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Reporting the results of quality indicators can narrow the gap in the quality of care between hospitals. While most studies rely on outcome indicators, they may not accurately measure the quality of care. Process indicators are not only strongly associated with treatment outcomes, but are also more sensitive to whether patients are treated accurately, enabling timely intervention. Our study aims to investigate whether process indicators provide a more reasonable assessment of hospital quality of care compared to outcome indicators. Data were sourced from the Specific Disease Medical Service Quality Management and Control System in China. A total of 113,942 patients with breast cancer treated in 298 hospitals between January 2019 and April 2023 were included in this retrospective study. The rankability of 11 process indicators was calculated and used as a weight to create a new composite indicator. The composite indicators and outcome measures were compared using the O/E ratio categories. Finally, in order to determine the impact of different years on the results, a sensitivity analysis was conducted using bootstrap sampling. The rankability (ρ ) values of the eleven process indicators showed significant differences, with the highest ρ value for preoperative cytological or histological examination before surgery (0.919). The ρ value for the outcome indicator was 0.011. The rankability-weighting method yielded a comprehensive score (ρ = 0.883). The comparison with categorical results of the outcome indicator has different performance classifications for 113 hospitals (37.92%) for composite scores and 140 (46.98%) for preoperative cytological or histological examinationbefore surgery. Process indicators are more suitable than outcome indicators for assessing the quality of breast cancer care in hospitals. Healthcare providers can use process indicators to identify specific areas for improvement, thereby driving continuous quality improvement efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of China's green development and "dual carbon" goal, urbanization, as a way to achieve Chinese modernization, has a particularly important effect on green and low-carbon economic development. Firstly, this paper empirically analyzed the influence of urbanization on per capita carbon emissions using Chinese city data and a panel fixed-effects model. Then, the impact mechanisms of urbanization on carbon emissions were examined from both the demand and supply sides. Finally, we analyzed the differences in the transmission mechanisms of urbanization affecting carbon emissions in the eastern, central, and western regions. The results show that (1) urbanization increases per capita carbon emissions. However, this effect shows inter-regional differences, with more significant promotion effects in the eastern and central regions; (2) on the demand side, the residents' consumption intensity can drive carbon emissions, while the rise of human capital agglomeration suppresses carbon emissions; on the supply side, industrial structure can drive carbon emissions, while the increase of green technological innovation suppresses carbon emissions; (3) the consumption effect and the industry effect play a major role in the eastern and central regions, while the intermediary effect is not obvious in the western region. This study can provide important insights for synergizing urbanization and achieving carbon reduction commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global demand for electric vehicles is evidence of the general recognition among the public regarding issues tied to climate change, carbon emissions, and air pollution. China has experienced a rapid expansion in its New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market over recent years, establishing itself as the largest such market globally. This research endeavors to comprehend how consumers' value systems contribute to their intent to purchase NEVs. The proposed model was assessed using the data collected from a Chinese sample. Employing a multi-faceted approach, this study uncovers the diverse ways in which consumers with varying value orientations evaluate NEVs and formulate intentions to support governmental initiatives. Furthermore, the study examines the interplay between consumers' value assessments, their inclination to endorse governmental efforts, and their intentions to purchase NEVs. The study's findings underscore the role of consumers' value orientation in shaping their perceptions of NEVs. Additionally, it reveals that consumers who align with an environmentally conscious government are more inclined to buy NEVs. • Based on Value-Belief-Norm and Value orientation theory, a new framework of NEVs behavior decision is constructed. • Perceived hedonic and utilitarian values are critical for increasing to buy NEVs. • Value perception and intention to support the government are found to influence the consumer's NEV purchase decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored whether household and outdoor air pollution is associated with a greater risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) among women. In all 11,860 women who cooked with clean energy were included in the analysis. Cooking frequency, range hood use during cooking, passive smoking exposure, and solid fuel use for heating were used to represent household air pollution. The 2-year average concentration of PM2.5, and face mask usage were used to reflect outdoor air pollution exposure. An index of air pollution exposure was also constructed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between air pollution and risk for MetS, and a positive correlation was found. Our results indicated that household cooking used clean energy and exposure to a high level of outdoor PM2.5 without face mask usage may contribute to an increased risk for MetS among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green innovation seamlessly merges the concepts of "innovation-driven" and "green development," constituting a potent mechanism for firms to promote sustainable development. This study employs micro-level data sourced from China's A-share listed companies, drawing on the attention-based view and upper echelons theory as theoretical foundations. Utilizing text analysis, we quantify top management team's (TMT) environmental attention, subsequently employing a two-way fixed-effects model to investigate the correlation between TMT's environmental attention and firm's green innovation. Proceeding judiciously in light of extant evidence, we tentatively derive the subsequent conclusions: (1) TMT's environmental attention can drive firm's green innovation. This viewpoint still holds after multiple robustness tests such as Heckman model and placebo test. (2) Executive environmental background positively moderates the influence of TMT's environmental attention on firm's green innovation. (3) Information asymmetry between the government and firms could potentially exist, as the effect of TMT's environmental attention on firm's green innovation is not significant for firms with more government subsidies. (4) CEO duality attenuates the favorable influence of TMT's environmental attention. This research unveils internal driving factors for firm's green innovation, thereby furnishing a reliable basis for firms to develop more effective sustainable development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Bailey's washback model, in respect of participants, process and products, the present empirical study was conducted to find the actual washback effects of the internet-based College English Test Band 4 (IB CET-4). The methods adopted are questionnaires, class observation, interview and the analysis of both the CET-4 teaching and testing syllabus. Through analysis, it is found that the IB CET-4 helps to establish the new computer and internet-based teaching model, to cultivate students' autonomous learning abilities, to improve students' ability for screen reading and keyboard writing as well as to urge colleges and universities to provide financial support to college English teaching and learning by constructing more internet language labs. However, overemphasizing practical ability, such as listening and speaking, leads to students' lack of spelling and grammatical knowledge.

