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Cyber-slacking interrupts classroom teaching and learning activities and is associated with poor academic performance. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study aimed to investigate whether both cognitive (i.e., attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control) and affective (i.e., fear of missing out [FoMO]) factors contribute to classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior among Chinese university students. We recruited a convenience sample of 431 undergraduate students (M = 19.34, SD = 1.08; 66.4% female; 33.6% male) from mainland China who completed an online survey (i.e., items measured cognitive factors of cyber-slacking, cyber-slacking behavior, FoMO, and demographic information). The findings of correlational, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis with bootstrapping approach showed that both cognitive and affective factors were positive correlates of cyber-slacking intention and behavior and explained the variance in cyber-slacking intention. Moreover, attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, and FoMO had statistically significant indirect effects (via intention) on cyber-slacking behaviors, whereas perceived behavioral control alone has a direct impact on cyber-slacking behaviors. The findings not only lend more credence to TPB, suggesting that cognitive factors are reliable correlates of both classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior, but also showed affective factors, such as FoMO, can be used to reduce students' cyber-slacking intention and, subsequently, their behavior. Based on these findings, interventions for reducing classroom cyber-slacking are discussed.

The internationalisation of higher education (HE) worldwide has led to an expansion of courses using English-as-a-medium-of-instruction (EMI) in non-native-English-speaking countries. Research has identified complex challenges facing EMI educators in implementing EMI policies and suggested separately the significant roles educators' agency and perceptions of EMI play on their EMI practice. However, little is known about how individual educators exercise agency in response to the perceived demands of EMI teaching and the role of their interpretations and perceptions of EMI in the process. Adopting a cultural-historical theory perspective, this study explores how Chinese educators exercise agency to respond to perceived demands of EMI practice. Data included questionnaires and written interviews with ten academics teaching in EMI courses at three Chinese universities. Manifest in their engagement and commitment, deliberate actions and responsibilities towards themselves and students, their agency is unfolded in acts to improve their pedagogy and student learning of academic content, but no/t necessarily to develop students' English proficiency. Educators' perceptions of EMI appear to play a vital role in orienting their agency as they respond to demands from EMI practice when enacting EMI policies.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to investigate how cooperative learning (CL) has been conceptualized and implemented in Chinese physical education (PE). CL is one of the most influential and widespread areas of theory, research, and practice in western education. With the promotion of Chinese government policies, CL has become a popular field of research and was widely used as a pedagogical practice in Chinese. Design/Approach/Methods: Shulruf's five methodological steps were utilized as the process of screening and selecting relevant studies. Inductive analysis and constant comparison were conducted for analyzing the chosen literature. Findings: The analytic induction revealed four key themes: (a) historical development, (b) policy influence, (c) conceptualization of CL, and (d) implementation of CL. We found that the conceptualization of CL in Chinese PE was ambiguous, and the implementation of CL was predominantly documented by quantitative research methods. In addition, few studies were conducted at the elementary school level. Originality/Value: This is a comprehensive literature review on CL in Chinese PE. Findings and recommendations in this article will be beneficial for policymakers, scholars, and PE teachers to better understand and promote CL in China.

Open access academic lectures are potential sources for incidental vocabulary learning. These lectures are available in various formats (transcripts, audios, videos, and video with captions), but no studies have compared the learning of vocabulary in these lectures through different input modes. This study adopted a pretest-posttest design to compare learning at the meaning recall level of 50 words in the same academic lecture through five input modes: reading, listening, reading while listening, viewing, and viewing with captions. One hundred sixty-five English for Academic Purposes learners in China were assigned to five experimental groups and a control group. The experimental groups received the treatment with the assigned input mode while the control group received no treatment. Results show that although learning occurred through all input modes, only viewing significantly contributed to the learning gains. Frequency of occurrence and type of vocabulary significantly predicted the learning gains, but the type of verbal elaboration and nonverbal elaboration did not. This study provides further insights into the value of academic lectures for incidental vocabulary learning and supports the multimedia learning theory and its principles.

There has long been a disconnect between the labour market for translators and translator education. Most research on this disconnect focuses on either industry or education in isolation, leaving the problem unsolved. To address this gap, this study examines both industrial and educational perspectives on transdisciplinarity in translators' domain competence through an epistemological lens. Three types of data are collected: translation-related job ads, curriculum plans of Master of Translation and Interpretation (MTI) programmes, and semi-structured interviews with teachers-cum-translators. The findings, derived from data mining and textometric analyses of targeted job ads together with content analyses of both curriculum plans and interviews, show a shared epistemological understanding in industry and education of new forms of knowledge pertaining to domain-specific translation tasks. Alongside this shared understanding, we highlight misalignment between market needs for and training on knowledge about cross-boundary collaborations, and we explore the transdisciplinary domain competence required to cope with a complex-market reality using a common language shared with stakeholders. The implications for a transdisciplinary approach to translator education are also discussed.

Studies that explored intercultural competence in tele collaborative projects mostly integrated their intercultural learning activities in language learning context, and other learning contexts were neglected by researchers. In the present study, we aimed to address this gap by integrating intercultural learning and information literacy learning. We established a common learning space in which students from China and Indonesia learned together to build their information literacy and intercultural competence. A learning activity was designed in which the participants took Informatics course to learn about VR Tour production. They created virtual tours about local cultural attractions, presented them to their foreign peers, and then discussed how tours of each other can be improved. We investigated whether our learning activity can facilitate information literacy about VR Tour production and intercultural competence development. Participants' perceptions of VR Tour production technology were also explored. Mixed methods research approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Our results showed that the participants developed their information literacy about VR Tour production and their intercultural competence was promoted. In addition, the participants positively perceived VR Tour production technology. Based on the results, it is suggested that a common learning space can be established in which students from different countries can learn together to build up information literacy and intercultural competence. The findings of the present study can guide educators and researchers in their design of learning activities to help students develop intercultural competence and information literacy skills and use them for communication and exchange of culture-related information.

Critical thinking is one of the important higher-order skills very much treasured in education, but hard to be measured using paper-pencil tests. In line with recent recommendation to measure high-order thinking skills with interactive tasks (vs. static one set of questions), in this study we developed an interactive and automated game-based assessment of critical thinking, using the Toulmin Model. In two real-life simulation stories, through interactive tasks in progressing scenes in the stories, students chose and rated evidence and conflicting reasons as supportive or non-supportive arguments in making the eventual decision. Critical thinking scores were awarded on choosing the appropriate evidence and reasons. The psychometric quality of the game was evaluated with 185 Chinese senior secondary students. Results showed that (i) reliabilities as measured by Cronbach's a of the whole scale and subdomains were reasonable; (ii) parallel form reliability was high; (iii) its correlation and convergent validity with the popular Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment were comparable to those in other studies; (iv) it was generally not related to academic performance; and (v) the game was interesting and engaging. We also noted that students hesitated to query others and they were weak in applying critical thinking to problem-solving, which were in congruent with previous research showing students rarely used critical thinking to solve complex, real-world problems. In sum, we demonstrated successfully the use of interactive simulation tasks in measuring critical thinking. With the advancement of technology, our study suggested the possibility of assessing hard-to-measure important complex higher-order competence with dynamic games.

