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This article reviews selected research on foreign language teaching and learning published in local, high-impact journals in China over the past ten years (2012-2021). A bibliometric analysis was conducted to elicit the most frequently researched topics in the field, which were grouped into four categories, that is, language learning and use, language pedagogy, language learners and teachers, and Teaching English as a Foreign Language approaches/theories, and a number of sub-categories. This was then followed by an in-depth and critical review of 71 studies corresponding to those categories and sub-categories. The review concluded with a discussion of inadequacies and recommendations for future research. It is hoped that a review on the experience of Chinese practitioners and researchers' efforts to promote foreign language education may contribute to language teaching research and development in the international field.

While the research on pretask planning has concentrated on its effects on learners' task performance in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity, its possible influence on the overall discourse level, such as discourse management and coherence, has been largely ignored. The present study addresses the inadequacy by uncovering the potential effects of pretask planning on Chinese EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' selection of referential expressions in oral narratives. Fifty-six intermediate-level learners were tasked with retelling the story of "Modern Times" under one of two conditions, that is, either with 10-minutes strategic planning or without any planning time. An additional 25 native speakers (NSs) also narrated the same story under the same task conditions. Their narratives were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded based on a coding scheme that distinguished the roles of characters, types of reference, and discursive status of reference. A combination of statistical analysis and discourse analysis showed that (1) compared with NSs, the EFL learners were overexplicit in using noun phrases and proper names to refer to singular characters, but not so in joint reference to the major characters; and (2) pretask planning facilitated more target-like selection of referential expressions when major characters were referred to, although it did not bring the learners' performance up to NS standards. However, the impact of planning time on referential use seemed to be moderated by the role prominence. These findings were explained within the framework of Levelt's speech production model and Skehan's Limited Attentional Capacity Hypothesis.

The changes and influencing factors of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and organic carbon (SOC) on precipitation gradients are crucial for predicting and evaluating carbon storage changes at the regional scale. However, people's understanding of the distribution characteristics of SOC and SIC reserves on regional precipitation gradients is insufficient, and the main environmental variables that affect SOC and SIC changes are also not well understood. Therefore, this study focuses on the Alxa region and selects five regions covered by three typical desert vegetation types, Zygophyllum xanthoxylon (ZX), Nitraria tangutorum (NT), and Reaumuria songarica (RS), along the climate transect where precipitation gradually increases. The study analyzes and discusses the variation characteristics of SOC and SIC under different vegetation and precipitation conditions. The results indicate that both SOC and SIC increase with the increase of precipitation, and the increase in SOC is greater with the increase of precipitation. The average SOC content in the 0–300cm profile is NT (4.13 g kg−1) > RS (3.61 g kg−1) > ZX (3.57 g kg−1); The average value of SIC content is: RS (5.78 g kg−1) > NT (5.11 g kg−1) > ZX (5.02 g kg−1). Overall, the multi-annual average precipitation (MAP) in the Alxa region is the most important environmental factor affecting SIC and SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green bonds, a new green financial instrument, encourage enterprises to achieve high-quality development through green technology innovation. However, a lack of research is currently being conducted into the effect of green bond issuance in China. Can green bonds effectively empower enterprises to green innovation? What is the underlying mechanism? In the context of carbon-neutral strategies, it is significant to answer these questions scientifically. This paper uses a quasi-natural experiment of the launch of the green bond market in China in 2016 to conduct empirical studies based on the panel data of 1 558 non-financial Chinese-listed enterprises from 2015 to 2020 with the multi-period difference-in-difference model. The results show that ① issuing green bonds can significantly empower enterprises' green technology innovation. The empowering effect is mainly for green utility patents rather than green invention patents. This result remains after dynamic heterogeneity analysis, placebo test, and other tests. In addition, the effect has a lag. ② Heterogeneity tests show that this empowerment effect varies across enterprises with different property rights, industries, and regions. ③ In terms of the mechanism of action, green bonds can enhance enterprises' ability to innovate green technology by increasing the proportion of long-term loans and improving their debt structure. This paper broadens the relevant literature on the economic consequences of green bonds and the influencing factors of enterprises' green technology innovation and provides policy suggestions for further improving the analysis of green bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the moment, drought, salinity, and low-temperature stress are ubiquitous environmental issues. In arid regions including Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and other areas worldwide, the area of tree plantations appears to be rising, triggering tree growth. Water is a vital resource in the agricultural systems of countries impacted by aridity and salinity. Worldwide efforts to reduce quantitative yield losses on Populus euphratica by adapting tree plant production to unfavorable environmental conditions have been made in response to the responsiveness of the increasing control of water stress. Although there has been much advancement in identifying the genes that resist abiotic stresses, little is known about how plants such as P. euphratica deal with numerous abiotic stresses. P. euphratica is a varied riparian plant that can tolerate drought, salinity, low temperatures, and climate change, and has a variety of water stress adaptability abilities. To conduct this review, we gathered all available information throughout the Web of Science, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information on the impact of abiotic stress on the molecular mechanism and evolution of gene families at the transcription level. The data demonstrated that P. euphratica might gradually adapt its stomatal aperture, photosynthesis, antioxidant activities, xylem architecture, and hydraulic conductivity to endure extreme drought and salt stress. Our analyses will give readers an understanding of how to manage a gene family in desert trees and the influence of abiotic stresses on the productivity of tree plants. They will also give readers the knowledge necessary to improve biotechnology-based tree plant stress tolerance for sustaining yield and quality trees in China's arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon tariffs are directly linked to carbon performance and have an impact on export sectors. This paper examines the relationship between carbon tariffs and carbon performance based on China's manufacturing sector, helping to visually quantify the impact of carbon tariffs and to adopt more favourable strategies to address the impact. This paper uses data from 28 manufacturing industry segments in China from 2009 to 2019, estimating carbon performance using an SBM model incorporating non-desired outputs. The panel Tobit model is also used to explore the driving role of carbon tariffs and related variables on carbon performance. The results show the following: First of all, China's manufacturing carbon performance is generally on an upward trend but is mainly driven by improvements in the light textile and machinery manufacturing industries. Secondly, in terms of drivers of carbon performance, the imposition of carbon tariffs will increase the carbon performance of China's manufacturing sector. Furthermore, R&D investment is positively correlated with carbon emission performance. The significant positive impact of export dependence is manifested in the light and textile industry. Energy intensity has a significant positive impact on the textile industry and a significant negative impact on the resource processing industry. Environmental regulations have a negative impact on the light textile industry. China should optimize the industrial chain of resource processing industry. At the same time, China should increase R&D investment in emission reduction and product upgrades, encourage the export of light and textile industrial products, increase the import of resource processing industrial