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With the rapid popularity and increasing numbers of E-cigarette (EC) users, debates on possible health risks and regulation of EC products have attracted attention in public. As a useful means to help assessing the risks of EC consumers, puffing topography studies have come to be an important tool globally. In this paper, a cross-sectional epidemiological study on puffing topography of 511 EC consumers in four cities of China was conducted in January 2018. Data acquisition was based on a questionnaire and a Clinical Research Support System (CReSS) Pocket device for the smoking behavior recording. The results showed that EC consumers in the four cities were mainly young males, most of whom preferred tank systems with zero or low nicotine concentrations (1–5 mg/mL) in the liquid. The average puff volume, puff duration and inter-puff interval (IPI) were 87.2 mL, 1.97 s and 22.0 s, respectively. The factors that may have affected puffing topography such as product type, nicotine concentration, using time, smoking status and battery power were studied. The results suggest that the EC product type and the concentration of nicotine in EC liquids were the main factors that affected the puffing topography of the users. This study was the first study on the puff topography of Chinese EC consumers with a large number of participants. The results may not only help to more deeply understand smoking behavior and to better assess the potential risks for the EC users, but they may also supply useful information for the development of smoking machine regimes for ECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify predictors of length of stay (LOS) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program and evaluate the safety and cost‐efficiency of the ERAS program with reduced LOS for unselected patients in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 311 consecutive, unselected patients undergoing primary THA at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed and divided into two groups: LOS ≤ 3 and LOS > 3 group. All patients were managed with the same ERAS protocol and went back home after discharge. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for LOS > 3. Harris Hip Score at 90‐day follow‐up, 90‐day readmission rate, and hospitalization costs were compared between two groups. Results: Multivariate regression analysis identified female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.623), living alone (OR = 4.127), and primary osteoarthritis of hip (OR = 3.565) to be correlated with LOS > 3. Preoperative hemoglobin (HB), postoperative HB, drain use, blood transfusion, diabetes, respiratory disease, osteoporosis, number of comorbidities, and CCI score showed no significant influence on LOS after adjusting for other risk factors in the multivariate model. Harris Hip Score and readmission rate at 90‐day follow‐up showed no significant differences between two groups. Patients in LOS > 3 group had approximately 3948.6 Chinese yuan higher hospital costs. Conclusion: Female gender, living alone, and primary osteoarthritis of hip were identified as independent risk factors for prolonged LOS. The experience from our institution suggested aggressive management of comorbidities in the ERAS program can minimize the influence of comorbidities on LOS. The safety, efficiency, and costs‐saving benefits of the ERAS program with reduced LOS for unselected patients was confirmed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the sustained growth of the newly emerged market on mobile social applications such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, WeChat, WhatsApp, and Line, mobile social commerce is the subject of increased attention among practitioners and academics. However, there is no systematic study in the extant literature to evaluate the current state of this new research stream. This study is an attempt to fill the literature void. We reviewed literature on mobile commerce, social commerce, and mobile social commerce, and identified 27 journal articles on mobile social commerce from 2014 to 2019. We classified these articles based on journal types, publication years, researchers, research topics, theories employed, and study locations. We analyzed the trends of research on mobile social commerce, specifically those on Chinese consumers and firms. Potential topics for future research on mobile social commerce worldwide and in China are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stable isotopes of riverine sulfate in arid environment were investigated. • Contributions of riverine sulfate sources were identified by an inverse model. • Evaporites dissolution dominates riverine sulfate source with spatial variations. • Lithology, precipitation and temperature dominate sulfur behaviors in river basins. The fate of riverine sulfate ion (SO 4 2-) and its environmental effects in arid environment are difficult to evaluate due to its complicated sources and strongly coupled behaviors with water cycle which is significantly modified by humans. To understand the sulfur cycle in aquatic systems in arid environment, the chemical and sulfur and oxygen isotopic compositions (δ34S SO4 and δ18O SO4) of major rivers around the Badain Jaran Desert, northwestern China, were investigated. These rivers had averaged SO 4 2- content at 1336 µmol/L, over 10 times higher than the global average. The δ34S SO4 and δ18O SO4 values ranged from -5.3‰ to +11.8‰ and +1.6‰ to +12.8‰, respectively. The end-member analysis and the inverse model showed that riverine sulfate was mainly derived from evaporites dissolution (0-87%), sulfide oxidation (13%-100%) and precipitation (0-33%), indicating heterogeneity in sulfur sources and behaviors along the river drainage with the lithology variations and climate gradients. Multiple isotopic tools combining with hydro-chemistry compositions could be applied to reveal sulfur cycle in arid environment. Based on the calculation, sulfide oxidation plays the primary role in the headwater and upstream in the Qilian-Mountains area, where sulfide is widely exposed. While the proportion of evaporites dissolution contributing to riverine sulfate is much higher in downstream in a drier environment. Besides, less precipitation and higher temperature can lead to more intensive evaporation, affecting the process of sulfide oxidation and enhancing the rates of evaporites dissolution and sulfate precipitation in the basin. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sources, characteristics and seasonal variation of airborne pollutants in China, especially in Beijing, have been massively examined. However, most studies analyze local air quality from an isolated perspective and interactions between local and regional air quality have not been fully considered. This research attempts to evaluate Beijing air quality at the local and regional scale. The weighted cross correlogram spectral matching (CCSM) and convergent cross mapping (CCM) method are employed for similarity and causality analysis respectively. At the local scale, the air quality in Beijing experiences frequent and sudden change, yet changes smoothly across a day's time. At the regional scale, the air quality in Beijing and four neighboring cities is compared. The result suggests that although air quality in Beijing and neighboring cities is of some differences, strong bidirectional coupling exists between the local and regional air quality. The research indicates that air quality in Beijing is better than the general situation in this region, and Tianjin should be a good comparative site for monitoring and evaluating air quality in Beijing. This research provides a feasible methodology for comprehensive analysis of local air quality at multiple scales, which may shed some lights on the forthcoming implementation of local air quality evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on remote sensing and Geographic Information System techniques, multi-temporal Landsat data were used to monitor land use/cover changes (LUCC) in the Nanchang area during 1989–2010. Quantitative and spatiotemporal indicators derived from the transition matrix for overall changes, intensity analysis for inter-category transitions, and spatiotemporal analysis of intra-category variations were constructed to analyze the spatiotemporal LUCC evolution. The study results show that urban and industrial land rapidly and continually expanded. The spatial extent of rural settlements shrunk while their distribution density increased. Cultivated land showed a tendency of spatially continuous loss and fragmented distribution, whereas the spatial pattern of forest tended to concentrate. The extents of ponds and reservoirs remained stable, but spatial changes were obvious. Rivers and bottomlands decreased significantly and tended toward fragmentation. The overall LUCC pattern showed that construction land rapidly sprawled while cultivated land decreased substantially, indicating an accelerating stage of urbanization and industrialization. Although rigid land requirements for urbanization had to be satisfied, land development and consolidation across forests and water body areas, as well as adjustment of agricultural structure, laid the foundation for a transition toward intensive land use in the Nanchang area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The causes of prehistoric human migrations in the drylands of the Asian interior have long been debated among multidisciplinary scholars. The Bronze Age Xiaohe settlements (ca. 4000–3300 cal yr BP) are