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Previous masked translation priming studies, especially those with different-script bilinguals, have shown that cognates provide more priming than noncognates, a difference attributed to cognates' phonological similarity. In our experiments employing a word naming task, we examined this issue for Chinese-Japanese bilinguals in a slightly different way, using same-script cognates as primes and targets. In Experiment 1, significant cognate priming effects were observed. The sizes of the priming effects were, however, statistically not different for phonologically similar (e.g., ??/xin4lai4/-??/shiNrai/) and dissimilar cognate pairs (e.g., ??/bao3zheng4/-?? /hoshoR/), suggesting no impact of phonological similarity. In Experiment 2, using exclusively Chinese stimuli, we demonstrated a significant homophone priming effect using two-character logographic primes and targets, indicating that phonological priming is possible for two-character Chinese targets. However, priming only emerged for pairs that had the same tone pattern (e.g., ??/shou3wei4/-??/shou3wei4/), suggesting that a match in lexical tone is crucial for observing phonologically based priming in that situation. Therefore, Experiment 3 involved phonologically similar Chinese-Japanese cognate pairs in which the similarity of their suprasegmental phonological features (i.e., lexical tone and pitch-accent information) was varied. Priming effects were statistically not different for tone/accent similar pairs (e.g., ??/guan1xin1/-??/kaNsiN/) and dissimilar pairs (e.g., ??/man3zu2/-??/maNzoku/). Our results indicate that phonological facilitation is not involved in producing cognate priming effects for Chinese-Japanese bilinguals. Possible explanations, based on underlying representations of logographic cognates, are discussed.

Western-based research suggests a modest influence of founders' human capital on the business performance of new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Our exploratory, longitudinal study of 40 NTBFs in China, South Korea and Japan reveals that the human capital of their founders helps them to acquire executive talent, finance and customers, and thereby strongly enhances business performance. Furthermore, we find that East Asian NTBF founders leverage their human capital through networks with former colleagues and business partners in order to access key resources. These findings can be explained by cultural background factors such as social stratification and relational orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the 1st Joint Workshop on the A3 Foresight Program, which brought together climate and environmental scientists from South Korea, China, and Japan to share research on climate change, extreme weather events, aerosol-climate interactions, and the socioeconomic impacts on communities in Northeast Asia. The workshop aimed to reactivate international collaborations that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the need for improved understanding and prediction of climate behavior in the region. The article also discusses studies on climate changes, monsoon dynamics, aerosol concentrations, and the socioeconomic impacts of climate change on Northeast Asian communities. The workshop was successful in fostering international networking and will be followed by a second workshop in China. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, we conducted the quantitative evaluation of aerosol optical properties in the Indochina Peninsula (ICP), which is significantly affected yearly by both biomass burning (BB) and anthropogenic aerosols, using Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) aerosol products. To perform spatiotemporal analysis with validated aerosol data, the MERRA-2 aerosol optical depth (AOD) and absorption AOD (AAOD) data were evaluated based on sky radiometer observations at the SKYNET Phimai site (15.18° N, 102.56° E). Furthermore, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy was conducted, providing additional data for the comparison of the aerosol extinction coefficient (AEC) vertical profile data. MERRA-2 AOD, AAOD, and AEC at altitudes below 1 km were underestimated in the dry season, with relative mean biases of 0.84, 0.54, and 0.48, respectively. These underestimations are attributed to insufficient BB emissions of light-absorbing aerosols near the surface. On the basis of these results, we investigated the factors that determined spatiotemporal variations in AOD over ICP from 2009 to 2020. We found that the seasonal variations in AOD were driven mainly by organic carbon (OC) and sulfate aerosols. OC AOD was dominant during the active BB period (from January to March), whereas sulfate AOD was high all year round, accounting for more than 25% of the total AOD. Sulfate AOD in the northeast ICP (NEIC) was approximately 74% of the total AOD in October, indicating the remarkable effect of sulfate aerosol transportation from southern China (SC). In the period of study, AOD decreased in NEIC and south ICP (SIC) by − 4.40% and − 3.00% year−1, respectively, corresponding to the decrease in sulfur dioxide concentrations in SC and NEIC. Thus, OC AOD was dominant during the active BB periods, whereas a significant amount of anthropogenic aerosols from SC contributed to the atmospheric environment over ICP throughout 2009–2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The associations between ambient coarse particulate matter (PM2.5-10) and daily mortality are not fully understood on a global scale. Objectives: To evaluate the short-term associations between PM2.5-10 and total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality across multiple countries/regions worldwide. Methods: We collected daily mortality (total, cardiovascular, and respiratory) and air pollution data from 205 cities in 20 countries/regions. Concentrations of PM2.5-10 were computed as the difference between inhalable and fine PM. A two-stage time-series analytic approach was applied, with overdispersed generalized linear models and multilevel meta-analysis. We fitted two-pollutant models to test the independent effect of PM2.5-10 from copollutants (fine PM, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide). Exposure-response relationship curves were pooled, and regional analyses were conducted. Measurements and Main Results: A 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5-10 concentration on lag 0-1 day was associated with increments of 0.51% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18%-0.84%), 0.43% (95% CI, 0.15%-0.71%), and 0.41% (95% CI, 0.06%-0.77%) in total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, respectively. The associations varied by country and region. These associations were robust to adjustment by all copollutants in two-pollutant models, especially for PM2.5. The exposure-response curves for total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were positive, with steeper slopes at lower exposure ranges and without discernible thresholds. Conclusions: This study provides novel global evidence on the robust and independent associations between short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5-10 and total, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, suggesting the need to establish a unique guideline or regulatory limit for daily concentrations of PM2.5-10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant carbon (C) input via litter decomposition is essential for forming soil organic C (SOC). Previous studies have investigated the fate of litter C through one-time litter addition, while litter input could be recurrent, e.g., gradual litter input from above-ground plant material in diverse ecosystems. This paper investigates how litter input's frequency (single vs. repeated) and