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Based on air-, water-, and ground-source heat pump systems, a novel type of heat pump system, named the heat-source tower heat pump system (HSTHPS), has recently been developed in the southern area of China. The HSTHPS overcomes the evaporator frosting problems of the air-source heat pump system (ASHPS) when the ambient temperature is lower, and it avoids the geological condition constraints of the water- and ground-source heat pump systems. However, studies on the HSTHPS are insufficient, thereby limiting its development and applications. Thus, the present review provides a detailed literature review on the advancements of HSTHPSs in China, including the HSTHPS operation principle, heat-source tower (HST) structure, heat and mass transfer characteristics, HSTHPS performance, antifreeze solution use, and antifreeze solution regeneration. Studies on the heat and mass transfer characteristics of HSTs are sufficient for guiding the application. Regarding open systems, the solution drifting to the air needs to resolved, and future studies need to focus on structure optimization for heat exchangers in closed systems. Moreover, advanced defrosting technology should be applied to closed-type HSTs, and a suitable operation strategy for HSTHPSs should be developed. Future priorities should involve integrating HSTHPSs with additional renewable energy in order to achieve continuous, stable, and efficient heating in winter based on the characteristics of local climate and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) is a group of rare genetic metabolic disorders resulting from defects in methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase (MCM) or intracellular cobalamin (cbl) metabolism. MMA patients show diverse clinical and genetic features across different subtypes and populations. Methods: We retrospectively recruited 60 MMA patients from a single center and diagnosed them based on their clinical manifestations and biochemical assays. We then performed genetic analysis to confirm the diagnosis and identify the causal variants. Results: We confirmed the common clinical manifestations of MMA reported previously. We also described four rare MMA cases with unusual symptoms or genetic variants, such as pulmonary hypertension or limb weakness in late-onset patients. We identified 15 MMACHC and 26 MMUT variants in 57 patients, including 6 novel MMUT variants. Two patients had only one MMAA variant each, and one patient had mild MMA due to mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome caused by a SUCLA2 variant. Among 12 critically ill patients, isolated MMA was associated with higher C3, blood ammonia, and acidosis, while combined MMA was linked to hydrocephalus on skull MRI. MMACHC c.658-660delAAG and MMUT c.1280G > A variants were correlated with more severe phenotypes. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the clinical and genotypic heterogeneity of MMA patients and indicates that metabolic screening and genetic analysis are useful tools to identify rare cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relationship between serum uric acid level and glomerular ischemic lesions (GIL) in patients with primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) and identify relevant risk factors. A total of 201 patients with PMN but normal renal function confirmed by renal biopsy executed in the Liaocheng People's Hospital, China, during January 2020-January 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. The enrolled patients were divided into a hyperuricemia group and a normal serum uric acid group (control group) according to their serum uric acid levels. Then, the participants were further divided into a non-GIL group or a GIL group based on the patient's renal biopsy results. The two groups' clinical and pathological data and meaningful indicators for differences were analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis. Additionally, the serum uric acid level prediction value on GIL was investigated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Compared with the control group, the hyperuricemia group exhibited high serum uric acid, the prevalence of GIL, serum albumin, the prevalence of hypertension, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels (P < 0.05). Compared with the non-GIL group, the GIL group exhibited were older, had enhanced serum uric acid, serum albumin, and an increased prevalence of tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (TA/IF), arteriolosclerosis, and low eGFR levels (P < 0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the serum uric acid and the TA/IF are independent risk factors of GIL (P < 0.05). The AUC of ROC of GIL of PMN patients, predicted based on the serum uric acid concentration, was 0.736 (P < 0.05), wherein the threshold = 426.5 μmol/L and the Youden's index = 0.41. Serum uric acid concentration and the TA/IF are independent risk factors of GIL in patients with PMN, and the former exhibits prediction value on GIL in patients with PMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach trees play an essential role as an economic crop in China. However, the increasing cost of labor has led to a decline in the benefits of peach cultivation. The use of dwarfing rootstock technology can increase planting density, reduce tree height, decrease labor requirements, and reduce production costs. The Cerasus humilis (Bge). Sok. is a promising dwarfing rootstock for peaches owing to its small tree size, abundant resources, strong resistance, and adaptability. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cerasus humilis rootstocks on peach growth and development, and related gene expression. We used Ruipan 4/Cerasus humilis and Ruipan 4/Amygdalus persica L. as experimental materials to measure the growth and fruiting characteristics of two-year-old Cerasus humilis rootstocks. In addition, we used bioinformatic methods to explore the effect of Cerasus humilis rootstock on peach growth gene expression. Our results showed that Cerasus humilis rootstocks can dwarf peach trees, reduce branches, increase pollen count and stigma receptivity, shorten spore development, and promote protein accumulation in the late stage of fruit maturity. The Cerasus humilis rootstock reduced the growth hormone content in peach trees while upregulating the expression of growth-related PpYucca5 and PpYucca2 genes. PpYucca6 expression was downregulated in the early stage of shoot growth and upregulated in the middle stage. By reducing the content of growth hormones, peach trees can be dwarfed, but their impact on fruit quality is minimal. These results indicate that Cerasus humilis is a suitable peach dwarfing rootstock and can provide a theoretical reference for the future breeding of peach dwarfing rootstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between advanced human capital structure, industrial intelligence, and service industry structure based on China's development from provincial data from 2008 to 2019. It finds that the advanced human capital structure can significantly promote the structural development of the service industry. Meanwhile, there is some heterogeneity in the impact of advanced human capital structure on the service industry. In the eastern region and high level of elemental market development in China, advanced human capital structure has a more significant contribution to the service industry structure upgrade. More importantly, industrial intelligence will play a positive moderating effect on the process of upgrading the human capital structure to the service sector structure. Further, the effect of advanced human capital structure on the service industry's development depends on the threshold of industrial intelligence. When industrial intelligence exceeds the threshold, it can strengthen the "promotion effect" of advanced human capital structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate prediction of daily reference crop evapotranspiration (ETO) enables effective management decision-making for agricultural water resources; this is crucial for developing water-efficient agriculture. To improve the accuracy of ETO forecasts in data-deficient areas, this study uses a decision tree algorithm (classification and regression tree [CART]) to obtain the effects of various factors on ETO at typical stations in arid and semiarid regions of China. A combination of factors with considerable influence on the model was selected as the input for constructing a kernel-extreme-learning-machine (KELM) daily reference evapotranspiration prediction model, and three bionic optimization algorithms (i.e., sparrow search optimization algorithm, Harris Hawks optimization algorithm, and lion swarm optimization algorithm) were integrated to optimize KELM prediction model parameters and improve the accuracy of daily reference evapotranspiration prediction. The results indicate that temperature (maximum or minimum temperature) is the primary factor influencing ETO, and the range of importance is 0.399–0.554. RH and Ra are also key factors influencing ETO; the hybrid model optimized using the bionic optimization algorithm provides advantages over the independent KELM model, and the SSA-KELM model has the highest accuracy among hybrid models, with a root-mean-square error of 0.408–1.964, R2 of 0.545–0.982, mean absolute error of 0.273–1.086, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.658–0.967. The top five factors extracted using the CART algorithm are recommended as inputs for constructing the SSA-KELM model for ETO estimation in arid and semiarid regions of China, and this model can also serve as a reference for ETO forecasting in similar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating the flow of supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) into the ecological security pattern (ESP) of coastal ecosystems with extremely fragile ecological backgrounds and contradictory human–land relationships is beneficial to the coordinated development of human–land systems. However, existing studies ignore the issue of scales of supply–demand linkages, making the ESP not properly guide sustainable development. Based on ESs delivery chain theory and landscape ecology approaches, we developed a sustainable development framework consisting of coupled microscopic natural–social systems. The method was tested using data from the Liao River Delta. In this study area, the natural supply potential and demand mapping distribution of key ESs were assessed to identify ecological sources in the Liao River Delta, a typical coastal zone in northern China. The resistance surface based on land use type assignment was modified using hydrological connectivity frequency and nighttime light intensity. Ecological corridors were extracted and optimized using a minimum cumulative resistance model and connectivity evaluation. The study found that the high supply area and the high demand reflection area are not consistent in location and supply level. Ecological source areas are evenly distributed, accounting for 12% of the total area. The ecological corridors are mainly concentrated in the west and southeast and do not cross the built-up areas in the east. This ESP framework safeguards the local demand for natural products and the natural potential to maintain services over the longer term and to a larger scale while informing the development of environmental management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid function in children of different ages, nutritional phases, and genotypes that were diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), as well as the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment on thyroid hormones in PWS patients.Methods: One hundred and thirty PWS patients (87 boys and 43 girls) aged from newborn to 15 years (y) (median 1.25 y, mean, SD: 2.95 ± 3.45 y), were surveyed in this study. Serum thyroid hormone levels were examined at least once per3-6 months during the 2 years follow-up study. Central hypothyroidism (C-HT) was identified as low/normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and low free thyroxine 4 (FT4).Results: All study participants had normal neonatal TSH screening test results. The prevalence of C-HT is 36.2% (47/130). No C-HT cases were diagnosed in PWS either below 1 month (m) or above 12 y. The prevalence of C-TH would be increased with age before 3 y until reaching the peak, followed by a gradual decline over the years. The prevalence of C-HT varies significantly at different ages (Pearson's χ2 = 19.915; p < 0.01). However, there is no correlation between the C-HT prevalence and nutritional phases (Pearson's χ2 = 4.992; p = 0.288), genotypes (Pearson's χ2 = 0.292; p = 0.864), or rhGH therapy (Pearson's χ2 = 1.799; p = 0.180).Conclusions: This study suggests the prevalence of C-TH was increased with the age before 3 y, and reached the peak in the 1 to 3 y group, then gradually declined over the years. There is no correlation between C-HT prevalence and nutritional phases, genotypes, or rhGH treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological progress, represented by artificial intelligence, has a dual impact on employment structure. In order to explore the impact of artificial intelligence development on employment skill structure, this paper, based on the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2003 to 2017, used the mediating effect regression model and the threshold regression model to conduct empirical tests. The results show that the development of artificial intelligence will significantly affect the structure of employment skills, and regional innovation has a significant mediating effect. From the threshold characteristics, there is a threshold effect of regional innovation. With the improvement of innovation environment, industrial upgrading and technological progress, the influence of artificial intelligence on middle-skill employment is gradually weakened. Under the influence of innovation environment and technological progress, the high-skilled employment shows a U-shaped change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sitosterolemia is a lipid disorder characterized by the accumulation of phytosterols in plasma and organs, caused by mutations in the ABCG5 and/or ABCG8 genes. The disease is frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). To gain a better understanding of the disease, the current status of diagnosis and treatment of Chinese patients with sitosterolemia was reviewed and summarized. Method: Literature search was performed. The clinical features and molecular characteristics of Chinese patients with sitosterolemia were analysed. Four children with sitosterolemia and the treatment experience were described. Results: Fifty-five patients with sitosterolemia have been reported in China. These patients were aged from 3 months to 67 years at diagnosis, and the median was 8 years of age. Several complications, such as xanthomas in 47 patients (85%), thrombocytopenia in 17 patients (31%), anemia in 14 patients (25%), and cardiovascular damage in 12 patients (22%), were observed. Thirty-nine patients (71%) exhibited mutations in the ABCG5 gene, 15 patients (27%) showed mutations in ABCG8, and variations in both genes occurred in one patient (2%). A patient with two clinically rare diseases, namely, sitosterolemia and glycogen storage disease type VI (GSD VI)), is reported here for the first time. The four reported patients were treated with low cholesterol and phytosterol-limited diet alone or combined with cholestyramine. Even though decreases were observed for total plasma cholesterol (TC) and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and these levels were as low as normal in some patients, the levels of plant sterols remained above the normal range. However, TC, LDL-C and plant sterol levels remained at high levels in patients treated with a control diet control only. Conclusions: The analysis reveals that different from Caucasians carrying mainly variations in ABCG8, most Chinese patients have mutations in the ABCG5 gene, and Arg446Ter, Gln251Ter, anArg389His might be hot-spot mutations in Chinese patients. The current survey provides clinical data to enable the development of a standardized protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of sitosterolemia in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the hazards of debris flows is necessary for risk assessment. The May 12, 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan County, China caused many landslides and loose slopes. Under continuous or heavy rainfall, the landslides and loose slopes are easily destabilized and provide huge amounts of material source for debris flows, significantly increasing the hazard level of associated disasters. Moreover, the hazard of debris flows is not always constant, but variable over time because of the changes in influencing factors (e.g., geomorphology, rainfall conditions, and earthquakes). This study proposes a coupled model based on the TRIGRS (Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid based Regional Slope-stability Model) and Flow-R (Flow path assessment of gravitational hazards at a Regional scale) models for a dynamic hazard assessment of debris flows applied in a small watershed, Bayi Gully. This coupled model considers the impact of the actual rainfall process, potential debris sources on slope surfaces, and existing loose sources in the debris flow channel. The results indicate that (1) the hazard assessment by the coupled model is superior to that by the static Flow-R model; (2) the spatial distribution of landslides, debris flow sources, debris flow hazard areas, hazard probability, and debris flow energy vary with rainfall duration; and (3) the debris flow hazard area is strongly affected by topographic and geomorphic factors. Thus, the coupled model provides a powerful and robust tool for the hazard assessment and disaster prevention and mitigation of debris flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of the propagation and maintenance of the South Asian jet wave train are investigated in this study by examining the eddy kinetic energy (EKE) balance along the wave train. The intensity and evolution of the disturbances along the wave train can be well represented by the variation of EKE centers. The east-to-west discrepancy in the intensity of EKE centers indicates the wave train is not only maintained by the waveguide effect of the jet stream, but also fueled and damped by other physical processes along the wave train. It is found that both baroclinic and barotropic conversions are key energy sources during the lifespan of the wave train, characterized by regional differences. They evolve with the eddies and are offset mainly by energy exported by the ageostrophic geopotential fluxes after the peak of the eddies. They are strong upstream of the wave train, as extremely strong cooling/warming advection appears behind/ahead of the trough over the eastern Mediterranean Sea-Middle East where abnormal descent/ascent occurs, and potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy. As this trough tilts southwestward, kinetic energy can be converted from the mean flow to eddies on the north flank of the South Asian jet. Strong dissipation occurs over the Middle East, which might be responsible for the relatively weaker EKE centers downstream. Over China, the eddy is fueled by strong barotropic conversion again, as a result of the northward