situated in the extremely arid Tarim Basin of northwest China and exemplify a societal collapse which included a long-distance movement along river catchments. Here, we present the results of stable carbon isotope values (δ13C) of archaeobotanical remains, sedimentary faces analysis from the Tarim River catchment, and a compilation of palaeo-environmental evidence in order to investigate potential relationships between regional environmental changes and the response of prehistoric societies in this arid region. Results suggest that the early Xiaohe population was forced to migrate as a consequence of the deterioration of hydrological conditions around settlements. The decline of Xiaohe Culture occurred in the context of decreasing water availability in the basin interior due to climatic change lasting several hundred years. Results are potentially significant for the management of ecologically fragile dryland habitats, particularly the watershed terminus area, threatened by ongoing climate change, specifically in the context of the need to manage scarce water resources to promote sustainable socioeconomic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of large-scale hydropower stations could solve the problem of China's power and energy shortages. However, the construction of hydropower stations requires reservoir water storage. Artificially raising the water level by several tens of meters or even hundreds of meters will undoubtedly change the hydrogeological conditions of an area, which will lead to surface deformation near the reservoir. In this paper, we first used SBAS-InSAR technology to monitor the surface deformation near the Xiluodu reservoir area for various data and analyzed the surface deformation of the Xiluodu reservoir area from 2014 to 2019. By using the 12 ALOS2 ascending data, the 100 Sentinel-1 ascending data, and the 97 Sentinel-1 descending data, the horizontal and vertical deformations of the Xiluodu reservoir area were obtained. We found that the Xiluodu reservoir area is mainly deformed along the vertical shore, with a maximum deformation rate of 250 mm/a, accompanied by vertical deformation, and the maximum deformation rate is 60 mm/a. Furthermore, by analyzing the relationship between the horizontal deformation sequence, the vertical deformation sequence, and the impoundment, we found the following: (1) Since the commencement of Xiluodu water storage, the vertical shore direction displacement has continued to increase, indicating that the deformation caused by the water storage is not due to the elastic displacement caused by the load, but by irreversible shaping displacement. According to its development trend, we speculate that the vertical shore direction displacement will continue to increase until it eventually stabilizes; (2) Vertical displacement increases rapidly in the initial stage of water storage; after two water-storage cycles, absolute settlement begins to slow down in the vertical direction, but its deformation still changes with the change in the storage period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poyang Lake wetland is a protected area since 1983. Wetlands are a valuable resource with the ability to improve water quality, assist in groundwater recharge, serve as flood control, and provide a habitat for a diverse number of wildlife species. There is currently a marked decrease in inland wetland habitat due to natural factors and land reclamation. Several factors that have a large impact on the area are geographical, climatic, hydrological, and anthropogenic activities. Change detection is especially important in the Poyang Lake region due to the complexity of the hydrological interactions, the inhabitants affected, the speed at which changes can occur and the vested economic interest in the region. Remote sensing with the use of satellite imagery can be considered as an inexpensive alternative to a conventional monitoring method. In particular, repeated coverage of the region with a consistent image quality in a short time interval allows for rapid short-term updates. This provides a great opportunity to track the potentially rapid water level changes in Poyang Lake in addition to the annual and seasonal monitoring for any deviation in the trends. There are drawbacks also to the use of remote sensing because the quality of the data may be limited by spatial resolution, signal feedback and data availability. A major challenge for change detection in the region is the unpredictability of change in the water level. The success of change detection depends on the type of change being studied and the success of the preprocessing and classification procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The water balance of arid desert soil was significantly altered after revegetation. • The water balance relationships varied across different temporal scales. • Spatiotemporal niche partitioning of two shrubs ensured coexistence in the revegetated desert. Maintaining the water balance of soil-vegetation systems is necessary for the ecological restoration of desertified regions. However, the major processes controlling water balance after revegetation remains unclear. To quantify the water balance after revegetation of moving sand dunes, we performed an 18-year-long large-weighting lysimeter monitoring study in the Tengger Desert, northern China. We measured daily precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET), and drainage loss (DL) on an area revegetated with either Artemisia ordosica or Caragana korshinskii , two shrubs with different crown size and rooting depth, and with bare soil. Our results showed that the annual precipitation of 186 mm was partitioned to 64% evaporation and 23% DL on the bare soil control. However, the water balance changed after revegetation, with the vast majority of precipitation ending up as ET (93% in A. ordosica and 98% in C. korshinskii). The relationships of ET and DL with precipitation showed a quasi-steady state at annual scales, a varying state at seasonal scales, and a pulsed state at daily scales. We also observed spatiotemporal niche partitioning between the two shrubs, where differences in water use promoted their coexistence in the revegetated desert areas. Our study suggests that the density and area of revegetation should be controlled within a certain range in accordance with the underlying soil-vegetation water balance in desert regions. Otherwise, sand-binding revegetation would be degraded and the ecological benefits of dune fixation would be lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A better understanding of the growth and interspecific competition of native dominant species under water stress should aid in prediction of succession in plant communities. In addition, such research would guide the selection of appropriate conservation and agricultural utilization of plants in semiarid environments that have not been very well characterized. Biomass production and allocation, relative competitive ability and water use efficiency of one C4 herbaceous grass (Bothriochloa ischaemum) and one C3 leguminous subshrub (Lespedeza davurica), both important species from the semiarid Loess Plateau of China, were investigated in a pot-cultivation experiment. The experiment was conducted using a replacement series design in which B. ischaemum and L. davurica were grown with twelve plants per pot, in seven combinations of the two species (12:0, 10:2, 8:4, 6:6, 4:8, 2:10, and 0:12). Three levels of water treatments included sufficient water supply (HW), moderate water stress (MW) and severe water stress (LW). These treatments were applied after seedling establishment and remained until the end of the experiment. Biomass production and its partitioning, and transpiration water use efficiency (TWUE) were determined at the end of the experiment. Interspecific competitive indices (competitive ratio (CR), aggressiveness (A) and relative yield total (RYT)) were calculated from the dry weight for shoots, roots and total biomass. Water stress decreased biomass production of both species in monoculture and mixture. The growth of L. davurica was restrained in their mixtures for each water treatment. L. davurica had significantly (P <0.05) greater root:shoot allocation than B. ischaemum for each water treatment and proportion within the replacement series. Aggressiveness (A) values for B. ischaemum with respect to L. davurica were negative only at the proportions of B. ischaemum to L. davurica being 8:4 and 10:2 in LW treatment. B. ischaemum had a significantly (P <0.05) higher CR value under each water treatment, and water stress considerably reduced its relative CR while increased that of L. davurica. RYT values of the two species indicated some degree of resource complimentarity under both water sufficient and deficit conditions. The results suggest that it is advantageous for growing the two species together to maximize biomass production, and the suggested ratio was 10:2 of B. ischaemum to L. davurica because of significantly higher (P <0.05) RYT and TWUE under low water availability condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