products. Also, the government should formulate environmental regulatory policies that are close to the nature of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to develop a nomogram to predict risk of resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with Kawasaki disease in eastern China. We retrospectively analysed the data of children with Kawasaki disease who received IVIG during hospitalisation at Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital. IVIG resistance was defined as recrudescent or persistent fever ≥36 h after the end of the IVIG infusion. Baseline variables were analysed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) to identify the predictors of IVIG resistance, which were then used to construct a predictive nomogram. Calibration curve and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of the model. The predictive nomogram was validated on test sets of external data and prospective data. Between January 2015 and December 2020, 1293 Kawasaki disease patients were hospitalized in Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital. Among them, 72 (5.57%) showed IVIG resistance. LASSO identified haemoglobin, percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein level, platelet count, serum albumin, serum sodium, serum alkaline phosphatase, coronary artery damage, and complete Kawasaki disease as risk factors for IVIG resistance. The nomogram constructed using these factors showed satisfactory discriminatory power (AUC, 0.75), and sensitivity (0.74) and specificity (0.64). In the external data and prospective data, the AUC was 0.66 and 0.83, respectively, the sensitivity was 0.86 and 1, respectively, and the specificity was 0.49 and 0.60, respectively. The predictive nomogram constructed using nine factors associated with IVIG resistance in children with Kawasaki disease could be a useful tool for identifying patients likely to show IVIG resistance. This nomogram may help reduce the risk of coronary artery lesions. None of the IVIG resistance scoring systems has shown consistently good performance in previous studies. Tools to predict the risk of IVIG resistance in eastern China are lacking. In our series, haemoglobin level, percentage of neutrophils, platelet count, coronary artery damage, incomplete Kawasaki disease, and CRP, serum albumin, serum sodium, and serum alkaline phosphatase levels were risk factors of IVIG resistance in hospitalized children in the eastern China cities of Suzhou and Fuzhou. We propose an easy-to-use nomogram to predict the risk factors of IVIG resistance in hospitalized children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the antimicrobial profiles and genomic characteristics of MDR-Citrobacter spp. strains isolated from Fennec fox imported from Sudan to China. Methods: Four Citrobacter spp. strains were isolated from stool samples. Individual fresh stool samples were collected and subsequently diluted in phosphate buffered saline as described previously. The diluted fecal samples were plated on MacConkey agar supplemented with 1 mg/l cefotaxime and incubated for 20 h at 37 °C. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOF–MS) was used for identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on an Illumina Novaseq-6000 platform. Acquired antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmid replicons were detected using ResFinder 4.1 and PlasmidFinder 1.3, respectively. Comparative genomic analysis of 277 Citrobacter genomes was also performed. Results: Isolate FF141 was identified as Citrobacter cronae while isolate FF371, isolate FF414, and isolate FF423 were identified as Citrobacter braakii. Of these, three C. braakii isolates were further confirmed to be extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-producer. All isolates are all multidrug resistance (MDR) with resistance to multiple antimicrobials. Plasmid of pKPC-CAV1321 belong to incompatibility (Inc) group. Comparative genomics analysis of Citrobacter isolates generated a large core-genome. Genetic diversity was observed in our bacterial collection, which clustered into five main clades. Human, environmental and animal Citrobacter isolates were distributed into five clusters. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of MDR-Citrobacter from Fennec Fox. Our phenotypic and genomic data further underscore the threat of increased ESBL prevalence in wildlife and emphasize that increased effort should be committed to monitoring the potentially rapid dissemination of ESBL-producers with one health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is an important stage of psychological development, and the psychological and mental problems of many adults are affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. The aim of this study was to understand the psychological status of this group during the epidemic, and to determine the risk factors leading to psychological stress, as well as protective factors. Methods: An online survey was run on April 2, 2020. The participants were 254 adolescents aged 13–16 years from a junior high school in Jiangsu, China. The results were compared with the pre-epidemic data, which came from the psychological status survey routinely carried out by the school. Mental health variables were assessed via the Mental Health Test that included one validity subscale and eight content subscales. Results: The number of adolescents with poor mental health increased significantly from 12.3 to 24.2%. There was significant increase in learning anxiety (33.7 vs. 56.4%), sensitivity tendency (19.8 vs. 46%), somatic anxiety (13.9 vs. 40.7%) and phobia tendency (4.4 vs. 10.1%). During the epidemic, there were significant differences between adolescents with normal and poor mental health in family structure, personality, relationship with siblings, daily exercise time, and risk of family members coming in contact with COVID-19. Living in stem family, no siblings, and risk of contracting COVID-19 from family members were significant risk factors for teenagers with poor mental health. Risk of contracting COVID-19 from family members was the most influential risk factor for learning anxiety, self-blaming tendency, sensitivity tendency, and somatic anxiety. Exercising for ≥1 h per day was a significant protective factor for poor mental health. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 epidemic, adolescents aged 13–16 years have had psychosocial problems, especially learning anxiety, sensitivity tendency, somatic anxiety, and phobia tendency, as well as risk factors for developing them. Our study provides insights for potential interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increase in life expectancy, a large number of patients with osteoporosis (OP) are undergoing spine surgery, which may adversely affect the surgical success rate. The prevalence of OP varies in different regions, and no data are available that represent the prevalence of OP among Chinese patients over 50 years of age who are undergoing spine surgery. It was the first multicenter study to assess OP in these patients. Aiming to obtain comprehensive data, this study combined bone mineral density (BMD) measurements and visual radiography assessment (VRA) to analyze the prevalence of OP in patients aged > 50 years who underwent spine surgery.Methods: Data from 1,856 patients aged over 50 years undergoing spine surgery who resided in northern, central, and southern China were reviewed between 2018 and 2019. Based on the perioperative BMD and X-ray data, we calculated the prevalence of OP in this special population according to sex, age, and spine degenerative disease.Results: A total of 1,245 patients (678 females and 567 males) were included in the study. The prevalence of OP diagnosed by BMD was 52.8 % in females and 18.7 % in males. When we combined with BMD and VRA, the prevalence of OP increased from 52.8 to 65.9 % in females and from 18.7 to 40.6 % in males. Although OP was more severe in females than in males, a significant difference in the rate of vertebral fracture (VF) was not observed between females and males with a normal BMD and osteopenia (females vs. males: aged 50-59 years, P = 0.977; 60-69 years, P = 0.302; >70 years, P = 0.172). Similarly, no significant difference in the vertebral fracture rate was observed within different age groups of patients with a normal BMD and osteopenia (females: P = 0.210; males, P = 0.895). The incidence of OP in patients with degenerative scoliosis was higher than that in the remaining patients (females: 63.6 % vs. 42.4 %, P = 0.018; males: 38.9 % vs. 13.8 %, P = 0.004).Conclusions: A high prevalence of OP was identified in patients aged > 50 years undergoing spine surgery, especially in patients whose primary diagnosis was degenerative scoliosis. BMD and VRA evaluations should be included in the clinical routine for these patients prior to surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions:Modified Friedman stage can be used to predict glossopharyngeal obstruction better than before in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of modified Friedman stage in predicting glossopharyngeal obstruction in patients with OSA. Methods:Eighty-five OSA patients with Friedman stage III were divided into IIIa group and IIIb group based on an imaginary line drawn in the horizontal and middle position of the soft palate. Polysomnography (PSG) was performed after nasopharyngeal tube (NPT) insertion (NPT-PSG) to diagnose glossopharyngeal obstruction. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) determined by NPT-PSG (NPT-AHI) and glossopharyngeal obstruction result determined by NPT-PSG (NPT-PSG result) were compared between the two groups. Results:There were significant differences in NPT-AHI (p < 0.01) and NPT-PSG result (p < 0.01) between the two groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers in China with very low 5-year survival rate mostly due to the paucity of effective early diagnostic methods. Serum autoantibodies against 9 tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) from ESCC patients and healthy controls were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate their performances in the immunodiagnosis of ESCC. Logistic regression models were generated to predict the probability of individuals being diagnosed with ESCC in training cohort (648 participants) and further validated in another independent cohort (372 participants). Finally, a panel of four TAAs showed high diagnostic accuracy with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.838 in training cohort and 0.872 in validation cohort, respectively. The percentages of individuals correctly classified were 77.01 % in training cohort and 78.49 % in validation cohort, respectively. This model could discriminate early-stage (AJCC stage 0, I and II) ESCC patients from normal controls, with true-positive rate (TPR) of 67.57 % in training cohort and TPR of 63.33 % in validation cohort, and the overall TPR for early-stage ESCC was 66.85 % when the two cohorts were combined. The diagnostic performance of this model showed no significant difference between early-stage and late-stage (AJCC stage III and IV) ESCC patients. In summary, the optimized model with 4 TAAs has a high diagnostic performance for ESCC detection, especially for early-stage ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most basic and accessible social codes, food has many social and cultural connotations. This article aims to offer a semiotic reading of ordinary Chinese meals. The three-meal structure and four binary oppositions (Cooked/Raw, Fan/Cai, Solids/Liquids, and Vegetable/Meat) are discussed. The laws that govern the Chinese meal system reveal how Chinese people see themselves and others, how they connect the past and present, and how they identify themselves with their culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haloxylon ammodendron is a desert shrub widely used as a windbreak and for sand fixation, and it has achieved remarkable results in China. However, in desert areas, large-scale afforestation increases soil water consumption and forms a dried soil layer (DSL), the development of which seriously threatens the sustainable development of the ecosystem. In this study, soil moisture in the 0–400 cm soil profile was measured in selected 5-, 11-, 22-, 34-, and 46-year-old plantations of Haloxylon ammodendron plantations in Alxa Legue, China, and three soil desiccation evaluation indices were calculated—the soil desiccation index (SDI), DSL thickness (DSLT), and DSL soil water content (DSL-SWC)—to analyze the change pattern of the soil water content for different stand ages. The results showed that the shallow water layer (0–200 cm) was depleted sharply in the first five years of Haloxylon ammodendron plantation growth, but no DSL developed; the inflection point of soil water content change appeared after 10 years of growth, after which the shallow soil water was depleted and the drying process of the deep soil water content was significantly faster than that in the early growth period. The deep soil layer (200–400 cm) was depleted seriously after 22 years of afforestation, the soil drying phenomenon was obvious, and the DSL developed from the 172 cm soil layer. After 46 years of afforestation, the DSL was fully developed and the DSL-SWC was only 0.034 cm3 cm−3. Priority should thus be given to the use of less water-consuming shrub species; alternatively, after 5 years of growth of Haloxylon ammodendron plantations, certain water control measures should be taken to maintain the soil water balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the soil nematode community structure along the Yellow River in the Lanzhou area of China, and analyzed the impact of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, and Zn) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the nematode community. Soil samples from five locations (named A–E), which were chosen for soil analysis, showed significant differences in their heavy metal content ( p < 0.01), as well as in the variety of nematodes (up to 41 genera) and families (up to 20) that were present. The different samples also differed significantly in the total PAH content ( p < 0.05), as well as the six types of PAH present. Sites A–C showed the most severe contamination with heavy metals and PAHs; these sites had the lowest abundance of fungivores and omnivore/predators, but the proportion of bacteriovores was the highest ( p < 0.05). Site E, in contrast, showed only minor pollution with heavy metals and PAHs, and it contained the highest abundance of plant parasites ( p < 0.05). Several nematode ecological indicators were found to correlate with concentration of soil pollutants at all the sites tested: the maturity index (MI, in addition to plant parasites), plant parasite index (PPI), ΣMI (including all the soil nematodes), Shannon-Wiener diversity index ( H′′), and Wasilewska index (WI). Disturbance to the soil environment was more severe when MI, ΣMI, and H′ values were lower. The results of the study show that the abundance and structure of the soil nematode communities in the sampling locations were strongly influenced by levels of heavy metals and PAHs in the soil. They also show that the diversity index H′ and the maturity index can be valuable tools for assessing the impact of pollutants on nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Badain Jaran Desert, the coexistence of dunes and lakes, and the presence of the world's tallest dunes, has attracted worldwide attention among hydrologists. Freshwater, brackish, and saline lakes coexistence in the Badain Jaran Desert under extremely arid environmental conditions. This raises the question of why diverse lake water types exist under the same climatic conditions. Answering this question requires the characterization of lake hydrochemistry and the main controlling factors. The purpose of the presented research was to systematically analyzed samples from 80 lakes using statistical analysis, correlation analysis and hydrogeochemical methods to investigate the hydrochemical status and evolution of lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert. The results showed that the lake water in Badain Jaran Desert is generally alkaline, with the average pH and TDS were 9.31 and 165.12 g L−1, respectively. The main cations to be Na+ and K+, whereas the main anions are Cl− and SO42−. HCO3− and CO32− decreased and SO42− and Cl− increased from southeast to northwest, whereas lake hydrochemistry changed from the SO42−-Cl−-HCO3− type to the SO42−-Cl− type and lakes transitioned from freshwater to saline. The freshwater and slightly brackish lakes are mainly distributed in the piedmont area at a high altitude near the Yabulai Moutains, whereas saline lakes are mainly distributed in the desert hinterland at a low altitude, and there is a roughly increasing trend of ions from the Yabulai Mountains. The evaporation-crystallization reactions are the dominant in the study region. Moreover, some saline mineral deposits, are extensive in these regions caused by intense evaporation-crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing activity can profoundly influence grassland plant community structure and ecosystem functions. However, our understanding of the effects of livestock grazing on ecological stability across different grassland types remains limited. Based on a 5-year investigation along a precipitation gradient (180 mm in desert steppe, 282 mm in typical steppe and 375 mm in meadow steppe) in temperate grasslands of Inner Mongolia, we examined the responses of the temporal stability of plant community aboveground biomass to grazing intensity at three levels (light grazing, moderate grazing and heavy grazing). We found that grazing intensity at all levels reduced biomass temporal stability across all types of grasslands. Heavy grazing intensity reduced community biomass, species richness and species asynchrony. Structural equation modeling further revealed that grazing decreased community stability mainly by decreasing species asynchrony. In addition, community-level stability was driven by grass species stability in the meadow steppe, but it was affected by the stability of forb species in the desert steppe. These findings suggest that grazing practices may alter the stability properties of grassland plant communities, highlighting the importance of understanding changes in different plant functional groups for predicting community dynamics under grazing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most destructive invasive pests causing serious damage to maize crops in China. At present, the use of