the endemic area in the Russian Far East. The mutual influence of the epidemic situation in the border regions and the possibility of cross‐border transmission of infection remain poorly understood. This study aims to identify the spatiotemporal hot spots of the incidence and the impact of environmental drivers on the HFRS distribution in the Russian Far East. Methods and Results: A two‐scale study design was performed. Kulldorf's spatial scan statistic was used to conduct spatiotemporal analysis at a regional scale from 2000 to 2020. In addition, an ecological niche model based on maximum entropy was applied to analyse the contribution of various factors and identify spatial favourability at the local scale. One spatiotemporal cluster that existed from 2002 to 2011 and located in the border area and one pure temporal cluster from 2004 to 2007 were revealed. The best suitability for orthohantavirus persistence was found along rivers, including those at the Chinese–Russian border, and was mainly explained by land cover, NDVI (as an indicator of vegetation density and greenness) and elevation. Conclusions: Despite the stable incidence in recent years in, targeted prevention strategies are still needed due to the high potential for HRFS distribution in the southeast of the Russian Far East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continental Asia is mainly composed of three major tectonic regimes, the Tethys, Paleo Asian Ocean, and West Pacific. It underwent multi‐stage plate convergences, ocean‐continent transformations, and subductions, collisions and/or collages, and post collisional (orogenic) extensions in Phanerozoic. Tectonic evolution of the Asia brings up a unique fault system and tectonic geomorphological features in the mainland China. Also, it provides a geodynamic background for the formation and evolution of metallogeneses and mineral systems, resulting in nonuniform distribution of tectono‐metallogenic systems and metallogenic belts. The spatiotemporal distribution of mineral deposits in China and adjacent areas exhibits periodic variation under controlling of the full life Wilson cycle and tectonic evolution, forming the plate convergence‐related mineral system in East Asia. Porphyry Cu deposits are mainly related to compressional systems in Paleozoic and early Mesozoic, and more closely related to post‐collision extensional settings in late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Orogenic Au deposits mainly formed in post‐orogeny extensional setting. Alkaline rock related rare earth element deposits formed mainly at margins of the North China and Yangtze cratons. Granite‐pegmatite Li and other rare metal deposits formed mainly in early Mesozoic, related to Indosinian post‐orogeny extension. Tectono‐metallogenic systems provide important basis for the prospecting of mineral resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraphlomideae (Lamioideae, Lamiaceae) is a recently established tribe endemic to East and Southeast Asia. It comprises three herbaceous genera: Paraphlomis, Matsumurella, and Ajugoides. Phylogenetic relationships among these genera have not yet been satisfactorily resolved and the monophyly of Paraphlomis was challenged in previous molecular phylogenetic studies. In this study, we performed maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses on complete plastomes and nuclear ribosomal internal and external transcribed spacer sequences to further resolve the generic relationships within Paraphlomideae. All phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of Paraphlomideae. Contrary to traditional classifications, both Ajugoides and Matsumurella were deeply nested within Paraphlomis, indicating the need to expand Paraphlomis to include Ajugoides and Matsumurella. Hence, six new combinations and one replacement name are proposed. Morphologically, species of the newly defined Paraphlomis share a rhizomatous or stoloniferous habit, plants with simple hairs, nutlets with a truncate apex, and actinomorphic calyces. In addition, widespread incongruence between nuclear and plastid trees may have been caused by hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting after rapid diversification in the re‐circumscribed Paraphlomis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to a combination of reportedly unique morphological characters and an unlocatable type specimen, Marchantiopsis stoloniscyphula has been regarded as an enigmatic species in Marchantiaceae since its description, and all subsequent taxonomic treatments of this species were made without examination of the type. We located the original material of M. stoloniscyphula which was included as an admixture within the holotype of Wiesnerella fasciaria deposited in IFP. Our morphological examination found that M. stoloniscyphula and W. fasciaria are conspecific with Marchantia papillata subsp. grossibarba and Sandea japonica, respectively. The nomenclature of Marchantiopsis and M. stoloniscyphula are discussed. Lectotypes for M. stoloniscyphula and W. fasciaria are also designated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full understanding of local adaptation at the genomic level will help to elucidate its role in the differentiation between closely related species. This study focused on rice seed bugs sister species (Leptocorisa chinensis and Leptocorisa oratoria), which are native to East Asia and are notorious pests targeting growing rice spikelets. East Asia is a region where diverse geology and fluctuating climate are known to have profound impacts on organisms. In this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from double‐digest restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing and geographic distribution information were used to investigate phylogeography and assess the environmental contribution to genetic variation. We found clear genetic differentiation between sister species, but a lack of genetic structure within species because of their long‐distance dispersal ability. The demographic model involved a scenario in which divergence in isolation (~0.6 Ma) was followed by secondary contact (~7 kya). The initial divergence may have been caused by the intensification of the East Asian monsoon during the Pleistocene climate oscillation. The historical demography indicated that the effective population size (Ne) showed an evident increase from 9 to 7 kya, which may be related to rice domestication and extensive human cultivation during the Holocene. We also detected a significant correlation between genetic and environmental distance, and the niche difference occupied between them. Temperature‐related variables were ranked as the main factors for the difference, and 410 selective SNPs involved in adaptation were identified. The Nanling Mountains in southern China serve as a geographical boundary between them and act as an ecological barrier belt that promotes local environmental adaptation. Our study demonstrates that historical climate change and local adaptation by climate‐imposed selection shape the phylogeographical patterns of sister species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of China's "dual carbon" goal, emissions of air pollutants are expected to significantly decrease in the future. Thus, the direct climate effects of black carbon (BC) aerosols in East Asia are investigated under this goal using an updated regional climate and chemistry model. The simulated annual average BC concentration over East Asia is approximately 1.29 μg/m3 in the last decade. Compared to those in 2010–2020, both the BC column burden and instantaneous direct radiative forcing in East Asia decrease by more than 55% and 80%, respectively, in the carbon peak year (2030s) and the carbon neutrality year (2060s). Conversely, the BC effective radiative forcing (ERF) and regional climate responses to BC exhibit substantial nonlinearity to emission reduction, possibly resulting from different adjustments of thermal‐dynamic fields and clouds from BC‐radiation interactions. The regional mean BC ERF at the tropopause over East Asia is approximately +1.11 W/m2 in 2010–2020 while negative in the 2060s. BC‐radiation interactions in the present‐day impose a significant annual mean cooling of −0.2 to −0.5 K in central China but warming +0.3 K in the Tibetan Plateau. As China's BC emissions decline, surface temperature responses show a mixed picture compared to 2010–2020, with more cooling in eastern China and Tibet of −0.2 to −0.3 K in the 2030s, but more warming in central China of approximately +0.3 K by the 2060s. The Indian BC might play a more important role in East Asian climate with reduction of BC emissions in China. Plain Language Summary: Black carbon (BC) aerosols, which are among the air pollutants that will be reduced in China under the "dual carbon" goal, can have an impact on the regional climate by absorbing solar radiation. We use a regional climate model to simulate the climate effect of BC over East Asia under the "dual carbon" goal of China. The results showed that the BC concentration and column burden in East Asia, as well as the instantaneous direct radiative forcing, will decrease significantly under future regional emission reduction policies. However, the effective radiative forcing of BC and regional climate responses do not exhibit simple linear relationships with emissions. The BC‐induced atmospheric thermal‐dynamic anomalies are the main drivers of this nonlinearity. Similarly, BC emissions from India might also influence the East Asian climate. Key Points: The East Asian black carbon (BC) loadings and instantaneous direct radiative forcings significantly decrease under the "dual carbon" goal of ChinaThe BC induced regional climate changes show nonlinear responses to the BC emission reductionThe Indian BC might play an increasingly important role in East Asian climate with decreasing BC emissions in China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary The discovery of a new genus within the family Thismiaceae, known as fairy lanterns, marks a significant scientific milestone in Japan, a country renowned for its botanical research. The unearthing of a new genus, especially in a well‐documented flora like Japan, is both rare and monumental. Unlike other fairy lanterns that bloom under leaf litter and can be easily overlooked, the new genus and species, Relictithismia kimotsukiensis, often does not even emerge above the surface of the soil when flowering. This captivating characteristic not only enriches our knowledge of botanical diversity but also emphasizes the importance of preserving natural habitats that harbor such rare species.The family