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Online learning emerged as a solution to continue with teaching and learning during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nonetheless, teaching online consumes considerable time and put pressure on teachers' daily lives. Thus, the internal mechanism of preservice teachers' intention to teach online is analyzed in this study. Specifically, this study analyzed preservice teachers' intention to teach online in China and America to illuminate the internal mechanism of teachers' intention to teach online in different cultural backgrounds. One hundred seventy-six Chinese preservice teachers and two hundred forty-one American preservice teachers participated in this study. The confirmatory factor analysis supported that the Intention to Teach Online Scale was reliable in three constructs: online teaching attitude, perceived control, and subjective norm. The result demonstrates that there is a significant difference between Chinese and American preservice teachers' intention to teach online in the online teaching attitude and perceived control. In addition, it is supported that there is a significant difference between the effects of Chinese and American preservice teachers' teaching attitude, perceived control, and subjective norm on their intention to teach online. Moreover, there is a difference in the relationships among Chinese and American teachers' online teaching attitudes, perceived control, and subjective norm. The preservice teachers' demographic features can be factors that caused this difference. Research and practice implications of this study are proposed.

Purpose: This article provides a historical overview of the progress made in the moral education curriculum (MEC) reform of China's elementary and middle schools in the 21st century and discusses its future prospects. Design/Approach/Methods: The main methods used were textual and policy analyses. Findings: While China's MEC reform is characterized by an openness and modernity achieved through international dialogue, it remains distinctively Chinese. The continued development and improvement of MEC reform can only occur through the careful handling of the various relationships between China and the international community, traditionality and modernity, central and local authorities, as well as theory and practice. Originality/Value: In addition to providing greater insights into and understanding of China's new MEC reform, this article suggests several ideas for the further development of educational reform.

Gender-stereotyped beliefs develop early in childhood and are thought to increase with age based on prior research that was primarily carried out in Western cultures. Little research, however, has examined cross-cultural (in)consistencies in the developmental trajectory of gender-stereotyped beliefs. The present study examined implicit gender-toy stereotypes among 4- to 9-year-olds (N = 1,013; 49.70% girls) in Canada, China, and Thailand. Children from all three cultures evidenced implicit gender-toy stereotypes over this developmental period, but cultural differences in the developmental pattern and strength of these stereotypes were apparent. Gender-toy stereotypes were relatively strong and stable across age groups among Thai children and relatively weak and stable across age groups among Chinese children. Canadian 4- to 5-year-old children displayed weaker stereotypes, whereas 6- to 9-year-olds displayed stronger stereotypes. These findings highlight the contribution of culture to children's gender stereotype development. Although gender-toy stereotypes were found among 4- to 9-year-olds in all three cultures examined here, the strength of these stereotypes varies by culture. Furthermore, the previously described increase in gender stereotyping over this developmental period appears to not apply across cultures, thus challenging the conventional view on development in this domain based on prior, mainly Western, research.

This research investigated avoidance behaviour, one of the strategies L2 learners may resort to because of L1-L2 differences, or the non-existence of L2 structures for L1 learners, i.e. the Avoidance Behaviour Hypothesis (Schachter 1974). However, based on the Factors of L2 Non-Avoidance Hypothesis (FNAH) (Thiamtawan & Pongpairoj, 2013, 2019), despite the aforementioned factors, L2 avoidance does not necessarily emerge. The study recruited thirty L1 Chinese intermediate participants. The tasks used to elicit data were the Comprehension Task and the Indirect Preference Elicitation (IPE) Task. Results showed that the participants significantly produced more passives than actives, which means they tended not to avoid the English passive construction. The study investigated further the different contexts in the IPE task. Findings revealed that the participants tended to avoid the English passive under non-adversity contexts because of the complexities of the passive compared with the active. However, they would not avoid the passive construction under adversity contexts due to transfer of training in the Chinese setting. The overall results were in support of FNAH.

Current understanding of how culture relates to the development of children's gender-related peer preferences is limited. To investigate the role of societal acceptance of gender nonconformity, this study compared children from China and Thailand. Unlike China and other cultures where the conceptualization of gender as binary is broadly accepted, individuals who identify as a nonbinary "third" sex/gender have been highly visible and tolerated in Thai society for at least several decades. Chinese and Thai 4- to 9-year-olds (N = 458) viewed vignettes of four hypothetical peers who varied on gender (i.e., boy vs. girl) and gender-typed toy play behavior (i.e., masculine vs. feminine), and were asked to give a friendship preference rating for each peer. Chinese, compared with Thai, children evidenced gender-related peer preferences that emerged earlier, remained more stable across age groups, and were relatively more biased against gender-nonconforming behavior. The only cultural similarity was in children's preference for peers who were of the same gender and/or displayed same-gender-typed behavior. Thus, while preference for peers who are of the same gender and/or display same-gender-typed behavior is common among children across cultures, the developmental onset and course of these preferences vary by culture. Moreover, societal acceptance of gender nonconformity might be key to limiting children's bias against gender-nonconforming peers.

The community of inquiry contends that meaningful learning occurs in the interaction among the teaching, social, and cognitive presences. Although studies have validated the close relationships among the three presences, the roles of teaching presence indicators in students' social and cognitive presences need to be further explored. Therefore, 592 Chinese college students were investigated through an online questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the collected data. Results demonstrate that the three indicators of teaching presence accounted for 56.9% of social presence and 53.4% of cognitive presence. Specifically, design and organization, and discourse facilitation had significantly positive correlations with social presence, while there was no significant correlation between direct instruction and social presence. Additionally, design and organization, discourse facilitation, and direct instruction had significantly positive correlations with cognitive presence. Results indicate that different indicators of teaching presence play different roles in students' social and cognitive presences.

This study is to examine the effects of AR Game-based science learning on students' engagement, learning performance, and satisfaction towards physics learning. Based on the marker-based AR technology, an Augmented Reality Game-based Science Learning (ARGSL) system was designed and developed to support students' physics learning. A quasi-experimental design with two experimental groups and a control group was implemented. The sample of the study included 155 seventh graders from a middle school in eastern China. Results supported that the ARGSL enhanced students learning interaction, performance, and satisfaction compared with the game-based and book-based learning methods. The semi-structured interviews found that the AR technology was widely accepted by students for its usefulness, realness, interest, and interactivity. The AR visualized the virtual magnetic field which makes the difficult physics concept easy to understand. The challenges caused by the AR also give us some implications for AR-supported science education.

Teaching presence has the potential to influence learning engagement. But the specific role of teaching presence in learning engagement is yet to be explored. Hence, I surveyed 1,328 college students in China through an online questionnaire. The structural equation modeling analysis result indicates that the five dimensions of teaching presence (i.e., design and organization, discourse facilitation, direct instruction, assessment, and technological support) accounted for 45.3% of behavioral engagement, 34.3% of cognitive engagement, and 40.9% of emotional engagement. Specifically, assessment and technological support demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with behavioral engagement, while direct instruction demonstrated a significantly negative correlation with it. Design and organization, assessment, and technological support demonstrated significantly positive correlations with cognitive engagement. Direct instruction and technological support had significant positive correlations with emotional engagement. The results indicate that different dimensions of teaching presence have different effects on students' learning engagement.