Testing of previously studied information potentiates subsequent learning of new information, a phenomenon referred to as the "forward testing effect" (FTE). The current study aimed to investigate the developmental trajectory of the FTE and whether the reset-of-encoding process contributes to the FTE. Younger children, older children, and adults were instructed to study four lists of unrelated words, then either restudied or were tested following studying each of Lists 1-3, and took an interim test on List 4. Results demonstrated that interim testing on Lists 1-3 enhanced learning of List 4 for younger children, older children, and adults. Importantly, this enhancement varies with items' serial list position in both younger children and older children. Early List 4 items at list primacy positions benefited more from interim testing than later ones at non-primacy positions. Overall, this is the first study demonstrating that (1) the FTE generalizes to younger children, older children, and adults, suggesting the FTE emerges quite early in human life; (2) the reset-of-encoding process contributes to the FTE in both younger and older children.

Academic lectures are potential sources of vocabulary learning for second language learners studying at universities where English is the medium of instruction, as well as those in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs. Topic-related vocabulary is likely to occur frequently in academic texts, and academic speech consists of a reasonable proportion of frequently occurring sequences of words. Yet no intervention studies have explored the potential for learning single words and collocations through viewing a video of an unmodified academic lecture. To address this gap, this study collected data from 55 EAP learners in China, following a pretest-posttest design. The experimental group (n = 28) watched a video of an academic lecture in which 50 target single words and 19 target collocations were presented while the control group (n = 27) received no treatment. Results show that viewing the lecture led to significant learning gains of single words at the meaning recall level and collocations at the form recognition level. Frequency of occurrence in the lecture appeared to significantly contribute to the learning of single words but not the learning of collocations. Prior knowledge of general vocabulary appeared to make no significant contribution to the learning of single words and collocations.

In general, private supplementary tutoring is considered an effective means of improving academic achievement by parents. However, previous studies have produced partial or inconclusive results regarding its effectiveness. Thus, the present study conducted a comprehensive analysis based on a specially designed longitudinal survey of private supplementary mathematics tutoring among middle school students in China. The hierarchical linear analysis did not show a considerably significant positive effect of regular private tutoring, even when such tutoring continued throughout the summer vacation and school semester. The data also allowed a deeper inquiry into the role of the quality, quantity, and applicability of private tutoring. In addition, the heterogeneous effect of private supplementary tutoring across students with different mathematics achievement levels was explored, with possible explanations including the different learning styles of students from different groups, the ceiling effect of the testing tool, and the different learning needs of different groups of students. These results suggest that parents should carefully select private tutoring for their children, and that the government should provide more comprehensive professional guidelines to regulate the industry.

In recent years, with the formal implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the rise of the blue economy, the trade cooperation between China and ASEAN in aquatic products has been further deepened and expanded. This paper utilizes United Nations Commodity Trade (UN Comtrade) data from 2001 to 2023 and combines the perspective of the blue economy to systematically analyze the characteristics of bilateral trade volume, growth rate, market distribution, and trade types of aquatic products between China and ASEAN. By applying the modified Constant Market Share (CMS) model, the paper conducts a factor decomposition and effect analysis of the growth factors in China's aquatic exports to ASEAN. The analysis indicates that the competitiveness effect has the highest contribution rate, and competitiveness has been the primary driver of growth in China's aquatic product export trade to ASEAN, followed by the growth effect increasing year by year, which shows the impact of the scale of demand, while the product effect is relatively low. In particular, product structure urgently needs improvement to meet the requirements of the blue economy. In ASEAN's aquatic product exports to China, demand scale serves as the main driving force, with the product variety adapting to the Chinese market as a secondary contributor. However, under the blue economy framework, product sustainability and environmental friendliness have emerged as new considerations, while the contribution of competitiveness remains relatively low, suggesting a need for further enhancement to align with green trade standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plasma beta-amyloid (Aβ) are important biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive impairment (CI), but results are controversial. It remains unclear whether hypertension modulates their relationship. This cross-sectional study investigates whether hypertension moderates the relationship between plasma Aβ and cognitive impairment (CI). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1488 subjects ≥ 40 years from rural areas of northwestern China. CI was defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination score lower than the cutoff. Firstly, plasma Aβ40, Aβ42, Aβ42/Aβ40 were analyzed as restricted cubic spline. Then, categories of combined plasma Aβ were created by making bisection of plasma Aβ according to average and combining them as L-Aβ40 and L-Aβ42, H-Aβ40 and L-Aβ42, L-Aβ40 and H-Aβ42, H-Aβ40 and H-Aβ42. Decreased plasma Aβ40 was defined as < 25th percentile. Multivariate logistic regression examined the relationship between plasma Aβ and CI in total population, the hypertension subgroup and the non-hypertension subgroup. Results: 737 participants (49.5%) had hypertension and 189 participants (12.7%) had CI. Simultaneously elevated plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 was associated with CI in hypertension (H-Aβ40 and H-Aβ42 vs. L-Aβ40 and L-Aβ42, 21.1% vs.10.7%, P = 0.033; OR = 1.984 [95% CI, 1.067–3.691], P = 0.030) but not in the non-hypertension. Decreased plasma Aβ40 was associated with CI in the non-hypertension (14.9% vs. 9.2%, P = 0.026; OR = 1.728 [95% CI, 1.018–2.931], P = 0.043) but not in the hypertension. Conclusion: Hypertension is an important modulator in the relationship between plasma Aβ and CI. Simultaneously elevated plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 in the hypertension, and decreased plasma Aβ40 in the non-hypertension, may be risk factors for CI. These findings emphasize the need to consider hypertension in CI detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the relationships between industry and academia is stressed by strategists, politicians, Vocational Education Training (VET) policy makers, and industrial planners. Industry without knowledge surely dies, and knowledge without application of that knowledge is valueless. This paper focuses on the relationships between the VET providers and industries. More specifically, the purpose of this paper is (1) to discuss the factors which enhance or constrain the strategic partnership, (2) to present the experiences of this relationship in the developing and developed countries, (3) to propose a model that links the two institutions, the VET providers and industries, in the Vietnamese context.

Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall wellbeing, and anxiety and depression among graduate students have become grave concerns. This study aimed to determine whether listening to music can help graduate students to reduce their depression levels. For the experiment, 1,007 participants were selected from several universities in Guangxi, of which 56 completed the experiment. The participants were divided into a music group (n = 28) that listened to music of their choice for 30 min per week for 13 weeks and a non-music group (n = 28) that did not. After music intervention, the depression levels of the music group participants were significantly lower than that of the non-music group participants. This indicates that music has a significant effect on the depression levels of graduate students and that music could serve as an effective intervention to alleviate their depression.