Background: Many older adult patients receive low-dose teicoplanin with varied regimens, leading to a lack of clarity on its optimal regimens and toxicity profiles in China. This study aimed to clarify these aspects by analyzing teicoplanin treatment concentrations and toxicities. Methods: We included older adult patients administered teicoplanin at four tertiary hospitals in Beijing from June 2021 to July 2023, targeting a trough concentration (Cmin) ≥ 10 mg/L. Teicoplanin concentrations and toxicities were monitored dynamically. Results: From 204 patients, we obtained 632 teicoplanin concentrations. Most patients (83.3%) received low-dose regimens. Suboptimal concentrations were found in 66.4% of patients within 7 days of treatment and 17.0% after 15 days. Cmin gradually increased with treatment duration and was influenced initially by creatinine and by both body weight and creatinine from days 8 to 14. The target concentration was achieved in 53.1%, 33.9%, 15.6%, and 5.5% of patients at 3, ≤ 7, 8–14, and ≥ 15 days after withdrawal, respectively. Slow elimination was associated with average Cmin and eGFR. Nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and thrombocytopenia occurred in 12.5%, 4.1%, and 31.5% of patients, respectively, without significant differences between concentrations. Conclusions: Most older adult patients were underdosed, indicating a need for dose adjustment. Given the varied risk factors for suboptimal concentrations in different treatment stages, a one-size-fits-all regimen was ineffective. We recommend an initial dose of 400 mg at 12-h intervals for the first three days, with subsequent doses from days 4 to 14 adjusted based on creatinine and body weight; after day 14, a maintenance dose of 200 mg daily is advised. Trial registration: ChiCTR2100046811; 28/05/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart city concept has taken center stage as a paradigm shift in urban governance, promising innovation, sustainability, and strategic upgrades, and drawing the attention of researchers globally. However, existing frameworks for assessing smart cities remain incomplete and simplistic. This paper aims to address the following question: what is the process and current situation of 30 capitals in China after the implementation of smart city construction, especially from the new perspective of social, physical, and informational space development? To this end, we focus on 30 national and provincial capitals in China, proposing a novel, tri-dimensional SPI model—Social, Physical, and Information space—for smart city spatial development assessment. Employing a robust methodological approach, including entropy weighting, coupled coordination degree models, and the Dagum Gini coefficient, we conduct a spatial development and coordination analysis of these cities from 2011 to 2021. In addition, we utilize BP neural networks to evaluate the contribution of each indicator to the spatial coupled coordination. Our findings indicate a steady increase in the spatial coupled coordination development level of smart capitals in China, alongside a narrowing disparity in development speeds across regions, resulting in a staggered spatial distribution pattern. Specifically, the Information space subsystem represents the most influential driver of coupled coordination. The significance of this research lies in its unique tri-dimensional spatial perspective, offering valuable insights into the spatial development and coordination discrepancies in the smart city concept. These insights offer evidence-based support for regional planning and optimization strategies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kaladawan iron deposit is located in the North Altyn Tagh and exhibits occurrences of iron ore bodies at the contact zone between Ordovician magmatic rocks (basalts, rhyolite, and granodiorite) and marble. However, controversy persists regarding the genetic classification and metallogenic mechanism of this deposit. Through a field investigation, single mineral in situ geochemical analysis, whole-rock geochemical analysis, and Fe isotope determination, the following conclusions are made: (1) Ti-(Ni/Cr) and (V/Ti)-Fe diagrams indicate that the magnetite from all studied rocks underwent hydrothermal metasomatism, while (Ni/(Cr + Mn))-(Ti + V) and (Ca + Al + Mn)-(Ti + V) diagrams suggest a skarn origin for these magnetites. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Kaladawan iron deposit is skarn-type. (2) The iron ore exhibits similar rare-earth-element characteristics to the altered basalt. Additionally, the altered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.024~0.100‰) are more enriched in light Fe isotopes than the unaltered basalts (δ56Fe = 0.129~0.197‰) at the same location, indicating that the ore-forming materials of the Kaladawan iron ore are mainly derived from basaltic rocks. (3) According to the law of mass conservation and the intermediate Fe isotopic composition of the iron ore between the granodiorite and basalt, the hydrothermal fluid for the formation of iron ores was inferred to be derived from the late intrusive granodiorite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic and morphological analyses on Perenniporia s.l. were carried out. Phylogenies on Perenniporia s.l. are reconstructed with two loci DNA sequences including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and the large subunit (nLSU). Two new species from Yunnan Province, southwest China, Perenniporia prunicola and P. rosicola in Perenniporia s.l., are illustrated and described. Perenniporia prunicola is characterised by the perennial and resupinate basidiomata with a clay pink pore surface when fresh, a trimitic hyphal system, the presence of clavate to fusiform hymenial cystidia, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4.8–6.2 × 3.6–4.5 µm. Perenniporia rosicola is characterised by annual and resupinate basidiomata with a white pore surface when fresh, a dimitic hyphal system, the presence of dendrohyphidia, broadly ellipsoid to subglobose basidiospores measuring 5–5.8 × 4–5.2 μm. In addition, Crassisporus is a genus in Perenniporia s.l., in which two new combinations Crassisporus minutus and C. mollissimus are proposed. Main morphological characteristics of species related to new taxa are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China's mountainous coastal terrain, storms can badly damage low-rise buildings. At present, it is not clear how the relative position of buildings and mountains affects the surface of low-rise buildings. The study compared these results with the wind pressure distribution without the surrounding environment. The distribution of wind pressure in different hillside landforms is examined through a wind tunnel experiment, which is also compared with the distribution in an open environment. The study examined the fluctuating coefficient as the distance between the building and the hillside changed, specifically for wind blowing at a 0° angle. The investigation examined the power spectrum and wind pressure probability distribution while considering the proximity of the building to an adjacent hill. The findings indicated that as the distance between the slope and the mountain increases, the fluctuating wind pressure coefficient continues to increase, and the contour lines of the wind pressure distribution are relatively denser compared to where there is a mountain. The maximum value of the fluctuating wind pressure coefficient is 0.22, which appears at the windward roof. The roof's wind pressure coefficient fluctuated and gradually increased until it reached its peak, unaffected by the surroundings. The wind pressure on the leeward side exhibited Gaussian characteristics in its probability distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the preference of primary HCWs and residents on vaccination consultation in community health services to provide evidence for vaccine hesitancy intervention strategies. Methods: A discrete choice model (DCM) was constructed to evaluate the preference difference between primary HCWs and residents on vaccination consultation in community health services in China during May–July 2022. Results: A total of 282 residents and 204 HCWs were enrolled in this study. The residents preferred consulting with an HCW-led approach (β = 2.168), with specialized content (β = 0.954), and accompanied by telephone follow-up (β = 1.552). In contrast, the HCWs preferred face-to-face consultation (β = 0.540) with an HCW-led approach (β = 0.458) and specialized content (β = 0.409), accompanied by telephone follow-up (β = 0.831). College residents and residents with underlying self-reported disease may be near-critically inclined to choose traditional consultation (an offline, face-to-face consultation with standardized content and more prolonged duration) rather than a new-media consulting group (an online consultation with specialized content within 5 min). Urban HCWs preferred long-term consultation groups (the resident-led offline consultation with follow-up lasting more than 5 min). In contrast, rural HCWs preferred efficient consultation (the HCW-led, short-duration, standardized offline consultation mode). Conclusion: The selection preference for vaccine consultation reveals a gap between providers and demanders, with different groups exhibiting distinct preferences. Identifying these targeted gaps can help design more acceptable and efficient interventions, increasing their likelihood of success and leading to better resource allocation for policymakers to develop targeted vaccination policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and mental well-being in Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic. Method: This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital using a cross-sectional design. A total of 2,811 nurses were enlisted at Shengjing Hospital in China during the period from March to April, 2022. Information was gathered through a questionnaire that individuals completed themselves. The mental health of the participants was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: The prevalence of nurses experiencing depression and anxiety was 7.8% (219) and 6.7% (189), respectively. Regarding depression after adjustment, the odds ratios (ORs) for each quartile, compared to the lowest quartile, were as follows: 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53, 1.56), 2.28 (95% CI: 0.98, 3.77), and 2.32 (95% CI: 1.41, 3.83). The p-value for trend was found to be 0.001. The odds ratios (ORs) for anxiety after adjustment were 2.39 (0.83, 4.36), 4.46 (0.51, 7.93), and 2.81 (1.56, 5.08) when comparing the highest quartiles to the lowest quartile. The p-value for trend was 0.009. Conclusion: This study found a positive association between BMI and poor mental health among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in those who were overweight or obesity. The findings could assist in developing interventions and help policy-makers establish appropriate strategies to support the mental health of frontline nurses, especially those who are overweight or obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) face social isolation due to the far‐reaching effects of their disease and treatment. Based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, we analysed the relationship between perceived stress and social isolation in patients, and the mediating role of internal health‐related locus of control (IHLC) from the perspective of co‐existence of perceived helplessness (HEL) and perceived self‐efficacy (SEL). We used structured questionnaires to investigate 332 cases of young and middle‐aged MHD patients in four tertiary hospitals in Guangdong, China. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis were conducted, along with tests of mediating effects on the data. The research was based on STROBE guidelines. The results showed that perceived stress is significantly and positively associated with social isolation. When the HEL and SEL of perceived stress were congruent, the joint effect of the two was in a positive curvilinear relationship to social isolation, when the two were incongruent, the risk of social isolation was lower for "low HEL‐high SEL" patients compared to the "high HEL‐low SEL" combination. The more congruent in HEL ‐SEL, the lower the risk of social isolation for the patients, with the IHLC playing a mediating role in this association. This study reveals that the coexistence of perceived stress's HEL and SEL affects social isolation through congruent and incongruent matching mechanism, providing additional explanations for the mechanism of occurrence of patients' social isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the effect of examinees' ability levels on the relationship between Reflective-Impulsive (RI) cognitive style and item response time in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). The total of 56 students majoring in Educational Technology from Shandong Normal University participated in this study, and their RI cognitive styles were diagnosed using the Matching Familiar Figures Test-20 (MFFT-20). Examinees' ability values and average item response time were recorded by the computerized adaptive testing system. Then mediation analysis was implemented and the findings revealed that there was direct and indirect effect between RI cognitive style and item response time in CAT. What is more, RI cognitive style also directly affected the ability levels, and then the ability levels impacted on item response time. So, examinee's ability level was partly a mediator between RI cognitive style and item response time. Furthermore, RI cognitive style of the examinees might also be diagnosed according to ability values and average item response time. The relevant research and implications were further discussed.

In recent years, floods have brought renewed attention and requirement for real-time and city-scaled flood forecasting due to climate change and urbanization. In this study, a rapid assessment method for flood risk mapping is proposed by integrating aerial point clouds and deep learning technique that is capable of superior modeling efficiency and analysis accuracy for flood risk mapping. The method includes four application modules, i.e., data acquisition and preprocessing by oblique photography, large-scale point clouds segmentation by RandLA-Net, high-precision digital elevation model (DEM) reconstruction by modified hierarchical smoothing filtering algorithm, and hydrodynamics simulation based on hydrodynamics. To demonstrate the advantages of the proposed rapid assessment method more clearly, a case study is conducted in a local area of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project in China. The proposed method achieved 70.85% in mean intersection over union (mIoU) and 88.70% in overall accuracy (OAcc), outperforming the PointNet and PointNet++ networks. For the case point cloud containing nearly 50 million points, the computation time is less than 9 min, while the computation times for PointNet and PointNet++ are both more than 24 h. Then, high-precision DEM reconstruction by proposed hierarchical smoothing method with topographic feature embedding. These results demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method in processing large-scale 3D point clouds and rapid assessment of flood risk, providing a new perspective and effective solution for flood risk mapping in the field of spatial information science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 30% of post-operative breast cancer patients develop shoulder joint movement disorders affecting routine upper limb movement. This study discusses the impact of a neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) method on the physical function of breast cancer patients experiencing shoulder dysfunction during chemotherapy after radical surgery. Methods: This study included 162 female patients who have unilateral breast cancer in a cancer hospital in China. They developed shoulder joint mobility disorders during chemotherapy within 1–3 months postoperatively. These patients were divided into three groups: NJF, conventional rehabilitation (conventional group), and control groups. The clinical examination included the maximum passive and active range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder (flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and external and internal rotation). Other evaluations included a pain score using a visual analog scale (VAS), grip strength, and supraspinatus muscle thickness. All tests were evaluated pre-and post-intervention. Results: The NJF group showed a significant increase in all shoulder ROM angles post-intervention. In the conventional group, all other ROM values increased significantly, except passive external rotation ROM. In the control group, all other ROM values increased significantly, except passive and active external rotation ROM. All three groups had decreased VAS scores, increased grip strength, and supraspinatus muscle thickness post-intervention during active abduction. In the control group, the supraspinatus contraction rate decreased significantly at 60° and 90° abduction post-intervention compared to that at pre-intervention. Conclusion: This study revealed that NJF during chemotherapy had positive clinical intervention effects, improving shoulder joint mobility disorders, pain, grip strength, and external rotation following radical breast cancer surgery. Clinical trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry; https://www.chictr.org.cn/ (ChiCTR2300073170), registered (03/07/2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hong Kong presents a test case of China's willingness to adapt Western liberal values of individual freedom and the rule of law in a corner of China. The Western model of governance, along with its common law system and capitalist economic system, has been permitted to operate side by side with the Chinese socialist system within the framework of Chinese sovereignty and the People's Republic of China's (PRC) political and legal system. The formation and implementation of the policy of 'one country, two systems' (OCTS) entail Chinese law-makers' selective integration of international and Western rules of governance into the Hong Kong and China context to serve the interests of the PRC party regime. This article explores the approaches taken by the PRC to the governance of Hong Kong in light of the regime's political and economic goals and how the Western concept of rule of law and autonomy is perceived and substantiated in terms of the communist ideology. The author argues that the intrinsic value of OCTS lies in seeking complementarity and coexistence between the Western liberal norms of governance and Chinese communist ideology, and that this intrinsic value should be upheld and remain in full force to serve as a normative consensus between China and the West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although phytoplankton is well known as robust bioindicators to aquatic environments, their indicating functions based on different community parameters remain to be understood. In order to filter effective bioindicators in aquatic ecosystems, four phytoplankton community parameters including species richness (SR), total biomass (SBP), functional groups (FGBP), and size-fractionated chlorophyll-a (SC) were demonstrated in a subtropical artificial lake with ecological restoration in South China. Our results indicated that all the above four parameters exhibited high sensitivity to environmental variations and illustrated distinct aspects of indicating functions to aquatic environments due to their individual biological characteristics. Based on FGBP, both spatial and temporal differences in phytoplankton community could be identified. SR and SBP only classified the spatial and temporal distributions, respectively, while SC could distinguish the sewage outfalls from other sites. In terms of ecological management, two parameters (SR and FGBP) could distinguish the restored waters from untreated environments as non-point source pollution, and another parameter SC could indicate the sewage outfalls as point source pollution. Therefore, the combination of the above two categories of phytoplankton community parameters could make the strongest indicating functions. Our study provided greater insight into indicating functions of phytoplankton community parameters in an ecological restored lake and enabled better managements in such artificial lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff forecasting is crucial for planning and managing water resources. As hydrological data becomes more available, more data-driven models are being employed to enhance the effectiveness of runoff forecasting. To accurately and quantitatively assess the whole runoff forecast process, from model construction to application, a whole life cycle forecasting evaluation index system was established in this study to evaluate the data, factors, sample integrity, model construction, and forecast result. The analysis