World-renowned contemporary Chinese artist Xu Bing explores his experiences as a teenager during the turbulent 1970s in Beijing. He describes his time in the countryside as an "Educated Youth," how he became a member of the famed "class of '77" and reflects on the cultural environment that emerged from the rubble of Mao's Cultural Revolution and how these experiences influenced the growth and development of his artistic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007, a total of eight H9N2 influenza viruses were isolated from the water and fowl feces in Dongting Lake wetland, China. The genomes of the eight viruses were sequenced, and all eight gene segments were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that all the isolates belonged to the same genotype, in which the HA, NA and NS gene segments were Chicken/Beijing/94-like; the PB2, PB1, PA and NP gene segments were Chicken/Shanghai/F/98-like; and the M gene was Quail/Hong Kong/G1/97-like. Animal experiments showed low pathogenicity of the selected viruses for chickens, although some chickens died after inoculation. The viruses showed no overt clinical signs in mice, but they could replicate in murine lungs prior to adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated analysis has been carried out on two cores dated by combination of 210Pb and 137Cs in order to characterize the extent of heavy metal accumulation in the Liaodong Bay, Northern China. The concentrations and burial fluxes of Zn, Pb, Cd, and Hg increased abruptly after late 1970s. The enrichment factors of Cd, Hg, Zn and Pb are more than 30, 10, 7, and 3.5, respectively, in the surface sediments. Coincident to the increase of heavy metal contents, the decreasing trend of 206Pb/207Pb ratio indicated lead in the surface sediments mainly come from anthropogenic activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poyang Lake is a seasonal lake, exchanging water with the lower branch of the Yangtze River. During the spring and summer flooding season it inundates a large area while in the winter it shrinks considerably, creating a large tract of marshland for wild migratory birds. A better knowledge of the water coverage duration and the beginning and ending dates for the vast range of marshlands surrounding the lake is important for the measurement, modelling and management of marshland ecosystems. In addition, the abundance of a special type of snail (Oncomelania hupensis), the intermediate host of parasite schistosome (Schistosoma japonicum) in this region, is also heavily dependent on the water coverage information. However, there is no accurate digital elevation model (DEM) for the lake bottom and the inundated marshland, nor is there sufficient water level information over this area. In this study, we assess the feasibility of the use of multitemporal Landsat images for mapping the spatial-temporal change of Poyang Lake water body and the temporal process of water inundation of marshlands. Eight cloud-free Landsat Thematic Mapper images taken during a period of one year were used in this study. We used the normalized difference water index (NDWI) and the modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) methods to map water bodies. We then examined the annual spatial-temporal change of the Poyang Lake water body. Finally we attempted to obtain the duration of water inundation of marshlands based on the temporal sequence of water extent determined from the Landsat images. The results showed that although the images can be used to capture the snapshots of water coverage in this area, they are insufficient to provide accurate estimation of the spatial-temporal process of water inundation over the marshlands through linear interpolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial interaction and connectivity are important factors in the spread of infectious diseases. We developed a spatial-temporal model of schistosomiasis japonica transmission, a disease caused by parasites that are transported via surface water and that live in both snail and human hosts. The model employed a spatial interaction matrix based on neighborhood relationships and hydrologic connectivity to assess the effect of intervillage parasitic transport on disease transmission and control. Satellite remote-sensing data served as input to the model for predicting snail density within each village, and for deriving a digital elevation model that was used to quantify hydrologic connectivity. Simulations of the model with varying levels of connectivity and in the presence and absence of chemotherapy control were run for 227 villages near Xichang City, in southwest Sichuan province, China. Increasing connectivity resulted in a geographic clustering of parasites within particular villages that produced higher levels of worm burden than in low and no connectivity simulations. Worm burden within a village could either increase or decrease with connectivity, depending on the degree to which parasites were imported and exported. Simulations of mass chemotherapy in select villages can result in a beneficial reduction in worm burden that extends to downstream neighbors. These findings suggest that better understanding of intervillage connectedness can be exploited in the design of cost-effective control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the Late Devonian section at Dongcun, Guilin, southern China to constrain perturbations in carbon isotopes of carbonates in the Frasnian-Famennian (F-F) deposited sequence. Results supporting the view that two carbon isotope positive excursions during the F-F transition are common in carbonate sediments, resulting from worldwide increases of organic carbon burial intensity.

The online discussion format has proven itself to be useful for promoting student collaboration and for accomplishing better learning outcomes. As a popular instant message software in China, WeChat has been commonly adopted for supporting academic group discussions. Many studies have explored how teacher facilitation affects students' learning performance in the synchronous or asynchronous discussion settings. However, the conclusions are not consistent and there is relative less research about the effects of teacher role on student engagement in the context of online discussion using the semi-synchronous tool-WeChat. This study began by identifying three dimensions of student engagement: behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and emotional engagement. A quasi-experiment was then conducted to compare student engagement among experiment groups (with teacher facilitation) and control groups (without teacher facilitation). A total of 46 college students were divided into eight groups and asked to discuss two specific topic tasks. To evaluate participants' behavioral and cognitive engagement, this study used a more objective data analysis method by applying content analysis rather than only based on surveys. Participants were required to complete a questionnaire to report their emotional engagement. The results show the behavioral and cognitive engagement of the experimental group with teacher facilitation were significantly higher than that of the control group without teacher facilitation. However, there was no significant effect of teacher facilitation on participants' emotional engagement in the experimental group. It is also found that the emerging student leaders show similar positive effects of teacher facilitation towards improving behavioral and cognitive engagement. Future studies about the moderating effects of teaching experience and student leaders are also needed. • We examined the effects of teacher role on student engagement in online discussion. • Content analysis and questionnaires are used to evaluate student engagement. • Behavioral and cognitive engagement are higher in groups with teacher facilitation. • Teacher's role has no significant impact on student emotional engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid diagnostic tests as an attractive alternative to enzyme immunoassay could identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons more expeditiously. The availability of high performing and quality‐assured rapid diagnostic tests are essential to scale‐up HCV screening. The study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of seven domestic HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits. The kits were evaluated by using HCV serum panels, including HCV basic panel, analytical specificity panel, mixed titre performance panel, characteristic panel, seroconversion panel, and genotype qualification panel. The results showed that clinical sensitivity, clinical specificity and analytical specificity of seven rapid diagnostic tests kits ranged from 94% (95% CI: 83.2–98.6) to 100% (95% CI: 91.5–100). Furthermore, specimens with HCV genotypes 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6 could be detected by HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits, whereas specimens with genotypes 1a and 2b could not be detected. Additionally, most HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits had great performance in diagnosing different titres and/or different bands samples, but some low S/CO value specimens may not be fully detected by few rapid diagnostic test kits. In conclusion, seven HCV rapid diagnostic tests reagents presented high sensitivity, specificity, good anti‐interference and detection ability of early infection, which could meet the requirements of clinical HCV antibody screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the concept of healthy cities which has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the past three decades. The initiative puts public health above other agendas and shift focus from disease treatment to a combined policy for treatment, prevention, and health promotion from health professionals and the entire community. The author reveals China launched several programs to improve sanitary conditions, control infectious diseases, and health management.