Thismiaceae, known as “fairy lanterns”, is distinguished by its urn‐ or bell‐shaped, glasswork‐like flowers with basally fused tepals and its dependence on specific fungi for carbon. A new genus and species, Relictithismia kimotsukiensis, has been discovered in southern Japan. This species is notable for its unique anther‐stigma contact, hitherto unreported in the other Thismiaceae. Unlike typical fairy lanterns that bloom just above the leaf litter, Relictithismia often flowers beneath it. The underground habit is potentially associated with self‐pollination. The discovery of Relictithismia enhances our understanding of evolutionary pathways within the Thismiaceae, as it possesses characteristics previously thought to be unique to Thismia (the annulus with drooping stamens) as well as traits found in other genera (free stamens without expanded connectives). This paper reviews the morphology, ecology, and evolutionary history of Relictithismia, offering insights into the peculiarities of these enigmatic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative relationship between Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) and floods over East Asia has not been established. In this study, MCSs are clustered into four types with Self‐Organizing Map approach. Floods in June‐August of 2000–2021 are linked with different types of MCS by automated algorithms we constructed. We find that among the major floods (potential flood peak periods), 91% (87%) are related to MCS, 65% (78%) are dominated by MCS, and 38% (20%) are dominated by multi‐types of MCS. Types 1 and 2 MCS have higher flood‐inducing efficiencies than common MCS (Type‐4). Type‐1 MCS, characterized by the least number (2% of the total number), the largest precipitation volume, longest lifetime, slowest moving, strongest precipitation, can most efficiently produce floods. Type‐2 MCS, characterized by the second largest precipitation volume, more numerous than Type‐1 particularly over land, can induce floods not only relatively efficiently but also more frequently than Type‐1. Plain Language Summary: Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS) can cause large flood events but how they work in East Asia at climatic scale remains unexplored. In this study, we tracked MCS over the time period of 2000–2021 and grouped them into four types using the Self‐Organizing Map approach. We connected summer floods with the four types of MCS using automated algorithms. We found that most large flood events and potential flood peak periods are dominated by MCS. Type‐1 MCS, which features large land‐rain area, longest lifetime, slowest movement and strongest precipitation, is most efficient in inducing floods. A Longer lifetime not only contributes to greater total precipitation volume but also increases the overlap area, thereby enhancing the precipitation volume per area. The slow movement further increases the overlap area. The high overlap area helps reduce the proportion of precipitation absorbed by the soil. Type‐2 MCS, which features with the second largest precipitation volume, occurs more frequently than Type‐1 especially over land, and can cause floods more frequently than Type‐1. These findings can enhance our understanding of flood formation over East Asia. Key Points: Among the major floods (potential flood peak periods) occurred in 2000–2021 summer, 91% (87%) are related to Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS), and 66% (78%) are dominated by MCSType‐1 MCS is the most efficient among the four types in causing floods for its strongest precipitation rate, longest lifetime and slowest movementLong lifetime and slow movement increase the overlap area, boosting precipitation per area and reducing the proportion of rainfall absorbed by soil [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel sub‐sampling method has been used to isolate the dynamic effects of the response of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the Siberian High (SH) from the total response to projected Arctic sea‐ice loss under 2°C global warming above preindustrial levels in very large initial‐condition ensemble climate simulations. Thermodynamic effects of Arctic warming are more prominent in Europe while dynamic effects are more prominent in Asia/East Asia. This explains less‐severe cold extremes in Europe but more‐severe cold extremes in Asia/East Asia. For Northern Eurasia, dynamic effects overwhelm the effect of increased moisture from a warming Arctic, leading to an overall decrease in precipitation. We show that the response scales linearly with the dynamic response. However, caution is needed when interpreting inter‐model differences in the response because of internal variability, which can largely explain the inter‐model spread in the NAO and SH response in the Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project. Plain Language Summary: The projected loss of Arctic sea‐ice under 2°C global warming will cause large warming in the Arctic region and climate and weather anomalies outside the Arctic. The warming in the Arctic will mean warmer airmasses coming from the Arctic and also more moisture from the open Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, it will also change atmospheric circulation. These effects together will determine the impacts of Arctic warming. In this study, we introduce a novel sub‐sampling method to isolate atmospheric circulation change in response to the Arctic warming. The method involves selecting members of simulations from the experiment with future Arctic sea‐ice conditions, the average of which is equal to the average of the members of simulations in the experiment with present‐day Arctic sea‐ice conditions. We found that atmospheric circulation change in European regions is relatively weak so that warming effects will dominate the climate and weather response there. On the other hand, atmospheric circulation change will dominate the climate and weather response in East Eurasia. We also found that stronger atmospheric circulation changes will generally increase the response to the Arctic warming. We suggest caution when assessing whether different responses in different models can be interpreted as true differences in model physics. Key Points: A novel sub‐sampling method is introduced to isolate the role of dynamics in the response to projected Arctic sea‐ice lossA dynamical Siberian High response dominates the temperature response over East Eurasia while that of the North Atlantic Oscillation is weakInter‐model differences in Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project likely contain a large fraction of internal variability due to the unconstrained dynamic effects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has a significant impact on the surface climate of East Asia by modulating the atmospheric circulation over the Kuroshio Extension. Here, we show that the ENSO–East Asia teleconnections are strongest in early winter due to the combined effects of the Indian Ocean and Maritime Continent convections, but weakest in mid‐winter as these tropical convections weaken. During the early El Niño winter, convection is enhanced over the Indian Ocean and suppressed over the Maritime Continent. The associated Rossby wave trains constructively interfere over the Kuroshio Extension, resulting in anticyclonic circulation anomalies. The equatorial central Pacific convection has a minimal impact on the East Asia. This result suggests that the Indian Ocean and the Maritime Continent convections, rather than the equatorial central Pacific convection, are the precursors of the early winter ENSO–East Asia teleconnections, and need to be considered for subseasonal‐to‐seasonal prediction in East Asia. Plain Language Summary: The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) significantly influences the winter surface climate in East Asia through atmospheric teleconnections. The ENSO teleconnections are particularly pronounced in early winter when an anomalous anticyclonic circulation developes over the Kuroshio Extension and transports warm and moist air to the East Asian continent, but weaken in mid‐winter. Here, we show that such subseasonal variability of the ENSO–East Asia teleconnections is primarily determined by tropical convection over the Indian Ocean and the Maritime Continent, with a minimal impact of convection over the equatorial central Pacific where ENSO develops. Key Points: The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) teleconnections show distinct subseasonal variability over East Asia, with the strongest teleconnections in early winterThe ENSO–East Asia teleconnections are modulated by anomalous tropical convection over the Indian Ocean and the Maritime Continent on subseasonal time scaleRossby wave trains induced by enhanced convection over the Indian Ocean and those by suppressed convection over the Maritime Continent constructively interfere over the East Asia during the early El Niño winter [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Millennium Eruption of Changbaishan Volcano is heralded as one of the largest explosive eruptions in the Late Holocene and produced huge quantities of tephra. The petrogeochemical method estimates that the Millennium Eruption emitted up to 45 Tg of sulfur into the atmosphere—more than in the Tambora eruption in 1815 CE, which caused "a year without a summer" across the Northern Hemisphere in 1816 CE. Despite such massive emissions, evidence for this eruption's climate impact in East Asia remains elusive. To explain this contradiction, this study used 67 high‐resolution tree‐ring‐width records from the Northern Hemisphere spanning the past two millennia, complemented by volcanic sensitivity experiments conducted with the Community Earth System Model. Results reveal a prevailing decreasing/negative trend in the proxy records during the potential eruption period, with 945 CE marking the most notable negative anomaly, suggesting that the Millennium Eruption likely occurred in 945 CE rather than 946 CE. Sensitivity experiments, corroborated by proxy records, demonstrate that the Millennium Eruption induced substantial negative temperature anomalies at middle and high latitudes, alongside an increase in Meiyu‐Baiu‐Changma precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southwestern Japan and a decrease in precipitation in India, northern China, and the South China Sea in the first post‐eruption year. This study offers a novel perspective on the climate impact of the Millennium Eruption, reconciling previous discrepancies regarding its climate impact. Plain Language Summary: About a thousand years ago, the Changbaishan