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A new species, Uncifera motuoensis (Orchidaceae: Epidedroideae: Aeridinae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China is described and illustrated with detailed photos and scientific illustration. Detailed morphological comparisons indicate that U. motouensis is similar to U. obtusifolia, but differs in having entire mid-lobe of lip, narrower leaf blade and wider pollinarium stipe. For the identification, a key to the known seven species of Uncifera is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we attempt to quantify the potential impacts of two global warming levels (i.e., 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C) on extreme temperature indices across China. The CMIP6 dataset is first evaluated against the CN05.1 observation for the historical period of 1995–2014. Then, future spatiotemporal patterns of changes in extreme temperature at two global warming levels under two shared socio-economic pathway scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) are further analyzed. Overall, China will experience more frequent and intense high temperature events, such as summer days (SU), tropical nights (TR), warm days (TX90p) and nights (TN90p). On the other hand, under the SSP585, the number of icing days and frost days is projected to decrease at two global warming levels, with the maximal days of decrease (exceeding 20 days) seen in the west of China. Our results suggest that limiting global warming to 1.5 °C rather than 2.0 °C is beneficial to reduce extreme temperature risks. As temperature increases to 1.5 °C and then 2.0 °C above preindustrial levels, the most extreme temperature indices are expected to increase proportionately more during the final 0.5° than during the first 1.5° across most regions of China. For some warm indices, such as the warmest day (TXx), summer days (SU), and warm days (TX90p), the largest incremental changes (from 1.5° to 2.0°) tend to be found in the southwest. Under the SSP585, the incremental changes are similar to the change in the SSP245, but smaller magnitude and spatial extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, concurrent climate extreme conditions (i.e., hot‐dry, cold‐dry, hot‐wet, and cold‐wet) have led to various unprecedented natural disasters (e.g., floods, landslide, wildfire, droughts, etc.), causing significant damages to human societies and ecosystems. This is especially true for China where many unprecedented natural disasters have been reported due to the recent warming in local climate. In this paper, we focus on the issue of ultra‐extreme events (1‰ threshold) and address how future global warming would affect the climate extreme conditions in China. Specifically, to reduce the uncertainties from models, we use a downscaled and bias‐corrected CMIP6 ensemble under two continuously‐warming scenarios to evaluate the impact of global warming on ultra‐extreme events over China. The results show that, under both SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, extreme hot conditions would become dominant in most regions of China and some regions are likely to experience over 50 extreme hot days at future warming levels. The frequency of extreme cold events is projected to be small. More frequent extreme hot‐wet events with concurrence in the same month and year would be expected for China under the continuously‐warming scenarios. This is particularly obvious for the west where more than 6 hot‐wet months are likely to take place under future warming scenarios. This may imply that more extreme heat waves and flooding events would coincide in the same month or year for China in the future. For univariate ultra‐extreme events, both extreme hot events and extreme wet events would drop by above 25% from 2.0°C to 1.5°C global warming level, particularly under the SSP245 scenario. When the global mean temperature is limited to 1.5°C rather than 2°C, the avoided impacts of hot‐wet and cold‐wet extremes concurring in the same month will be larger than those of dry‐related compound extremes. Overall, the results suggest that slowing down global warming can reduce the frequency of concurrent climate extreme conditions in China, highlighting the importance of immediate action toward carbon emission reduction. Plain Language Summary: In recent years, concurrent climate extreme conditions (e.g., hot‐dry, cold‐dry, hot‐wet, and cold‐wet) have led to various unprecedented natural disasters (e.g., floods, landslide, wildfire, droughts, etc.), causing significant damages to human societies and ecosystems. This is especially true for China where many unprecedented natural disasters have been reported due to the recent warming in local climate. In this paper, we focus on the issue of ultra‐extreme events (1‰ threshold) and address how future global warming would affect the climate extreme conditions in China. Here, we use a downscaled and bias‐corrected CMIP6 ensemble under two continuously‐warming scenarios to address this question. The results show that, under both SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, extreme hot conditions would become dominant in most regions of China and some regions are likely to experience over 50 extreme hot days at future warming levels. Both extreme hot events and