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Online teacher professional development is widely regarded as a promising way to improve the quality of teachers and the effect of teaching. Micro-learning, which has the potential to fit the learner's personalized learning needs through a variety of small educational resources and flexible learning opportunities, could be an efficient way for the online teacher professional development. However, the scattered knowledge points and fragmented learning time in micro-learning may limit the learner's comprehension and the construction of knowledge. In this study, a knowledge map-based online micro-learning system was developed to solve this problem. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, a quasi-experiment was conducted during a three-week online course for teachers' professional development. A total of 42 in-service Mandarin teachers participated in the course, and were divided into two equal groups. An experimental group learned by using a knowledge map tool while a control group learned the same contents in the form of the conventional list type. The results indicate that the experimental group outperformed the control group in terms of learning engagement, and showed a clearer and more complete knowledge structure. Furthermore, micro-learning coupled with knowledge maps was found to improve the teachers' learning performance.

Simple Summary: Lead is a major source of heavy metal pollution, which can harm both the environment and people's health. High levels of Pb can slow down the growth and development of insects and may even cause them to die by damaging their cells. The aim of this study was to explore gene expression in the midgut of Bombyx mori when exposed to lead (Pb). This study gives us new insights into how insects protect themselves from Pb challenge and helps us understand the complex ways insects get rid of harmful substances at a deeper level. Lead (Pb) is a major source of heavy metal contamination, and poses a threat to biodiversity and human health. Elevated levels of Pb can hinder insect growth and development, leading to apoptosis via mechanisms like oxidative damage. The midgut of silkworms is the main organ exposed to heavy metals. As an economically important lepidopteran model insect in China, heavy metal-induced stress on silkworms causes considerable losses in sericulture, thereby causing substantial economic damage. This study aimed to investigate Pb-induced detoxification-related genes in the midgut of silkworms using high-throughput sequencing methods to achieve a deeper comprehension of the genes' reactions to lead exposure. This study identified 11,567 unigenes and 14,978 transcripts. A total of 1265 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, comprising 907 upregulated and 358 downregulated genes. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) classification analysis revealed that the 1265 DEGs were distributed across biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. This suggests that the silkworm midgut may affect various organelle functions and biological processes, providing crucial clues for further exploration of DEG function. Additionally, the expression levels of 12 selected detoxification-related DEGs were validated using qRT-PCR, which confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq results. This study not only provides new insights into the detoxification defense mechanisms of silkworms after Pb exposure, but also establishes a valuable foundation for further investigation into the molecular detoxification mechanisms in silkworms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate assessment of the rise in nitrous oxide (N2O) under global changes in grasslands has been hindered because of inadequate annual observations. To measure the seasonal response of N2O emissions to increased water and nitrogen (N) deposition, one year round N2O emissions were investigated by chamber weekly in the growing season and every two weeks in the non-growing season in semi-arid temperate grasslands northern China. The results showed the temperate semi-arid grassland to be a source of N2O with greater variability and contribution during the non-growing season. The individual effects of water or N addition increased N2O emissions during the growing season, while the effects of water or N addition depended on the N application rates during the non-growing season. Soil properties, particularly soil temperature and water-filled pore space (WFPS), played key roles in regulating N2O emissions. Structural equation modeling revealed that these factors explained 71% and 35% of the variation in N2O fluxes during the growing and non-growing season, respectively. This study suggested that without observations during the non-growing season it is possible to misestimate the annual N2O emissions and the risk of N2O emissions increasing under global change. This would provide insights for future management strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia fructicola, poses a significant challenge to peach production in China. The efficacy of mefentrifluconazole, a new triazole fungicide, in controlling brown rot in peaches has been remarkable. However, the resistance risk and mechanism associated with this fungicide remain unclear. This study was designed to assess the resistance risk of M. fructicola to mefentrifluconazole and reveal the potential resistance mechanism. RESULTS: The mean median effective concentration (EC50) of 101 M. fructicola isolates to mefentrifluconazole was 0.003 μg mL−1, and the sensitivity exhibited a unimodal distribution. Seven mefentrifluconazole‐resistant mutants were generated from three parental isolates in the laboratory through fungicide adaption. The biological characteristics of the resistant mutants revealed that three of them exhibited enhanced survival fitness compared to the parental isolates, whereas the remaining four mutants displayed reduced survival fitness. Mefentrifluconazole showed strong positive cross‐resistance with fenbuconazole, whereas no cross‐resistance was observed with pyrimethanil, procymidone or pydiflumetofen. No overexpression of MfCYP51 gene was detected in the resistant mutants. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that three resistant mutants (MXSB2‐2, Mf12‐1 and Mf12‐2) had a point mutation (G461S) in MfCYP51 protein. Molecular docking techniques confirmed the contribution of this point mutation to mefentrifluconazole resistance. CONCLUSION: The risk of M. fructicola developing resistance to mefentrifluconazole is relatively low‐to‐medium and point mutation G461S in MfCYP51 could confer mefentrifluconazole resistance in M. fructicola. This study provided essential data for monitoring the emergence of resistance and developing resistance management strategies for mefentrifluconazole. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a common plasticizer. Studies have revealed that DEHP exposure can cause kidney damage. Green tea is among the most popular beverages in China. Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) have been proven to have therapeutic effects on organ damage induced by heavy metal exposure. However, few studies have reported on GTP-relieving DEHP-induced kidney damage. Methods: C57BL/6J male mice aged 6–8 weeks were treated with distilled water (control group), 1,500 mg/kg/d DEHP + corn oil (model group), 1,500 mg/kg/d DEHP + corn oil + 70 mg/kg GTP (treatment group), corn oil (oil group), and 70 mg/kg GTP (GTP group) by gavage for 8 weeks, respectively. The renal function of mice and renal tissue histopathology of each group were evaluated. The renal tissues of mice in the model, treatment, and control groups were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. We calculated the differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) using the limma R package, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to predict immune infiltration, the starBase database was used to screen the miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to verify protein expression. Results: GTP alleviated the deterioration of renal function, renal inflammation and fibrosis, and mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum lesions induced by DEHP in mice. Differential immune infiltrations of plasma, dendritic, T, and B cells were noted between the model and treatment groups. We found that three differentially expressed miRNAs (mmu-miR-383-5p, mmu-miR-152-3p, and mmu-miR-144-3p), three differentially expressed mRNAs (Ddit4, Dusp1, and Snx18), and three differentially expressed proteins (Ddit4, Dusp1, and Snx18) played crucial roles in the miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory axes when GTPs mitigate DEHP-induced kidney damage in mice. Conclusion: GTP can alleviate DEHP-induced kidney damage and regulate immune cell infiltration. We screened four important miRNA-mRNA-protein regulatory axes of GTP, mitigating DEHP-induced kidney damage in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fusarium pseudograminearum is one of the dominant pathogens of Fusarium crown rot (FCR) worldwide. Unfortunately, no fungicides have yet been registered for the control of FCR in wheat in China. Pydiflumetofen, a new‐generation succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor, exhibits excellent inhibitory activity to Fusarium spp. A resistance risk assessment of F. pseudograminearum to pydiflumetofen and the resistance mechanism involved have not yet been investigated. RESULTS: The median effective concentration (EC50) value of 103 F. pseudograminearum isolates to pydiflumetofen was 0.0162 μg mL−1, and the sensitivity exhibited a unimodal distribution. Four resistant mutants were generated by fungicide adaption, which possessed similar or impaired fitness compared to corresponding parental isolates based on the results of mycelial growth, conidiation, conidium germination rate, and virulence determination. Pydiflumetofen showed strong positive cross‐resistance with cyclobutrifluram and fluopyram but no cross‐resistance with carbendazim, phenamacril, tebuconazole, fludioxonil, or pyraclostrobin. Sequence alignment revealed that pydiflumetofen‐resistant F. pseudograminearum mutants had two single‐point mutations of A83V or R86K in FpSdhC1. Molecular docking further confirmed that point mutation of A83V or R86K in FpSdhC1 could confer resistance of F. pseudograminearum to pydiflumetofen. CONCLUSION: Fusarium pseudograminearum shows an overall moderate risk of developing resistance to pydiflumetofen, and point mutation FpSdhC1A83V or FpSdhC1R86K could confer pydiflumetofen resistance in F. pseudograminearum. This study provided vital data for monitoring the emergence of resistance and developing resistance management strategies for pydiflumetofen. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effects of application of biochar and straw return for consecutive years on N2O emissions and crop yields in North China, a three-year field experiment of applying biochar and straw following a ten-year application was conducted in a wheat–maize rotation system. Four treatments were set up, including F (NPK fertilizer only); FB (NPK fertilizer + 9.0 t·ha−1 biochar); FS (NPK fertilizer + straw); and FSB ((NPK fertilizer + 9.0 t·ha−1 biochar combined with straw). The results showed that compared with the F treatment, the FB treatment significantly reduced soil N2O emissions by 20.2%, while the FS and FSB treatments increased it by 23.7% and 41.4%, respectively. The FB treatment reduced soil N2O emissions by 15.1% in the wheat season and 23.2% in the maize season, respectively. The FS and FSB treatments increased the N2O emissions by 20.7% and 36.7% in the wheat season, respectively, and by 25.5% and 44.2% in the maize season, respectively. In the wheat season, the soil water content (SWC), NO3−-N content and pH were the main influencing factors of the soil N2O emissions. In the maize season, SWC and NO3−-N content were the main influencing factors. In addition, the FB, FS and FSB treatments increased the crop yield by 4.99%, 8.40% and 10.25% compared with the F treatment, respectively. In conclusion, consecutive application of biochar can significantly reduce N2O emissions and improve crop yield. Although FS and FSB treatments can also improve the crop yield, they are not beneficial to suppressing N2O emissions. Therefore, the successive application of biochar is an effective measure to reduce N2O emissions and maintain crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The snow cover in temperate areas is undergoing significant changes, which may affect soil respiration (Rs), the second largest carbon flux in global carbon cycling. However, currently, there are relatively few in situ field studies on the effects of altered snow cover on Rs in temperate areas during the non-growing season compared to the research on Rs during the growing season. Therefore, it limited the accurate prediction of the characteristics and magnitude of changes in soil carbon emissions in temperate areas under global change scenarios. Here, an in situ field experiment was conducted in a typical grassland in Inner Mongolia in China to explore the characteristics of Rs under three different snow cover treatments, i.e., increasing snow (IS), decreasing snow (DS), and ambient snow that was regarded as the control check treatment (CK). The results showed that the range of Rs flux and cumulative emission flux in all treatments in the non-growing season in the study area ranged from 5.87 ± 0.20 to 55.11 ± 6.42 mg CO2 m−2 h−1 and from 22.81 ± 0.68 to 26.36 ± 0.41 g C m−2, respectively. During the observation period, the depth of the largest snow cover for each treatment did not exceed 18 cm, and none of the snow treatments caused significant variations in Rs flux (p > 0.05). However, the cumulative flux of Rs in the whole non-growing season was only stimulated significantly by 15.6% by the IS treatment compared with that of CK. The relatively high Rs flux in the non-growing season was observed to mainly occur in the soil deeply frozen period (DFP) and the soil melting period (SMP). Further analysis revealed that Rs flux under different snow treatments were mainly positively correlated with soil temperature during SMP. The main factors controlling Rs varied with different sampling periods. Our findings suggest that the non-growing season is also an important period of non-negligible carbon emissions from typical grassland soils in temperate zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollutants from the incomplete combustion of rural solid fuels are seriously harmful to both air quality and human health. To quantify the health effects of different fuel–stove combinations, gas and particle partitioning of twenty-nine species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from seven fuel–stove combinations were examined in this study, and the benzo (a) pyrene toxicity equivalent (BaPeq) and cancer risks were estimated accordingly. The results showed that the gas phase PAHs (accounting for 68–78% of the total PAHs) had higher emission factors (EFs) than particulate ones. For all combustion combinations, pPAHs accounted for the highest proportion (84.5% to 99.3%) in both the gas and particulate phases, followed by aPAHs (0.63–14.7%), while the proportions of nPAHs and oPAHs were much lower (2–4 orders of magnitude) than pPAHs. For BaPeq, particulate phase PAHs dominated the BaPeq rather than gas ones, which may be due to the greater abundance of 5-ring particle PAHs. Gas and particle pPAHs were both predominant in the BaPeq, with proportions of 95.2–98.6% for all combustion combinations. Cancer risk results showed a descending order of bituminous coal combustion (0.003–0.05), biomass burning (0.002–0.01), and clean briquette coal combustion (10−5–0.001), indicating that local residents caused a severe health threat by solid fuel combustion (the threshold: 10−4). The results also highlighted that clean briquette coal could reduce cancer risks by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to bulk coal and biomass. For oPAH, BcdPQ (6H-benzo(c,d)pyrene-6-one) had the highest cancer risk, ranging from 4.83 × 10−5 to 2.45 × 10−4, which were even higher than the total of aPAHs and nPAHs. The dramatically high toxicity and cancer risk of PAHs from solid fuel combustion