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On 15 January 2022, the largest eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano in recorded history produced a plume registered by multi‐parametric instruments around the world. However, the far‐field hydrogeological responses to Lamb waves from this eruption remain underexplored. We studied the responses of groundwater to the volcanic eruption in the far‐field over 8,700 km, including 274 wells. Results show that the Lamb waves with a speed of 316 m/s affects the groundwater system, leading to similar fluctuations in well water level (WL) and opposite phase fluctuation in borehole strain. Different wells exhibit diverse responses in WL amplitudes, possibly for heterogeneities in local aquifer systems. Gain values of 5 wells that simultaneously measure atmospheric pressure, borehole air pressure, borehole strain and WL are consistent with results obtained through cross‐power spectrum estimation. This work demonstrates a novel response in far‐field groundwater systems induced by Lamb waves and expects application for aquifer parameter estimation. Plain Language Summary: The massive eruption of the Hunga‐Tonga volcano on 15 January 2022 generated shock waves in the Earth's atmospheric layer, known as Lamb waves, which propagated at the boundary of air and the solid Earth. While many studies reported multi‐parameter responses during or after the eruption, the response of the groundwater system has not been studied. In this study, we found that Lamb waves from the volcano eruption induced similar phase responses in the water levels of 256 wells within the 274‐well network and opposite phase responses in borehole strain in mainland China. Additionally, the Lamb wave induced a possible time lag in the response of well water level (WL) and horizontal strain, which may be caused by different hydraulic properties of the wells. In the five wells with common observations, the calculated atmosphere pressure sensitivity is consistent with previous studies. The response of well WL to the Lamb wave is obviously different compared to that observed during co‐seismic events and Earth tides. Key Points: The Lamb wave from the Hunga‐Tonga volcano eruption induces similar phase responses in the water level (WL) of 256 wells in the far fieldResponses of well WL and borehole strain to the Lamb wave show a possible time‐delay relative to that of atmosphere pressureThe incorporation of the WL parameter and horizontal transverse strain is recommended to calibrate the appropriate models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientifically evaluating China's black soil protection policy and exploring its evolution characteristics are crucial for promoting high-quality and efficient black soil protection projects worldwide. Utilizing the Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index model, the effectiveness of China's black soil protection policy system is assessed. Building upon this evaluation, the research delves into the evolution process of the black soil protection policy system, examining its dynamic characteristics across different government levels. Through the application of text mining technology and visual analysis techniques, the study explores four dimensions: keyword co-occurrence, vertical synergy calculation, policy theme identification, and policy tool analysis. The results show the following: (1) The PMC index showed a phased growth trend, and various indicators gradually improved and tended to be stable. (2) Government policies at the same level exhibit progressive evolution patterns in terms of policy keywords and themes. (3) Across different levels of government, there are hierarchical lag evolution rules observed in policy keywords and provincial policy tools. Additionally, policy keywords display vertical synergy evolution patterns. In conclusion, future black soil conservation policies need to reduce hierarchical delays, enhance the coverage and comprehensiveness of policy content, and establish a sound policy feedback mechanism. The conclusions of the study are significant for improving management approaches throughout the black soil zones of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities have reshaped biodiversity on islands worldwide. However, it remains unclear how island attributes and land-use change interactively shape multiple facets of island biodiversity through community assembly processes. To answer this, we conducted bird surveys in various land-use types (mainly forest and farmland) using transects on 34 oceanic land-bridge islands in the largest archipelago of China. We found that bird species richness increased with island area and decreased with isolation, regardless of the intensity of land-use change. However, forest-dominated habitats exhibited lower richness than farmland-dominated habitats. Island bird assemblages generally comprised species that share more similar traits or evolutionary histories (i.e. functional and/or phylogenetic clustering) than expected if assemblages were randomly assembled. Contrary to our expectations, we observed that bird assemblages in forest-dominated habitats were more clustered on large and close islands, whereas assemblages in farmland-dominated habitats were more clustered on small islands. These contrasting results indicate that land-use change interacts with island biogeography to alter the community assembly of birds on inhabited islands. Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating human-modified habitats when examining the community assembly of island biota, and further suggest that agricultural landscapes on large islands may play essential roles in protecting countryside island biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the coagulation properties of inorganic minerals such as kaolin and zeolite have been demonstrated. This study aimed to assess the hemostatic properties of three local clays from China: natural kaolin from Hainan, natural halloysite from Yunnan, and zeolite synthesized by our group. The physical and chemical properties, blood coagulation performance, and cell biocompatibility of the three materials were tested. The studied materials were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). All three clays showed different morphologies and particle size, and exhibited negative potentials between pH 6 and 8. The TGA and DSC curves for kaolin and halloysite were highly similar. Kaolin showed the highest water absorption capacity (approximately 93.8% ± 0.8%). All three clays were noncytotoxic toward L929 mouse fibroblasts. Kaolin and halloysite showed blood coagulation effects similar to that exhibited by zeolite, indicating that kaolin and halloysite are promising alternative hemostatic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since March 2022, Shanghai, China, has experienced a severe wave of SARS-CoV-2 transmission caused by the Omicron variant strain. The pandemic has severely constrained the local healthcare system. After treating critically ill COVID-19 patients, emergency nurses may experience some positive changes due to new insights or gains in their work, even if they have had traumatic experiences. This study aimed to explore the promoting factors of emergency nurses' post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai. We hoped to provide a new perspective and theoretical basis for intervening in and promoting the psychological rehabilitation of medical staff after traumatic circumstances. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design based on the phenomenological approach. 18 participants from the emergency department of a third-level class-A hospital in Shanghai who participated in treating COVID-19 patients were enrolled using purposive sampling. Data collection was through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and continued until reaching data saturation. The seven-step Colaizzi process was used for data analysis. Results: The investigation uncovered two themes and six subthemes. Internal factors contained self-affirmation, deliberate rumination, and cognitive restructuring, which constituted attitudes and behaviours that participants could subjectively determine. External factors included social support, transformational leadership, and role modelling, which constituted factors influenced by others or the environment. Conclusions: The promoting factors of PTG of emergency nurses originated from different sources such as individuals, organizations, and society. In addition to good psychological adjustment of the individual, society, hospitals, and nursing managers should focus on establishing supportive PTG strategies. The ultimate purpose is to improve the retention rate and career growth of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omnivorous insects make foraging decisions between plant and prey resources depending on their accessibility, availability, and nutritional value. This shapes the stability and complexity of food webs, but also pest control services in agroecosystems. The mirid bug Lygus pratensis is a common cotton pest in China, but it also feeds on a variety of prey species. However, little is known about how different types of available resources affect its fitness and foraging behaviour. In laboratory experiments, we measured the fitness (survival, longevity and fecundity) of L. pratensis fed with bean pod only, bean and Aphis gossypii nymphs, or bean and Helicoverpa armigera eggs, and we also conducted focal observations of its foraging behaviour when provided the latter two. Adding H. armigera to its diet increased its fitness (both survival and fecundity), while adding A. gossypii was marginally detrimental. The different diets did not affect the time spent walking (searching for food resources) or preying, but significantly affected the time spent sapping bean tissue depending on L. pratensis life stage. Nymphs spent more time sapping plant when provided with H. armigera than A. gossypii (possibly through higher efficiency of handling prey). In addition, adults spent less time sapping plant than did nymphs (possibly through good efficiency of handling A. gossypii mobile prey and due to higher protein requirements). This special case of life-history omnivory highlights