volcano erupted with incredible force, ranking as one of the largest historical eruptions in the past 2000 yrs. Despite its size, evidence for this eruption's climate impact in East Asia has remained elusive. We delved into this mystery by examining detailed high‐resolution proxy records and performing climate model simulations. Our findings suggest that the climate effects of the eruption may have been unexpectedly strong, with the Millennium Eruption potentially occurring in 945 CE that is earlier than previously thought. The Millennium Eruption triggered notable cooling at middle and high latitudes, increased Meiyu‐Baiu‐Changma precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southwestern Japan, and reduced precipitation in India, northern China, and the South China Sea. This research helps us understand how large volcanic eruptions can interact with other natural factors to influence our climate. Key Points: Sulfur emissions of the Millennium Eruption estimated from a petrogeochemical method are inconsistent with the signal from ice‐core samplesA consistent negative response in the high‐resolution paleoclimate records suggests a significant climate impact of the Millennium EruptionThe eruption enhanced the Meiyu‐Baiu‐Changma precipitation while diminishing precipitation in India, northern China, and the South China Sea [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear‐Air Turbulence (CAT) is associated with wind shear in the vicinity of jet streams in upper atmospheric levels. This turbulence occurs in cloudless regions and causes most weather‐related aircraft accidents. Recent studies have shown that in response to climate change, CAT could significantly increase over certain regions as a consequence of strengthening of jet streams. In this study we use several atmospheric reanalyses and coupled model experiments database to evaluate CAT recent and future changes in the Northern Hemisphere. Several CAT diagnostics are computed to assess the sensitivity of the results to different turbulence representations. A significant positive trend in CAT frequency is found in the reanalyses in different Northern Hemisphere regions over the period 1980–2021. The signal‐to‐noise analysis shows that over North Africa, East Asia and Middle East the increase of CAT occurrence in the last decades is likely attributed to the response to anthropogenic forcing. In contrast, over the North Atlantic and North Pacific the response to external forcing is not detectable due to a weak signal to noise ratio related to large internal variability. Future climate projections show that over several Northern Hemisphere regions, CAT is projected to increase with a high model agreement and independently of the CAT diagnostic used. The largest increase in CAT is projected to occur over East Asia. In the North Atlantic, large uncertainty remains due to lack of model agreement and different results between the various CAT diagnostics. Plain Language Summary: Aircrafts in flight can be subject to Clear‐Air Turbulence (CAT), which is defined as all turbulence that occurs in the atmosphere away from a visible convective activity, and which is particularly difficult to detect by pilots and using on‐board radar. CAT can injure passengers and flight attendants, cause structural damage to planes and induce considerable economic loss. In this study we use several atmospheric reanalyses and coupled model experiments database to evaluate CAT recent and future changes in the Northern Hemisphere. We also compute several CAT diagnostics to evaluate the sensitivity of results to different turbulence representations. Our results show that over several regions in the Northern Hemisphere, in particular East Asia, positive CAT trends are found as a consequence of anthropogenic forcing, indicating that the response of CAT to global warming can be already detectable in the recent decades. Positive trends in CAT frequency are projected to increase for different global warming levels over these regions at aircraft cruising altitudes. Nevertheless, over the North Atlantic region there are still many uncertainties in the response of climate models and also in CAT diagnostics used. The changes in CAT described in this study could have important consequences for aviation safety. Key Points: Atmospheric reanalyses show increases in the frequency of Clear‐Air Turbulence (CAT) in recent decades over several regionsThe increases over some of these regions is attributable to external forcingCAT frequency is projected to increase in the future over East Asia, Middle East, North Africa, North Pacific and North America [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first‐time, analysis of a decade long measurement of Black Carbon mass concentration (BC) was carried out at a representative central Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) location, Varanasi (25.30°N, 83.03°E, 79 m asl), from 2009 to 2021 to understand its physical, optical, and radiative impacts. During the 13‐year study period, the daily BC mass concentration was found to vary between 0.07 and 46.23 μg m−3 (mean 9.18 ± 6.53 μg m−3) and showed a strong inter‐annual and intra‐annual variations. The inter‐annual variability of BC showed a significant decreasing trend (−0.47 μg m−3 yr−1), with a maximum during the post‐monsoon (−1.86 μg m−3 yr−1) and minimum during the pre‐monsoon season (−0.31 μg m−3 yr−1). The Black Carbon Aerosol Radiative Forcing (BC‐ARF) at the top of the atmosphere (BC‐ARFT), surface (BC‐ARFS), and within the atmosphere (BC‐ARFA) was found to be 10.3 ± 6.4, −30.1 ± 18.9, and 40.5 ± 25.2 W m−2, respectively. BC‐ARF also showed a strong inter‐annual variability with a decreasing trend for BC‐ARFT (−0.47 W m−2 yr−1) and BC‐ARFA (−1.94 W m−2 yr−1), while it showed an increasing trend for BC‐ARFS (1.33 W m−2 yr−1). Concentrated weighted trajectories (CWT) and potential source contribution function (PSCF) analyses were performed at the station to determine the potential source sectors and transport routes of BC aerosols. These analyses revealed that the long‐range source of BC at Varanasi originates from the upper and lower IGP, central highlands, southern peninsular region, Pakistan, and even from the Central East Asia region. Plain Language Summary: Long‐term measurement of Black Carbon aerosol was done at a representative Central Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) location, Varanasi, India, from 2009 to 2021. Analysis suggests significant interannual and intra‐annual variation of BC mass for the location. The important finding shows a significant decreasing trend in BC mass: the maximum for the post‐monsoon season and the minimum for the pre‐monsoon. Black Carbon‐Aerosol Radiative Forcing at the top of the atmosphere, at the surface, and within the atmosphere was found to be 10.3 ± 6.4, −30.1 ± 18.9, 40.5 ± 25.2 W m−2, respectively. Black Carbon Aerosol Radiative Forcing also showed a decreasing trend and implies an induced deceasing trend in the atmospheric heating rate. According to the concentrated weighted trajectory and potential source contribution function analyses, the upper and lower IGP, central highlands, southern peninsular region, Pakistan, and even the Central East Asia region are potential long‐range sources of BC at the Varanasi. Key Points: Black Carbon is decreasing over the central Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) since 2009: maximum for post‐monsoon and minimum for pre‐monsoon seasonThe Black Carbon‐Aerosol Radiative Forcing (BC‐ARF) shows a decreasing trend over the central IGP on yearly scale since 2009Decreasing trend in BC‐ARF within the atmosphere relates to a decrease in BC mass concentration and suggests reduced atmospheric warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resolving a robust phylogeny of an organismal group is often hindered by the limited availability of samples suitable for genomic or transcriptomic sequencing. Even for lineages of notable importance in evolutionary ecology, our phylogenetic comprehension remains largely unsatisfactory due to the challenges of acquiring samples across the clade. The long‐horned beetle genus Anoplophora Hope exemplifies such a group, globally renowned for two invasive pests—the Asian long‐horned beetle and citrus long‐horned beetle—which have inflicted significant damage to deciduous hardwood forest in North America and Europe. In contrast to the two temperate pests, the remaining 50 species in the genus inhabit subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, where most species are only infrequently encountered. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogeny of Anoplophora using a PCR‐based target enrichment museomics approach. As a case study of employing PCR‐generated custom probes, we demonstrate the robustness and cost‐effectiveness of this in‐house method in successfully acquiring sequence data from historical specimens. Through extensive sampling of Anoplophora using museum specimens, we reveal a non‐sister relationship between the two temperate species and provide evidence for addressing taxonomic conundrums. Our biogeographical analyses indicate that the adaptation of the two temperate species occurred independently during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene after the establishment of temperate forests in East Asia in the late Miocene. Our findings highlight the importance of comprehensive phylogenetic inference in understanding the patterns and processes of these beetles' adaptation to temperate forests and lay the groundwork for investigating the genetic mechanism underlying life in the cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use monthly birth data collected by the Human Fertility Database to analyze the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on birth trends until September 2022 in 38 higher‐income countries. We also present estimates of the monthly total fertility rate adjusted for seasonality. Our analysis reveals that the pandemic led to distinct swings in births and fertility rates. The initial pandemic shock was associated with a fall in births in most countries, with the sharpest drop in January 2021. Next, birth rates showed a short‐term recovery in March 2021, following the conceptions after the end of the first wave of the pandemic. Most countries reported a stable or slightly increasing number of births in the subsequent months, especially in autumn 2021. Yet another, quite unexpected, downturn in births started in January 2022, linked with the conceptions in spring 2021 when the pandemic measures were mostly eased out and vaccination was gaining momentum. Taken together