strengthened the necessity and urgency of clean heating innovation in Guanzhong Plain and in similar places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple synthetic beacons are required for atmospheric-turbulence compensation in an extended-field-of-view multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) telescope. In this paper, we report on the first successful implementation of a microsecond-pulse sodium guidestars constellation laser system, based on a small angle precise polarized combining and splitting technology. At Lijiang Observatory of China, four-ways ∼20 W yellow laser beam with kHz repetition-rate and hundred- μ s pulse width were projected into the sky through one small-aperture launching telescope, and generated a distinctive four-point grouping on a field of view of 40″ with variable configurations of linear, parallelogram, rhomboid and square. The sodium return signal could easily avoid Rayleigh light interference by the pulse synchro controlling technology delivering a higher spatial resolution. Moreover, the increase in return photons for alternated circularly and alternated linearly polarized light has been investigated. We believe that the above results could serve as a future reference for the MCAO system on large-aperture telescopes worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive pathogens worldwide. It can damage over 200 crops, resulting in significant yield and quality losses. Cyclobutrifluram, a new generation of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors, exhibits excellent inhibitory activity against B. cinerea. However, the baseline sensitivity and resistance of B. cinerea to cyclobutrifluram remains poorly understood. This study was designed to monitor the sensitivity frequency distribution, assess the resistance risk, and clarify the resistance mechanism of B. cinerea to cyclobutrifluram. The baseline sensitivity of B. cinerea isolates to cyclobutrifluram was 0.89 μg/mL. Cyclobutrifluram-resistant B. cinerea populations are present in the field. Six resistant B. cinerea isolates investigated in this study possessed enhanced compound fitness index compared to the sensitive isolates according to mycelial growth, mycelial dry weight, conidiation, conidial germination rate, and pathogenicity. Cyclobutrifluram exhibited no cross-resistance with tebuconazole, fludioxonil, cyprodinil, or iprodione. Sequence alignment revealed that BcSDHB from cyclobutrifluram-resistant B. cinerea isolates had three single substitutions (P225F, N230I, or H272R). Molecular docking verified that these mutations in BcSDHB conferred cyclobutrifluram resistance in B. cinerea. In conclusion, the resistance risk of B. cinerea to cyclobutrifluram is high, and the point mutations in BcSDHB (P225F, N230I, or H272R) confer cyclobutrifluram resistance in B. cinerea. This study provided important insights into cyclobutrifluram resistance in B. cinerea and offered valuable information for monitoring and managing cyclobutrifluram resistance in the future. [Display omitted] • Baseline sensitivity of B. cinerea to cyclobutrifluram was established. • The resistance risk of cyclobutrifluram in B. cinerea was high. • Point mutations in BcSDHB were associated with the cyclobutrifluram resistance in B. cinerea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Soil respiration (Rs) plays a crucial role in the terrestrial carbon cycle. We attempted to investigate how changes in water and nitrogen affect the Rs of grassland ecosystems through biotic and abiotic factors under the context of global change. Methods: We conducted a 4-year manipulative field experiment with a randomized complete block design in a 2 × 4 factorial consisting of two water addition levels and three nitrogen addition levels in a typical temperate grassland in China to explore the response of Rs to different water and nitrogen addition treatments in the growing season, and the potential factors controlling Rs were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Water addition significantly enhanced the cumulative Rs in all years. The precipitation during the months of vigorous plant growth (May to July) was an important factor in determining the average Rs during the growing season. Nitrogen addition alone had no significant impacts on Rs except for short-term positive effects caused by low nitrogen addition (25 kg N ha−1 yr−1) during the period after nitrogen application in the first year. Although soil microbes and plant roots contributed to Rs, the main factors controlling Rs were still temperature and soil moisture. Conclusion: These findings indicate that water addition could promote Rs in semiarid grassland ecosystems. Changes in environmental factors could control Rs by affecting soil microorganisms and plant roots activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observed surface air temperature (SAT) warming at urban stations often contains both the signal of global warming and that of local urban heat island (UHI) effects; these signals are difficult to separate. In this study, an urban impact indicator (Uii) developed by the authors was modified to represent the extent to which the observed temperature from a given station was influenced by UHI effects. The Uii of a city was calculated by simplifying the city's shape to a circle. In addition, a modified Uii (MUii) was calculated by considering the realistic horizontal distribution of the urban land. We selected 45 urban stations in mainland China, along with an adjacent station for each to give a station pair. Background climate changes across each pair were near-homogeneous. Thus, differences in the trends of annual averaged daily mean SAT (Trendmean), maximum SAT (Trendmax), and minimum SAT (Trendmin) between the urban and adjacent stations (ΔTrend) could be mainly attributed to differences in MUii changes between the urban and adjacent stations (ΔMUii). Several linear regressions between ΔTrend and ΔMUii for the 45 station pairs were calculated to estimate UHI effects on Trendmean (UTmean), Trendmax (UTmax), and Trendmin (UTmin). The results showed that the mean MUii of the 45 urban stations increased from 0.06 to 0.35 during 1992 - 2013. Positive correlations between ΔMUii and ΔTrend for the 45 station pairs were significant at the 0.001 significance level (except for Trendmax). The average UTmean and UTmin of the 45 urban stations during 1954 - 2013 were approximately 0.05 and 0.11°C decade-1, respectively, accounting for 18% and 31% of the overall warming trends, respectively. The UTmin estimated in this study is about twice that of previous results based on regression equations between Uii and SAT trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cucumber target spot, caused by Corynespora cassiicola , is a major cucumber disease in China. Mefentrifluconazole, a new triazole fungicide, exhibits remarkable efficacy in controlling cucumber target spot. However, the resistance risk and mechanism remain unclear. In this study, the inhibitory activity of mefentrifluconazole against 101 C. cassiicola isolates was determined, and the results indicated that the EC 50 values ranged between 0.15 and 12.85 μg/mL, with a mean of 4.76 μg/mL. Fourteen mefentrifluconazole-resistant mutants of C. cassiicola were generated from six parental isolates in the laboratory through fungicide adaptation or UV irradiation. The resistance was relatively stable after ten consecutive transfers on a fungicide-free medium. No cross-resistance was observed between mefentrifluconazole and pyraclostrobin, fluopyram, prochloraz, mancozeb, or difenoconazole. Investigations into the biological characteristics of the resistant mutants revealed that six resistant mutants exhibited an enhanced compound fitness index (CFI) compared to the parental isolates, while others displayed a reduced or comparable CFI. The overexpression of CcCYP51A and CcCYP51B was detected in the resistant mutants, regardless of the presence or absence of mefentrifluconazole. Additionally, a two-way mixture of mefentrifluconazole and prochloraz at a concentration of 7:3 demonstrated superior control efficacy against the cucumber target spot, achieving a protection rate of 80%. In