chemical pesticides is the main method to prevent and control S. frugiperda. However, the excessive use of chemical pesticides not only causes toxicity in humans and animals but also pollutes the environment and causes public harm. In this context, the present study aimed to isolate, identify and evaluate the pathogenicity of the native strain of Metarhizium guizhouense against eggs, larvae and pupae of S. frugiperda under laboratory conditions. Results: The fungal isolate was identified as M. guizhouense (Xct1) based on its morphological and molecular characteristics by sequencing ITS, β-tubulin and EF1-α gene. Meanwhile, the fungal isolate was highly pathogenic to eggs of the S. frugiperda, at the highest concentration of 1 × 108 spores/ml, the cumulative egg hatching rate was only 8.33% at 10 days post exposure. After 10 days of exposure to the highest concentration of 1 × 108 spores/ml, the LC50 values for the first–fifth larval instars of S. frugiperda were 8.12 × 104, 1.11 × 105, 5.55 × 105, 3.87 × 106 and 1.43 × 107 spores/ml, respectively. Conclusions: The pathogenicity of M. guizhouense Xct1 to S. frugiperda larvae gradually decreased with increasing the developmental stages. Metarhizium guizhouense Xct1 was more pathogenic to egg and younger larvae of S. frugiperda. This provides a basis for determining the optimal period of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitional features of desert environments partially determine the risks associated with ecosystems. Influenced by climate change and human activities, the variability and uncertainty of desertification levels and ecological risks in the Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNPQA) has become increasingly prominent. As a critical ecological barrier in northwest China, monitoring desertification dynamics and ecological risks is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability. This study identifies the optimal monitoring model from four constructed desertification monitoring models and analyzes spatiotemporal changes in desertification. The spatial and temporal changes in ecological risks and their primary driving factors were analyzed using methods such as raster overlay calculation, geographic detector, cloud model, and trend analysis. The main conclusions are as follows: The desertification feature spatial model based on GNDVI-Albedo demonstrates better applicability in the study area, with an inversion accuracy of 81.24%. The levels of desertification and ecological risks in QMNPQA exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity, with a gradual decrease observed from northwest to southeast. From 2000 to 2020, there is an overall decreasing trend in desertification levels and ecological risks, with the decreasing trend area accounting for 89.82% and 85.71% respectively, mainly concentrated in the southeastern and northwestern parts of the study area. The proportion of areas with increasing trends is 4.49% and 7.05% respectively, scattered in patches in the central and southern edge areas. Surface temperature (ST), Digital Elevation Map (DEM), and Green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) are the most influential factors determining the spatial distribution of ecological risks in QMNPQA. The effects of management and climatic factors on ecological risks demonstrate a significant antagonistic effect, highlighting the positive contributions of human activities in mitigating the driving effects of climate change on ecological risks. The research results can provide reference for desertification prevention and ecological quality improvement in QMNPQA. • A desertification monitoring model more suitable for semi-arid alpine mountains has been proposed. • Climate change is a major contributor to increased ecological risk. • Management Factors Show Positive Effects on Responding to Ecological Risks Driven by Climate Change. • Emphasizing the positive contribution of ecological management in addressing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The evolution of desert environments has significantly deteriorated soil health in semi-arid alpine regions. • Rising desertification reduces the ability of plants to maintain stable soil health. • Worsened desertification enhances the role of soil microbes in determining soil health stability. • Soil health stability in semi-arid alpine mountains exhibits a nonlinear response to desertification. Desertification poses a serious threat to ecosystem health, and with global changes, the variability and uncertainty of ecological functions in semi-arid alpine regions are increasing. A pressing issue is quantifying how desertification affects the soil system functions in these areas. However, empirical evidence is still lacking in exploring the interaction between desertification degradation gradients and soil functions under natural conditions by coupling soil physicochemical properties, soil microbiota, and vegetation. For this purpose, we conducted a survey sampling of soil and vegetation at five sites with no, light, moderate, severe and extremely severe desertification in Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountains National Park, China. We introduced a new concept soil health stability (SHS) to represent the actual health status of soil systems in semi-arid alpine regions and assessed the impact of desertification on this stability. We observed that the intensification of desertification has led to a significant decrease in soil organic matter, relative abundance of soil microorganisms, and plant factors. The contributions of plant factors and soil microbiota to SHS showed a negative correlation with the degradation gradient. SHS varied across different degradation gradients, rather than following a single linear relationship, with a relatively rapid decline in the transition from non-desertification to moderate desertification. Our work emphasizes that the coupled contributions of soil physicochemical properties, soil microbiota, and vegetation to SHS. It calls for intensified prevention and treatment of mild and moderate desertification, while providing new methods and deeper scientific understanding for accurately evaluating soil system functions in semi-arid alpine regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Afforestation has desiccated the soil in arid areas. • Soil moisture was significantly affected by plantation age. • A conceptual synthesis is proposed based on soil dry layer of Vegetation carrying capacity. In recent years, China has achieved remarkable results in curbing desertification through afforestation. However, the dry soil layer resulting from the long-term water consumption of overloaded perennial plants seriously threatens the sustainability of afforestation, and quantifying the maximum vegetation carrying capacity under certain soil moisture conditions is crucial to the sustainability of afforestation in arid areas. Therefore, we aimed to simulate soil water in Haloxylon ammodendron plantations at different growth stages using the simultaneous heat and water transfer (SHAW) model to determine the vegetation carrying capacity threshold. Field-measured soil and vegetation data for 2021 were used to calibrate the SHAW model. Good consistency in soil water content (SWC) was observed between measurements and simulations in the calibration and validation phases of the model, with considerable linear correlation and low prediction error values. Therefore, the soil water dynamics of H. ammodendron plantations in the study area could be accurately predicted using the SHAW model. The simulation results show that, with increasing forest age, the SWC at 0–400 cm gradually decreases and a dry soil layer starts to form when the forest age reaches 11 years. The dry layer thickness reaches 120 cm by 22 years, thus the optimal growth age of artificial H. ammodendron plantations in the study area should not exceed 22 years, and the maximum biomass soil water carrying capacity of vegetation is 1,650 kg/hm2. A vegetation carrying capacity threshold can be determined in this study for the sustainable management of future afforestation activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple intertidal bars are common sedimentary landforms found on low-gradient sandy coasts exposed to low to moderate wave energy with a significant tidal range. However, studying the factors that influence their morphology can be challenging due to limited high-resolution field data and tools for bedform analysis. To address this, a multifaceted approach was used to investigate the morphology of intertidal bars at two adjacent tidal beaches on the north and south coasts of a small estuary on the Lianyungang coast of China. This approach included repeated real-time kinematic-global positioning system (RTK-GPS) leveling, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys, surface sediment sampling, satellite remote sensing analysis, and automated bedform analysis. The study revealed two distinct types of intertidal bars on either side of the estuary with similar hydrodynamic settings. The north coast presented low-amplitude ridges (also called ridges and runnels), while the south coast had sand waves. The north coast displayed 2–5 oblique, asymmetrical, and dynamic bars that appeared at the seaward end of the intertidal zone and migrated landward