shift of the jet axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida auris emerged as a pathogenic species of fungus that causes severe and invasive outbreaks worldwide. The fungus exhibits high intrinsic resistance rates to various first-line antifungals, and the underlying molecular mechanism responsible for its multidrug resistance is still unclear. In this study, a transcriptomic analysis was performed between two C. auris isolates that exhibited different anti-drug patterns by RNA-sequencing, namely, CX1 (anti-drug sensitive) and CX2 (resistant). Transcriptomic analysis results revealed 541 upregulated and 453 downregulated genes in the resistant C. auris strain compared with the susceptible strain. In addition, our findings highlight the presence of potential differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which may play a role in drug resistance, including genes involved in ergosterol and efflux pump biosynthesis such as SNQ2 , CDR4 , ARB1 , MDR1 , MRR1 , and ERG genes. We also found that Hsp related genes were upregulated for expression in the anti-drug-resistant strain. Biofilm formation and growth conditions were also compared between the two isolates. Our study provides novel clues for future studies in terms of understanding multidrug resistance mechanisms of C. auris strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the features and treatment status of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in China. Methods: We recruited patients <14 years of age with T1DM from 33 medical centers in 25 major cities of China between January 2012 and March 2015. All patients completed a questionnaire that was conducted by their pediatric endocrinologists at all centers. Results: A total of 1,603 children (755 males and 848 females) with T1DM participated in this survey. Of these, 834 (52.03%) of the patients exhibited diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at onset, while 769 patients (47.97%) did not exhibit DKA (non-DKA) at onset. There was a higher proportion of females (55.71%) in the cohort of patients exhibiting DKA at onset than in the non-DKA cohort (49.33%). The mean age of patients exhibiting DKA at presentation was 7.12 ± 0.14 years; this was significantly younger than that in non-DKA group (7.79 ± 0.15 years; P < 0.005). The frequency of DKA in 3 years old, 3-7 years old, and 7 years old or more was 77.21%, 26.17%, and 37.62%, respectively. Upon initial diagnosis, 29.4%, 15.2% and 11.8% of patients showed positivity for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GADA), Insulin autoantibodies (IAA), or islet cell antibody (ICA), respectively. During six months follow-up, 244 patients (15.21%) reported receiving insulin pump therapy, and more than 60% of patients monitored their blood glucose levels less than 35 times per week. Although the majority of patients had no problems with obtaining insulin, 4.74% of the children surveyed were not able to receive insulin due to financial reasons, a shortage of insulin preparations, or the failure of the parents or guardians to acquire the appropriate medicine. Conclusion: DKA is more common in very young children. Treatment and follow-up of T1DM in China still face very serious challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing servitization may reduce energy consumption and achieve low-carbonization of global value chain. We calculated and analyzed carbon emissions embodied in export and manufacturing servitization with China as research object, and found that spatial clustering characteristics of export-embodied carbon emissions and spatial differences in emission reduction effect were significant, and reduction effect of manufacturing servitization on export-embodied carbon emissions in eastern and northeastern China has a stronger role than in other regions. So countries should strengthen coordination of cross-regional inter-industry value chains, and reduce manufacturing emissions by improving servitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scientific hazard zoning of debris flows can ensure that human activities are not performed therein, thereby reducing economic loss as much as possible. In this study, by considering the formation background conditions of mountain hazards and dynamic rainfall conditions, the Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-Based Regional Slope-Stability Model (TRIGRS) and Flow path assessment of gravitational hazards at a Regional scale (Flow-R) are organically combined to establish a new coupled model for debris flow dynamic hazard assessment from the viewpoint of landslides providing the material source of debris flows. The coupled model was employed in Qingping township, Sichuan province of China, which was severely damaged by the "5·12" Wenchuan earthquake in 2008. Evaluation results show that the accuracy of the coupled model is 87.98%, which is significantly higher than that of the static Flow-R model (75.51%). This study not only considers the effect of the formation condition of mountain hazards and rainfall-induced shallow landslides on the source of debris flows, but also realises real-time hazard assessment and prediction of group-occurring debris flows. The coupled model used in this study provides a new perspective and is paramount for improving the accuracy and reliability of debris flow hazard assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two extremely wet winters in 2015/16 and 2018/19 over Southeast China are compared in this study. South-to-north discrepancies appear in the spatial distribution of precipitation, with anomalous precipitation centered over the southeast coast in 2015/16 and the lower reaches of Yangtze River valley in 2018/19, respectively. Both instances of enhanced precipitation are ascribed mainly to warm and moist advection from the south, with transport in 2015/16 partly by a deepened India–Burma trough to the west, whereas with transport in 2018/19 mainly by a subtropical western North Pacific anticyclone (WNPAC). Both the India–Burma trough and WNPAC are maintained by the wave trains propagating along the South Asian jet, which are zonally offset by a quarter-wavelength. Further study of the wave train sources in 2015/16 and 2018/19 shows that they both tend to originate from extremely strong storm-track activity over the North Atlantic but have different displacement. The former is located more northeastward than the mean storm track and is modulated by a strong positive NAO, whereas the latter lies over the midlatitude central North Atlantic along with a circumglobal teleconnection. These differences further result in a quarter-wavelength offset in the Rossby wave source near the entrance of the South Asian jet by the convergence of upper-level divergent wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular basis of maturity‐onset diabetes of the young (MODY) by whole‐exome sequencing (WES) and estimate the frequency and describe the clinical characteristics of MODY in southern China. Methods: Genetic analysis was performed in 42 patients with MODY aged 1 month to 18 years among a cohort of 759 patients with diabetes, identified with the following four clinical criteria: age of diagnosis ≤18 years; negative pancreatic autoantibodies; family history of diabetes; or persistently detectable C‐peptide; or diabetes associated with extrapancreatic features. GCK gene mutations were first screened by Sanger sequencing. GCK mutation‐negative patients were further analyzed by WES. Results: Mutations were identified in 24 patients: 20 mutations in GCK, 1 in HNF4A, 1 in INS, 1 in ABCC8, and a 17q12 microdeletion. Four previously unpublished novel GCK mutations: c.1108G>C in exon 9, and c.1339C>T, c.1288_1290delCTG, and c.1340_1343delGGGGinsCTGGTCT in exon 10 were detected. WES identified a novel missense mutation c.311A>G in exon 3 in the INS gene, and copy number variation analysis detected a 1.4 Mb microdeletion in the long arm of the chromosome 17q12 region. Compared with mutation‐negative subjects, the mutation‐positive subjects had lower hemoglobin A1c and initial blood glucose levels. Conclusions: Most MODY cases in this study were due to GCK mutations, which is in contrast to previous reports in Chinese patients. Diabetes associated with extrapancreatic features should be a clinical criterion for MODY genetic analysis. Mutational analysis by WES provided a precise diagnosis of MODY subtypes. Moreover, WES can be useful for detecting large deletions in coding regions in addition to point mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Tidal wetlands along the mainland coast of China are taken as a case in this study. • Time-series water percent maps are used to detect changes in tidal wetland states. • Between 1999 and 2019, about 53,000 ha tidal wetlands were converted into open water. • 12% of the current tidal wetlands are significantly transitioning towards open water. • A four-quadrant model is used to guide tidal wetlands management in China. The conversion of tidal wetlands to open water has become a major concern for coastal managers worldwide. Collecting spatial information regarding the lost tidal wetlands resulting from open-water conversion and the degraded tidal wetlands that are exhibiting a significant transition towards open water is the prerequisite for employing conservation and restoration efforts. Previous studies have focused on the former information while often neglecting the latter. This will hamper coastal managers to make comprehensive decisions. In this study, tidal wetlands along the mainland coast of China are taken as a case. Using a linear regression model, we first verify that the time series water percent maps can capture the changes in inundation of tidal wetlands at the local scale, and