conclusion, this study suggests that the risk of C. cassiicola developing resistance to mefentrifluconazole is medium, and the overexpression of CcCYP51A and CcCYP51B might be associated with mefentrifluconazole resistance in C. cassiicola. The mefentrifluconazole and prochloraz two-way mixture presented promising control efficacy against the cucumber target spot. [Display omitted] • The resistance risk of C. cassiicola to mefentrifluconazole is medium. • CcCYP51A and CcCYP51B were overexpressed in mefentrifluconazole-resistant C. cassiicola mutants. • Mefentrifluconazole and prochloraz two-way mixture presented promising control efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Soil respiration (R s) under grazing was always lower than that under fencing. • The dependence of R s on soil hydrothermal factors varied with seasons. • Grazing changed the dependence of R s on hydrothermal factors. • Ambient climate determined the direction of interannual variation of R s. • Grazing changed the effect size of ambient climate on R s. Assessment of the effects of enclosure and grazing on soil respiration based on long-term continuous field observations is scarce, and seasonal dynamics of the dependence of soil respiration on hydrothermal factors (soil moisture and temperature) and the regulation of soil respiration by ambient climate (precipitation and air temperature) under long-term fencing and grazing have been inconclusive so far. A 14-year continuous field observation experiment was conducted in a temperate grassland in China. Our results showed that grazing decreased the average soil respiration over the whole year and growing season by 19.52% and 21.90%, respectively. Furthermore, grazing increased the dependence of soil respiration on soil moisture on an annual timescale but decreased the dependence of soil respiration on temperature during the growing season. Ambient climate determined the direction of interannual variation of soil respiration, while grassland management measures changed the effect size of ambient climate on soil respiration. This highlights that ambient climate plays a decisive role in regulating the response of soil respiration to change in grassland management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To further explore characteristics of myopia and changes in factors associated with myopia among students at Inner Mongolia Medical University.Methods: Two cross-sectional censuses were conducted in 2011 and 2013. Participants were medical students residing on campus in 2011 and 2013. Logistic regression analysis was performed to ascertain associations with basic information, genetic factors, environmental factors. The χ2 test was used to test for differences in prevalence between 2011 and 2013. Prevalence was calculated at various myopia occurrence times among different parental myopia statuses.Results: A total of 11,138 students enrolled from 2007 to 2012 completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of myopia in 2011 and 2013 was 70.50% and 69.21%, respectively, no statistically significant difference existed between the two censuses (p = 0.12). Both censuses were completed by 1015 students. There were no differences among the various year of study in 2011 or 2013. Myopic prevalence increased with an increased number of myopic parents: the prevalence if both parents were myopic was over 90%, nearly 80% if one parent was myopic, and less than 70% with non-myopic parents (p < 0.001). Myopic occurrence ranked from earliest to latest was in kindergarten and primary school when both parents were myopic, in middle school when one parent was myopic, and in university when no parent was myopic. Students staying up late, using a computer more than 3 h per day, not performing eye exercises, using eye drops, and rubbing the eyes at high risk for myopia.Conclusions: Myopic status was stable during the university period. Genetic factors play a major role in myopia. Protective measures are useful for university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There are several routes between some OD pairs in the urban rail transit network. In order to carry out the fare allocating, operators use some models to estimate which route the passengers choose, but there are some errors between estimation results and actual choices results. The aim of this study is analyzing the passenger route choice behavior in detail based on passenger classification and improving the models to make the results more in line with the actual situations. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the passengers were divided into familiar type and strange type. Firstly passenger integrated travel impedance functions of two types were established respectively, after that a multi-route distribution model was used to get the initial route assignment results, then a ratio correction method was used to correct the results taking into account the transfer times, crowd and demand for seats. Finally, a case study for the Beijing local rail transit network is shown. Findings: The numerical example showed that it is logical to take passenger classification and the model and algorithm is effective, the final route choice results are more comprehensive and realistic. Originality/value: The paper offers an improved model and algorithm based on passenger classification for passenger route choice in the urban rail transit network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyraoxystrobin is a new QoI fungicide developed in China. The present study was aimed at determining the baseline sensitivity of M. oryzae to pyraoxystrobin and investigating the potential resistance risk and resistance mechanism of pyraoxystrobin in M. oryzae. The results showed that the mean EC 50 of 109 M. oryzae isolates to pyraoxystrobin was 0.0094 μg/mL and the sensitivity exhibited a unimodal distribution. The established baseline sensitivity could provide critical data for monitoring sensitivity changes of M. oryzae to pyraoxystrobin in rice fields. The potential resistance risk was assessed by investigating the biological characteristics of the resistant mutants obtained by fungicide adaptation. The results indicated that the resistance risk of pyraoxystrobin in M. oryzae was medium to high with positive cross-resistance between pyraoxystrobin and azoxystrobin, but without cross resistance between pyraoxystrobin and carbendazim, isoprothiolane, and prochloraz. Further investigation revealed that the pyraoxystrobin-resistant mutants had a G143S mutation in the cyt b protein. Molecular docking confirmed that the G143S substitution conferred high resistance to pyraoxystrobin in M. oryzae. Collectively, the results of this study provided essential data for monitoring the emergence of resistance and developing resistance management strategies for pyraoxystrobin. [Display omitted] • Baseline sensitivity of M. oryzae to pyraoxystrobin was established. • The resistance risk of pyraoxystrobin in M. oryzae was medium to high. • The G143S mutation in cyt b conferred high resistance to pyraoxystrobin in M. oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperate grasslands are considered an important natural source of the trace greenhouse gas N 2 O, which has attracted much attention in recent years. Increased annual precipitation and N deposition have been observed in temperate grasslands in northern China owing to climate change and anthropogenic activities. Although the individual effects of increased precipitation and N deposition on N 2 O emissions have been extensively reported, their interactive effects remain unclear. An in situ experiment with two levels of water supply (ambient and +15% precipitation levels) and four levels of N application (0, 25, 50, and 100 kg N ha−1 yr−1) was conducted in a semi-arid temperate grassland from 2016 to 2018 to quantify the effects of additional precipitation and N on N 2 O emissions in temperate grasslands. The results showed that temperate grasslands are a small source of N 2 O with negative N 2 O fluxes during the growing seasons. Water addition amplified the variability in N 2 O fluxes by lowering the mean N 2 O fluxes and strengthening N 2 O emission pulses triggered