Understanding the role of teaching presence in students' learning can help improve online teaching. This study explored the effects of online teaching presence on students' cognitive conflict and engagement by analyzing three rounds of a course taught with different levels of teaching presence. The participants were 132 students enrolled across the three rounds. Content and lag sequential analysis were used to explore the effects of teaching presence on students' cognitive conflict and learning engagement. The results show that design and facilitation can engage students in reflection and involve them in cognitive conflicts and cognitive engagement (p < 0.001). Moreover, timely facilitation and direct instruction had no significant effect on students' responses to cognitive conflict. These results illuminate the impact of teaching presence on students' learning engagement through cognitive conflict and provide instructors with practical guidance for online teaching.

Differences in how students and teachers understand online teaching presence play a key role in teaching design. To explore how students and teachers perceive teaching presence, this study surveyed 1,041 students and 18 teachers who participated in an online course at a Chinese university. The analysis found students' perceived teaching presence was significantly lower than the teachers', particularly in terms of facilitating discourse (p < 0.001). Regarding the perceived importance of the five dimensions of teaching presence (Wang et al., 2019), students perceived facilitating discourse to be more important than direct instruction, while the opposite was found to be true for teachers. The divergence creates a challenge for teachers in engaging students in learning. The results indicate that teachers could pay more attention to the following dimensions to improve students' learning experience: making macro-level comments on courses, designing instructional methods, providing formative feedback for homework and discussions, and making full use of technological tools in teaching.

In this article, the author describes how a group of teachers and teacher candidates along with a group of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in China participated in a book club through which they read and discussed global literature books. The inquiry for this action research project was: How do American teachers and Chinese EFL learners build intercultural understanding through reading and responding to children's picture books in a global book club? The purpose of this study was to investigate how readers explore each other's culture and their self culture and gain intercultural understanding through children's literature books, while also seeking implications for selecting and incorporating children's literature to inform literacy practices.