then employ this dataset and method to identify the portions within the current tidal wetlands (2020) that are exhibiting a significant transition toward open-water at the national scale. Furthermore, we optimize the spatial information of the lost tidal wetlands resulting from open-water conversion on the mainland coast of China from 1999 to 2019 based on a global intertidal change database. The results suggest that a total of 5.3 × 104 ha of tidal wetlands were converted into open-water on the mainland coast of China between 1999 and 2019, with over 57% of this occurring in Jiangsu Province and Shandong Province. Nearly 12% of China's current tidal wetlands, equivalent to 10.1 × 104 ha, are undergoing a significant transition toward open water. The area proportion of these degraded wetlands in the provinces north of Shanghai is generally higher than that in the provinces south of Shanghai, except for Hainan Province. The four-quadrant model is utilized to provide conservation and restoration recommendations for different coastal segments based on the comprehensive spatial information on the open-water conversion of tidal wetlands. The datasets and methods used in this study provide novel insights for determining open-water conversion of tidal wetlands. Our findings have the potential to assist coastal managers in optimizing the spatial patterns of the national restoration projects along the mainland coast of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive Spartina alterniflora has become a global management challenge in coastal wetlands. China has decided to eradicate it completely, but the high costs and its provision of beneficial ecosystem functions (EF, in the form of blue carbon and coastal protection) have raised concerns about its removal. Here, using the Yangtze Estuary as a case study, we explore a reasonable pathway of S. alterniflora management that balanced control of invasive species and EF. We simulated the spatial patterns of two key EF – blue carbon storage and wave attenuation – and identified appropriate zones for eradicating S. alterniflora based on their trade-offs. We observed contrasting patterns along the land-sea gradient for S. alterniflora community, with a decrease in blue carbon storage and an increase in wave attenuation. Notably, pioneer S. alterniflora near the foreshore displayed a high cluster of blue carbon storage (63.61 ± 7.33 Mg C ha−1) and dissipated nearly 70% of wave energy by a width of 163 m. The trade-offs between the two EF indicated that the eradication project should be implemented along the seawall rather than the foreshore. Even in the scenario of prioritized shore defense with the largest eradication zone, S. alterniflora still stored 43.1% more carbon (10.67 Gg C) compared to complete eradication and dissipated over 70% of wave energy in extreme events. Our study innovatively integrates eradication and reservation in S. alterniflora management, providing a sustainable and flexible spatial strategy that meets the needs of stakeholders. • Quantified coastal ecosystem functions with complex processes from space. • Invasive Spartina significantly enhances ecosystem functions in the foreshore. • Eradication project of Spartina should be implemented towards landward side. • Setting optimal Spartina zone width enhances coastal wetlands' ecosystem function. • Wise management of Spartina with eradication and reservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sulfonylurea therapy can improve glycemic control and ameliorate neurodevelopmental outcomes in patients suffering from neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) with KCNJ11 or ABCC8 mutations. As genetic testing results are often delayed, it remains controversial whether sulfonylurea treatment should be attempted immediately at diagnosis or doctors should await genetic confirmation. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of sulfonylurea therapy in Chinese NDM patients during infancy before genetic testing results were available. Methods: The medical records of NDM patients with their follow‐up details were reviewed and molecular genetic analysis was performed. Sulfonylurea transfer regimens were applied in patients diagnosed after May 2010, and glycemic status and side effects were evaluated in each patient. Results: There were 23 NDM patients from 22 unrelated families, 10 had KCNJ11 mutations, 3 harbored ABCC8 mutations, 1 had INS mutations, 4 had chromosome 6q24 abnormalities, 1 had a deletion at chromosome 1p36.23p36.12, and 4 had no genetic abnormality identified. Sixteen NDM infants were treated with glyburide at an average age of 49 days (range 14‐120 days) before genetic confirmation. A total of 11 of 16 (69%) were able to successfully switch to glyburide with a more stable glucose profile. The responsive glyburide dose was 0.51 ± 0.16 mg/kg/d (0.3‐0.8 mg/kg/d), while the maintenance dose was 0.30 ± 0.07 mg/kg/d (0.2‐0.4 mg/kg/d). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Molecular genetic diagnosis is recommended in all patients with NDM. However, if genetic testing results are delayed, sulfonylurea therapy should be considered before such results are received, even in infants with newly diagnosed NDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the world, numerous sea-cross bridges have been constructed for economic reasons. Land use of islands is often influenced deeply after the construction of bridges, especially with the increase of built-up area. Estimating the impact of sea-cross bridges on island land use becomes more and more urgent. In this study, the observed land use and the simulated land use without fixed link to mainland were compared to derive the impacts of sea-cross bridges. The main results are: 1) The land use of island is greatly affected by sea-cross bridges, with growth rate of built-up land 1.59 times higher than that before the bridge construction. Compared with the scenario of without fixed link to mainland, the centroid of built-up area moved about 500 m to the southeast, while the centroid of farmland moved nearly 300 m to the northwest; 2) After being connected with mainland, the island faced serious pressures, such as rapid land use change, explosive growth of tourists and continued stress on the ecosystem; and 3) Future construction of sea-cross bridges forming fixed link between island and mainland should take the economic development needs of the island, the carrying capacity of the island resources and the ecosystem responses into consideration, in addition to the feasibility analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, long-term (1961-2011) variations in the moisture budget and drought/flood events in six subregions of China are analyzed. Water vapor is mainly transported zonally during winter, while meridional transport is much stronger during summer. During winter, both the input moisture from the western boundary and the output moisture from the eastern boundary are slightly weakened; thus, the total amount of regional moisture in these subregions does not change much in eastern China. During summer, the decline in input moisture from the south is slightly weaker than the decrease in output moisture via the northern boundary; therefore, the net moisture budget is slightly increased in eastern China, resulting in more flood events during recent decades in this region. Generally, China tends to suffer much less drought risk and higher flood risk in the mature winter and decaying summer of El Niño; the opposite impact appears during a La Niña event, but with lower intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summer heat waves with persistent extreme high temperatures have been occurring with increasing frequency in recent decades. These extreme events have disastrous consequences for human health, economies, and ecosystems. In this study, we examine three summers with intense and protracted heat waves: the summers of 2003, 2006, and 2013, with high temperatures located mainly in southeastern, southwestern, and eastern China, respectively. The synoptic-scale characteristics of these heat waves and associated atmospheric circulation anomalies are investigated. In the early heat wave episode of 2003, a heat center was located in the southeast coastal provinces during the first 20 days of July. The maximum southward displacement of the East Asian jet stream (EAJS) induced anticyclonic anomalies to the south, associated with southwestward intensification of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH), and extreme high temperatures were found only to the south of the Yangtze River. In the later episode, a poleward displacement of the EAJS and an enhanced WNPSH over the midlatitudes of eastern China resulted in a 'heat dome' over the region, and the heat wave extended northward to cover a larger area of eastern China. The coupling between the westward-enhanced WNPSH and poleward-displaced EAJS was found in the East China heat wave of 2013 as well. But the area of high temperatures reached far to the north in August 2013, with below-normal temperatures located in a small region of South China. In the 2006 southwestern drought and heat wave, extreme poleward displacement of the EAJS, associated with extraordinary westward extension of the WNSPH, resulted in further blocking of the moisture supply from the southwest monsoon. Large-scale moisture deficiencies, dry conditions, and downslope winds were common features of all investigated heat wave episodes. But in 2006, low-level heat lows associated with a well-mixed layer due to intensive daytime heating and atmospheric turbulence were emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Affected by steroid 5α-reductase type 2 deficiency (5α- RD2), 46, XY individuals present