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This article examines the health system performance impact of China's new round of healthcare reform adopted in 2009. Specifically, we evaluated productivity and efficiency of health production pre- and post-reform period, compared the effects across all the 31 provinces of mainland China and identified potential determinants. As a major source of disability and premature mortality in China, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) had been the focus of our analysis, and the period during 2008–2015 was considered to allow enough time for the policy to have meaningful impact on the country's health system. Productivity and efficiency performance were analyzed using a bootstrapping data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) techniques, while a Tobit regression technique was used to identify determinants of inefficiency. We find that after the reform efficiency and productivity had declined across large number of provinces. Mean overall technical efficiency (OTE) post 2009 was about 30% lower than the potential maximum capacity, while productivity also fell at a rate of 7.57% per annum. Trends in productivity and efficiency performance were largely linked to patterns of scale of technological change observed during the study period. The findings suggest that efficiency and productivity can be improved through enhancing financial security, optimizing health resource allocation, particularly between human resources for health and hospital beds, and expanding cost-effective technology within the health sector. Better urban planning practices and investment in education were also found to contribute to improved efficiency of NCDs services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical energy-intensive industry, the primary aluminum industry (PAI) is the third largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, followed by the electricity and steel industries. GHG emissions of PAI exceed those of the other non-ferrous metal sectors, accounting for more than 3 % of total global emissions. As the largest producer and consumer of primary aluminum (accounting for 57 % of the global amount), China bears an important responsibility for energy conservation and emission reduction. This review aims to discuss low-carbon strategies and technology improvement related to PAI, with an emphasis on their potential, cost, and development prospects. This study established an analytical framework, based on life cycle assessment (LCA) that considered factors reported in related literature, for the design of strategies for reducing GHG emissions in China's PAI. The LCA-based carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions per ton (t) of primary aluminum and secondary aluminum were estimated to be 14.98 t and 0.32 t, respectively. This indicated that the CO 2 e emission of recycling process was only approximately 2 % of that of normal process. China's PAI exhibits considerable potential for emission reduction, with its peak being scheduled to be achieved by 2030. The potential to be tapped mainly includes clean energy, waste aluminum recycling, and low-carbon technology. This study suggests that the focus of China's PAI should be on cost-effective technology improvement in the short term, on power decarbonization and aluminum-scrap recycling in the medium term, and on technologies with a higher cost but better emission reduction in the long term. • The LCA-based CO 2 e emission of recycling aluminum was only approximately 2 % of that of primary aluminum in China. • Both 600 kA electrolysis cell and inert anode show excellent technology application prospects. • Unreasonable power structure and raw material access should be paid attention to. • Both power decarbonization and aluminum-scrap recycling exhibit considerable potential for emission reduction. • In the short term, the focus of China's primary aluminum industry should be on cost-effective technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of an online cervical cancer screening program using a website as the public platform and self-collected HPV testing as the primary screening method. Methods: A website (mcareu.com) was developed to facilitate the online cervical cancer screening program by Peking University Shenzhen Hospital (PUSH). Women in Shenzhen could register for participation on the website by providing essential demographic data. Sampling kits and specimens were delivered through regular logistics. Eligible women collected vaginal samples by themselves using the provided kits and in referring of the graphic guidance. The specimens were tested for HPV at PUSH or a reference lab, and the results were accessible on the website through participants' personal accounts. Participants who tested positive for high-risk HPV were scheduled for colposcopy and biopsies. The demographic and social background data of the eligible participants were analyzed to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of the online screening approach. Results: A total of 1712 applicants registered for participation, with 99.9% (1710/1712) completing registration with full data. The analysis included 1560 applicants aged 30–59, with an average age of 41.1 (± 7.6) years. Among them, 83.3% (1299/1560) provided self-collected samples for testing. Age-group analysis revealed an overall sample provision rate (SPR) exceeded 80% in all age groups. A significant difference in SPR was observed only between the 30–34 and 45–49 age groups (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were found among other age groups. 99.7% of the samples were tested qualified, and there was no significant difference in sampling failure rate among age groups. Analysis of demographic and social elements showed no significant impact on the rates of sample provision among groups in most of the social elements but the medical insurance and the monthly family-incomes. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that online cervical cancer screening is reliable for self-registration, self-sampling, and self-ordering for specimen transportation. It is suitable for women of all ages needing to be screened, irrespective of social elements, and effectively facilitates screening for women with limited access to medical resources. Therefore, online screening holds promise as an effective approach to increase screening coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most abundant groups in marine fish families, Gobiidae fish are important fishery resources in China, and some are also invasive species in certain regions worldwide. However, the phylogenetic relationships of Gobiidae fish remain ambiguous, and the study of their invasion-related genes is still scarce. This study used high-throughput sequencing technology to conduct a whole-genome survey of five Gobiidae fish species: Acanthogobius flavimanus, Acanthogobius stigmothonus, Favonigobius gymnauchen, Ctenotrypauchen microcephalus, and Tridentiger barbatus. De novo assembly of five fish genomes was performed, and genomic traits were compared through K-mer analysis. Among the five Gobiidae fish genomes, F. gymnauchen had the largest genome size (1601.98 Mb) and the highest heterozygosity (1.56%) and repeat rates (59.83%). Phylogenetic studies showed that A. flavimanus was most closely linked to A. stigmothonus, while Apogonidae and Gobiidae were closely related families. PSMC analysis revealed that C. microcephalus experienced a notable population expansion than the other four fish species in the Early Holocene. By using the KOG, GO, and KEGG databases to annotate single-copy genes, the annotated genes of the five fish were mainly classified as "signal transduction mechanisms", "cellular process", "cellular anatomical entity", and "translation". Acanthogobius flavimanus, A. stigmothonus, and T. barbatus had more genes classified as "response to stimulus" and "localization", which may have played an important role in their invasive processes. Our study also provides valuable material about Gobiidae fish genomics and genetic evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Passive Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method is a non-intrusive and cost effective technology adopted in civil and earthquake engineering for site geological and geotechnical survey. However, the application of passive MASW method under urban environments meets some challenges. One of interesting problems is associated with underground railways, which can be treated theoretically as buried sources. Since Rayleigh wave energy is dominant among that of surface waves, it is critical to design a proper geophone configuration during field tests at a site close to the metro line to ensure significant Rayleigh wave energy and therefore reliable dispersion images. This paper studied the propagation of Rayleigh waves generated from a buried source and proposed an empirical formula to estimate the nearest offset, which was then verified by numerical simulations. A case study was implemented in Shanghai, China at a site close to a subway line. With a linear spread geophone configuration, the influence of different parameters, including nearest offset, spread length and geophone interval, was investigated regarding their influences on dispersion images. Field tests were conducted by following the geophone configuration designed based on the proposed estimation method. The one dimensional (1D) shear velocity structure, being inverted from field vibration measurements, matches relatively well with the geologic feature obtained from borehole testing. Study results are expected to help facilitate the application of the passive MASW method for cases in which Rayleigh waves are generated by the buried source like underground traffics in cities. • Near-field effects due to subway traffic were studied for surface wave method application. • A method was proposed for the nearest offset estimation in MASW test with buried sources. • A case study was performed at a site close to underground railway for validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive review of the current water pollution status in China has indicated that the urban lakes in Chinese cities have suffered from serious pollution and are in high risk of eutrophication, although the pollution sources have been largely controlled. The objective of this study lies in exploring a long term restoration of the aquatic ecosystem in Chinese city lakes using treatment wetland, an environmentally friendly and cost-effective technology. Trials from a subsurface horizontal flow constructed wetland (CW) have demonstrated that the treatment wetland can be used for a purpose such as lake water quality control. Average removal of 84.2% for COD, 53.8% for NH3-N, 47.9% for TN, 73.3% for TP and 86.6% for SS can be achieved. Relatively, low removal of nitrogen lies in the lack of nitrification and denitrification process. Accordingly, improved configuration of the treatment wetland system has been proposed and discussed. Finally, the importance of the integrated constructed wetland especially for the application of urban lake water treatment is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The world's largest Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) demonstration unit is ready for start-up. • CLC seems to be the most cost-effective technology for power production based on solid fuels with carbon capture. • Building large units as a collaborative effort across continents is complicated, but may be both beneficial and very rewarding when all partners work closely together. The world's largest Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) demonstration unit is being built close to the city of Chengdu in China. The design and construction of the unit, as well as the coming testing, is done within the CHEERS project, which is a collaborative project between Europe and China. The funding (∼25M€) comes from several of the project partners, in addition to EU's Horizon2020 and China's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). TotalEnergies has been responsible for the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study. The investment decision from December 2021 marks the transition from the R&D studies and design phases to Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and testing phase. The EPC phase has been led by Dongfang Boiler Co.,Ltd, and the demonstration unit is located at their technology development site in Deyang City, outside