included quantitative evaluation criteria to comprehensively consider data quality, forecasting factor characterization, sample representativeness, model generalization, and result quality. An evaluation of forecast results from 7 river basins and their 85 hydrological stations in China showed that the proposed index system could accurately reflect the performance of the forecasting process. The overall performance of the forecasting model and process can be evaluated quantitatively based on the Euclidean distance, and the pathways to improve the forecasting effectiveness of the model can be identified based on the evaluation results. The validity of the proposed index is also experimentally demonstrated. The proposed index system can be applied to the evaluation of data-driven forecasting processes in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergy rhinitis (AR) is becoming more common and has serious medical and societal consequences. Sneezing, paroxysmal nasal blockage, nasal itching, mucosal edema, coughing, and rhinorrhea are symptoms of this type I allergic immunological illness. Immunoglobulin E-mediated inflammation is the cause of it. Because AR is prone to recurrent attacks, extended medication therapy may impair its effectiveness. In addition to negatively affecting the patients' physical health, this can also negatively impact their mental health. During AR development, there are inflammatory and oxidative stress responses that are linked to problems in a number of signal transduction pathways. By using the terms "allergic rhinitis", "traditional Chinese medicine", "inflammation", and "oxidative stress", we screened for pertinent research published over the previous five years in databases like PubMed. We saw that NF-KB, TLR, IL-33/ST2, PI3K/AKT, MAPK, and Nrf2 are some of the most important inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways in AR. Studies have revealed that antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy reduced the risk of AR and was therapeutic; however, the impact of the therapy varies widely. The Chinese medical system places a high value on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which has been there for virtually all of China's 5000-year history. By influencing signaling pathways related to inflammation and oxidative stress, Chinese herbal medicine and its constituent compounds have been shown to prevent allergic rhinitis. This review will focus on this evidence and provide references for clinical treatment and scientific research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of edaravone dexborneol in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. This study aims to determine the cost-effectiveness of edaravone dexborneol compared with human urinary kallidinogenase from China's healthcare system perspective. Methods: A combination of the decision tree and Markov model was constructed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of edaravone dexborneol versus human urinary kallidinogenase in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke over a lifetime horizon. Efficacy data were derived from pivotal clinical trials of edaravone dexborneol and human urinary kallidinogenase (TASTE trial and RESK trial, respectively) and adjusted using matching-adjusted indirect comparison. Cost and health utility inputs were extracted from published literature and open databases. One-way deterministic sensitivity and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of the results. Results: Compared with human urinary kallidinogenase, edaravone dexborneol generated 0.153 incremental quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) with an incremental cost of ¥856, yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of ¥5,608 per QALY gained under the willingness-to-pay threshold (one-time gross domestic product per capita). Both one-way deterministic sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of the base case results. Conclusions: Edaravone dexborneol is a cost-effective treatment choice for acute ischemic stroke patients compared with human urinary kallidinogenase in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Water is an important ecological factor, and non-point source pollution (NPSP) seriously affects water security. In recent years, NPSP has affected water security and human survival in China. Methods: The Luhun Lake Basin has been selected as an example region of Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China, and the trends and impacts of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) has been quantitatively evaluated by using geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS) and InVEST model. Results: The results show that (1) the arable land and water bodies decreased, while forest land, grass land, construction land and unutilized land increased in the 20 years. The average annual precipitation increased from the northeast to the southwest in the 20 years; (2) the N and P exports first increased in 2000-2010 and then decreased in 2010-2020, and finally increased in 2000-2020; (3) with the increase of precipitation, the N and P exports decreased in 2000-2010, 2010-2020 and 2000-2020; (4) the amount of N and P exports on arable land and construction land were more than that on the other land use types. The N and P exports on each land use type all first increased and then decreased, and the overall change trend all increased in 2000-2020. Discussion: This study demonstrates how geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS) and InVEST model can be used to assess nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in data scarce regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of illicit synthetic drugs has undergone a significant shift from China to the Golden Triangle, profoundly impacting Southeast Asia's legal systems, drug enforcement and public health. This paper reviews the production, distribution and use of illicit synthetic drugs in the region, explaining their alignment with regulatory policies in China and Southeast Asia. The public health effects resulting from the increased production and use of synthetic drugs in Southeast Asia are reviewed, emphasizing the importance of public health protections such as harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation. This study also discusses legal mechanisms to enhance control over illicit drug activities, mainly compound‐wide legislative prohibitions targeting present and future fentanyl and methamphetamine analogues. Moreover, it underscores the urgency for collaborative efforts between China and Southeast Asian states to mitigate the influence of Chinese cartels operating in the region. By elucidating the multifaceted challenges posed by the shifting drug production landscape, this paper highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach encompassing regulatory, law enforcement and public health measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the policy of balancing the occupation and compensation of cultivated land and uneven regional economic development in China, the cultivated land tends to move from developed area to undeveloped area. China's undeveloped regions are mainly located in the west, where the climate is more arid and the soil is more barren, and more agrochemical inputs such as fertilizers and mulch films are needed to ensure grain production. Therefore, the westward shift of cultivated land may bring about even faster westward shift of agricultural chemicals, which poses great danger to the already fragile ecological environment in the western region. However, the current research mainly focuses on the spatio-temporal changes of cultivated land, and the research on the environmental effect brought by the spatial movement of cultivated land is still lacking. Based on the cultivated land data and corresponding agrochemical inputs at the provincial level from 2000 to 2020, spatio-temporal statistical models were used to analyze the evolution of cultivated land distribution patterns and the super-environmental effect. The following results were found: (1) the gravity centers of China's cultivated land area moved to the northwest, with corresponding average annual moving speeds of 1.67 km year−1 during the study period; (2) the gravity centers of agrochemical inputs were also moved westward or north-westward and showed even higher speeds than that of cultivated land area, i.e., mulch film (14.93 km year−1) > fertilizer (6.69 km year−1) > pesticide (5.59 km year−1) > agricultural diesel (3.78 km year−1) > cultivated land area (1.67 km year−1); (3) it was revealed from the spatio-temporal double-difference modeling that the westward shift of cultivated land distribution patterns had increased the relative agrochemical inputs per area in the west, which explained why the westward shift of agrochemical inputs was faster than that of cultivated land. This study has enriched the existing ecological policy evaluation methods theoretically, revealed the super-environmental effect brought by the westward shift of cultivated land patterns under the current policy background, and confirmed that the westward shift of cultivated land will bring the pressure of agricultural non-point source pollution to the western region, which may lead to the destruction of the ecological environment in the western region. In practice, it can provide a decision-making reference for rational agrochemical inputs in the process of grain cultivation and protection of agricultural ecological environment in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoadjuvant programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) blockade exhibits promising efficacy in patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, discrepancies between radiological and histological