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Learning performance is an important indicator of online learning, is related to the quality of online education and the performance of students. Previous studies have found that learners' learning performance is related to learning motivation and academic emotion, but the role of non-intellectual factors such as academic emotion has received less attention in empirical research. In order to make up for this gap, this study explored the mediating effect of positive academic emotions on college students' online learning motivation and online learning performance, as well as the differences in mediating effects under different learning methods (i.e., online learning and offline learning). The data comes from 1088 college students who participate in online courses and offline courses in China. This study adopts correlation analysis and multiple mediation analysis to analyze the intermediary effect of online and offline students and multi-group comparisons. The results showed that the (1) online learning motivation is positively affecting online learning performance and positive academic emotions, and positive academic emotions are related to online learning performance. There is also a positive correlation between the dimensions of the three; (2) positive academic emotions part of the intermediary role between college students' online learning motivation and online learning performance; (3) the intermediary effect of positive academic emotions in offline learning is significantly greater than that of online learning. This study is not only conducive to understanding academic emotions, learning motives and learning performance, but also provides important enlightenment online learning performance management in promoting open curriculum construction.

Background: Nursing students are faced with multiple challenges and have a higher probability of suffering from anxiety. The current study aims to explore the relation between empathy and anxiety, examining the mediation and moderation effects of insomnia and self-compassion, respectively. Methods: This study employed a convenient sampling method, recruiting 1,161 nursing students (female = 923, male = 238, Meanage = 18.37, SDage = 2.38) from three universities in China. These students completed the questionnaires online, including General Anxiety Disorder -7 (GAD-7), Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Nursing student (JSPE-NS), Youth Self-rating Insomnia Scale -8 (YSIS-8), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The study employed latent variable structural equation models to analyze the relation and mechanisms between empathy and anxiety. Then, the mediated role of insomnia and the moderated role of self-compassion were examined. Results: The prevalence rates of anxiety and insomnia in the current sample are 18.24% and 26.76%, respectively. The results showed that empathy could negatively predict anxiety, with a significant mediating effect of insomnia between them (B = -0.081, p < 0.05, 95% CI [-0.197, -0.063]). Additionally, it was proven that self-compassion moderated the positive relation between insomnia and anxiety. With a higher level of self-compassion, the indirect effect of empathy on anxiety through insomnia was weaker (B = -0.053, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-0.095, -0.019]). When individuals showed a lower level of self-compassion, the indirect effect of empathy on anxiety through insomnia was stronger (B = -0.144, p < 0.01, 95% CI [-0.255, -0.059]). Conclusion: The analysis of this research proved that empathy was negatively related to anxiety, and insomnia served as a mediator between empathy and anxiety. Besides, the protective role of self-compassion on individuals' mental health was identified. The findings of the study suggest that the education of nursing students should highlight the significance of fostering empathy and self-compassion. The intervention on insomnia may be helpful in reducing the levels of anxiety since insomnia is a risky factor for anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power sector is one of the major CO2-emitting industries in China. It is also the first key emissions control industry included in China's national carbon trading market established in 2021. Therefore, based on the data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2015 to 2022, this study analyzes the impact of the national carbon market policy on the carbon emissions of the power industry based on the generalized Difference-in-Difference (DID) model. Based on the method of text analysis, this paper constructs the carbon market policy intensity index of each region and incorporates it into the DID model. Empirical analysis finds that the national carbon market policy can significantly inhibit the carbon emissions of the power industry. However, the heterogeneity analysis of 30 provinces and cities shows that the national carbon market policy has a significant impact on the regions that already have a carbon pilot, but not on the non-pilot regions. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the national carbon market policy in the power industry emissions control, and also exposes the heterogeneity between regions, providing an important empirical basis for the inclusion of other energy-intensive industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ecological factor of wetland ecosystems, dew condenses frequently and in large amounts. In the process of marsh wetland restoration, the differences in water depth and plant types in different restoration years may affect dew condensation and evaporation. In this study, by monitoring dew in natural marshes, unrestored marshes (farmlands), and marshes restored 15, 10, and 5 years ago in the plant growth period of 2022 in the Sanjiang Plain, China, it was found that the "cold and wet effect" of marshes was conducive to dew condensation and could prolong the evaporation time of dew. In the process of marsh restoration, the number of dew days increased from 106 days (farmland) to 122 days (15-year marsh restoration), and the duration increased from 791.1 ± 90.3 min (farmland) to 869.4 ± 100.5 min (15-year marsh restoration). The dew intensity increased from 0.06 ± 0.02 mm (farmland) to 0.13 ± 0.04 mm (15-year marsh restoration), and the annual dew amount increased from 35.10 mm/y (farmland) to 44.86 mm/y (15-year marsh restoration). The number of dew days and the duration were similar to those of natural marshes after 15 years of restoration. SO42−, Ca2+, NH4+ and NO3− were the main ions of dew in marsh in each restoration year and farmland. There was no significant difference in the ion concentration (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, F−, Cl−, NO2−, and SO42−) of natural marsh dew compared with that 15 years after restoration (p > 0.05), except for NO3−. The marsh restored after 15 years had basically restored the characteristics of natural marsh in terms of the quality and quantity of dew. This study showed that marsh restoration increased dew, and dew was a good indicator of the restoration effect of marshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon trading and new energy markets are two key mechanisms for carbon reduction. However, theoretical analysis cannot reveal the complex links between carbon, green, and grey markets. Therefore, this study resorts to the frequency spillover index to explore the overall and directional connectedness of carbon-energy systems in China. The spillover effect indicates the cross-market propagation of information shocks and the potential ripple effects of specific shocks on system-wide changes. Dynamic spillovers suggest that the role of a certain market is not unchanged. In the time domain, both the overall and directional spillovers are closely related with the trading of carbon allowances and tend to show jumps at the beginning and end of the cycle. In the frequency domain, the short-term effects are much stronger than the medium- and long-term effects on all dimensions of the spillover effect. Comparatively, the grey energy is the main information transmitter at the high frequency, whereas it is the green energy playing such a role at medium and low frequencies. Comparing the overall spillovers on carbon markets, the effect of grey energy exceeds that of green energy. Even so, the carbon market plays an important role in the carbon-energy system with extremely significant effects on green and grey energy stocks at certain periods. The results provide profound implications for the management of carbon markets and portfolio optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia, as the only high-concentration alkaline gas in the atmosphere, plays an extremely important role in the initial nucleation process of aerosols. A rise in the concentration of NH3 after sunrise has been observed in many areas, known as the "morning peak phenomenon", which is likely related to the dew evaporation process because of the considerable amount of NH4+ present in dew. To investigate and compare the flux and rate of NH3 release from dew evaporation in downtown (WH) and suburban areas (SL), the dew amount and chemical makeup were measured and analyzed in Changchun, in northeastern China, from April to October 2021. The differences in the fraction of NH4+ released as NH3 gas and the NH3 emission flux and rate during the process of dew evaporation between SL and WH were identified. The results showed that the daily dew amount in WH (0.038 ± 0.017 mm) was lower than that in SL (0.065 ± 0.032 mm) (P < 0.01), and the pH in SL (6.58 ± 0.18) was approximately 1 pH unit higher than that in WH (5.60 ± 0.25). SO42−, NO3−, Ca2+ and NH4+ were the main ions in WH and SL. The ion concentration in WH was significantly higher than that in SL (P < 0.05), which was influenced by human activities and pollution sources. A total of 24%-48% NH4+ was released as NH3 gas during dew evaporation in WH, which