Chengdu in China. It is designed for a thermal input of 2–4 MW and includes two different reactor configurations. The first configuration is optimized for conversion of pet-coke, while the second one is tuned towards conversion of lignite. The oxygen carrier (OC) that will be used for the demonstration unit (ilmenite) will be presented, together with an overview of the various OC materials that were tested at various scales (up to 150 kWth) during the first part of the project. In addition, results from testing of a cold mock-up of the unit is presented. Finally, an overview of plans for the rest of the project is given, together with some thoughts related to intercontinental collaboration in highly collaborative projects, such as CHEERS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies have attracted great expectations to meet carbon neutrality targets by reducing atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. However, most of the existing CCUS technologies are based on an industrial approach with disproportionate economic cost and environmental side effects and remain at an early stage of technological development. This study proposed an ecosystem-based CCUS strategy (Eco-CCUS) to exploit the enormous carbon sequestration potential of ecosystems with low economic cost and mature technology. With undeveloped crop residues as feedstock, it was estimated that Eco-CCUS could bring 0.38 Gt CO 2 sequestration capacity every year in China (accounting for 36.89% of the CO 2 fixation rates of a terrestrial ecosystem) and has a lower economic cost (100.93 ± 9.38 Yuan/tCO 2) compared to that of traditional CCUS technologies. Further analysis showed that the low economic cost of Eco-CCUS was closely related to high crop density, low gross domestic product, and medium transportation distance. A Pareto-optimal strategy was employed to help minimize national aggregate economic costs and identify the priority regions during nationwide deployment of Eco-CCUS. Moreover, Eco-CCUS can bring considerable economic benefit for farmers (223.08 ± 19.60 Yuan per capita) with the future highly developed carbon trade market. This study offers a promising and cost-effective technology to help achieve the carbon neutrality goal, contributing to the sustainable economic and ecological development of contemporary rural China. • CO 2 sequestration capacity of Eco-CCUS is about 0.38 Gt/yr. • Eco-CCUS has a lower economic cost compared to traditional CCUS technologies. • Eco-CCUS can bring considerable economic benefit for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting energy sorghum to remove soil cadmium (Cd) has been selected as an effective phytoremediation method in subtropical farmland in China in recent years. Nevertheless, the effects of energy sorghum species and cropping systems on Cd removal by energy sorghum are still not fully understood. In the present work, biomass sorghum (BS) and sweet sorghum (SS) were planted for screening varieties and comparing the applicability of cropping systems to remove Cd from contaminated soils through batch field experiments. The results indicated that BS had a higher plant height (4.70–75.63%), lower water content in the shoot (4.78–13.49%), greater dry biomass yield (13.21–125.16%), and stronger Cd removal (average 45.71%) compared with SS. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the agronomic traits and Cd accumulation of energy sorghums with genetic regulation of varieties. Pearson correlation coefficients analysis and the structural equation model (SEM) showed that plant height was the crucial agronomic parameter affecting the dry biomass yield, and Cd concentration in the stem was the key factor for evaluating the Cd extraction ability of energy sorghums, which indirectly determined the removal of Cd by energy sorghum together. Furthermore, the regeneration cropping system was the most suitable because of the adaptation to climatic conditions of energy sorghums in subtropical regions of China, and its Cd removal efficiency increased by more than 49% compared with double cropping and single cropping systems, respectively. Our study provides valuable information for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil in Chinese subtropical farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of new technologies for the removal of pollutants from wastewater has become globally necessary due to the complexity and facilities defined by conventional treatments. Advanced oxidative processes, specifically the Fenton process, have become widely applied given their low cost and ease of use. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the progression of the scientific publications on the implementation of Fenton process, investigating their space–time evolution. Additionally, useful solutions, trends, and gaps in the applications for the removal of pollutants with this methodology were identified, and also different remediation strategies and the design of new treatments for wastewaters were identified within this scientometric analysis. Bibliometric research was conducted in two scientific databases, Web of Science and Scopus, from 2011 to 2022, and we identified 932 and 1263 studies with the word "Fenton," respectively. When these publications are associated with the treatment of alternative effluents, an increase in publications from 2011 (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) and 2013 (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) was observed when analyzing both databases, indicating the relevance of the theme. Among these studies, several of them were conducted on the bench scale (89.8% and 98.3%, Web of Science and Scopus, respectively) and in aqueous matrix (97.8% and 98.4%, Web of Science and Scopus, respectively), with being China the main country with publications associated with these words (28.33% and 41.9%), while Brazil is related to 3.65% and 2.29% of the total studies in Web of Science and Scopus, respectively. In addition, this review provides a guideline for new applications for different species in the matrices and describes the evolution of technological solutions to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of international cooperation, South Africa (SA) has been China's largest