findings have been reported in the PICC phase II trial (NCT 03926338). Therefore, we strived to discern radiological features associated with pathological complete response (pCR) based on computed tomography (CT) images. Data were obtained from the PICC trial that included 36 tumors from 34 locally advanced dMMR CRC patients, who received neoadjuvant PD‐1 blockade for 3 months. Among the 36 tumors, 28 (77.8%) tumors achieved pCR. There were no statistically significant differences in tumor longitudinal diameter, the percentage change in tumor longitudinal diameter from baseline, primary tumor sidedness, clinical stage, extramural venous invasion status, intratumoral calcification, peritumoral fat infiltration, intestinal fistula and tumor necrosis between the pCR and non‐pCR tumors. Otherwise, tumors with pCR had smaller posttreatment tumor maximum thickness (median: 10 mm vs 13 mm, P =.004) and higher percentage decrease in tumor maximum thickness from baseline (52.9% vs 21.6%, P =.005) compared to non‐pCR tumors. Additionally, a higher proportion of the absence of vascular sign (P =.003, odds ratio [OR] = 25.870 [95% CI, 1.357‐493.110]), nodular sign (P <.001, OR = 189.000 [95% CI, 10.464‐3413.803]) and extramural enhancement sign (P =.003, OR = 21.667 [2.848‐164.830]) was observed in tumors with pCR. In conclusion, these CT‐defined radiological features may have the potential to serve as valuable tools for clinicians in identifying patients who have achieved pCR after neoadjuvant PD‐1 blockade, particularly in individuals who are willing to adopt a watch‐and‐wait strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the guidance of the 'Greater Food' strategy, a number of scientific research platforms which are committed to focusing on the frontier interdisciplinary disciplines in the food field, leading the world in basic food science research, developing disruptive technologies in the food sector are abruptly rising, and becoming an effective force to serve the strategy of 'healthy China'. This article expounds the construction path of a scientific research platform serving 'healthy China' strategy from the aspects of connotation of the future food era, interdisciplinary integration, major scientific and technological breakthroughs, and collaborative industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the proportion and distribution of female HPB surgeons in China, describe their current status, and analyze the possible barriers and challenges in their careers. Tertiary hospitals with the division of HPB in mainland China in 2021 were enrolled and surgeon demographic information was collected through the review of official websites and/or telephone interviews. The majority of female HPB surgeons (72.92%) were located in the first or second-tier cities in mainland China, with an increasing number of new female HPB surgeons entering the field annually, particularly after 2005 (from 27 to 52 per 5 years). Despite no significant difference in academic backgrounds, female HPB surgeons initiated their careers at an earlier age and took a longer time to obtain chief titles (P < 0.05). Interestingly, female HPB surgeons performed laparoscopic complex HPB cases at a similar rate (95.42%) to their male counterparts and were more likely to specialize in endoscopic surgery (P = 0.021), with a similar ratio of obtaining administrative positions. Minimally invasive surgery may provide females with unprecedented opportunities in the HPB surgery field. However, despite the increasing numbers of female HPB surgeons, the proportion remains low in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planktonic archaea and bacteria play important roles in biogeochemical cycling, but their biogeographical patterns and underlying ecological processes remain poorly understood, particularly in large‐scale rivers.We collected 43 water samples covering a 2279 km reach of the Jinsha River, one of the largest rivers in southwest China, and performed high‐throughput sequencing analysis on planktonic archaeal and bacterial communities. Partial Mantel analysis and neutral model were used to assess the factors influencing microbial distributions. The associations among different microbial species and their geographical distribution patterns were linked through co‐occurrence networks, and the putative key taxa in the archaeal and bacterial networks were analysed.The Shannon index of both archaeal and bacterial communities was highest in the midstream reach. The Pielou's evenness of archaea did not vary among the three reaches, whereas those of bacteria increased from upstream to downstream. The archaeal and bacterial community compositions were significantly different in the three reaches, but the differences among the bacterial communities were greater than among the archaeal communities.Both dispersal limitation and environmental selection affected the community compositions of the archaea and bacteria, but dispersal limitation was the most influential factor. Compared to archaea, bacteria were less affected by dispersal limitation and more by environmental selection.The co‐occurrence network analysis demonstrated that, compared with the bacterial network of all sites, the archaeal network with larger graph density had higher connectivity and complexity, but a lower proportion of negative correlations. The putative key taxa belonged to Nitrososphaeraceae and Candidatus_Nitrocosmicus from the archaeal community, and Hydrogenophaga and Sphingorhabdus from the bacterial community.Taken together, these findings demonstrated that the planktonic archaea were more dispersal‐limited and showed more network connectivity than the planktonic bacteria in the Jinsha River. This study enhances our understanding of the biogeographical distribution patterns and underlying ecological processes of planktonic microorganisms over large‐scale freshwater systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have released a large amount of nitric oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere, leading to elevated regional atmospheric NOx concentration and nitrogen (N) deposition. Several studies have observed a downward NOx or NOy (NOx and its oxidation products) flux to the forest canopy, but attributed it to the photochemical reactions and conversion from gaseous N to particulate N. Here, we focus on the possibility of NOx sink by forest canopy based on an observed downward NOx flux of 0.28 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in a temperate forest of northeastern China, using hourly monitoring of NOx fluxes. In combination with results from previous studies, we find that the downward NOx or NOy fluxes ranged from 0.2 to 1.4 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in temperate forests and from 5.3 to 8.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in subtropical forests and they were positively related to atmospheric NOx concentration, mean annual air temperature and annual precipitation across eight forest sites from around the world. If assuming 50% of downward NOx or NOy was directly taken up by the canopy, we estimate a NOx or NOy sink of 0.2 and 1.1 Tg N yr−1 by global respective temperate and subtropical forests, representing an effective scavenger of atmospheric NOx and a considerable N source to forests. We suggest that interception of NOx or NOy by forest canopy should be considered in global NOx budgets and their contribution to the global forest N pool in global Earth System's models. Plain Language Summary: Canopy interception of reactive N has gained wide attention in recent several years, however, its quantification is still unclear. In the present work, we demonstrate the NOx downward movement in a typical temperate forest in northeastern China was partially driven by canopy biological uptake, and then combined results of our in situ observation of canopy NOx flux with other existing 10 monitoring sites worldwide. We estimated an N input of 0.2 and 1.1 Tg N yr−1 in global respective temperate and subtropical forests via downward NOx movement, representing an effective scavenger of atmospheric NOx and a considerable N source to forests. Key Points: The potential importance of canopy NOx uptake by forests for atmospheric NOx concentration and forest N pools is unclearCombining present and previous study results, we estimated a canopy N input of 0.2–1.1 Tg yr−1 in global temperate and subtropical forestsWe suggest that interception of NOx by forest canopy should be considered in global NOx budgets and forest N pools [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open search is crucial to business model design. In recent years, the digital revolution has significantly reshaped the open search environment and the business model landscape. The traditional 'either/or' paradigm that separately tests the effects of open search breadth and depth on business model design is no longer applicable. By introducing the 'both/and' paradigm, this study explores how open search breadth and depth, both jointly and in an orderly manner, impact hybrid business model design. Using a sample of digital startups during the opportunity window of China's digital entrepreneurship, we find that open search breadth positively relates to the balance between technology- and consumer-oriented business models. Furthermore, under the premise of high breadth, open search depth shows a U-shaped relationship with this balance. This study not only enriches our knowledge of the antecedents of business model design but also provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of open search. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecotourism and agricultural development have been proven to have synergistic effects, although few studies have employed a spatial planning approach to incorporate tourism growth into crop cultivation planning. This study constructed a theoretical framework of environmental suitability—farmland accessibility—tourist's landscape preferences for crop cultivation planning to link regional agriculture and ecotourism development. The spatial planning of rapeseed cultivation in Qinghai Province was chosen as a case study. The main research methods include an environmental suitability analysis based on remote sensing and Maxent modeling, a farmland accessibility analysis based on a GIS platform, and a landscape preference questionnaire survey of tourists. According to the survey's findings, almost 80% of tourists thought rapeseed flowers enhanced the beauty of natural landscapes. This demonstrated the enormous potential of rapeseed fields for fostering ecotourism. Based on environmental factors, the optimum region for rapeseed cultivation covered 5.38% of the study area, or roughly 6327 km2. The comprehensive optimum zone, which encompassed both agricultural accessibility and environmental suitability, was equal to 12.63% of the study area's farming area, or around 929 km2. This study's crop cultivation suitability framework can integrate agricultural and ecotourism development, with substantial implications for achieving coordinated economic, social, and environmental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate passengers' perception of the acoustic environment in airport terminals. Airport terminals typically consist of several interconnected large spaces and have a noisy environment in China. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 221 passengers at the T2 terminal of Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China to explore their perception and attitude towards the acoustic environment. On-site measurements were also taken to obtain the noise levels in different areas. The results show that the sound pressure levels vary periodically, ranging from 60.7 dB(A) to 79.1 dB(A) across different areas. The acoustic environment lacks eventfulness and pleasantness, with nearly two-thirds of respondents expressing dissatisfaction. Public announcement is generally perceived as the loudest but most preferred sound, while other audible sources are given varying degrees of negative attitudes. The perceived loudness of aircraft and footstep sounds is not high, but their absence significantly improves overall evaluations. Furthermore, age influences the perceived vitality of the acoustic environment. This study is important for the improvement in the indoor environment of the terminal building and the satisfaction of passengers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qilian Mountains (QLM) are an essential ecological security barrier in northwest China. Identifying the driven pattern of vegetation change is crucial for ecological protection and restoration in the QLM. Based on high-resolution vegetation coverage (VC) data in the QLM from 1990 to 2018, linear trend analysis was employed to examine the spatiotemporal dynamics of VC in the QLM, while correlation analysis was utilized to establish relationships between VC change and environmental factors. Multiple correlation analysis and residual analysis were adopted to recognize the climatically and anthropogenically driven pattern of VC change. The results showed that VC in the QLM presented a remarkable upward trend in volatility from 1990 to 2018. The significant increase areas accounted for 59.32% of the total, mainly distributed in the central and western QLM, and the significant decrease areas accounted for 9.18%, mostly located in the middle and eastern QLM. VC change showed a significant positive correlation with precipitation change and annual average temperature, while it exhibited a significant negative correlation with annual average precipitation, current VC status, livestock density, and slope. Climate change played a leading role in the increase of VC, and the impact of precipitation was significantly higher than that of temperature. Affected by climate change, the VC of alpine steppes and temperate steppes increased the most. Under the human interference, VC decreased significantly in 9.2% of the region, of which shrubs fell the most, followed by alpine meadows and forests. This study can provide certain guidance for local ecological protection and restoration efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expressway transportation is an essential part of regional development. An efficient expressway system can enhance cities' connectivity and coordinate long-distance trips between urban areas. Understanding how travel demand affects the flow of expressways is crucial to designing an efficient expressway management system. However, congested expressways are substantial obstacles to unimpeded expressway travel. Here, we explore the relationship between demand origin locations and congested expressways. We extract the time-varying OD demand matrix from empirical tollgate data collected in Shandong province, China. The incremental traffic assignment method is introduced to obtain the traffic flow of expressway road segments. It was found that congested expressways were generated due to only a few origin locations. In addition, expressway congestion during peak hours could be effectively alleviated by controlling the travel demand of these origin locations. Therefore, the proposed method can provide a novel perspective for expressway management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using high-precision CT scanning equipment, two series of tests on frost and salt weathering were conducted to investigate the characteristics of pore change in tuff. Experiments on frost and salt aging were performed with pieces of tuff from the same area of southeast China. One set of tuff samples was soaked in saturated sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate solutions for 60 days. Another set of tuff samples were subjected to 60 freeze–thaw cycles after being submerged in saturated sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate solutions for 48 h. Our study demonstrates that processes such as salt erosion and freeze–thaw affect the pore evolution of tuffs significantly. Tuff lost 1.56% of its mass after being submerged in magnesium sulfate solutions for 60 days, while tuff submerged in sodium sulfate solutions gained a negative 0.33% of its mass. After 60 freeze–thaw cycles, the mass loss of tuff samples immersed in sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and distilled water solutions was 3.52%, 3.58%, and 3.82%, respectively. The average porosity of the magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate test groups increased by 6.59% and 4.14%, respectively, when the number of days of salt erosion was extended from 10 to 60 days. The average porosity of tuff samples immersed in magnesium persulfate and sodium sulfate solutions increased by 2.25% and 2.18%, respectively, as the number of freeze–thaw cycles went from 10 to 60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow-moving landslide-prone areas (SLAs) are unstable objects on the terrestrial surface that can collapse rapidly when provoked by earthquakes, leading to infrastructure damage. It is critical to identify SLAs prior to earthquake events and assess their hazard-causing probabilities when triggered. An assessment approach of earthquake-triggered geohazards is proposed in this paper by combining interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) derived SLAs and geological and geomorphological factors. Taking the Ms6.8 Luding earthquake, which occurred in the Sichuan Province of southwestern China on September 5, 2022, as an example, 1320 scenes of Sentinel-1 SAR data in western Sichuan were processed using the small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR technique before the earthquake. After the earthquake, hazard probability assessment was performed in real-time by filtering the SLAs using a spatial analysis technique with geological and geomorphological factors, e.g., real-time peak ground acceleration (PGA), slope, distance to fault (DTF), and distance to the river (DTR) data. The results show that 11 SLAs were classified into high-risk zones. As verified by the Luding co-seismic landslide dataset from visual interpretation of optical remote sensing images, 142 coseismic landslides were triggered by the earthquake in these high-risk regions. In these areas, an ancient landslide, with high pre-earthquake displacement rates (−50 mm/year) on the scarp was reactivated under the Luding earthquake forces. This method can provide a scientific tool for disaster mitigation and rapid response emergency management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, tight sandstone oil and gas have been an important area for unconventional oil and gas exploration and development in China. It is of great significance to clarify the pore-throat structure characteristics of tight sandstone reservoirs to guide production practices. This study takes the tight sandstone of the sixth member of the Yanchang Formation in the Huaqing area, Ordos Basin, as an example, based on experimental methods such as high-pressure mercury intrusion, cast thin sections and scanning electron microscopy. At the same time, the pore-throat structure of tight sandstone reservoirs is divided into three types using the tube-bundle and spherical fractal models. The corresponding pore and throat radius distribution, pore-throat combination mode and influencing factors of various pore-throats are studied. The results show that the fractal dimension of type I pore-throats is the smallest, and the distribution of their pore-throat radii is the most uniform. They are dominated by intercrystalline pores and dissolution pores with tube-bundle throats and small pores with small throats. Type II pore-throats