The purpose of the present research is to study the impact of innovative educational strategies of vocal training on the development of creativity and motivation among students. The present study builds on an empirical approach. It involved 86 first-year undergraduate students in the Department of solo singing, Institute of Music, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, China. It is significant to mention that the students were chosen randomly. The study covers the period of an academic semester. The study participants underwent training using innovative pedagogical methods of personality-oriented learning. This approach aims at developing creative abilities, creativity, and motivation among students. It is worth noting that this approach contained a psychophysiological component. The present research presupposed using the following psychodiagnostic methods: "Questionnaire of Formal-Dynamic Properties of Individuality" (QFDPI) by Rusalov; "BFQ-2. Big Five Questionnaire" (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Borgogni, and Vecchione); "Motivation of professional activity" (Zamfir, modifications by Rean); "Research of Creative Imagination." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the change trends in incidence and leading factors to peripartum hysterectomy (PH) at a regional tertiary medical center in northeast China. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of all PH cases conducted at Shengjing Hospital between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2021. Information on maternal characteristics of pregnancy and delivery, indications of PH, inventions before hysterectomy, complications, and maternal and neonatal outcomes obtained from the Shengjing Hospital Information System were analyzed. Results: Among a total of 157 553 deliveries, there were 127 cases of PH (overall PH incidence: 0.85/1000 deliveries); 120 patients (94.49%) underwent hysterectomy after cesarean section, and seven (5.51%) underwent vaginal delivery (P < 0.001). Abnormal placentation was the leading indication for PH (101, 79.53%), including placenta previa (PP) with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) (93, 73.23%), PP alone (5, 3.94%), and PAS alone (3, 2.36%). Among the patients who underwent PH with abnormal placentation, 92.08% had at least one cesarean section (P < 0.001) and 20.19% had bladder injury (P = 0.044). All maternal deaths (n = 2) occurred in referral patients, and the maternal mortality rate was 1.57/100 hysterectomies. Conclusion: Abnormal placentation was the primary indication for PH. For such patients, adequate assessment of their condition and complete communication are strongly recommended. The identification of high‐risk groups for postpartum hemorrhage, timely and effective rescue, and referral are equally important for avoiding PH. Synopsis: Abnormal placentation is the primary indication for peripartum hysterectomy. Prenatal prevention, intrapartum monitoring, and timely control of postpartum hemorrhage are important in peripartum hysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide has been recognized as a major global public health issue. Depressed adolescents are more prone to experiencing it. We explore risk factors and their differences on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts to further enhance our understanding of suicidal behavior. 2343 depressed adolescents aged 12–18 from 9 provinces/cities in China participated in this cross-sectional study. We utilized decision tree model, incorporating 32 factors encompassing participants' suicidal behavior. The feature importance of each factor was measured using Gini coefficients. The decision tree model demonstrated a good fit with high accuracy (SI = 0.86, SA = 0.85 and F-Score (SI = 0.85, SA = 0.83). The predictive importance of each factor varied between groups with suicidal ideation and with suicide attempts. The most significant risk factor in both groups was depression (SI = 16.7 %, SA = 19.8 %). However, factors such as academic stress (SI = 7.2 %, SA = 1.6 %), hopelessness (SI = 9.1 %, SA = 5.0 %), and age (SI = 7.1 %, SA = 3.2 %) were more closely associated with suicidal ideation than suicide attempts. Factors related to the schooling status (SI = 3.5 %, SA = 10.1 %), total years of education (SI = 2.6 %, SA = 8.6 %), and loneliness (SI = 2.3 %, SA = 7.4 %) were relatively more important in the suicide attempt stage compared to suicidal ideation. The cross-sectional design limited the ability to capture changes in suicidal behavior among depressed adolescents over time. Possible bias may exist in the measurement of suicidal ideation. The relative importance of each risk factor for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide varies. These findings provide further empirical evidence for understanding suicide behavior. Targeted treatment measures should be taken for different stages of suicide in clinical interventions. • Factors associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts share both similarities and differences. • Severity of depression is the most important risk factor for both suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. • Academic stress, level of hopelessness, and age, have a more pronounced relation with the occurrence of suicidal ideation. • Schooling status, total years of education, and level of loneliness exert a stronger association with suicide attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐anemic thalassemia trait (TT) accounted for a high proportion of TT cases in South China. Objective: To use artificial intelligence (AI) analysis of erythrocyte morphology and machine learning (ML) to identify TT gene carriers in a non‐anemic population. Methods: Digital morphological data from 76 TT gene carriers and 97 controls were collected. The AI technology‐based Mindray MC‐100i was used to quantitatively analyze the percentage of abnormal erythrocytes. Further, ML was used to construct a prediction model. Results: Non‐anemic TT carriers accounted for over 60% of the TT cases. Random Forest was selected as the prediction model and named TT@Normal. The TT@Normal algorithm showed outstanding performance in the training, validation, and external validation sets and could efficiently identify TT carriers in the non‐anemic population. The top three weights in the TT@Normal model were the target cells, microcytes, and teardrop cells. Elevated percentages of abnormal erythrocytes should raise a strong suspicion of being a TT gene carrier. TT@Normal could be promoted and used as a visualization and sharing tool. It is accessible through a URL link and can be used by medical staff online to predict the possibility of TT gene carriage in a non‐anemic population. Conclusions: The ML‐based model TT@Normal could efficiently identify TT carriers in non‐anemic people. Elevated percentages of target cells, microcytes, and teardrop cells should raise a strong suspicion of being a TT gene carrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reservoir in the Anyue gas field, located in the Sichuan basin of China, belongs to the second member of the Dengying formation and has distinctive geological features. It is characterized by strong heterogeneity, low porosity, low permeability, and locally developed natural fractures. The reservoir space consists primarily of corrosion holes, natural fractures, and similar voids. Moreover, the lower reservoir exhibits high water saturation and a homogeneous bottom-water interface. Since it is a carbonate-based hydrocarbon reservoir with low porosity and permeability, deep acid fracturing has proven to be an efficient method for enhancing individual well production. However, the reconstruction of the second member of the Dengying formation reservoir poses significant challenges. The reservoir contains high-angle natural fractures, small vertical stress differences, and is located in close proximity to the gas–water interface. As a result, it becomes difficult to control the height of the acid break. Improper acid break treatment may easily result in water production affecting gas well production. To explore ways to control the longitudinal extension of acid fractures, 3D numerical models focusing on the initiation and expansion of acid fractures have been developed. This model takes into account geological and engineering factors such as stress differences, acid fracture displacements and scales, and their effects on the longitudinal extension of acid fractures. It was revealed that the pressure difference is the main controlling factor for the acid fracture height, followed by the reservoir thickness, the interlayer thickness, and the viscosity of the working fluid. Technical countermeasures for controlled fracture and high-acid fracturing tailored to different reservoir characteristics have been proposed, and design parameters for controlled fracture and high-acid fracturing can be optimized. By effectively controlling the vertical extension of the acid fracture, it is possible to maximize production from a single well while avoiding interference from the lower water layer. This study provides theoretical guidance for the application of deep-acid-fracturing techniques in low-permeability bottom-water gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is extensively used in archaeometric investigation. Herein, we provide a novel XRD spectrum-based untargeted strategy for the classification of ancient painted pottery for various dynasties. It was accomplished using the original spectrum without a phase identification. To eliminate the influence of baseline drift, a new baseline drift correction algorithm was specifically designed for XRD spectra. The algorithm was implemented using local minimum values in the analyzed signal in an iterative optimization manner. The results indicated that with the aid of the algorithm, the baseline drift problem can be successfully resolved, and the classification of ancient painted pottery can be greatly improved. Finally, the developed strategy was successfully used to discriminate ancient painted pottery from the Han and Tang dynasties in the cities of Guyuan and Zhongwei, China. The developed untargeted strategy had the remarkable advantage of almost automatic data analysis. The toolbox of our strategy can be obtained from