trading partner in Africa for several consecutive years. China and SA can build the digital "Belt and Road" to modernize the manufacturing system locally and optimize process control by benchmarking with the best-in-class manufacturers in each country. In this research, an evaluation technology of manufacturer intelligence regarding the selection of decision support system (DSS) of smart manufacturing technologies, analyzing China–South Africa relations, is described. Firstly, the three keys aspects that enable the technologies of DSS are discussed in detail. Then, one key technology, the manufacturers' intelligent evaluation system with 15 indexes, was built. The indexes and their measurements are also proposed. Finally, a fusion method based on boosting with multi-kernel function (online sequential extreme learning machine based on boosting, Boosting-OSELM) is introduced. The purpose of Boosting-OSKELM is to combine several weak learners into a strong learner (lower mean square error, MSE) through an acceptable time delay. Finally, the case study is presented to demonstrate the improvement on the MSE and process time, showing a relative MSE improvement of 96.19% and a relative time delay ratio of 31.46%. Totally, the largest contribution of the proposed evaluation method in this study is the conversion of the history data saved by the manual scoring method into knowledge in accessible MES and resealable time delay, which will free up the expert workforce in the entire process. We expect this paper will help future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 pipeline transportation is a cost-effective technology for the transportation of large volumes of CO 2 . Numerous published techno-economic models of CO 2 pipelines primarily use pipeline length and another quantity, such as pipe diameter, flow rate, and flow velocity, to predict the cost of a pipeline project. The precision of such economic models is limited by the technical characteristics of CO 2 pipelines and the scarcity of statistical data from natural gas pipelines, especially in China. Therefore, building budgetary techno-economic models to assess cost with less uncertainty under increased flexible conditions is essential. A budget-type techno-economic model for an onshore CO 2 pipeline was established based on existing technical guidelines, budgetary parameters, and technical characteristics of CO 2 pipelines. This model can be used to provide more detailed estimates for specific CO 2 pipeline projects. The cost ranges of CO 2 pipelines across different regions in China were studied using deterministic and stochastic analyses. The mean values and variation ranges of levelized costs in Central, East, Northeast, North, Northwest, and South China were obtained and analyzed. This study provides highly detailed cost results for onshore CO 2 pipeline projects in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastid genome and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) arrays, proposed recently as "super‐barcodes," might provide additional discriminatory power and overcome the limitations of traditional barcoding loci, yet super‐barcodes need to be tested for their effectiveness in more plant groups. Morphological homoplasy among Schima species makes the genus a model for testing the efficacy of super‐barcodes. In this study, we generated multiple data sets comprising standard DNA barcodes (matK, rbcL, trnH‐psbA, nrITS) and super‐barcodes (plastid genome, nrDNA arrays) across 58 individuals from 12 out of 13 species of Schima from China. No samples were correctly assigned to species using standard DNA barcodes and nrDNA arrays, while only 27.27% of species with multiple accessions were distinguished using the plastid genome and its partitioned data sets—the lowest estimated rate of super‐barcode success in the literature so far. For Schima and other taxa with similarly recently divergence and low levels of genetic variation, incomplete lineage sorting, hybridization or taxonomic oversplitting are all possible causes of the failure. Taken together, our study suggests that by no means are super‐barcodes immune to the challenges imposed by evolutionary complexity. We therefore call for developing multilocus nuclear markers for species discrimination in plant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has become the world's most carbon-emitting country, and the coal-fired power industry (CFPI) dominates China's carbon emissions. Stimulating the carbon emission reduction potential of China's CFPI is important for reducing global carbon emissions and mitigating global warming. To explore the potential for reducing carbon emissions in the CFPI, this study constructed a model based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, considering profit motive and the cost of regulatory policy. To analyze the factors influencing carbon reduction potential (CRP), the Kaya-LMDI (Kaya Identity-Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index) method was also applied. Some policy implications for the regions in China came out. The results show that: (a) China's coal power industry generation process has not yet reached its optimal profit. When China's CFPI realizes the optimal profit, a CRP will also decrease industrial carbon emissions by 3.54%. (b) At the carbon costs ranging from 16.8 to 95.2 Yuan/ton caused by carbon regulation policy, the total CRP of China's CFPI would be further enhanced to 4.32%. (c) The coal-fired power output rate and industry scale had a positive effect on CRP, while the labor productivity had a negative effect. Carbon costs caused by carbon regulation policies could promote the CFPI to realize a greater carbon emission reduction potential by adjusting labor productivity and the industry scale effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Process optimization is a popular strategy to improve efficiency, reduce the energy consumption and total cost of the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO). Forward osmosis (FO) process with a nanofiltration (NF)-like membrane has emerged as a cost-effective technology for seawater desalination pretreatment, due to its high water permeability and low energy consumption compared to RO-like FO membrane. The present