have the largest fractal dimension and the worst pore-throat uniformity. They are dominated by residual primary intergranular pores with necked throats and large pores with small throats. The type III pore-throat fractal dimension is in the middle, mainly composed of residual dissolved intergranular pores with pore-reduced throats, sheet-like and curved sheet-like throats, and large pores with large throats. The influence of different pore-throat combinations on the reservoir is reflected in the different characteristics of mercury injection parameters. The main influencing factors for the differences in the fractal dimensions of different pore-throats are diagenesis, rock composition and pore-throat combination type. Diagenesis and rock composition, in turn, affect the type and development degree of pore-throats, as well as the combination of pore-throats. The purpose of this study was to clarify the internal connection modes of different homogeneous pore-throats and their influencing factors, enrich the theoretical basis for the study of tight sandstone reservoirs and provide theoretical guidance for their exploration and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parents are usually the decision-makers for vaccinations of children. Therefore, it is important to understand parental beliefs and attitudes toward severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine for themselves and their children when it was approved for children age 3–17. Method: A cross-sectional survey based on an anonymous online questionnaire for parents was conducted in seven provinces of China, and demographic information, vaccination history, parental decision motives, and health belief model toward themselves and their children were collected, respectively. Results: The overall parental hesitancy rate toward themselves was 20.30%, and that toward their children was 7.80%. More parental concerns on disease severity (odd ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.61) and susceptibility (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.01–1.63) of children could be the causes of discrepancy in hesitancy for themselves and for their children. Parents who hesitated to vaccinate themselves might also be hesitated to vaccinate their children (β = 0.077, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Threat perception may lead to inconsistencies in parental vaccination decisions toward themselves and toward their children. Correcting misinformation and strengthening education about COVID-19 are of great significance in addressing vaccine hesitancy among parents and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tianfu peanut series represents a prominent category in China and recognized as the primary cultivar within the peanut-producing region of Sichuan Basin. To comprehend the phylogeny of Tianfu peanut varieties and the evolution of key agronomic and economic traits, we conducted an analysis on the pedigree relationship and evolutionary trends of 37 main Tianfu peanut varieties, focusing on 14 essential agronomic and economic characteristics. Our findings revealed that these 37 varieties originated from 55 nuclear ancestor parents and 15 cytoplasmic ancestor parents, predominatly including Luojiangjiwo, Fuhuasheng, and Xiongyue 1. Among the 52 related direct parents predominately comprising bred varieties and intermediate materials, 34 were derived from Sichuan Basin, accounting for approximately 65.38% of all parentage combinations. Notably, variety improvement predominantly occurred through crossbreeding techniques, with "bred variety x intermediate materials" combinations representing the highest proportion at 40.63%. While there were no significant quality attributes, pod yield significantly increased due to breeding efforts; additionally, a few oleic acid and high oil varieties were successfully developed. Moving forward, our focus lies in transforming general common oleic acid varieties into specialized high oleic acid variants suitable for edible oil production or processing while preserving the traditional characteristics associated with medium-small seed size typical to Tianfu peanuts -- thus meeting diverse demands for superior-quality Tianfu peanut cultivars in this new era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulating microorganisms to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) in croplands remains a challenge. Soil microbes are important drivers of SOC sequestration, especially via their necromass accumulation. However, microbial parameters are rarely used to predict cropland SOC stocks, possibly due to uncertainties regarding the relationships between microbial carbon pools, community properties and SOC. Herein we evaluated the microbial community properties (diversity and network complexity), microbial carbon pools (biomass and necromass carbon) and SOC in 468 cropland soils across northeast China. We found that not only microbial necromass carbon but also microbial community properties (diversity and network complexity) and biomass carbon were correlated with SOC. Microbial biomass carbon and diversity played more important role in predicting SOC for maize, while microbial network complexity was more important for rice. Models to predict SOC performed better when the microbial community and microbial carbon pools were included simultaneously. Taken together our results suggest that microbial carbon pools and community properties influence SOC accumulation in croplands, and management practices that improve these microbial parameters may increase cropland SOC levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Houttuynia cordata is an herbal compound that grows in China and exhibits anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. Additionally, pyroptosis is mediated by the activated NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome after stimulation by various inflammatory factors in asthma. To investigate the effect of sodium houttuyfonate on NLRP3 inflammasome-related pyroptosis and Th1/Th2 immune imbalance in asthma. Asthmatic mice model were made, sodium houttuyfonate was injected intraperitoneally to treat the asthmatic mice. Airway reactivity, cell classification and counting in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to analyze airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion. Beas-2b cells were cultured, LPS, NLRP3 antagonist (Mcc950) and sodium houttuyfonate were used to intervene the Beas-2b cells, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1β, and IL-18 expression in the lung tissue and cells were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and western blot, while qRT- PCR was performed to analyze the mRNA contents in the pulmonary and the cells, respectively. Th1 and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IFN-γ) were detected with ELISA and the proportions of Th1 and Th2 in splenocyte were detected by flow cytometry. Airway reactivity decreased in sodium houttuyfonate group when compared with asthmatic group mice. In the BALF, the numbers of leukocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages were significantly lower in sodium houttuyfonate group mice than in asthmatic group mice. The proportion of TH1/TH2 cells in spleen cells and IFN-γ /IL-4 in plasma increased in sodium houttuyfonate treatment group when compared with asthma group. Immunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR showed that the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, GSDMD, IL-1β and IL-18 were decreased in the lung tissue of mice after treated with sodium houttuyfonate when compared with those in the asthma group. However, sodium houttuyfonate combined with dexamethasone induced a stronger effect on NLRP3-related pyroptosis and Th1/Th2 immune imbalance compared to sodium houttuyfonate or dexamethasone alone. Beas-2b cells were cultured in vitro , sodium houttuyfonate can alleviate LPS-induced ASC, casepase-1, GSDMD, IL-18 and IL-1β increasing, especially in SH (10 μg/ml) treated group, but the effect less than Mcc950. Sodium houttuyfonate can alleviated NLRP3-related pyroptosis and Th1/Th2 immune imbalance to reduce asthma airway inflammation and airway reactivity. • Sodium houttuyfonate can alleviated NLRP3-related pyroptosis. • Sodium houttuyfonate can alleviated Th1/Th2 immune imbalance. • Sodium houttuyfonate combined with dexamethasone induced a stronger effect on NLRP3-related pyroptosis and Th1/Th2 immune imbalance compared to sodium houttuyfonate or dexamethasone alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Changes in water diversion flow are the major disturbance sources in the daily operation of water diversion projects. Ensuring efficient and safe project operation while dealing with different degrees of water diversion disturbance is crucial for real-time control operation. Based on the historical water diversion projects in China and abroad, this study constructs the water diversion disturbance conditions, selects the typical disturbance lines, and constructs the control objectives for different water diversion disturbance lines. The discrete state space equation of the multi-channel pool integral time-delay model is introduced and used as the system prediction model. Concurrently, the simulation results of the river channel hydrodynamic model are used to correct the system state. The model predictive control algorithm is established according to the objective functions of different typical water distribution disturbance lines, and the control strategy of the control gate and pump station along the water diversion project is formulated to assist in the decision making of the project scheduling operation scheme. The proposed method can better cope with different degrees of river diversion disturbance, compensate for the loss of control performance