amount (low vs. high) affect the SOC formation and the associated microbial community composition and activity in a controlled microcosm experiment. After incubating the 13C-labeled litter (Stipa krilovii) for 80 days with the fresh field soil collected from a semi-arid steppe in Inner Mongolia, China, we measured newly formed SOC, microbial biomass C (MBC), and microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) indicated by 13C-labeling. The repeated litter addition resulted in 19.92% greater and 12.45% more efficient SOC formation than the single addition. Repeated litter addition also increased C use efficiency (CUE, + 76.71%), indicating more substrate C allocated for microbial growth than respiration. It also enhanced the fungi to bacteria ratio by 47.40% (based on 13C-PLFA) and maintained relatively stable microbial assimilation of litter C (based on 13C-MBC). These findings were consistent regardless of litter amounts. Our results indicate that the uninterrupted litter input to the soil in natural ecosystems benefits SOC formation and highlights soil fungi's critical role in promoting SOC formation. This study suggests that incorporating plant C input frequency into SOC dynamic models may improve the predictions of C cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern Asia is a major source of global air pollution. The distribution and intensity of these emissions are becoming well characterized, but their impact on the earth surface considering regional hydroclimatological settings has yet to be quantified. Here we show high-resolution spatiotemporal trace metal distributions of precipitation samples collected throughout the Japanese archipelago in 2013, when the world's coal consumption was the greatest, to depict the mass transportation and deposition of pollution. The results show that metals emitted through coal combustion transported from the continent via prevailing wind were intensively deposited along the western coast of the archipelago during winter due to heavy snowing, resulting in lead (Pb) concentration of precipitations exceed the critical level (> 10 μg l−1). About 1497 tons of Pb of continental origin loaded through wet deposition accounted for over ca. 87% of the total annual flux in 2013, which constituted ca. 18.5% of the total emissions from China in 2012. This study presents the first detailed picture of monsoon climate-controlled atmospheric metal transportation and loading in the hotspot region after the phase-out of leaded gasoline in the twentieth century. The dataset can serve as a base for evaluating the effect of countermeasures implemented recent year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has been gradually shifting away from its traditional non-interference approach in development initiatives. This is particularly notable in the implementation of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a mega-development scheme that China is advancing in Pakistan. In this case, China's aid and investment entail extensive interference in Pakistan's internal affairs, forcing Pakistan to alter policies, regulations, and institutional arrangements over its political and economic governance, along with directly engaging with non-governmental actors in the country. Such acts of interference are largely orientated toward centralizing the decision-making and execution process in Pakistan over the CPEC, thereby facilitating its implementation in a manner profitable for Chinese stakeholders. This approach can be regarded as China's promotion of autocracy in a 'pragmatic' way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-2010s, China's policy toward the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan has shifted away from its traditional contours, where Beijing distanced itself from the dispute and acted as a mere development partner in the Pakistan-controlled territory. Although the much-hyped China–Pakistan Economic Corridor itself did not significantly change the nature of China's development and economic activities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, after its launch in 2015, Beijing signaled its willingness to take a mediator role, conducted activities entailing the employment of the PLA in the area, and even nudged Islamabad to take steps that would affect the geographical scope of the Kashmir sovereignty question. Then, in the wake of India's announcement of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the reorganization of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, China's Kashmir policy further drifted away from its traditional line. References to the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir reemerged in China's public statements and Beijing took diplomatic actions to support Pakistan's bid to internationalize the Kashmir issue. As a result, China's Kashmir policy has been turning into a serious source of friction in Sino–Indian relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hereditary basis and identification of novel genes of heading date have significant implications for japonica rice improvement in northeast China, especially in Heilongjiang province. A re‐sequenced recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the cross between Lijiangxintuanheigu (LTH) and Shennong 265 (SN265) was used to detect the genetic basis for the RIL in 2017 and 2018. Fourteen heading date quantitative trait loci (QTLs), including nine in 2017 and thirteen in 2018, were detected with a linkage map containing 2,818 bin markers. They were distributed on chromosomes 3, 4, 6 and 9–11 with 9.34%–25.26% phenotypic variations. The QTLs qHD3a, qHD4a, qHD4b, qHD4c, qHD9b, qHD10, qHD11c and qHD11d were identified in both years. The qTRS1, qTRS3a (qHD3a), qTRS3b (qHD3b) and qTRS9 (qHD9a) alleles from LTH and the qTRS4 allele from SN265 were identified by controlling the temperature responsiveness in the RIL population. The explained phenotypic variation in these five QTLs varied from 14.52% to 26.31%. In order to accurately determine the difference in heading date under different temperature conditions, the RILs and two parents were grown in a phytotron. Four QTLs controlling temperature responsiveness were identified on chromosomes 3, 6 and 9, including qTRS3a (qHD3a), qTRS3b (qHD3b), qTRS6 and qTRS9 (qHD9a). In a different environment, qTRS3a (qHD3a), qTRS3b (qHD3b) and qTRS9 (qHD9a) were detected. A comparison of chromosomal locations between the QTLs detected in this study and heading date genes previously cloned indicated that DTH3, Hd16, RFL, HAF1, Ehd2 and RBS1 might be candidate genes for them. The four major heading date genes (Hd1, Ghd7, Ghd7.1 and Ghd8) affecting ecogeographical adaptation were sequenced between SN265 and LTH. SN265 carried a functional Hd1 haplotype, a weak functional Ghd7 haplotype, a weak functional Ghd7.1 haplotype and a weak functional Ghd8 haplotype. LTH also carried functional Hd1 haplotype, a weak functional Ghd7 haplotype, a non‐functional Ghd7.1 haplotype and a non‐functional Ghd8 haplotype. The combinations of the Hd1, Ghd7, Ghd7.1 and Ghd8 alleles in SN265 and LTH largely defined their short heading date under long‐day conditions. The selection of heading date gene combinations with functional Hd1 alleles and non‐functional alleles or weak functional alleles of Ghd7, Ghd7.1 and Ghd8 would be an effective way to improve japonica rice with proper heading days in Northeast China. The novel QTLs detected in this study could also become a valuable source for designing the appropriate heading date in Northeast China japonica rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing North Korea is essential for examining international relations in East Asia as a whole, but North Korea's tight control over information makes this difficult. Another factor complicating analysis of North