This study's purpose was to investigate the relationships among learning through experience, learning for stress resistance, learning cognition, learning outcomes, the entrepreneurial mindset, and the discrimination of social information. The main research methods adopted in the study were the partial least squares (PLS) and the Sobel test. We adopted PLS to test the relationships between six variables, including mediating and moderating effects. In addition to PLS, this study used the Sobel test to verify the mediating effects. Large samples may cause a mediating effect testing error when PLS is used; however, the Sobel test can resolve this issue. According to our test results, learning through experience and learning for stress resistance can change students' learning cognition and improve their learning outcomes. In addition, an entrepreneurial mindset has a mediating effect on the relationship between learning through experience, learning for stress resistance, and learning cognition. That is, for the student, having an entrepreneurial mindset strengthens the effect of learning through experience, as well as learning for stress resistance, and improves learning cognition. However, the discrimination of social information has a moderating effect on the relationship between learning cognition and learning outcomes. That is, a lower discrimination capability with respect to social information changes learning cognition and results in poor learning outcomes.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to explore the audiovisual speech perception strategies.80.23.47 adopted by normal-hearing and deaf people in processing familiar and unfamiliar languages. Our primary hypothesis was that they would adopt different perception strategies due to different sensory experiences at an early age, limitations of the physical device, and the developmental gap of language, and others. Method: Thirty normal-hearing adults and 33 prelingually deaf adults participated in the study. They were asked to perform judgment and listening tasks while watching videos of a Uygur-Mandarin bilingual speaker in a familiar language (Standard Chinese) or an unfamiliar language (Modern Uygur) while their eye movements were recorded by eye-tracking technology. Results: Task had a slight influence on the distribution of selective attention, whereas subject and language had significant influences. To be specific, the normal-hearing and the 10 deaf participants mainly gazed at the speaker's eyes and mouth, respectively, in the experiment; moreover, while the normal-hearing participants had to stare longer at the speaker's mouth when they confronted with the unfamiliar language Modern Uygur, the deaf participant did not change their attention allocation pattern when perceiving the two languages. Conclusions: Normal-hearing and deaf adults adopt different audiovisual speech perception strategies: Normal-hearing adults mainly look at the eyes, and deaf adults mainly look at the mouth. Additionally, language and task can also modulate the speech perception strategy.

The forest grains and oils are an important part of China's grain and oil resources. They are derived from woody plants, which have the advantages of not occupying arable land resources, high nutritional value, and being rich in many bioactive substances, and also have good economic and ecological benefits, and have enormous development potential. This article mainly introduced the resource status, distribution, componential and functional characteristics, processing and utilization status of protein, starch, and oilseed woody plants. In response to the problems existed in the development of the forest grain and oil industry, corresponding strategies and suggestions were proposed, which could provide reference for the development of the forest grain and oil industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: No study has reported secular trends in dementia prevalence, all-cause mortality, and survival status in rural China. Methods: We established two cohorts (XRRCC1 and XRRCC2) in the same region of China, 17 years apart, to compare dementia prevalence, all-cause mortality, and survival status, and performed regression analysis to identify associated factors. Results: Dementia prevalence was 3.49% in XRRCC1 and 4.25% in XRRCC2, with XRRCC2 showing a significantly higher prevalence (OR = 1.79, 95%CI: 1.2-2.65). Allcause mortality rates for dementia patients were 62.0% in XRRCC1 and 35.7% in XRRCC2. Mortality in the normal population of XRRCC2 decreased by 66% compared to XRRCC1, mainly due to improved survival rates in women with dementia. Dementia prevalence was positively associated with age >65, spouse-absent status, and stroke, and negatively associated with =6 years of education. Conclusion: Dementia prevalence in rural China increased over 17 years, while mortality decreased. Major risk factors include aging, no spouse, and stroke, with higher education offering some protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Accurately predicting knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is essential for early detection and personalized treatment. We aimed to develop and test a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based joint space (JS) radiomic model (RM) to predict radiographic KOA incidence through neural networks by integrating meniscus and femorotibial cartilage radiomic features. Methods: In the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort, participants with knees without radiographic KOA at baseline but at high risk for radiographic KOA were included. Patients' knees developed radiographic KOA, whereas control knees did not over four years. We randomly split the participants into development and test cohorts (8:2) and extracted features from baseline three‐dimensional double‐echo steady‐state sequence MRI. Model performance was evaluated using an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity in both cohorts. Nine resident surgeons performed the reader experiment without/with the JS‐RM aid. Results: Our study included 549 knees in the development cohort (275 knees of patients with KOA vs 274 knees of controls) and 137 knees in the test cohort (68 knees of patients with KOA vs 69 knees of controls). In the test cohort, JS‐RM had a favorable accuracy for predicting the radiographic KOA incidence with an AUC of 0.931 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.876–0.963), a sensitivity of 84.4% (95% CI 83.9%–84.9%), and a specificity of 85.6% (95% CI 85.2%–86.0%). The mean specificity and sensitivity of resident surgeons through MRI reading in predicting radiographic KOA incidence were increased from 0.474 (95% CI 0.333–0.614) and 0.586 (95% CI 0.429–0.743) without the assistance of JS‐RM to 0.874 (95% CI 0.847–0.901) and 0.812 (95% CI 0.742–0.881) with JS‐RM assistance, respectively (P < 0.001). Conclusion: JS‐RM integrating the features of the meniscus and cartilage showed improved predictive values in radiographic KOA incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has introduced a carbon neutral policy to cope with the rapid changes in the global climate. It is not clear what impact this policy will have on wildlife. Therefore, this study analyzed the suitable habitat distribution of China's unique leopard subspecies in northern Shaanxi, and simulated the potential suitable habitat distribution under different carbon emission scenarios at two time points of future carbon peak and carbon neutralization. We found that in the future SSPs 126 scenario, the suitable habitat area and the number of suitable habitat patches of North China leopard will continue to increase. With the increase of carbon emissions, it is expected that the suitable habitat of North China leopard will continue to be fragmented and shifted. When the annual average temperature is lower than 8 °C, the precipitation seasonality is 80–90 mm and the precipitation of the warmest quarter is greater than 260 mm, the probability of occurrence of North China leopard is higher. The increase in carbon emissions will lead to the reduction, migration, and fragmentation of the suitable habitat distribution of the North China leopard. Carbon neutrality policies can protect suitable wild habitats. In the future, the impact of carbon neutrality policies on future wildlife habitat protection should be carried out in depth to effectively promote the construction of wildlife protection projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether Naoxueshu Oral Liquid (NXS) could promote hematoma absorption in post-craniotomy hematoma (PCH) patients. Methods: This is an open-label, multicenter, and randomized controlled trial conducted at 9 hospitals in China. Patients aged 18–80 years with post-craniotomy supratentorial hematoma volume ranging from 10 to 30 mL or post-craniotomy infratentorial hematoma volume less than 10 mL, or intraventricular hemorrhage following cranial surgery were enrolled. They were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to the NXS (10 mL thrice daily for 15 days) or control groups using a randomization code table. Standard medical care was administered