caused by the low accuracy of the generalized model simulation, and improve water level control and sluice regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining of open pit mines is widespread in China, and there are many cases of landslide accidents. Therefore, the problem of slope stability is highlighted. The stability of the slope is a factor that directly affects the mining efficiency and the safety of the entire mining process. According to the statistics, there is a 15 percent chance of finding landslide risk in China's large-scale mines. And due to the expansion of the mining scale of the enterprise, the problem of slope stability has become increasingly obvious, which has become a major subject in the study of open-pit mine engineering. In order to better predict the slope stability coefficient, this study takes a mine in China as a case to deeply discuss the accuracy of different algorithms in the stability calculation, and then uses a deep learning algorithm to study the stability under rainfall conditions. The change of the coefficient and the change of the stability coefficient before and after the slope treatment are experimentally studied with the displacement of the monitoring point. The result shows that the safety coefficient calculated by the algorithm in this paper is about 7% lower than that of the traditional algorithm. In the slope stability analysis before treatment, the safety factor calculated by the algorithm in this paper is 1.086, and the algorithm in this paper is closer to reality. In the stability analysis of the slope after treatment, the safety factor calculated by the algorithm in this paper is 1.227, and the stability factor meets the requirements of the specification. It also shows that the deep learning algorithm effectively improves the efficiency of the slope stability factor prediction and improves security during project development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction system in the Qilian orogenic belt experienced the variability of an active continental arc in space and time related to the subduction of the Proto‐Tethys Ocean. Zircon U–Pb geochronology and whole‐rock chemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data of mafic to intermediate dykes in the western part of the Central Qilian belt (WCQB) are used to track magma provenance from compositionally variable reservoirs in the sub‐arc mantle and constrain the magmatic evolution of the rear‐arc at 450–445 Ma. Petrological, whole‐rock chemical and zircon U–Pb dating results reveal that the studied dykes mainly comprise calc‐alkaline lamprophyre (CAL), high Mg# andesitic porphyrite (HMA) and high FeO hornblende gabbro (HFG) with crystallization ages of 447, 453 and 448 Ma, respectively. Among them, CAL and HMA have affinities in high‐K calc‐alkaline suites, high REE contents (∑REE = 131.1–202.3 ppm) with high LaN/YbN values (6.77–17.99), enriched in large‐ion lithophile elements (LILE, e.g., Rb and U), and depleted in high‐field‐strength elements (HFSE, e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti). They also have high Th/La (0.20–0.46), Th/Nb (0.67–1.64) and Th/Yb (3.88–14.11) ratios, and relatively high whole‐rock initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.707469–0.708493) and εNd(t) values (−4.7 to −3.1). Whereas, HFG is affinities in medium to high‐K calc‐alkaline suites, and has moderate rare earth elements (∑REE = 70.1–112.5 ppm) with flat REE patterns (LaN/YbN = 2.12–3.05) and exhibits enriched LILE, and Sr–Nd isotopes ((87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.713496–0.729216, εNd(t) = −2.93 to +2.04). Such typical "continental" geochemical features of the different K‐rich dykes do not result from crustal assimilation but reflect an enriched mantle source resulting from their mantle heterogeneity due to recycling of different subducted sediments. The temporal evolution of the geochemical characteristics of mafic‐intermediate dykes is consistent with an extension setting triggered by removing the thickened arc crust root in the WCQB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive opportunistic pathogen, and infection risks of S. pneumoniae can be profoundly augmented by its acquired multidrug-resistance (MDR). The rapid development of MDR in S. pneumoniae was attributed to the international dissemination of a small number of multidrug-resistant "clones." Clonal complex (CC) 271 is a prevalent MDR CC in the world and the most prevalent CC in China. However, the evolutionary trajectories of multidrug-resistant S. pneumoniae CC271 in China still are largely unknown. Methods: We investigated a collection of 1312 S. pneumoniae isolates collected from 28 tertiary hospitals in China from 2007 to 2020. Recombination prediction and recombination-masked phylogenetic analysis were combined to determine the population structure and mode of evolution of CC271. Data from the Global Pneumococcal Sequencing program (GPS) were combined to understand the global distribution of clones identified in this study. Bayesian analysis were recruited to analysis the evolutionary dynamics of dominant clones within CC271 in China. Results: The phylogenomic analysis resulted in the discovery of two globally distributed clones, ST271-A and ST271-B. ST271-A was a derivative of ST236 and an ancestor of ST271-B and ST320, refining the internal phylogenetic relationship of CC271. ST271-B was the most dominant clone in China, with higher β-lactam resistance especially for cephalosporins comparing to other MDR clones. Bayesian skyline plot showed a rapid expansion of 19F ST271-B from 1995 to 2000, which correlates with the widespread use of cephalosporins in the 1990s in China. 19A ST320, a vaccine-escape clone, is the second largest population in China. The Bayesian skyline plot showed that the 19A ST320 began to expand rapidly around 2001, which appeared to coincide with the prevalence of 19A after application of PCV7 in 2000 in the USA. We also observed frequent transmission of 19A ST320 between countries. It suggests that mass vaccination in some countries could affect the prevalence of clones in unvaccinated countries in the context of high-frequency international transmission. Conclusions: Our results refined the internal phylogenetic relationship of CC271, showing that the 19F ST271-B and 19A ST320 evolved independently from ST271-A, with different histories and driving forces for their evolution and dissemination in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat quality has great significance in terms of regional ecological conservation and human welfare. In this study, we evaluated the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use and habitat quality in the temperate desert sub-region of the Ordos Plateau using patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) and integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs (InVEST) models. From 2000 to 2020, the areas of grassland, cropland, and unused land in the study area increased significantly; the areas of water bodies and woodland increased slightly; and the area of wasteland decreased significantly. Moreover, the habitat quality in the temperate desert subzone of the Ordos Plateau showed a trend of initial increase and then decrease between 2000 and 2020. The areas of lower and low habitat quality first decreased and then increased, and the overall area decreased over time. Conversely, the areas of high and higher habitat quality initially increased and then decreased, and the overall area increased over time. The area of medium habitat quality first decreased and then increased, although the overall change was minimal. Based on the PLUS model, the predicted habitat quality of the study area in 2025 under the natural development scenario was compared to that predicted under the ecological conservation scenario. The comparison of results showed higher habitat quality and lower habitat degradation under the ecological conservation development scenario. These results can be used to provide a scientific basis and decision reference for the sustainable use of land resources and encouragement of high-quality socio-economic development in the temperate desert sub-region of the Ordos Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The psychometric profiles of the widely used International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) in Chinese youth have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the IPAQ-SF using a sample of Chinese youth. Method: One thousand and twenty-one youth (M[subscript age] = 14.26 ± 1.63 years, 52.8% boys) from 11 cities in China wore accelerometers for 7 consecutive days and completed the IPAQ-SF on the 8th day to recall their physical activity (PA) during accelerometer-wearing days. A subsample of 92 youth (M[subscript age] = 15.90 ± 1.35 years, 46.7% boys) completed the IPAQ-SF again a week later to recall their PA during accelerometer-wearing days. Differences in PA estimated by the IPAQ-SF and accelerometer were examined by paired-sample "t" test. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to examine the correlation between the IPAQ-SF and accelerometer. Test-retest reliability of the IPAQ-SF was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Compared with accelerometer, the IPAQ-SF overestimated sedentary time, moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Correlations between PA (total PA, MPA, VPA, and MVPA) and sedentary time measured by 2 instruments ranged from "none" to "low" (? = 0.08-0.31). Test-retest ICC of the IPAQ-SF ranged from "moderate" to "high" (ICC = 0.43-0.83), except for sitting in boys (ICC = 0.06), sitting for the whole sample (ICC = 0.32), and VPA in girls (ICC = 0.35). Conclusion: The IPAQ-SF was not a valid instrument for measuring PA and sedentary behavior in Chinese youth.