The ancient Loulan kingdom in northwest China was a key transportation hub along the ancient Silk Road. What determined the burial practice in Loulan is a mystery as many of the tombs were constructed atop approximately 20-m-high yardangs in the north of the ancient city of Loulan. This paper includes the first attempt to provide a geoarchaeological perspective on this problem. A representative section (3.8 m) from the tomb area was investigated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and grain size analyses to reconstruct environmental changes. Results show that the section was formed during Loulan's early development stage (approximately from the second century BC to the first century AD) in the wake of lacustrine-fluvial hydrology fluctuation. Radiocarbon dating suggests that the tombs were also constructed during the period. Therefore, our reconstruction indicates that the landscape of the burial area was dominated by extensive island-like yardangs within a lake or wetland. We argue that the burial practice was influenced by the yardang's location high above the wetland/flooded area. People would generally prefer cemeteries in the area to avoid disturbance to the bodies from the fluctuating water table. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive fires pose catastrophic threats to both human and natural ecosystems. Understanding the history of fire, particularly Holocene palaeofire activity in densely populated areas, is essential for predicting future fire risks and developing effective fire management policies. The complexity of fire activity is influenced by various factors, including climate and anthropogenic activities. In this study, we analysed microcharcoal from the top 35.36 m of a well‐dated sediment core HMD1401 in Ningshao Plain, eastern China. We combined our findings with phytolith and diatom evidence to obtain a comprehensive understanding of variations in Holocene fire activity and its controls. The results showed that there was higher fire activity during the early and late Holocene and less fire activity during the mid‐Holocene. More frequent fire occurred from c. 10 000–7000 cal. a BP and was primarily caused by abundant biomass and high seasonal flammability due to increased annual temperature and precipitation and warm but dry winter climate. Fire occurrences between c. 7000–2000 cal. a BP remained at a low level, except for the periods c. 5900–5600 cal. a BP and c. 5300 cal. a BP, which may have been caused by extreme climate events. The impact of fire caused by human activity was significantly enhanced during the last two millennia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying biomarkers with high sensitivity and stability is helpful for the timely and accurate diagnosis, and effective management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a long-term, progressive endocrine disorder. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are being increasingly recognized as promising biomarkers given the stability and enrichment of miRNAs in exosomes. The high sensitivity of the reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has enabled accurate quantification of miRNAs and small fragments, present in a low abundance, in the circulation. In the present study, the potential of miRNAs in the diagnosis of PCOS was evaluated. Exosomal miRNAs were extracted and screened, and three miRNAs (miR-4488, miR-151a-5p, and miR-223-3p) were found to be differentially expressed between the PCOS group and age-matched controls by sequencing analysis. RT-qPCR was performed on a clinically confirmed PCOS cohort (n=107) and a non-PCOS control cohort (n=101) from South China to validate the PCOS-related RNA sequencing results. miR-151a-5p and miR-4488 expression levels were significantly upregulated, and miR-223-3p expression was downregulated in the PCOS cohort compared with the control cohort (P<0.05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.889, 0.871, and 0.664 for miR-4488, miR-151a-5p, and miR-223-3p, respectively. Combining anti-Müllerian hormone levels with the three miRNAs resulted in an AUC of 0.967, and higher sensitivity and specificity. These results suggest that miRNAs may prove useful in the early diagnosis and effective management of PCOS, and that these three miRNAs may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. In addition, bioinformatics analysis showed that these three exosomal miRNAs were involved in key signaling pathways related to cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate dating of prehistoric eruptions is essential for reconstructing volcanic sequences and for preparing volcanic-hazard assessments. The chronology of the eruptions of the Datong volcanic field (DVF) in eastern China has been debated for several decades, especially the start and end of volcanism. Loess sediments incorporated in explosive volcanic products have been described from the Dongpingshan scoria cone in the DVF. We conducted radiocarbon dating of the loess sediments, which produced an age of ~7300 cal yr BP for the Dongpingshan volcanic eruption. This result confirms the eruption of the DVF during the Holocene, and it provides important evidence for assessing volcanic hazards in this densely populated region. The Holocene age of the eruption indicates that DVF is dormant, contrary to previous studies which concluded that the DVF is extinct and that its volcanic eruptions ended at ~100 ka. In addition, this study documents a new method of dating Late Pleistocene to Holocene volcanic eruptions in and around the DVF, where loess sediments are widespread and may be preserved within volcanic products. • Datong is not an extinct volcanic field. • First radiocarbon dating of Datong volcanic field was present. • The most recent eruption of the Datong volcanic field was not older than ~7300 cal a BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We used all available Landsat imagery to monitor mangrove forest change in China. • We classified mangrove forest by employing Landsat-derived spectral-temporal variability metrics. • The accuracy of classification is high (>90%). • We finished mangrove forest maps of China for six epochs. • We found that the total area of mangrove forest in China has increased by a factor of 2 from 1990 to 2015. Abstract Reliable information of national-level mangrove forest change in China is urgently needed for Chinese government to make appropriate policies of mangrove forest conservation. Yet, employing traditional methods (all based on single-date remotely sensed imagery) to accurately map mangrove forest in China is relatively difficult, given the influence of tide variability on the spectrum of a large proportion of mangrove forest and the spectral similarity between mangrove forest, cropland, and natural terrestrial vegetation. However, the temporal profile of spectrum for mangrove forest is likely to be distinctive, due to the influence of tide variability on mangrove forest spectrum. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the potential of using some robust spectral-temporal variability metrics (quantiles), capturing characteristics of temporal profiles for different land cover types, to reliably separate mangrove forest. We also mapped mangrove forest in China for 6 periods (1986–1992, 1993–1997, 1998–2002, 2003–2007, 2008–2012, and 2013–2017) and analyzed mangrove forest change over past decades using all available Landsat imagery. Producer’s and user’s accuracies of the land cover type “mangrove forest” for all periods are high (>90%), indicating the effectiveness of our method. We found that mangrove forest in China has significantly increased, from 10774 ha in the period 1986–1992 to 19220 ha in the period 2013–2017. There is also a potential for employing our method to map global mangrove forest around 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Points: Question: Does the use of 10 mg of prednisone, compared with placebo, improve the chances of achieving live birth among women with recurrent implantation failure? Findings: In this randomized clinical trial that included 715 women who had experienced 2 or more unsuccessful embryo transfer cycles, the live birth rate was 37.8% among women who received 10 mg of prednisone vs 38.8% among women who received placebo, a nonsignificant difference. Meaning: The findings do not support the routine use of 10 mg of prednisone in women with recurrent implantation failure. Importance: Implantation failure remains a critical barrier to in vitro fertilization. Prednisone, as an immune-regulatory agent, is widely used to improve the probability of implantation and pregnancy, although the evidence for efficacy is inadequate. Objective: To determine the efficacy of 10 mg of prednisone compared with placebo on live birth among women with recurrent implantation failure. Design, Setting, and Participants: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial conducted at 8 fertility centers in China. Eligible women who had a history of 2 or more unsuccessful embryo transfer cycles, were younger than 38 years when oocytes were retrieved, and were planning to undergo frozen-thawed embryo transfer with the availability of good-quality embryos were enrolled from November 2018 to August 2020 (final follow-up August 2021). Interventions: Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive oral pills containing either 10 mg of prednisone (n = 357) or matching placebo (n = 358) once daily, from the day at which they started endometrial preparation for frozen-thawed embryo transfer through early pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was live birth, defined as the delivery of any number of neonates born at 28 or more weeks' gestation with signs of life. Results: Among 715 women randomized (mean age, 32 years), 714 (99.9%) had data available on live birth outcomes and were included in the primary analysis. Live birth occurred among 37.8% of women (135 of 357) in the prednisone group vs 38.8% of women (139 of 358) in the placebo group (absolute difference, −1.0% [95% CI, −8.1% to 6.1%]; relative ratio [RR], 0.97 [95% CI, 0.81 to 1.17]; P =.78). The rates of biochemical pregnancy loss were 17.3% in the prednisone group and 9.9% in the placebo group (absolute difference, 7.5% [95% CI, 0.6% to 14.3%]; RR, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.03 to 2.99]; P =.04). Of those in the prednisone group, preterm delivery occurred among 11.8% and of those in the placebo group, 5.5% of pregnancies (absolute difference, 6.3% [95% CI, 0.2% to 12.4%]; RR, 2.14 [95% CI, 1.00 to 4.58]; P =.04). There were no statistically significant between-group differences in the rates of biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, implantation, neonatal complications, congenital anomalies, other adverse events, or mean birthweights. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with recurrent implantation failure, treatment with prednisone did not improve live birth rate compared with placebo. Data suggested that the use of prednisone may increase the risk of preterm delivery and biochemical pregnancy loss. Our results challenge the value of prednisone use in clinical practice for the treatment of recurrent implantation failure. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR1800018783 This randomized clinical trial evaluates whether the administration of prednisone would increase the rate of live birth in women with recurrent implantation failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic changed behaviors, at least temporarily, and possibly more permanently, with implications for both work and leisure activities. Some of those behavioral changes, such as dining in restaurants, have significant ripple effects on businesses and employment. We investigate the response to health risks in China with a study of decisions about eating out during the pandemic. We find that compared to a traditional measure of financial risk attitude, dining out behavior better captures individuals' attitude toward the health risk posed by the pandemic and is more significant in predicting their expected total consumption during the recovery phase of the pandemic. In addition, we find that the effect of domestic in-migration is positive with respect to dining out, a signifier of confidence in the government response to the safety of internal flows. In contrast, international migration and port city of entry status are strongly negative with respect to dining out. The risk from the virus is perceived to be much stronger in such contexts. From a policy perspective establishing border controls was critical in re-creating a robust economy. Additional city and household level characteristics that affect dining-out behavior are also identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI-C) in follicular lymphoma (FL) survivors. A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted online between July and September 2020. The following psychometric properties of the FCRI-C were evaluated: construct, convergent, and discriminant validity, and reliability. Item variance was assessed using differential item functioning (DIF). A short version of the FCRI-C was developed using a two-parameter item response theory (IRT) model. The patterns of response scale, item fit, and item information were assessed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the clinical cut-off point for the FCRI-C. A total of 326 FL survivors completed the questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the bi-factor structure of the FCRI-C. The IRT analysis confirmed a 10-item short version of the FCRI-C. Satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity were underpinned by a priori hypotheses. Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.82 indicated good internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The ROC curve determined a cut-off point of 83 and 20 for the full and short versions, respectively. The FCRI-C used to measure and screen the levels of FCR in Chinese FL survivors was found to be valid and reliable. The Chinese Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI-C) is a reliable and valid measure to evaluate the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) in follicular lymphoma survivors. The short version of the FCRI-C provides a rapid screening tool for the clinical detection of FCR in patients. The cut-off point of the FCRI-C could differentiate patients between "high" and "low" levels of FCR in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities in Northeast China, e.g., Harbin, were brought to the forefront of air pollution control by a national-level policy promulgated in 2021, i.e., the Circular on Further Promoting the Pollution Prevention and Control Battle (the FP3CB Circular) which aimed at eliminating heavy or severe air pollution events. In this study, we explored the response of Harbin aerosol to the FP3CB Circular, based on observational results from two campaigns conducted during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. A clear decreasing trend was identified for the impact of domestic biomass burning between the two winters, presumably driven by the clean heating actions. The 2021–2022 winter was also characterized by reduced formation of secondary organic aerosol but enhanced production of nitrate, which could be attributed to the less humid conditions but higher temperatures, respectively, compared to the 2020–2021 winter. The overall effect of these changes was a decrease in the contribution of organic species to wintertime aerosol in Harbin. In addition, the number of heavy or severe pollution days rebounded in the 2021–2022 winter compared to 2020–2021 (5 vs. 3), indicating that the emissions of primary particles and gaseous precursors must be further reduced to achieve the ambitious goals of the FP3CB Circular. [Display omitted] ● Biomass burning impacts decreased in the 2021–2022 winter compared to 2020–2021. ● SOA formation was reduced in the 2021–2022 winter, accompanied with decreased RH. ● NOR was enhanced in the 2021–2022 winter, driven by increased temperatures. ● OA contribution to aerosol mass decreased in the 2021–2022 winter. ● Heavy pollution days rebounded in the 2021–2022 winter despite clean air actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLS-010 (zimberelimab) is a novel, fully human, anti-programmed death-1 monoclonal antibody that shows promising efficacy and safety in advanced solid tumors. This trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of GLS-010 (zimberelimab) in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r-cHL). This phase II, single-arm, open-label, multicenter clinical trial was conducted at 24 centers in China and enrolled patients with r/r-cHL after two or more lines of therapy. The patients were administered intravenous GLS-010 (zimberelimab) (240 mg, once every 2 weeks) until progression, death, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. The primary end-point was the objective response rate assessed by an independent radiology review committee (IRC). This study was registered (NCT03655483). Eighty-five patients were enrolled between August 2018 and August 2019. The median follow-up was 15.8 months. Seventy-seven patients (90.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 82.3–95.9) had an IRC-assessed objective response. The complete response rate was 32.9% (n = 28). The 12-month progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 78% (95% CI 67.5–85.6) and 99% (95% CI 91.9–99.8), respectively. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in 92.9% of participants. Grade III or IV TRAEs occurred in 24 (28.2%) of the 85 participants. The most common grade III or IV TRAEs were abnormal hepatic function (5.9%), hyperuricemia (4.7%), decreased neutrophil count (3.5%), and increased weight (3.5%). Only one grade V AE, gastrointestinal infection, occurred. GLS-010 (zimberelimab) appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of Chinese patients with r/r-cHL. Long-term follow-up is required to confirm these clinical benefits. • GLS-010 (zimberelimab) is a novel, fully human, anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. • This phase II, single-arm trial aimed to evaluate the effect of GLS-010 in r/r-cHL. • The ORR was 90.6% in this study with 32.9% patients achieved CR. • GLS-010 appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of r/r-cHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To change row spacing is a common agricultural practice to adjust plant density to enhance plant growth and development. Here we examined the fine root (≤1.0 mm in diameter) distribution and morphological characteristics of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in the 7th growth year under three row spacing settings (20 cm, 40 cm and 60 cm) on a terrace field in the semi-arid Loess Plateau region. Roots from 0 to 150 cm soil layers were utilized to evaluate the root biomass, distribution