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The study adopted an action research approach to investigate mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) teaching and learning processes in an English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) listening and speaking course at a Chinese university. The study participants were 61 students majoring in business English. For this study, an English-learning application, Keke, was integrated with MALL exercises. Data were collected using questionnaires, reflective journals, interviews, and pre- and post-study proficiency tests. The results of two action research cycles revealed that students' attitudes toward MALL listening and speaking practices became more positive after certain changes were made to the intervention in Cycle 2; these changes included various types of mobile-assisted exercises, enhancements for teacher monitoring, and the incorporation of an online learning management application. Students made significant progress in English listening, but not in speaking. This study, therefore, has pedagogical implications for the use of MALL in facilitating EFL listening and speaking education.

Background: Peer-to-peer feedback exchanges have been recognized as crucial to language learning. While studies on peer feedback proliferate, little is known about whether and how peer feedback is affected by learners' motivational levels. Objectives: Situated in a mobile collaborative learning context, the current study examined how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students with different motivational levels participated in mobile-assisted peer feedback provision, as well as the characteristics of the feedback they provided. Methods: A total of 61 sophomores majoring in Business English at a Chinese university participated in this 16-week-long study. They were asked to complete oral assignments and give and receive peer feedback via MosoTeach (a popular mobile learning application in China). Multiple types of data (peer feedback records, questionnaires, reflective journals and interviews) were collected, analysed, and triangulated. Results and Conclusions: Results revealed that EFL learners with higher motivation were more likely to provide feedback on time using more words. Unique characteristics of mobile-assisted peer feedback among highly motivated learners were also observed. Implications: The study highlights the importance of learner motivation in mobile-assisted peer feedback practice and provides pedagogical suggestions for better designing and implementing peer feedback in mobile collaborative learning contexts.

The study aims to investigate to what extent Chinese EFL learners' language use is influenced by English textbooks. Such influence may suggest the existence of lexical priming effects. Based on detailed and systematic analysis of a learner English corpus, in comparison with a textbook corpus, the present study revealed striking similarities of the use of "give" ditransitive constructions between students' writing and the contents of textbooks. These similarities, at least to some extent, reflected lexical priming effects of English textbooks at the levels of colligations, collocates, and semantic associations. The study also offers suggestions for compilation of teaching materials and classroom teaching practice.

The occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of 36 antibiotics from five groups, including macrolides (MLs), fluoroquinolones (FQs), tetracyclines (TCs), amphenicols (APs), and sulfonamides (SAs), were investigated for the first time in the Anning River, Sichuan Province, China. The results show that antibiotics were widely present in the sediments of the Anning River, with a total of 22 antibiotics detected. FQs were among the most abundant antibiotics, followed by TCs, MLs, APs, and SAs. The total concentrations of antibiotics in surface sediments varied from 0.05 to 53.35 ng/g, with an average of 8.09 ng/g. Among these groups, MLs, FQs, and TCs emerged as the predominant classes of antibiotics. The midstream sediments showed the highest residual levels of antibiotics, with lower levels observed in the downstream and upstream sediments. Anthropogenic activities, such as human clinical practices and animal breeding, might be sources of antibiotics released into the river. An ecological risk assessment revealed that trimethoprim from the SA group exhibited high risks, and MLs showed medium risks in the Anning River, whereas most antibiotics presented minimal to low risks. This study provides valuable information on antibiotic pollution in the upstream region of the Yangtze River, and future management measures are needed for the Anning River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a number of previous studies have examined the effects and benefits of computer-mediated communication (CMC) peer feedback, little research has taken an action research approach to track the process of EFL students' learning in CMC peer feedback. In this article, we describe an action research project conducted with 26 second-year students majoring in business English at a Chinese university. This project aims to enhance EFL students' engagement with peer feedback activities and to help them improve their writing through CMC peer feedback. The analysis of multiple sources of data including questionnaires, interviews, blog-based peer comments, student writing assignments, classroom observations, and teacher reflections illustrates how blog-based CMC peer feedback can be a pedagogical and collaborative learning activity in EFL writing classrooms and how peer feedback training can enhance students' engagement with peer feedback tasks. Implications for implementing CMC peer feedback in EFL writing contexts are provided in the paper.

Simple Summary: The diversity and specificity of the genetic structures of rare and endemic endangered goose (Anser cygnoides) breeds continue to be significant focal points of global concern. In this study, the mitochondrial genome was sequenced from six endemic endangered goose breeds to compare and assess the genetic structures of the rare bird breeds (♂:♀ = 1:1). The research results show that there are 81 haplotypes among the six endemic endangered goose breeds in China. At the same time, a historical dynamic analysis of the migration of endemic endangered goose breeds was conducted. The Wright's fixation index of endemic endangered goose breeds in China is significantly lower than that of European goose breeds. This indicates that the adaptability of endangered breeds in China is relatively low, which can easily affect the long-term survival and reproductive ability of the population. The conservation and exploitation of waterfowl genetic resources leverage the intra- and inter-population variations to enhance the traits relevant to human interests. Hence, there is an urgent need to strategically plan and safeguard the genetic resources of Chinese goose breeds while also devising suitable protection strategies. The analysis of the genetic diversity and historical dynamics of endemic endangered goose breeds structure has attracted great interest. Although various aspects of the goose breed structure have been elucidated, there is still insufficient research on the genetic basis of endemic endangered Chinese goose breeds. In this study, we collected blood samples from Lingxiang White (LX), Yan (YE), Yangjiang (YJ), Wuzong (WZ), Xupu (XP), and Baizi (BZ) geese (Anser cygnoides) and used Sanger sequencing to determine the partial sequence of the cytochrome b (CYTB) gene in a total of 180 geese. A total of 117 polymorphic sites were detected in the 707 bp sequence of the mtDNA CYTB gene after shearing and correction, accounting for approximately 16.55% of the entire sequence. The AT content (51.03%) of the processed sequence was slightly higher than the GC content (48.97%), indicating a preference for purine bases. The YJ, YE, and WZ breeds had the highest population genetic diversity, with a haplotype diversity greater than 0.9 (Hd > 0.9) and average population nucleotide difference of 8.01 (K > 8.01). A total of 81 haplotypes were detected and divided into six major branches. Among the six goose breeds, there were frequent genetic exchanges among LX, YJ, YE, and WZ geese (Nm > 15.00). We analyzed the distribution of base-mismatch differences in goose breeds and tested their historical dynamics for neutrality in Tajima's D and Fu's Fs. For YJ and WZ geese, Tajima's D > 0, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The actual values for the two breeds exhibited multimodal Poisson distributions. The population patterns of the WZ and YJ geese are purportedly relatively stable, and the breeds have not experienced population expansions or bottleneck effects, which is consistent with the neutrality test results. This study provides new insights into the diverse genetic origins and historical dynamics that sustain endemic endangered goose breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The elderly, especially those with physical disabilities, often encounter barriers that prevent them from accessing outdoor activities. Their perceptions of the convenience of accessing outdoor activities may be influenced by various factors including their health, the social context, and/or planned behavior. This study aimed to develop predictive models that identify the principal determinants of perceived convenience among this demographic, and it also examined the disparities observed between genders. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 1216 community-dwelling older people with physical disabilities in rural China. Grounded on the rehabilitation concepts and the theory of planned behavior, structural equation models integrated health and social behavior factors were constructed to predict perceived convenience of accessing outdoor activities. The standardized coefficients explained the contributions of various factors to the variance. Results: The final structural models demonstrated good fit for both female and male participants. Perceptions of the convenience of accessing outdoor activities among both women and men were directly impacted by their physical functioning and their intention to participate, and indirectly by medical expenditure, subjective norms, pain, and role limitation in emotional interactions. Positive mental health was more influential for women, while men were more influenced by subjective norms. Conclusions: Structural equation models have effectively predicted the self-reported convenience of accessing outdoor activities, underscoring the importance of functional and behavioral rehabilitation. Furthermore, gender-sensitive rehabilitation programs are advised to promote engagement in outdoor activities among elderly individuals with physical disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on an exploratory study investigating mobile-assisted oral feedback in teaching Chinese as a second language (CSL). It is aimed at exploring the characteristics of mobile-assisted feedback on oral production with the smartphone social communication app WeChat as a case in point and examining learners' perceptions of mobile-assisted oral feedback. A total of 13 CSL learners participated in the study. They were assigned nine discussion topics over the semester and were asked to send their recordings via the WeChat platform. Two native Chinese speakers were employed as research assistants who were responsible for providing the students with feedback based on their oral production. The results show that mobile-assisted corrective feedback is centred on overt correction, mainly targeting the linguistic aspects of grammar and vocabulary, whereas positive feedback is concentrated on affirmation, with content and vocabulary as the most frequently focused linguistic targets. In addition, the findings revealed positive attitudes by students toward mobile-assisted feedback and confirmed the facilitative role of WeChat feedback in enhancing their speaking ability. It is therefore suggested that smartphone social communication apps be applied to foreign language teaching for the provision of feedback and other learning activities.

Investigating the impact of fertility on the wage earnings of men and women and its trends is important for understanding and coping with both the widening gender wage gap and the continuously declining fertility rate in China. Through an in-depth analysis of China Health and Nutrition Survey data from 1989 to 2015, the study finds that in the late 1980s, fertility had a significant positive impact on the wage earnings of men in China, while the negative impact on women's wages was not significant. Over time, the fatherhood wage premium has been declining, while the motherhood wage penalty has been rising at a faster rate, and the gender wage gap has been widening. The expansion of the market sector in China since the deepening of reforms in 1992 is an important reason for the rapid increase of motherhood wage penalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counterfeiting is a serious problem in many industries, and the annual profit and tax losses caused by counterfeit products in China have reached over 60 billion yuan. The focus of this paper is to study the effect of blockchain technology in terms of supervising counterfeit products as well as product quality and service decisions under blockchain from a dynamic optimization perspective. We consider the role of blockchain when disclosing product quality information and develop a dynamic optimization model before and after blockchain adoption using differential game theory. Meanwhile, we solve the model using the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation and backward induction and conduct parametric, comparative, and numerical analyses of the equilibrium solutions. The main findings are as follows: First, we find that in the absence of blockchain, counterfeit products can reduce brand goodwill and decrease the quality and service level of genuine products; however, supervising counterfeit product sales through blockchain can improve this problem under the critical conditions determined in this work. Second, in the direct sales mode, we find that if the unit operating cost and fixed cost of blockchain are small, the brand owner's adoption of blockchain can not only combat the counterfeiter's profit but also increase its own profit. Third, in the wholesale sales mode, we find that the best conditions in which a brand owner can establish blockchain are only related to the related costs of blockchain, while retailers also need to increase the selling price of genuine products when establishing blockchain. Fourth, we find that supply chain performance and blockchain supervisory effects are sensitive to key parameters through numerical analysis in a quantitative form. These findings have important implications for genuine enterprises in terms of determining the conditions for establishing blockchain to combat counterfeiting and for optimizing product quality and service decisions when using blockchain technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the differences in body-weight traits of five goose breeds and analyze their genetic diversity and historical dynamics, we collected body-weight data statistics and used Sanger sequencing to determine the mitochondrial DNA of 100 samples of five typical goose breeds in China and abroad. The results indicated that Lion-Head, Hortobagy, and Yangzhou geese have great breeding potential for body weight. Thirteen polymorphic sites were detected in the corrected 505 bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND6 gene, accounting for approximately 2.57% of the total number of sites. The guanine-cytosine (GC) content (51.7%) of the whole sequence was higher than the adenine-thymine (AT) content (48.3%), showing a certain GC base preference. There were 11 haplotypes among the five breeds, including one shared haplotype. We analyzed the differences in the distribution of base mismatches among the five breeds and conducted Tajima's D and Fu's Fs neutral tests on the historical dynamics of the populations. The distribution of the mismatch difference presented an unsmooth single peak and the Tajima's D value of the neutral test was negative (D < 0) and reached a significant level, which proves that the population of the three species had expanded; the Lion-Head goose population tends to be stable. The genetic diversity of Lion-Head, Zhedong White, Yangzhou, and Taihu geese was equal to the average diversity of Chinese goose breeds. The Hortobagy goose is a foreign breed with differences in mating line breeding and hybrid advantage utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many stroke survivors' quality of life is impaired. Few studies of factors influencing their quality of life have been based on the factors tested by the short form 36 instrument. This study did so with 308 physically disabled stroke survivors in rural China. Principal components analysis was applied to refine the dimension structure of the short form 36 assessment, followed by backward multiple linear regression analysis to determine the independent factors influencing quality of life. The structure revealed differed from the generic structure in showing that the mental health and vitality dimensions are not unidimensional. Subjects who reported access to the outdoors as convenient demonstrated better quality of life in all dimensions. Those who exercised regularly achieved better social functioning and negative mental health scores. Other factors influencing a better quality of life in terms of physical functioning were younger age and not being married. Being older and better educated predicted better role-emotion scores. Being female correlated with better social functioning scores, while men scored better on bodily pain. Being less educated predicted higher negative mental health, while being less disabled predicted better physical and social functioning. The results suggest that the SF-36's dimension structure should be re-evaluated before using it to assess stroke survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Doppler radar observation and reanalysis data, the statistical characteristics of mesovortices (MVs) during the first rainy season (April–June) in Guangdong, South China, from 2017 to 2019 are studied, including their spatiotemporal distributions, structural features and favorable environmental conditions. The results show that the MVs usually exhibit short lifetimes; about 70% last for less than 30 