was lower than the conversion fraction of SL dew (44%-57%). The evaporation rate of NH3 was 3.9–20.6 ng/m2·s (9.9 ± 5.7 ng/m2·s) in WH and 3.3–15.9 ng/m2·s (8.6 ± 4.2 ng/m2·s) in SL. The dew evaporation process makes an important contribution to the NH3 morning peak phenomenon, but it is not the only contributor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the safe transportation of liquefied ethane pipeline in the Oilfield of China, it is necessary to fully study the process of pipeline replacement, operation and shutdown. The accurate calculation of physical property parameters and critical parameters is the basis of studying the gas-liquid two-phase flow and heat and mass transfer process of liquefied ethane in the pipeline. In this paper, different equations of states (EOSs) were used to predict the physical properties (such as density, dew point and dynamic viscosity) of ethane or ethane mixture, and the predicted results were compared with the corresponding experimental data from the literature. The prediction performance of different EOSs were evaluated by using two evaluation indicators, including average absolute deviation (AAD) and average relative deviation (ARD). The results showed that the PR-Peneloux EOS has the best performance for predicting the density of CH4-C2H6-N2 mixture with an ARD value of 4.46%; for predicting the dew point, the BWRS EOS exhibits the superior performance with an ARD value of 0.58%; and for predicting dynamic viscosity, the SuperTRAPP formula has the smallest calculation error, with an ARD value of 1.33%. Considering the comparison results of the calculation accuracy of density, dew point and dynamic viscosity of ethane or ethane mixture by using different EOSs, PR-Peneloux EOS was recommended to calculate the phase characteristics in the process of ethane pipeline replacement operation. The phase characteristics of ethane for pipeline transport in the oilfield of China were obtained. The critical temperature is 32.79℃ and the critical pressure is 4.97 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Comprehensive Diagram Method (CDM) for a Multi-Layer Perceptron Neuron Network (MLPNN) is proposed to realize natural gas energy metering using temperature, pressure, and the speed of sound from an ultrasonic flowmeter. Training and testing of the MLPNN model were performed on the basis of 1003 real data points describing the compression factors (Z-factors) and calorific values of the three main components of natural gas in Sichuan province, China. Moreover, 20 days of real tests were conducted to verify the measurements' accuracy and the adaptability of the new intelligent method. Based on the values of the Mean Relative Errors and the Root Mean Square errors for the learning and test errors calculated on the basis of the actual data, the best-quality MLP 3-5-1 network for the metering of Z-factors and the new CDM methods for the metering of calorific values were experimentally selected. The Bayesian regularized MLPNN (BR-MLPNN) 3-5-1 network showed that the Z-factors of natural gas have a maximum relative error of −0.44%, and the new CDM method revealed calorific values with a maximum relative error of 1.90%. In addition, three local tests revealed that the maximum relative error of the daily cumulative amount of natural gas energy was 2.39%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal husbandry is a vital sector in China's agriculture sector, contributing to over one-third of its agricultural output, and more than 40% of farmers' income. However, this industry is vulnerable to risks arising from production and operation, such as disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and market fluctuations. Livestock insurance can help mitigate these risks, but the lack of reliable data on shed environments has hindered its effectiveness. The objective of this study is to propose a livestock shed environmental regulatory platform that utilizes blockchain and the Internet of Things to ensure data authenticity, real-time monitoring, and transparency in the regulatory process. The platform also automates the insurance process, reducing costs and improving efficiency. The proposed platform employs blockchain to ensure data authenticity and devices to monitor and collect real-time environmental data. It also utilizes smart contracts to automate the insurance process, from negotiating and signing contracts to making insurance claims. The system's design rationale, architecture, and implementation are detailed. The proposed platform has been implemented and currently manages over 300,000 livestock animals with more than 350,000 insurance contracts signed. The use of blockchain and the Internet of Things has ensured data authenticity, real-time monitoring, and transparency in the regulatory process, while the automation of the insurance process has reduced costs and improved efficiency. The proposed livestock shed environmental regulatory platform has the potential to improve the