Korea is its "special relationship" with China. The aim of this paper is to examine four factors contributing to the "special relationship" between China and North Korea, how that relationship came about, and how it functions within the context of international politics today. This paper is a structural analysis of China–North Korea relations that describes four factors behind their "special relationship." It continues by analyzing China–North Korea relations under Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un up to the deployment of THAAD in South Korea. The "special relationship" between China and North Korea is based on four factors. What is distinctive about these factors is that they can bring the two sides together but also push them apart. In terms of national security issues, the force bringing them together has ultimately prevailed. Socialist ideology issues have surfaced much less frequently now and have lost their capacity to both bring the two together and push them apart. In the area of traditional ties, the two leaders are attempting to use their personal relationship to have closer relations, but this is not having much lasting effect. Where economic relations are concerned, Beijing and Pyongyang have become even more dependent on each other and this is a strong force pushing them closer together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hangenberg Crisis at the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary is known as a polyphase extinction event that affected more than 45 % of marine and terrestrial genera. As the cause of this event is still debated, analyses were carried out on sedimentary samples from the Devonian–Carboniferous Pho Han Formation in northeastern Vietnam to reconstruct the paleoenvironment around the time of this event using stable carbon isotopes; total sulfur; manganese; vanadium; molybdenum; and sedimentary organic matter, such as dibenzothiophenes, cadalene, and regular steranes. These geochemical signatures provide a high‐resolution redox history for this section and show that transgression‐driven high primary productivity, possibly enhanced by terrestrial input, caused severe oxygen depletion along the continental margin of the South China block during the Hangenberg Crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the shadow of China's rise involving relative US hegemonic decline, Japan is considered to have played supplementary and complementary roles to buttress the international status quo and to have been engaged in a geoeconomic competition with China. Yet, in October 2018, Japan and China announced an about-face on their respective bilateral policy lines from competition to cooperation. This change begs the question of if the two in fact followed a competitive game at the grand-strategic levels. The study will cast a doubt about the assumed link of the two countries' declared policy lines and actual policy actions and argue for the case of a propaganda rivalry. This study will examine Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy" against China's "Belt and Road Initiative" Strategy, with focus on their status within the respective national strategy systems, financial resources and funds, and project feasibility/viability. Then the study will identify some crucial factors of the two countries' setbacks and analyze their transitory reconciliation. This paper is intended to exemplify a realist approach to systematic and critical examination of "strategy", a most abused term, that often misguides foreign and security policy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although recreational drug use is associated with risky sexual behaviors and HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM), it is unclear to what extent these behaviors and outcomes differ between single-drug users and polydrug users in China. This is a cross-sectional study conducted from July to September 2016 among MSM in three cities of Sichuan Province, China. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine factors correlated with single-drug and polydrug use. A total of 1,122 participants were included in the study. Overall, 28% of MSM have ever used recreational drugs, of whom 64.0% were single-drug users, and 36.0% were polydrug users. Factors associated with both single-drug and polydrug use included: receptive sexual role (single-drug use: AOR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.05–3.07; polydrug use: AOR = 6.00, 95% CI: 2.54–14.17), engaging in group sex (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.28–3.87; AOR = 4.68, 95% CI: 2.41–9.08), frequent alcohol use (AOR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.75–5.52; AOR = 6.41, 95% CI: 2.50–16.47), seeking partners mainly by Internet (AOR = 4.87, 95% CI: 3.31–7.17; AOR = 4.58, 95% CI: 2.58–8.14), history of STIs (AOR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.08–3.21; AOR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.77–6.26) and HIV infection (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.02–3.02; AOR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.62–6.26). Our findings suggest the urgent need for HIV and STIs prevention programs among MSM in China to integrate strategies that mitigate recreational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurial ecosystems at the regional level have been intensively studied in Western countries, but much less so in East Asia. We study five major ecosystems located in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Suzhou, and Chongqing, focusing on the business conditions for information technology (IT) start-ups. Our domain analysis reveals that these entrepreneurial ecosystems differ in various important aspects from leading Western counterparts such as Silicon Valley. Furthermore, we find differences in the growth and internationalization of firms across entrepreneurial ecosystems in China, Japan, and South Korea. Public policy should focus on supporting high-potential start-ups and strengthening the ecosystems' global outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract A large catastrophic rock avalanche with a total volume of ~18.0 × 106 m3 occurred at 5:38 am, 24th June 2017, at Xinmo Village, Maoxian, Sichuan, China, resulting in 102 casualties (10 deaths, 3 injuries, and 89 missing). We have been conducting a geological and geomorphological investigation in and around the Xinmo landslide site since 2015, and we present our results here, including data obtained before and after the landslide event. The landslide, which had an initial volume of 4.46 × 106 m3 of its source area, was induced by rainfall on a previous landslide scar near the ridge top. This initial landslide then struck and remobilized older landslide deposits in the middle and lower parts of the slope, which subsequently buried Xinmo Village at the landslide toe. The landslide occurred on a dip slope of Triassic calcareous psammitic and pelitic schists. The bedding plane, which dips downslope to the south with an orientation of N80°W/48°S, and high-angle NE–SW striking joints bounded the landslide source area at its base and sides, respectively. Satellite image analysis and field observations of the slope of the landslide scar before and after the landslide strongly suggest that the beds in the source area had already begun gravitationally deforming (e.g., buckling) prior to the 2017 landslide. Moreover, pits on the slip surface were likely the result of the dissolution of calcareous material. Dissolution probably reduced the rock strength along the bedding plane. A rainfall event from the 16th to 24th of June 2017 probably dominated the groundwater drainage, and finally triggered the catastrophic rock avalanche. In addition to the 2017 landslide, the hillslope just to the east of the Xinmo landslide