min. The intensity and horizontal scale of the MVs are proportional to their lifetime. Long-lived MVs have larger horizontal scales and stronger intensities than short-lived ones. The MVs are mainly observed over the Pearl River Delta region, followed by western Guangdong Province, but relatively fewer in both eastern and northern Guangdong Province. The uneven spatial distribution of the MVs is closely related to the differences in the topographical features and the environment conditions over South China. MVs are prone to form over flat regions. The Pearl River Delta and eastern Guangdong regions are relatively flat compared to the more mountainous western and northern Guangdong regions. Moreover, the monsoonal south-westerlies, water vapor flux, atmospheric instability and vertical wind shear over southwest Guangdong are significantly larger than those in other regions and are favorable for the formation of MVs. The occurrence frequencies of MVs in central and southern parts of Guangdong display similar diurnal variations, reaching the peak during the late afternoon and early evening while dropping to the minimum overnight. However, the situation is opposite in northern Guangdong, with the peak overnight and the minimum during the late afternoon and early evening. The regional differences in diurnal variation are likely related to the moving direction of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in Guangdong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Domestic duck populations in China have abundant genetic resources, and this study is the first to evaluate domestic and wild Mallard populations. To explore the genetic diversity and ancestry of duck populations, we analyzed a sequence (619–667 bp) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the control region. Two Muscovy duck breeds were included in this analysis, along with wild Mallard ducks, Eastern spot-billed ducks, and 22 domestic duck breeds. Significant genetic diversity was found among domestic duck breeds. These results not only provide valuable insights into the genetic makeup of domestic ducks but also provide clues to the possible origin of domestic ducks in China. China has a rich genetic resource in its 34 domestic duck breeds. In order to detect the genetic diversity and explore the origin of these indigenous duck populations, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced and analyzed for 208 individual ducks, including 22 domestic breeds, wild Mallards ducks, Eastern spot-billed ducks, White Muscovy ducks, and Black Muscovy ducks. The haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.653 and the average nucleotide diversity (Pi) was 0.005, indicating moderate genetic diversity. Sixty haplotypes were detected, and the maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree and median-joining (MJ) network were generated from the sequence analyses. In this study, haplotypes from the Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) were detected in most of the Chinese domestic duck breeds. In addition, the Eastern spot-billed duck (A. zonorhyncha) H8 haplotype was detected in two duck breeds. Only two haplotypes were found in Muscovy ducks, suggesting low genetic diversity within this population. The sequence and haplotype analyses revealed that both A. platyrhynchos and A. zonorhyncha contributed to the evolution of domestic ducks in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of China as a major power and its adjustment of foreign policy have raised concerns in the U.S. The Quad, led by the U.S., aims to counterbalance China's growing influence in East and Southeast Asia, and the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) acts as an important component of its strategy. However, this article notes that the endeavor faces significant challenges, including legal and geopolitical risks, as well as economic and technical limitations. Intelligence-gathering activities may infringe upon the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal states, especially within disputed maritime areas. Cooperative enforcement under IPMDA can raise legal questions concerning the transfer of maritime jurisdiction under UNCLOS to non-contracting parties. China perceives the IPMDA initiative as a threat posed by the Quad. The Chinese government is concerned that it could spark renewed criticism of its fishing industry and strain diplomatic ties with neighboring countries. China's response could entail the establishment of alternative mechanisms and increased transparency in maritime activities. Against the backdrop of intensifying competition between the U.S. and China and ongoing disputes in the South China Sea, the IPMDA could exacerbate existing tensions in the SCS area. The exclusivity of the IPMDA mechanism may not serve the best interests of maritime security and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. In this context, China is encouraged to play a more constructive role in defusing tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithology and genesis of a dark grey clastic interlayer first encountered within the deepest potassium-rich salt body in the Simao Basin, southwestern China, were analysed. Analyses of the petrography, mineralogy, and element geochemistry of the layer revealed that (1) the layer contains quartz crystals with gulf corrosion edges and explosion cracks and angular volcanic ash-sized glasses; (2) the main mineral components of the crystal fragments are chlorite, illite, biotite, quartz, anhydrite, gypsum, magnesite, pyrite, molybdenite, clinopyroxene, and zircon; (3) the rare earth element patterns, Zr/TiO2 and Nb/Y diagrams as well as boron content all indicate a volcanic origin for the layer. Based on these observations, the layer is suggested to be an altered tuff associated with various volcanic fragments dominated by chlorite and formed after alteration of a parent tuff in an alkaline, salty, and low-temperature water body. Discovery of the layer indicates that the potash-bearing salt rocks could have taken in volcanic materials during these volcanic activities and provides the possibility of reliable zircon U‒Pb dating to determine the absolute age of the host rock, which is fundamental in studying the genetic mechanism of this deeply buried salt body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable traffic conditions cause travel time uncertainty and further lead to time-varying accessibility. Most current studies do not fully consider fluctuations in accessibility and use complicated methods that likely overestimate the level of accessibility and hinder the application of accessibility measures. To address this issue, we utilized large-scale open-source data and proposed an interpretation of the reliability of accessibility concept that incorporates reliability, travel time uncertainty, and a cumulative opportunity measure. We examined the reliability of accessibility to Shenzhen, a major city in China, focusing on transit accessibility and job opportunities. The results demonstrate that the reliability of accessibility displays a bimodal distribution along urban railway lines and can be used to calculate the impact of urban railways in terms of punctuality. The new approach illustrates time-varying characteristics in the form of probabilities and provides further guidance on accessibility for governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota evolution has remarkable spatiotemporal correlation with the destruction of the North China craton though the coupling mechanism remains enigmatic. The craton destruction was accompanied by intense magmatic activity and the released volatiles and nutrients might have had climatic and environmental impacts on the biotic evolution. In this study, we investigated the mentioned hypothetical causal link by determining concentrations and total emissions of volatile elements (S, F, Cl) and bulk‐rock P contents of volcanic rocks that were erupted during the pre‐flourishing, flourishing and post‐flourishing stages of the Jehol Biota. Our results show that the volcanism near the flourishing stage has lower S (1,083–2,370 ppm), Cl (1,277–5,608 ppm) and higher P2O5 contents (0.48–0.84 wt.%) than that in the non‐flourishing stages with S of 1,991–3,288 ppm, Cl of 7,915–12,315 ppm and P2O5 of 0.17–0.23 wt.