and morphological traits in April and October 2016. Results showed that fine root biomass (FRB) mainly distributed in the 0–40 cm soil layer, and it was higher under the 20 cm and 40 cm than that under the 60 cm row spacing treatment. FRB in October was lower than in April under all three row spacings. Compared with 20 cm and 60 cm row spacing, root surface area, root length density and specific root length under 40 cm row spacing were higher, while root diameter was smaller. These conferred switchgrass with larger soil exploration and root-soil interface. It implied that switchgrass grown under 40 cm row spacing had stronger ability on exploiting soil resources in the semi-arid area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization in China in the past several decades has been shown to affect surface air temperature (SAT) locally, but its global impact is unclear. Using a global climate model, we have investigated the potential impact of urbanization in China on SAT at the global scale. The expansion of urban areas in China from 1985 to 2017 leads to winter surface air warming by as much as 0.8°C in North America (NA), largely caused by warm temperature advection due to global‐scale atmospheric circulation changes. The East Asian jet stream moves northward in eastern and northeastern China where the expansion of urban areas has increased SAT and sensible heat flux, forcing change of the atmospheric stationary waves and so the structure of the jet streams. Plain Language Summary: Rapid urbanization in China has been found to impact surface air temperature (SAT) at local and regional scales significantly through altered land surface properties. However, its impacts on global climate are less clear. Using a state‐of‐the‐art global climate model, we show that tremendous expansion of urban areas in China from 1985 to 2017 has resulted in global‐scale atmospheric circulation changes by altered surface properties and enhanced anthropogenic heating. Anomalous atmospheric circulation engenders changes of SAT by as much as 0.8°C in winter over NA, which is more pronounced than the local SAT changes in China for any season. This study provides a robust conceptual advance in understanding the climate implications of land use change especially on the global impacts of urbanization. Key Points: The fractional coverage of impermeable land surface has increased by six‐fold in China from 1985 to 2017Urbanization in China results in winter surface air warming by as much as 0.8°C in North AmericaThe altered atmospheric stationary waves and East Asian jet streams are responsible for winter warming in North America [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Returning farmland to grasslands (RFG)to restore soil fertility and prevent land degradation in overused agricultural lands is an important measure. However, the hydrological processes, water consumption and utilization in field systems are undoubtedly changed in shallow groundwater areas owing to RFG. Experiments in the Hetao irrigation district, Inner Mongolia, China, during 2017 (2-yr for alfalfa) and 2018 (3-yr for alfalfa) were conducted to evaluate the difference in soil water distribution, percolation, groundwater recharge, water consumption and water productivity between alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) fields. The stable oxygen isotope method was used to reveal a strategy to utilize different water sources for alfalfa and maize in an arid shallow groundwater area. Compared with maize, the increase in water consumption by alfalfa increased the soil water consumption of the 0–100 cm soil layer and the groundwater recharge, which led to an increase of 9.44 mm and 65.32 mm, respectively. However, the leakage below 100 cm layer decreased by 44.91% compared with those of the maize field. The yield and WP c of alfalfa were 29.27% and 6.28% greater than that of maize in 2018, respectively. Percentages of 75.43%, 18.73% and 5.84% of irrigation water, groundwater and precipitation were taken up by alfalfa during the irrigation period, respectively, while it was 81.27%, 12.90% and 5.83% in the maize field, respectively. After irrigation, the crops primarily absorbed water from upper soil layer (0–40 cm), comprising 72.93% (alfalfa) and 69.8% (maize). However, more water from the deeper layers was used by alfalfa before irrigation, and the average contribution of 40–100 cm soil layer was 63.0%, an increase of 11.2% compared with maize. In addition, even though maize absorbed water by roots that could reach a soil depth of 80 cm, it primarily drew water from the 40–60 cm soil layer. • Stable isotopes was used to quantify the water consumption of alfalfa and maize. • Alfalfa consumed more soil water and groundwater than that of maize. • More groundwater supplied to the alfalfa field with contribution of 18.73%. • The root water uptake switched from deeper to shallow layers after irrigation. • Alfalfa and maize water uptake from different soil layer varied significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is an increasing need to understand the dynamics in urbanization not only temporally but also spatially for the improvement of urban environments. In spite of an enormous number of previous studies in urban remote sensing applications, only a few studies have been conducted on the techniques in the quantification, qualification, and visualization of the changes in time-series urban land cover fractions (LCFs) derived through spectral unmixing. To examine the urbanization process in four major cities around the Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province, China – Nanchang, Jingdezhen, Yingtan, and Poyang – using a time-series Landsat-5 TM dataset in 1987, 1993, 1999, 2004, and 2009, we investigated: (1) the approach to the derivation of LCFs in urban areas using multi-temporal remotely-sensed data set; and (2) the approach to the summarization and cartographic manipulation of the changes in time-series LCFs. To account for the complex spectral confusion among different land cover materials in built-up areas, the Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) was used for unmixing the pixels. The Land Cover Change Intensity (LCCI) was proposed to derive the average daily change rate in terms of the area within a pixel for the land cover classes of green vegetation, non-photosynthetic vegetation and soil, and built-up areas between two consecutive TM observation dates. The dominant LCCI (DLCCI) was proposed to determine in which period the urban areas were developed most rapidly and how intense the urbanization process was in each pixel of the time-series LCCI maps. Our results showed that MESMA could accurately model the pixels in urban areas with complex spectral confusion of different land cover materials. The comparison of derived land cover fractions with socioeconomic statistics disclosed the strong positive correlation between built-up fractions and urban population as well as gross GDP and GDPs in secondary and tertiary industries. LCCI and DLCCI revealed two mechanisms of urbanization, which are new land developments and redevelopments of built-up areas. Consequently, we found that the four cities around the Poyang Lake were urbanized through different mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although remote sensing data have been used to estimate total suspended matter (TSM) in coastal waters, it has limitations when applied to estuary waters in low spatial resolution situations. The spatial resolution of ocean color satellites such as SeaWiFS and MODIS is usually ∼1 km, and therefore is not adequate for small, local-scale areas such as the Zhujiang (Pearl) River estuary. In contrast, 30 m-resolution EO-1 Hyperion imagery has potential for studying TSM in localized areas. We measured the surface spectral radiance reflectance of the river estuary water in the visible and near infra-red spectral range. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the ratio of remote sensing reflectance at 813 nm ( R) to reflectance at 559 nm ( R) could be used to estimate TSM concentration, and a linear relationship was established between the ratio and in-situ TSM concentration. We applied the linear relationship to Hyperion imagery to map TSM concentration in the estuary. The Hyperion imagery provided sufficient spatial resolution to detect spatiotemporal changes in TSM concentrations in the estuary small estuary area. This study demonstrated the usefulness of Hyperion imagery for mapping the distribution of TSM in estuary waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five avian influenza A/H9N2 viruses isolated from wild birds in Jiangxi, China in 2015 are novel reassortants which most likely evolved from multiple lineages. First detection of a novel reassortant avian influenza A(H5N6) clade 2.3.2.1c virus, isolated from a wild bird in China. Given the continuous reassortment of H9N2 viruses, it will of substantial importance to implement routine surveillance in wild birds to successfully control avian influenza viruses and better the early warning system of the emerging reassortants with pandemic potential. [Extracted from the article]