extreme wet events would drop by above 25% from 2.0°C to 1.5°C global warming level, particularly under the SSP245 scenario. Overall, the results suggest that slowing down the global warming can reduce the frequency of concurrent climate extreme conditions in China, highlighting the importance of immediate action toward carbon emission reduction. Key Points: A downscaled and bias‐corrected CMIP6 ensemble is used to evaluate the impact of global warming on ultra extreme events over ChinaMore frequent extreme hot‐wet events with concurrence in the same month and year would be expected for ChinaBoth extreme hot events and extreme wet events would drop by above 25% from 2.0°C to 1.5°C global warming level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term intensive use of mineral fertilizers in double rice-cropping systems has led to soil acidification and soil degradation. Manure fertilization was suggested as an alternative strategy to mitigate soil degradation. However, the effects of long-term mineral and manure fertilization on rice grain yield, yield stability, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, soil total nitrogen (TN) content, and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Based on a long-term experiment established in 1981 in southern China, we compared four treatments: no fertilizer application (Control); application of nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK); NPK plus green manure in early rice (M1); and M1 plus farmyard manure in late rice and rice straw return in winter (M2). Our results showed that 37 years of NPK, M1, and M2 significantly increased rice grain yield by 54%, 46%, and 72%, and yield stability by 22%, 17%, and 9%, respectively. M1 and M2 significantly increased SOC content by 39% and 23% compared to Control, respectively, whereas there was no difference between Control and NPK. Regarding soil TN content, it was significantly increased by 8%, 46%, and 20% by NPK, M1, and M2, respectively. In addition, M2 significantly increased bacterial OTU richness by 68%, Chao1 index by 79%, and altered the bacterial community composition. Changes in soil nutrient availability and bacterial Simpson index were positively correlated with the changes in grain yield, while shifts in bacterial community were closely related to yield stability. This study provides pioneer comprehensive assessments of the simultaneous responses of grain yield, yield stability, SOC and TN content, nutrient availability, and bacterial community composition to long-term mineral and manure fertilization in a double rice-cropping system. Altogether, this study spanning nearly four decades provides new perspectives for developing sustainable yet intensive rice cultivation to meet growing global demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A qualitative assessment of the early opportunities for capturing carbon dioxide from advanced gasification plants, and of design guidelines for carbon capture ready gasification plants in China, is conducted to investigate current development in coal gasification. The assessment first illustrates the development of different types of gasification technology in China. Capturing carbon dioxide from high concentration stationary emission points could be seen as an early opportunity for carbon capture demonstration. The large scale CTL plants and chemical plants installed with advanced entrained flow gasifier should be considered as early opportunity for CCS in China. However, given that the total amount of emissions and the scale of emission sources are relatively small at those plants compared with conventional coal fired plant, the potential emission reduction is very limited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present results of a major survey of Chinese opinion leaders conducted from March to April 2009, supported by EU–UK–China near zero emissions coal (NZEC) initiative. Respondents were drawn from 27 provinces and regions using an online survey with follow-up face-to-face interviews. A total of 131 experts and decision-makers from 68 key institutions were consulted through online survey. This survey is the first to focus on demonstration projects in particular and is the most geographically diverse. We aim to understand perceptions of applying CCS technologies in the first large-scale CCS demonstration project in China. Though enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and enhanced coal bed methane recovery (ECBM) may not be long-term solutions for CO2 storage, they were viewed as the most attractive storage technologies for the first CCS demonstration project. With regard to CO2 capture technology, on the whole, post-combustion (which would be most applicable to the vast majority of existing power plants which are pulverised-coal) received slightly higher support than pre-combustion. More surprising, respondents from both the power and oil industries favoured pre-combustion. There was no consensus regarding the appropriate scale for the first demonstration. A large number of respondents were concerned about the energy penalty associated with CCS and its impact on the long-term sustainability of coal supply in China, although such concerns were much reduced compared with surveys in 2006 and 2008. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We evaluate the benefits of a ‘CCS Ready Hub’ approach, a regional ‘CCS Ready’ strategy, which not only includes a number of new coal-fired power plants but also integrates other existing stationary CO2 emissions sources, potential storage sites and potential transportation opportunities into an overarching simulation model. A dynamic top-down simulation model was built based on economic decision criteria and option pricing theory. The model inputs and assumptions build on spatial sampling and analysis using a geographic information system (GIS) approach, engineering assessment of local projects and outputs of a CCS retrofitting investment evaluation through cost cash flow modelling. A case study of Shenzhen city in the Pearl River Delta area in Guangdong in southern China is presented, based on engineering and cost assessment studies and stakeholder consultations and building on existing geological surveys and infrastructure plans. The simulation results show that financing ‘CCS Ready’ at regional planning level rather than only at the design stage of the individual plant (or project) is preferred since it reduces the overall cost of building integrated CCS systems. On the other hand, we found the value of considering existing stationary CO2 emissions sources in CCS ready design. Therefore, we recommended that making new plants CCS ready or planning a CCS ready hub should consider existing large emissions sources when possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A consensus for the development of a low carbon economy in China is growing rapidly among Chinese energy stakeholders. But there is considerable uncertainty as to the role that carbon capture and storage (CCS) retrofit could play in this development. The State Council in China has set a target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40% by 2020 compared with the level for 2005. Although this provides some policy impetus for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in China, it is also important to note that over 350 GW of coal-fired power plant capacity has been built within the past five years and that these power plants are expected to operate for at least another 25 years. Because coal is an affordable and accessible fuel in China, both the China Electricity Council (CEC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that another 300 GW of supercritical and ultra-supercritical new coalfired power plants will be constructed in the next decade to satisfy the growing energy demand of the country . But unless other options to reduce emissions can be implemented, a simple consideration of the emissions they produce suggests that some of these recently built power plants may be required to shut down within the next two decades to address Chinese and/or international climate policies. During the past five years, the national policy of ‘closing smaller and/or inefficient units to build large and more efficient units’ has been implemented not only to save energy, but also to reduce specific carbon dioxide emissions (i.e. reduced gCO2/kWh of electricity produced). Forcing early plant closure has, however, proved to be a difficult task under the institutional framework of the Chinese electricity sector, because these plants usually had not reached the end of their design lifetimes. Also it was only partially successful in the context of CO2 reduction in the sense that companies wanted to build large plants to increase electrical output and strict rules meant they could only do this by closing a specified amount of older plant. But the end result was still that more coal was burnt and hence total CO2 emissions to atmosphere increased. Retrofitting some of the existing power plants to capture CO2, which by contrast can achieve an absolute decrease in CO2 emissions to atmosphere for an analogous loss in plant output (to the closures previously enforced) is therefore, an important option to address the threat of climate change while maintaining in the meantime the country’s electricity supply from coal. A preliminary investigation of over 100 large power plants in China was conducted to determine their potential for a retrofit with CO2 capture, transport and storage. Factors assessed included geographic location, space on site, plant layout, water restriction, coal supply, efficiency, FGD status and potential access to storage sites. Based on these criteria, retrofitting prospects were evaluated and rated. It appears that about 45% of existing power plants may suffer from ‘carbon lock-in’ status, i.e. their emissions could not be abated using CCS technology, at least at ‘reasonable’ cost. Critical factors that would preclude capture retrofit are, not surprisingly, access to storage sites and unsuitable plant layout and/or space on site. Variations in other factors would affect the level of retrofitting cost, but this effect could be positive as well as negative. In principle, plants would be retrofitted in an order that reflects the extent to which these site specific factors would give higher or lower retrofit costs. The results aim to provide an overview of the potential issues that need to be considered by stakeholders, policy makers and manufacturing companies when deciding the market potential for CCS retrofit technology in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Making