by precipitation. The trade-off between increased N 2 O emission pulses and decreased mean fluxes resulted in decreased growing season cumulative N 2 O emissions. The stimulated N 2 O emissions by N addition were linearly related to N application rates. However, this linear correlation shifted to similar N 2 O emissions among the N application rates by water addition. In addition, N 2 O emissions were negatively correlated with soil moisture and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) but positively correlated with soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), NH 4 +, and NO 3 −. Our results suggest that (1) water addition increases the sensitivity of N 2 O emissions to N addition and limits the loss of additional N as N 2 O. (2) In addition to directly increasing N 2 O emissions, N addition increases N 2 O emissions indirectly by increasing soil DOC, NH 4 +, and NO 3 − levels, whereas water addition decreases N 2 O emissions indirectly by increasing MBC and soil moisture. (3) The ability of soil properties to explain the variability in N 2 O fluxes was limited, whereas the ability of soil properties to explain the interannual variability in cumulative N 2 O emissions was highly reliable. • N 2 O emission was linear related to fertilizer rates in temperate grassland. • Watering increased sensitivity of N 2 O emission to N addition in grassland. • Soil characters were more effective in explaining cumulative emissions than fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil physicochemical properties can not only reflect ecosystem integrity, land quality and biogeochemical processes, but also are impacted by diverse land use types formed by intensive human activities. Exploring the comprehensive function of land use types and environmental factors on soil properties are of great significance for the relative land management, nutrition cycling and agricultural sustainable development. And little previous studies considered the inherent relations between soil properties under the dual effects of the above two, especially in an area with high land use intensity. This study tried to achieve the comprehensive research of human activities and environmental factors on soil properties through the study of the functions on soil properties from the environment factors under different land use types in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, which is a typical area with the most intense human activities in China. In this study, soil samples were collected in an area typified by intensive human activities in the Baiyangdian Watershed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The relationships between soil properties and environmental factors as well as the relationships between soil properties and land use intensity were explored by principal component analysis and geographically weighted regression (GWR) respectively. Additionally, impacts on soil properties from environmental factors were explored by structural equation modeling (SEM). GWR results suggested that pH was positively related to land use intensity (LUI); comparatively, all other soil properties were negatively related to LUI. SEM results showed that precipitation, temperature, and elevation all had direct and indirect influences on soil properties. Moreover, soil organic carbon was not only directly affected by environmental factors, but also indirectly through total phosphorus content in residential areas and plain farmland, pH in mountainous farmland areas, and bulk density in residential areas and mountainous farmland. Our work focus on the combined function of environmental factors and land uses on soil properties under various land use types with different human activities intensities. Our main conclusion from the above findings was that precipitation and temperature are both important factors that impact soil properties. High temperature and improper agricultural activities also reduced soil carbon accumulation. These findings underscore that scientific fertilizer addition during farming and soil quality management such as planning a proper reclamation range should be advocated in areas with intensive human activities. Taken together, our research will allow for a better understanding of the variations in soil properties and other influential factors in the context of human activities. [Display omitted] • Comprehensive effects of land use and environmental factors were analyzed. • Direct, indirect, and total influences on soil properties were explored. • The interaction of land use and environment was important to soil properties. • Precipitation and temperature had significant impacts on soil organic carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) has been applied to manage taro leaf blight caused by Phytophthora colocasiae in southeastern of China for many years. The risk of P. colocasiae to QoI and the potential resistant mechanism remain unknown. In this study, the 74 P. colocasiae strains were sampled from southeastern of China. Sequence analysis of the QoI target Cytb showed one nucleotide variant in the fragment of this gene in this population, producing two haplotypes. The nucleotide variant leads to codon change at 142 (GGT to GCT) producing A142 (alanine) and G142 (glycine) in Hap_1 and Hap_2 strains, respectively. The sensitivity differentiation to azoxystrobin of two haplotypes were observed in vitro. The Hap_1 and Hap_2 strains were confirmed resistant and sensitive by control efficacy of label rate fungicide application, which was 3.0% and 88.8% treated with 500 μg/mL azoxystrobin, respectively. In addition, 10.0 μg/mL azoxystrobin plus 50 μg/mL salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) supplemented in PDA medium was identified as a discriminatory dose for differentiation of these two phenotype strains. The azoxystrobin resistant frequency reached 86.5%, indicating prevalence of QoI resistance in the field. Further fitness related features showed that no significant difference in temperature sensitivity, mycelial growth rate, sporangia production, zoospore release and aggressiveness between azoxystrobin-resistant and sensitive strains indicating no potential fitness cost for azoxystrobin resistance. Taken together, azoxystrobin resistance need to be taken into consideration to manage taro leaf blight in southeastern of China. [Display omitted] • Only two Cytb haplotypes in Phytophthora colocasiae population from southeastern of China. • High frequency of azoxystrobin resistance in southeastern of China. • Resistant strains to azoxystrobin are associated with G142A mutation in Cytb. • No potential fitness cost in resistant strains. • Identification of discriminatory dose for sensitive and resistant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato early blight is a significant disease that causes substantial losses to tomato yield and quality. Mefentrifluconazole, an isopropanol-azole subgroup of triazole fungicides, has been registered in China for controlling various plant diseases, including tomato early blight, grape anthracnose, and apple brown spot. However, limited information is available on the mefentrifluconazole resistance risk and mechanism in plant pathogens. The sensitivity to mefentrifluconazole of 122 isolates of Alternaria alternata , one of the causal agents of tomato early blight, collected from different provinces in China, was evaluated. The results showed a unimodal curve for the sensitivity frequency, with an average EC 50 of 0.306 μg/mL. Through fungicide adaption, six resistant mutants (N4, N5, T4, T5, NG1, and NG10) were obtained from three parental isolates, with a mutation frequency of 3.28 × 10−4 and resistance factors ranging between 19 and 147. The survival fitness of the resistant mutants, except for NG1, was significantly lower than that of their parental isolates. Positive cross-resistance was observed between mefentrifluconazole and difenoconazole or fenbuconazole, whereas no cross-resistance was found with three non-DMI fungicides. Furthermore, three distinct point mutations were detected in the AaCYP51 protein of the resistant mutants: I300S in T4 and T5; A303T in N4, NG1, and NG10; and A303V in N5. Compared