to eventually attach to the steep beach on the landward end of the intertidal zone, representing a life cycle. The south coast had 6–9 parallel, continuous, symmetrical, and stable sand bars occupying the lower part of the intertidal zone. Due to the nearly identical hydrodynamic background, the alongshore variability in sediment supply is suggested as a key factor driving the formation of distinct types of bars. • Two types of intertidal sand bars were revealed on either side of a small estuary. • Oblique and asymmetrical low-amplitude ridges migrate landward on the north coast. • Symmetrical and stable sand waves occupy lower intertidal flat of the south coast. • Sediment supply is a key factor in the formation of these two types of sand bars. • UAV surveys expand the space and remote sensing extends the time of measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soil is one of the main soil types in northeast China, and plays an important role in Chinese crop production. However, nitrogen inputs over 50 years have led to reduced black soil fertility. It is unclear how N affects the fungal community in this soil type, so a long-term fertilizer experiment was begun in 1980 and we applied 454 pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR to targeted fungal ITS genes. There were five treatments: control (no fertilizer), N 1 (low nitrogen fertilizer), N 2 (high nitrogen fertilizer), N 1 P 1 (low nitrogen plus low phosphorus fertilizers) and N 2 P 2 (high nitrogen plus high phosphorus fertilizers). Soil nutrient concentrations (Total N, Avail N, NO 3 − , NH 4 + , etc.) and ITS gene copy numbers increased, whereas soil pH and fungal diversity decreased in all the fertilized treatments. Relationships between soil parameters and fungal communities were evaluated. Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Leotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes, and Agaricomycetes were the most abundant classes in all soils. Principal coordinates analysis showed that the fungal communities in the control and lower-fertilizer treatments clustered closely and were separated from communities where more concentrated fertilizers were used. Fungal diversity and ITS gene copy number were dependent on soil pH. Our findings suggested that long-term nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer regimes reduced fungal biodiversity and changed community composition. The influence of the more concentrated fertilizer treatments was greater than the lower concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effects of chemical fertilization management on microbial communities in soils have been well studied, few studies have examined such impacts of long-term chemical fertilizations on the microbial community in black soils common to northeast China. We applied high-throughput pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR of the 16S rRNA gene to investigate bacterial communities in a long-term fertilizer experiment started in 1980. The following fertilizer treatments were compared with control plots (no fertilizer): N 1 (low nitrogen fertilizer), N 2 (high nitrogen fertilizer), N 1 P 1 (low nitrogen plus low phosphorus fertilizers) and N 2 P 2 (high nitrogen plus high phosphorus fertilizers). All fertilization treatments resulted in decreases in soil pH and increases in wheat yield and concentrations of total nitrogen, organic matter and KCl-extractable NO 3 − and NH 4 + . Fertilization also led to a significant decrease in total 16S rRNA gene abundance and bacterial diversity. The phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria dominated in all fertilized treatments. There was an increase in relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, TM7 and Verrucomicrobia across all fertilized treatments compared to unfertilized controls, whereas phyla Acidobacteria and Nitrospirae decreased. The bacterial communities in unfertilized controls and lower-mineral fertilizers (i.e. N 1 and N 1 P 1 ) were predominantly composed of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, and separated from the communities where more concentrated fertilizer regimes were used (i.e. N 2 and N 2 P 2 ) based on principal coordinates analysis. Soil pH and NO 3 − concentration appeared to be the most important factors in shaping bacterial communities. Our findings suggested that long-term inorganic fertilizer regimes reduced the biodiversity and abundance of bacteria. The influence of more concentrated fertilizer treatments was greater than that of lower concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: China has experienced a notable upsurge in pertussis cases post-COVID-19, alongside an age shift to older children, increased vaccine escape, and a notable rise in the prevalence of macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis. Here, we present a genomic epidemiological investigation of these events., Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study using culture-positive B pertussis isolated in Shanghai, China, from 2016 to 2024. We analysed strain and pertussis epidemiology dynamics by integrating whole-genome sequencing of 723 strains with antimicrobial susceptibility, transcriptomic profile, and clinical data. We compared the genome sequences of Shanghai strains with 6450 Chinese and global strains., Results: From pre-COVID-19 (before December 2019) to post-COVID-19, patients shifted from predominantly infants (90%, 397/442) to a higher proportion of infections in older children (infant: 16%, 132/844), with the share of vaccinated individuals surging from 31% (107/340) to 88% (664/756). The macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis prevalence increased from 60% (267/447) to 98% (830/845). The emergence and expansion of a ptxP3-lineage macrolide-resistant clone, MR-MT28, which is uniquely capable of causing substantial infections among older children and vaccinated individuals, was temporally strongly associated with the pertussis upsurge and epidemiological transition. Although MR-MT28 showed increased expression of genes encoding pertussis toxin, it was associated with significantly milder clinical symptoms and a lower hospitalization rate. MR-MT28 likely originated in China around 2016, after acquiring several key mutations, including a novel prn150 allele, and has been detected across multiple regions in China. In addition, 26% (50/195) of MR-MT28 has evolved into predicted Pertactin (PRN)-deficient strains, with an IS481 insertion being the predominant mechanism., Discussion: We report that the post-COVID-19 upsurge of pertussis in China is associated with ptxP3-MR-MT28, and provide evidence that pathogen evolution is likely the primary factor driving + pertussis upsurge, age shift, and vaccine escape. MR-MT28 poses a high risk of global spread and warrants global surveillance., (Copyright © 2024 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Anthropogenic activities have significantly enriched P in sediments of many water bodies, with redox potential (Eh) being a key factor in controlling P adsorption or release.This study evaluates the impact of Eh on P release from sediments in the Weiyuan River, Honghu Lake, and Bao'enqiao Reservoir using reactor experiments. P speciation was further analyzed through SEDEX method. Results show that within an Eh range of -300 mV to +230 mV, more P is released from sediments into the water column. The P fractions CDB-P and Fe(II)-P exhibit the most significant changes, especially in reservoir sediments where ΔCDB-P (85.5 mg/kg) and ΔFe(II)-P (80.6 mg/kg) are the highest among the three water bodies, followed by lake sediments. Additionally, after redox oscillation, the EPC 0 of lake and reservoir sediments increased to 16.2 and 18.8 times their initial values, respectively, significantly raising the risk of eutrophication., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests distributed in montane zones of southern China experience seasonal droughts and winter frost. Previously, studies have recognized that xylem anatomy is a determinant of its vulnerability to embolism caused by drought and freezing events. We hypothesized that there is a coordination of xylem resistance to freeze-thaw and drought-induced embolism for the subtropical montane evergreen broadleaved tree species because they are influenced by common xylem structural traits (e.g., vessel diameter). We examined the branch xylem anatomy, resistance to drought-induced embolism (P 50 ), and the percent loss of branch hydraulic conductivity after a severe winter frost (PLC winter ) for 15 evergreen broadleaved tree species in a montane forest in South China. Our results showed that P 50 of the studied species ranged from -2.81 to -5.13 MPa, which was not associated with most xylem anatomical properties except for the axial parenchyma-to-vessel connectivity. These tree species differed substantially in PLC winter , ranging from 0% to 76.41%. PLC winter was positively related to vessel diameter and negatively related to vessel density, vessel group index, and vessel-to-vessel connectivity, but no coordination with P 50 . This study suggests that hydraulic adaptation to frost is important to determine the distributional limit of subtropical montane evergreen woody angiosperms., (© 2024 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.)