work comprehensively evaluated the potential of using an NF-like FO membrane for SWRO pretreatment and analyzed the feasibility of the NF-like membrane-based FO-NF-RO process for seawater desalination. The performance of the FO-NF-RO integrated process was investigated with MgSO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 , and Mg(CH 3 COO) 2 as draw solute, respectively. Besides, the energy consumption and total cost of the hybrid process were also estimated on the laboratory and large scale. The NF-like membrane-based FO process could effectively remove organic molecules and divalent ions effectively. The hybrid process product water could reach the drinking water standard in China (TDS ≤ 1000 mg/L). When water recovery was 42.0%, the hybrid process could produce freshwater with specific energy consumption of 2.99 kWh/m3 and specific water cost of 0.92 $/m3, which were comparable with the conventional SWRO process. Overall, our study revealed the feasibility of the FO-NF-RO process for seawater desalination. [Display omitted] • The FO-NF-RO process with a NF-like FO membrane was suggested for seawater desalination. • Product water quality could reach the drinking water standard in China (TDS≤1000 mg/L). • The SEC (2.99 kWh/m3) of the hybrid process was comparable with that of the conventional SWRO process (3.10 kWh/m3). • With optimal operating condition, water cost was only 0.92 $/m3, 0.18 $/m3 lower than the conventional SWRO cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) is one of the most important and nutritious vegetables widely cultivated in China. In the recent four decades, several improved varieties were bred and developed by Chinese breeders. However, the efforts for improvement of broccoli are hindered by limited information of genetic diversity and genetic relatedness contained within the available germplasms. This study evaluated the genetic diversity, genetic relationship, population structure, and fingerprinting of 372 accessions of broccoli representing most of the variability of broccoli in China. Millions of SNPs were identified by whole-genome sequencing of 23 representative broccoli genotypes. Through several stringent selection criteria, a total of 1,167 SNPs were selected to characterize genetic diversity and population structure. Of these markers, 1,067 SNPs were genotyped by target sequencing (GBTS), and 100 SNPs were genotyped by kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) assay. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) and expected heterozygosity (gene diversity) values were 0.33 and 0.42, respectively. Diversity analysis revealed the prevalence of low to moderate genetic diversity in the broccoli accessions indicating a narrow genetic base. Phylogenetic and principal component analyses revealed that the 372 accessions could be clustered into two main groups but with weak groupings. STRUCTURE analysis also suggested the presence of two subpopulations with weak genetic structure. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) identified 13% variance among populations and 87% within populations revealing very low population differentiation, which could be attributed to massive gene flow and the reproductive biology of the crop. Based on high resolving power, a set of 28 KASP markers was chosen for DNA fingerprinting of the broccoli accessions for seed authentication and varietal identification. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study to measure diversity and population structure of a large collection of broccoli in China and also the first application of GBTS and KASP techniques in genetic characterization of broccoli. This work broadens the understanding of diversity, phylogeny, and population structure of a large collection of broccoli, which may enhance future breeding efforts to achieve higher productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cd and Pb are common toxic contaminants prevailing in agricultural soils contaminated by mining activities. In this study, biochar was used to stabilize Cd and Pb contaminated soil for safe with three crops rotation condition within one year. Field experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of Litchi branch biochar (BC), pyrolyzed at 600 °C and applied at 4 rates [(0 t ha−1 (T0), 10 t ha−1 (T1), 20 t ha−1 (T2) and 30 t ha−1 (T3)]) on remediation of Cd and Pb in agricultural soil near Dabaoshan Mine in South China under a cucumber–sweet potato–rape rotation. The results showed that the application of BC can significantly increase the pH, cation exchange capacity and soil organic matter. After cultivation of crops, the pH values decrease gradually, with the biggest drop of 0.45 pH units in T3 treatment after rape cultivation. BC application increased the yield of three crops up to onefold to twofold in T3 treatment as compared to the control. The uptake of Cd and Pb in all three crops decreases with the increase in BC doses, which is mainly related to the decrease in bioavailable metals in their respective soil treatments. Under 1-year crops rotation, the remediation ability of BC still remains, while Cd and Pb can exhibit different risk to different crops. The data of this study can provide scientific suggestions for the selection of suitable crops and proper BC amount in remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Purpose. To identify the somatic mutated genes for optimal targets of non-small-cell lung cancer after resistance to osimertinib treatment. Patients and Methods. Study patients all had advanced lung adenocarcinoma and acquired resistance to osimertinib as a second- or third-line treatment. These patients had harboring EGFR T790M mutation before osimertinib treatment, which was confirmed by Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) PCR or Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). After resistance to osimertinib treatment, tumor tissue was collected by core needle biopsy. DNA was extracted from 15 × 5 um sliced section of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material and NGS was done. The genetic changes were analyzed. Results. A total of 9 Chinese patients were studied, 5 females and 4 males, age 51–89 years. After progression with osimertinib treatment, core needle biopsy