%. Fluorine contents in the three stages vary from 893 to 3,746 ppm. The total volatile emissions are minor in the flourishing stage (1–14 Gt S, 0.6–10 Gt Cl, 0.6–9 Gt F) but elevated in the non‐flourishing stages (2–766 Gt S, 4–1,168 Gt Cl, 1–175 Gt F). Our data suggest that regional climatic and environmental impacts of volcanism in the non‐flourishing stages probably hindered the species diversification. The high P flux released from lithospheric mantle‐derived lavas during the peak time of craton destruction might have enhanced primary productivity and contributed to the flourishing of the Jehol Biota. Our study provides insights into the relationship between the biosphere and deep geodynamic processes driven by volcanism. Plain Language Summary: It is generally believed that volatiles, such as S, Cl, and F, released by massive volcanic events may have strong ecological pressures both at the local and global scales. However, it is puzzling that the flourishing of the Jehol Biota, an Early Cretaceous terrestrial lagerstätte recording the origin and early evolution of feathered dinosaurs, birds, mammals, and angiosperms, occurred simultaneously with extensive volcanic activities in the northeastern China. To find the possible influence of volcanism on the biotic evolution, we determined the contents and total emissions of S, Cl, and F (toxic gases) and bulk‐rock P (nutrient) contents of volcanic rocks that were erupted during the pre‐flourishing, flourishing, and post‐flourishing stages of the Jehol Biota. Our results show that the volcanism at the flourishing period of the Jehol Biota was dominated by intermediate‐mafic magmas, with the total S, Cl, and F emissions having limited impacts on the local climate and environment, while the high P flux released from lavas might have enhanced primary productivity. On the contrary, the intermediate‐felsic volcanic rocks in the non‐flourishing stage released abundant toxic gases and the P flux was limited, which probably hindered the species diversification. Key Points: Volcanic gases (S, Cl, and F) had limited climatic effects in the flourishing stage of the Jehol BiotaHigh P flux from lithospheric mantle‐derived lavas facilitated the flourishing of the Jehol BiotaVolcanism associated with the North China craton destruction affected terrestrial biota evolution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the pharmaceutical and chemical industries have been a matter of concern for some years in China. Achieving efficient degradation of chlorobenzene (CB) in waste gas is difficult because of its high volatility and molecular stability. A DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) biological method was proposed to treat chlorobenzene, aiming to control high operating costs and prevent secondary pollution. In this investigation, a DBD biological method was introduced to deal with chlorobenzene by optimization of process parameters. The results showed that the degradation efficiency of chlorobenzene was close to 80% at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 85 s when the inlet concentration was 700 mg·m−3 for the biological method. The degradation efficiency of chlorobenzene reached 80% under a discharge voltage of 7 kV, an inlet concentration of 700 mg·m−3 and an HRT of 5.5 s. The degradation efficiency of an integrated system can be increased by 15–20% compared with that of a single biological system. Therefore, this method can be used as a new way to address chlorobenzene pollution in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase of investment in soil and water conservation in China, its implementation has attracted much attention. There have been studies on soil erosion control and economic loss in previous studies, but the performance of soil and water conservation has rarely been evaluated by stochastic frontier function model. Based on the stochastic frontier function model and considering the change of local environmental managers, this study combined with the data of soil and water statistics to conduct time series analysis, and found that the environmental management under the pressure of promotion will improve the efficiency of water and land resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ring-width series was developed from Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii) in the northeastern forest area of Inner Mongolia, China. By analyzing the relationships between tree-ring data and climate records, an August–September mean maximum temperature (T89) series during 1845 and 2012 was reconstructed based on a simple linear regression equation. This reconstructed series explained 40.9% variance of the observed temperature from 1959 to 2012. The reconstructed T89 series was consistent with the historical disaster events caused by extreme climate (e.g., flood, frost disaster, and cold damage). Besides, the temperature comparisons showed that the year in which the warm months (April–September) in northeast China began to warm up has latitude differences. It started with a gradual delay from north to south, starting 1980 in the south region, after 1950 AD in the central region and after 1940 in the north region. Our study can enrich high-resolution temperature series in Northeast China and help clarify the characteristic of recent warming in northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is one of the potentially reversible dementias. Early and accurate diagnosis is important for patients' prognosis. Emerging evidence shows fluid biomarkers are useful in diagnosis and pathophysiological research of iNPH. Methods: Probable iNPH and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients were recruited. Clinical diagnosis was performed according to international guidelines. CSF collection complied with a standard protocol. Commercial accessible ELISA kits were introduced for measurement of CSF t-tau, p-tau181, Aβ42, and NfL. Results: Twenty-seven iNPH, 27 AD, and 18 controls were included. The profiles of CSF t-tau, p-tau181, and t-tau/Aβ42 in the iNPH and AD were significantly different (p < 0.0001). The profiles of CSF t-tau, p-tau181, and t-tau/Aβ42 in the iNPH and control were not different (p > 0.05). Level of CSF Aβ42 in iNPH was significantly lower than control (p < 0.0001) and also significantly higher than AD (p < 0.05). NfL level in iNPH and AD was increased, but its level in iNPH was significantly lower than that in AD (p = 0.005). NfL and t-tau level in the iNPH group was significantly correlated (coefficient = 0.649, p = 0.005), but not in AD (coefficient = 0.298, p = 0.157). Conclusion: Alzheimer's CSF biomarker profile of iNPH subjects showed moderately decreased Aβ42 and normal t-tau, p-tau181, and t-tau/Aβ42, which was distinguishable from AD. The different profiles and correlation of t-tau and NfL suggested different pathophysiology of AD and iNPH. t-tau was relatively an AD-specific neurodegenerative biomarker compared to NfL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), a folate-dependent enzyme, is reportedly involved in several cancer types. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism influences many biological processes, including tumorigenesis. However, the association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and breast cancer (BC) subtypes is not fully understood. In this study, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was genotyped in 490 individuals with or without BC from southwestern China. Analysis of the association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and BC revealed that there was a significant association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.12–9.51, P = 0.0401). Furthermore, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism can also serve as a protective factor in luminal A breast cancer (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.34–0.94, P = 0.0258). Evaluation of the association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and clinical characteristics indicated that people who suffered from hypertension had an increased risk for BC (OR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.08–4.6; P = 0.0264), especially TNBC (OR = 215.38; 95% CI: 2.45–84430.3; P = 0.0317). Our results suggest that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is significantly associated with susceptibility to luminal B breast cancer and TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) causes urogenital tract infections and is associated with reproductive morbidity. Although MG has been reported across many regions and population groups, it is not yet routinely tested for in China. Our study contributes to current research by reporting the prevalence and correlates of MG infection in patients attending a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in Guangdong from Jan 2017-May 2018.Methods: Urethral (from 489 men) and endo-cervical (from 189 women) samples, blood samples, and patient histories (via questionnaires) were collected. Doctors clinically diagnosed anogenital warts (GW) during the examination (n = 678). The presence of MG was evaluated using an in-house via polymerase chain reaction protocol. We also tested all participants for herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), syphilis and HIV. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to evaluate factors associated with MG.Results: MG was detected in 7.2% (49/678) of the patients (men, 7.4%; women, 6.9%). The MG positivity rate was 14.2% among symptomatic patients, and 5.6% for asymptomatic patients, respectively. Only 36.7% (18/49) Mg positive patients were symptomatic. Among the MG-infected patients, 10.2% were co-infected with CT, 6.1% with NG, 8.2% with HSV-2, 4.1% with syphilis and 22.4% with GW. Presentation with clinical symptoms was significantly associated with MG infection [OR = 2.52 (2.03-3.13)]. In our analysis, MG was not associated with other STIs.Conclusions: MG is a relatively common infection among individuals attending an STI clinic in Guangdong Province. Routine testing of symptomatic patients may be necessary, and more epidemiological studies are needed to provide evidence for future testing guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers are widely accepted as manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and incorporated into biological definition of AD. However, the correlations between CSF and other biomarkers such as neuroimaging and neuropsychiatric evaluation are complicated and inconsistent.Objective: We aimed to better interpreting CSF biomarkers results accompanying with other indexes in improving accurate diagnosis of AD.Methods: 112 AD patients and 30 cognitive normal controls were selected. Commercial accessible ELISA kits were introduced for measurement of CSF t-tau, p-tau181, Aβ1-42, and NfL based on standard protocol. MRI examinations were performed using a 3-T MRI scanner and visual rating scales including medial temporal atrophy score and Koedam's scale were used to evaluate medial temporal atrophy and posterior region atrophy.Results: CSF biomarkers' profile including decreased concentration of Aβ1-42, increased concentration of t-tau, p-tau181, t-tau/Aβ 1-42, and NfL were diagnostic between AD and control. CSF biomarkers profile was not influenced by the APOE genotype. Increased concentration of t-tau and NfL, as well as ratio of t-tau/Aβ 1-42 were related to decrease of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score while concentration of Aβ1-42 not. Visual assessed cortical atrophy was related to MMSE score, but most of the CSF biomarkers were not related to atrophy, except that increased concentration of p-tau181 was significantly associated with atrophy of posterior cortical region.Conclusion: Our results supported CSF biomarkers were helpful in diagnosis of AD. However, CSF biomarkers were cross-sectional reflection of pathogenesis, which did not correlate well with clinical progression. CSF biomarkers should be interpreted in combination with MRI and cognitive evaluation in clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We empirically investigate the effect of managing volatility in commodity momentum. Using Chinese commodity futures data, we show that managing volatility significantly improves the performance of commodity momentum. Including the new strategy significantly enhances asset allocation performance. Then, we explore several potential explanations for the profitability of the new strategy. Commodity‐specific factors, business cycle risk, financial market conditions, investor sentiments, transaction costs, leverage constraints, and data‐snooping bias do not fully account for this profitability. The profitability is in line with the predictability of momentum‐specific risk rather than aggregate market risk. Comprehensive robustness checks support our main findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite observations reveal that China has been leading the global greening trend in the past 2 decades. We assessed the impact of land cover change as well as climate variability on total biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emission in China from 2001–2016. We found the greening trend in China is leading a national-scale increase in BVOC emission. The BVOC emission level in 2016 could be 11.7 % higher than that in 2001 because of higher tree cover fraction and vegetation biomass. On the regional scale, the BVOC emission level from 2013–2016 could be 8.6 %–19.3 % higher than that from 2001–2004 in hotspots including (1) northeastern China, (2) Beijing and its surrounding areas, (3) the Qin Mountains, (4) Yunnan Province, (5) Guangxi–Guangdong provinces, and (6) Hainan island because of the land cover change without considering the impact of climate variability. The comparison among different scenarios showed that vegetation changes resulting from land cover management are the main driver of BVOC emission change in China. Climate variability contributed significantly to interannual variations but not much to the changing trend during the study period. In the standard scenario, which considers both land cover change and climate variability, a statistically significant increasing trend can still be found in regions including Beijing and its surroundings, Yunnan Province, and Hainan island, and BVOC emission total amount in these regions from 2013–2016 is 11.0 %–17.2 % higher that from 2001–2004. We compared the long-term HCHO vertical columns (VC) from the satellite-based Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) with the estimation of isoprene emission in summer. The results showed statistically significant positive correlation coefficients over the regions with high vegetation cover fractions. In addition, the isoprene emission and HCHO VC both showed statistically significant increasing trends in the south of China where these two variables have high positive correlation coefficients. This result may support our estimation of the variability and trends of BVOC emission in this region; however, the comparison still has large uncertainties since the chemical and physical processes, including transportation, diffusion and chemical reactions, were not considered. Our results suggest that the continued increase in BVOC will enhance the importance of considering BVOC when making policies for controlling ozone pollution in China along with ongoing efforts to increase the forest cover fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the epidemiology characteristics of intestinal colonization of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) among inpatients in a pediatric hospital in China. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from April to December 2019. Medical records were reviewed to extract the clinical information. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by broth microdilution method. Drug resistance determinants and plasmid types were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequences PCR (ERIC-PCR) were employed to determine the genetic relationships between strains. Results: A total of 90 CRE strains were isolated, with a fecal carriage rate of 8.6% (90/1052), and mainly distributed in E. aerogenes (n=30), K. pneumoniae (n=25) and E. coli (n=23). More than 50% of CRE colonizers had a history of invasive procedures and antibiotic exposures. As high as 91.1% (82/90) of CRE isolates carried carbapenemase genes, with blaNDM-5 (n=56) being the most common, and mainly found in E. aerogenes (51.8%, 29/56) and E. coli (32.1%, 18/56) isolates, which primarily belonged to ST4 (100%, 29/29) and ST692 (55.6%, 10/18), respectively. Followed by blaKPC-2 (n=12), and all found in K. pneumoniae ST11 isolates. Other carbapenemase genes including blaNDM-1, blaIMP-4 and blaIMP-26. Meanwhile, ESBL genes (blaCTX-M, blaTEM-1 and blaSHV) and AmpC genes (blaDHA-1 and blaEBC) were also detected. All CRE isolates showed high resistance to cephalosporins and carbapenemases (97.8%-100.0%) but remained susceptible to tigecycline (98.9%). IncX3 was a major plasmid type in NDM-containing strains (91.3%), and 91.7% of KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae harboring IncFII and IncFIB plasmids. The ERIC-PCR revealed that several strains with identical STs were genetically similar. Conclusion: This study revealed a major intestinal colonization of ST4 NDM-5 E. aerogenes, ST11 KPC-2 K. pneumoniae and ST692 NDM-5 E. coli strains among inpatients in a pediatric hospital. Infection control measures should be implemented immediately to prevent the spread of these strains in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We empirically investigate the effects of option trading on the cross‐listed stock returns. Using dual‐listed stocks in mainland China (A) and Hong Kong (H) stock exchanges, we show that option order imbalance (OI) positively and significantly predicts daily stock returns for both markets, controlling for risk factors and firm characteristics. Informed trading rather than price pressure better explain the predictability. High OI stocks have higher trading volume and present lottery‐like properties. Three important events significantly affect the predictive power of OI, consistent with the improved market quality and the episode of speculative trading. Robustness checks support the main findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early intervention of coexisting prediabetes (PreDM) and prehypertension (PreHTN) has great significance for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the influencing factors of the coexisting PreDM and PreHTN has been widely concerned by human beings. The State Grid Corporation occupational population as a special group, who are often exposed to a certain amount of voltage. Earlier studies have shown that exposure to a certain level of voltage can cause cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to explore the risk factors of coexisting PreDM and PreHTN, and to provide theoretical basis for early intervention. A stratified random sampling method was used to randomly select Occupational population from the five power supply regions of China in 2012 for questionnaire surveys and clinical examinations. Respondents were divided into Normal blood glucose group, PreDM group, Diabetes group, Normal blood pressure group, PreHTN group, Hypertension group. The prevalence of coexisting PreDM and PreHTN in the study population was 1.9%. The binary Logistic regression results showed that region, gender, age, BMI, triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were the effects of factor coexisting PreDM and PreHTN. It is important to pay