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of retagliptin in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) inadequately controlled with metformin., Materials and Methods: This multicentre, phase 3 trial consisted of a 16-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled period, where patients with HbA1c levels between 7.5% and 11.0% were randomized to receive either once-daily (QD) retagliptin 100 mg (n = 87) or placebo (n = 87), both as an add-on to metformin. The primary endpoint was the change in HbA1c from baseline to week 16., Results: At week 16, the least squares mean change in HbA1c from baseline, compared with placebo, was -0.82% (95% CI, -1.05% to -0.58%) for the retagliptin 100 mg QD group (P < .0001) per treatment policy estimand. Significantly higher proportions of patients in the retagliptin 100 mg QD group achieved HbA1c levels of less than 6.5% (11.5%) and less than 7.0% (26.4%) compared with those receiving placebo (0% and 4.6%; P = .0016 and P < .0001, respectively) at week 16. Retagliptin 100 mg QD also lowered fasting plasma glucose and 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose levels. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) during the treatment period was similar between the two groups. However, slightly higher proportions of increased lipase and increased amylase in the retagliptin 100 mg QD group were observed. No patients discontinued treatment permanently because of AEs, and no episodes of severe hypoglycaemia were reported., Conclusions: Retagliptin 100 mg QD as an add-on therapy to metformin offers a new therapeutic option for treating Chinese patients with T2D inadequately controlled by metformin alone, and is generally well tolerated., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: The blaNDM gene was prevalent among children and became the predominant cause of severe infection in infants and children. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of blaNDM in Enterobacteriaceae among children in China., Methods: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) were collected in the Children's Hospital of Fudan University from January 2016 to December 2022. Five carbapenemase genes (blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaIMP, blaOXA-48) were screened by PCR method. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was conducted for phylogenetic analyses. blaNDM-carrying plasmids were typed by PCR-based Incompatibility (Inc) typing method. Moreover, plasmid comparison was performed with 213 publicly available IncX3 plasmids., Results: A total of 330 CRE strains were enrolled, 96.4% of which carried carbapenemase genes. blaNDM gene accounted for 64.8% (214 strains) and included four variants, including blaNDM-1 (59.8%), blaNDM-5 (39.3%), blaNDM-7 (0.5%), and blaNDM-9 (0.5%). There were no predominant MLST lineages of blaNDM carrying strains. IncX3 was the major plasmid carrying blaNDM-1 (68.0%) and blaNDM-5 (72.6%) and was dominant in blaNDM-Klebsiella penumoniae (79.8%), blaNDM-Escherichia coli (58.2%), and blaNDM-Enterobacter cloacae (61.0%), respectively. Most (79.0%) clinical IncX3 plasmids in the world carried blaNDM, and the prevalence of blaNDM in IncX3 plasmids was more common in China (95.8%) than other countries (58.1%, P <0.01)., Conclusion: blaNDM is highly prevalent in CRE among children in China. The spread of blaNDM was mainly mediated by IncX3 plasmids. Surveillance and infection control on the spread of blaNDM among children are important., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the effect of noiiglutide as an adjunct to lifestyle intervention on the reduction in body weight and tolerability in obese Chinese adults without diabetes., Materials and Methods: In this 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial, 254 obese adults with a body mass index of 28.0-40.0 kg/m 2 and without diabetes were enrolled. Participants were initially randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three dose levels: 0.12, 0.24, or 0.36 mg of the study treatment. Within each dose level, participants were further randomized in a 3:1 ratio to receive either subcutaneous injection of noiiglutide or a matching placebo. The primary endpoint was the change in body weight from baseline to week 24., Results: Across all noiiglutide dosage levels, least squares mean reductions in body weight from baseline to week 24 ranged from 8.03 to 8.50 kg, compared with 3.65 kg in the placebo group (all p-values <.0001). In the noiiglutide groups (0.12, 0.24, 0.36 mg/day), a significantly higher proportion of participants achieved a weight loss ≥5% (68.8%, 60.0%, 73.0%) and ≥10% (37.5%, 36.9%, 39.7%), compared with the pooled placebo group (≥5%: 29.0%; ≥10%: 8.1%). Gastrointestinal adverse events, such as nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, were more common in all noiiglutide groups (15.4%-30.2%, 18.8%-22.2%, 15.6%-18.5%) than in the pooled placebo group (8.1%, 6.5%, 0%)., Conclusions: In obese Chinese adults without diabetes, once-daily subcutaneous noiiglutide significantly reduced body week at week 24 compared with placebo, and had a manageable safety profile, primarily involving gastrointestinal disorders., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To determine the genomic features of IMP-4-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates recovered from paediatric patients and the transmission dynamics of blaIMP-4., Methods: IMP-producing K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from paediatric patients in Shanghai Children's Medical Center from 2013 to 2020. WGS was performed for all isolates, and the complete genomes of three IMP-4-producing isolates were generated. The distribution of blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmids was determined, and a conjugation assay was employed to investigate the horizontal transfer of blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmids., Results: We collected 21 blaIMP-carrying K. pneumoniae isolates, with IMP-4 (16/21, 76.2%) as the predominant subtype, followed by IMP-8 (n = 3) and IMP-26 (n = 2). IMP-4-producing isolates displayed a diverse population structure and all blaIMP-4 genes were located on plasmids, including IncN (n = 9), IncHI5 (n = 5), IncFII(K) (n = 1) and IncFII(pKP91) (n = 1), although only IncN plasmids were conjugative. Clonal transmission of ST101 strains carrying IncHI5 blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmids was observed, and the acquisition of blaIMP-4 by the international high-risk ST101 clone constituted a novel combination of ST101 clone and carbapenemase genes. Plasmid analysis demonstrated that the conjugal transfer of the IncHI5 blaIMP-4-harbouring plasmid might be blocked by the ST101 bacterial host., Conclusions: The horizontal transfer of IncN plasmids and clonal spread of the international high-risk ST101 clone facilitated the nosocomial dissemination of blaIMP-4 among K. pneumoniae. The emerging IMP-4-producing ST101 clone displays diverse combinations of carbapenemase genes, and this clone could be a continually evolving threat and warrants prospective monitoring., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To explore the genetic etiology of 5 cases of monochorionic-diamniotic (MCDA) with genetic discordance., Methods: 148 cases of MCDA twins who were diagnosed by amniocentesis at the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from January 2016 to June 2020 were selected as the study subjects. Relevant clinical data of the pregnant women were collected, and amniotic fluid samples of the twins were collected separately. Chromosomal karyotyping analysis and single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array) assay were carried out., Results: The results of chromosomal karyotyping analysis showed that 5 of the MCDA twins had inconsistent chromosome karyotypes, with an incidence of 3.4% (5/148). SNP array assay showed that 3 fetuses were mosaics., Conclusion: Genetic discordance occurs among MCDA twins, and prenatal counseling for such cases should be given by doctors with experience in medical genetics and fetal medicine, and personalized clinical management should be recommended.