was performed and next-generation sequencing was performed. Nine patients had harboring 62 point mutations, 2 altered gene copies, 2 amplifications, and 1 EML4-ALK gene fusion. No MET or HER2 amplification was found in this cohort study. Nine patients still maintained initial EGFR 19 del or L858R activating mutations, while 7 of them kept EGFR T790M mutations. Among the 7 patients, 5 had secondary EGFR C797S and/or C797G mutations, which all happened in the same allele with T790M mutation. All patients were treated with targets therapies, chemotherapy, or best supportive care (BSC) in accordance with NGS genetic results and patients’ performance status; 7 of them are still alive and 2 of them died of disease progression at last follow-up. Conclusions. EGFR C797S/G mutation and the same one presented on the same allele with EGFR T790M mutation were the most common mutation feature and played a key role in resistance to osimertinib in Chinese patients with NSCLC. Tumor cells losing T790M mutation and maintaining EGFR activating mutation might benefit from first-generation EGFR-TKI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's pre-reform urban transformation was directed, and accompanied, by a series of radical political campaigns that aimed to achieve Mao's utopian and revolutionary ideals, as well as pragmatic and economised strategies. The erratic changes in urban planning and policies were also a response to changing domestic and international geo-political conditions. This paper examines the dynamic relations between major radical political campaigns and urban planning and development in Maoist urbanism. By investigating the transformative power of radical political campaigns and how these reconfigured urban planning policy, the paper sheds light on the critical role that Maoist political movements played in transforming the socio-spatial aspects of Chinese cities during the period between 1949 and 1976. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rise to become the dominant global producer of rare earth minerals has caused severe environmental damage and rapid depletion of its natural resources.To rectify these problems and achieve sustainable development of the industry, the Chinese government has adopted a policy of export restrictions which has led to conflict with its trade partners.A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel has judged China's policy to be in violation of its trade obligations which has been upheld in appeal. This article presents a broad analysis of sustainable development relating to the rare earth industry. In recognizing growing global demand for these minerals, which provide essential inputs for the new green technologies, it explores how a more complementary relationship between economic development and conservation of natural capital can be achieved. Improving resource efficiency throughout the whole production chain is of key importance for resource conservation. The use of adequate environmental technologies and effective environmental policies are key to minimizing the risks for environmental damage and human health. The new initiative for liberalization of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS) in the WTO can make leading environmental technologies available at a lower cost for China. But green trade liberalization alone cannot achieve sustainable development. A new form of international cooperation in the form of networked governance must operate alongside the WTO to combine governance of global economic and ecological integration. Since the publication of the Brundtland Report, the concept of sustainable development has been generally understood as the requirement to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.1 But this is a vague concept which has proved difficult to implement in practice. There is no internationally agreed method for measuring sustainable development and no internationally accepted indicators to monitor its progress in practice.2 In particular, there is no satisfactory indicator for 'natural capital' which is central to achieving sustainable development. Natural capital is defined as the stock of natural resources or environmental assets that yields a flow of useful goods and services into the future.3 This concept creates a new synthesis integrating two previously opposing world views. On the one hand, man-made capital which comprises physical, financial and human capital, has well-established roots in economic theory. On the other hand, natural capital, comprising natural resources and the environment has been developed more recently by ecological economics. Whereas, man-made capital has been traditionally treated as a scarce good which is priced accordingly in the market, natural capital has for long been considered as part of the 'global commons' and so largely treated as a free good.4 But this dichotomy is no longer tenable today. The financial sector now acknowledges that natural capital has a real monetary value, estimating that ecosystem goods and services from natural capital are worth trillions of US Dollars every year which constitute essentials such as food, fibre, water, health, energy etc. At the Rio+20 Earth Summit (2012) financial institutions endorsed 'The Natural Capital Declaration' which commits them to integrating natural capital considerations into financial products and services for the twenty-first century. To support this goal, they called upon governments and the private sector to move beyond financial accounting and to incorporate natural capital into their accounts in order to recognize the true cost of economic growth. The declaration aims to provide 'the roadmap to a green economy'.5 Rare earth minerals are a crucially important part of global natural capital. Because of their unique properties, they provide essential components for high technology applications in industry, defence and civilian sectors. But they will be even more important in the future because of their use in the new green technologies such as renewable energy, hybrid electric vehicles, energy efficient lighting and so forth. This begs the question how to ensure a sustainable supply of rare earths that is produced in a way that will minimize the negative impact on the environment. China