and contrary to some initial expectations, the coronavirus pandemic did not bring a lasting "baby bust" in most of the analyzed countries. Especially the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States experienced an improvement in their birth dynamics in 2021 compared with the prepandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spring tunnel is an ancient water installation used to artificially increase the water yield of a spring through a subterranean tunnel. We have developed a database of 216 spring tunnels documented in the central region of the Southern Levant (present‐day Israel), constructed between Iron Age II and the modern era. The study focuses on the evolution of this water installation over a period of 2500 years, examining these constructions from technological, typological, spatial, and cultural perspectives. Within the larger database, 132 spring tunnels have been mapped, from which we present 36 examples selected to outline the typology and chronology of this type of water installation. The findings of the study indicate a diachronic correlation between the distribution of settlement in the mountain region and the number and geographical distribution of spring tunnels. Ethnic and religious changes, and the complexity of the mountain region's population, are also reflected in the use of these water installations. The comprehensive water structure database presented in this article, from a peripheral, yet strategically located region in relation both to the Far East and to West Mediterranean Empires, is used for initial consideration of local initiatives versus the knowledge‐transfer process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fungal skin diseases are the most common and widespread fungal infections, exerting a significant impact on patients' socio‐psychological health and the quality of life. Objectives: To assess and compare the global burden of fungal skin diseases in 2019 and over the past 30 years. Methods: Data were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Incidence and years lived with disability (YLDs) were used to assess the burden of fungal skin diseases. A total of 204 countries and territories were hierarchically organised into 21 regions and seven super‐regions. Data were presented as absolute numbers and rates per 100,000 population, stratified by sex, age, year and location. Results: In 2019, the global incidence rate and YLD rate of fungal skin diseases were 21,277 (95% UI 19 298–23,399) and 42 (95% UI 17–88) per 100,000 population, respectively. Sub‐Saharan Africa bore the heaviest disease burden, especially children aged 5–9 years had a significantly higher incidence rate, YLD rate and YLDs to incidence ratio compared to other regions. Moreover, more than half of the incident cases among the elderly came from high‐income regions and Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. Over the past 30 years, the number of incident cases and YLDs of fungal skin diseases has been continuously increasing worldwide, but the incidence rates and YLD rates have not shown significant changes. Conclusions: The global burden of fungal skin diseases has been continuously rising. Children in Sub‐Saharan Africa are experiencing higher disease incidence and severity compared to other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the impact of converting from subscription‐based publishing to open access ("flipping") in three obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) journals. Methods: We compared original articles in three OBGYN journals during a matched subscription‐based and open access publishing period. We analyzed citation metrics and country of authorship. Results: Overall, 1522 studies were included; of those, 869 (57.1%) were before flipping and 653 (42.9%) were after flipping. There was a decrease in publications by lower‐middle income countries from 7.7% in subscription‐based publishing to 1.8% in open access (P < 0.001). There was a decrease in the proportion of articles from South Asia (2.5% vs 0.5%), North America (14.4% vs 9.4%), and the Middle East (7.4% vs 2.5%), and an increase in publications from East Asia and Pacific (17.4% vs 30.9%; P < 0.001). The relative citation ratio was higher in the open access period (median 1.65 vs 0.95, P < 0.001). The number of citations per year was higher in the open access period (median 3.0 vs 2.0, P < 0.001). There was an increase in the proportion of funded studies (from 40.2% to 47.8%; P = 0.003). Conclusions: Flipping to open access in OBGYN journals is associated with a citation advantage with major authorship changes, leading to inequity. Synopsis: Transition to open access leads to a citation advantage, coupled with increasing gaps in equity of authorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural variations (SVs) are a feature of plant genomes that has been largely unexplored despite their significant impact on plant phenotypic traits and local adaptation to abiotic and biotic stress. In this study, we employed woolly grape (Vitis retordii), a species native to the tropical and subtropical regions of East Asia with both coastal and inland habitats, as a valuable model for examining the impact of SVs on local adaptation. We assembled a haplotype‐resolved chromosomal reference genome for woolly grape, and conducted population genetic analyses based on whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) data from coastal and inland populations. The demographic analyses revealed recent bottlenecks in all populations and asymmetric gene flow from the inland to the coastal population. In total, 1,035 genes associated with plant adaptive regulation for salt stress, radiation, and environmental adaptation were detected underlying local selection by SVs and SNPs in the coastal population, of which 37.29% and 65.26% were detected by SVs and SNPs, respectively. Candidate genes such as FSD2, RGA1, and AAP8 associated with salt tolerance were found to be highly differentiated and selected during the process of local adaptation to coastal habitats in SV regions. Our study highlights the importance of SVs in local adaptation; candidate genes related to salt stress and climatic adaptation to tropical and subtropical environments are important genomic resources for future breeding programs of grapevine and its rootstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sporadic E‐layer (Es) exhibits unique opportunity for exploring the coupling from lower to upper atmosphere. It was found that the East Asia is with the highest intensity and occurrence probability of Es. By using the long‐term data of 21 ionosonde stations in China and Japan over the past 60 yrs, this paper explores the probable control on the Es layer from the lower layers. It is found that the intensity of the Es layer is strongly correlated with the surface atmospheric temperature, terrain, and land‐sea boundary. The correlation coefficient of the intensity of Es with surface temperature is as high as 0.8204, while that with the terrain and land‐sea boundary is up to 0.6668. Based on the coupling between the lower and upper atmosphere, this paper reveals the probable controls from lower layers on the intensity of the Es in East Asia. Plain Language Summary: As an occasional ionized layer of the ionosphere, the sporadic E‐layer (Es) exhibits unique opportunity for exploring the coupling from lower to upper atmosphere. Despite extensive research on both behavior and mechanism of the Es, none have adequately explained the strong inhomogeneous of its global morphology. It is found in fact that the East Asia is with the highest intensity and occurrence probability of Es. By using the long‐term data of 21 ionosondes in China and Japan over the past 60 yrs, this letter explores the formation mechanism of the strongest Es regions in the world. It is found that the intensity of the Es layer is strongly correlated with the surface atmospheric temperature, terrain, and land‐sea boundary. The correlation coefficient between the intensity of Es and surface temperature is highest, while that with the terrain and land‐sea boundary is also high. By analyzing the data as long as six decades, this letter reveals the probable controls from lower layers on the intensity of the Es in East Asia. Key Points: By analyzing the six‐decade data of 21 ionosondes in East Asia, it reveals probable controls on the strongest Es layer from lower layersFor the first time, it is found that the intensity of Es layer is highly correlated with the surface atmospheric temperatureAn interesting coupling from lower to upper atmosphere may be found by taking advantage of observations longer than half of a century [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen isotope (δ18O) records of paleo‐precipitation contain abundant information on past climate changes. Nevertheless, at the orbital scale, our current understanding about the characteristics and mechanisms of precipitation oxygen isotope (δ18Op) variations in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mid‐latitudes remains limited due to the lack of abundant long‐term geological records. In this study, based on a 300‐ka transient simulation involving stable isotope fractionation processes, we systematically analyzed the characteristics of the orbital‐scale δ18Op variations and their potential mechanisms, especially in two representative regions: mid‐latitude East Asia (MEA) and mid‐latitude North America (MNA) located in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres respectively. Our findings reveal that the MEA δ18Op is dominated by a 23‐ka cycle, ultimately driven by the precession‐induced insolation variation; while the MNA δ18Op primarily exhibits a 100‐ka glacial‐interglacial cycle and is eventually governed by the ice volume forcing. The δ18Op changes in these two regions not only present diverse dominant cycles and forcing factors, but also involve distinct physical processes. In MEA, water vapor transport by the westerly circulation during the rainy season (May–August) is the key process linking the April–July boreal insolation with the annual/rainy‐season δ18Op variations. In contrast, the annual δ18Op changes in MNA mainly depend on the water vapor transport processes triggered by the expansion and retreat of the North American ice sheet, albeit with certain influence of the temperature effect as well. These results suggest that the dominant periodicities and forcing mechanisms of the orbital‐scale δ18Op variations across the NH mid‐latitudes are complex and varied. Plain Language Summary: The changes in precipitation δ18O (δ18Op) can indicate the evolution history of