Background: Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) have been measured in ovarian follicular fluid from women using in vitro fertilization (IVF), although associations between follicular fluid PFAA and IVF outcomes have been inconsistent., Objectives: We investigated the association between follicular fluid PFAA and embryo quality in women undergoing IVF., Methods: We prospectively enrolled 729 women undergoing IVF treatment in Guangxi province, China, from July 2018 to December 2018. We measured 32 PFAA, including branched isomers, in follicular fluid using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. We applied restricted cubic splines, linear regression, and log-binominal regression models to investigate associations between follicular fluid PFAA and embryo quality, adjusting for confounding variables and investigated oocyte maturity as an intervening variable using causal mediation analysis. We further estimated the overall effect of the PFAA mixture on outcomes using Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR)., Results: We detected 8 of 32 measured PFAA in > 85 % of follicular fluid samples. Higher PFAA concentrations were associated with fewer high-quality embryos from IVF. The high-quality embryo rates at the 50th percentile of linear perfluoro-1-octanesulfonate acid (n-PFOS), all branched PFOS isomers (Br-PFOS) and linear perfluoro- n -octanoic acid (n-PFOA) were - 6.34 % [95% confidence interval (CI): - 9.45 , - 3.32 % ], - 16.78 % (95% CI: - 21.98 , - 11.58 % ) and - 8.66 % (95% CI: - 11.88 , - 5.43 % ) lower, respectively, than the high quality embryo rates at the reference 10th percentile of PFAA. Oocyte maturity mediated 11.76% (95% CI: 3.18, 31.80%) and 14.28% (95% CI: 2.95, 31.27%) of the n-PFOS and n-PFOA associations, respectively. The results of the BKMR models showed a negative association between the PFAA mixture and the probability of high-quality embryos, with branched PFOS isomers having posterior inclusion probabilities of 1 and accounting for the majority of the association., Discussion: Exposure to higher PFAA concentrations in follicular fluid was associated with poorer embryo quality during IVF. Branched PFOS isomers may have a stronger effect than linear PFOS isomers. More studies are needed to confirm these findings and to directly estimate the effects on pregnancy and live-birth outcomes. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10857.

Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) for biomass treatment is a research hotspot but there is little information about the difference between the in situ and ex situ methods. In present work, the Ni-Fe/CaO-Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different Ni/Fe ratios have been synthesized by coprecipitation method, and the product distribution about the Chinese herb residue (CHR) catalytic fast pyrolysis by in situ and ex situ methods in a quartz tube reactor system has been investigated. The results show that the CFP pyrolysis would upgrade the quality of bio-oil but decrease the yields, no matter in situ or ex situ CFP process. During the in situ CFP process, heteroatoms may be absorbed by the catalyst support and cannot be transferred to the bio-oil, but the results of ex situ CFP are the opposite. In addition, the ex situ CFP reaction significantly increases the content of aromatic hydrocarbons. As to the gas products' distribution, the effect of Fe in catalysts to promote CH 4 formation is reflected in in situ CFP process, while the promotion effect of H 2 generation for Ni added in catalyst is mainly reflected in ex situ CFP process. However, due to the high reaction temperature (800 °C), the adsorption of CO 2 by CaO support is not particularly significant. The possible mechanism of CHR in CFP process has also been summarized for understanding the process of in situ and ex situ CFP, and this study may provide a choice or reference for CHR treatment., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In present work, the synergistic effects during co-pyrolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and torrefied Chinese herb residues (CHR) have been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The kinetic parameters of co-pyrolysis were calculated by Coats-Redfern method, and the difference values of experiment and theoretical were also investigated for gas and oil compounds. The results show that the extent of synergistic or inhibitory effects of co-pyrolysis was connection with the severity of CHR torrefaction, and the activation energy depend on the blend ratio of LDPE and CHRs. In addition, co-pyrolysis tends to generate more small molecule products and reduce oil yield, and increase the CO content but decreases CH 4 in the gas product. The results also found that the liquid products have a significant interaction during the co-pyrolysis process, because the content of aliphatic hydrocarbons and alcohols in the blends pyrolysis oil has been greatly increased, and improving the quality of oil., 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 © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A serious epidemic of COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and spread to other Chinese cities and several countries now. As the majority of patients infected with COVID-19 had chest CT abnormality, chest CT has become an important tool for early diagnosis of COVID-19 and monitoring disease progression. There is growing evidence that children are also susceptible to COVID-19 and have atypical presentations compared with adults. This review is mainly about the differences in clinical symptom spectrum, diagnosis of COVID-19, and CT imaging findings between adults and children, while highlighting the value of radiology in prevention and control of COVID-19 in pediatric patients. KEY POINTS: • Compared with adults, pediatric patients with COVID-19 have the characteristics of lower incidence, slighter clinical symptoms, shorter course of disease, and fewer severe cases. • The chest CT characteristics of COVID-19 in pediatric patients were atypical, with more localized GGO extent, lower GGO attenuation, and relatively rare interlobular septal thickening. • Chest CT should be used with more caution in pediatric patients with COVID-19 to protect this vulnerable population from risking radiation.

BACKGROUND The tumor microenvironment in lung cancer plays an important role in tumor progression and metastasis. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) co-cultured with A549 lung cancer cells show changes in morphology, increase cell proliferation, and cell migration. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on the changes induced in bone marrow-derived MSCs by A549 lung cancer cells in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS Bone marrow-derived MSCs were co-cultured with A549 cells (Co-BMSCs). Co-cultured bone marrow-derived MSCs and A549 cells treated with 50 μg/ml of APS (Co-BMSCs + APS) were compared with untreated Co-BMSCs. Cell proliferation was measured using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow cytometry evaluated the cell cycle. Microarray assays for mRNA expression and Western blot for protein expression were used. RESULTS Compared with untreated Co-BMSCs, APS treatment of Co-BMSCs improved cell morphology, reduced cell proliferation, and inhibited cell cycle arrest. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) pathway, TP53, caspase-3, acetylated H4K5, acetylated H4K8, and acetylated H3K9 were involved in the regulatory process. CONCLUSIONS APS treatment reduced cell proliferation and morphological changes in bone marrow-derived MSCs that were co-cultured with A549 lung cancer cells in vitro.