has now become the dominant global power in the rare earth industry as it has gradually overtaken the US to become the global leader since the 1980s. Up to then, the US supplied 100% of its domestic demand and 30% of global demand. But since the active mining operations of Mountain Pass mine in California ceased in 2002, China has risen to a position of global dominance. Although rare earths are spread over the earth's crust, China has the most concentrated reserves, accounting for some 30% of total global reserves; it currently produces over 90% of the world's rare earth minerals and consumes some 60% of those raw materials in its downstream processing industries.6 In recent years, China has demonstrated its ability to use its dominant economic power by progressively restricting exports of rare earth minerals thereby distorting international markets. As China's industry expanded rapidly from 1985 to 2005, China supplied an abundance of rare earths to the rest of the world at extremely low prices. Since 2006, however, the Chinese government has imposed increasingly restrictive export measures. The year 2010 was a major turning point when export quotas were cut back significantly -- by up to 40%, resulting in a major imbalance between global supply and demand and fear of shortages in the importing countries. As the demand for rare earths in coming years is predicted to grow faster than global production, this has turned rare earths into an issue of global importance for the global economy and, especially, for the emergence of a global green economy. The Chinese government vigorously defends its policy of export restrictions on the grounds of its commitment to sustainable development. In 2011, the State Council published a high level policy plan for comprehensive regulation of the industry emphasizing sustainable development.7 This was followed by an operational White Paper in 2012 and on the occasion of its publication the Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology told a press conference that China's imposition of export quotas and tougher regulations for the rare earth sector are aimed at protecting the environment and public health.8 These official publications indicate that China places primary importance on sustainable development in its current restructuring of the industry. Few would dispute that China's successful economic development has come at a high price for the environment. That is true, in particular, for the rare earth sector where the last forty years of development has left a legacy of serious environmental damage. It is in this context that the WTO has recently handed down a severe judgment on China's rare earth policy, in response to the formal complaint launched by the US, the European Union (EU) and Japan. The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) concluded that China's export restrictions were designed more for industrial policy than for conservation of natural resources and the environment. While the WTO allows its member countries to take measures for conservation and environment but it does not allow any member to control the international market for a natural resource, which is what China has actually done. Moreover, the Chinese measures have served to encourage domestic production and secure preferential use of those materials by Chinese manufacturers.9 How does this judgment fit with the international community's commitment to sustainable development? Since its foundation in 1994, the WTO has espoused sustainable development as a general principle and has constantly affirmed the positive relationship between its work of trade liberalization and the broader efforts of the United Nations (UN) to achieve sustainable development. But the breakdown of the Doha Round negotiations has led to institutional stalemate with the result that there is no robust mechanism for sustainable development in the WTO. This is a major obstacle because it prevents the kind of global governance necessary for management of economic and ecological interdependence that is indispensable for the achievement of sustainable development.10 This article addresses the broader issues of sustainable development in the rare earth industry and explores what can be done within and without the WTO --- irrespective of the judgment handed down on China's policy. Section one reviews the contribution of economic analysis to sustainable development. Section two provides a diagnostic profile of China's economic development of the industry and its environmental impact. Section three discusses the new initiative for the liberalization of EGS in the WTO and how this needs to be supported by new forms of international policy cooperation outside of the WTO. The final section presents our conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, there is an urgent need for an efficient anaerobic digester to sustainably treat rice straw. In this study, a downward plug-flow anaerobic digester (DPAD) was designed in which the total working core is separated into three sections: an upper liquid zone, a lower liquid zone, and a solid-state bed (SSB) in the middle. A solid/liquid separation mechanism was designed to recirculate liquor and the discharged solid residue after complete digestion. The 70-L DPAD was run indoors for 100 d, time in which chopped rice straw (30 to 50 mm in length) was fed every 20 d. The digestion performance and biogas production were analysed to assess the feasibility for practice application. The results showed that the DPAD can control scum formation and offers a methane yield of 162.60 L/kg volatile solids, 21.1% higher than that of the control test. It was also found that straw was continuously and efficiently digested by the DPAD in 3 experimental stages. Methane production rates increased by 76.30%, 57.37%, and 13.33% on the second day compared to the first day, respectively, and then, all decreased as the substrate was gradually exhausted. Based on the results, it is clear that the DPAD is a promising solution for chopped straw digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgO-based expansive agent (MEA) has increasingly been used to compensate for the effects of thermal shrinkage of concrete in China. Long-term soundness of concrete containing