the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of root-knot nematode disease has seriously constrained the development of the Chinese herbal medicine industry. China is one of the largest producers of Polygonatum sibiricum and Peucedanum praeruptorum in the world, but the unidentified root-knot nematodes have become important pests of these two Chinese herbal medicines in China. Both morphological characteristics and molecular identification were used to identify the nematodes. The identification results showed that Meloidogyne incognita and M. arenaria were the causal species of root-knot nematode infection in P. sibiricum, and M. hapla was the causal species of the infection in P. praeruptorum. Through investigation, this is the first report of M. incognita and M. arenaria infecting P. sibiricum, and M. hapla infecting P. praeruptorum, in China. The two Chinese herbs are being severely damaged by various root-knot nematodes, and this damage should be taken seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the two most important macronutrients supporting forest growth. Unprecedented urbanization has created growing areas of urban forests that provide key ecosystem services for city dwellers. However, the large‐scale patterns of soil N and P content remain poorly understood in urban forests. Based on a systematic soil survey in urban forests from nine large cities across eastern China, we examined the spatial patterns and key drivers of topsoil (0–20 cm) total N content, total P content, and N:P ratio. Topsoil total N content was found to change significantly with latitude in the form of an inverted parabolic curve, while total P content showed an opposite latitudinal pattern. Variance partition analysis indicated that regional‐scale patterns of topsoil total N and P contents were dominated by climatic drivers and partially regulated by time and pedogenic drivers. Conditional regression analyses showed a significant increase in topsoil total N content with lower mean annual temperature (MAT) and higher mean annual precipitation (MAP), while topsoil total P content decreased significantly with higher MAP. Topsoil total N content also increased significantly with the age of urban park and varied with pre‐urban soil type, while no such effects were found for topsoil total P content. Moreover, topsoil N:P ratio showed a latitudinal pattern similar to that of topsoil total N content and also increased significantly with lower MAT and higher MAP. Our findings demonstrate distinct latitudinal trends of topsoil N and P contents and highlight a dominant role of climatic drivers in shaping the large‐scale patterns of topsoil nutrients in urban forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Qizha Shuangye granules (QSG) comprise six traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs), which have a long history of treating hyperlipidemia (HLP) in China. This study aimed to evaluate the potential lipid‐lowering effects of QSG in an HLP rat model and investigate possible mechanisms. The HLP rat model was induced by a high‐fat diet. Lipid‐related indicators in serum were detected. Serum and liver metabolites were investigated using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry‐based metabolomics approach. A herb–compound–target–metabolite (H‐C‐T‐M) network was further constructed to reveal the possible molecular mechanism of QSG to alleviate HLP. RESULTS: The administration of QSG inhibited the HLP‐induced changes in total cholesterol, triglyceride, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels. Additionally, QSG significantly attenuated the liver histopathological changes induced by HLP. Metabolomic analysis showed the serum and liver metabolic disorders presented in HLP rats. QSG can reverse the abnormal metabolism caused by HLP. Through network pharmacology analysis, key proteins such as androgen receptor, 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA reductase, and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α were screened out, and they were speculated to be possible therapeutic targets for QSG to treat HLP. CONCLUSION: The present study integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis to reveal the efficacy and possible mechanism of QSG in treating HLP, which provides a new reference for the research and development of QSG as a functional food. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroid nodule (TN) patients in China are subject to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The implementation of existing technologies such as thyroid ultrasonography has indeed contributed to the improved diagnostic accuracy of TNs. However, a significant issue persists, where many patients undergo unnecessary biopsies, and patients with malignant thyroid nodules (MTNs) are advised to undergo surgery therapy. Methods: This study included a total of 293 patients diagnosed with TNs. Differential methylation haplotype blocks (MHBs) in blood leukocytes between MTNs and benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) were detected using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Subsequently, an artificial intelligence blood leukocyte DNA methylation (BLDM) model was designed to optimize the management and treatment of patients with TNs for more effective outcomes. Results: The DNA methylation profiles of peripheral blood leukocytes exhibited distinctions between MTNs and BTNs. The BLDM model we developed for diagnosing TNs achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.858 in the validation cohort and 0.863 in the independent test cohort. Its specificity reached 90.91% and 88.68% in the validation and independent test cohorts, respectively, outperforming the specificity of ultrasonography (43.64% in the validation cohort and 47.17% in the independent test cohort), albeit with a slightly lower sensitivity (83.33% in the validation cohort and 82.86% in the independent test cohort) compared to ultrasonography (97.62% in the validation cohort and 100.00% in the independent test cohort). The BLDM model could correctly identify 89.83% patients whose nodules were suspected malignant by ultrasonography but finally histological benign. In micronodules, the model displayed higher specificity (93.33% in the validation cohort and 92.00% in the independent test cohort) and accuracy (88.24% in the validation cohort and 87.50% in the independent test cohort) for diagnosing TNs. This performance surpassed the specificity and accuracy observed with ultrasonography. A TN diagnostic and treatment framework that prioritizes patients is provided, with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy performed only on patients with indications of MTNs in both BLDM and ultrasonography results, thus avoiding unnecessary biopsies. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate the potential of non-invasive blood leukocytes in diagnosing TNs, thereby making TN diagnosis and treatment more efficient in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work, and work performance among nurses, as well as analyse the mediating role of thriving at work in the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of nurses. The findings are intended to serve as a reference for nursing managers to design tailored work performance intervention programs. Method: Using convenience sampling, 308 clinical nurses were selected from a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China, from February to April 2023. The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Thriving at Work Scale, and the Work Performance Scale were employed for the questionnaire survey. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work and work performance. The SPSS 26.0 software's 'Process' plugin was utilised for mediation effect analysis. Results: Significantly positive correlations were found between psychological resilience and thriving at work (r = 0.806, P < 0.01), thriving at work and work performance (r = 0.571, P < 0.01) as well as psychological resilience and work performance (r = 0.572, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted work performance positively (β = 0.558, t = 11.165, P < 0.01), and this prediction remained significant when thriving at work (the mediating variable), was introduced (β = 0.371, t = 4.772, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted thriving at work positively (β = 0.731, t = 20.779, P < 0.01), and thriving at work significantly predicted work performance positively (β = 0.256, t = 3.105, P < 0.05). The mediating effect size of thriving at work between psychological resilience and work performance was 33.49% (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Thriving at work plays a partial mediating role between psychological resilience and work performance. The level of work performance among clinical nurses was relatively high. Nursing managers can enhance thriving at work by fostering psychological resilience among clinical nurses, thereby further improving their work performance to ensure high-quality and efficient nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study investigated how the use of mindfulness affected college English as a foreign language (EFL) students' learning and how mindful learning strategies supported their learning of English. Mindful learning considers the students' abilities to be aware, perceive and conceive. Mindfulness results in an increase in competence, memory, creativity, and positive affect based on the previous studies. In this study, 24 undergraduate freshmen participated at a Northeastern University in China. The data collection included those undergraduates' pre-surveys, post-surveys, work samples, the instructor's observation notes and the researcher's reflective journal entries. This practice found that by engaging in mindful strategies, EFL students took ownership of their learning in the following ways: students built and became aware of a comfortable learning environment in their classroom through mindfulness; mindful writing helped students generate new thoughts and become aware of their thinking; mindfulness facilitated their learning process, and cultivated creativity and intelligence; mindful cooperative learning provided students with an opportunity to discover their awareness, learn from others, reflect and think critically.