in both groups. The primary outcome was the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15. The secondary outcomes included the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 7, the absolute reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 7 and 15, and the change in neurological function from day 1 to day 7 and 15. The safety was closely monitored throughout the study. Moreover, subgroup analysis was performed based on age, gender, history of diabetes, and etiology of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Results: A total of 120 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned between March 30, 2018 and April 15, 2020. One patient was lost to follow-up in the control group. Finally, there were 119 patients (60 in the NXS group and 59 in the control group) included in the analysis. In the full analysis set (FAS) analysis, the NXS group had a greater percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15 than the control group [median (Q1, Q3): 85% (71%, 97%) vs. 76% (53%, 93%), P<0.05]. The secondary outcomes showed no statistical significance between two groups, either in FAS or per-protocol set (P>0.05). Furthermore, no adverse events were reported during the study. In the FAS analysis, the NXS group exhibited a higher percentage reduction in hematoma volume on day 15 in the following subgroups: male patients, patients younger than 65 years, patients without diabetes, or those with initial cranial surgery due to ICH (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The administration of NXS demonstrated the potential to promote the percentage reduction in hematoma volume from day 1 to day 15. This intervention was found to be safe and feasible. The response to NXS may be influenced by patient characteristics. (Registration No. ChiCTR1800017981) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inner Mongolia's grassland is one of the most complete natural grasslands for ecological diversity and biodiversity conservation in the world. However, its degradation has seriously affected the plateau's sustainable development and grassland restoration and reconstruction. To reveal the response of soil-plant synergistic relationship to different degrees of degradation, we selected three degrees of degradation (total coverage of vegetation:20%-30%, LD), moderate degradation (total coverage of vegetation:10%-20%, MD) and severe degradation (total coverage of vegetation:<10%, SD) on typical grasslands in Inner Mongolia (3 transects per degraded plot, three replicates per transect, a total of 27 quadrats). Correspondence between vegetation and soil under different degrees of degradation was obtained by correlation analysis. Soil physical properties influence degradation degree much more than soil depth. Among them, the most obvious total nitrogen (TN) decreased by 251.63% and 125.81% under moderate degradation (MD) and severe degradation (SD) respectively, compared with light degradation (LD). When the degree of degradation increased, the number of species reduced, and when compared to light degradation, moderate degradation and severe degradation decreased by 52.38% and 66.67%, respectively. The declining trend in the number of species was also indicated by Simpson, Margalef, and Shannon-Winener in addition to the Pielou index. The synergy between plant diversity index and soil organic matter (SOM), available potassium (AK) and bacteria was relatively strong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's total energy consumption and production rank first in the world. However, China's energy structure is not reasonable. Therefore, accurate prediction of future energy trends is of great significance for the Chinese government to adjust the energy structure. In this paper, we propose an optimized Grey Euler model with polynomial term, which is abbreviated as OSGEM(1,1,N), to forecast the total energy consumption and production of China in comparison with the commonly used prediction models. The data from 2002 to 2018 are used to simulate the parameters in the proposed model, and the data from 2019 to 2021 are used to test the improved approach. The results show that the OSGEM(1,1,N) model outperforms the other models. Finally, the OSGEM(1,1,N) model is used to forecast the total energy consumption of China from 2022 to 2025 and different results from the previous research results have been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ixekizumab, a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A, is efficacious and well tolerated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. However, there are limited data on the real-world safety of ixekizumab in Chinese patient populations. We performed an observational study of ixekizumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in routine clinical practice in China. Here we present a further safety analysis of this study. Methods: In this prospective, observational, single-arm, multicenter, post-marketing safety study, adults (≥18 years) with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis receiving ixekizumab were enroled at dermatology departments in hospitals across China and prospectively followed for 12 weeks or until their last dose of ixekizumab. In this analysis, we evaluated adverse events (AEs) of special interest (AESIs) identified using MedDRA® search strategies. We also analyzed AEs and AESIs occurring in greater than ten patients in subgroups by age (< 65/≥ 65 years), sex, body weight (< 60/60 kg to < 80/≥ 80 kg), renal impairment, hepatic impairment, history of tuberculosis, history of HBV infection, recent or active infection, history of allergic reaction/hypersensitivity, and number (0–1/2–4/5–7) of ixekizumab 80 mg injections after baseline until day 105. Results: This analysis included 663/666 patients enrolled in the primary study. At least one AESI was reported in 224 (33.8%) patients and considered related to ixekizumab in 181 (27.3%); the most common were injection site reactions (n = 131, 19.8%), infections (n = 80, 12.1%), and allergic reactions/hypersensitivity events (n = 59, 8.9%). The proportion of patients with ≥ 1 AE was higher for females versus males (99/186, 53.2% versus 184/477, 38.6%, p = 0.0006). The proportion of patients with ≥ 1 AE increased with the number of ixekizumab injections after baseline [61/188 (32.4%) for zero to one injection, 151/338 (44.7%) for two to four injections, and 61/106 (57.5%) for five to seven injections; p = 0.0001]. Conclusions: In this real-world study, ixekizumab was well tolerated in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, with no difference in safety across most patient subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Haihe Plain in China is situated in the world's largest groundwater funnel area, with per capita water resources far below the internationally recognized "extremely water-scarce" standard. To address the issue of water shortage in summer maize-planting areas of the Haihe Plain, we conducted research on the variation of summer maize evapotranspiration using a medium-sized lysimeter. This study aims to provide technical support for water-saving irrigation in summer maize fields. Through path analysis, direct and indirect influencing factors affecting the evapotranspiration of summer maize fields were determined. The results showed that the cumulative evapotranspiration of bare ground and farmland during the entire growth period of summer maize was 173.57 mm and 382.97 mm, respectively, with evapotranspiration intensities of 1.52 mm/d and 3.36 mm/d, respectively. Evapotranspiration during the maturity stage of summer maize was the least, accounting for only 1.82% of total evapotranspiration during the entire growth period. The period from the jointing to milk-ripening stage is when evapotranspiration in maize fields is at its highest. During this period, evapotranspiration in maize fields amounted to 265.58 mm, accounting for 69.35% of total evapotranspiration. The evapotranspiration intensity was 3.59 mm/day, which is 1.34 times higher than that of bare soil. The evapotranspiration intensities during each growth stage were ranked as jointing stage > tasseling-silking stage > seedling stage > milk maturity stage > maturity stage. The daily evapotranspiration of summer maize fields showed a "unimodal" curve with low values in the morning and evening, and high values at noon. Path analysis indicated that daily radiation and maximum daily temperature had the greatest impact on the evapotranspiration of maize fields, with the direct effect of maximum daily temperature being restrictive and the indirect effect being promotive, resulting in an overall promotive effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a prevalent pathogen responsible for acute viral hepatitis, HEV genotypes 3 and 4 infections causing zoonotic infections. Currently, the nucleotide similarity analysis between humans and pigs for HEV genotype 4 is limited. In this study, stool samples from an HEV‐infected patient who is a pig farmer and from pigs were collected to obtain the near full‐length genome of HEV, phylogenetic trees were constructed for