divergent phenotypes characterized by undervirilization of male external genitalia. To identify the disorder, mutational analysis of 5α-reductase type 2 gene ( SRD5A2) is a reliable approach. The genotype-phenotype relationship has not been elucidated. Objective To improve the diagnosis and expand the knowledge of the disease, we collected and analysed relevant data of clinical diagnosis, biological investigation and molecular determination in 45 children with the SRD5 A2 gene mutations from South China in our centre. Subjects and methods We studied a cohort of 45 Chinese children with SRD5 A2 gene mutations. Results Isolated microphallus (35·6%) and microphallus associated with various degrees of hypospadias (55·6%) were frequent phenotype. Female external genitalia with clitoromegaly (8·9%) were rare. 16 of 18 (88·9%) cases had hCG-stimulated T/ DHT ratio above 10. In 45 patients, we identified 15 different mutations. Five have never been described: p. His90 Thrfs X31, p. Gly21 Arg, p. Gly149 Asp, p. Arg145 Leu and p. Gly66 Arg. The p. Arg227 Gln mutation was detected in 41 (91·1%) patients. The p. Leu89 Val polymorphism was found in 38 (84·4%) patients. Homozygous mutations were presented in 16 (35·6%) patients, compound heterozygous mutations in 20 (44·4%) patients, compound heterozygous mutations alone with the p. Leu89 Val polymorphism in nine (20·0%) patients. Exons 1 and 4 were most affected, and the number of mutant alleles per exon was 78·1% and 12·2%, respectively. Conclusions The study demonstrated a wide spectrum of phenotypes, biological profiles and genotypes in the children with 5α- RD2 from South China. The heterozygous mutation p. Arg227 Gln is presumably a hot spot mutation and suggests a founder effect in the population of South China that may explain a moderate phenotype among our patients. Our report provides new insights into the molecular mechanism of 5α- RD2 and help to the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of Ward's and k-means clustering was applied to a 3-month standardized precipitation index (SPI-03), and eight divisions of homogeneous drought variation throughout China were identified from the perspective of meteorological and agricultural droughts. A greater meridional gradient appeared over eastern China (six divisions) than over western China (two divisions). The climate division facilitated the evaluating of not only regional but also widespread droughts. Trend evaluation showed that western north China (WNC) has become increasingly wet in recent decades, while northern northeast China (NNE) has become increasingly dry. The Yangtze River valley (YZ) tended to experience less and weaker drought after the late 1970s. Southern northeast China (SNE) and the southwestern China-Tibetan Plateau (SW-TP) showed a decreasing trend in long-term but not short-term SPIs, implying that long-term drought conditions might develop continuously, thus allowing the following droughts to develop more rapidly and with a stronger intensity. Examination of the drought risk under El Niño revealed that northern regions were likely to suffer from drought rather than flood in the developing phase and the reverse in the decaying phase. Southeastern China (SE) and the YZ were vulnerable to flood rather than drought in the mature and decaying spring, with SE subjected to drought in the decaying summer. Such a distinctive regional pattern of drought risks was closely connected with the abnormal moisture supply patterns modulated by ENSO in different phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, patch-based analysis at the landscape scale fragmentation has been used in the study of landscape ecology while the study of boundary and node has not been considered as much detail until recently. This study investigated the possibility of applying boundary- and node-based methods in landscape pattern analysis to the upper reaches of the Minjiang River in the southwestern China. Boundary-based and node-based landscape indices were selected to be used in analyzing changes in landscape patterns, and the results were compared with analysis using traditional pattern indices. We compared the responses of patch-area-based, boundary-length-based and node-number-based indices, and concluded that boundary-based and node-based indices are more sensitive to disturbance than patch-based indices with various patterns, and node-based indices are even more sensitive than boundary-based ones. Thus, the results suggest that boundary-based and node-based pattern analysis methods provide helpful supplementary information to traditional patch-based pattern analysis methods. The results about pattern dynamics of landscapes in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River based on boundaries and nodes showed that with human disturbance, the dominance of forest landscape was weakened by other landscape types; thus the landscape pattern of the study area became more homogeneous and the boundary network became more complex. These changes further augmented disturbance interfaces in the landscape and increased the possibilities of further landscape fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We compared reproductive characteristics of Scirpus mariqueter and Spartina alterniflora in monocultures and mixed communities to assess the importance of clonality in the population distribution and colonization of the two species. In the core S. alterniflora zone, individuals were taller and there were fewer underground tillers than in the Spartina–Scirpus zone. Every sexual S. alterniflora individual produced about two underground tillers in the S. alterniflora zone, which was two thirds as many as in the Spartina–Scirpus zone. In contrast, the height of sexual S. mariqueter was the highest in the mixed zone, whereas the numbers of flowering individuals and vegetative individuals were the highest in the core and the Scirpus–tidal flat zones, respectively. In the Scirpus–tidal flat zone each sexual individual produced 14 vegetative individuals, which was 23 times that produced in the mixed zone, and 45 times that in the core zone. Aboveground biomass and density of sexual individuals decreased from the core to the Scirpus–tidal flat zone. The ratio of aboveground to belowground biomass was lower in core zones of the two species than in their mixed zones. From the S. alterniflora to the tidal flat zone there was a decrease in salinity and redox potential and an increase in soil moisture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Predicting the deformation and evolution tendency of landslides is essential to landslide disaster prevention and mitigation. At present, most of the proposed models for landslide displacement prediction belong to single models. It is difficult to accurately describe the deformation and evolution law only by a single model for the complexity of landslides and limitation of the models. In this paper, we presented an application of linear combination model with optimal weight in landslide displacement prediction. We took Huanlongxicun and Saleshan landslides in Gansu province of China as examples, firstly to build GM(1,1) and Verhulst models for displacement prediction of the two landslides; then build two linear combination models of the two landslides, on the basis of the combining theory with optimal weight and the prediction results of the GM(1,1) and Verhulst models. The results show that the prediction accuracies of the combining models are much higher than those of the single models for both Huanglongxicun landslide and Saleshan landslide. Therefore, the combining model with optimal weight is an effective and feasible method to further improve accuracy for landslide displacement prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify impact factors on the distribution and characters of natural plants community in reclamation area, with survey data from 67 plant quadrats in July 2009, soil properties data from 216 sampling points in April 2009, and TM (30 m) data in 2006, the composition and characteristics of natural plants community in different time of the Fengxian area in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary were analyzed with two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The results show that: 1) The plant communities in the reclaimed area are mainly mesophytes and helophytic-mesophytic transitional communities, showing a gradient distribution trend with the change in reclamation years. Species richness ( MA), species diversity ( H) and above-ground biomass also increase with the increase of reclamation years. Nevertheless, they appear to decline slightly in the middle and late reclamation period (> 30 years). 2) With the rise in land use levels, the changes in species richness and species diversity tend to increase at first and then decrease; species dominance ( D), however, tends to decline; and above-ground biomass increases slightly. 3) The distribution of the plant community is mainly influenced by the following factors: land use levels ( R = 0.55, p < 0.05), soil moisture ( R = 0.53, p < 0.05), soil salinity ( R = 0.43, p < 0.05) and reclamation time ( R = 0.40, p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous ecological knowledge (IEK) can contribute to the management of local ecosystems and landscapes. Cultural landscapes are produced by and reflect the long-term interactions between humans and nature in indigenous societies. Yunnan Province, located in southwestern China, is the homeland of many ethnic groups, and is also a refuge for numerous species of wild plants and animals. Indigenous people in Yunnan, who have rich ecological knowledge, play an important role in the conservation of local biodiversity and the region's unique terraced agricultural landscapes. We used the Hani people and their outstanding cultural landscape of rice terraces in Yuanyang County of Yunnan Province as a case study to describe their worldview and discuss their formation of IEK; their roles in the preservation of rice landraces and in pest regulation; their management of water, forest, and soil resources; and the vertical landscape pattern and resource-circulation system that has evolved in the areas managed by the Hani. We also discuss the challenges and threats facing the Hani, their IEK, and their cultural landscape, as well as discuss the potential for integration of the Hani's IEK with modern conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which explored the main factors underying species distribution in the permafrost wetlands in the Great Hing'an Mountain valleys in Northeast China. Information on the climate and frozen soil types of the region is provided. According to the study, dominant patterns in community composition include gradual increase in herbage richness and xerophil occurrence on the right. The study also found species-environment relationships for herbages.

The Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake on May 12, 2008 induced a huge number of landslides. The distribution and volume of the landslides are very important for assessing risks and understanding the landslide - debris flow - barrier lake - bursts flood disaster chain. The number and the area of landslides in a wide region can be easily obtained by remote sensing technique, while the volume is relatively difficult to obtain because it requires some detailed geometric information of slope failure surface and sub-surface. Different empirical models for estimating landslide volume were discussed based on the data of 107 landslides in the earthquake-stricken area. The volume data of these landslides were collected by field survey. Their areas were obtained by interpreting remote sensing images while their apparent friction coefficients and height were extracted from the images unifying DEM (digital elevation model). By analyzing the relationships between the volume and the area, apparent friction coefficients, and the height, two models were established, one for the adaptation of a magnitude scale landslide events in a wide range of region, another for the adaptation in a small scope. The correlation coefficients (R) are 0.7977 and 0.8913, respectively. The results estimated by the two models agree well with the measurement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to analyze soil physical and chemical properties, soil comprehensive functions and impact factors after different years of reclamation. Based on the survey data taken from 216 soil sampling points in the Fengxian Reclamation Area of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary, China in April 2009 and remotely sensed TM data in 2006, while by virtue of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), geo-statistical analysis (GA), principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), it was concluded that: 1) With the increase in reclamation time, soil moisture, soil salinity, soil electric conductivity and soil particle size tended to decline, yet soil organic matter tended to increase. Soil available phosphorous tended to increase in the early reclamation period, yet it tended to decline after about 49 years of reclamation. Soil nitrate nitrogen, soil ammonia nitrogen and pH changed slightly in different reclamation years. Soil physical and chemical properties reached a steady state after about 30 years of reclamation. 2) According to the results of PCA analysis, the weighted value (0.97 in total) that represents soil nutrient factors (soil nitrate nitrogen, soil organic matter, soil available phosphorous, soil ammonia nitrogen, pH and soil particle size) were higher than the weighted value (0.48 in total) of soil limiting factors (soil salinity, soil electric conductivity and soil moisture). The higher the F value is, the better the soil quality is. 3) Different land use types play different roles in the soil function maturity process, with farmlands providing the best contribution. 4) Soil physical and chemical properties in the reclamation area were mainly influenced by reclamation time, and then by land use types. The correlation (0.1905) of the composite index of soil function ( F) with reclamation time was greater than that with land use types (−0.1161). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze River delta is characterized by rapidly accreting sediments that form tidal flats that are quickly colonized by emergent vegetation including Scirpus mariqueter and the invasive species Spartina alterniflora. We measured soil surface elevation, water table depth, soil salinity, water content and compaction in the tidal flat, the Scirpus and Spartina zones and their borders to identify relationships between environmental factors and colonization by Scirpus and Spartina. With increasing elevation from tidal flat to Spartina, inundation frequency and duration, moisture and depth to water table decreased whereas soil salinity, temperature and compaction increased. High soil moisture and groundwater and low salinity were the characteristics of the tidal flat and its border with Scirpus. The Spartina zone and its border with Scirpus were characterized by greater salinity and elevation relative to the other zones. Our findings suggest that soil salinity controls patterns of plant zonation in the newly formed tidal salt marshes whereas elevation is of secondary importance. Our results suggest that patterns of vegetation zonation in tidal marshes of the Yangtze River delta are controlled by environmental factors, especially (low) salinity that favors colonization by Scirpus in the lower elevations of the marsh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wenchuan Earthquake of May 12, 2008 triggered large numbers of geo-hazards. The heavy rain on 13 August 2010 triggered debris flows with total volume of more than 6 million cubic meters and the debris flows destroyed 500 houses and infrastructure built after the Wenchuan Earthquake. The study area Qingping Town was located in the northwestern part of the Sichuan Basin of China, which needs the second reconstructions and the critical evaluation of debris flow. This study takes basin as the study unit and defines collapse, landslide and debris flow hazard as a geo-hazard system. A multimode system composed of principal series system and secondary parallel system were established to evaluate the hazard grade of debris flow in 138 drainage basins of Qingping Town. The evaluation result shows that 30.43% of study basins (42 basins) and 24.58% of study area, are in extremely high or high hazard grades, and both percentage of basin quantity and percentage of area in different hazard grades decrease with the increase of hazard grade. According to the geo-hazard data from the interpretation of unmanned plane image with a 0.5-m resolution and field investigation after the Wenchuan Earthquake and 8.13 Big Debris Flow, the ratio of landslides and collapses increased after the Wenchuan Earthquake and the ratios of extremely high or high hazard grades were more than moderate or low hazard grades obviously. 23 geo-hazards after 8.13 Big Debris Flow in Qingping town region all occurred in basins with extremely high or high hazard grades, and 9 debris flows were in basins with extremely high hazard grade. The model of multimode system for critical evaluation could forecast not only the collapse and landslide but also the debris flow precisely when the basin was taken as the study unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the inscriptions and finishing marks present on the surfaces of the thousands of bronze weapons recovered together with the Terracotta Army at the mausoleum complex of Qin Shihuang, the First Emperor of China (259–210BC). After utilising the textual information from the inscriptions to reconstruct aspects of labour organisation and political control during the production of the weapons, the work concentrates on documenting and explaining the techniques employed to produce the inscriptions, to file casting imperfections, and to obtain the smooth, shiny and sharp finish still noticeable on many of the weapons. Silicone rubber impressions of surface features of swords, lances, crossbow triggers and arrows were examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM), and these observations were supplemented with examination of the artefacts under the stereomicroscope and the SEM. The evidence indicates the use of a variety of chisels for making the inscriptions, and of files for removing excess metal from surfaces. In addition, the grinding and polishing marks demonstrate the large-scale, systematic use of rotary wheels to achieve an ideal final polish. These findings are contextualised in the broader history of Chinese metallurgy, with special attention to the emergence of iron tools and of rotary mechanical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Terracotta Army of the First Emperor of China is one of the most emblematic archaeological sites in the world. Many questions remain about the logistics of technology, standardisation and labour organisation behind the creation of such a colossal construction in just a few decades over 2,000 years ago. An ongoing research project co-ordinated between the UCL Institute of Archaeology and the Museum of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum is beginning to address some of these questions. This paper outlines some results of the typological, metric, microscopic, chemical and spatial analyses of the 40,000 bronze weapons recovered with the Terracotta Warriors. Thanks to a holistic approach