Earth's climate. However, previous studies have paid less attention to the mid‐latitude regions and the mechanisms of climate evolution at the orbital scale in this region are not fully understood. Based on the output of an isotope‐enabled climate model, we examined the variation characteristics of δ18Op among different lands in the Northern Hemisphere mid‐latitudes. We found that on the orbital scale, the δ18Op variations in mid‐latitude East Asia have a dominant period of 23‐ka, and are controlled by the April–July insolation that alters the atmospheric circulation. In contrast, the δ18Op variations in mid‐latitude North America are governed by a 100‐ka cycle and are influenced by the Northern American ice sheet. This linkage is accomplished through different circulation processes and temperature changes arising from the expansion and retreat of the North American ice sheet. Key Points: The orbital‐scale variations in precipitation δ18O (δ18Op) have significant regional differencesThe 23‐ka cycle‐dominated annual δ18Op variation in mid‐latitude East Asia is driven by precession‐controlled boreal April–July insolationThe 100‐ka cycle‐dominated annual δ18Op variation in mid‐latitude North America is controlled by North American ice sheet volume fluctuation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to contribute to global social theory by contextualizing modernity/coloniality in East Asia. It begins with a reconstruction and evaluation of three sociological accounts of East Asian modernity, namely Kazuko Tsurumi's theory of endogenous development, Sun Liping's theory of communist civilization, and Chang Kyung Sup's theory of compressed modernity. Despite their insights, these theorists fail to transcend the Eurocentrism and methodological nationalism implicit in the paradigm of latecomer modernization. These problems can be better addressed by anti‐colonial perspectives, including Tani Barlow's colonial modernity, Chen Kuan‐Hsing's inter‐Asia, Xie Lizhong's post‐Western sociology, and Wang Mingming's civilizational anthropology. Yet European hegemony continues to define the spatiotemporal frame of these perspectives. To overcome the lingering problem of Eurocentrism, Laura Doyle's notion of inter‐imperiality is employed to highlight the power‐laden interaction and interdependence among imperial powers in the global and regional history of East Asia. This alternative approach, I argue, can shed new light on East Asian modernity and delineate its dialectical formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effect of Confucianism, an influential cultural belief and ethical philosophy in East Asia, on employee treatment policies within Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2020. Our key finding is that Confucianism is positively associated with employee‐friendly practices. We further identify three plausible economic channels through which Confucianism shapes employee‐friendly treatment: valuing human‐centric ethics, mitigating managerial myopia, and alleviating agency conflicts. Cross‐sectionally, the documented impact is more prominent for firms operating with weaker union power and those with executives lacking overseas experience. Additionally, employee‐friendly firms exhibit higher employee efficiency, innovation output, and firm value, indicating that investing in employee benefits ultimately translates into better financial performance. Collectively, we shed light on the unique role of cultural norms in fostering employee treatment policies and their consequential effects on organizational value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interdecadal variability of tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) over the western North Pacific (WNP) has not been thoroughly explored in previous studies. Here, we show that the TCP variations are modulated by both the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) as evidenced by reanalysis data and model experiments. A clustering analysis of tropical cyclone tracks shows that the AMO dominates a dipole pattern of TCP anomalies in the South China Sea and along the coastal eastern China. Meanwhile, the IPO dominates TCP over the southeastern WNP. Further analyses show that the AMO, particularly its extratropical component, affects TCP over the WNP by triggering an eastward‐propagating Rossby‐wave train, resulting in a pair of anomalous gyres over the WNP. Contrastly, the IPO modulates TCP by stimulating tropical circulation anomalies via the tropical pathway. These findings shed light on improving near‐term TCP forecast and its regional influence on East Asia. Plain Language Summary: Tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) is a topic of great concern owing to its destructive nature. Here, we find that TCP over the western North Pacific (WNP) exhibits significantly interdecadal variability and regional characteristics, a departure from the previous studies focusing on the entire WNP. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) mainly causes a dipole response of decadal changes in TCP over the South China Sea and coastal eastern China. Moreover, the AMO primarily affects TCP over the sub‐regional WNP through the extra‐tropical pathway by exciting a Rossby wave train. On the other hand, the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) predominantly affects TCP over the southeastern part of the WNP through the tropical pathway, inducing significant circulation anomalies over the tropical WNP. These findings offer valuable insights for future research and forecasting of TCP. Key Points: The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) contributes to the dipole pattern of interdecadal tropical cyclone precipitation (TCP) anomalies over the South China Sea and coastal eastern ChinaThe AMO affects TCP by triggering a westerly jet‐guided Rossby‐wave train via the extra‐tropical pathwayThe Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation dominates the TCP anomalies over the southeastern part of western North Pacific by modulating tropical circulation anomalies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obvious biases in simulating tropical cyclone (TC) genesis of the current climate models hamper our understanding of TC changes. In this study, we found a delay of the seasonal cycle of TC genesis frequency over the western North Pacific (WNP) in most Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 models. During the active TC season, the simulated south‐warming and north‐cooling surface temperature bias amplifies the meridional gradient and excites thermal winds. This weakens the western North Pacific Subtropical High and easterly monsoon trough, which further reduces TC genesis frequency over the western WNP in summer. But in autumn, positive TC genesis biases were only observed in coupled models over the eastern WNP. Both seasons contribute to the delayed seasonal cycle of TC frequency in models. Our findings highlight the importance of accurate simulation of surface temperature by climate models to TC simulations and aid in future model improvements. Plain Language Summary: Tropical cyclone (TC) is a devastating weather system generated over the tropical ocean, and the climate model serves as an important tool to study the long‐term variability of TC activity. Hence, it is imperative to explore the biases of climate models in simulating TC genesis. In this investigation, we find a substantial influence of surface temperature bias in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate models on the simulation of the seasonal cycle of TC genesis frequency over the western North Pacific (WNP). The delay in the seasonal cycle of TC genesis frequency is widespread among most CMIP6 models. During boreal summer and autumn, the simulated bias of south‐warming and north‐cooling surface temperature increases its meridional gradient and triggers thermal winds. In summer, the weak western North Pacific Subtropical High and easterly monsoon trough, two crucial large‐scale circulation systems, cause a large negative TC genesis bias in models over the western WNP, substantially contributing to the delay of the seasonal cycle. Meanwhile, the relatively small positive bias of coupled models over the eastern WNP in autumn makes a secondary contribution. The combined contributions of these biases cause delays in seasonal simulation of TC genesis frequency. Key Points: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 models produce delayed seasonal cycles of tropical cyclone genesis frequency over the western North PacificBiases in East Asia summer monsoon and western North Pacific subtropical high lead to underestimation of tropical cyclone genesis during summerThe biased large‐scale circulation systems are further related to a warm southern and cold northern surface temperature bias [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciphering how modern precipitation patterns became established in monsoon‐dominated East Asia and the arid interior Asia is crucial for predicting future precipitation trends under accelerated global warming and increased climate extremes. However, this effort is hindered by a scarcity of quantitative paleo‐precipitation data in this region. Here we reconstruct the pattern of Middle to Late Miocene paleo‐precipitation across an east‐to‐west transect from the summer monsoon‐dominated East Asian region through the transition zone and into interior Asia. Our work is based on a newly established precipitation calculation equation and quantitative pollen‐based precipitation conversion. Analysis indicates a common trend of precipitation across the studied region prior to ca, 11 Ma, followed by a clear divergence of precipitation variations between East and interior Asia since at least 11–9 Ma. This divergence is characterized by increasing precipitation in East Asia, but a coeval decrease in rainfall in the transition zone and interior Asia. The timing of this precipitation divergence was contemporaneous with intense tectonic activity in the northern Tibetan Plateau, which differentially affected the efficacy of water vapor transport into East and interior Asia. Modeling work using different topographic settings corroborates this tectonic influence. Our study demonstrates the early establishment of modern‐like precipitation patterns in East‐interior Asia at least in the early Late Miocene. Plain Language Summary: The present Asian climate consists of a monsoon‐dominated East Asia, and arid interior Asia. Increasing catastrophic flooding and storm events in monsoon region and an increasing dust storm events within interior Asia in recent years indicate an