the complexity of natural food webs, where a major crop pest at the juvenile stage may become a biological control agent at the adult stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The small‐island effect (SIE), as an exception to the species–area relationship, has received much attention in true island systems. However, the prevalence and related patterns of the SIE have not been well evaluated in habitat island systems. Here, we aimed to identify the existence of SIE for habitat islands in fragmented landscapes and determine the key factors influencing species richness on small habitat islands. Location: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Taxon: Vascular plants. Methods: Based on 78 grassland fragments in fragmented landscapes of the agro‐pastoral ecotone of northern China, we used piecewise regression, path analysis and null models to investigate the SIE of the species–area relationship. We then used a multi‐model selection to evaluate the impacts of four influencing factors (instability, isolation, habitat heterogeneity and surrounding productivity) on species richness (including habitat specialists and generalists) on small habitat islands within the range of SIE. Results: We found an obvious threshold of 5.1 ha in the species–area relationship, below which habitat island area had no direct and indirect effects on species richness. Small habitat islands (<5.1 ha) host a lower percentage of habitat specialists and a higher percentage of generalists. On small habitat islands, species richness was positively affected by habitat heterogeneity while negatively affected by instability and isolation. Habitat heterogeneity had the strongest effect on species richness, positively affecting specialist richness while negatively affecting generalist richness. Main Conclusions: There is an SIE in fragmented landscapes of the agro‐pastoral ecotone of northern China, which should be considered in biodiversity conservation. Habitat heterogeneity had a key role in determining the pattern of species richness, especially for small islands. Habitat specialists and generalists had different SIE‐related patterns. Our study highlights the importance of considering different ecological groups of species to improve our understanding of the SIE in fragmented habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salinity of groundwater in Qinzhou Bay has been increasing since 2013. This phenomenon affects livelihoods and the local agricultural economy, specifically in the Longmengang area. In this work, we investigate the causes of water salinization to provide evidence for effectively managing the local water resources and improving water quality. We collected 110 samples of water from spatially distributed local wells, rivers, reservoirs, and the sea, and conducted a hydrochemical study complemented by numerical modeling. We found that water pumping and mariculture practices are the principal contributors to seawater intrusion into the groundwater table, which leads to increased water salinization. Plain Language Summary: Groundwater salinity in Qinzhou Bay is increasing due to excessive well water extraction and mariculture practices, which promote seawater intrusion into the local groundwater table. Based on the hydrochemical analyses, the spatially distributed trend of ions content in groundwater shows low concentrations inland and increasing concentrations seaward. However, several localities of Qinzhou Bay are out of this scenario because of artificial activities requiring specific monitoring and regulation. Key Points: Field investigations and hydrochemical analyses show salinization of groundwater in Qinzhou BayHydrogeological modeling indicates that different processes contribute to water salinizationGroundwater salinization in Longmen Island is caused by excessive groundwater use and mariculture practices [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Animal Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

Purpose: The restoration of degraded ecosystems is an important issue in applied ecology. Understanding community assembly during restoration can help facilitate ecological restoration. Aerial seeding is a widely used method to restore degraded ecosystems threatened by desertification. However, there is limited understanding of how aerial seeding affects community assembly processes and the driving factors of plants, soil bacteria, and fungi during ecosystem restoration. Methods: This study analyzed the community composition, β-diversity (community difference degree), community assembly processes, and influencing factors of plants, soil bacteria, and fungi using aerial seeding restoration chronosequences from 1983 to 2017 in Mu Us sandy land, China. Results: Our results showed that plant biomass and relative abundances of beneficial flora in soil bacterial and fungal communities all increased since restoration commenced. β-Diversity of plant communities first decreased and then increased with increasing restoration time. Community assembly was dominated by stochastic processes in early stages of restoration, deterministic processes in middle stages, and stochastic processes in later stages. Dispersal limitation and environmental filtering (soil total nitrogen, soil total organic carbon, and mean annual precipitation) influenced stochastic and deterministic processes in plant communities, respectively. The β-diversity of soil bacteria continuously decreased, and community assembly was almost entirely driven by stochastic processes in the entire chronosequences. Homogenizing dispersal was the key factor driving community assembly. We found no significant changes in soil fungal β-diversity. Deterministic and stochastic processes simultaneously drove soil fungal community assembly. Both environmental filtering (soil total organic carbon and mean annual precipitation) and dispersal limitation affected the community assembly. Conclusion: We confirmed the effectiveness of aerial seeding restoration by studying the community composition of plants, soil bacteria, and fungi. Our study highlights that the community assembly processes and driving factors varied for plants, soil bacteria, and fungi during restoration chronosequences. It is necessary to carry out research simultaneously on the community assembly of aboveground plants and underground soil microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Taking ischemic and bleeding risks into consideration, insufficient data exist on dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly Chinese patients with coronary artery disease. Objective: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ticagrelor in comparison with clopidogrel on a background of aspirin for elderly Chinese patients with coronary artery disease 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Selected from patients with coronary artery disease aged ≥ 75 years from January 2010 to July 2019, 908 eligible subjects receiving dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention for up to 12 months were consecutively enrolled in the study. The included patients received ticagrelor in combination with aspirin (n = 264) or clopidogrel in combination with aspirin (n = 644). Effectiveness endpoints were evaluated by the major adverse cardiovascular events, encompassing all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and clinically driven revascularization. The safety endpoints were recorded as the incidence of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium bleeding. Results: The patients who were treated with ticagrelor were slightly younger than those who were treated with clopidogrel (79.1 ± 3.7 vs 80.7 ± 4.5 years, p < 0.01). The ticagrelor cohort contained a higher percentage of patients undergoing a prior percutaneous coronary intervention (37.9% vs 24.5%, p < 0.01), and a lower percentage of smokers (19.3% vs 27.2%, p < 0.05), compared with the clopidogrel cohort. The levels of glucose, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in the ticagrelor group were higher while the level of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were lower (p < 0.05) than those in the clopidogrel group. Left main percutaneous coronary intervention was performed more frequently among the ticagrelor-treated patients (23.5% vs 9.3%, p < 0.01), while patients in the clopidogrel group underwent more left circumflex percutaneous coronary intervention (34.3% vs 23.1%, p < 0.01). We found that ticagrelor was associated with a lower incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events than clopidogrel using the inverse probability of treatment weighting model (odds ratio, 0.493; 95% confidence interval 0.356–0.684). There was no difference in terms of the risk of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium bleeding between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Ticagrelor was associated with a lower incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events than clopidogrel at 12 months in elderly Chinese patients with coronary artery disease, without a significant increase of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium bleeding events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the response of geomagnetic daily variation and ionospheric currents to the solar annular eclipse that passed through China at 10:00–17:30 LT on 21 June 2020. We utilized geomagnetic field data obtained from the Geomagnetic Network Center of China, Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration and International Real‐time Magnetic Observatory Network, which extend from middle latitudes to equatorial regions in China and surrounding areas. It is found that the eclipse obscuration reduces the intensity of geomagnetic daily variation at most stations as compared with the 5‐quiet‐day average. The response of geomagnetic daily variation to the solar eclipse depends on local time and latitude. In most shadowed areas of the eclipse, there is a reduction of northward (southward) component of the meridional magnetic daily field (ΔX) below (above) ∼30° magnetic latitudes. The solar eclipse can also induce a decrease of the zonal magnetic field variation (ΔY). Meanwhile, we observed that the solar eclipse reduces the intensity of vertical geomagnetic