developed specifically for this project, it is possible to reveal remarkable aspects of the organisation of the Qin workforce in production cells, of the standardisation, efficiency and quality-control procedures employed, and of the sophisticated technical knowledge of the weapon-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The effect of spatial pattern on nutrient removal is investigated using a spatial simulation model. Field data have been used from reed marshes in the Liaohe Delta, China. Four scenarios have been designed to test the effect of different landscape components on nutrient removal in the reed marsh: canal density, reed area size, reed area shrinking pattern, and pumping station position. Using the same spatial model especially designed for the study area, the efficiency of nutrient removal in each of these scenarios is simulated. The results indicate that spatial variations within each factor cause less than 10% change in the removal of total nutrients. More canals make little difference. Smaller areas are more efficient than larger ones. Some shrinkage patterns are better than others. Close proximity of the pumping station to the border of the area to be irrigated is more efficient than more distant locations. These conclusions provide theoretical support to strategic decisions for local land use planning, and contribute to the understanding of the relationship between landscape patterns and functions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the increase in coastal hazards induced by global change, estuarine deltas are urgently required to enhance nature-based coastal defenses. This study sets an example at the Nanhui nearshore salt marshes in the Yangtze Estuary, China, with a one-dimension wave attenuation empirical model and Landscape Resistance Index (LRI). We explored wave attenuation by salt marshes at site and transect scale, and put forward potential approaches to improve coastal defenses. Results showed that 1) the two 10 m-wide stripes of typical vegetation (Spartina alterniflora and Scirpus mariqueter) could attenuate wave height mostly when incident wave height was 0.22 m and 0.20 m, respectively; 2) under the condition of 0.6 m initial wave height, wave attenuation rate among all transects ranged from 32.50% to 98.30% (71.30 ± 16.09% on average); and 3) Land cover-Position-Length weighted LRI was an effective indicator for the relationship between wave attenuation and landscape pattern. Wave attenuation by salt marshes differ in various environments and are species specific. Wave attenuation along transects was also affected by both land cover and spatial configuration. Thus, we proposed some salt marsh restoration strategies, such as preferential restoration of long transects, differentiation of vegetation configuration, and engineering protections like low levees or breakwaters in front of salt marsh edges. These findings could be used to promote ecological functions in the Yangtze Estuary and other coastal marshes in the world. [Display omitted] • Wave attenuation by vegetation was species-specific and varied with environments. • Landscape Resistance Index was an effective indicator for wave attenuation by salt marshes. • Wave attenuation was influenced by both land cover and spatial configuration. • Transect landscape pattern should be considered in nature-based coastal defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A healthy ecosystem is the basis to guarantee efficient ecological services. Under the increasing anthropogenic disturbance island ecosystems tend to be more vulnerable after the construction of sea-cross bridges, which influence ecosystem services. Based on the Island Ecological Vulnerability Index (IEVI), a new index was formulated to assess island ecosystem service value of Zhujiajian Island (Zhejiang province, China) in 2015. This index is called Ecosystem service value adjusted with ecological vulnerability (AESV). The change of AESV in the next 20 years is forecasted based on the simulation of land use and IEVI during the research period. The main results of this study are: 1) Forest ecosystem services are most influenced by ecological vulnerability among all ecosystem types. The ecosystem service value of forests in 20 years estimated by the AESV method is 17% lower than the value estimated by the traditional method. 2) Forests, which accounts for 45% of the island area, supply 2/3 of the total ecosystem service value of the island, while the remaining ecosystem services are mainly provided by wetlands. 3) In the next 20 years, the value of ecosystem services will decrease rapidly under the pressure of land use change and the increase of IEVI. Compared with 2015, the AESV of the whole island in 2035 will decrease by 37%. The assessment of island ecosystem services adjusted with ecological vulnerability can improve the accuracy of the evaluation of services provided by an island ecosystem, and eventually provide a basis for the ecosystem management of vulnerable island ecosystems undergoing land use change such as occurs following their connection to the mainland via sea-cross bridges. Image 1 • Ecosystem service value decreases more rapidly under the dual pressure of land use change and ecological vulnerability in the next 20 years. • Forest service is most influenced by ecological vulnerability among all ecosystem types in Zhujiajian Island. • Forest, which accounts for 45% of the island area, supplies 2/3 of the total ecosystem service value of the island. • The assessment of island ecosystem services adjusted with ecological vulnerability can improve the accuracy of evaluation of island ecosystem services, and eventually provide basis for ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on China First Uranium Scientific deep Drilling project in China. It mentions that stratum model was considered while choosing Zoujiashan as drilling site. It states that the deep drill construction found four uranium mineralizations in the upper layers. It also mentions that Xiangshan deep polymetallic mineralization is a part of China polymetallic centralized area. It mentions Suichuan fault is important structure in the Xiangshan basin.

[Display omitted] • The Fe plaque content decreases significantly with the elevation of the tidal flat. • The content of Fe plaque in roots of Phragmites is higher than that of Spartina. • High soil Eh is conducive to the formation of crystalline Fe plaque. • The diversity of rhizosphere bacteria in Phragmites is higher than that in Spartina. • The rhizosphere of Phragmites at low tide flat enriches more Fe bacteria than Spartina. As two common estuarine wetland plants in China, Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis significantly differ in the mechanism of gas transportation and radial oxygen loss, and this difference can lead to significant differences in the shaping of the rhizosphere bacterial community and the formation of root iron (Fe) plaque. In this study, the difference in root Fe plaque formation between S. alterniflora and P. australis on the redoxcline of tidal flat was determined, and the composition of Fe-oxidizing bacteria (IOB) and Fe-reducing bacteria (IRB) communities in the rhizosphere and Fe plaque of the two plants was compared. With the increase in soil redox potential (Eh), the Fe plaque (amorphous and crystalline forms) content in the roots of S. alterniflora and P. australis decreased significantly. The Fe plaque content in the roots of P. australis was significantly higher than that of S. alterniflora , regardless of the tidal level. High soil Eh improved the formation of crystallized Fe plaque, as the proportion of crystalline Fe plaque increased significantly with the increase in soil Eh. Under similar soil Eh, the microbial diversity of the P. australis rhizosphere was higher than that of the S. alterniflora rhizosphere. The relative abundances of the dominant IOB and IRB, such as the genera Desulfuromonas , Geothermonbacter , Pseudomonas , Paracoccus , Geobacter , Amaricoccus , Pelobacter , and Gallionella , in the P. australis rhizosphere in low-tidal flat are generally higher than those in the S. alterniflora rhizosphere. However, the relative abundances of primary IRB (such as Desulfuromonas) and IOB (such as Pseudomonas) in the rhizosphere of the two plants increased with the increase in soil Eh and soil total Fe content, indicating that the enrichment of Fe bacteria in the S. alterniflora and P. australis rhizospheres may not be the primary determinant of Fe plaque formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the clinical and genetic features of Chinese patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII), thereby improving early detection, disease management, and patient outcomes. A retrospective review of medical records for five patients presenting with coarse facial features, rib protrusion, chest deformities, and scoliosis was conducted. Exome sequencing was employed to identify causative genetic mutations. The study comprised five patients (four males, one female) with disease onset at six months of age (range: 0–1.5 years). Common symptoms included coarse facial features, skeletal abnormalities, delayed motor and language development, and intellectual disability. Approximately 80% of the patients exhibited multiple skeletal dysplasias, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, and snoring; 60% had hernias; 40% reported hearing loss and hepatosplenomegaly. Less frequent manifestations were short stature, valvular heart disease, non-immune hydrops fetalis, and corneal opacity. All patients demonstrated elevated urine glycosaminoglycans levels and absent β-glucuronidase activity in leukocytes. Exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations in the