The article explored the effects of game-based teaching on primary student dance teaching and learning. Two semesters of dance teaching and learning conducted by the same teacher were analyzed. In the first semester, the teacher taught dance in a traditional way. In the second semester, the teacher taught dance with a serious game in the teaching design and implementation. Results indicated that the use of the serious game improved teacher and students co-engagement in the teaching activities. It enhanced classroom interactions and student learning satisfaction, as well as the teacher's serious game acceptance. Results supported that the serious game was helpful to primary student dance teaching and learning.

In view of the shortcomings of previous research on empathy (e.g., no dimensional differentiation, predominantly variable-centered approaches, and a lack of sample diversity), we adopted a person-centered approach to identify distinct profiles of empathy among Chinese preschool teachers, and we examined how these profiles relate to certain outcomes. We identified three profiles--moderate empathy, high cognitive empathy--moderate affective empathy, and high empathy--that varied in the level and shape of the profile indicators. Subsequent analyses showed that participants with higher levels of overall empathy scored higher in sympathy, while those with higher levels of affective empathy and lower levels of cognitive empathy scored higher in emotional exhaustion. Finally, we discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the findings and the limitations of the study.

Risk-taking refers to the tendency to engage in behaviors that have the potential to be harmful or dangerous, yet at the same time provides the opportunity for some kinds of outcome that can be perceived as positive. Ely (1986) and Bang (1999) have mentioned the relationship between risk-taking and oral production in the process of English learning. However, few researches have set their foot into the correlation between risk-taking of English majors and their oral production. Hence, it is indispensable to carry out this study to fill the gap. The study aims to investigate the general situation of English majors' risk-taking in oral production; how does risk-taking of English majors correlate with fluency, accuracy and complexity in oral production; what is the difference between high risk-taking and the low risk-taking of English majors in the oral production: fluency, accuracy and complexity? And if there exists some differences, how are these related to risk-taking? The results show that the English majors' risk-taking is at a relatively low level; there is a positive and strong correlation between risk-taking of English majors and the two aspects of oral production: fluency, accuracy, and there is no correlation between risk-taking and complexity; there exists a difference between high risk-taking and low risk-taking in oral fluency and accuracy for English majors. The higher risk-taking subjects are able to produce more fluent and accurate sentences than the low risk-taking subjects. However, no difference has been found between high risk-taking and low risk-taking in the oral production of complexity.

This study investigated whether video lectures instructed by a heightened level of expressiveness instructor were better than those instructed by a conventional level of expressiveness instructor or audio-only in promoting students' online learning, and what kind of effects do instructor's facial expressions have on students' learning. Three different types of video lectures (one with a heightened level of expressiveness instructor, one with a conventional level of expressiveness instructor and one with the instructor' audio only) were used to study the effects of instructor's facial expressions. Sixty-nine participants from Chinese Normal University were selected to learn with these video lectures. Results of this study indicated that video lectures with a heightened level of expressiveness instructor were better than those with a conventional level of expressiveness instructor and audio-only ones with regard to improving students' arousal level and learning satisfaction. Instructor's facial expressions had no significant influence on participants' short-term recall (p = 0.90), while instructor's facial expressions did influence students' medium-term recall (p = 0.03). Instructor's facial expressions played a key role in students' online learning.

In this study, college English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in mainland China for the first time explored their reading process through collaborative retrospective miscue analysis (CRMA). In pairs, they interviewed each other about reading interests, beliefs, and strategies; read aloud and retold texts to each other; marked each other's miscues; and talked about how they made those miscues when they read. They read multiple genres of texts in class and discussed their miscues and readings. Through the retrospective conversations for 5 months, they shifted toward reading as meaning making and learned that everybody miscues and not all miscues are mistakes, they became more metacognitive about their reading process and uncovered and named reading strategies, and they learned English language through this language in a social context. Their native language contributed to their English language learning. The CRMA sessions provided an opportunity for Chinese EFL students to listen to each other, encourage exploratory talk, and take ownership of their learning through discovering their reading process with their peers. They valued their reading and themselves as readers through CRMA sessions.

The maximal reliability of a congeneric measure is achieved by weighting item scores to form the optimal linear combination as the total score; it is never lower than the composite reliability of the measure when measurement errors are uncorrelated. The statistical method that renders maximal reliability would also lead to maximal criterion validity. Using a career satisfaction measure as an example, the present article calculated the maximal reliability and maximal criterion validity and compared them with the composite reliability and the scale criterion validity, respectively. The improvement of reliability and validity indicated that the optimal linear combination is preferred when forming a total score of a measure. The Mplus codes for analyzing maximal reliability, maximal criterion validity, and related parameters are provided.