component (ΔZ) at the stations around the early afternoon aside the eclipse totality. In general, these geomagnetic responses imply that the solar eclipse can reduce the ionospheric solar quiet (Sq) current system. These ionospheric currents and ground geomagnetic field disturbances during the solar eclipse are also verified by a global physical model. The simulation demonstrates that the ionospheric currents in the southern hemisphere, where the solar eclipse does not cover, also have a weak response. Overall, the ionospheric current disturbance induced by the solar eclipse shows a counter‐Sq pattern. Key Points: The solar eclipse effects on global ionospheric electrodynamics are studied by extensive geomagnetic data in China and a numerical modelIonospheric electrodynamic response to the annular solar eclipse shows a local time and latitudinal dependenceThe ionospheric current system caused by the solar eclipse has a counter‐Sq pattern [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gutenberg–Richter b value describes the ratio between large and small events. A number of studies have suggested that the b value decreases before large earthquakes. In this study, we investigate the temporal variation of the b value of an area along the main rupture zone of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (M8.0) prior to the great event. Before estimating b values, we tested the earthquake catalog to make sure that we use the reliable frequency–magnitude distribution by the calculation of MC (completeness of magnitude). We define parameter P (ΔAIC ≧ 2) values to examine the significance level of b-value changes in the temporal variation by combining a boostrap method with Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). The b value in the main rupture zone shows a long-term decrease trend. We then focus on a smaller area where the initial rupture starts. The results show that b values significantly changed about 3 months before the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in the initial rupture area, indicating that the b value has a potential capability to monitor and detect precursory phenomena of great earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the driving factors of soil multifunctionality is of great significance for the protection and restoration of degraded terrestrial ecosystems. However, the effects of above‐ and belowground factors are rarely evaluated simultaneously, and the driving mode of both factors on soil multifunctionality is not clear. Here, we evaluated the restoration of mobile dunes threatened by desertification through aerial seeding, that is, the sowing of seeds through aerial devices, from 1983 to 2015 in Mu Us Desert, China, using soil and plant data. The effect of aerial seeding on the restoration of soil multifunctionality, plant diversity, and soil microbial diversity in mobile dunes was significant, which was tested by loess regression. Further, the plant diversity becomes saturated in the later stages of restoration. The effect also leads to the restoration of soil multifunctionality lags behind plant and soil microorganisms. The factors (plant and soil microorganisms) driving soil multifunctionality is not a separate action or a joint action that test by structural equation models (SEMs), but that plants restore first and then indirectly drive soil multifunctionality through soil microorganisms during the restoration process. We also found that bacteria are the main direct indicators of soil multifunctionality, which was tested using Random forests modelling. This study highlights that plants indirectly drive soil multifunctionality through soil microorganisms, and soil microorganisms are key to elucidating the restoration mechanism and process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignant tumors in the world. Genetic variants have an important role in HNSCC progression. Our study is aimed at exploring the relationship between MIR17HG polymorphisms and HNSCC risk in the Chinese Han population. Methods. We recruited 537 HNSCC cases and 533 healthy subjects to detect the correlation of six polymorphisms in MIR17HG with HNSCC susceptibility. The associations were evaluated by computing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using logistic regression analysis. Results. Our study revealed that rs7336610 (OR 1.77, 95 % CI = 1.09 ‐ 2.86 , and p = 0.021) and rs1428 (OR 1.73, 95 % CI = 1.07 ‐ 2.81 , and p = 0.025) are strongly associated with increased susceptibility to HNSCC in men. Besides, rs17735387 played a crucial protective role in stage III/IV HNSCC patients (OR 0.34, 95 % CI = 0.12 ‐ 0.95 , and p = 0.040) compared with stage I/II. Conclusion. Our study firstly indicated that MIR17HG polymorphisms are significantly associated with HNSCC susceptibility, which suggests that MIR17HG has a potential role in the occurrence of HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schima genus of Theaceae is confined to subtropics and tropics of South, East and Southeast Asia. Thirteen species of Schima are distributed in subtropical China. Many of them appear as dominant canopy species in the subtropical forests. To date, Schima species richness distribution patterns of China have remained unknown. Meanwhile, there has been a longtime debate as to whether forests dominated by Schima species are early or late successional forests. We aim to clarify Schima species richness patterns and these species' roles in the forest succession and regeneration dynamics of the subtropical ecosystem in Yunnan Province, China. Method: We mapped Schima species richness distribution patterns in China. Based on 71 vegetation plots, we analyzed forest characteristics, population structure, and regeneration dynamics of Schima species in Yunnan. Results: Yunnan was found to harbor the greatest richness and the highest rarity-weighted richness of Schima species in the subtropical regions of China. We classified five primary and six secondary forest types containing Schima species as one of dominants. Yunnan had the high floristic diversity and varying stand structure of forests containing Schima species. The Schima species studied generally had a sporadic regeneration type and a long life-span. Four species (Schima argentea, Schima villosa, Schima sinensis, Schima sericans) were shade-intolerant. But three species (Schima noronhae, Schima khasiana and Schima wallichii) were considered as bi-modal type species having shade-intolerant and shade-tolerant traits. Schima noronhae was seen to be a top dominant in late successional forests, while S. wallichii was found as a top-dominant in early or middle or late successional forests. S. khasiana, Schima villosa, Schima sinensis usually appeared as a top dominant in early or middle successional secondary forests, though they also presented as a second dominant in late-successional forests. Schima argentea and Schima sericans dominated only in the early or middle/seral successional forests. Schima species' regeneration establishment depended mainly on forest canopy gap formation through moderate human and natural disturbances. Conclusions: Yunnan has high species richness and rarity-weighted richness of Schima. Both moderate human and natural disturbances have provided regeneration niches for Schima species. Some of the Schima species studied as a second dominant (rare as the top-dominant) present in the late-successional forests. Some of them are more often as the top-dominant in early or middle successional forests, where as time goes by the dominance of Schima species would be replaced by their associated dominant taxa such as Castanopsis species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dexmedetomidine is widely used for non-invasive pediatric procedural sedation. However, the hemodynamic effects of intravenous dexmedetomidine are a concern. There has been a growing interest in the application of intranasal dexmedetomidine as a sedative in children.Objective: To investigate the incidence of bradycardia in children undergoing intranasal dexmedetomidine sedation and to identify the associated risk factors.Methods: Data pertaining to pediatric patients who underwent intranasal dexmedetomidine sedation for non-invasive investigations at the Kunming Children's Hospital between October 2017 and August 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.Results: Out of 9984 children who qualified for inclusion, 228 children (2.3%) developed bradycardia. The incidence of bradycardia in the group that received additional dose of dexmedetomidine was higher than that in the group that did not receive additional dose (9.2% vs 16.7%; P = .003). The incidence of bradycardia in males was higher than that in females (2.6% vs 1.8%; P = .007). On multivariate logistic regression, only male gender showed an independent association with the occurrence of bradycardia (odds ratio 1.48; 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.97; P = .008).Conclusions: The overall incidence of bradycardia in children after sole use of intranasal dexmedetomidine sedation was 2.3%. Male children showed a 1.48-fold higher risk of bradycardia. However, the blood pressure of the children who developed bradycardia was within the normal range. Simple wake-up can effectively manage bradycardia induced by intranasal dexmedetomidine sedation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration levels of 36 airborne heavy metals and atmospheric radioactivity in total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were measured to investigate the chemical characteristics, potential sources of aerosols, and health risk in Beijing, China, from September 2016 to September 2017. The TSP concentrations varied from 6.93 to 469.18 μg/m3, with a median of 133.97 μg/m3. The order for the mean concentrations of heavy metals, known as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), was as follows: Mn > Pb > As > Cr > Ni > Se > Cd > Co > Sb > Hg > Be; Non-Designated HAPs Metals: Ca > Fe > Mg > Al > K > Na > Zn > P > Ba > Ti > Cu > Sr > B > Sn > I > V > Rb > Ce > Mo > Cs > Th > Ag > U > Pt. The median concentration of As was higher than China air quality standard (6 ng/m3). The gross α and β concentration levels in aerosols were (1.84 ± 1.59) mBg/m3 and (1.15 ± 