to the parental isolates, the AaCYP51 gene was overexpressed in all six resistant mutants when treated with mefentrifluconazole. In summary, the resistance risk of A. alternata to mefentrifluconazole was low, and point mutations and overexpression of the AaCYP51 gene were identified as contributing factors to mefentrifluconazole resistance in A. alternata. [Display omitted] • Baseline sensitivity of A. alternata to mefentrifluconazole was established. • The resistance risk of mefentrifluconazole in A. alternata was low. • Mutations and overexpression of AaCYP51 conferred mefentrifluconazole resistance in A. alternata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil carbon (C) availability is an important limiting factor affecting the magnitude of soil respiration with increasing the drying-rewetting cycle number. Previous studies have reported that because of a deficiency in available C, improved nitrogen (N) availability has no effects on soil respiration in semiarid grasslands. However, it is not well understood whether the effects of N availability on soil respiration in response to drying-rewetting cycles is regulated by C availability in semiarid grasslands under N deposition scenarios. A field experiment was conducted in a semiarid grassland of northern China to investigate the response of soil CO 2 efflux to drying-rewetting cycles (natural precipitation events) with the addition of labile C (glucose, 48 g C m−2 a−1) and N (NH 4 NO 3 , 10 g N m−2 a−1) in August 2014. The drying-rewetting cycle significantly increased soil respiration rate in the treatments with both C and N additions, whereas it did not significantly increase soil respiration rate in the treatments with added N alone. After the first drying-rewetting cycle, a significant increase in soil microbial biomass C (MBC) content was observed in the treatments with both C and N additions but was not observed in the treatment with added N alone. After a series of drying-rewetting cycles, the cumulative CO 2 efflux over the observed period was significantly higher in the treatments with both C and N additions than that in the treatment with added N alone. These findings imply that improved N availability during the period of 20 days has no effects on soil respiration in response to the drying-rewetting cycle due to microbial C limitation under N deposition scenarios in a semiarid grassland. • Drying-rewetting cycles (DW) increased soil respiration in the C plus N plot. • DW had no effects on soil respiration in the N alone plot. • Microbial biomass C was increased in the C plus N plot. • Microbial biomass C had no change in the N alone plot. • C availability regulated soil respiration responding to DW under N addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil carbon (C) availability may play a crucial role in regulating how soil respiration responds to the increase of nitrogen (N) inputs. However, the related research is sporadic so far and has not adequately verified this speculation or addressed the topic in a widespread temperate grassland ecosystem. This lack of knowledge hinders our further accurate prediction of C emissions from terrestrial ecosystems. To improve our knowledge of the role of soil C resources in regulating Rs responses to N inputs, we established a situ field experiment with three levels of N addition (0, 50, and 100 kg N ha −1  yr −1 ) and two levels of glucose (G) addition (0 and 480 kg C ha −1  yr −1 ) to determine the Rs dynamics in a temperate semiarid grassland in China. The results showed that only N addition had no significant effects on Rs as well as microbial biomass C (MBC) during our 168-hour observation period, whereas G addition and G addition together with N addition had positive effects on Rs and MBC. The regression analysis further showed that the cumulative CO 2 efflux was significantly positively related to soil MBC concentrations during the 168-hour observation period. Altogether, our findings verify that soil C availability is an important driver affecting the Rs response to N addition. No response of Rs to increased N availability resulting from N input was attributed to microbial C limitation in a semiarid grassland during a 168-hour observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese steppe is undergoing a drastic increase in nitrogen (N) deposition, and the precipitation in this region is predicted to increase. However, the response of soil N 2 O emissions to the coupling changes of precipitation and N deposition in grassland ecosystem has been seldom discussed. A manipulative field experiment was conducted to investigate the individual and interactive effects of precipitation increase and N deposition on soil N 2 O efflux in semi-arid temperate grassland in Inner Mongolia during the growing seasons of 2010 and 2011.The treatments included four N addition levels [20 g N m −2 y −1 (N20), 10 g N m −2 y −1 (N10), 5 g N m −2 y −1 (N5), and a zero-N control (CK)] and two water application levels [natural precipitation for dry (D) and 15% increase of long-term mean annual precipitation for wet (W) treatments]. Results indicated that N and water addition both significantly increased soil N 2 O effluxes ( P < 0.01). The maximum N 2 O emissions were observed within 2–3 days after N addition to all treatments, and the N 2 O effluxes in W treatments were generally higher than in D treatments for the same N input level. For the treatments without N inputs, the N 2 O emission peak of WCK was 9.8% higher than DCK in 2010. The effect of water addition on N 2 O emission was more evident when more N fertilizer was applied. For the high N input treatments, the maximum N 2 O emission of WN20 treatment was 222.6% higher than DN20 in 2010. The changes in N and water availabilities accounted for 91.3% (2010) and 75.6% (2011) of the N 2 O cumulative efflux variation among different treatments ( P < 0.01). The N 2 O effluxes were significantly affected by the interactive effect between N and water in 2010 and 2011 ( P < 0.05). Significant interannual variability in the cumulative N 2 O emissions was observed, the cumulative N 2 O emissions in 2011 were significantly lower than those in 2010 even though the summer of 2011 experienced higher rainfall ( P < 0.01). Temperature also significantly influenced soil N 2 O emission apart from the effects of water and N. The temperature change accounted for 41.3% (W) to 47.2% (D) of the temporal variations in N 2 O emission during the relatively dry 2010. The combined changes in soil moisture, NH 4 + -N, and temperature accounted for 43.1% (D) to 54.5% (W) of the temporal variations in N 2 O emission in the relatively wet year of 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brucellosis is a global public health concern and occurs mainly in young adults and the elderly, with children having a lower incidence, thus often leading to delayed treatment. This study aimed to describe the epidemiologic features and clinical characteristics of brucellosis in children., Methods: In this retrospective study, the clinical data of five children diagnosed with brucellosis in Anhui Provincial Children's Hospital between January 1, 2021 and December 30, 2022 were analyzed., Results: All five cases were from non-pastoral areas, among which three have a history of livestock exposure and originated from the countryside. All patients had medium-high grade fever, mostly accompanied by night sweats and malaise, and three had joint pains. Laboratory tests showed that their white blood cell count was normal or mildly raised, with lymphocytes as the predominant cell population. Four patients had anemia, four had aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase abnormality, and two had elevated ferritin levels. All blood samples were positive for Brucella culture, one of which had positive bone marrow culture, and all had positive serology test results. All patients were treated with rifampicin, in combination with sulfamethoxazole or doxycycline for 6 weeks following diagnosis. Four children had a good prognosis, but one child had recurrent joint pain., Conclusions: The epidemiologic history of children from non-pastoral areas with brucellosis is often