attention to the early stage of hypertension and diabetes, control the transition from PreHTN and PreDM to hypertension and diabetes, and improve the health of Power Supply Enterprise Population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, the missed diagnosis rate of pulmonary hypertension (PH) was high, and there has been limited development of a rapid, simple, and effective way to screen the disease. The purpose of this study is to develop a deep learning approach to achieve rapid detection of possible abnormalities in chest radiographs suggesting PH for screening patients suspected of PH. Methods: We retrospectively collected frontal chest radiographs and the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) value measured by Doppler transthoracic echocardiography from 762 patients (357 healthy controls and 405 with PH) from three institutes in China from January 2013 to May 2019. The wohle sample comprised 762 images (641 for training, 80 for internal test, and 41 for external test). We firstly performed a 8-fold cross-validation on the 641 images selected for training (561 for pre-training, 80 for validation), then decided to tune learning rate to 0.0008 according to the best score on validation data. Finally, we used all the pre-training and validation data (561+80 = 641) to train our models (Resnet50, Xception, and Inception V3), evaluated them on internal and external test dataset to classify the images as having manifestations of PH or healthy according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC/ROC). After that, the three deep learning models were further used for prediction of PASP using regression algorithm. Moreover, we invited an experienced chest radiologist to classify the images in the test dataset as having PH or not, and compared the prediction accuracy performed by deep learing models with that of manual classification. Results: The AUC performed by the best model (Inception V3) achieved 0.970 in the internal test, and slightly declined in the external test (0.967) when using deep learning algorithms to classify PH from normal based on chest X-rays. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the best model for prediction of PASP value was smaller in the internal test (7.45) compared to 9.95 in the external test. Manual classification of PH based on chest X-rays showed much lower AUCs compared to that performed by deep learning models both in the internal and external test. Conclusions: The present study used deep learning algorithms to classify abnormalities suggesting PH in chest radiographs with high accuracy and good generalizability. Once tested prospectively in clinical settings, the technology could provide a non-invasive and easy-to-use method to screen patients suspected of having PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates factors influencing the subjective class identity of Chinese people and the bias of this identity using data from the Chinese General Social Survey in 2010 and 2013. In contrast with previous studies that have only focused on the social status of the respondents, this paper introduces the concept of "mixed" class identity and finds that (1) the social statuses of a person's spouse and parents can also affect subjective class identity and its bias, in addition to the social status of the respondents themselves; (2) the social status of parents has a stronger effect on children who are younger and who co-reside with parents, and the effect of a spouse's social status is stronger for married women than for married men; and (3) the influence of parents and a spouse's social statuses on individuals' class identity has been growing over time. This paper notes that to understand the subjective class identity of the Chinese and its change over time, sociologists should focus on family as the basic unit of analysis, fully consider the heterogeneity effect of different factors affecting the class identity of different social groups and situate the analysis within the context of China's unique modernization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous genome-wide association study (CONVERGE sample) identified significant association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the SIRT1 gene and major depressive disorder (MDD) in Chinese populations.Aims: To investigate whether SNPs across the SIRT1 gene locus affect regional grey matter density in the Han Chinese population.Method: T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging was conducted on 92 healthy participants from Eastern China. Grey matter was segmented from the image, which consisted of voxel-wise grey matter density. The effect of SIRT1 SNPs on grey matter density was determined by a multiple linear regression framework.Results: SNP rs4746720 was significantly associated with grey matter density in two brain cortical regions: the orbital part of the right inferior frontal gyrus and the orbital part of the left inferior frontal gyrus (family-wise error-corrected P < 0.05; voxel-wise P < 0.001). Also, rs4746720 exceeded genome-wide significance in association with MDD in our CONVERGE sample (P = 3.32 × 10-08, odds ratio 1.161).Conclusions: Our results provided evidence for a potential role of the SIRT1 gene in the brain, implying a possible pathophysiological mechanism underlying susceptibility to MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most previous studies of phosphorus (P) removal focused on investigation of the soluble, and particulate P, but ignoring the difference between organic and inorganic P. In this study, the effects of various flocculants, namely polyacrylamide (PAM) and polyaluminum chloride (PAC), on flocculation efficiency in different P speciations (organic and inorganic P) were investigated. A modified method to differentiate between organic and inorganic P content in secondary effluent samples was developed. The results showed that P speciation based on organic/inorganic P (Pearson's correlation R = 0.915, p < 0.05) was more effective than those based on soluble/particulate P (p > 0.05) in evaluating the P content in secondary effluents. The liquid 31P nuclear magnetic resonance measurements results indicated that PAM was more effective in removing organic P (phosphonates and orthophosphate monoesters) rather than inorganic P. However, PAC was more effective in removing inorganic P (particularly orthophosphate) rather than organic P. Based on the modeled results of a response surface methodology (RSM), doses of PAM and PAC were optimized for secondary effluent containing different amounts of organic and inorganic P from the two typical wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Wuhan city, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We tested the elevational herbivory defence hypothesis, which predicts that plants from low elevations are better defended than plants from higher elevations. Location: The Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau in south‐western China—the world's highest plateau. Taxon: Angiosperms. Methods: We collated binary spinescence data for 10,622 angiosperm species ranging from 600 to 6,000 m a.s.l. Logistic regression was used to quantify the elevational pattern in spinescence. Because spinescence is thought to be especially effective against mammalian herbivores, we also quantified the association between spinescence and mammalian herbivore richness. Results: We found a unimodal relationship between elevation and spinescence, with the highest proportion of spinescent species occurring at mid‐elevations. This unimodal relationship was present in perennial herbs, shrubs and trees, but not in annual herbs. Herbivorous mammal richness also showed a unimodal elevational pattern. A positive association between herbivorous mammal richness and the incidence of spinescent species suggests that elevational variation in herbivore pressure from mammals might drive elevational variation in spinescence. Main Conclusions: Our findings further call into question the elevational herbivory defence hypothesis and shed new light on the potential causes of elevational gradients in plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Mw=6.5 earthquake struck the Jiuzhaigou region of Sichuan Province, China, at 21:19 LT on Tuesday, 8 August 2017, and triggered a large number of landslides. For mitigating the damages of earthquake-triggered landslides to individuals and infrastructures of the earthquake-affected region, a comprehensive landslide susceptibility mapping was attempted with an integrated weighted index model by combining the frequency ratio and the analytical hierarchy process approaches under a GIS-based environment in the heavily earthquake-affected Zhangzha town of the Jiuzhaigou region. For this purpose, a total number of 842 earthquake-triggered landslides were visually interpreted and located from Sentinel-2A images acquired before and after the earthquake at first, and then the recognized landslides were randomly split into two groups to establish the earthquake-triggered landslide inventory, among which 80 % of the landslides were used for training the integrated model and the remaining 20 % for validation. Nine landslide controlling factors were considered including slope, aspect, elevation, lithology, distance from faults, distance from rivers, land