Background: Plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and are influenced by both heredity and dietary habits. The Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) protein mediates efficient dietary cholesterol absorption and contributes to variations in human LDL-C levels., Methods: In the present study, using high throughput sequencing we identified three non-synonymous (NS) variations and 64 synonymous variations in the NPC1L1 gene from subsets of Chinese Han, Uygur and Kazakh populations with high or low LDL-C. Subsequently, three NS variations encoding R174H, V177I and V1284L substitutions were observed only in Uygur and Kazakh individuals with limited maximal plasma LDL-C levels., Results: In further experiments, we investigated cholesterol-regulated recycling and glycosylation and stability of these NS NPC1L1 variants. However, no significant differences between WT and variant NPC1L1 proteins were observed using in vivo assays in mouse livers with adenovirus-mediated expression, demonstrating that none of the three NPC1L1 NS variants caused decreased uptake of biliary cholesterol., Conclusions: Simultaneously, these data indicate that R174H, V177I and V1284L NPC1L1 variations in high or low LDL-C individuals may not directly influence cholesterol absorption by NPC1L1., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Pine moths (Lepidoptera; Bombycoidea; Lasiocampidae: Dendrolimus spp.) are among the most serious insect pests of forests, especially in southern China. Although COI barcodes (a standardized portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene) can distinguish some members of this genus, the evolutionary relationships of the three morphospecies Dendrolimus punctatus, D. tabulaeformis and D. spectabilis have remained largely unresolved. We sequenced whole mitochondrial genomes of eight specimens, including D. punctatus wenshanensis. This is an unambiguous subspecies of D. punctatus, and was used as a reference for inferring the relationships of the other two morphospecies of the D. punctatus complex. We constructed phylogenetic trees from this data, including twelve published mitochondrial genomes of other Bombycoidea species, and examined the relationships of the Dendrolimus taxa using these trees and the genomic features of the mitochondrial genome., Results: The eight fully sequenced mitochondrial genomes from the three morphospecies displayed similar genome structures as other Bombycoidea species in terms of gene content, base composition, level of overall AT-bias and codon usage. However, the Dendrolimus genomes possess a unique feature in the large ribosomal 16S RNA subunits (rrnL), which are more than 60 bp longer than other members of the superfamily and have a higher AC proportion. The eight mitochondrial genomes of Dendrolimus were highly conservative in many aspects, for example with identical stop codons and overlapping regions. But there were many differences in start codons, intergenic spacers, and numbers of mismatched base pairs of tRNA (transfer RNA genes). Our results, based on phylogenetic trees, genetic distances, species delimitation and genomic features (such as intergenic spacers) of the mitochondrial genome, indicated that D. tabulaeformis is as close to D. punctatus as is D. punctatus wenshanensis, whereas D. spectabilis evolved independently from D. tabulaeformis and D. punctatus. Whole mitochondrial DNA phylogenies showed that D. spectabilis formed a well-supported monophyletic clade, with a clear species boundary separating it from the other congeners examined here. However, D. tabulaeformis often clustered with D. punctatus and with the subspecies D. punctatus wenshanensis. Genetic distance analyses showed that the distance between D. tabulaeformis and D. punctatus is generally less than the intraspecific distance of D. punctatus and its subspecies D. punctatus wenshanensis. In the species delimitation analysis of Poisson Tree Processes (PTP), D. tabulaeformis, D. punctatus and D. punctatus wenshanensis clustered into a putative species separated from D. spectabilis. In comparison with D. spectabilis, D. tabulaeformis and D. punctatus also exhibit a similar structure in intergenic spacer characterization. These different types of evidence suggest that D. tabulaeformis is very close to D. punctatus and its subspecies D. punctatus wenshanensis, and is likely to be another subspecies of D. punctatus., Conclusions: Whole mitochondrial genomes possess relatively rich genetic information compared with the traditional use of single or multiple genes for phylogenetic purposes. They can be used to better infer phylogenetic relationships and degrees of relatedness of taxonomic groups, at least from the aspect of maternal lineage: caution should be taken due to the maternal-only inheritance of this genome. Our results indicate that D. spectabilis is an independent lineage, while D. tabulaeformis shows an extremely close relationship to D. punctatus.

Understanding spatial and temporal variations in river water quality and quantitatively evaluating the trend of changes are important in order to study and efficiently manage water resources. In this study, an analysis of Water Pollution Index (WPI), Daniel Trend Test, Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis are applied as an integrated approach to quantitatively explore the spatial and temporal variations and the latent sources of water pollution in the Shanchong River basin, Northwest Basin of Lake Fuxian, China. We group all field surveys into 2 clusters (dry season and rainy season). Moreover, 14 sampling sites have been grouped into 3 clusters for the rainy season (highly polluted, moderately polluted and less polluted sites) and 2 clusters for the dry season (highly polluted and less polluted sites) based on their similarities and the level of pollution during the two seasons. The results show that the main trend of pollution was aggravated during the transition from the dry to the rainy season. The Water Pollution Index of Total Nitrogen is the highest of all pollution parameters, whereas the Chemical Oxygen Demand (Chromium) is the lowest. Our results also show that the main sources of pollution are farming activities alongside the Shanchong River, soil erosion and fish culture at Shanchong River reservoir area and domestic sewage from scattered rural residential area. Our results suggest that strategies to prevent water pollutionat the Shanchong River basin need to focus on non-point pollution control by employing appropriate fertilizer formulas in farming, and take the measures of soil and water conservation at Shanchong reservoir area, and purifying sewage from scattered villages.

Objective: This study investigated relationships between total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA), and prostate volume (PV) in Chinese men with biopsy-proven BPH, and analyzed whether fPSA performed better than tPSA at estimating thresholds of PV., Materials and Methods: From 2003 to 2008, a total of 286 patients with a PSA less than 10 ng/ml and biopsy proven benign prostatic hyperplasia were included in this study. The relationships between age, PV, tPSA, and fPSA were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate and compare the ability of serum tPSA and fPSA to estimate thresholds of PV in men with biopsy-proven BPH., Results: Among relationships between tPSA, fPSA, age, and PV, the highest correlation was found between fPSA and PV (r = 0.456, P < 0.001); the correlation coefficient was much lower between tPSA and PV (r = 0.278, P < 0.001). The ROC curves revealed that the performance of fPSA at predicting threshold prostate sizes (30, 40, and 50 ml) showed areas under the curve (AUC) ranging from 0.72 to 0.75, denoting better discrimination of PV than that achieved by use of tPSA., Conclusion: Although tPSA significantly correlated with PV in Chinese men with biopsy-proven BPH, the correlation between fPSA and PV was much stronger, and fPSA performed significantly better than tPSA at predicting thresholds of PV. fPSA may be used to estimate PV and could be a useful tool in making therapeutic decisions in Chinese men with BPH.

Objective: To define the differences in the risk factors for clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) between the Mongolian and the Han people., Methods: Between January 2003 and June 2005, 63 Mongolian and 63 Han patients with BPH were interviewed using a questionnaire consisting of the risk factors for BPH., Results: The intake of alcohol and dairy products was higher in the Mongolians than in the Hans (P <0.05). The consumption of milk tea, dairy products and meat was significantly greater in the Mongolians ( >250 g per day) than in the Hans (P <0.01). And there were more smokers (the smoking index >300) with moderate to severe symptoms (IPSS > 7) in the Mongolians than in the Hans (85.71% vs 57. 14%, P <0.01). The incidence of intraprostatic chronic inflammation and calcification within the prostate gland was higher in the Mongolians (28% vs 11% , P < 0.05; 36.5% vs 15.87% , P < 0.01, respectively). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in body mass, blood pressure, marriage age, offspring number, physical activity, IPSS score and PSA level., Conclusion: Compared with Han BPH patients, the Mongolian BPH patients had greater alcohol intake, higher protein diet and higher incidence of intraprostatic chronic inflammation, and those with the smoking index greater than 300 were more likely to receive surgical treatment.

Objective: To study hypoglycemic action of total flavone (GXTF) of Ampelopsis grossedentata from Guangxi by observing the effects of GXTF on blood glucose levels in many strain animal models., Method: The blood glucose levels in many strain animal models were determined after oral administration, with the models of diabetes induced by alloxan, of hyperglycemic mice induced by epinephrine and glucose, and normal mice., Result: GXTF had better therapeutical action on diabetes mice induced by alloxan, and could significantly lowered the blood glucose levels of hyperglycemic mice induced by epinephrine and glucose, but had no significant effects on blood glucose levels of normal mice. Acute toxicity test showed that the maximum oral dosage is 26.0 g.kg-1., Conclusion: GXTF has better hypoglycemic effect on many strain animal models and toxicity is vary small.