MEA attracts much attention; however, the autoclave test, which is used to assess the soundness of cement caused by excessive intrinsic dead-burnt MgO, seems to be inapplicable to the reactive lightly burnt MEA due to its harsh and unreliable autoclaving condition. This study seeks a reasonable accelerated approach for ascertaining the relevant soundness of concrete made with this admixture. The effects of temperature on accelerating the hydration of MEA are investigated by curing cement pastes containing three types of MEA at 25, 40, 60, and 80°C (77, 104, 140, and 176°F) in water, respectively. Results of the expansion measurement of cement pastes and X-ray diffraction analysis on the hydration products of MEA indicate that the hydration of MEA is accelerated most effectively at 80°C (176°F), and it is fully reacted within a short period. This provides a new possible accelerated method. Soundness of concrete prisms containing MEA is investigated under the accelerated condition of 80°C (176°F) and the feasibility of this new approach is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article features the development of networking technologies in developing countries. Newer technological challenges and opportunities are brought by the emergence of economies in the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, South America, and eastern Europe, notably those of Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa. The challenge, however, lies in adapting the networking technologies available, and possibly creating new ones, to cater to the specific needs of emerging economies. It has been shown that there is a link between an increase in information and communications technology penetration and an increase in national gross domestic product (GDP), and could be an important means to eradicate poverty.

As thallium (Tl) is a highly toxic heavy metal, there are compulsory environmental regulations in many countries on minimizing its release. This research investigated the treatment of real industrial wastewater with low Tl(I) concentration by Fe0-electrocoagulation (Fe0-EC) in a batch aeration-forced pump cycle reactor. The effects of pH (7–12), current density (8.3–33.3 mA/cm2), dissolved oxygen (DO) in wastewater, and initial Tl(I) concentration (66–165 µg/L) on Tl(I) removal efficiency were investigated. The removal efficiency of Tl(I) is pH-dependent, to be exact, it increases significantly with pH rising from 8 to 11. Initial pH of influent and DO concentration were the key operation parameters which strongly affect Tl(I) removal. After the water sample with initial Tl(I) concentration of 115 µg/L was treated for 12 min by a single-step process at pH of 11 and current density of 16.7 mA/cm2, the residual Tl(I) concentration was decreased to beneath the emission limit in China (2 µg/L) with a low energy consumption of 0.82 kWh/m3. By prolonging the operation time, the concentration was further reduced to 0.5 µg/L or even lower. The main composition of the flocculent sludges is iron oxyhydroxide, yet its crystal structure varies dependent on pH value which may result in different Tl(I) removal efficiency. Feroxyhyte nanosheets generate in situ by Fe0-EC, which contributes to the rapid and effective removal of Tl(I), while the speedy oxidation under DO-enriched conditions benefits the feroxyhyte formation. The mechanism of Tl(I) removal by Fe0-EC is attributed to the combination of electrostatic attraction and the formation of inner-sphere complexes. As shown in the technical and mechanical studies, Fe0-EC technology is an effective method for low Tl concentration removal from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination process of biofiltration, conventional treatment, catalytic ozonation and upflow biological activated carbon (BAC) is adopted for treating micropolluted raw water in Guanjinggang waterworks in China, and the present investigation mainly focuses on the effect of catalytic ozonation on the performance of BAC and on water quality over a long period of 699 days. The quality of finished water produced by the combination process is found to fully meet the drinking water standard of China. The removal efficiency of by catalytic ozonation is usually in the range of 10-20%, and this removal efficiency is independent of the concentration of the influent and water temperature. Catalytic ozonation can enhance the biodegradability of the effluent, and favors the following BAC. Catalytic ozonation also removes some ammonia and transforms organic nitrogen into . A slight increase of turbidity and manganese ion levels after catalytic ozonation are also found in many cases. Overall, the effectiveness of pollutant removal and the low operation cost make catalytic ozonation suitable for micropolluted raw water treatment in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants and their extracts have been used especially in China for more than ten centuries for preventing and treating disease. However, there are only few reports describing their use in animal cell culture and tissue transplantation. In this study, onion epithelial membranes (OEM) is used as scaffolds to support cultures of a variety of cells such as fibroblasts and epithelial cells notably; they maintain the phenotypic characteristics of corneal epithelial cells. This improvement includes preservation of the proliferative potential and stemness of rabbit corneal epithelial cells (RCECs). Such an outcome suggests that this cost-effective technology warrants further evaluation to determine if OEM is a viable candidate for use as scaffolds in corneal epithelial transplantation surgery. To test this possibility, rabbit corneal epithelial cells expanded on OEM are transplanted to treat corneal epithelial defects in limbal stem cell deficient rabbits. This procedure is successful because it shortens the time required for wound healing to restore losses in corneal epithelial integrity, and forms a more compact and stratified epithelium framework than the untreated group. Ultimately, should they be proven to be effective in other relevant animal model systems, their usefulness for treating wounds in a clinical setting warrants consideration., (© 2020 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)