unclear; clinical manifestations and laboratory tests lack specificity; and they are easily delayed diagnosis. Clinicians should remain vigilant regarding the possibility of this disease in children with fever of unknown origin. The epidemiological history should be investigated in detail to improve the diagnostic ability of brucellosis. We recommend emphasizing serological testing. Children with brucellosis who receive timely diagnosis and standardized treatment can expect a favorable prognosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Phosphorus and nitrogen pollution from agricultural nonpoint sources heavily burden the water environment, and a scientific calculating system is needed to calculate the pollutant loads under the water pollution treatment. This study established a system to calculate the coefficients of agricultural nonpoint source pollutants into water bodies in the subregion in Poyang Lake basin in the middle reach of the Yangtze River combining with multiple driving factors. Validation results showed that the errors of the typical unit were 30.58% for total phosphorus (TP), 13.43% for total nitrogen (TN) and 33.93% for ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N), respectively. The errors of the subregion were 26.92% for TP, 31.83% for TN and 29.15% for NH 3 -N, respectively. Besides, there were higher TP and TN loads in the east area of subregion in both units and county scales, which indicated the heavy phosphorus and nitrogen burden on water environment. In contrast, higher NH 3 -N loads occurred in the north area of subregion. The establishment of coefficient system for agricultural pollutants into water bodies and the pollutant loads calculation would provide enlightenment for water pollution treatment and agricultural nonpoint source pollution controlling., 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 © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study examined volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the combustion of seven typical biomass fuel types in a traditional stove, elevated kang, and biomass furnace and from the combustion of three types of coal in coal furnaces. The results revealed that emission factors (EFs) of VOCs emitted from combustion processes ranged from 48.8 ± 29.1 mg/kg (for anthracite combustion in an outdoor boiler) to 5700 ± 6040 mg/kg (for sesame straw combustion in a traditional stove). Changing the fuel type engendered a more significant EF reduction (82.7%) than changing the stove type (51.8%). The emitted VOCs (including oxygenated VOCs, OVOCs) can be ordered as follows (in descending order) in terms of proportion: OVOCs > alkenes > aromatic VOCs > alkanes > halo hydrocarbons > alkynes. These results indicate solid fuel combustion processes warrant attention because they produce high OVOC emissions. The ozone formation potential (OFP) values derived for VOCs emitted from solid fuel combustion ranged from 5.83 ± 0.72 to 1910 ± 1750 mg/kg. Clean fuel and clean stove technologies both exhibited >80% efficiency levels in reducing OFP emissions (e.g., 80.6% reduction for the optimal fuel; 89.4% reduction for a clean stove). Therefore, the difference between VOC emission profiles from different combustion technologies should not be ignored. This study also noted substantial differences between VOC emissions from residential combustion and industrial combustion. Accordingly, attention should be paid to the local characteristics of fuels and stoves and to VOC emissions from residential combustion., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The impact of socioeconomic developments on stroke incidence and mortality must be understood to target prevention strategies appropriately. We assessed the secular trends in stroke incidence and mortality in China based on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016., Methods: Trends of stroke incidence and mortality of China was described in different categories of age, sex and stroke type using the GBD study database. Also a comparative study was conducted between China and Japan, U.S. to find reasonable references for development. Secular trends in incidence and mortality (per 100,000 population) were assessed for stroke, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke from 1990 to 2016. Population pyramid was used to illustrate changes in age- and sex-specific incidence and mortality rates., Results: During the study period, stroke incidence in China increased from 204.52 to 403.08 and mortality increased from 122.09 to 130.94; the corresponding age-standardized rates changed from 335.63 to 353.70 and from 231.28 to 132.84, respectively. Among those aged 15-49 and 50-69 years, the incidence rates of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke both tended to increase, whereas the mortality rates tended to decline in all age groups. The incidence and mortality were highest among those aged ≥70 years. Compared with the U.S. and Japan, age-standardized rates of incidence and mortality were higher in China., Conclusions: Although the incidence of stroke has increased in China, overall mortality has decreased. A priority of stroke prevention and control strategies will transition from reducing mortality to controlling the incidence in at-risk populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Air quality issue such as particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) has become one of the biggest environmental problem in China. As one of the most important industrial base and economic core regions of China, Northeast China is facing serious air pollution problems in recent years, which has a profound impact on the health of local residents and atmospheric environment in some part of East Asia. Therefore, it is urgent to understand temporal-spatial characteristics of particles and analyze the causality factors. The results demonstrated that variation trend of particles was almost similar, the annual, monthly and daily distribution had their own characteristics. Particles decreased gradually from south to north, from west to east. Correlation analysis showed that wind speed was the most important factor affecting particles, and temperature, air pressure and relative humidity were key factors in some seasons. Path analysis showed that there was complex unidirectional causal relationship between particles and individual or combined effects, and NO 2 and CO were key factors affecting PM 2.5 . The hot and cold areas changed little with the seasons. All the above results suggests that planning the industrial layout, adjusting industrial structure, joint prevention and control were necessary measure to reduce particles concentration.

Background: Stroke has become the leading cause of death in China. This study aimed to assess the age-period-cohort (APC) effects on the long-term trends of type-specific stroke morbidity and mortality in China between 1993 and 2017.Methods and Results:The data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 (GBD 2017) and were analyzed with the age-period-cohort framework. The net drifts of mortality were below 0 (hemorrhagic stroke [HS]: males: -1.620%, females: -3.531%; ischemic stroke [IS]: males: -1.041%, females: -3.002%), and the local drift values were below 0 in all age groups and for both genders. The net drifts of HS incidence were below 0 (males: -1.412%, females: -2.688%), while those of IS were above 0 (males: 1.425%, females: 1.117%). Period effect of mortality showed similar monotonic downward patterns for both genders, with a faster decrease for females than for males. Period effect of incidence showed a declined trend of incidence for HS, but an elevated trend for IS in both genders. After controlling for age and period effects, cohort effects on incidence found a monotonic decline trend for HS, while for IS, an elevated trend was found at first to peak during the 1950-1970 s, then declined steadily afterwards. Cohort effects on mortality showed a monotonic declined trend., Conclusions: By using Age-Period-Cohort (APC) analysis, a disparity between HS and IS was identified. Different prevention and control strategies should be used depending on the subtypes of stroke.