genotyping, and similarity of HEV sequences was analyzed. The results showed that HEV‐RNA was detected in the stool samples from the patient and six pigs (6/30, 20.0%). Both HEV subtype in the patient and pigs was 4b. Additionally, similarity analysis showed that the range was 99.875%–99.944% between the patient and pigs at the nucleotide level. Four isolates of amino acid sequences (ORFs 1–3) from pigs were 100% identical to the patient. Phylogenetic tree and similarity analysis of an additional nine HEV sequences isolated from other patients in this region showed that the HEV sequence from the pig farmer had the closest relationship with the pigs from his farm rather than other sources of infection in this region. This study provides indirect evidences for HEV subtype 4b can be transmitted from pigs to humans at the nucleotide level. Further research is needed to explore the characteristics of different HEV subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current requirements for residential energy-efficient design solutions in China are relatively homogeneous, requiring only improvements in overall building energy performance, often ignoring the energy differences between different residential housing units. This paper proposes a multi-objective research framework based on an occupant behavior model of air conditioning and a Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) to study energy-efficient design solutions for residential envelopes. The optimal energy-saving design scheme has a 22.56% and 35.34% reduction in energy consumption difference between residential units and overall building energy consumption, respectively, both of which have been optimized substantially. Moreover, the overall energy performance of the building can be improved when the "energy performance difference between housing units" (EDH) is reduced, which verifies that EDH is an important criterion for improving the energy performance of residential housing units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on China's higher education system and explored if personality traits were a mediator of the relationship between motivational mechanisms and continuous improvement, and further explored if leadership change was a moderator of the relationship between personality traits and continuous improvement of the motivations and student study processes. In this paper, partial least squares (PLS) was the primary methodology used to test mediation and moderation. This study analysed 350 samples even though a large sample may cause an evaluative error in the mediation effect when using PLS. For this reason, we further adopted the Sobel test to verify this effect. According to the test results, in addition to motivational mechanisms having a positive effect on continuous improvement of the motivations and student study processes, personality traits are a mediator that influences the effect of motivational mechanisms on the continuous improvement of the motivations and student study processes. Furthermore, we proved that leadership change is a moderator between personality traits and continuous improvement of the motivations and student study processes. In addition, we discussed the relationship between mediation and moderation effects of different personality traits and leadership change.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has led the way in constructing the East Asian region with China, Japan, and South Korea, and an inter-regional entity with the European Union (EU)--known as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). The initial aims were security and trade. Recently, however, higher education has been brought into these regionalising processes, largely as a response to the globalising of neoliberalism. The paper argues that regions are social, economic, and political constructions shaped by both material forces and cultural factors. It emphasises the importance of the latter and explains three mechanisms at work: "harmonisation" to build intra-ASEAN higher education cooperation; "socialisation" to create the ASEAN+3 region; and "mutual learning" to engage with the EU in shaping an "ASEM Education Area". These mechanisms influence the ways in which regional actors form new conceptions of self and other, negotiate norms, and (re)construct their identities and interests, thus creating new forms of cooperation and community. Particularly, "mutual learning" generates the outcome of a deeper negotiation for an equal partnership between the "Asia" and the "Europe" in ASEM. Hence, higher education regionalism emerges as a way to reposition Southeast Asia.

Foaming agents are widely used in the processing of polymer materials. The p-toluenesulfonyl hydrazide (TSH), as a foaming agent, generates foams that are fine and uniform. However, the extensive heat produced during the thermal decomposition of foaming agents greatly increases the risk throughout the process. Accidents involving TSH have caused severe economic losses of 300,000 RMB in China. In this study, a differential scanning calorimetry, adiabatic accelerating calorimeter, thermogravimetric-infrared spectrometer, and Gaussian molecular simulation software were adopted to explore the pyrolysis characteristics and decomposition mechanism of TSH and TSH containing impurities (water, urea). Experimental results indicated that the apparent activation energy of pure TSH was 173.39 kJ mol−1. The potential for explosion is high when TSH decomposed, as it releases heat and gaseous products. The addition of water or urea reduces the hazard level of TSH, but urea promotes the decomposition of TSH. The time it takes for a reaction to reach its maximum rate under adiabatic conditions (TMRad) to reach 24 h (TD24) and 8 h (TD8) was 46.8 and 56 °C, respectively. Comparing the experimental results with molecular simulations, the products of thermal decomposition of TSH include nitrogen, water, aryl disulphides, and sulphide sulphonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber-slacking interrupts classroom teaching and learning activities and is associated with poor academic performance. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study aimed to investigate whether both cognitive (i.e., attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control) and affective (i.e., fear of missing out [FoMO]) factors contribute to classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior among Chinese university students. We recruited a convenience sample of 431 undergraduate students (M = 19.34, SD = 1.08; 66.4% female; 33.6% male) from mainland China who completed an online survey (i.e., items measured cognitive factors of cyber-slacking, cyber-slacking behavior, FoMO, and demographic information). The findings of correlational, hierarchical multiple regression, and path analysis with bootstrapping approach showed that both cognitive and affective factors were positive correlates of cyber-slacking intention and behavior and explained the variance in cyber-slacking intention. Moreover, attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control, and FoMO had statistically significant indirect effects (via intention) on cyber-slacking behaviors, whereas perceived behavioral control alone has a direct impact on cyber-slacking behaviors. The findings not only lend more credence to TPB, suggesting that cognitive factors are reliable correlates of both classroom cyber-slacking intention and behavior, but also showed affective factors, such as FoMO, can be used to reduce students' cyber-slacking intention and, subsequently, their behavior. Based on these findings, interventions for reducing classroom cyber-slacking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of actively undertaking the transfer of domestic and foreign industries in the central and western regions of China, local regulatory behaviors influence the spatial distribution of polluting enterprises (PEs). This study examined the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration (GPUA), the largest urban agglomeration in the northwest region of China and one of the main regions that undertakes industrial transfer, using kernel density estimation and geographically and temporally weighted regression to explore the spatial pattern characteristics and evolution of PEs and reveal the effects of local regulatory behaviors, including environmental regulation (ER) and local protection (LP). The results indicate that (1) The distribution of the PEs tended towards energy and mineral resources and agglomerated along the development axes, aligning with the strategic positioning of the major function-oriented zones. Agglomerated areas gradually concentrate in key development zones. Major agricultural production zones exit high-density areas, and those adjacent to high-density areas often become secondary agglomeration core areas. Key ecological functional zones do not form high-density areas. (2) Both ER and LP have a positive impact on the distribution of PEs, and the dominant influence shifts from ER to LP. Counties with strict ER have increased the tendency of PEs to exhibit a certain layout due to better pollution treatment