use–land cover, normalized difference vegetation index and peak ground acceleration. The frequency ratio was utilized to evaluate the contribution of each landslide controlling factor to landslide occurrence, and the analytical hierarchy process was used to analyse the mutual relationship between landslide controlling factors. Finally, the landslide susceptibility map was produced by using weighted overlay analysis. Furthermore, an area under the curve approach was adopted to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the integrated weighted index model, including the degree of model fit and model predictive capability. The results demonstrated the reliability and feasibility of the integrated weighted index model in earthquake-triggered landslide susceptibility mapping at a regional scale. The generated map can help engineers and decision makers assess and mitigate hazards of the earthquake-triggered landslides to individuals and infrastructures of the earthquake-affected region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maritime Continent (MC) is an important region where the Tropical Pacific and the Indian Ocean interact with each other via "the atmospheric bridge" and a key region for the interaction between the Asian and Australian monsoons. Using the NCEP/NCAR and CMAP monthly mean reanalysis over the period of 1979-2012, the interdecadal variations of diabatic forcing over the key region of the Maritime Continent and its possible relations with the East Asian summer monsoon have been investigated in the present paper. Our results show that climate variations in the Maritime Continent is particularly significant in the area of95-145°E, l0°S-10°N, which is thus defined as the key area of the MC (i.e., KMC area). Without the input of latent heat release in the atmosphere, distinct interdecadal change of diabatic heating is found to exist from 1979 to 2012; it intensified before 1980s and peaked in the late 1980s and weakened after this period. By analyzing each individual component that contributes to the diabatic heating in the KMC area, surface latent heat flux and net long-wave radiation in the atmosphere are found to be the two dominant components. With negative diabatic heating anomalies over KMC, there will be more precipitation on islands and less precipitation over sea, and more rainfall around the equator, which is in correspondence with the convergence center around the equator in the KMC area . Along the meridional-vertical section averaged between 115-1 20°E, the well-defined vertical circulation anomalies are observed with the ascending branches over KMC and the area around 30°N respectively, and the descending branch over the South China Sea. Water vapor transports from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea to eastern China to benefit the positive precipitation anomalies. The meridional-vertical circulation in East Asia plays a critical role in linking the interdecadal variability of diabatic heating over the KMC and East Asian summer monsoon anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Five new prenylated acetophenones, melicoptelins A-E (1 – 5), along with one known congener (6) were isolated from the roots of Melicope ptelefolia. Among them, compounds 2a/2b , 3a/3b , and 4a/4b were obtained as inseparable interconverting mixtures of keto and enol tautomers. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Compouds 2a/2b , 4a/4b and 5 exhibit protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 34.4, 55.2 and 66.6 μ M, respectively. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidents, bad weathers, traffic congestions, etc. led to the uncertainties of travel times in real-life road networks, which greatly affected the quality of individual’s life and the reliability of transportation system. This paper addressed the school bus routing problem in such a stochastic and time-dependent road environment. Firstly, the problem was set based on a single-school configuration, and the students were picked up at their homes, which was in line with the current situation of school bus systems in China. Thus, it could be regarded as an independent problem of school bus route generation in random dynamic networks, which could be solved as a variant of extended Vehicle Routing Problem. However, due to the fluctuation and uncertainty of link travel times, the arrival time at each stop including the destination was varying. Therefore, the selection of optimal path connecting the current service node with the next one was treated as a sub-problem in this study, where the reliability of travel times in the stochastic and time-varying network was highly concerned by such time-rigid commuters. To this end, a Robust Optimal Schedule Times model with a hard time windows constraint was built to generate a most cost-reliable route for school buses. By the use of Robust Optimization method, it was intended to minimize the worst-case total cost which combined the cost of earlier schedule delays with the disutility of travel times. It was also proved that the proposed model could be converted into solving a conventional problem in deterministic dynamic networks for a reduction of computation complexity, which provided the potential of applying to the practical problems. Finally, the validity of the proposed model and its performance evaluation was analyzed through a small-scale computational instance, where all the link travel times in the simulated network were attributed to both time-varying and stochastic. Then, a mathematical programming solver was used to find the exact optimal solution. The results indicated that the model was valid, and the necessity of considering the stochastic and time-dependent nature of transportation networks was also confirmed in the case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, China's renewable energy has entered a stage of rapid development. The government gives financial and power-rate subsidies to clean power while putting great support on its construction. However, there is currently a big gap in the government's subsidy on new energy power generation, which is challenging to meet the demand for renewable energy consumption and sustainable development. In this regard, participating in the market is inevitable for renewable energy development, which is significant for promoting renewable energy power consumption and alleviating the subsidy dilemma. Considering the market-based mechanism, this paper regards the electricity market, the tradable green certificate market, and the carbon emissions allowance trading market as an integrated energy platform system that couples carbon emissions with electricity, linking generators and retailers. We consider two scenarios, including green electricity–green certificate separation and unity, and introduce the intermittency of new energy generation to construct the optimal pricing decision for this platform supply chain. We explore the optimal price of tradable green certificate for renewable power and the equilibrium demand for green power and thermal power in two circumstances. The results show that: (1) there is an equilibrium solution in various conditions. Moreover, the optimal price of green certificate in condition two, namely green electricity–green certificate unity, is higher when the on-grid price of green electricity and thermal one and the substitution effect of these two powers satisfy a certain constraint, which can stimulate generator and retailer to generate and consume green electricity as much as possible. (2) The price of carbon emissions and the responsibility weight of renewable electricity consumption both have a positive influence on the optimal price of green certificate and the share of equilibrium demands for green power, whereas intermittency of new energy generation has a negative impact on them. Adjusting the carbon price and incentive responsibility weights and taking relevant measures to reduce intermittency in different situations help to reduce thermal power demand and promote green power consumption. (3) When the prices of green certificates in diverse circumstances are in a certain interval, the impact intensity of changes in green certificate price on electricity demand will arise. It is conducive to performing the facilitative role of green certificate price on the power market better and stimulates the generation and consumption of new energy power in the carbon-electricity coupling market. • Through the carbon-electricity coupling perspective, the optimal TGC price was explored. • Introducing substitution effects of green power and thermal power to analyze optimal TGC prices. • A higher incentive responsibility weight of renewable consumption in scenario two can promote the retailer to consume. • Impact intensity of changes in green certificate price on power demand will arise when the price is in a certain interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the influence of long-term pesticide application on the distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the soil-groundwater system, 19 soil samples and 19 groundwater samples were collected from agricultural area with long-term pesticide application history in Northern China. Results showed that the composition of OCPs changed significantly from soil to