exhibits pronounced gravitational slope deformation, including "A-tent"-like structures and warps induced by buckling. This suggests that this slope could also fail like the Xinmo rock avalanche during a future rainfall or earthquake event. Highlights • Geological and geomorphological features of the Xinmo landslide were characterized. • Geological structures generated by buckling existed prior to the landslide. • A stability evaluation indicates that the buckling preceded the landslide. • The landslide was probably induced by pore pressure buildup due to rainfall. • A slope near the landslide has been gravitationally deformed and is prepared to fail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) has been shown to be beneficial following resection of gastric cancer in South Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese patients. This phase II study (J-CLASSIC-PII) was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of XELOX in Japanese patients with resected gastric cancer. Methods: Patients with stage II or III gastric cancer who underwent curative D2 gastrectomy received adjuvant XELOX (eight 3-week cycles of oral capecitabine, 1000 mg/m twice daily on days 1-14, plus intravenous oxaliplatin 130 mg/m on day 1). The primary endpoint was dose intensity. Secondary endpoints were safety, proportion of patients completing treatment, and 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. Results: One hundred patients were enrolled, 76 of whom completed the study as planned. The mean dose intensity was 67.2 % (95 % CI, 61.9-72.5 %) for capecitabine and 73.4 % (95 % CI, 68.4-78.4 %) for oxaliplatin, which were higher than the predefined age-adjusted threshold values of 63.4 % and 69.4 %, respectively, and the study therefore met its primary endpoint. The 1-year DFS rate was 86 % (95 % CI, 77-91 %). No new safety signals were identified. Conclusions: The feasibility of adjuvant XELOX in Japanese patients with resected gastric cancer is similar to that observed in South Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese patients in the Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin Adjuvant Study in Stomach Cancer (CLASSIC) study. Based on findings from this study and the CLASSIC study, the XELOX regimen can be considered an adjuvant treatment option for Japanese gastric cancer patients who have undergone curative resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot study to measure ambient gamma dose rate and radon and thoron progeny concentrations was made for eight dwellings selected in Yangjiang, China. Indoor and outdoor ambient gamma dose rates were 110-370 and 100-220 nGy h, respectively. Doses received from indoor terrestrial radiation were estimated to be 0.6-1.8 mSv year. Radon, thoron and thoron progeny concentrations were 19-98, 18-1120 and 0.4-10.3 Bq m, respectively. This pilot study showed that the position of passive-type monitors to be placed and the deployment period should be carefully determined for estimating reliable annual average concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric column-averaged methane (XCH4) observations from GOSAT are analyzed to study the spatiotemporal variation of XCH4 in China. Furthermore, we investigate the driving mechanism of XCH4 spatiotemporal variations, especially for high XCH4 values shown over Sichuan Basin, by analyzing both the emission mechanism of rice planting process and the regional atmosphere dynamic transportation. The results indicate that spatially the Sichuan Basin presents a higher XCH4 concentration than other regions in China and is 17 ppb higher than the paddy area in the same latitude zone. Seasonally, XCH4 in Sichuan Basin during rice harvest season is generally higher than that in early cultivation period. However, comparing to paddy area in the same latitude zone, Sichuan Basin shows a relatively higher XCH4 value during the winter of noncultivation period when the emissions from rice paddies are weak and surface air temperature is low. To further investigate the high XCH4 concentration during this low-emission period, we use the HYSPLIT model to simulate the atmosphere dynamic transport process, and the result suggests that the typical closed topography of Sichuan Basin, which may lead to CH4 accumulation and keep it from diffusion, is one possible reason for the high XCH4 value in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Little is known about inter-individual variation in psychological stress in modernizing rural populations in developing countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody titer, a biomarker of psychological stress, and lifestyle parameters in rural communities in Hainan Island, China. Methods EBV antibody titer was measured in dried blood spot (DBS) samples collected from 240 adults living in rural communities in Hainan Island. Measures of two major lifestyle changes in rural areas of Hainan Island, i.e., diet and commercial goods possession, were examined by using information on the weekly frequency of pork consumption and monthly mobile phone fees. Both parameters were standardized to create two composite scores: a total affluence index (TAI-the sum of these scores), and an investment tendency index (ITI-the difference between them). Least-squares regression analysis was used to investigate the association between EBV antibody titer and these lifestyle parameters. Results A positive association was found between the frequency f pork consumption and EBV antibody titer ( P = 0.040), whereas a negative association was found between mobile phone fees and EBV antibody titer ( P = 0.028). A negative association was also observed between ITI and EBV antibody titer ( P = 0.002) after adjusting for the effect of TAI. Conclusion Psychological stress among local residents was linked to the type of lifestyle changes they had experienced, where the adoption of a more market-oriented lifestyle, irrespective of current affluence, was associated with less psychological stress. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:36-42, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the inception of its military campaign into Central Asia via the Gansu corridor, the Tang dynasty had to ensure the shipment of extensive military supplies to support the activities of its occupying armies north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. Since the government paid soldiers’ salaries and bought supplies using silk, the timely delivery of silk from central China was critical. Most of the silk was collected in the central provinces under the zuyongdiao 租庸調 tax system, whether as stipulated payments of tax textiles or cloth-paid-in-place-of-annual-corvée tax. All this silk had to be shipped to the Western Regions. This article examines where this silk was made, how it was shipped to the north-west and how the system changed over time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HIV antibody testing and associated factors among heterosexual sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic attendees in China. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was administered among 823 attendees of 4 STD clinics of Zhejiang Province, China in October to December 2007. Psychosocial and behavioural factors associated with HIV antibody testing were identified in both genders using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of all 823 STD clinic attendees, 9.3% of male and 18.0% of female attendees underwent HIV antibody testing in the most recent 6 months, and 60% of the participants had gotten no educational/behavioral intervention related to HIV prevention. The correlates for HIV antibody testing in the most recent 6 months as identified by multivariate analysis were ever condom use [odds ratio (OR), 10.