0.85) mBg/m3, respectively. The enrichment factor values of Cu, Ba, B, Ce, Tl, Cs, Pb, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, Fe, Zn, Sn, I, Mo, and Ag were higher than 10, which indicated enriched results from anthropogenic sources. Pb, As, and Cd are considered to originate from multiple sources; fireworks released Ba during China spring festival; Fe, Ce, and Cs may come from stable emissions such as industrial gases. The health risks from anthropogenic metals via inhalation, ingestion, and dermal pathway were estimated on the basis of health quotient as well as the results indicated that children faced the higher risk than adults during the research period. For adults, the health risk posed by heavy metals in atmospheric particles was below the acceptable level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3D pathways of IGF are identified with an assessment on flow rates. • IGF contributes 36%∼59% to the baseflow and 32%∼52% to the streamflow in the studied river. • Infiltration recharge and aquifer properties affect the development of IGF. Inter-basin groundwater flow (IGF), defined as groundwater flows across the topographic divides, occurs in nature as a common phenomenon, and seriously affect water balance and solute transport in a basin. Although the existence of IGF has been checked in drainage basins with indirect methods, such as using information of hydrogeochemistry, few studies are conducted to directly identify and quantify the IGF in the three-dimensional (3D) space using numerical modeling of groundwater flow. In this study, we identify, partition and quantify IGF based on a regional-scale 3D groundwater flow model covering several traditional surface water basins. The investigation is focused on the Hailiutu River, a groundwater-fed stream in the Ordos Plateau, China. It is the first time that the source zones and 3D paths of IGF as well as its contribution to the streamflow are fully captured for a groundwater-fed stream. Results indicate that the IGF contributes 36%∼59% to the baseflow and 32%∼52% to the streamflow of the Hailiutu River, through different groups of circulation paths with the maximum depth up to ∼ 1000 m. Uncertainty analyses of the model show that the contribution of IGF to the streamflow is positively correlated to the infiltration recharge and hydraulic conductivities of the aquifer media. Several indirect methods are also checked for comparison, but they could only be used to assess the potential contribution of IGF, not the IGF paths. This study will facilitate in deeply understanding the evolution mechanism of the inter-basin groundwater circulation and the interaction between surface water and groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild apple Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem. (Rosales: Rosaceae), the ancestor of cultivated apples, is widely distributed in Central Asia and is recognized as an important germplasm bank. Recently, the invasive pest Agrilus mali Matsumura (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), originally distributed in eastern Asia, has damaged endemic apple forests in the Yili River valley, Xinjiang, China, and has spread rapidly, infesting more than 80% of wild apple trees in this region.We investigated the life‐history traits and native natural enemies in the recently invaded range during 2016 and 2017. Agrilus mali has a univoltine life cycle and overwinters as young larvae in galleries in the cambium. Adults emerged from early June to mid‐August and their density peaked in mid‐July.Several native natural enemies were identified from Agrilus mali larvae, including Atanycolus denigrator (L.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), the mite Pyemotes moseri Yu et Liang (Acari: Pyemotidae) and fungal entomopathogens.Combined, these natural enemies were responsible for mortality rates ranging from 20% to 80% during the summer and autumn. The most abundant and important natural enemy was A. denigrator, which was responsible for up to 15% mortality of A. mali.The results of the present study suggest that augmentation and conservation of A. denigrator and P. moseri should be considered with respect to biological control against this devastating pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative mood regulation expectancies (NMRE) represent people's confidence that they can alleviate their negative affect or induce a positive emotional state through thought or action. NMRE predict coping behaviour and mood outcomes for individuals under stress. Since 1990, much research documents the reliability and validity of the English language Negative Mood Regulation (NMR) scale as a measure of NMRE. The current research reports two studies developing a Chinese language translation of the NMR (NMR‐C) scale that goes beyond literal translation to be a culturally sensitive measure of NMRE in China. In Study 1, 713 college students from both a major city and a rural setting in China were surveyed. Data support the resulting 32‐item NMR‐C's reliability (alpha = .88) and validity. The NMR‐C showed both direct and indirect links to depression and anxiety; coping mediated the indirect effect. In Study 2, 331 prison police officers in three Chinese provinces participated. NMRE buffered the effect of high role pressure, moderating the relationship between prison police role stress and job engagement. Results of the two studies support the reliability and validity of the Chinese language NMR scale and parallel results found with measures of NMRE in the West and in other Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Oto-Laryngologica is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

The Xianshuihe fault (XSHF) zone, characterized by intense tectonic activity, is located at the southwest boundary of the Bayan Har block, where several major earthquakes have occurred, including the 2008 Wenchuan and the 2013 Lushan earthquakes. This study analysed underground temperature sequence data for four years at seven measuring points at different depths (maximum depth: 18.9 m) in the southeastern section of the XSHF zone. High-frequency atmospheric noise was removed from the temperature sequences to obtain relatively stable temperature fields and heat fluxes near the measurement points. Our measurements show that the surrounding bedrock at (the seven stations distributed in the fault zone) had heat flux values range from −41.0 to 206 mW/m2, with a median value of 54.3 mW/m2. The results indicate a low heat flux in the northern section of Daofu-Kangting and a relatively high heat flux in the southern section of Kangting, which is consistent with the temperature distributions of the hot springs near the fault. Furthermore, our results suggest that the heat transfer in this field results primarily from stable underground heat conduction. In addition, the underground hydrothermal activity is also an obvious factor controlling the geothermal gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Top-down force is referred to arthropod pest management delivered by the organisms from higher trophic levels. In the context of prevalent adoption of transgenic Bt crops that produce insecticidal Cry proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), it still remains elusive whether the top-down forces are affected by the insect-resistant traits that introduced into the Bt crops. We explored how Bt cotton affect the strength of top-down forces via arthropod natural enemies in regulating a non-target pest species, the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, using a comparative approach (i.e. Bt cotton vs. conventional cotton) under field conditions. To determine top-down forces, we manipulated predation/parasitism exposure of the aphid to their natural enemies using exclusion cages. We found that the aphid population growth was strongly suppressed by the dominant natural enemies including Coccinellids, spiders and Aphidiines parasitoids. Coccinellids, spiders and the assemblage of other arthropod natural enemies (mainly lacewings and Hemipteran bugs) are similarly abundant in both plots, but with the parasitoid mummies less abundant in Bt cotton plots compared to the conventional cotton plots. However, the lower abundance of parasitoids in Bt cotton plots alone did not translate into differential top-down control on A. gossypii populations compared to conventional ones. Overall, the top-down forces were equally strong in both plots. We conclude that transgenic Bt cotton does not disrupt the top-down forces regulating the cotton aphid in central China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Safflower Yellow Injection has been reported as a treatment for acute cerebral infarction in recent studies in China. However, there is a lack of availability of the evidence for the efficacy and safety of Safflower Yellow Injection for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. So we investigated the effects of Safflower Yellow Injection for the treatment of acute cerebral infarction. Method. All subjects were randomly divided into Safflower Yellow Injection group given Safflower Yellow Injection (80 mg) and control group given placebo (0 mg) injection by intravenous drop once daily for 14 days. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS); hemorheological detection; coagulation function; and serum inflammatory markers, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were used to investigate the effects before and 14 days after the treatment. Results. The scores of NIHSS were decreased on day 7 and day 14 after treatment. The hemorheological index of RBC deformation and RBC aggregation were significantly improved, prothrombin time (PT) increased, and fibrinogen (FIB) and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were decreased in patients treated with Safflower Yellow injection on day 14 after treatment (P<0.05). Conclusion. Data suggests that Safflower Yellow Injection therapy may be beneficial for acute cerebral infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The variation characteristics of permafrost for 36 years has been identified. • The relationship between n in the Budyko framework and DDF is quantified. • Permafrost degradation contributes more than 20% to runoff change. To quantitatively investigate the permafrost degradation and its effects on hydrological processes in the upper reaches of Heihe River, a surface frost number model was firstly constructed to simulate the permafrost distribution and degradation from 1980 to 2015. The variation characteristics of the DDF, permafrost area, low limit of permafrost, and active layer thickness were then determined in the study area. Furthermore, the Budyko framework was applied to quantify the contribution of permafrost degradation to runoff. The results indicated that the permafrost degradation was significant in the past 36 years, with an average decreasing rate of 80.4 km2/a in the permafrost area, an average increasing rate of 13 m/a and 0.61 cm/a in the low limit elevation and in the active layer thickness, respectively. It is also found that basin characteristic parameter in the Budyko framework is closely related to permafrost degradation in cold regions, 40% of whose change is contributed by permafrost degradation. In addition, it is revealed that permafrost degradation contributed more than 20% to runoff change in study area. This investigation also indicated that the runoff response to permafrost degradation has a 3 months delayed effect. This study deepens the understanding of the impact of permafrost degradation on hydrological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover is the main aphid pest in cotton fields in the Yangtze River Valley Cotton-planting Zone (YRZ) in central China. Various natural enemies may attack the cotton aphid in Bt cotton fields but no studies have identified potential specific top-down forces that could help manage this pest in the YRZ in China. In order to identify possibilities for managing the cotton aphid, we monitored cotton aphid population dynamics and identified the effect of natural enemies on cotton aphid population growth using various exclusion cages in transgenic Cry1Ac (Bt)+CpTI (Cowpea trypsin inhibitor) cotton field in 2011. The aphid population growth in the open field (control) was significantly lower than those protected or restricted from exposure to natural enemies in the various exclusion cage types tested. The ladybird predator Propylaea japonica Thunberg represented 65% of Coccinellidae predators, and other predators consisted mainly of syrphids (2.1%) and spiders (1.5%). The aphid parasitoids Aphidiines represented 76.7% of the total count of the natural enemy guild (mainly Lysiphlebia japonica Ashmead and Binodoxys indicus Subba Rao & Sharma). Our results showed that P. japonica can effectively delay the establishment and subsequent population growth of aphids during the cotton growing season. Aphidiines could also reduce aphid density although their impact may be shadowed by the presence of coccinellids in the open field (likely both owing to resource competition and intraguild predation). The implications of these results are discussed in a framework of the compatibility of transgenic crops and top-down forces exerted by natural enemy guild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma, also known as Lingzhi or Reishi, has been used for medicinal purposes in Asian countries for centuries. It is a medicinal fungus with a variety of biological properties including immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which Ganoderma tsugae (GT), one of the most common species of Ganoderma, inhibits the proliferation of HER2-overexpressing cancer cells. Here, we show that a quality assured extract of GT (GTE) inhibited the growth of HER2-overexpressing cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and enhanced the growth-inhibitory effect of antitumor drugs (e.g., taxol and cisplatin) in these cells. We also demonstrate that GTE induced cell cycle arrest by interfering with the HER2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, GTE curtailed the expression of the HER2 protein by modulating the transcriptional activity of the HER2 gene and the stability/degradation of the HER2 protein. In conclusion, this study suggests that GTE may be a useful adjuvant therapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer cells that highly express HER2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2004 the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) has become widespread and economically important in Wuhan, Hubei Province, central China. In this article, the population dynamics of B. dorsalis were monitored using methyl eugenol-baited traps during 2008-2009 in Wuhan. Adults were captured from early July to the end of December in a citrus orchard and peaked in October and early November. Adult population peak coincided with the ripeness period of sweet oranges in October. Infestation with B. dorsalis was more serious in 2009 than in 2008. Field surveys of host plants for this fly species combined with rearing experiments indicated that pear was the first host plant infested by B. dorsalis. We recorded the following host shift pattern: pear ( Pyrus communis L.), jujube ( Zizyphus jujuba L.), persimmon ( Diospyros kaki L.), and sweet orange ( Citrus unshiu Marcor). Our findings suggest that B. dorsalis completes four to five generations per year in this area and most serious damage occurred in the 4th generation in the citrus orchards. The availability of preferred host fruits and the low winter temperature are key factors influencing population fluctuations. Overwintering potential experiments of adults, larvae, and pupae were also carried out in the field. Results suggest that a small proportion of pupae were able to survive winter in Wuhan and emerged successfully the following year. Practical and theoretical implications of the results regarding the invasion potential and management strategy of B. dorsalis in Hubei Province are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the effects of heavy metals (HMs) (cadmium and mercury) on seed germination and seedling growth of Phragmites australis and Triarrhena sacchariflora, which are the two main typical emerging plants in Hongze Lake wetland. The results showed that there was a reduction in germination percentage, germination index and seedling length as HM concentration in the growing media increased for both treatments. The effect of HMs toxicity on seed germination and seedling growth of T. sacchariflora was more obvious than of P. australis. At the stage of seed germination, P. australis and T. sacchariflora were sensitive to Hg2+ and Cd2+, respectively, and Hg2+ was more toxic than Cd2+ at the stage of seedling growth. The effect of HMs toxicity is not invariable during plant growth. Compared to the stage of seedling growth, P. australis and T. sacchariflora are more susceptible to HMs at the stage of seed germination. In addition, we calculated the ecological thresholds of P. australis to Cd and Hg are 19.32 and 1.08 mg kg-1, and that of T. sacchariflora to Cd is 4.62 mg kg-1 based on the lab simulation. The results also indicated that the species of P. australis is more tolerant than T. sacchariflora to the HMs and is a better candidate for restoration in Hongze Lake wetland ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic Cry1Ac + CpTI cotton (CCRI41) is increasingly planted throughout China. However, negative effects of this cultivar on the honey bee Apis mellifera L., the most important pollinator for cultivated ecosystem, remained poorly investigated. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential side effects of transgenic Cry1Ac + CpTI pollen from cotton on young adult honey bees A. mellifera L. Two points emphasized the significance of our study: (1) A higher expression level of insecticidal protein Cry1Ac in pollen tissues was detected (when compared with previous reports). In particular, Cry1Ac protein was detected at 300 ± 4.52 ng g [part per billion (ppb)] in pollen collected in July, (2) Effects on chronic mortality and feeding behaviour in honey bees were evaluated using a no-choice dietary feeding protocol with treated pollen, which guarantee the highest exposure level to bees potentially occurring in natural conditions (worst case scenario). Tests were also conducted using imidacloprid-treated pollen at a concentration of 48 ppb as positive control for sublethal effect on feeding behaviour. Our results suggested that Cry1Ac + CpTI pollen carried no lethal risk for honey bees. However, during a 7-day oral exposure to the various treatments (transgenic, imidacloprid-treated and control), honey bee feeding behaviour was disturbed and bees consumed significantly less CCRI41 cotton pollen than in the control group in which bees were exposed to conventional cotton pollen. It may indicate an antifeedant effect of CCRI41 pollen on honey bees and thus bees may be at risk because of large areas are planted with transgenic Bt cotton in China. This is the first report suggesting a potential sublethal effect of CCRI41 cotton pollen on honey bees. The implications of the results are discussed in terms of risk assessment for bees as well as for directions of future work involving risk assessment of CCRI41 cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic Cry1Ac+CpTI cotton (CCRI41) is a promising cotton cultivar throughout China but side effects and especially sublethal effects of this transgenic cultivar on beneficial insects remain poorly studied. More specifically potential sublethal effects on behavioural traits of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. have not been formally assessed despite the importance of honey bees for pollination. The goal of our study was to assess potential effects of CCRI41 cotton pollen on visual and olfactory learning by honey bees. After a 7-day oral chronic exposure to honey mixed with either CCRI41 pollen, imidacloprid-treated conventional pollen (used as positive sublethal control) or conventional pollen (control), learning performance was evaluated by the classical proboscis extension reflex (PER) procedure as well as a T-tube maze test. The latter assay was designed as a new device to assess potential side effects of pesticides on visual associative learning of honey bees. These two procedures were complementary because the former focused on olfactory learning while the latter was involved in visual learning based on visual orientation ability. Oral exposure to CCRI41 pollen did not affect learning capacities of honey bees in both the T-tube maze and PER tests. However, exposure to imidacloprid resulted in reduced visual learning capacities in T-tube maze evaluation and decreased olfactory learning performances measured with PER. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of risks of transgenic CCRI41 cotton crops for honey bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radix isatidis (R. isatidis) is a commonly used traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has been used for thousands of years in China and is believed to have the pharmacological properties of heat-clearing and detoxification. Heat-clearing and detoxification are theories of traditional Chinese medicine meaning that R. isatidis could treat febrile disease by clearing heat and reducing swelling. Polysaccharides isolated from R. isatidis by water extraction and alcohol precipitation have exhibited numerous biological activities, including antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. The present study was performed to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of water-soluble R. isatidis polysaccharides (RIPs) on RAW264.7 macrophages and murine splenocytes, and attempt to preliminarily identify the mechanism of immunomodulation. In vitro, RIPs had a low cytotoxicity, as shown by CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay. RAW264.7 cells treated with different concentrations of RIP displayed different morphological changes, from a round shape and aggregation to polygonal shape and dispersion in a dose-dependent manner. In the 5 mg/ml RIP-treated group, the changes of morphology were as same as the lipopolysaccharide-treated group. RIP also significantly enhanced the release of nitric oxide as shown by Griess method, and the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW264.7 cells was confirmed by ELISA assay. Western blotting revealed a significant increase of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) in RIP-treated RAW264.7, suggesting that TLR-4 may be associated with the immunomodulatory mechanism of RIP. Animal experiments also demonstrated through ELISA assays a significant increase in IFN-γ and IL-10 levels after the splenocytes of RIP-immunized mice were stimulated by inactivated herpes simplex virus type 2. The immune function of RIP-immunized mice was improved. The present study suggested that RIP could be potentially used as a novel immunomodulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined consumer ethnocentrism in Chinese societies and further to reveal whether more ethnocentric consumers would have higher preferences of domestic products. Multi-item CETSCALE was applied in the study. Consumer surveys were administered in Taipei, Taiwan and in Shanghai, China, using stratified sampling method following the age and gender distributions of the populations between the ages of 15 and 64 in Taipei and in Shanghai. The differences in consumer ethnocentrism from respondents in Shanghai and in Taipei are that Shanghai respondents are more ethnocentric than Taipei respondents. Furthermore, ethnocentric consumers in Shanghai believe domestic brands of mobile phones are the best choices, while ethnocentric consumers in Taipei think domestic brands of mobile phones are the second best. Ethnocentrism has a strong influence on preferences of domestic brands. Ethnocentric consumers in both cities were relatively older, with lower educational levels, and had been travelling abroad fewer times in the past 3 years. Results of this study indicated that different patterns of consumer ethnocentrism existed in sub-cultural Chinese societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-learning settings such as on-line courses offered in China often involve large numbers of geographically dispersed students who have diverse professional background, learning preferences, and disparate learning needs. However, current e-learning and classroom teaching methods are extremely limited with respect to personalized learning as they typically provide the same content to all students. Hence, students are finding it difficult to make a decision about which learning materials best meet their personal demands, whilst instructors are finding it almost impossible to recommend personalized materials most appropriate to students since the individual study situations are disparate and hard to analyze. This paper proposes an e-learner Community Building strategy based on Hebbian Learning Rule, which helps learners to set up trusted neighbor connections to peer students with similar study situations. In addition, students can get useful recommendations for proper learning resources from their peers. Based on this theory a recommendation platform has been developed that enables a learner to enquire recommendations, vote on recommended resources and communicate with neighbor learners. Experimental results derived from real learner data have shown that this system can organize learners properly and efficiently, and the cooperative recommendation service indeed improves the students' learning achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a quick response collaborative scheduling model based on Cyber-Physical Production System (CPPS) online monitoring to address the problem of quick response repair of disruption in the wheelset manufacturing of high-speed train. A Bogie Wheelset Manufacturing System-Quick response collaboration model (WS-QRC) that integrates disruption management and collaborative scheduling is established. An Enhance Neighborhood-Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization (DPSO_ENS) algorithm with extended neighborhood search structure is also designed. We take the data of a high-speed train factory in China as an example to verify the feasibility and superiority of the model and algorithm in this paper. Experimental examples have shown the supplier-led negotiation scheduling model and the improved DPSO algorithm are effective in dealing with the disruption and quick response problem during wheelset production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time-frequency method retrieving the acceleration changes in the terminal stage of the M6.1 Ludian earthquake in China is discussed in this article. The non-linear, non-stationary seismo-demformation was obtained by using the Hilbert–Huang transform and followed by a band-pass filter. We found that the temporal evolution of the residual GNSS-derived orientation exhibits a unique disorder-alignment-disorder sequence days before the earthquake which corresponds well with the four stages of an earthquake: elastic strain buildup, crack developments, deformation, and the terminal stage of material failure. The disordering orientations are gradually aligned with a common direction a few days before the terminal stage. This common direction is consistent with the most compressive axis derived from the seismological method. In addition, the region of the stress accumulation, as identified by the size of the disordered orientation, is generally consistent with the earthquake preparation zones estimated by using numerical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of evaporation (E0) over open water bodies in arid regions (e.g., lakes in the desert) is of great importance for local water resource management. Due to the ability to accurately determine sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes over scales of hundreds to thousands of meters, scintillometers are more and more appreciated. In this study, a scintillometer was installed on both sides of the shore over the Sumu Barun Jaran Lake in the Badain Jaran Desert and was applied to estimate the sensible and latent heat fluxes and evaporation to be compared with the data of an evaporation pan and an aerodynamic model. Based on the field data, we further analyzed the seasonal differences in the flux evaluation using water temperature at different depths at half-hour and daily time scales, respectively. The results showed that in cold seasons, values of H were barely affected by the changes of shallow water temperature, whereas in hot seasons, the values were changed by 20%–30% at the half-hour time scale and 6.2%–18.3% at the daily time scale. In different seasons, shallow water temperature at different depths caused changes in the range of 0%–20% of LE (E0). This study contributes to a better understanding of uncertainties in measurements by large-aperture scintillometers in open-water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in China and around the world. Early detection is key to improving the survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Alteration in glycosylation has been observed in cancers, and glycans can be a source for the development of new biomarkers for NSCLC. Methods: In this glycan biomarker discovery study, we measured serum N- and O-glycan profiles in NSCLC patients with different stages and healthy controls by performing lectin microarray analysis. The alterations of serum glycopatterns were compared between NSCLC patients and controls, and the stage-related changes in serum glycosylation were evaluated. Results: There were 18 lectins (e.g., AAL, Jacalin, GSL-I and DBA) to give significantly alterations of serum glycopatterns in lung adenocarcinoma compared with control group. Meanwhile, 16 lectins (e.g., Jacalin, HHL, and PHA-E+L) exhibited significantly alterations of serum glycopatterns in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared with control group. Importantly, most of the lectins showing altered signals exhibited significantly increased or decreased NFIs in patients with early stage adenocarcinoma and SCC. Conclusions: The serum glycan profiles were significantly different between NSCLC and healthy control, and most of the glycosylation changes had occurred at early stage. Further evaluation is needed to examine the diagnostic value of the glycan markers identified in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defoliant sensitivity is an important trait of machine-picked cotton that directly affects the defoliation efficiency and the quality of machine-picked cotton fibers. Identification of the genetic components underlying defoliant sensitivity in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is highly important. In this study, the defoliation rate (DR) of 328 re-sequenced upland cotton accessions after 5 days of defoliant treatment was evaluated at two locations for two years in four environments; the results showed a great variation among the accessions, and the phenotype were normally distributed. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was subsequently performed with resequencing data and defoliation rate data. As a result, two quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to defoliation rate were identified, qDS-A05 and qDS-A06 , among which, qDS-A06 was identified in three environments. By combining linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis, haplotype analysis, and expression analysis, a key candidate gene for DR was identified in qDS-A06 , which was named GhDS-A06. This gene encodes a carboxylate clamp (CC)-tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) protein, and is likely involved in the development of the abscission zone according to the reference of the function of TPR proteins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L.). Additionally, the favorable haplotype frequency of GhDS-A06 varied among diverse areas of cotton growing in China, and the favorable haplotype frequency in northwestern China was much greater than that in other regions, which suggested that the favorable haplotype GhDS-A06 was artificially selected during breeding for machine-harvested cotton in northwestern China. The findings in the study not only provide genetic insights into defoliant sensitivity in upland cotton but also offer an ideal target for molecular breeding of defoliant sensitivity improved machine-harvested cotton plants. • The variations of defoliation rate after defoliant treatment among 328 cotton accessions were revealed. • A key candidate gene related to defoliant sensitivity, GhDS-A06, was identified and clarified. • The favorable haplotype frequency was generally increased for adaptation to machine-harvested cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A high-density survey was conducted in this study to determine the spatial distribution and possible sources of heavy metals at the former Capital Iron & Steel Factory, Beijing, China. A total of 400 surface soil samples were collected at a density of 16 samples per km2, and the concentrations of heavy metals, such as Ni, Cr, V, As, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and Hg, were analyzed. The spatial distribution characteristics of these metals were demonstrated by environmental geochemical mapping. The mean concentrations of Ni, Cr, V and As are close to the background values. Enrichment factors show that the soil concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn and Hg were higher than the background values, especially Hg. Multivariate geostatistical analysis suggests that Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn have similar properties and their presence was mainly from steel-smelting activities. However, the Hg contamination was more weakly related to the steel smelting activities, partially due to other anthropogenic activities, such as the combustion of coal for heating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Scientists investigating the coupling between the lithosphere, atmosphere, and ionosphere (LAI) require multiple instruments installed on and near the Earth's surface and aboard satellites orbiting the Earth. However, challenges always occur owing to a lack of observation data from other monitoring instruments and/or the distance between distinct instruments. A novel system for monitoring vibrations and perturbations in the LAI (MVP–LAI) was established in the countryside of Leshan City, Sichuan Province, China, in June 2021. Twelve different types of instruments with 18 devices were set within an area of 50 m × 50 m. The other two were installed approximately 20 km away to avoid interference. These instruments routinely monitor the changes in at least 14 geophysical parameters with short sampling intervals, available for capturing waves propagating from the subsurface to the ionosphere. Once the observations retrieved from the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite and the radio occultation are integrated, the monitoring of vibrations and perturbations can reach ~ 800 km above the Earth's surface. The system is mainly operated by the China University of Geoscience (Wuhan), China and will officially start functioning in September 2021. All the efforts benefit the investigation of the causal mechanisms of LAI coupling and expose the potential sources of vibrations and perturbations, incorporating observations from other spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stromatolites declined remarkably in the Middle Ordovician, which has been speculatively related to the concomitant proliferation of metazoan reefs during the Great Ordovician Radiation Event, however, they are flourish and widely distributed in the Middle Ordovician (Darriwilian) Majiagou (Machiakou) Formation in the Ordos Basin, northwestern China. The stromatolites in the Ma-5 Member of the Majiagou Formation in the Ordos Basin exhibit significant morphological diversity, and are ready to be divided into wavy and domal stromatolites from the south and west part, columnar in the Northeast part, accompanied with rarely hemispheroid and conical ones. The stromatolites in the Ma-5 Member distribute in a subcircular ring belt, which can be subdivided into three sedimentary divisions, mostly near the boundary between the gypsum-bearing dolomite flat and gypsum salt lake, of which, the north-central division, with its thicker stromatolite-bearing strata and more complex stromatolite morphologies, was the most favorable for the establishment of stromatolites, where grazing animals were absent and burrowing animals few. Some calcified microorganisms were recovered from the stromatolites, which substantially increases their known diversity for this interval and suggestive of a severe undersampling of the middle Ordovician calcified cyanobacteria fossil record in the Ordos Basin. • Five subclasses stromatolites were recovered from the Ma-5 member in the Ordos Basin, which mainly distributed in three blocks, and near the boundary between the gypsum-bearing dolomite tidal flat and gypsum salt lake. • Abundant calcified cynobacteria are retrieved in Stromatolites at the middle Ordovician Ma-5 Member, which represents a substantial addition to diversity of calcified cynobacteria fossil record in this period. • The hypersalinity conditions at the north-central part in the Ordos Basin was most favorable for the stromatolite flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat changes can alter animal behaviors, especially of large-bodied animals. Landfowl (Galliformes) are a phylogenetically diverse group of large-bodied ground-dwelling birds that are generally considered reluctant flyers. However, some species of landfowl have also been found to forage in arboreal habitats, which could be particularly advantageous under declining habitat quality. However, the prevalence of arboreal foraging behavior (AFB) and how it relates to habitat changes are still unexplored. Here, we reviewed life-history traits associated with foraging behaviors in 305 species of landfowl worldwide and examined the prevalence of AFB across the global landfowl phylogeny. We also collected data from arboreal camera traps on 22 subtropical reservoir islands and six nearby mainland sites in the Thousand Island Lake region of China to assess AFB of Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera), the largest landfowl in this lake system, with island area and isolation. Globally, at least 84 species of landfowl (28%) showed evidence of AFB, with a strong phylogenetic signal. Camera trapping revealed that Silver Pheasant tended to have AFB on small and isolated islands, as evidenced by the increased arboreal sampling efforts. Our study reveals that landfowl's AFB is much more widespread than previously recognized, and suggests the importance of prioritizing large, connected habitats for the conservation of large-bodied animals like Silver Pheasant in the fragmented landscape. Finally, camera trapping emerges as a promising tool for recording landfowl's life history and uncommon behaviors that can help us understand landfowl's threats and aid conservation programs. • Arboreal foraging behavior is widespread in Galliformes worldwide. • Large and connected habitats should be prioritized for conservation actions. • Camera trapping emerges as a promising tool for understanding landfowl's threats and aiding conservation programs. • Fundamental research on life history are still needed for wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The glabrous assimilating branch of xerophytes can absorb atmospheric water resources. • The water taken up by the branches could be transported downward through the xylem. • The uptake of atmospheric water mitigated the drought stress in Calligonum mongolicum. • Foliar water uptake improved the photosynthetic capacity in Calligonum mongolicum. Atmospheric water is among the most important water sources for plants in arid ecosystems and plays an important role in facilitating drought stress survival in plants. However, little is known about the specific physiological benefits of foliar water uptake (FWU) for woody plants inhabiting arid desert areas. The objective of this study was to explore the physiological responses of Calligonum mongolicum to atmospheric water uptake by the assimilating branches, with a special focus on the FWU effect on shoot water status and photosynthesis. To this end, the canopies of natural C. mongolicum plants in a desert region of northwestern China were humidified in a field in-situ misting experiment and a long-term wetting experiment, during which physiological measurements of plant water relations and photosynthetic capacity were performed, alongside the observation of FWU by H 2 18O isotopic tracing. Following the in-situ misting experiment, the water potential of the assimilating branches was significantly higher than that of the secondary branches at midnight, suggesting that FWU resulted in a reverse water potential gradient in C. mongolicum at the branch level. The 18O isotope was markedly enriched in the assimilating branches, secondary branches, and trunk xylem following the foliar uptake of 18O labeled water, indicating that the water uptake from the atmosphere by the assimilating branches could replenish the stem. The relative water content and water potential of the assimilating branches were significantly increased by FWU. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and maximum photochemical efficiency of C. mongolicum plants were markedly increased following the wetting treatment. Our results clearly show that C. mongolicum is capable of FWU, and that the absorbed water could be transported downward through the xylem and improve the branch water status and photosynthetic capacity. These findings provide a new perspective for deepening our understanding of the drought survival mechanism of plants in arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying and protecting refugia is a priority for conservation management under projected anthropogenic climate change. We have two main objectives: the first is to explore the spatial (East Asia) and temporal (Last Glacial Maximum to year 2070) distribution patterns of dominant Castanopsis species of evergreen broad-leaved forests, also the relation with their niche breadths; the second is to identify long-term stable refugia for preserving these species and provide a framework of conservation strategies. We find that there is an extraordinary richness with 32 dominant Castanopsis species, and they form both a geographically and climatically almost unbroken connection from ca. 5°N to 38°N, having thus ecological significance. During the Mid-Holocene and, particularly, the Last Glacial Maximum, the predicted suitable areas of the species as a whole were larger than those in the present. By 2070, potentially suitable areas with high richness of dominant Castanopsis species will be reduced by 94.5 % on average. No correlation between species niche breadths and distribution ranges is found, which could be due to regional climate stability. Mountains of southwestern and southern Yunnan in China are identified as climatically long-term stable refugia for 7–9 Castanopsis species. We recommend that these refugia have the highest priority of conservation to prevent their extinction. Our suggested urgent measures include improving the effectiveness of currently protected Castanopsis species and expanding the network of protected areas to cover a larger fraction of the refugia, as well as ensuring Castanopsis species natural regeneration potential in fragmented and natural secondary forest areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rule-based model based on time series MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) imagery was developed to simulate the wetland vegetation pattern responding to water-level change in Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake before and after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by the error matrix and indicated satisfactory results. Similar development trends of wetland vegetations were found in the two lakes during 2000–2012. It was particularly noticeable that most marshlands experienced an inflection point during the period from 2002 to 2003. Moreover, most wetland vegetations were tending toward the lake center. Finally, reasons for changes in wetland vegetations and the possible succession of the wetlands were analyzed in this paper, as well as defects and improvements of the model were discussed. This study took the use of time-series water images derived from the MODIS data rather than spectral characteristics of remote sensing images in limited phases, which established an efficient method for extracting the wetland vegetation pattern and its dynamic change for years. It is a significant study for understanding the impacts resulting from the Three Gorges Project on relationships between the Yangtze River and the two lakes. This study can provide the relevant scientific basis for wetland management, water-level regulation and wetland restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil fungal diversity significantly increases with increased habitat fragmentation. • Environmental filtering drives soil bacterial diversity in a fragmented habitat. • Dispersal limitation drives soil fungal diversity in a fragmented habitat. Habitat fragmentation is a primary cause of biodiversity loss. As an essential part of the ecosystem, soil microorganisms participate in a series of ecosystem processes. However, the role of landscape factors on soil microorganisms is not well understood. Based on high-throughput sequencing of soil samples at three depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–30 cm) from 30 landscape sites along a habitat fragmentation gradient, we calculated soil bacterial and fungal diversity in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. We then investigated the impact of climatic factors, soil characteristics, and landscape context (patch density, edge density, mean patch size, and mean nearest-neighbor distance) on soil bacterial and fungal diversity. We found that soil fungal richness increased with habitat fragmentation (patch density and edge density), although soil bacterial richness did not change significantly. Soil bacterial and fungal community composition both changed with habitat fragmentation. Soil characteristics were key factors determining soil bacterial diversity, especially in the 10–20 cm soil depth. Soil fungal diversity was closely related to landscape context, showing a significant positive correlation with patch density and edge density, and a significant negative correlation with mean patch size. Structural equation modeling showed that landscape factors directly affected soil fungal diversity but indirectly affected soil bacterial diversity by changing soil characteristics. We highlight that soil fungal diversity shows an increasing trend with increased habitat fragmentation. Landscape context plays a stronger role in maintaining soil fungal diversity than soil characteristics and climatic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigated 84 remaining grassland patches in fragmented landscapes. • The turnover component dominates regional beta diversity. • Ecological uniqueness is an adequate criterion for biodiversity conservation. • The small patches are still hotspots for biodiversity conservation. In the past two decades, the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China has experienced dramatic habitat loss and fragmentation, and patches of remaining grassland have formed. However, it is still unclear how to prioritize biodiversity conservation in the remaining grassland patches in this fragmented landscape. Here, we investigated 84 remaining grassland patches in the Tabu River Basin, a typical area of agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. To determine the conservation priorities of these remaining grassland patches, we used a new conservation criterion called ecological uniqueness based on beta diversity. We further explored the impact of local habitat, dispersal process, and patch characteristics on ecological uniqueness. Our results showed that turnover was the dominant component of regional beta diversity (accounting for 81.9%). We identified 13 hotspots patches with high conservation priority due to their significant ecological uniqueness, 9 of which were small patches (<5 ha). Local habitat explained more variation of the ecological uniqueness than dispersal process and patch characteristics, with local precipitation heterogeneity the key influencing factor. We also found a positive correlation between patch fractal dimension and ecological uniqueness. Our study suggests that small remaining grassland patches are hotspots of regional biodiversity conservation in the fragmented landscape of agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. We highlight that it is necessary to focus on the habitat heterogeneity and patch shape of these small patches to determine conservation prioritization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CARMN variants contributed to the esophageal cancer risk in northwest China. • Genotype TT of rs353299 was a protective factor of esophageal cancer. • Effects of CARMN SNPs are related with age, gender, smoking and drinking status. As one of the common malignant tumors, esophageal cancer has significant heterogeneity in morbidity and mortality between gender, geographic distribution, race and histology. We used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) to identify disease-related alleles, and to explore the relationship between gene variations and esophageal cancer susceptibility in northwest China. Six candidate SNPs (rs13177623, rs12654195, rs11168100, rs353303, rs353300, rs353299) selected from cancer related gene Cardiac mesoderm enhancer-associated non-coding RNA (CARMN) were genotyped by Agena MassARRAY platform. SPSS 18.0 software was used for logistic regression analysis of genotyping results, and Haploview 4.2 software was utilized for linage disequilibrium (LD) analysis. We observed a significant association between genotype TT of rs353299 and the decreasing esophageal cancer risk (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.18–0.97, p = 0.042). The stratified analysis revealed that the influence of three CARMN polymorphisms (rs11168100, rs353300 and rs353299) on esophageal cancer risk is age-, gender-, smoking-, drinking- and lymph node metastasis status- dependent (p < 0.05). Haplotype analysis results indicated that T rs11168100 A rs353303 T rs353300 C rs353299 acts as a protective factor of esophageal cancer with OR of 0.71 (95% CI = 0.52–0.98, p = 0.038), while A rs11168100 G rs353303 C rs353300 and A rs11168100 A rs353303 have 1.49-fold (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.02–2.19, p = 0.041) and 1.57-fold (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.05–2.35, p = 0.027) increased risk of esophageal cancer, respectively. The results of our study suggested that CARMN variations may affect the risk of esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]