groundwater. For example, ∑DDT, ∑HCH, and ∑heptachlor had high levels in the soil and low levels in the groundwater; in contrast, endrin had low level in the soil and high level in the groundwater. Further study showed that OCP distribution in the soil was significantly influenced by its residue time, soil organic carbon level, and small soil particle contents (i.d. <0.0002 mm). Correlation analysis also indicates that the distribution of OCPs in the groundwater was closely related to the levels of OCPs in the soil layer, which may act as a pollution source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initiative of Building a Maritime Community with a Shared Future (MCSF) has gained widespread attention domestically since it was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2019. This article selects and reviews 269 academic articles published from 2019 to 2022 and classifies them according to their subjects. The paper, in four parts, makes reflections on building the MCSF from Chinese Academia. The introductory section describes the background of the MCSF. The second part explores a theoretical outlook of the literature on building the MCSF. Chinese scholars have examined the definition and specific contents of the MCSF. In addition, scholars further delve into the theoretical roadmaps of the MCSF including its theoretical foundation and promotion of international ocean governance theory. The third part analyses how to adopt a series of pragmatic approaches to build the MCSF in diverse ocean-related fields from both international and domestic perspectives. The fourth part gives concluding remarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past three decades, income inequality in China has increased rapidly relative to both China’s own past and other countries at similar levels of economic development. Using recent longitudinal data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this article examines changes in income inequality and poverty prevalence between 2010 and 2012. Surprisingly, we find a modest decline in income inequality as measured by the Gini coefficients in the CFPS data. The urban–rural gap narrowed, with rural families enjoying faster income growth than urban families enjoyed. Income growth was greater for middle-income families than for families with either high or low incomes in 2010. By all measures, poverty was greatly reduced between 2010 and 2012. Two-thirds of families that had been poor in 2010 escaped poverty by 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of systematic reviews ( SRs) of nursing interventions' impact on practice makes their methodological quality and reporting characteristics especially important as it directly influence their utility for clinicians, patients and policy makers.The study aims to assess the methodological quality and reporting characteristics of SRs of nursing interventions in Chinese nursing journals. Three Chinese databases were searched for SRs of nursing interventions from inception to October 2011. The assessment of multiple systematic reviews ( AMSTAR) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses ( PRISMA) statements were used to assess methodological quality and reporting characteristics. Seventy-four SRs were included. The proportion of SRs complying with AMSTAR checklist items ranged from 0% to 82.4%. No SRs reported an 'a priori' design or conflict of interest. Only four items were found to be reported in more than 50% of the SRs: a list of included and excluded studies, the scientific quality of included studies, the appropriate use of methods to combine findings, and formulating conclusions appropriately. The majority of SRs of nursing interventions in China had major methodological and reporting flaws that limited their value to guide decisions. Chinese authors and journals should adopt and keep up with the AMSTAR and PRISMA statements to improve the quality of SRs in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the first and second waves of the Chinese Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2010 and 2012, this article describes five aspects of Chinese marriage and the family and discusses their continuity and change against the background of rapid social changes. We find that the rapid pace of modernization and demographic transition is creating a “transitional” family, in which new trends coexist with powerful old patterns. In addition, due to the huge developmental gaps among different areas and the expansion of social differentiation, we also find significant regional variations and class differences in terms of marriage and family behaviors. In addition, we discuss the role of government in shaping the Chinese family and the core function of families in providing social support in contemporary China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and correlates of syphilis among pregnant women in rural areas of South China. Methods: Point-of-care syphilis testing was provided at 71 health facilities in less developed, rural areas of Guangdong Province. Positive samples were confirmed at a local referral center by toluidine red unheated serum tests (TRUST) and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) tests. Results: Altogether 27,150 pregnant women in rural Guangdong were screened for syphilis. 106 (0.39%) syphilis cases were diagnosed, of which 78 (73.6%) received treatment for syphilis. Multivariate analysis revealed that older pregnant women (31–35 years old, aOR 2.7, 95% CI 0.99–7.32; older than 35 years old, aOR 5.9, 95% CI 2.13–16.34) and those with a history of adverse pregnant outcomes (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 2.30–5.76) were more likely to be infected with syphilis. Conclusions: A high prevalence of syphilis exists among pregnant women living in rural areas of South China. Enhanced integration of syphilis screening with other routine women's health services (OB GYN, family planning) may be useful for controlling China's syphilis epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper considers the macroscopic and microscopic statistical features of the top 500 firms in China, the United States and the world, denoted as China 500 (CH500), Fortune 500 (US500) and Fortune Global 500 (FG500). From a macroscopic perspective, the firm size distribution of each category, when measured by revenue, is steadily distributed over the observed period, even during periods of financial crises. As is evidenced by the Gini coefficient, divergences between firm scales are most significant for the CH500. From a microscopic perspective, the underlying micro-dynamics are volatile and often turbulent due to the exit and entry of firms as well as shifts in their revenues and ranks. Such fluctuations, or mobility, are visualized in rank/revenue/share clocks. We also propose a revenue/rank/share mobility index that is a quantitative measurement of mobility. Among these, we find that the share mobility acts as an effective indicator of economic status; where there is a share mobility spike, there is an ailing economy. The share mobility indexes indicate that the 2008 Financial Crisis had little impact on the Chinese economy, while it triggered violent changes in the top 500 firms in the United States and the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intergenerational co-residence of parents and married children is one of the most distinctive characteristics of traditional Chinese families. Whether this traditional living arrangement will change in the process of modernization has stimulated widespread interest of the academia. According to the classic modernization theory, modernization will push family taking up the modern family mode of the nuclear structure. However, many studies have found that, even in the most modernized urban areas in China, extended families still account for a large proportion, which significantly challenges the classic modernization theory. The existing literature suggests that the particular Chinese Confucian culture and the urgent needs of the support to elderly parents are the two primary reasons for the prevalence of extended families in urban China. Based on the data of the first wave of Chinese Family Panel Study in 2010, this paper finds that in addition to parents' needs for eldercare, children's needs are particularly important for coresidence. Young couples need to rely on their parents for monetary support, especially for housing; additionally, they need their parents to help with housework and childcare. This paper also finds that education expansion and population migration have undermined the foundation of Chinese extended family system. However, because of the strong needs from both parents and children, extended family still plays an irreplaceable role in contemporary urban China. Therefore, it is necessary for the extended family to survive in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the geostrategic environment of China's maritime expansion. Several factors have contributed to the favorable condition of the country's geostrategic environment. These include the confluence of global trends, like the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of an economic block, and Beijing's newly agile diplomacy. The aspects which influence the country's maritime development are offered.