Background The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide and continues to threaten peoples' health as well as put pressure on the accessibility of medical systems. Early prediction of survival of hospitalized patients will help in the clinical management of COVID-19, but a prediction model that is reliable and valid is still lacking. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 628 confirmed cases of COVID-19 using positive RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 in Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, China. These patients were randomly grouped into a training (60%) and a validation (40%) cohort. In the training cohort, LASSO regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were utilized to identify prognostic factors for in-hospital survival of patients with COVID-19. A nomogram based on the 3 variables was built for clinical use. AUCs, concordance indexes (C-index), and calibration curves were used to evaluate the efficiency of the nomogram in both training and validation cohorts. Results Hypertension, higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and increased NT-proBNP values were found to be significantly associated with poorer prognosis in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The 3 predictors were further used to build a prediction nomogram. The C-indexes of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts were 0.901 and 0.892, respectively. The AUC in the training cohort was 0.922 for 14-day and 0.919 for 21-day probability of in-hospital survival, while in the validation cohort this was 0.922 and 0.881, respectively. Moreover, the calibration curve for 14- and 21-day survival also showed high coherence between the predicted and actual probability of survival. Conclusions We built a predictive model and constructed a nomogram for predicting in-hospital survival of patients with COVID-19. This model has good performance and might be utilized clinically in management of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common cancers, causing many people to die every year worldwide. Accurate estimations of the spatial distribution of EC are essential for effective cancer prevention. Methods EC mortality surveillance data covering 964 surveyed counties in China in 2014 and three classes of auxiliary data, including physical condition, living habits and living environment data, were collected. Genetic programming (GP), a hierarchical Bayesian model and sandwich estimation were used to estimate the spatial distribution of female EC mortality. Finally, we evaluated the accuracy of the three mapping methods. Results The results show that compared with the root square mean error (RMSE) of the hierarchical Bayesian model at 6.546 and the sandwich estimation at 7.611, the RMSE of GP is the lowest at 5.894. According to the distribution estimated by GP, the mortality of female EC was low in some regions of Northeast China, Northwest China and southern China; in some regions downstream of the Yellow River Basin, north of the Yangtze River in the Yangtze River Basin and in Southwest China, the mortality rate was relatively high. Conclusions This paper provides an accurate map of female EC mortality in China. A series of targeted preventive measures can be proposed based on the spatial disparities displayed on the map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is promoting a charging policy for rural domestic waste management services (RDWMS). This study investigates the causal link between the perceived neighborhood (natural, social, and political) environment and residents' intention to pay for RDWMS. Using Structural Equation Modeling to analyze the data collected from 310 residents within Xiangtan Prefecture, the pilot area implementing the policy, this study reveals that the perceived quality of the natural environment, social capital, and perceived trustworthiness of local government significantly influence residents' intention to pay for RDWMS, through two psychological organisms (place attachment and waste risk perception) and two moderators (political identity and household size). • Perceived quality of natural environment positively influences intention to pay • Social capital positively influences intention to pay • Perceived trustworthiness of local government positively influences intention to pay • Social capital had the greatest total effects on residents' intention to pay • Political identity and household size are positive significant moderators [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plague, a devastating infectious disease caused by Yersinia pestis, has killed millions of people in the past and is still active in the natural foci of the world today. Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of plague outbreaks in history is critically important, as it may help to facilitate prevention and control of potential future outbreaks. In this study, we explored spatiotemporal clusters of human plague occurrences in China using a machine‐learning clustering method and reconstructed the potential transmission pattern during the Third Pandemic (1772–1964). We succeeded in identifying 6 clusters in the space domain (2D) and 13 clusters in the spatiotemporal domain (3D). Our results suggest that there were several temporal outbreaks and transmissions of plague in different spatial clusters. Together with the spatiotemporal nearest neighbor approach (ST‐NNA), this method could allow us to have a clearer look at the spatiotemporal patterns of plague. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the environmental history and its responses to palaeoclimatic changes since the start of the Holocene in the eastern portion of the desert belt (sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China by comparing the aeolian sandpalaeosol sequences and their palaeoclimatic proxies. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of the aeolian sandpalaeosol sedimentary sequences and a series of palaeoenvironmental proxies show that: (1) The large-scale dune landscape currently in the Kubuqi Sand Sea was formed during the Holocene in general; and the palaeosol was generally developed during the period of 4–2 ka, indicating conditions favorable for vegetation growth, soil development, and organic carbon accumulation due to increased precipitation or effective moisture and weakened aeolian activities; the large-scale expansion of dunes in the recent 2 ka is closely linked to human activities. The variable discharge of the Yellow River with diversions for irrigation may have resulted in a more consistent supply of aeolian particles for dune field expansion. (2) The dune landscape of the Hunshandake Sandy Land was likely formed around 12 ka, and before this, the western part of the Hunshandake Sandy Land would have been covered by a single large lake; it was obviously wetter than today in the sandy land during the period of 9.6–3 ka and the palaeosols were developed at the same time. But the aeolian activities have not been completely dormant in this long-lasting wetter epoch; because the Holocene wetter period was likely time-transgressive across the region. (3) The palaeosol of the Hulunbuir Sandy Land began to develop as early as 14.5 ka, probably continuing until the last 2 ka. The palaeosol development of various dune fields in the eastern portion of the desert belt (sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China is spatially heterogeneous, and even the palaeosol development time in different locations within each sandy land is inconsistent. During the middle Holocene (especially the 7.5–3.5 ka), all the sandy lands were stabilized in general and the intensity of aeolian activities was significantly weakened. The number of palaeoenvironmental records in the eastern portion of the desert belt (sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China has increased rapidly in the past decade, but the amount of published data still does not match the vast extent of the dune fields. It does require much more in-depth palaeoenvironmental studies for a full understanding of the relationship between aeolian activities and climate change in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable information of national-level mangrove forest change in China is urgently needed for Chinese government to make appropriate policies of mangrove forest conservation. Yet, employing traditional methods (all based on single-date remotely sensed imagery) to accurately map mangrove forest in China is relatively difficult, given the influence of tide variability on the spectrum of a large proportion of mangrove forest and the spectral similarity between mangrove forest, cropland, and natural terrestrial vegetation. However, the temporal profile of spectrum for mangrove forest is likely to be distinctive, due to the influence of tide variability on mangrove forest spectrum. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the potential of using some robust spectral-temporal variability metrics (quantiles), capturing characteristics of temporal profiles for different land cover types, to reliably separate mangrove forest. We also mapped mangrove forest in China for 6 periods (1986-1992, 1993-1997, 1998-2002, 2003-2007, 2008-2012, and 2013-2017) and analyzed mangrove forest change over past decades using all available Landsat imagery. Producer's and user's accuracies of the land cover type "mangrove forest" for all periods are high (>90%), indicating the effectiveness of our method. We found that mangrove forest in China has significantly increased, from 10774 ha in the period 1986-1992 to 19220 ha in the period 2013-2017. There is also a potential for employing our method to map global mangrove forest around 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly released next-generation geostationary earth orbit satellite—Himawari-8 loadedwith the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) has greatly enhanced our capacity of dynamicmonitoring in Asia-Pacific area. The Himawari-8/AHI hourly aerosol product is as apromising complementary to MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)daily aerosol product to observe air pollutions timely. However, current comprehensiveevaluation of AHI AOD is still limited, and the performance between AHI and MODISremains uncertain. In this study, we first evaluated Himawari-8/AHI Level 3 hourly aerosolproduct and MODIS Terra/Aqua Collection 6.0 aerosol product using 15 sites of AODmeasurements from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and then performed an explicitspatiotemporal comparison between satellite-based AOD products from July 2015 to June2017 in China. Results showed that AHI AOD achieved a good agreement with AERONETwith a correlation coefficient of 0.84 and a root-mean-square-error of 0.24, butit was identified to be underestimated, especially during heavy aerosol loadingconditions. We also identified an obvious difference in retrieval accuracy of AHI AODthat spatially, it had higher accuracies in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Hong Kongregions; and temporally, it yielded comparably poor accuracies in winter and inthe morning. The dependency analysis further revealed the bias of AHI AOD washighly dependent on aerosol loading and Ångström exponent. Despite of the slightlylower accuracy than MODIS AOD, AHI AOD still demonstrated a more consistenttemporal trend with AERONET and a similar spatial distribution with MODIS,which showed great potential for characterizing local and regional aerosol particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish an effective and safe clinical fertility strategy by investigating the relationship between abortion history and pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.Methods: In the present retrospective cohort study, data from IVF treatment cycles performed at a reproductive center in China between October 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, were assessed. Outcomes were compared between women with a history of induced abortion and those without.Results: There were 1532 IVF treatment cycles included; 454 patients had a history of induced abortion and 1078 did not. The spontaneous abortion rate was significantly higher (30/170 [17.6%] vs 41/420 [9.8%]; P=0.002) and the endometrium was significantly thinner (8.8 ± 1.8 vs 9.7 ± 1.8 cm; P=0.001) among patients with a history of induced abortion compared with those without. In a subgroup analysis of patients with a history of induced abortion, women who had undergone surgical abortions had a lower live delivery rate compared with medical abortions (29/76 [38%] vs 101/378 [27%]; P=0.039). Further, women who had a history of more than two surgical abortions had lower live delivery and clinical pregnancy rates (both P<0.05).Conclusion: A history of induced abortion was associated with worse IVF outcomes, especially a history of more than two surgical abortions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual monitoring data and centennial and millennial-scale paleolimnological records have revealed an increase in small-celled planktonic diatom species relative to heavier tycho-planktonic and small benthic diatoms in many high-altitude lakes, presumably in response to recent climatic warming. In addition to changes in the composition and structure of lacustrine diatom assemblages, there have also been changes in diatom biodiversity; however, these changes are not regionally consistent. In this study, we chose a temperate mid-latitude lake to explore the response of changes in diatom assemblages and biodiversity to recent climatic warming. The diatom record spans the past ca. 200 years and reveals that since 1966 CE the small-celled Cyclotella ocellata + stelligera has replaced the previously dominant, large-celled phytoplankton Cyclotella schroeteri . These changes are in accordance with the increasing trend in global mean surface temperature. Biodiversity increased remarkably from 1966 CE, but began to decline after 1990 CE, presumably in response to rapid climatic warming. Our findings indicate that the response of diatom biodiversity to climate change was a nonlinear process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: This study explored chlamydia trachomatis (CT), ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and/or neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in 5893 women with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Shanghai. Methods: From January 2009 to December 2014, 5893 women with UTIs in Shanghai were selected to undergo CT, UU and NG detection. Baseline characteristics including age, education level, occupation, reproductive history, sexual behavior and contraceptive method were obtained for epidemiological analysis. Results: The total CT, UU and/or NG infection rate in the urine samples of 5893 patients was 50.69% (2987/5893), while the infection rate in vaginal secretion samples was 56.22% (3313/5893). The two detection methods were consistent. Patients aged 21–30, service personnel and unemployed persons had the highest rates of CT, UU and/or NG infection, while patients with higher education levels exhibited lower rates. As the number of previous pregnancies, natural births, abortions, sexual partners and the frequency of sexual intercourse increased, the rates of CT, UU and/or NG infection were elevated. Sexual intercourse during the menstruation period, a lack of cleaning before sexual intercourse and the use of intrauterine devices could all lead to an increased rate of CT, UU and/or NG infection. Conclusions: These data revealed that the rate of CT, UU and/or NG infection may be associated with age, education level, occupation, reproductive history, sexual behavior and type of contraceptive method in female patients with UTI in Shanghai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatiotemporal changes of urban greenspace is a critical requirement for supporting urban planning and maintaining the function of urbanities. Although plenty of previous studies have attempted to estimate urban greenspace changes in China, there still remain shortcomings such as inconsistent surveying procedures and insufficient spatial resolution and city samples. Using cloud-free Landsat image composites in circa years 2000 and 2014, and Defense Meteorological Program Satellite Program's Operational Line-scan System (DMSP/OLS) nighttime lights dataset, we quantitatively estimated the urban greenspace changes regarding both administrative divisions and urban core boundaries across 98 Chinese populous cities. Results showed that a consistent decline of urban greenspace coverage was identified at both old and new urban areas in the majority of analyzed cities (i.e., 81.63% of cities regarding the administrative boundaries, and 86.73% of cities regarding the urban core boundaries). Partial correlation analysis also revealed that total urban greenspace area shrank as a linear function of the core urban expansion (R 2 = 0.28, P < 0.001), and a significant correlation was confirmed between population change and urban greenspace change across those Chinese populous cities included in this study (R 2 = 0.11, P < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of centennial-scale hydroclimate variability and underlying forcing mechanisms in southern China over the last two millennia remains limited. This study presents multiproxy results of the grain size, elemental ratios (Zr/Rb, and Rb/Sr), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and C/N ratios, together with high-precision 137Cs/210Pb and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C ages of a sediment core from Lake Baxian, which is a small closed lake in Guangxi Province, southern China. Based on these high-resolution data, the hydroclimate change over the last two millennia is clearly revealed. Relatively high values of the mean grain size, Zr/Rb, TOC and TN, along with low values of Rb/Sr and C/N ratios during the Dark Ages Cold Period (DACP, 500–900 CE) and Little Ice Age (LIA, 1400–1850 CE), indicate a relatively wet climate during these intervals. Conversely, low values of the mean grain size, Zr/Rb, TOC and TN, along with high Rb/Sr ratios during the Roman Warm Period (RWP, 50–400 CE) and Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, 1000–1300 CE), suggest relatively dry conditions during these intervals. During the Current Warm Period (CWP, 1850-present), the values of the mean grain size and Zr/Rb increase abruptly and Rb/Sr ratios exhibit large fluctuations, which might be attributed to the impact of human activities. The general pattern of the reconstructed hydroclimate variations in this study is broadly consistent with the North Atlantic ice-rafted detritus and Indo-Pacific Warm Pool (IPWP) records, indicating that the hydroclimate variability on the centennial-scale in southern China has been controlled by both high- and low- latitude forcings over the last two millennia. • A new high-resolution hydroclimate record was constructed over the last two millennia. • The hydroclimate was relatively dry in the RWP and MCA, while relatively wet in the DACP and LIA. • The hydroclimate in southern China was controlled by both high- and low- latitude forcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]