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.32-81.22]; ever anal/oral sex (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.03-9.50) during their lifetime; having ever received three to seven types of behavioural interventions in the most recent 6 months (OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.32-10.36) among male subjects; and ever condom use (OR, 12.50; 95% CI, 2.20-71.01), STD history (OR, 3.86; 95% CI, 1.26-11.86) over their lifetime, or having ever received three to seven types of behavioural interventions in the most recent 6 months (OR, 8.68; 95% CI, 2.39-31.46) in female subjects. A lifetime experience of casual/commercial sex partners was strongly negatively associated with HIV testing in female subjects (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01-0.83). Conclusion: The low prevalence of HIV antibody testing and behavioural intervention among STD clinic attendees indicates a need for more targeted, intensive behavioural interventions to promote HIV antibody testing in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Monitoring soil moisture with spatial and temporal distribution is in big demand in arid and semi-arid regions. In Loess Plateau in China, where soil erosion is a major issue, information about soil water content helps in the planning of regional water resources and vegetation restoration for the prevention of erosion. In this study, we have developed the SWEST (soil water estimation from surface temperature) method by integrating well-known relationships among surface temperature, evapotranspiration and soil water content. An advantage of the proposed SWEST method is that it can estimate soil water content for the location of a water source of evapotranspiration, where there would be a near-surface for bare soil and the root zone for well vegetated surfaces. A verification study conducted at Liudaogou River Basin of the Loess Plateau, China, indicated the method could estimate soil water content accurately, with an estimation error of about 2.6% of the total volume of soil. Application of the method to satellite thermal imaging successfully presented the applicability of the SWEST method to estimate soil water content with spatial and temporal variability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Beijing 2008 Olympics Research and Development Project (B08RDP), initiated in 2004 under the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), undertook the research and development of mesoscale ensemble prediction systems (MEPSs) and their application to weather forecast support during the Beijing Olympic Games. Six MEPSs from six countries, representing the state-of-the-art regional EPSs with near-real-time capabilities and emphasizing on the 6-36-h forecast lead times, participated in the project. The background, objectives, and implementation of B08RDP, as well as the six MEPSs, are reviewed. The accomplishments are summarized, which include 1) providing value-added service to the Olympic Games, 2) advancing MEPS-related research, 3) accelerating the transition from research to operations, and 4) training forecasters in utilizing forecast uncertainty products. The B08RDP has fulfilled its research (MEPS development) and demonstration (value-added service) purposes. The research conducted covers the areas of verification, examining the value of MEPS relative to other numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems, combining multimodel or multicenter ensembles, bias correction, ensemble perturbations [[initial condition (IC), lateral boundary condition (LBC), land surface IC, and model physics]], downscaling, forecast applications, data assimilation, and storm-scale ensemble modeling. Seven scientific issues important to MEPS have been identified. It is recognized that the daily use of forecast uncertainty information by forecasters remains a challenge. Development of forecaster-friendly products and training activities should be a long-term effort and needs to be continuously enhanced. The B08RDP dataset is also a valuable asset to the research community. The experience gained in international collaboration, organization, and implementation of a multination regional EPS for a common goal and to address common scientific issues can be shared by the ongoing projects The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) Interactive Grand Global Ensemble-Limited Area Models (TIGGE-LAM) and North American Ensemble Forecast System-Limited Area Models (NAEFS-LAM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's recent claims to a large “U-shaped” area in the South China Sea, involving the disputed Spratly and Paracel Islands, has given rise to a number of serious criticisms not only from neighboring states, but also some states beyond the region. The claim also raises a number of theoretical questions, including whether historic title claims without hard evidence have validity under international law. This article explores this and other issues raised by China's U-shaped claim. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During the period around the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Beijing 2008 Olympics Research and Development Project (B08RDP) was conducted as part of the World Weather Research Program short-range weather forecasting research project. Mesoscale ensemble prediction (MEP) experiments were carried out by six organizations in near-real time, in order to share their experiences in the development of MEP systems. The purpose of this study is to objectively verify these experiments and to clarify the problems associated with the current MEP systems through the same experiences. Verification was performed using the MEP outputs interpolated into a common verification domain with a horizontal resolution of 15 km. For all systems, the ensemble spreads grew as the forecast time increased, and the ensemble mean improved the forecast errors compared with individual control forecasts in the verification against the analysis fields. However, each system exhibited individual characteristics according to the MEP method. Some participants used physical perturbation methods. The significance of these methods was confirmed by the verification. However, the mean error (ME) of the ensemble forecast in some systems was worse than that of the individual control forecast. This result suggests that it is necessary to pay careful attention to physical perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 7.9 induced numerous slope movements on the hanging walls of fault surface ruptures and on steep inner valleys along the Minjiang River. Landslide moving directions showed preferred orientations normal to the fault ruptures, indicating the effect of the directivity of the seismic wave. The most common landslides were of carbonate rocks, which are easily dissolved and decrease the contact surfaces. The largest non-volcanic landslide in history was induced in bedded dolomite by the earthquake, and was preceded by gravitational deformation with ridge-top depressions. Valley-fill materials were mobilized at 36 locations, probably by pore water pressure build up. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents information from interview surveys of the inhabitants of two villages in Hainan Island, China to determine their adaptive strategies to government environmental by-laws. Shuiman village has been influenced by government by-laws for environmental conservation and tourism, while Paori village has adopted cash crops that have been introduced by the government. The study also included an analysis of satellite images. The article notes that Shuiman village’s grasslands have become secondary forest land, while in Paori village the shrub/grasslands and secondary forest, as well as the place where slash-and-burn gardening was practiced, were converted to cash crop gardens.