Seasonal delta is a sandy fan-shaped sedimentary system formed by seasonal river flooding in continental basins. Modern sedimentary finds that seasonal deltas mainly develop in an arid-semi-arid climate environment with gentle terrain. However, the study of seasonal deltas in ancient rock records is still insufficient, leading to misinterpretations as other sedimentary systems, which poses challenges to the correct understanding of the origin and spatial distribution of sand body deposits. In this study, the red bed deposits of the Cretaceous Baxigai Formation in the west of the Tabei Uplift were selected as the research object. Based on core observation and description, a comprehensive analysis of the sedimentary environment, sedimentary characteristics and sedimentary model of the Baxigai Formation was carried out using data such as well-logging and analytical testing, combined with modern depositional characteristics. Research shows that the sedimentary sequence of the Baxigai Formation red bed developed a seasonal delta sedimentary system in the arid climate. The seasonal delta deposits provide an opportunity to understand the influencing of river flow and total sedimentary loading vary greatly on the sedimentary model, sedimentary mechanism, and distribution of sand bodies in arid climates. The sedimentary process of the seasonal delta in the Baxigai Formation was controlled by the dual-stage sedimentation process in an arid paleoclimate. During the flood period, the supercritical flow sedimentary structures are widely developed in the major distributary channels, and the distributary channels migrate and bifurcate frequently. On the delta plain, crevasse channels are formed through the avulsion of major distributary channels. During the dry period, due to the consumption of water seepage and evaporation transfer, terminal distributary channels are abandoned, crevasse channels are not developed, and the sediment is exposed. The density of the distributary channels is reduced, and the total sedimentary loading is low. The distributary channels sand body is the skeleton sand body of the seasonal delta. This study is of great significance for accurately explaining the formation process of seasonal deltas and provides a useful reference for further exploration and deployment of oil and gas reservoirs and paleogeographic reconstruction in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a salvage therapy for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We have developed a novel conditioning regimen called CEAC (oral semustine 250 mg/m2 d-6, etoposide 300 mg/m2 d-5 ~ d-2, cytarabine 500 mg/m2 d-5 ~ d-2, and cyclophosphamide 1200 mg/m2 d-5 ~ d-2) In lymphoma patients in China. Here, we conducted a study to compare the conventional BEAM regimen with the CEAC regimen in 110 DLBCL patients. Propensity-score matching was performed in a 1:4 ratio (22 patients received BEAM and 88 received CEAC). Our results showed no significant difference in the overall response rate (95% vs 97%, P = 1.000) and complete response rate (66% vs 73%, P = 0.580) between the two cohorts. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS), 5-year overall survival (OS), and 5-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) for all patients were 72% (95% CI 62%–82%), 92% (95% CI 86%–97%), and 29% (95% CI 17%–38%), respectively. There was no significant difference in the 5-year PFS (80% vs 70%, P = 0.637), 5-year OS (95% vs 91%, P = 0.496), and 5-year CIR (20% vs 30%, P = 0.733) between cohorts. In terms of safety, the CEAC cohort had a lower incidence rate of grade 1–2 gastrointestinal hemorrhage (P = 0.023) and severe nausea (P = 0.007) compared with the BEAM cohort. In conclusion, the CEAC regimen seems to be a suitable alternative to the BEAM regimen for ASCT in DLBCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The emerging literature on caregiving posits that anxiety is fairly prevalent and could vary with factors such as caregiving burden, mastery, and sleep quality. Little work has explained the possible dynamics between those variables. This study therefore aims to investigate the multiple serial mediations of mastery and sleep quality in the relationship between caregiving burden and anxiety among Chinese parental caregivers of children with leukemia. Method. Data were taken from a convenient sample (n = 342) from a nonprofit organization that provides psycho-social support to oncological patients and their families nationwide in China. The following standardized self-reported questionnaires were administered to parents of children with leukemia: Zarit Care Burden Scale, Personal Mastery Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. A serial multiple mediation model (PROCESS model 6) was employed to test the mediation hypothesis. Result. It was demonstrated that caregiving burden was positively and significantly correlated with caregivers' anxiety. Bootstrap analyses indicate that there were direct and indirect effects of caregiving burden on anxiety, and it was mediated by mastery. In addition, sleep quality mediated the effects of caregiving burden and mastery on anxiety, respectively. Conclusion. Taken together, for parental caregivers of children with leukemia in China, caregiving burden is a primary stressor and can trigger anxiety. Low mastery and poor sleep quality are the secondary stressors that could lead to negative psychological outcomes for the caregiver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Although the relationships between biodiversity and individual ecosystem functions under resource enrichment have been extensively studied, there is limited understanding of how resource‐induced changes affect ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability, along with the underlying biological mechanisms. Location: Inner Mongolia, China. Methods: We investigated the impact of biodiversity mechanisms on ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability through a 3‐year field experiment. This experiment involved augmenting growing season precipitation and nitrogen deposition, conducted in a typical steppe ecosystem of Inner Mongolia alongside regular mowing. Results: Our findings revealed that the addition of water (W) and nitrogen (N) had varying effects on ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability. The combination of N and W additions enhanced ecosystem multifunctionality, whereas both W and N + W additions promoted the temporal stability of ecosystem multifunctionality. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that the community‐weighted mean height, in response to nitrogen addition, played a key role in enhancing ecosystem multifunctionality. By contrast, increased species asynchrony because of water addition and greater functional diversity in terms of leaf area contributed to heightened temporal stability of ecosystem multifunctionality. Furthermore, the positive effects of community‐weighted mean height on ecosystem multifunctionality exhibited a gradual increase with rising threshold levels. Conclusions: Our study provides the first evidence of the independent effects of selection, exemplified by community‐weighted mean and complementarity, represented by factors such as species richness, functional diversity and species asynchrony on both ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability. This underscores how global change factors can directly influence ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability while also indirectly modulating biodiversity effects in the short term. Overall, our findings underscore the vital role of biodiversity conservation in enhancing grassland management and the delivery of ecosystem services in the context of global change, particularly in regions subject to extensive mowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of trees induced by climatic warming has been observed at many alpine treelines and boreal–tundra ecotones, but the migration of temperate trees into southern boreal forest remains less well documented. We conducted a field investigation across an ecotone of temperate and boreal forests in northern Greater Khingan Mountains of northeast China. Our analysis demonstrates that Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica), an important temperate tree species, has migrated rapidly into southern boreal forest in synchrony with significant climatic warming over the past century. The average rate of migration is estimated to be 12.0 ± 1.0 km decade−1, being slightly slower than the movement of isotherms (14.7 ± 6.4 km decade−1). The migration rate of Mongolian oak is the highest observed among migratory temperate trees (average rate 4.0 ± 1.0 km decade−1) and significantly higher than the rates of tree migration at boreal–tundra ecotones (0.9 ± 0.4 km decade−1) and alpine treelines (0.004 ± 0.003 km decade−1). Compared with the coexisting dominant boreal tree species, Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii), temperate Mongolian oak is observed to have significantly lower capacity for light acquisition, comparable water‐use efficiency but stronger capacity to utilize nutrients especially the most limiting nutrient, nitrogen. In the context of climatic warming, and in addition to a high seed dispersal capacity and potential thermal niche differences, the advantage of nutrient utilization, reflected by foliar elementomes and stable nitrogen isotope ratios, is also likely a key mechanism for Mongolian oak to coexist with Dahurian larch and facilitate its migration toward boreal forest. These findings highlight a rapid deborealization of southern Asian boreal forest in response to climatic warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of rural construction land in China has led to ecological consequences under the context of rural depopulation, despite government land use controls. While previous studies have investigated the local factors contributing to the expansion of rural construction land, the semi-urbanisation of urban immigrants distant from rural areas has received less attention. To better understand the connections between the semi-urbanisation in the urban areas and the construction land expansion in rural areas, this study constructed a network/spatial lag of N/X (N/SLX) model that incorporated the network lagged term of the socio-economic traits of semi-urbanised migrants to analyse how urban semi-urbanisation influenced rural construction land. Our findings suggest that both the income of rural-urban migrants and the difficulty of obtaining urban household registration are positively correlated with the expanding extent of rural construction land. Conversely, the living expenses of migrants and city economic development are negatively correlated with that of rural construction land. Considering our findings, we propose that policies facilitating the settlement and integration of rural out-migrants into cities and proceeding urbanisation based on county towns are crucial to curb the inefficient expansion of rural construction land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication is prevalent in urban lakes; however, a knowledge gap exists regarding eutrophication influences on carbon dynamics in these ecosystems. In the present study, we investigated the carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) concentration and diffusion fluxes in Lake Tangxun (the largest shallow Chinese urban lake) in the autumn and winter of 2022 and spring and summer of 2023. We found that Lake Tangxun served as a source of GHGs, with average emission rates of 5.52 ± 12.16 mmol CO2 m−2 d−1 and 0.83 ± 2.81 mmol CH4 m−2 d−1, respectively. The partial pressure of dissolved CO2 (pCO2) (averaging 1321.39 ± 1614.63 μatm) and dissolved CH4 (dCH4) (averaging 4.29 ± 13.71 μmol L−1) exceeded saturation levels. Seasonal variability was observed in the pCO2 and dCH4 as well as CH4 fluxes, while the CO2 flux remained constant. The mean pCO2 and dCH4, as well as carbon emissions, were generally higher in summer and spring. pCO2 and dCH4 levels were significantly related to total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and ammonium-nitrogen (N-NH4+), and N-NH4+ was a main influencing factor of pCO2 and dCH4 in urban eutrophic lakes. The positive relationships of pCO2, dCH4 and trophic state index highlighted that eutrophication could elevate CO2 and CH4 emissions from the lake. This study highlights the fact that eutrophication can significantly increase carbon emissions in shallow urban lakes and that urban lakes are substantial contributors to the global carbon budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown carbon (BrC) aerosol is light-absorbing organic carbon that affects radiative forcing and atmospheric photochemistry. The BrC chromophoric composition and its linkage to optical properties at the molecular level, however, are still not well characterized. In this study, we investigate the day–night differences in the chromophoric composition (38 species) and optical properties of water-soluble and water-insoluble BrC