new coal-fired power plants carbon capture ready (Carbon Capture Ready) in China has been recognised as a crucial by a number of stakeholders academics, energy companies and regional government, based on a study in EU-UK-China NZEC project. A number of publications have investigated the definition, engineering requirements, economic and finance of CCR for China. However there remain a number of questions regarding the extent to which a plant’s physical location might constrain the feasibility of CCS retrofit. To address this issue, a Geographical Information System (GIS) has been used as a tool for mapping current and planned large carbon dioxide sources in Guangdong, also illustrating potential storage sites and calculating possible carbon dioxide transportation route. This paper investigates the location factors that should be considered when locating new build CCR power plants and demonstrates the methodology of using GIS software with spatial analysis in planning new build power plant in Guangdong. A preliminary study has identified over 30 large power plants within the region, with plant locations and historical emission data collected and presented in ArcGIS. Factors such as distance to potential storage site, route of CO2 pipeline, extra space on site and potential development plan etc. were investigated in the modelling and calculated the potential source and sink solution. The study then moves on to suggest possible new build plant locations which can be easily fitted in to the current network, based on economic optimisation. The scope for future coal plant development combined with a possible nuclear plant siting plan is discussed towards the end of the paper. Guangdong province, which owns the third largest coal-fired power installed capacity out of 31 provinces, generated over 8% of China’s total electricity every year for the past 15 years. CO2 storage opportunities could be found in the surrounding South China Sea, where Guangdong has a total of 4,300 km of coastline and some small scale oil fields on shore within the region. It is also among the first places to start the national open and reform policy in China. The province is one of the richest in China, with the highest GDP among all other provinces since 1989, and the foreign trade accounts for more than a quarter of China’s total amount. It also contributes around 12 of the total national economic output. Currently, the provincial government is proposing a low carbon roadmap, which is the first of its kind in China. The work has created a totally new thinking on capture ready power plant planning. This differs from existing studies (e.g., which aim to investigate the existing carbon dioxide emission sources at specified location and provide source and sink matching analysis. Instead the study focuses on policy implementation for new build capture ready power plants. Three clusters within Guangdong province are identified as potential temporary CO2 storage hubs before transporting the gas to a long term storage site. When officials are planning new power plant locations from a capture ready perspective, the plants should not necessarily be close to storage sites in straight line, but rather should be within a reasonable distance of a cluster. Transport of the captured CO2 will not be limited to pipelines, but could be extended to road and rail tankers. Power plant parameters and storage site data were collected for this research. Public transportation, utilities, landscapes, river, land used and population data were referenced from various sources; therefore, some of the data could be out of date. Nevertheless, it should still provide enough information when deciding the location of the transport cluster. Any future work could build on the existing model with updated data. Moreover, it could fit in with the national natural gas transportation network and utility planning network to provide long term integrated energy system analysis. The paper could provide policy makers, investors and urban planning officials with a view on how conventional thermal power plant investment and planning could be optimised, using Carbon Capture Ready designs, to keep the CCS retrofitting option open. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In collaboration with several Chinese institutions, we interviewed over 100 stakeholders in mid -2008 to improve our understanding of the drivers and the barriers to deploying CCS in China. We investigated a range of stak eholders’ perceptions with regard to the socio -economic impacts, environmental concerns, energy security and international cooperation and investment. In addition to general questions applicable to all stakeholders, we asked tailored qu estions appropriate to specific sectors such as finance, electricity generation and national and local government for more detailed responses. We explored the factors that may create an enabling environment for CCS including international and domestic incentives, financing me chanisms, the legal and regulatory framework, technology and IPR, baseline determination, and social acceptance. The overall results are compared with similar studies conducted in China in 2006 and internationally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: China has built at least 70 GW of new