Aim: To examine the association between food diversity and health status of Han and Tibetan elderly highlanders in Qinghai Plateau, China. Methods: The study population consisted of 240 community-dwelling elderly subjects aged 60 years or more (176 Han elderly subjects, 64 Tibetan ones). Food diversity was determined using an 11-item Food Diversity Score Kyoto (FDSK-11). Subjects were interviewed on health status including activities of daily living (ADL), screening-based depression and quality of life (QOL). Blood chemical investigation was carried out in association with food diversity. Results: ADL was significantly lower in both Han and Tibetan elderly with lower food diversity than those with higher diversity. In Han elderly with lower food diversity, QOL was significantly lower in the items of subjective sense of health, relationship with family and subjective happiness, but not significant in Tibetan elderly. A close association was found between lower food diversity and lower financial satisfaction in both Han and Tibetan subjects. No association was found between food diversity and age or body mass index. Higher food diversity was associated with lower blood glucose level in Han elderly subjects, but the opposite association was found in Tibetan ones. Conclusion: Food diversity was associated with ADL and QOL in highlanders in Qinghai, China. Food assessment is very important as a useful indicator to establish the actual condition of diet and its relation to health status of community-dwelling elderly as well as the change of economic background in the Qinghai highlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although there are several factors which may contribute to oxidative stress at high altitude, little is known about the association between oxidative stress and aging in the community-dwelling elderly in the Tibetan Plateau. Methods: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and comprehensive geriatric functions were examined among 235 community-dwelling elderly subjects aged 60 years or more (146 Hans and 89 Tibetans). As a marker of ROS, the levels of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) were measured using the d-ROM test. Results: The rate of dependence of basic activities of daily living (basic ADL) among Tibetan elderly highlanders was significantly higher than that among Han elderly highlanders. The d-ROM level was higher among the Tibetan elderly than those among the Han elderly (Tibetan 465.6 ± 97.9 Carr U, Han 415.3 ± 72.0 Carr U, P = 0.003). The ROM level was higher among women than those among men. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that being Tibetan, female, and oxygen saturation were independent predictors of increasing d-ROM level (Tibetan β, 0.241; female β, 0.206; oxygen saturation β, 0.218). The high levels of ROM (d-ROM >500 Carr U) were significantly associated with dependence of basic ADL after adjustment for age, sex and ethnicity (odds ratio = 2.51, P = 0.028). Conclusion: The findings of this study imply the possibility that ROS is higher among Tibetan elderly highlanders than that of Han, which related to the geriatric items. Further studies are needed to show the impact of oxidative stress on the aging of highlanders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To reveal the comparison of comprehensive geriatric functions of elderly highlanders in Qinghai Plateau in China among three different ethnic groups. Methods: Activities of daily living (ADL), screening-based depression, quality of life (QOL) and checking-up of metabolic syndrome including community-based oral glucose tolerance test were assessed in 393 community-dwelling elderly subjects aged 60 years or more (247 Han elderly subjects, 49 Mongolian ones and 97 Tibetan ones). Results: Tibetan elderly highlanders were more disabled in ADL, but had higher QOL than Han elderly ones in Qinghai Plateau. Blood pressure measurements, rate of hypertension and hemoglobin concentrations in Tibetan elderly highlanders were lower than Han ones. Rates of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in elderly highlanders were relatively lower than other Asian elderly lowlanders. Conclusion: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in elderly highlanders in Qinghai was still not high, however, we should pay attention to its tendency related with socialglobalism in the near future. Further investigation on physiological adaptability to hypoxic environment and human ageing phenomena in a global context may open a new research frontier for ageing science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The objective of this study is to disclose the association of polycythemia with lifestyle-related diseases (hypertension, obesity and glucose intolerance) among the three ethnicities in Qinghai, China. Methods: The subjects were 393 elderly people (247 Han, 97 Tibetan and 49 Mongolian) aged 60 years and more living in Qinghai (3000 m a.s.l.) in China. The associated factors with polycythemia were analyzed in the subjects. Excessive polycythemia was defined as hemoglobin concentration over 20 mg/dL. Results: Polycythemia was associated with men, hypoxemia, obesity and high diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the elderly in Qinghai. Male sex was associated with polycythemia in all ethnicities. Obesity was associated with Han and Tibetan men. Glucose intolerance and activities of daily living were not directly associated with polycythemia after adjustment for sex. There were 7.9% with excessive polycythemia. Independently-associated factors for excessive polycythemia were male sex, body mass index of 25 or more, SpO2 of less than 85%, DBP of 85 mmHg or more and Han ethnicity (vs Tibetan) by multiple logistic regression. Conclusion: There was a close association of polycythemia with diastolic hypertension and obesity in lifestyle-related diseases in high-altitude elderly people. Han people had a higher hemoglobin concentration after adjustment of lifestyle-related diseases compared with Tibetan people. The difference of hemoglobin concentration may be due to Tibetans undergoing a much longer period of adaptation than Han people. Further study is needed to disclose the association between the difference of hypoxic adaptation, lifestyle-related diseases and chronic mountain sickness for their prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China the HIV epidemic has started to infiltrate into a broader population through heterosexual contact and particularly to impact young people. The purpose of this study was to identify behavioral and psychosocial correlates of condom use among Chinese university students. A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was conducted among all classes of undergraduate students at two universities in one municipality of Eastern China, 2003. Data obtained from 1850 sexually active students who answered the question on condom use during the previous year were used for analysis. Frequent (always/often) condom use during the previous year was reported by only about 40% of both men and women. Multivariate analysis revealed that condom use during the first sexual experience, oral contraceptive use in the previous year and higher condom self-efficacy score in both genders were potent predictors of frequent condom use, while frequent condom use was less likely practiced by men who ever had non-vaginal sex, by those with higher risk-awareness for pregnancy/HIV/sexually transmitted diseases and by women with lower scores for perceived condom benefits. Safe sex education for Chinese students should be urgently introduced and should not be limited to knowledge provision but should also address psychosocial factors, such as condom self-efficacy and gender differences adequately to effectively encourage safer behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To explore any association between the timing of the initiation of sexual activity and sexual behaviors and risks among university students in China. Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional study on sexual behavior among university students conducted in Ningbo municipality, China, at the end of 2003. Students completed a self-administered, structured questionnaire. Of 1981 sexually active male students, 1908 (96.3%) completed the item for timing of the initiation of sexual activity and were included in bivariate trend analyses and multiple logistic regression analyses to compare the association between this timing and sexual behavior and risks. Results: Male early sexual initiators had a significantly higher risk profile, including a significantly higher proportion reporting non-regular partners (i.e., casual or commercial partners), multiple partners, diagnosis with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), partner history of pregnancy, partner history of induced abortion, and less condom and oral contraceptive use, compared with late initiators. Multivariate analyses confirmed the increased likelihood of these risks in early initiators versus late initiators, other than partner type during the last year. Conclusion: Our results showed that, compared to late initiators, people who initiated sexual activity early engaged in more risky behaviors that could lead to elevated risks of unwanted pregnancies and STDs or human immunodeficiency virus infection. Sex-education strategies should be focused on an earlier age, should include advice on delaying the age of first sexual activity, and should target young people who continue to take sexual risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a written questionnaire survey of 200 first-year university students, we investigated associations between parental rearing attitudes and health-related lifestyle. Participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; Parker, Tupling, & Brown, 1979) and the Health Practice Index (HPI; Hagihara & Morimoto, 1991). We found that more female respondents with unhealthy lifestyles perceived their parents as having been overprotective. No such correlation was found for male respondents. These findings suggest that, particularly for females, health-related lifestyle may be related to perceived parental rearing attitudes. By contrast, for males, depression correlated with low maternal care or overprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the state of thermal spraying in Asia. He mentions that Korea has more than forty thermal spraying companies and is engaged in research. He comments that with China's economic expansion, its thermal spray industry is small but has a lot of potential for growth. He also discusses thermal spraying in Japan.

This paper reports the research that compares quality management practices of Hong Kong-owned (HK sample) and Japanese-owned manufacturing companies (JP sample) in mainland China. The comparison is based on the USMBQA framework and a questionnaire survey. It is found that, although all in mainland China, Japan-owned manufacturing firms implement quality management to a greater extent than their Hong Kong counterparts. It is also found that in the Japanese sample, three quality categories directly contribute to business result, while in the HK sample, only one category directly contributes to business results. In both JK and JP samples, customer focus is found to be directly related to business results. The result is supported by a few previous studies. However, it is rarely pointed out that this finding is different to the general principle of the latest US Quality Award framework where a human-resources focus directly contributes to business results while a customer-focus does not. The result will trigger future research on the validity of quality award models, especially in countries other than the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent incident of an unidentified atomic-powered submarine passing through the Japanese territorial sea raised the sensitive issue of what Japan could do, as the coastal State, in the face of a gross violation of the law. Despite being surrounded by the sea in all directions, Japan has not been prepared to react properly in such a situation since the end of the Second World War. This is primarily a matter of strategy, but this paper will focus on the legal aspects of the incident. The paper will start with an exposition of the relevant facts, followed by some discussion of the legal issues involved therein: the status of submarines in the territorial sea, innocent passage, hot pursuit, environmental implications, etc. The paper will then conclude with some summary observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The vulnerability of young people to HIV and the recent emergence of the HIV epidemic in China have made it urgent to assess and update the HIV/STD risk profile of Chinese young people. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was conducted among 22,493 undergraduate students in two universities in Ningbo, China. Bivariate trend analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to compare sexual behaviors and awareness between grades. Results: Of respondents, 17.6% of males and 8.6% of females reported being sexually active. Condom was reported never/rarely used by 35% of sexually active students in both genders in the previous year. Pregnancy and induced abortion had each been experienced by about 10% of sexually active female students and the female partners of male students, and about 1.5% of sexually active students of both genders reported being diagnosed with an STD. Multivariate analysis revealed that students in lower grades, compared to those in higher grades, were more likely to have become sexually active before university, to have become aware of sex before high school, and to have been exposed to pornographic media before the age of 17 years, and for sexually active respondents of both genders, to have engaged in sex without using a condom. Conclusion: Sexual behaviors of Chinese university students are poorly protected and sexual behaviors and awareness may have been undergoing rapid change, becoming active earlier and more risky. If this trend continues, vulnerable sexual network will grow among them that allow more expansion of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination by persistent organochlorines (OCs), such as DDTs, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), chlordane compounds (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in sediments, soils, fishes, crustaceans, birds, and aquaculture feed from Lake Tai, Hangzhou Bay, and in the vicinity of Shanghai city in China during 2000 and 2001. OCs were detected in all samples analyzed, and DDT and its metabolites were the predominant contaminants in most sediments, soils and biota. Concentrations