facilities and more mature pollution control technologies. The "pollution haven effect" has not yet formed within the GPUA. (3) The role of LP was more prominent in key development zones and major agricultural production zones, whereas the role of ER was more evident in key ecological functional zones. (4) RE and LP have mutually reinforcing effects on the distribution of PEs; the "innovation compensation effect" gradually manifests, but an increase in ER leads to a decrease in regional industrial clustering. This study provides a reference value for understanding the impact of government regulation on the distribution of PEs in underdeveloped areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency management bears the important responsibility of preventing and resolving security risks and responding to disasters and accidents in time. At the same time, it shoulders the important mission of protecting people's lives and property and maintaining social stability. However, there is little research on the forecast of the huge gap and demand for talent. To strengthen the emergency management ability and modernization, improve the ability of emergency management personnel training and solve the shortage of emergency management personnel at this stage, this paper studied the positioning of emergency management personnel in China and the demand for various emergency management personnel. By means of field interviews, questionnaire surveys, participatory research and expert meetings, this research analyzed the characteristics of emergency management talents in China, defined its classification and forecasted its demand. The results showed that emergency management talents in China could be divided into four categories: administrative management talents, practical talents, expert talents and support talents. According to the data calculation results of five representative provinces, Guangdong Province (area with relatively developed economy), Beijing (administrative centre and economically developed area), Sichuan Province (natural disaster‐prone area), Shanxi Province (developed area of energy industry such as coal) and Jiangsu Province (industrially developed areas), it is concluded that the total demand for emergency management talents in China at this stage is about 794,900, and the gap is about 411,200. At present, China's emergency management talents are in short supply. The research results of this paper can provide sufficient data support for the training of emergency management talents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is commonly associated with horse abortion. Currently, there are no reported cases of abortion resulting from EHV-1 infection in donkeys. Results: This was the first survey-based study of Chinese donkeys. The presence of EHV-1 was identified by PCR. This survey was conducted in Chabuchar County, North Xinjiang, China, in 2020. A donkey EHV-1 strain (Chabuchar/2020) was successfully isolated in MDBK cells. Seventy-two of 100 donkey sera were able to neutralize the isolated EHV-1. Moreover, the ORF33 sequence of the donkey-origin EHV-1 Chabuchar/2020 strain showed high levels of similarity in both its nucleotide (99.7‒100%) and amino acid (99.5‒100%) sequences, with those of horse EHV-1 strains. EHV-1 Chabuchar/2020 showed significant consistency and was classified within cluster 1 of horse EHV-1 strains. Further, analysis of the expected ORF30 nucleotide sequence revealed that donkey EHV-1 strains contained guanine at position 2254, resulting in a change to aspartic acid at position 752 of the viral DNA polymerase. Therefore, these strains were classified as horse neuropathogenic strains. Lastly, a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the partial ORF68 nucleotide sequences, showing that the identified donkey EHV-1 strain and the EHV-1 strain found in aborted Yili horses in China comprised a novel independent VIII group. Conclusion: This study showed the first isolation and identification of EHV-1 as an etiological agent of abortions in donkeys. Further analysis of the ORF33, ORF30, and ORF68 sequences indicated that the donkey EHV-1 contained the neuropathogenic genotype of strains in the VIII group. It is thus important to be aware of EHV-1 infection in the donkey population, even though the virus has only been identified in donkey abortions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) serves as a primary component of polyurethane in various applications, including household appliances, architectural structures, automobiles, and adhesives. A recent MDI plant explosion in China highlighted the importance of studying MDI's thermal stability and parameters to prevent accidental thermal decomposition. In this study, an extensive array of analytical techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and adiabatic accelerating calorimeter, was employed to determine the thermokinetic constants of MDI, providing a solid foundation for further in-depth investigations. The findings revealed that MDI containing water reacts at substantially lower temperatures, while pure MDI can release heat and gases in an adiabatic environment, posing a considerable explosion risk. The kinetic constant of MDI was calculated using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method, yielding apparent activation energy values ranging from 51.78 to 96.70 kJ mol−1 across a conversion degree range of 0.05–0.70. The Coats–Redfern model pinpointed the kinetic reaction mechanism as a two-stage chemical process based on the apparent activation energy. Molecular optimization, following the energy minimisation principle, was conducted using Gaussian 09 software, which led to the identification of the optimal pathway for generating carbodiimide and carbon dioxide. This investigation offers valuable insights for the effective management of MDI during production, transportation, and storage, contributing to improve loss prevention practices in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting the fact that hypertension is diagnosed when a person's blood pressure reading exceeds a medically specified threshold (90 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure or 140 mmHg for systolic blood pressure), this study estimates the effect of a first-ever hypertension diagnosis on Chinese adults' alcohol consumption using a two-dimensional regression discontinuity design. Analyzing data on 10,787 adults from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, our estimation reveals that hypertension diagnoses based on diastolic blood pressure readings exert a number of desirable effects. Hypertensive adults' drinking frequency and the incidence of excessive drinking among them were reduced by 1.2 times/week and 17.9 percentage points, respectively, about three years after the diagnosis. Meanwhile, their beer and Chinese spirits (Baijiu) intakes were reduced by 518.6 ml/week and 194.8 ml/week, respectively. Interestingly, we also found modest evidence that hypertension diagnoses based on diastolic blood pressure readings increase Chinese adults' wine intake, suggesting a substitution pattern upon hypertension diagnoses. In contrast, based on systolic blood pressure readings, no significant effects of hypertension diagnoses on alcohol consumption were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing worldwide, and early prediction of MetS risk is highly beneficial for health outcomes. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict MetS risk in Qinghai Province, China, and it provides a methodological reference for MetS prevention and control in Qinghai Province, China. Patients and Methods: A total of 3073 participants living between 1900 and 3710 meters above sea level in Qinghai Province participated in this study between March 2014 and March 2016. We omitted 12 subjects who were missing diagnostic component data for MetS, ultimately resulting in 3061 research subjects, 70% of the subjects were assigned randomly to the training set, and the remaining subjects were assigned to the validation set. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis method was used for variable selection via running cyclic coordinate descent with 10-fold cross-validation. Multivariable logistic regression was then performed to develop a predictive model and nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used for model evaluation, and calibration plot and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used for model validation. Results: Of 24 variables studied, 6 risk predictors were identified by LASSO regression analysis: hyperlipidaemia, hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and body mass index (BMI). A prediction model including these 6 risk factors was constructed and displayed good predictability with an area under the ROC curve of 0.914 for the training set and 0.930 for the validation set. DCA revealed that if the threshold probability of MetS is less than 82%, the application of this nomogram is more beneficial than both the treat-all or treat-none strategies. Conclusion: The nomogram developed in our study demonstrated strong discriminative power and clinical applicability, making it a valuable reference for meets prevention and control in the plateau areas of Qinghai Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Langya virus (LayV) is a recently discovered henipavirus (HNV), isolated from febrile patients in China. HNV entry into host cells is mediated by the attachment (G) and fusion (F) glycoproteins which are the main targets of neutralizing antibodies. We show here that the LayV F and G glycoproteins promote membrane fusion with human, mouse, and hamster target cells using a different, yet unknown, receptor than Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) and that NiV-and HeV-elicited monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies do not cross-react with LayV F and G. We determined cryoelectron microscopy structures of LayV F, in the prefusion and postfusion states, and of LayV G, revealing their conformational landscape and distinct antigenicity relative to NiV and HeV. We computationally designed stabilized LayV G constructs and demonstrate the generalizability of an HNV F prefusion-stabilization strategy. Our data will support the development of vaccines and therapeutics against LayV and closely related HNVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the real-time precipitation forecast products of the GRAPES_MESO regional ensemble forecast model, which is developed by the Numerical Weather Prediction Center of the China Meteorological Administration and is initialized 1–3 days in advance at 12:00 UTC. Using a national-level homogenized precipitation grid dataset from surface meteorological stations as observational data, a frequency matching method (FMM) is employed to correct precipitation forecasts for different precipitation intensity levels, including light rain, moderate rain, heavy rain, and torrential rain. Case studies and statistical tests (TS scores) are conducted to compare the forecast performance before and after correction. The results indicate that the model's Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) curves deviate from observations, and the longer the lead time, the more significant the error. The correction coefficients (CCs) show an increasing trend with the growth of precipitation intensity, indicating that for larger precipitation amounts and longer lead times, larger CCs are needed, highlighting the necessity of correction. Analyzing two precipitation events in South China in July 2019, the FMM results in an increase in precipitation intensity and a widening of the range of heavy precipitation. The corrected precipitation magnitudes are closer to the observations. The statistical tests using TS scores reveal that the FMM has a certain correction effect on the overall precipitation forecast in the South China region, especially for longer lead times and higher precipitation intensities, where the correction effect is more significant. The necessity of frequency matching correction becomes more apparent for heavier precipitation, and the correction effect becomes more significant with longer lead times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internationalisation of higher education (HE) worldwide has led to an expansion of courses using English-as-a-medium-of-instruction (EMI) in non-native-English-speaking countries. Research has identified complex challenges facing EMI educators in implementing EMI policies and suggested separately the significant roles educators' agency and perceptions of EMI play on their EMI practice. However, little is known about how individual educators exercise agency in response to the perceived demands of EMI teaching and the role of their interpretations and perceptions of EMI in the process. Adopting a cultural-historical theory perspective, this study explores how Chinese educators exercise agency to respond to perceived demands of EMI practice. Data included questionnaires and written interviews with ten academics teaching in EMI courses at three Chinese universities. Manifest in their engagement and commitment, deliberate actions and responsibilities towards themselves and students, their agency is unfolded in acts to improve their pedagogy and student learning of academic content, but not necessarily to develop students' English proficiency. Educators' perceptions of EMI appear to play a vital role in orienting their agency as they respond to demands from EMI practice when enacting EMI policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the separation of three rights of land and agricultural modernization, this paper is based on the land economic survey data from eleven provinces in China in 2019, covering the eastern, middle, and western regions of China. Based on the value chain theory and its "second-round effect", which pertains to the multi-round effects of value chain distribution theory, various research methods such as Probit, Tobit, the two-part model, SFA, PSM, and the intermediary effect model are employed to analyze the direct impact of the agriculture value chain (AVC) on farmers' land factor inputs and the income effects caused by them, which are the "second-round effect" of the AVC on land factor inputs. The research results show the following: Firstly, the AVC has a significant positive impact on the behavior and area of farmers' land transferring-in, which helps guide farmers towards large-scale land operation. Secondly, the AVC significantly improves farmers' production efficiency and promotes land transfer through differences in production efficiency, representing the "second-round effect" mechanism of the AVC on land factor inputs. Moreover, the AVC will increase farmers' net land production income by 48.74%, which is the "second-round effect" of the AVC on farmers' agricultural income and also the motivation for farmers' land factor inputs. Finally, the expansion of land area and the improvement of production efficiency jointly increase farmers' agricultural income, among which production efficiency plays a partial intermediary effect in increasing agricultural income if farmers join the AVC. This paper believes that we should further promote the market-oriented reform of land factors, support the innovation of the benefit linkage mechanism of the AVC, and promote appropriate areas of land operation by farmers, thereby achieving common prosperity and promoting agricultural modernization in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is a feature of metabolic syndrome and plays an important role in cognitive impairment (CI). The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a convenient and cost-effective surrogate for assessing IR. This study aimed to assess the association between the TyG index and CI. Methods: This community population-based cross-sectional study used a cluster-sampling methodology. All participants underwent the education-based Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and those with CI were identified using standard thresholds. The fasting blood triglyceride and glucose levels were measured in the morning, and the TyG index was calculated as ln (½ fasting triglyceride level [mg/dL] × fasting blood glucose level [mg/dL]). Multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to assess the relationship between the TyG index and CI. Results: This study included 1484 subjects, of which 93 (6.27%) met the CI criteria. Multivariable logistic regression showed that CI incidence increased by 64% per unit increase in the TyG index (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.63, p = 0.042). CI risk was 2.64-fold higher in the highest TyG index quartile compared to the lowest TyG index quartile (OR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.19-5.85, p = 0.016). Finally, interaction analysis showed that sex, age, hypertension, and diabetes did not significantly affect the association between the TyG index and CI. Conclusion: The present study suggested that an elevated TyG index was associated with a higher CI risk. Subjects with a higher TyG index should manage and treat at an early stage to alleviate the cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and rational gambling beliefs have been found to play a protective role against gambling disorder (GD) and add unique insights into the prevention and intervention of gambling-related harms. Adopting the Protective Gambling Beliefs Scale (PGBS) as a measurement tool of these gambling beliefs, this study tested its psychometric properties and whether these gambling beliefs were associated with responsible gambling (RG) behaviors with a probability community sample of adult gamblers (N = 464) in Macao, China. Consistent with the past studies, PGBS was found unidimensional with high reliability. The construct validity of PGBS was verified by its negative associations with gambling-related interpretive biases and GD symptoms. Moreover, we found a significant and positive association between protective gambling beliefs and RG behaviors after controlling for the effects of gambling-related interpretive biases and demographic variables. Conventional approaches to gambling harm reduction focus more on maladaptive cognition. Our findings may offer empirical evidence that