Botrytis cinerea is an important pathogen of vegetable and fruit crops but little is known about its population structure and genetics in China. We hypothesized that the geographic populations of B. cinerea in China would be genetically differentiated by host, geographic location, and/or year. In this study, we collected 393 B. cinerea isolates representing 28 populations from tomato, cherry, and nectarine from 2006 to 2014 in China. The isolates were analyzed using 14 microsatellite markers, including six new markers that provided more genotyping power than the eight previously published loci. We also investigated the B. cinerea population structure and inferred its mode of reproduction and dispersal based on genotype data. High genotypic diversity was detected in all populations, and clonal reproduction was dominant. Southern China populations harbored more genotypes than northern populations. Differentiation by host plant was evident. Between 2011 and 2012, genotypes changed only slightly among years for Liaoning populations, but they changed substantially among years for the Shanghai and Fujian populations. Clonal dispersal was detected and the farthest dispersal distance was estimated to be about 1,717 km. Two high-frequency genotypes were widely distributed in more than 10 populations and across several years. Our results provide useful, novel information for plant breeding programs and control of B. cinerea in China.

A generally accepted method to predict selenium (Se) bioavailability of long-term contaminated soils has not yet been established, even if risk assessments in selenosis areas are crucial. In this study, a set of methods were tested to assess the bioavailability of Se to field maize. Fifty maize (Zea mays L.) samples and corresponding soils were collected from a selenosis area (Ziyang, China). The diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique and the traditional chemical extraction methods, including seven single-step extraction procedures and a five-step sequential extraction were used to predict the bioaccumulation of Se in plant. The result verified the presence of 50% of total Se in the form of residual Se fraction, followed by organic-bound and Fe-Mn oxide-bound Se fractions in soil. In addition, Se 6+ , Se 4+ , and Se 2- were all detected in the solution extracted by H 2 O, KCl, phosphate-buffered solution (PBS), NaHCO 3 , ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-2Na (EDTA-2Na) and ammonium bicarbonate-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (AB-DTPA), but Se 6+ was not extracted by NaOH. The Se extracted by single-step extraction methods was weakly correlated with the Se uptake by plants with relatively high Se concentration (>3 mg·kg -1 ). The abilities of the tested methods to predict Se bioavailability in naturally Se-enriched soils declined in the following order: DGT > soil solution > PBS > KCl > H 2 O > NaHCO 3  > EDTA > DTPA > NaOH. The ratio of C DGT to soil solution Se (C soln ) totaled 0.13, indicating an extremely low Se supply from the soil solid phase to the soil solution. Se measured by DGT was mainly derived from the soluble and exchangeable Se fractions that can accurately reflect the plant-absorbed Se pool. Therefore, the DGT technique is highly applicable in the simultaneous prediction of Se bioavailability in naturally Se-enriched soils., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of general and abdominal obesity has increased rapidly in China. The aims of this study were to estimate the dynamic prevalence of overweight, general obesity, and abdominal obesity and the distribution of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) among Chinese adults., Methods: Data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). According to the suggestions of the WHO for Chinese populations, overweight was defined as a 23 kg/m 2  ≤ BMI < 27.5 kg/m 2 and general obesity as a BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m 2 . Abdominal obesity was defined as a WC ≥ 90 cm for males and ≥ 80 cm for females. Grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 obesity were defined as 27.5 kg/m 2  ≤ BMI < 32.5 kg/m 2 , 32.5 kg/m 2  ≤ BMI < 37.5 kg/m 2 , and BMI ≥ 37.5 kg/m 2 , respectively. Generalized estimation equations were used to estimate the prevalence and trends of overweight, general and abdominal obesity., Results: This study included 12,543 participant. From 1989 to 2011, the median BMI of males and females increased by 2.65 kg/m 2 and 1.90 kg/m 2 , respectively; and WC increased by 8.50 cm and 7.00 cm, respectively. In 2011, the age-adjusted prevalence of overweight, general obesity, and abdominal obesity were 38.80% (95% CI: 37.95-39.65%), 13.99% (95% CI: 13.38-14.59%), and 43.15% (95% CI: 42.28-44.01%), respectively, and significantly increased across all cycles of the survey among all subgroups (all P < 0.0001). The age-adjusted prevalence of grade 1-3 obesity significantly increased in total sample and sex subgroups (all P < 0.0001). For all indicators, there were significant increases in annual ORs among all subgroups (all P < 0.0001), with the exception of grade 2 obesity. Significant differences were observed in ORs across the three age groups in males. And ORs significantly decreased with age., Conclusions: The age-adjusted prevalence of overweight, general obesity, and abdominal obesity significantly increased among Chinese adults from 1989 to 2011. The obesity population is trending toward an increased proportion of males and younger individuals in China.

The responses of soil respiration to exogenous carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) inputs under changing precipitation patterns were explored via in-situ field experiments. In 2014, a typical temperate grassland on the Xilin River of Inner Mongolia was taken as the research site, and soil respiration was measured in the following treatments:addition of water alone (CK), addition of water + N fertilizer[CN, 2.5 g·(m 2 ·a) -1 ], addition of water + labile C[CG, 24 g·(m 2 ·a) -1 ], and addition of water + N fertilizer+ labile C[CNG, 2.5 g·(m 2 ·a) -1 +24 g·(m 2 ·a) -1 ], and the correlations of soil respiration with soil temperature, soil moisture, soil dissolved organic C (DOC), and soil microbial biomass C (MBC) were analyzed. During the first water application event (FWE) with the frequency of natural precipitation, cumulative CO 2 efflux over 168 hours significantly increased in the CG and CNG treatments, whereas there was no such change in the CN treatment. In addition, soil MBC contents in the CG and CNG treatments were significantly higher than that in the CK and CN treatments, and the correlation of average soil respiration rate with soil MBC content among these treatments was positively significant ( P <0.05). In contrast with during the FWE, cumulative CO 2 efflux over 168 hours and soil MBC content significantly decreased during the second water application event (SWE) with no natural precipitation ( P <0.05), whereas soil DOC content significantly increased ( P <0.05). The cumulative CO 2 efflux over 168 hours significantly decreases in the CN and CG treatments ( P <0.05).During both the water application events, soil respiration rate had a positive relationship with soil temperature and soil volume water content ( P <0.05). Therefore, it is proposed that the distribution of natural precipitation influences soil water content, which controls the effects of exogenous C and N on soil respiration in semiarid grassland ecosystems.