coal- fired power installed capacity annually since 2005 and the growth is expected to continue (CEC, 2008). Chinese government, industry and academic stakeholders perceive that China will not mandate new plants to be built with carbon dioxide capture and storage systems in the short term and there is little incentive even to contemplate the first steps needed to fit plants with capture equipment [Reiner, D., Liang, X., Sun, X., Zhu, Y., Li, D., 2007. Stakeholder attitudes towards carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies in China, International Climate Change Conference, Hong Kong, May 29–31 2007]. We investigate the value of making new plants CO2 Capture Ready (CCR), which would enable them to retrofit to capture CO2 without unnecessary additional costs when the appropriate policy and /or economic drivers are in place (IEA, 2007). In order to understand the value and investment characteristics of CCR in China, a typical 600 MW pulverized-coal -fired ultra-supercritical power plant, locating at Guangdong province, was examined. Combined with a detailed engineering assessment, we obtained the costs for different CCR scenarios. To analyze CCR investment opportunities, we apply a cash flow model for valuing Capture Options, as developed in [Liang, X., Reiner, D., Gibbins J., Li J., 2007. Fianncing CCR coal-fired power plants in China by issuing capture options, EPRG Working Paper Series, EPRG0728, Cambridge, December. Available at: www.electricitypolicy.org.uk/pubs/wp/eprg0728.pdf]. Results are obtained by Monte-Carlo simulation, based on engineering surveys and the IEA (2007) CCR study, as well as plant performance information and expert projections on carbon prices, coal prices and electricity prices. CCR investments are justified by factors such as higher retrofitting probabilities, lower early-closure probabilities and fair economic return. However, the economic case for CCR largely depends on the type of investments made, for example, CCR-essential investments tend to be more economic than additional non-essential CCR features such as CCR Essential with clutched low-pressure turbines. Carbon price, coal price and discount rate also were found to have significant impacts on the economics of CCR. Overall, it appears that the value of capture options are significant, and therefore clear retrofitting strategies would be valuable for any CCR investment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To identify the prevalence of obesity, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity in end-stage knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients and analyze influences of obesity and sarcopenia in the progression of KOA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among end-stage KOA patients who consecutively admitted to Orthopedic Department for TKA. We suppose that the level of decreased physical activities would be influenced by unilateral or bilateral KOA. Patient information, albumin, hemoglobin, pace, step frequency, number of comorbid conditions were collected. Bioelectrical impedance analyzer was used to analyze body composition. Obesity, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity rate were analyzed with accepted diagnosis criteria. Correlations between body mass index (BMI) or age and fat mass (FM), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) were analyzed. Results: 138 patients (male 30, female 108) in southwest of China including 67 patients with unilateral KOA and 71 patients with bilateral KOA were analyzed. No statistic difference was found in mean albumin, prealbumin and hematocrystallin, body composition values and number of comorbid conditions. We found that BMI was positively correlated with FM (Male: R2 = 0.7177, p < 0.0001, Female: R2 = 0.8898, p < 0.0001), ASM (Male: R2 = 0.2640, p = 0.0037, Female: R2 = 0.2102, p < 0.0001), FM index (FMI) (Male: R2 = 0.6778, p < 0.0001, Female: R2 = 0.8801, p < 0.0001), and ASM index (ASMI) (Male: R2 = 0.3600, p = 0.0005, Female: R2 = 0.4208, p < 0.0001) in end-stage KOA patients. However, age was not obviously correlated with FM or FMI (Male: FM, R2 = 0.006911, p = 0.3924; FMI, R2 = 0.7554, p = 0.0009196; Female: FM, R2 = 0.001548, p = 0.8412; FMI, R2 = 0.002776, p = 0.7822). And slightly negatively correlated with ASM (Male: R2 = 0.05613, p = 0.0136, Female: R2 = 0.01327, p = 0.5433) and ASMI (Male: R2 = 0.02982, p = 0.3615; Female: R2 = 0.03696, p = 0.0462). The prevalence of obesity, sarcopenia and obesity sarcopenia differs according to different diagnosis criteria. No difference in the occurrence rate of obesity was found between bilateral KOA and unilateral KOA patients, and occurrence rates of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were statistically higher in bilateral KOA than that in unilateral KOA patients. Conclusions: Obesity, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are highly prevalent in end-stage KOA patients, sarcopenic obesity are more prevalent in bilateral KOA patients than that in unilateral KOA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing an intuitive link between driving factors of household energy consumption activities and inequalities is important for the understanding of household heterogeneity in energy consumption behaviours. This paper proposes a novel typology