protective gambling beliefs also help reduce gambling-related harms and enable gamblers to keep their gambling at a relatively safe level. PGBS is not only a valid and reliable instrument to measure gamblers' protective gambling beliefs but also a potential means to promote RG practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qinling Mountains in East Asia serve as the geographical boundary between the north and south of China and are also indicative of climatic differences, resulting in rich ecological and species diversity. However, few studies have focused on the responses of plants to geological and climatic changes in the Qinling Mountains and adjacent regions. Therefore, we investigated the evolutionary origins and phylogenetic relationships of three Pedicularis species in there to provide molecular evidence for the origin and evolution of plant species. Ecological niche modeling was used to predict the geographic distributions of three Pedicularis species during the last interglacial period, the last glacial maximum period, and current and future periods, respectively. Furthermore, the distribution patterns of climate fluctuations and the niche dynamics framework were used to assess the equivalence or difference of niches among three Pedicularis species. The results revealed that the divergence of three Pedicularis species took place in the Miocene and Holocene periods, which was significantly associated with the large-scale uplifts of the Qinling Mountains and adjacent regions. In addition, the geographic distributions of three Pedicularis species have undergone a northward migration from the past to the future. The most important environmental variables affecting the geographic distributions of species were the mean diurnal range and annual mean temperature range. The niche divergence analysis suggested that the three Pedicularis species have similar ecological niches. Among them, P. giraldiana showed the highest niche breadth, covering nearly all of the climatic niche spaces of P. dissecta and P. bicolor. In summary, this study provides novel insights into the divergence and origins of three Pedicularis species and their responses to climate and geological changes in the Qinling Mountains and adjacent regions. The findings have also provided new perspectives for the conservation and management of Pedicularis species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of agricultural modernization in China, this paper examines the micro-level perspective of agricultural value chains. Drawing from three primary models of agricultural value chain cooperation—namely, "leading enterprises + small farmers", "leading enterprises + cooperatives + small farmers", and "corporate integration"—it establishes four game models: the decentralized decision-making game model, the two revenue-sharing game models, and the centralized decision-making game model. It systematically analyzes the cooperation mechanisms between leading enterprises and small farmers in upstream production links of the agricultural value chain, aiming to improve the cooperation strategy between leading enterprises and small farmers, elevate the status of small farmers in the agricultural value chain, promote increased income for farmers, and strengthen the agricultural value chain. The research findings are as follows: Firstly, the traditional contract of "leading enterprise + smallholder farmers" is incomplete, which makes it difficult to avoid opportunism and moral hazard that may arise between the two parties. By comparing multiple parameter values, it is found that this model is at a lower level of agricultural value chain development. Secondly, the model of "leading enterprise + cooperative + smallholder farmers" improves the tightness and stability of cooperation between leading enterprises and smallholder farmers. This model explains to some extent the operability of smallholder farmers sharing the value of the agricultural value chain. Compared with various parameter values, this model is at a medium level between other models. Finally, the "corporate integration" model is a fully vertical integration model. Compared with various parameter values, this model is at an advanced stage of agricultural value chain development. Therefore, agricultural value chains will ultimately develop toward the direction of corporate integration. This study has positive practical significance for enhancing the status and claim rights of small farmers, promoting increased income for farmers, enhancing the consistency of values between leading enterprises and small farmers, strengthening the stability of the agricultural value chain, and ultimately achieving common prosperity and agricultural modernization in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Prior studies on the impact of incentives on physicians' online participation mainly focused on different incentives while ignoring the difficulty of setting monetary incentives efficiently. Based on goal-setting theory, the current research examines the relationship between incentives with goals of varying difficulty and professional health knowledge sharing (PHKS) in online health knowledge-sharing platforms (OHKSPs). Design/methodology/approach: Four field experiments with different monetary incentives were conducted by one of China's largest OHKSPs, with whom the researchers cooperated in data collection. Monthly panel data on 10,584 physicians were collected from September 2018 to December 2019. There were 9,376 physicians in the treatment group and 1,208 in the control group. The authors used a difference-in-difference (DID) model to explore the research question based on the same control group and the Chow test with seemingly unrelated estimation (sureg) to compare regression coefficients between four groups. Several robustness checks were performed to validate the main results, including a relative time model, multiple falsification tests and a DID estimation using the propensity score matching method. Findings: The results show that the monetary incentive significantly positively affected the volume of physicians' PHKS directly with negative spillover to the duration of physicians' PHKS. Moreover, the positive effect of incentives with higher difficulty on the volume of physicians' PHKS was significantly smaller than that of incentives with low difficulty. Finally, professional title had a positive moderating effect on the volume of goal difficulty setting and did not significantly moderate the effect on the duration of physicians' PHKS. Research limitations/implications: Some limitations of this study are: firstly, because the field experiments were enterprise benefit oriented, the treatment and control groups were not balanced. Secondly, the experiments for different incentive measures were relatively similar, making it challenging to validate a causal effect. Finally, more consideration should be given to the strategy for setting hierarchical incentives in future research. Originality/value: The research indicates that monetary incentives have a bilateral effect on PHKS, i.e. a positive direct effect on the volume of physicians' contributions and a negative spillover effect on the duration of physicians' PHKS. The professional titles of physicians also moderate such bilateral switches of PHKS. Furthermore, when a physician's energy is limited, the goal difficulty setting of the incentive mechanism tends to be low. The more difficult the incentives are, the more inefficient the effects on physicians' PHKS will be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debates on whether tourism has pro-poor effects remain imperative and unsettled owing to the discrepancy of research perspectives, estimation techniques, data source, study regions, and variables designs, etc. With the eradication of absolute poverty in China, the focus of tourism-relative poverty nexus could get deeper insights into the poverty reduction efficacy of tourism development in developing countries. This study examines the impacts of rural households' tourism participation on relative poverty using the survey data from 22 pro-poor tourism villages located in western China and the endogenous switching probit (ESP) model. The results show that participating in rural tourism reduces both objective and subjective relative poverty. However, it has no direct effect on subjective poverty, but exerts an indirect effect by decreasing objective poverty. Furthermore, heterogeneous effect analysis shows dual impacts. On the one hand, it brings reduction of relative poverty probability for tourism participants; on the other hand, it exacerbates the relative gap by individual endogenous capital endowments and narrows the gap by exogenous targeted poverty alleviation (TPA) policy interventions. Our findings extend theoretical significance of the pro-poor tourism arguments by clarifying the pro-poor effects and the pathways of rural tourism on both objective and subjective relative poverty at the household level. It also provides empirical evidence for improving the current anti-poverty policy related to rural tourism in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]