of p,p′-DDT and ratio of p,p′-DDT to ∑DDTs were significantly higher in marine fishes than those in freshwater fishes. While the use of DDTs has been officially banned in China since 1983, these results indicate a recent input of technical DDTs into the marine environment around Hangzhou Bay. Comparison of organochlorine concentrations in fishes collected from Lake Tai and Hangzhou Bay suggests the presence of local sources of HCHs, chlordanes and PCBs at Lake Tai. Higher proportions of penta- and hexa-PCB congeners in fishes at Lake Tai may suggest the use of highly chlorinated PCB product, such as PCB5, around this lake. To our knowledge, this is a first comprehensive study to examine the present status of organochlorine contamination in various environmental media, such as sediments, soils and wildlife, in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • U-Pb age spectra from the Shingai Unit sandstones show major clusters at 320–250 Ma. • Provenance change of the Shingai Unit reflects the denudation of a magmatic arc. • The Shingai Unit was deposited in a trench around an island arc. The Shingai Unit in the Kurosegawa Belt is subdivided into sedimentary zone and mélange zone. Sandstones of the sedimentary zone vary from lithic wackes to feldspathic arenites in ascending stratigraphic order. However, the timing of this change and the depositional ages are not constrained. U-Pb age spectra for detrital zircons from sandstone samples have main clusters of late Paleozoic-earliest Mesozoic ages and minor Proterozoic-early Paleozoic age components. Detrital zircon ages show that the depositional age of the Shingai Unit is Early Triassic and that these grains were derived mainly from igneous rocks and hornfels of the Paleo-Ryoke Belt and from rocks of the Kurosegawa Belt. These age data combined with sandstone compositions and stratigraphic relationship suggest that basement rocks in the Kurosegawa Belt constituted the provenance area for the lower Shingai Unit before uplift of the volcanic arc, the provenance subsequently changed to a volcanic arc either because these rocks had been completely eroded or the supply of sediment derived from the volcanic arc increased. This provenance change supports progressive denudation of the volcanic arc. By comparison with the detrital age spectra, upper Permian-Lower Triassic strata in the Kurosegawa and South Kitakami belts are considered to have the same provenance. In addition, the sedimentary environment of these strata is inferred to have been a trench and shelf adjacent to an island arc that was isolated from the Sino-Korean and South China blocks by a back-arc basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information regarding the phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) synthesis found in the cells of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO). What the synthesis is depressed upon; Identity of a CHO cell mutant; Importance of the PtdSer; How the serine base-exchange activity in CHO cells is catalyzed.

Rock slope instabilities, such as rockslides and deep-seated gravitational slope deformations, commonly occur in valleys in the region of plateau margin where is the transitional terrain of the abrupt topographic change. These hillslope phenomena are the response of rock slopes to river incision, and thus, the hillslopes are expected to be controlled by the relationship between geological structures and river incision. To explore slope destabilizing mechanisms under different intersection settings of rock structural orientations and rivers, landslides and deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DGSDs) were investigated in terms of geology and geomorphology along the two major rivers (Minjiang River and its major tributary, the Heishuihe River) along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, China. We revealed that the effects of knickpoint propagation and inner gorge formation on slope stability are completely different according to the relationships between the geological trend and river trend. Understanding the geological structures and river incision history can provide a conceptual model for natural slope destabilizations along high-relief plateau margins being incised by rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined oceanic redox conditions spanning the Frasnian/Famennian (F/F) boundary. An organic geochemical analysis was conducted with stable carbon isotope ratio and bioturbation levels. Results of the study showed a positive shift of carbon isotope ratio across the F/F boundary in Belgium and high values of carbon isotope in the lower Famennian strata in China. It also notes that organic matter components in these areas indicate a global anoxic event.

The article discusses the synthesis of pteriatoxins and their diastereomers. The outbreak of human poisoning in China and Japan leads a group of researchers for a synthesis of pnTX A based its gross structure, relative stereochemistry and establish its absolute configuration. It also focuses on the interamolecular Diels–Alder reaction on substrate 12a in the C33β series. The researchers report that the availability of all possible stereoisomers is essential to address the problem.

Abstract: Background: The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of unintended pregnancy, induced abortion and contraceptive use, and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among Chinese university students. Study Design: A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was administered among students in two universities in Ningbo, China, in November–December 2003. Sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with unintended pregnancy were identified in both genders using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of sexually active students, 10.6% of male and 11.6% of female students reported their partner or they had a history of pregnancy; 10.0% of male and 11.3% of female students reported their partner or they had a history of induced abortion. The risk factors for unintended pregnancy identified among males by multivariate analysis were older age [odds ratio (OR), 2.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15–3.88], initiation of sexual activity before high school (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.36–4.44), reported lack of condom use in first sexual activity (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.10–2.64), multiple sexual partners (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.06–2.23), and often used condoms during their lifetime (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.01–3.81). The identified risk factors among females were initiation of sexual activity before high school (OR, 5.12; 95% CI, 1.49–17.68), non-consensual sexual intercourse as first sex (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.08–2.90), multiple partners (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.61–4.71), and sometimes/never (OR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.16–7.87) or often (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.43–10.73) used condoms during their lifetime. Conclusion: The high prevalence of unintended pregnancies and induced abortions in this population indicates a need for better and targeted sex education and family planning services. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]