framework based on machine learning approaches and data from 3637 Chinese households in 2014 from 85 cities. Activity-based energy consumption was measured, highlighting inequalities across activities, regions and household types. The results showed significant energy consumption disparities between urban/rural and north/south households, especially in cooking, space heating and vehicle activities. By identifying driving factors of energy consumption, a new household typology classified samples into 6 (all), 6 (urban) and 7 (rural) types. Within these types, households with similar demographic structures, lifestyles and energy consumption habits were clustered. Demographic structure, region, and primary energy demand were used as the basis for the typology. The findings demonstrated how household lifestyle differences explained the cause and underlying driving factors of urban-rural energy consumption inequalities and provided suggestions for city-by-city and type-by-type measurements to support effective low-carbon transformation in cities. • Activity-based household energy consumption (HEC) is measured and calibrated. • Household energy consumption inequalities exist in urban/rural and the north/south groups. • A four-step machine-learning approach well classifies households into reasonable clusters. • Activity-based variables are driving factors for HECs in a LASSO model. • Inequality is narrowed in household clusters and type-by-type policies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's steel sector, contributing 40% of world steel production, are moving the plants out of highly-populated areas in China. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an important technology to achieve a deep reduction of emissions in steel plants. Given by high cost and lack of policy incentive in deploying the CCS process, there has been a lack of progress in CCS within the steel sector in China. Capture readiness is a design concept to ease future CCS retrofit and avoid the carbon lock-in effect in steel plants. Capture Readiness design requires moderate upfront investment, i.e. less than 0.5% additional capital expenditure, but could easily enable the plant to be retrofitted with CCS technologies in their lifetime. The paper develops a novel linear programming model to assess the economic cost of Capture Readiness design in a generic steel plant in China. The Baowu Steel Zhanjiang project was used as a reference plant to develop the generic steel plant for the model. Through a Monte Carlo simulation, the results show that the economic cost of making new steel plants in capture readiness for 0.5 million tonnes capture is CNY 65 million (USD 9.5 million) in a conservative 5% carbon price growth rate scenario. The paper found the value of flexibility brought by capture readiness design is significant and is equal to approximately 15% of initial capital investment. The economically viable chance of retrofitting steel plants with CCS technologies in the lifetime is 49%. In an uncertainty analysis, for a 6% growth rate of carbon price, the option value could be increased to CNY 145 million while the probability of retrofit increases to 79%. China's CCS policy should consider a requirement for newly built steel plants to adopt capture readiness design to capture the significant economic value and ease emissions reduction in the iron and steel sector in the long term. • This is the first study investigating CCS readiness in the iron and steel sector. • Capture readiness steel plant can ease retrofit processes with carbon capture and storage in a plant's lifetime. • The paper proposes the key criteria for designing a CCS readiness steel plant. • A novel model is developed in assessing the value of capture readiness. • The retrofit option value of a steel plant is higher than the estimated additional cost for making CCS readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allele frequencies for the ten STRs included in the AmpFℓSTR SGM Plus kit were obtained from a sample of 132 unrelated Han individuals born in the region of Shantou (south of China). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is increasingly common to use the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI) to evaluate national sustainability; however, IWI's highly aggregated components and limited regional cases restrict its further application in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study extends the traditional three-component IWI framework into six disaggregated components, namely male/female human capital, advanced/ordinary produced capital, and renewable/non-renewable natural capital. We apply the modified framework to China and evaluate the sustainability performance at the provincial level. The results show that China continues to develop with an annual IWI per capita increase rate of 2.3%. Gender inequality is found to hinder the growth of IWI, whereas advanced product features benefit the growth of IWI. The results also suggest significant heterogeneity in provincial IWI primarily due to differences in economic development stages, geographic locations, and uneven IWI growth. IWI growth is largely driven by wealth accumulation resulting from human capital and advanced produced capital. In contrast, insufficient IWI growth is caused by a substantial