fractions (WS-BrC and WIS-BrC) in aerosol samples collected in Shijiazhuang, one of the most polluted cities in China. We found that the light absorption contribution of WS-BrC to total BrC at 365 nm was higher during the day (62±8 %) than during the night (47±26 %), which is in line with the difference in chromophoric polarity between daytime (more polar nitrated aromatics) and nighttime (more less-polar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs). The high polarity and water solubility of BrC in the daytime suggests the enhanced contribution of secondary formation to BrC during the day. There was a decrease in the mass absorption efficiency of BrC from nighttime to daytime (2.88±0.24 vs. 2.58±0.14 for WS-BrC and 1.43±0.83 vs. 1.02±0.49 m 2 g C -1 for WIS-BrC, respectively). Large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with four- to six-ring PAHs and nitrophenols contributed to 76.7 % of the total light absorption between 300–420 nm at nighttime, while nitrocatechols and two- to three-ring oxygenated PAHs accounted for 52.6 % of the total light absorption during the day. The total mass concentrations of the identified chromophores showed larger day–night difference during the low-pollution period (day-to-night ratio of 4.3) than during the high-pollution period (day-to-night ratio of 1.8). The large day–night difference in BrC composition and absorption, therefore, should be considered when estimating the sources, atmospheric processes, and impacts of BrC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special public funding policies, formulated and implemented by provincial governments, plays an important role in the development of private universities in China. However, there is a lack of scientific evaluation on the rationality and completeness of the provincial special public funding policy of China's private colleges and universities. Therefore, this paper uses PMC-index model and text mining technology to establish an evaluation index system for the provincial special public funding policy of private universities in China. Based on PMC-Index and PMC-Surface, 13 policy texts issued since 2010 were evaluated scientifically. The results show that the average PMC-Index of the 13 policies is 6.97, and the PMC-Surface map is smooth, which indicates that the overall structure of these policies is reasonable and the policy content has certain completeness. Only one policy is unacceptable. Through further analysis, we found that there is still much room for improvement in the content design of the sample policy, and its rationality and completeness are related to the publication time. This study is helpful to fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of the provincial special public funding policy of private universities in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization and population growth have triggered an increase in urban housing demand and rising housing prices, which can influence the migration intention of high-level talents. Much work within the literature has focused more on the migration of the general public. However, antecedents of migration intention and the impact of housing prices on the migration of high-level talents remain unclear. Therefore, based on the push-pull theory, this study investigates the influencing factors of talent migration intention and explores the role of housing prices. This study reveals a complex mechanism underlying migration decisions by using logistic regression models and survey data of high-level talents in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) megalopolis of China. The results indicate that: 1) in high house-price regions, social integration is the primary push factor, and the main factors for retaining talents are the expectation of future work and intimate family relationships; 2) in medium house-price regions, the main factors that attract talents are the current salary level and close family ties; 3) in low house-price regions, living convenience is a determining factor in retaining talents. This study provides a new perspective for talent mobility research and offers valuable inputs for retaining and attracting talents in different economic development regions. Findings are of great significance for formulating talent introduction policies and forming a new pattern of rational spatial docking and effective allocation of human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective empathy is generally considered an important inhibitor of aggression. However, the meta-analysis studies on the relationship between affective empathy and aggression have challenged this common-sense view and found no substantial correlation between the two variables. We proposed a double-edged sword model to explain this counterintuitive phenomenon and tested this model by establishing an inconsistent mediation model. A total of 663 college students in China (59.1% female; Mage = 20.69 years) completed questionnaires measuring affective empathy, sympathy, personal distress, anger proneness, and physical aggression. The results showed that on the one hand, affective empathy can indirectly inhibit physical aggression by increasing sympathy; on the other hand, affective empathy can indirectly promote physical aggression through the serial mediation of personal distress and anger proneness. Such two pathways offset each other, leading to an insignificant relation observation between affective empathy and physical aggression. The findings revealed the complexity of the relationship between affective empathy and aggression, which suggested that more efforts to reduce aggression should be made to develop individuals' sympathy, while affective empathy training should be moderate to avoid excessive empathic emotional arousal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The findings of family business research regarding the relationship between socioemotional wealth (SEW) and environmental strategies have been inconsistent. This study seeks to explain the inconsistency by distinguishing between extended SEW and restricted SEW. We argue that prior empirical studies may ignore the dual nature of SEW and prose that family firms with extended SEW are more likely to pursue proactive environmental strategies, whereas those with restricted SEW tend to adopt reactive environmental strategies. Furthermore, we integrate the SEW perspective with regulatory focus theory, proposing that promotion focus mediates the relationship between extended SEW and proactive environment strategies, while prevention focus mediates the relationship between restricted SEW and reactive environmental strategies. These hypotheses were tested with a survey of polluting family firms in China and were found to be supported. Our findings offer novel insights into family business research, as well as significant implications about how to enhance environmental performance of family firms. Managers of family firms using extended socioemotional wealth (SEW) as the reference point are more likely to choose proactive environmental strategies, while managers with restricted SEW as the reference point are more likely to choose reactive environmental strategies. This paper further studies the mechanism of how SEW influences family firms' environmental strategy choices: the promotion focus plays a partial mediation role in the relationship between extended SEW and proactive environment strategies while the prevention focus plays a partial mediation role in the relationship between restricted SEW and reactive environmental strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on detailed field surveys, numerous sections and drillcores as well as analyses of lithofacies and sedimentary facies, sedimentary differentiation in the Middle Permian Zunyi (northern Guizhou, South China) trough basin was studied in detail. Caused by activities of the Emeishan mantle plume, the regional extensional setting and the extinguishing of carbonate production factories were shown from Guizhou to Yunnan. Three types of sedimentary enironments were developed in the study area: platform, slope, and basin. In this work, we established a sedimentary model for the study area, identified 14 syndepositional faults, and created the detailed reconstruction of the trough basin via a sedimentological investigation. It is found that the paleogeographic evolution of the study area can be divided into six stages: (1) a pre-rifting stage, (2) rapid rifting and subsidence, (3) stable rifting and subsidence, (4) the second stage of rifting and subsidence, (5) silicification, and (6) regional uplift and denudation. The sedimentary features and paleogeographic evolution of the Maokou Formation in Zunyi show that the platform, slope, and basin sedimentary features coexisted. In addition, the extensional setting and extinguishing of carbonate production factories were important preconditions for the evolution of the platform region in the study area, and the activity of syndepositional faults also played an important role in the paleogeographic evolution of this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction is an important sector for climate action. The construction, operation and maintenance, demolition and disposal stages of house buildings consume many resources and have a significant impact on society, the economy and the environment. To assess such efforts, we propose the emergy footprint model of house buildings, which can quantitatively analyse the ecological effect in the house buildings life cycle. The research shows the following. China's ecological efficiency of the housing sector is characterized by improvement. In the house building fifty-year life cycle, the emergy footprint of the operation and maintenance stage is the largest (75.92%), followed by the construction stage (21.95%), but the emergy footprint intensity of the latter is 4.82 times that of the former. Reducing energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the operation and maintenance stage is the key to reducing the life cycle emergy footprint of house buildings. The ecological impact coefficient of house buildings is negatively exponentially correlated with their service life. It reaches ecological break-even when the service period of the house building is equal to 36.73 years. If the house building is demolished after less than nine years of service, the impact is extremely unfavourable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's argillaceous limestone reservoir has a lot of oil and gas resources, and hydraulic fracturing of the argillaceous limestone reservoir faces many difficulties. The first problem is that the heterogeneity of the argillaceous limestone reservoir is strong, and it is difficult to optimize fracturing parameters. The second problem is that there are a lot of natural fractures in the argillaceous limestone reservoir, which leads to a lot of fracturing fluid loss. The third problem is that the closure pressure of the argillaceous limestone reservoir is high, and the conductivity of fractures decreases rapidly under high closure pressure. The last problem is that the fracture shape of the argillaceous limestone reservoir is complex, and the law of proppant migration is unclear. The main research methods in this paper include reservoir numerical simulation, fluid-loss-reducer performance evaluation, flow conductivity tests and proppant migration visualization. To solve the above problems, this paper establishes the fracturing productivity prediction model of complex lithology reservoirs and defines the optimal hydraulic fracturing parameters of the argillous limestone reservoir in the Sichuan Basin. The 70/140 mesh ceramide was selected as the fluid loss additive after an evaluation of the sealing properties of different mesh ceramides. At the same time, the hydraulic fracture conductivity test is carried out in this paper, and it is confirmed that the fracture conductivity of 70/140 mesh and 40/70 mesh composite particle-size ceramics mixed according to the mass ratio of 5:5 is the highest. When the closure pressure is 40 MPa, the conductivity of a mixture of 70/140 mesh ceramic and 40/70 mesh ceramic is 35.6% higher than that of a mixture of 70/140 mesh ceramic and 30/50 mesh ceramic. The proppant migration visualization device is used to evaluate the morphology of the sand dike formed by the ceramsite, and it is clear that the shape of the sand dike is the best when the mass ratio of 70/140 mesh ceramsite and 40/70 mesh ceramsite is 6:4. The research results achieved a good stimulation effect in the SC1 well. The daily oil production of the SC1 well is 20 t, and the monitoring results of the wide-area electromagnetic method show that the fracturing fracture length of the SC1 well is up to 129 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sichuan Basin, located in southwestern China, is renowned for its abundant oil and gas resources. Among these valuable reserves, Da'anzhai seashell limestone stands out as a significant contributor to the region's energy industry. Da'anzhai