accelerated divergence in the climate conditions of these two regions. As such, deciphering how modern precipitation patterns became established in East‐interior Asia is crucial for understanding their future climate trends and mitigating possible damaging consequences. Here we developed a quantitative proxy for paleo‐precipitation and reconstruct the Middle to Late Miocene paleo‐precipitation pattern across an east‐to‐west transect from the summer‐monsoonal transition zone to interior Asia. We find that the modern precipitation pattern was established across East to interior Asia during ∼11–9 Ma, distinct with their parallel precipitation variations before this interval. We link the timing of this precipitation divergence to the contemporaneous extensive tectonism associated with the uplift of the northern Tibetan region. This speculation was further corroborated by our high resolution climate modeling. Our study demonstrates an early establishment of modern precipitation patterns in East‐interior Asia at least 9 Ma. Their further precipitation patterns may be subsequently enhanced by global warming events, thus providing corresponding implications for future climate trends in Asia. Key Points: Late Miocene quantitative precipitation reconstruction for different sites in AsiaA modern precipitation pattern between East and Interior Asia established at 11–9 MaIntense upgrowth‐eastward outgrowth of northern Tibetan Plateau is the driving force [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant and striking seesaw pattern of winter surface air temperature (SAT) has emerged, featuring pronounced warming Arctic and cooling Eurasian (referred to as WACE). This study investigates the subseasonal SAT modes across the mid‐ and high‐latitudes of Eurasia and their possible mechanisms based on daily reanalysis data from 1979 to 2022. Our results reveal that Eurasian winter SAT exhibits two distinct subseasonal modes, characterized by a correlated southeastward propagation of temperature and geopotential height anomalies (GHAs) in the middle and lower troposphere. Notably, the subseasonal SAT anomalies with eight phases constrained by the hydrostatic equilibrium, originate from the GHAs in the Arctic stratosphere and then transfer to the East Asia. The sixth phase of the transmitted subseasonal SAT mode is proved to be the key transition phase from the WACE pattern to its counterpart. Further analysis indicates that the strength of the transmitted subseasonal SAT mode is controlled by the tripolar sea surface turbulent heat flux anomalies over the north Atlantic. Plain Language Summary: Over recent decades, Earth's changing climate has brought about some significant temperature anomalies, particularly in the Arctic and mid‐latitude regions. This has led to severe socio‐ecological consequences, including increased damage to our ecosystems. A noticeable pattern in winter temperature is the warm Arctic‐cold Eurasian mode, which has been observed on multiple time scales. Here we show, on the subseasonal time scale, during the winter in Eurasia, there are two different patterns of temperature changes, and they move together toward the southeast in the troposphere. One of these patterns, called WACE, goes through a repeating cycle from the Arctic to East Asia. We specifically looked at the reversal phase of this cycle, where we found that changes in the stratosphere above the Arctic region kickstart the process, and then the turbulent heat near the surface contribute to the changes in the polar region by triggering a Rossby wave. Key Points: The detailed southeastward propagation of a transmitted subseasonal Eurasia winter surface air temperature (SAT) mode is revealedThe subseasonal SAT mode originates from the geopotential height anomaly in Arctic stratosphere constrained by the hydrostatic equilibriumThe strength of the subseasonal SAT mode is controlled by the tripolar sea surface turbulent heat flux anomalies over the North Atlantic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Background Methods Results Conclusion This study examines perceptions of change in intimate relationships among partnered, immigrant women in New York City during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We pay close attention to how structural oppression, particularly related to undocumented immigration status, shaped women's experiences with their intimate partners during a period of social upheaval.COVID‐19 has exacerbated many existing structural inequities and subsequent stressors that have been shown to have an adverse effect on intimate relationships, including increased economic instability and mental health distress. Immigrant women may be particularly vulnerable to relationship strain because of intersecting social and structural inequities.We draw on in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews among a heterogenous sample of 22 women with varied legal status from Latin America, South and East Asia, and the Middle East.Findings reveal three primary pathways through which structural inequities shaped women's experiences with intimate partnership strain, including financial and material scarcity; uneven caregiving burdens; and constrained access to support in situations of violence and abuse.Our analysis demonstrates ways that structural oppression, particularly driven by exclusionary immigration laws, influences intimate partner relationships through the legal status of immigrant women. Understanding how structural oppression shapes immigrant partnerships is essential for the field of family demography and for family‐serving professionals in referring clients to resources and services, as well as helping women explore sources of resilience and coping within their families and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We validate the multiyear potential predictability of wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia by combining initialized decadal hindcasts of the global climate model and large ensemble simulations from a high‐resolution global atmospheric model. By analyzing a set of initialized hindcasts, the major predictive components of sea surface temperature (SST) variability beyond interannual timescales are identified as high‐latitudes multidecadal variability and the so‐called trans‐basin variability (TBV). A set of 100 ensemble simulations using a high‐resolution atmospheric model showed a significantly large signal‐to‐noise ratio for the wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia, which is closely related to the TBV. When the SST around the maritime continent is higher, the anomalously low pressure in the northwestern Pacific enhances low‐level cold air transport due to the winter monsoon. Consequently, the resultant weaker baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere reduces storm activity and wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia. Plain Language Summary: Statistical changes in extreme weather and climate events have attracted much attention as potential sources of natural disasters. Numerical experiments to obtain huge ensembles of multiyear predictions with initialization using a high‐resolution model represent a direct approach but a difficult solution for the computational resources available currently. Here, we validated the multiyear potential predictability of wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia, by combining initialized decadal hindcasts of the global climate model and large ensemble simulations from a high‐resolution global atmospheric model. By analyzing a set of initialized hindcasts, we identified one of the major predictive components of sea surface temperature (SST) variability beyond interannual timescales as the so‐called trans‐basin variability (TBV). A set of 100 ensemble simulations using a high‐resolution atmospheric model show a significantly large signal‐to‐noise ratio for the wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia, which is closely related to the TBV. When the SST around the maritime continent is higher, the anomalously low pressure in the northwestern Pacific enhances low‐level cold air transport due to the winter monsoon. Consequently, the resultant weaker baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere reduces storm activity and wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East Asia. Key Points: Multiyear potential predictability is validated for the storm activity and wintertime heavy precipitation potential in East AsiaWe combine initialized decadal hindcasts of global climate model with large ensembles of high‐resolution atmospheric simulationTrans‐basin variability as a predictive climate mode controls the precipitation potential through sea surface temperature changes around the maritime continent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have suggested possible connections between the decreasing Arctic sea‐ice and long‐duration (>5 days, LD) cold weather events in Eurasia and North America. Here we document the occurrences of weather regimes in winter by their durations, based on the empirical orthogonal function analyses of the daily geopotential height fields at 500 hPa (z500) for the months of November–March 1979–2019. Significant changes in the occurrence frequency and persistence of Ural ridge (UR) and weak stratospheric polar vortex (PV) were found between winters following high and low autumn sea‐ice covers (SIC) in the Barents and Kara seas. It is shown that a strengthening of the UR is accompanied with a weakening of the PV, and a weak PV favors Greenland ridge (GR). Cold spells in East Asia persist for 5 more days after an LDUR. Cold spells from Canada to the U.S. occur 2–5 days after an LD Ural trough (UT) and are associated with a z500 anomaly dipole centered over Alaska (+) and Hudson Bay (−). Cold spells in the eastern U.S. occur 1–4 days after an LDGR due to circulations resembling the Pacific‐North America pattern. Increased occurrences of UR in winter are associated with a decreased eastward propagation of synoptic waves from the North Atlantic to Japan and the North Pacific. Plain Language Summary: Analyses of observations show more frequent occurrences of long‐duration events of Ural ridge (UR), Greenland ridge (GR) and weak polar vortex (PV) in winter tend to follow low autumn sea ice cover (SIC) in the Barents and Kara Seas, and less frequent for Ural trough (UT) and strong PV. Long‐duration UR (GR or UT) events are followed by cold snaps in East Asia (the eastern US or Canada). Long‐term natural or anthropogenic warming in the Arctic and decreasing autumn SIC may cause more frequent cold air outbreaks in East Asia and the eastern US in winter, but less in Canada. Key Points: The Ural ridge regime and weak polar vortex are more frequent and persistent following low autumn sea ice in the Nordic seasThe long‐duration Ural and Greenland ridge regimes are followed by cold snaps in East Asia and the eastern USCold anomalies occur more frequently in Canada with increasing occurrences of the long‐duration Ural trough regimes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As modern humans ventured out of Africa and dispersed around the world, they faced novel environmental challenges that led to geographic adaptations including skin colour. Over the long history of human evolution, skin colour has changed dramatically, showing tremendous diversity across different geographical regions, for example, the majority of individuals from the expansive lands of Africa have darker skin, whereas the majority of people from Eurasia exhibit lighter skin. What adaptations did lighter skin confer upon modern humans as they migrated from Africa to Eurasia? What genetic mechanisms underlie the diversity of skin colour observed in different populations? In recent years, scientists have gradually gained a deeper understanding of the interactions between pigmentation gene and skin colour through population‐based genomic studies of different groups around the world, particularly in East Asia and Africa. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of 26 skin colour‐related pigmentation genes and 48 SNPs that influence skin colour. Important pigmentation genes across three major populations are described in detail: MFSD12, SLC24A5, PDPK1 and DDB1/CYB561A3/TMEM138 influence skin colour in African populations; OCA2, KITLG, SLC24A2, GNPAT and PAH are key to the evolution of skin pigmentation in East Asian populations; and SLC24A5, SLC45A2, TYR, TYRP1, ASIP, MC1R and IRF4 significantly contribute to the lightening of skin colour in European populations. We summarized recent findings in genomic studies of skin colour in populations that implicate diverse geographic environments, local adaptation among populations, gene flow and multi‐gene interactions as factors influencing skin colour diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is one of the most valuable coastal flatfish species in East Asia. To investigate post‐settlement growth and mortality, juveniles were sampled in Tango Bay (Japan) weekly throughout the settlement period in 2007 and 2008. Otolith (lapillus) microstructure analysis enabled the categorization of juveniles into six biweekly cohorts each year. Later cohorts exhibited higher growth rates possibly because of higher water temperatures. A key observation was the direct relationship between high mortality and high density in mid‐season cohorts in both years, pointing to density‐dependent mortality. This increased mortality may be attributed to predation, including cannibalism by earlier cohorts. Furthermore, growth‐selective mortality was evident soon after settlement, underscoring the vulnerability of slow growers to predation during the early juvenile stage. Although earlier and later cohorts were less abundant but showed promising recruitment potential, the prospective contribution of mid‐season cohorts to the adult population remained uncertain. The results clearly highlight the importance of density‐dependent mortality in population regulation in post‐settlement Japanese flounder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Evergreen broad‐leaved forests (EBLFs) are dominated by a monsoon climate and form a distinct biome in East Asia with notably high biodiversity. However, the origin and evolution of East Asian EBLFs (EAEBLFs) remain elusive despite the estimation of divergence times for various representative lineages.Using 72 selected generic‐level characteristic lineages, we constructed an integrated lineage accumulation rate (LAR) curve based on their crown ages.According to the crown‐based LAR, the EAEBLF origin was identified at least as the early Oligocene (c. 31.8 million years ago (Ma)). The accumulation rate of the characteristic genera peaked at 25.2 and 6.4 Ma, coinciding with the two intensification periods of the Asian monsoon at the Oligocene – Miocene and the Miocene – Pliocene boundaries, respectively. Moreover, the LAR was highly correlated with precipitation in the EAEBLF region and negatively to global temperature, as revealed through time‐lag cross‐correlation analyses.An early Oligocene origin is suggested for EAEBLFs, bridging the gap between paleobotanical and molecular dating studies and solving conflicts among previous estimates based on individual representative lineages. The strong correlation between the crown‐based LAR and the precipitation brought about by the Asian monsoon emphasizes its irreplaceable role in the origin and development of EAEBLFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many previous studies have examined the influence of Arctic sea ice on the weather/climate of the Northern Hemisphere. However, the precursor signals of Arctic sea ice regarding East Asian winter low temperatures, which are important for climate prediction, have received little attention. This study identified an out‐of‐phase relationship between the autumn sea ice area of the Kara Sea (SICK) and subsequent winter minimum temperature in Northeast China (NEC) during 1979–2019, that is, diminished SICK facilitates cooling anomalies at NEC. Further results showed that the Arctic Oscillation (AO) acts as a bridge in the linkage between the autumn SICK and minimum temperature in NEC. Diminished autumn SICK leads to a weakened polar vortex in both the troposphere and the stratosphere in the subsequent winter through vertical propagation of planetary waves, contributing to a negative phase of the AO. Accordingly, the SICK is followed by anomalous Rossby wave train that originates from Mediterranean Sea and propagates eastward to Northeast Asia. Thus, the SICK has substantially influences on the Mongolia cyclone and minimum temperature in NEC by modulation of the AO. Moreover, the shrinking SICK could lead to the upper‐level decelerated westerly anomalies at East Asia through altering the equator‐to‐pole temperature gradient and induce negative minimum temperature anomalies at NEC. The results of this study have importance regarding the prediction of low temperature anomalies over NEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reanalysis datasets provide a continuous picture of the past climate for every point on Earth. They are especially useful in areas with few direct observations, such as Siberia. However, to ensure these datasets are sufficiently accurate they need to be validated against readings from meteorological stations. Here, we analyse how values of six climate variables—the minimum, mean and maximum 2‐metre air temperature, snow depth (SD), total precipitation and wind speed (WSP)—from three reanalysis datasets—ERA‐Interim, ERA5 and ERA5‐Land—compare against observations from 29 meteorological stations across Siberia and the Russian Far East on a daily timescale from 1979 to 2019. All three reanalyses produce values of the mean and maximum daily 2‐metre air temperature that are close to those observed, with the average absolute bias not exceeding 1.54°C. However, care should be taken for the minimum 2‐metre air temperature during the summer months—there are nine stations where correlation values are <0.60 due to inadequate night‐time cooling. The reanalysis values of SD are generally close to those observed after 1992, especially ERA5, when data from some of the meteorological stations began to be assimilated, but the reanalysis SD should be used with caution (if at all) before 1992 as the lack of assimilation leads to large overestimations. For low daily precipitation values the reanalyses provide good approximations, however they struggle to attain the extreme high values. Similarly, for the 10‐metre WSP; the reanalyses perform well with speeds up to 2.5 ms−1 but struggle with those above 5.0 ms−1. For these variables, we recommend using ERA5 over ERA‐Interim and ERA5‐Land in future research. ERA5 shows minor improvements over ERA‐Interim, and, despite an increased spatial resolution, there is no advantage to using ERA5‐Land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Understanding the genetic basis of population divergence and adaptation is an important goal in population genetics and evolutionary biology. However, the relative roles of demographic history, gene flow, and/or selective regime in driving genomic divergence, climatic adaptation, and speciation in non‐model tree species are not yet fully understood. To address this issue, we generated whole‐genome resequencing data of Liquidambar formosana and L. acalycina, which are broadly sympatric but altitudinally segregated in the Tertiary relict forests of subtropical China. We integrated genomic and environmental data to investigate the demographic history, genomic divergence, and climatic adaptation of these two sister species. We inferred a scenario of allopatric species divergence during the late Miocene, followed by secondary contact during the Holocene. We identified multiple genomic islands of elevated divergence that mainly evolved through divergence hitchhiking and recombination rate variation, likely fostered by long‐term refugial isolation and recent differential introgression in low‐recombination genomic regions. We also found some candidate genes with divergent selection signatures potentially involved in climatic adaptation and reproductive isolation. Our results contribute to a better understanding of how late Tertiary/Quaternary climatic change influenced speciation, genomic divergence, climatic adaptation, and introgressive hybridization in East Asia's Tertiary relict flora. In addition, they should facilitate future evolutionary, conservation genomics, and molecular breeding studies in Liquidambar, a genus of important medicinal and ornamental values. Significance Statement: We assembled a chromosome‐scale genome of Liquidambar formosana and resequenced 160 individuals of L. formosana and its high‐altitude sister species L. acalycina. Benefiting from advanced analytical methods and robust evidence, we found that multiple "genomic islands" mainly evolved as a result of divergence hitchhiking and recombination rate variation, as likely fostered by long‐term refugial isolation and recent differential introgression in low‐recombination genomic regions; and identified some candidate genes associated with climatic adaptation and reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in the East Asian polar‐front jet (EAPJ) and the East Asian subtropical jet (EASJ) profoundly impact the weather and climate in East Asia. However, the link between aerosols and the jet streams is still unclear. Here, we investigated the decadal co‐variation of aerosols and the East Asian jet streams in the boreal winter during the period of 1980–2019. In synch with a positive change in aerosol optical depth over East Asia, 300‐hPa winds show an equatorward shift of the land branch of the EASJ, and weakened EAPJ and oceanic branch of the EASJ. This can be linked to the enhanced meridional temperature gradient along 30°–50° N but weakened in northern regions and the decreasing synoptic‐scale transient eddy kinetic energy over subtropical Pacific. Relative importance estimation of aerosols and ocean signals emphasized the contributions of aerosols in jet variations. In turn, meteorological conditions related to jet streams also contribute to variations in aerosols, the decadal co‐variations are a result of their interactions, particularly for the oceanic branch of EASJ. The findings would be helpful in providing potential indicators of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bayingobi basin is located in the middle of Central Asia Orogenic Belt, at the intersection of Paleo‐Asian Ocean and Tethys Ocean, as well as the junction of multiple tectonic plates. This unique tectonic setting underpins the basin's intricate history of tectonic activity. To unravel the multifaceted tectono‐thermal evolution within the southwestern region of the basin and to elucidate the implications of sandstone‐hosted uranium mineralization, granitic and clastic rock samples were collected from the Zongnai Mts. uplift and Yingejing depression, and apatite fission track (AFT) dating and thermal history simulation analysis were performed. AFT dating findings reveal that the apparent ages of all samples fall within the range of 244 Ma to 112 Ma. In particular, the bedrock of the Zongnai Mts. and Jurassic detrital apatite fission tracks have undergone complete annealing, capturing the uplift‐cooling age. Meanwhile, the AFT ages of Cretaceous detrital rocks are either equivalent to or notably exceed the age of sedimentary strata, signifying the cooling age of the provenance. A comprehensive examination of AFT ages and palaeocurrent direction analyses suggests that the Cretaceous source in the Tamusu area predominantly originated from the central and southern sectors of the Zongnai Mts. uplift. However, at a certain juncture during the Late Early Cretaceous, the Cretaceous provenance expanded to include the northern part of the Zongnai Mts. uplift. Based on the results of thermal history simulations and previous studies, it is considered that the Tamusu area has undergone four distinct tectonic uplift events since the Late Paleozoic. The first is the Late Permian to Early Triassic (260–240 Ma), which is associated with the closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean and the accretionary orogeny within the Alxa region. The second uplift event took place in the Early Jurassic (190–175 Ma) and corresponded to intraplate orogeny following the closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean. The third uplift event is the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (160–120 Ma), which is linked to the East Asia's position as the convergence center of multiple tectonic plates during this period. The fourth uplift event is linked to the Late Early Cretaceous (112–100 Ma), driven either by the westward subduction of the eastern Pacific plate or the mantle upwelling resulting from the Bangong–Nujiang oceanic lithosphere subduction and slab break‐off. The primary stress orientation for the first three tectonic uplift phases approximated a nearly SN direction, while the fourth stage featured a principal stress direction of NW. The fourth tectonic uplift event of the Late Early Cretaceous and basaltic eruption thermal event during this period likely exerted a significant influence on the formation of the Tamusu sandstone‐hosted uranium deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV). Endemic in East Asia, SFTS is characterized by an exceptionally high mortality rate. Presently, there is no established treatment for SFTS, particularly for patients in critical condition. In this study, we collected and analyzed laboratory and clinical data from 92 critically ill patients with SFTS treated at Weihai Municipal Hospital between 2019 and 2022. We hope that our study will provide some hints for the treatment of critically ill patients with SFTS. Methods: A total of 92 critically ill patients with SFTS were included in this study. Of these patients, 45 received treatment with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and ribavirin (referred to as the TPE group), while the remaining patients received only ribavirin (referred to as the non‐TPE group). Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The results showed significant improvements in multiple laboratory parameters following treatment with TPE and ribavirin, including white blood cell and neutrophil count, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase isoenzyme‐MB, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, D‐Dimer, serum sodium and copies of virus genomes. The combination of TPE with ribavirin demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality rates, with a mortality rate of 20.0% in the TPE group compared to 40.4% in the non‐TPE group (P = 0.033). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that critically ill patients with SFTS who received TPE and ribavirin experienced improvements in both clinical and laboratory parameters. These results indicate that TPE combined with ribavirin may represent a promising novel therapeutic approach for managing critically ill patients with SFTS. However, comparative studies of large sample size or randomized clinical trials are warranted to confirm the effectiveness of this combination therapy in the treatment of severe SFTS cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to examine the factors associated with treatment outcomes in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) after 1 year of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) treatment. Method: We obtained electronic medical records from a medical center in Southern Taiwan between January 2015 and September 2021. Participants aged ≥60 who were newly diagnosed with AD and had been prescribed AChEIs were included. Cognitive assessments were performed before the AChEIs were prescribed and at the 1 year follow‐up. Cognition progressors were defined as a Mini‐Mental State Examination decline of >3 or a Clinical Dementia Rating decline of ≥1 after 1 year of AChEI treatment. The relationship between the baseline characteristics and cognitive status after follow‐up was investigated using logistic regression analysis after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: A total of 1370 patients were included in our study (mean age, 79.86 ± 8.14 years). After adjustment, the body mass index (BMI) was found to be significantly lower in the progressor group [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.970, 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs): 0.943 to 0.997, P = 0.033]. The usage of antipsychotics was significantly higher in the progressor group (AOR: 1.599, 95% CIs: 1.202 to 2.202, P = 0.001). The usage of benzodiazepine receptor agonists also tended to be significantly higher in the progressor group (AOR: 1.290, 95% CIs: 0.996 to 1.697, p = 0.054). Conclusion: These results suggest that patients with AD who receive 1 year of AChEI treatment and have a lower BMI or concurrent treatment with antipsychotics and benzodiazepine receptor agonists are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using satellite observation and reanalysis data, we studied the cold water phenomenon in the sea area of the Xisha Islands in autumn from 2003 to 2022. The cold water phenomenon refers to a colder water body relative to its surrounding area, which can partially offset the impact of global warming, thereby contributing to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems. The cold water with a central position close to the Xisha Islands is distributed in a nearly circular area, and exhibits seasonal and interannual variations. It usually occurs at the end of September, with its intensity rapidly increasing and reaching its peak on October 1, then gradually weakening, and finally disappearing by November 6. The maximum intensity of the cold water phenomenon can reach 1.6°C. This phenomenon notably observed in October 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2022, with intensities reaching 0.9°C, 1.1°C, 1.1°C, and 0.4°C, respectively. The dynamic mechanism of its formation can be described as follows: in autumn of some years, the northeast monsoon occurs in the northern part of the South China Sea (SCS), while the southwest monsoon still prevails in the southern part of the SCS, which causes the generation of strong positive wind stress curl (WSC) near the Xisha sea area. The positive WSC causes cyclonic circulation and further causes upwelling through Ekman pumping, which transports low‐temperature water from the seabed to the sea surface and thus leads to the occurrence of the cold water phenomenon in the Xisha sea area. Plain Language Summary: The Xisha sea area has numerous coral reefs and marine ranching sites, which form an important part of the marine ecosystem. Under global climate warming, extreme high temperature events frequently lead to coral reef bleaching and marine ranching degradation. The cold water phenomenon can partially offset the impact of climate warming and reduce the frequency and intensity of marine ecological disasters. We found that there are substantial cold water phenomena in the Xisha sea area during autumn in some years, and the formation mechanism can be attributed to upwelling caused by the East Asian monsoon through an ocean suction process. The cold water phenomenon has seasonal and interannual variations and can cause phytoplankton blooms. The discovery of the cold water phenomenon has important scientific significance for the protection and restoration of coral reefs and marine ranching in the Xisha sea area. Key Points: The cold water phenomenon in the Xisha sea area was reported for the first timeThe cold water in the Xisha sea area exhibited seasonal and interannual variationsThe formation of the cold water can be attributed to upwelling caused by wind stress curl through Ekman pumping in the Xisha sea area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]