effectiveness of livestock insurance in China by addressing the critical issue of data reliability. The use of blockchain and the Internet of Things has enabled real-time monitoring, data authenticity, and transparency in the regulatory process, while the automation of the insurance process has improved efficiency and reduced costs. This platform could serve as a model for other countries looking to improve the effectiveness of their livestock insurance programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the combined effects of tillage and straw incorporation on grain yield and nitrogen (N) fertilizer utilization is vital for sustainable agriculture in northeastern China. How various tillage patterns with straw incorporation affect soil N balance and optimal N rate for crop production remains largely unknown. A four‐year (2015–2018) field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of rotary tillage with maize straw incorporation (RTS) and plough tillage with straw incorporation (PTS) combined with different N fertilizer rates (0, 112, 187, 262, and 337 kg N ha−1) on maize yield, N uptake, soil N balance, nitrogen use efficiency, and optimal N rate. In general, higher straw N uptake and lower N partial factor productivity, N use efficiency, and recovery of applied N in grains were obtained under PTS than under RTS. Moreover, grain yield and both straw and grain N uptake increased with the N application rate. However, no further increase in grain yield was observed when the applied N exceeded 187 kg N ha−1. PTS resulted in a higher level of unaccounted N from applied N fertilizer (38–81 kg N ha−1) than RTS. A high N fertilizer input (>262 kg N ha−1) combined with straw incorporation resulted in a high soil mineral N profit and substantially increased unaccounted N (614–715 kg N ha−1) over the four‐year field trial period. The optimal N input required for the highest maize yield could be reduced by 35.0%–44.6% using tillage with straw return. Nevertheless, PTS was more effective than RTS at lowering the optimal N application rate. Overall, the results of this short‐term maize field study conducted in northeastern China suggest that the amount of N fertilizer input required for maize production could be reduced by using tillage with continuous straw incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dew is a part of the water cycle of ecosystems and is a source of water and humidity. The climate characteristics of the frost-free period in Northeast China are suitable for dew condensation, and dew is an important factor of water balance in this area. Northeast China is among the most significant warming areas in China, with an obvious "warm and dry" climate trend, which may affect dew condensation. To determine the dew amounts in different ecosystems in Northeast China and the influence of climate change on these amounts, dew condensation in farmland (corn), wetland (Carex lasiocarpa) and urban ecosystems (Syringa oblata Lindl.) was monitored during the growing period (May to October) from 2005 to 2021. The results showed that the annual average number of dew days was 132.8 in a wetland in Fujin, 122.9 in a farmland in Lishu and 118.1 in an urban area in Changchun. The daily dew intensity in the three ecosystems was lowest in May and highest in July and August. The average daily dew intensity was higher in the wetland (0.125 ± 0.069 mm) than the farmland (0.061 ± 0.026 mm) and urban area (0.028 ± 0.009 mm). The annual dew amount was also highest in the wetland (44.09 ± 7.51 mm) compared to the farmland (34.46 ± 3.54 mm) and much higher than that in the urban ecosystem (25.32 ± 3.29 mm). The annual dew in the farmland, wetland and urban ecosystems accounted for 7.92 ± 2.76%, 14.98 ± 5.93% and 6.71 ± 2.66% of the rainfall in the same period, respectively. The results indicated that dew was an important source of water and that wetlands had greater dew deposition than farmlands and urban areas. Considering the climate data during the dew condensation period from 1957 to 2021, the annual dew amount showed a decreasing trend of −0.40 mm/10a (p < 0.05) in Changchun. However, under the joint influence of relative humidity (RH) and wind speed (V), the impact of climate change on dew condensation was not obvious. This study further clarified the impact of climate change on the near-surface water cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth in defence expenditure in China raises the concern that investments in the defence sector crowd out investments in social sectors, i.e., the 'guns for butter' argument. This article resorts to the bubble testing method to study the trade-off between defence and utilities sectors in the Chinese capital market. Based upon the generalized sup Augmented Dickey-Fuller (GSADF) test, this paper captures and date stampings explosive behaviors in defence and utilities industries using stock indexes. Empirical results reveal bubbles for defence and utilities sectors in similar time periods, thus