seashell limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that contains substantial amounts of organic matter. Over millions of years, the accumulation and transformation of this organic material have resulted in the formation of vast reservoirs rich in oil and natural gas. These reservoirs are found within the layers of Da'anzhai seashell limestone. The geological conditions in Sichuan Basin have played a crucial role in the development and preservation of these resources. The basin's unique tectonic history has created favorable conditions for the generation and accumulation of hydrocarbon. Additionally, the presence of faults and fractures within the rock formations has facilitated fluid migration and trapping, further enhancing the resource potential. The exploitation of Da'anzhai seashell limestone resources has significantly contributed to China's energy security and economic growth. Oil extracted from these reserves not only meets domestic demand, but also supports various industries such as transportation, manufacturing, and power generation. Natural gas derived from this source plays an essential role in heating homes, fueling industrial processes, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing coal as a cleaner-burning alternative. Efforts to explore and exploit Da'anzhai seashell limestone continue through advanced technologies such as seismic imaging techniques, horizontal drilling methods, and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), among others. These technological advancements enable more efficient extraction while minimizing the environmental impact. It is worth noting that sustainable management practices should be implemented to ensure the responsible utilization of these resources without compromising the ecological balance or endangering local communities. Environmental protection measures must be prioritized throughout all stages—exploration, production, transportation—to mitigate any potential negative impacts on ecosystems or water sources. In conclusion, the Sichuan Basin boasts abundant oil and gas resources, with Da'anzhai seashell limestone playing a vital role in supporting China's energy needs. Through responsible exploration, extraction, and utilization practices, these valuable reserves can contribute positively towards national development while ensuring environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To apply the discrete element method (DEM) to simulate the interaction process between soda saline–alkali soil and subsoiling component in Northeast China, establishing the soda saline–alkali soil particle model and selecting more accurate simulation parameters are important. In this paper, we studied the soda saline–alkali soil of the Songnen Plain in China. First, we studied the geometric shape of soda saline–alkali soil particles and proposed a modeling method for single soil particles based on the multisphere combination method. Considering the cohesion of soda saline–alkali soil particles, the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR (JKR) model was used as the contact model between soil particles. Then, the calibration method was used to obtain simulation parameters of soils that are difficult to obtain experimentally. We conducted soil angle of repose (AoR) tests, the Plackett–Burman (PB) tests, and steepest ascent (SA) tests in turn to perform a sensitivity analysis for microscopic contact parameters and select the parameters that have a significant effect on the response value (static AoR), i.e., soil surface energy, soil–soil static friction coefficient, and soil–soil rolling friction coefficient. Then, the optimal combination of simulation parameters was obtained via the Box–Behnken (BB) tests, using ANOVA to optimize the multiple regression equation. Finally, the optimal parameter combination was verified by the AoR test and the direct shear (DS) test. The results showed that the parameters had good adaptability for the AoR test. However, the simulation results of the DS test were significantly different from the experimental values. Therefore, the contact model needs to be further modified by adding Bonding bonds between soil particles based on the JKR model and further correcting for Rayleigh time step, shear modulus, and surface energy. By comparing the simulation and the experimental results, it was found that the simulation results obtained from both the DS test and AoR test had relatively small errors relative to physical tests, the two trends are the same, and the values are similar. This verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the soda saline–alkali soil particle modeling method and parameter selection proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenology is an important factor indicating environmental changes and regulates the variations of carbon, water, and energy exchange. However, phenology models exhibit large uncertainties due to limited understanding of its mechanisms. In this study, we modified deciduous phenology scheme based on the evaluation of different phenological models using long‐term observations at Chinese Ecosystem Research Network with CLM4.5. The alternating leaf unfolding model and summer‐influenced autumn leaf falling model that we proposed, performed best in simulating leaf‐unfolding and leaf‐falling. Compared with the observed and remote‐sensed phenology, the modified model could better simulate the phenological dates at the site and regional scale. Moreover, the modified model improved the simulation of gross primary productivity (GPP) by decreasing the errors of modeled carbon uptake duration and amplitude. Furthermore, the advance in leaf‐unfolding slowed down from 0.20 days/year during 1981–2015 to 0.11 days/year during 2016–2100 under RCP4.5 because of the slowdown of climate warming, but the delay in leaf‐falling changed little. By the last decade of the twenty‐first century, the leaf‐unfolding would advance (8 days) and leaf‐falling would delay (16 days). The subtropical region had large interannual variation (IAV) in leaf‐unfolding because of the high sensitivity to temperature. The phenological dates IAV in the cold temperate region increased due to enhanced temperature IAV. We suggest that the deciduous phenology models, especially the leaf‐falling process, used in Community Land Model need to be improved to reduce the errors in predicting phenology and carbon flux in the future. Plain Language Summary: As an important factor indicating climate and environmental changes, phenology plays an important role in regulating the variation of carbon, water, and energy exchange. Due to limited understanding of phenology mechanisms, the simulation of phenology remains large uncertainties. In this study, we evaluated and modified the leaf unfolding and leaf falling models using the long‐term phenological observations with the Community Land Model (CLM4.5), validated the modified leaf‐unfolding and leaf‐falling models by observed phenology and remote‐sensing phenology data, examined the ability of CLM4.5 with modified deciduous phenology submodels in simulating gross primary productivity, and used the modified phenology models to predict the changes in phenological dates in the future. Our results suggest that the deciduous phenology models, especially the leaf‐falling process, used in the CLM is urgent to be improved to reduce the errors in predicting growing season length and carbon fluxes in deciduous forests in the context of climate change. Key Points: The involvement of chill accumulation with heat requirement in leaf unfolding models can improve the model performanceWe propose a new leaf falling model by considering the relationship between summer temperature and aging state threshold, which improves the model performanceThe revise of deciduous phenological model in CLM4.5 improves the simulation of gross primary productivity by influencing carbon uptake duration and amplitude [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shidu parents refer to the couple who have lost their only child and have not given birth or adopted another child in China. The number of Shidu parents is increasing annually. The aim of this research was to examine the mediating role of anxiety and the moderating role of social support between perceived stress and prolonged grief disorder (PGD) among Chinese Shidu parents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 505 participants who completed a questionnaire including the Prolonged Grief Questionnair-3 (PG-13), the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ). SPSS PROCESS macro was employed to examine the mediating role of anxiety and the moderating role of social support. Results: The mediation analysis showed anxiety partially mediated the link between perceived stress and PGD, and the proportion of mediation of anxiety was 39.22%. The moderated mediation analysis revealed the second stage of mediating effects of anxiety on the link between perceived stress and PGD was moderated by social support. Specifically, compared with Shidu parents with higher social support, the association between anxiety and PGD was closer for those with lower social support. Conclusions: The moderated mediation model can broaden our understanding of how and when perceived stress, anxiety and social support work together to affect PGD. The interventions aimed at improving mental health of Chinese Shidu parents need to work on reducing stress and enhancing social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To investigate the challenges in the management of children and adolescents with epilepsy in China during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 845 patients with epilepsy using an online-based questionnaire. The questionnaire focused on sociodemographic characteristics, epilepsy-related conditions, health care access, COVID-19 vaccination, and the mental health of caregivers. Depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results: During the pandemic, 24.73% of the patients had increased seizures. The majority of patients (68.89%) experienced difficulty obtaining antiseizure medications. In addition, 94.79% of the patients had difficulty consulting a doctor. A total of 52.78% of the patients selected telemedicine services, and most found these services to be helpful. Moreover, 76.11% of the patients failed to complete the COVID-19 vaccination. More than half of the caregivers had anxiety and depressive symptoms. The risk factors for depression comprised irregularity in taking antiseizure medications, difficulty in obtaining antiseizure medications, and failure to consult a doctor on time. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic presented a great challenge in the management of children and adolescents with epilepsy in China. The findings highlight the importance of improving health care systems and medication management and the mental health of their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lodging is a major factor contributing to yield loss and constraining the mechanical harvesting of wheat crops. Genetic improvement through breeding effectively reduced the lodging and improved the grain yield, however, the physiological mechanisms involved in providing resistance to lodging are different in the breeding stage and are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in the lodging resistance (LR) of the wheat varieties released during the different decades and to explore the effect of the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on the plasticity of LR. Results: A field study was conducted during the cultivation seasons of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021, in soil supplemented with three N levels: N0 (0 kg ha–1), N180 (200 kg ha–1), and N360 (360 kg ha–1) using eight varieties of wheat released for commercial cultivation from 1950 to date. The results obtained showed that genetic improvement had significantly enhanced the LR and grain yield in wheat. In the first breeding stage (from 1950 to 1980s) the lodging resistant index increased by 15.0%, which was primarily attributed to a reduced plant height and increased contents of cellulose, Si, and Zn. In the second breeding stage (the 1990s–2020s) it increased by 172.8%, which was mainly attributed to an increase in the stem diameter, wall thickness, and the contents of K, Ca, Fe, Mn, and Cu. The application of N fertilizer improved the grain yield but reduced the LR in wheat. This was mainly due to an increase in plant height resulting in an elevation of the plant center of gravity, a decrease in the contents of cellulose, and a reduction in the area of large-sized vascular bundles in the stems, even if N supplementation increased the concentrations of K, Ca, and Si. Conclusion: Although breeding strategies improved the stem strength, the trade-off between the grain yield and LR was more significantly influenced by the addition of N. Overcoming this peculiar situation will serve as a breakthrough in improving the seed yield in wheat crops in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]