amount of ordinary produced capital or a continued decline in natural capital. The study provides a basis for tracking progress toward the SDGs and measuring the heterogeneity of regional socio-economic development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive human health risk assessment methodology based on major hazard element screening and morphological evolution simulation is proposed. The primary targeted metal (PTM) screened by classical health risk assessment was introduced into chemical balance simulation to obtain speciation distribution and corresponding risk. According to the results of risk assessment of morphological evolution of primary targeted metal (PTM), a potential methodology for the remediation is proposed, which could reduce the risk level efficiently and quickly by changing the pH of soil environment with additional acid and alkali substances. A case study was performed in a dye factory in Suzhou city, Jiangsu Province, China. The results of classical health risk assessment showed that the regional health risk index for children exceeded tolerance value of 1, in which Cr accounted for high risk level of 61%. Chemical balance simulation results showed that CrO 4 2- and CaCrO 4 had the highest risk index, and the change of pH value would affect the proportion of CrO 4 2- and CaCrO 4 in Cr 6+ ionic speciation, which may indirectly change the risk level. It is recommended to adjust the pH of the soil environment to quickly reduce regional human health risk. This study will provide a theoretical basis for public health protection and site restoration management., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: Bovine milk constitutes an essential part of human diet, especially for children, due to its enrichment of various nutrients. We recently developed an effective protocol for the isolation of extracellular vesicles from milk (mEVs) and discovered that mEVs contained large amounts of immune-active proteins and modulated the gut immunity and microbiota in healthy mice. Here, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of mEVs on inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: MicroRNAs and protein content in mEVs were analyzed by RNA sequencing and proteomics, respectively, followed by functional annotation. Ulcerative colitis (UC) was induced by feeding mice with dextran sulfate sodium. Intestinal immune cell populations were phenotyped by flow cytometry, and the gut microbiota was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: We showed that abundant proteins and microRNAs in mEVs were involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory pathways and that oral administration of mEVs prevented colon shortening, reduced intestinal epithelium disruption, inhibited infiltration of inflammatory cells and tissue fibrosis in a mouse UC model. Mechanistically, mEVs attenuated inflammatory response via inhibiting TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, mEVs were able to correct cytokine production disorder and restore the balance between T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and interleukin-10 + Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells in the inflamed colon. The disturbed gut microbiota in UC was also partially recovered upon treatment with mEVs. The correlation between the gut microbiota and cytokines suggests that mEVs may modulate intestinal immunity via influencing the gut microbiota. Conclusions: These findings reveal that mEVs alleviate colitis by regulating intestinal immune homeostasis via inhibiting TLR4-NF-κB and NLRP3 signaling pathways, restoring Treg/Th17 cell balance, and reshaping the gut microbiota., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol came to an end in 2012 and more developing countries began to participate in the new phase of world carbon emission reduction. Kazakhstan is an important energy export country and a pivot of the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Despite its emissions are relatively small compared with huge emitters such as China and the US, Kazakhstan also faces great pressure in terms of CO 2 emission reduction and green development. Accurately accounting CO 2 emissions in Kazakhstan from both production and consumption perspectives is the first step for further emissions control actions. This paper constructs production-based CO 2 emission inventories for Kazakhstan from 2012 to 2016, and then further analyses the demand-driven emissions within the domestic market and international trade (exports and imports) using environmentally extended input-output analysis. The production-based inventory includes 43 energy products and 30 sectors to provide detailed data for CO 2 emissions in Kazakhstan. The consumption-based accounting results showed that certain sectors like construction drive more emissions and that the fuel consumption in different sectors varies. Furthermore, Russia and China are major consumers of Kazakhstan's energy and associated emissions, with the construction sector playing the most important role in it. The results suggested that both technology and policy actions should be taken into account to reduce CO 2 emissions and that the BRI is also a good chance for Kazakhstan to develop a "Green Economy"., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)