GUSB gene in all four tested patients, uncovering seven mutations in total, three of which were novel (c.189G > A, c.869C > T, and c.1745 T > C). Furthermore, prenatal diagnosis through chorionic villus sampling in subsequent pregnancies of one patient's mother revealed both fetuses had normal β-glucuronidase activity and no disease-causing mutations in the GUSB gene. The study's patients all presented with classic symptoms of MPS VII due to β-glucuronidase deficiency, with three new pathogenic mutations identified in the GUSB gene. Genetic counseling and prenatal testing were highlighted as crucial for disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt marshes provide crucial ecological functions and services and are experiencing rapid losses and degradation under global climate changes and high-intensity human activities in coastal zone. However, mapping salt marsh distributions and compositions with high accuracy on the national or global scale remains challenging. Here, we used Sentinel-1 time-series data and knowledge-based automatic decision tree classifiers to produce a 10-m map of the salt marshes in China coastal zones. We established annual synthetic aperture radar (SAR) composite features to address seasonal variations and tidal dynamics in salt marshes and created five partitioned-region classifiers according to the climatic and environmental characteristics. In total, 1729 Sentinel-1 images in 2019 and 3418 in situ sites were included for the classification. The results showed that (1) the annual mean SAR composite is more stable and practical than the seasonal composite for salt marsh classification along the China coastal zones in terms of these features addressing variations in tidal fluctuation, climate zones, and salt marsh compositions; (2) SAR surface roughness can effectively separate salt marshes into sparse density and red phenotype salt marshes; (3) the total area of Chinese coastal salt marshes was 127,477.37 ha with an overall accuracy of 87.30%, it included 48.30% Spartina alterniflora , 29.19% Phragmites australis , 13.76% Suaeda spp. and 8.75% Scirpus spp., and more than 85% of salt marshes were distributed from Shandong Province to Zhejiang Province. This study showed the potential application of time-series Sentinel-1 SAR data, annual composite data and knowledge-based classifiers for large-scale coastal zones, and these data will be valuable for coastal ecological restoration and sustainability management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Reference crop evapotranspiration (ET O) is a key factor for estimating crop water requirements, which guide agricultural irrigation. To improve the accuracy of predicting ET O in different climate zones in China that lack meteorological data, an ET O hybrid model based on K-nearest neighbour (KNN) machine learning algorithm for extracting factor contribution rates is proposed in this study. Meteorological factors with large contribution rates were selected as input, and a prediction model for ET O was established using the Elman daily ET O prediction model. The ET O prediction model was optimised using three optimisation algorithms [Genetic optimization algorithm (GA), Cuckoo optimization algorithm (CS) and Whale optimization algorithm (WOA)] to improve the accuracy of ET O prediction. The results revealed that surface radiation (Rs) is the most important factor in estimating ET O (contribution rate = 0.392–0.626), followed by temperature factors (T; including maximum, minimum, and average temperatures). And each model has the highest accuracy with the input combination of Rs and T. For the different machine learning models, the CS-Elman model had the highest accuracy (RMSE = 0.468–2.235, R2 = 0.567–0.928, MAE = 0.363–1.343, and NSE = 0.345–0.923), and the machine learning model had higher accuracy than the experience model. The CS-Elman model performed more favourably in tropical monsoon and subtropical monsoon regions than that in other areas, and the model performed best at the junction of two climatic zones. The results can provide a theoretical basis for high-precision prediction of ET O in different climate zones in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). Early and precise diagnosis can be highly important for the treatment, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis of this disease in potential candidates. Considering that Pompe disease studies have not been frequently conduced in China, to better understand the clinical course and molecular defects among this group, our study examined 21 Chinese patients with classic infantile Pompe disease. The median age of symptom onset in the patients was 2.5 months (0–7 months), and the median age of confirmed diagnosis was 5.6 months (2–12 months). GAA gene mutation analysis revealed 17 different mutations, two of which were novel (c.538C>A and c.2096T>C). The most frequent mutation in these patients was c.1935C>A, accounting for 40.5% (17/42 alleles) of the mutations. These results confirm the high prevalence of the c.1935C>A mutation in Chinese patients with classic infantile Pompe disease. Furthermore, identification of the novel alterations in the GAA gene will help to broaden the spectrum of the GAA mutations causing Pompe disease and to better understand the potential pathogenic role of each change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Midwives experience elevated levels of work-related stress. However, there is limited understanding of the patterns of this stress, its sociodemographic and work-related determinants, and its association with sub-health., Method: This multi-center cross-sectional study, conducted in 21 hospitals in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China, involved 300 midwives. Work-related stress levels in midwives were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Nursing Stress Scale, while social, physical and mental sub-health status was measured with the Sub-Health Measurement Scale. Utilizing latent profile analysis, the study aimed to categorize midwives into homogeneous profiles based on patterns of work-related stress., Results: Among the 300 midwives examined, three distinct profiles were identified: profile 1 (n=57, 19 %), characterized by low work-related stress; profile 2 (n=149, 50 %), representing the moderate work-related stress class; and profile 3 (n=94, 31 %), indicative of high work-related stress. Midwives in the high work-related stress profile tended to be younger, with lower monthly income, lower professional titles, and a higher likelihood of night shift work (all P<0.01). Significant and noteworthy trends were observed in sociodemographic characteristics (age, monthly income, and professional title) and work-related characteristics (night shift status). After controlling for confounders, the work-related stress profile demonstrated a negative association with social, physical and mental sub-health status., Conclusion: This study highlights integrating stress domains and adopting a person-centered approach to examine midwives' work-related stress. Identifying predictors of profile membership and their relationship with sub-health can inform tailored interventions to reduce stress and improve midwives' well-being., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Land reclamation is a widely adopted method for managing land shortage and promoting coastal economic development globally. However, its impacts on biodiversity vary based on distinct reclamation histories and land use management strategies in different regions. This study aims to examine the effects of reclamation history and land use types at different spatial scales on anuran communities in coastal reclaimed land, which are an important taxon in the coastal ecosystem. We used visual and acoustic encounter methods to survey anurans in 2016 and 2017 across 20 1-km radius coastal land reclamation landscapes with different reclamation histories (10, 20, and 60 y after reclamation) in Nanhui Dongtan of Shanghai, an important coastal land reclamation region along the Yangtze River Estuary. Landscape variables (farmlands, woodlands, and impermeable surface covers, and the landscape Shannon diversity index) at four different spatial scales (250 m, 500 m, 750 m and 1000 m) and water salinity in each landscape were measured. Our findings reveal differences in anuran communities between study sites with 10, 20, and 60 years of reclamation history. Abundances of the ornamented pygmy frog (Microhyla fissipes) and Beijing gold-striped pond frog (Pelophylax plancyi) in landscapes with a 10-year reclamation history were significantly lower compared to those with histories of 20 and 60 years. Zhoushan toad (Bufo gargarizans) abundance was significantly negatively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale and impermeable surface cover at the 250 m scale; Hong Kong rice-paddy frog (Fejervarya multistriata) abundance was significantly positively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale; ornamented pygmy frog abundance was positively related to farmland cover at the 1000 m scale; and Beijing gold-striped pond frog abundance was significantly positively and negatively related to the landscape Shannon diversity index at the 1000 m scale and to water salinity, respectively. Amphibians quickly migrated and colonized coastal reclaimed land from older natural lands. However, two anuran species with specific habitat requirements tended to avoid areas with shorter reclamation histories. The single-species models revealed different responses to various land uses at the various scales, which indicated that land use management was important to amphibian conservation in coastal reclamation regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)