indicating that the factors driving explosive movements are alike for both sectors. However, bubbles in a certain sector do not necessarily crowd out investments in the other sector. Through testing bubbles in the ratio of stock indexes of two sectors, we find that the explosive episodes vanish. The results indicate that the crowding-out effect between defence and utilities sectors does not exist in the Chinese capital market. Increases in the military expenditure in China are necessary to safeguard the national security because of frequent geopolitical conflicts and terrorism. However, the defence to utilities ratio is increasing rapidly, implying the possibility that excessive growth in military expenditure may generate the 'guns for butter' problem, which can be detrimental to economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dew condensation frequency is high, and the dew amount is heavy in urban ecosystems. During the condensation process, particulate matter acts as a condensation core, playing an important role in purifying the air. At night, dew mainly condenses on plant leaf surfaces, the plant leaves settle the particles in the dew, and some of the particles are resuspended into the atmosphere in the process of dew evaporation after sunrise. This paper monitored the condensation and evaporation processes of dew on four common plants in Changchun city from June to September 2020. By analyzing the mass and size of particles on different leaves after dew condensation and evaporation, the ability of different plants to retain particles in dew was analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the TSP capture ability during dew condensation between Buxus sinica (Rehd. et Wils.) Cheng subsp. sinica var. parvifolia M. Cheng, Syringa oblata Lindl., Hemiptelea davidii (Hance) Planch., and Pinus tabuliformis Carrière, with a TSP content of 0.21 ± 0.06 μg/cm2. Coarse particulate matter is the main type of deposit in the dew condensation stage. Particulate deposition varied according to species, leaf shape, and microstructure. The proportion of TSP remaining on leaves after dew evaporation from Pinus tabuliformis Carrière, Hemiptelea davidii (Hance) Planch., Buxus sinica (Rehd. et Wils.) Cheng subsp. sinica var. parvifolia M. Cheng, and Syringa oblata Lindl. tree was 89.7 ± 3.9%, 80.6 ± 3.6%, 75.9 ± 4.5%, and 71.4 ± 3.7%, respectively. The ability of the leaves to trap fine particles was significantly higher than that for coarse particles (P < 0.05) after dew evaporation. The highest amount of particle captured by Syringa oblata Lindl. individual was 15.17 g/y during dew condensation, and the amount of remaining particles after dew evaporation was 10.83 g/y. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the selection of tree species for urban greening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dew is an important water input and promotes plant growth. Dew condenses on plant leaves at night, and a portion of this dew returns to the atmosphere through evaporation. The amount of dew that evaporates is not equal to the amount of condensation; however, the dew evaporation process has not received enough attention. By monitoring the dew condensation and evaporation processes associated with four typical shrubs (Syringa, Hemiptelea, Buxus, and Cornus) in northeast China, we found that dew condensation started approximately 30 min after sunset, finished approximately 30 min before sunrise, and then turned to the evaporation phase. Dew had completely depleted approximately 4 h after sunrise. The dew evaporation period was negatively correlated with the wind speed (p < 0.01) and positively correlated with temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity (RH) (p < 0.01). The average evaporation periods of Syringa, Buxus, Cornus, and Hemiptelea were 282 ± 21 min, 255 ± 26 min, 242 ± 22 min, and 229 ± 17 min, respectively. The daily evaporation amounts in May and September reached the minimum and maximum values, respectively, and the evaporation intensity of dew was positively correlated with RH (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the daily evaporation amounts of Syringa, Hemiptelea, Buxus, or Cornus (p > 0.05), and the annual evaporation amounts of these four plants were 17.05 mm/y, 16.38 mm/y, 21.94 mm/y, and 16.15 mm/y, respectively. The microstructure of leaves affected both the rate and amount of evaporation. Dew evaporated faster on hydrophilic leaves, and leaves with high trichome and stomatal densities had lower proportions of the dew evaporation amount to the condensation amount. The proportions of the dew evaporation amount to the condensation amount derived for Syringa, Hemiptelea, Buxus, and Cornus were 60.38%, 46.07%, 57.24%, and 52.81%, respectively. This study supplements our understanding of dew evaporation amounts, providing information that was missing in the near-surface hydrological cycle and aiding in the assessment of the ecological significance of dew to plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need to reduce carbon emissions causes great concerns about rising inflation. Through measuring the interconnectedness in the carbon-inflation system consisting of four representative carbon pilots, this study demonstrates strong spillover effects between carbon returns and inflation in China, mainly driven by short-term components. The net spillovers from inflation are usually positive in the short-term, indicating that it is a net information transmitter. By contrast, inflation switches roles between information transmitter and receiver in the long-term. The net pairwise spillovers between carbon returns and inflation differ across pilots, showing heterogeneity in the carbon-inflation system. Guangdong and Shenzhen pilots exhibit significant net spillover effects on inflation, particularly in the short-term. Finally, important events exert significant impacts on the spillover effects between carbon returns and inflation, but do not necessarily enhance the overall connectedness. Overall, the multiscale interplay of the carbon-inflation system reveals an early warning of the transmission risk from carbon costs to inflation and provides useful implications for risk management at different time horizons. • The dynamic frequency spillovers between carbon and inflation are measured. • The carbon-inflation spillovers are mainly driven by short-term components. • Inflation is a net transmitter in the short-term, but a net receiver in the long-term. • Guangdong and Shenzhen pilots have net spillover effects on inflation in the short-term. • Important events do not necessarily enhance the overall connectedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon market is the most effective market tool for carbon emission reduction. China, the largest carbon emitter in the world, established the national carbon market in 2021, covering over 2000 key units in the power sector. Therefore, the forecasting of carbon price has profound implications for environmental and energy policies. In this paper, two traditional econometric model and three kinds of machine learning (ML) algorithms are used to predict carbon returns in the Chinese carbon trading market based on carefully selected predictors. Among all forecasting models, the Random Forest (RF) has the best forecasting performance, followed by some GARCH models using various factors. Compared with the traditional benchmark of ARMA model, the BP neural network (BP) and the GA improved BP method (GA-BP) are less competitive in predicting carbon returns in China because of their large forecasting errors. According to the optimal model, social attention to the carbon market, the international crude oil returns and the overall performance of the stock market are the most important predictors. The findings are robust to the change in the sample set. Overall, the ML approach shows an advantage in forecasting carbon returns, but the selection of predictors is also important. • Machine learning and econometric models are used to forecast carbon returns in China. • The selection of predictors is based on economic analysis. • The Random Forest (RF) outperforms the other ML and econometric methods. • The energy market is extremely important for predicting carbon returns. • Social concerns and stock market performance improve forecasting accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2019, an outbreak of COVID-19 broke out in Hubei, China. Medical workers from all over the country rushed to Hubei and participated in the treatment and care of COVID-19 patients. These nurses, dedicated to their professional practice, volunteered to provide compassion and expert clinical care during the pandemic. As with other acts of heroism, the ethical dilemmas associated with working on the front line must be considered for future practice. Purpose: To explore the ethical dilemmas of frontline nurses of Jiangsu Province in China during deployment to Wuhan to fight the novel coronavirus pneumonia, and to provide a basis for developing strategies to help nursing staff address personal and practice concerns in order to work more effectively during this pandemic and other disasters in the future. Research design and method: Using the phenomenological research method and the purpose sampling method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 nurses, post-deployment to Wuhan, who had worked on the front line to fight the novel coronavirus. Ethical considerations: The research proposal was approved by the Research Ethic Committee of Yangzhou University, China. Findings: From the analysis of the interviews of the 10 participants, three main themes were identified: ethical dilemmas in clinical nursing, ethical dilemmas in interpersonal relationships, and ethical dilemmas in nursing management. Conclusion: During a quick response to public health emergencies, where nurses are deployed immediately as a call to action, the issues surrounding ethical dilemmas from several perspectives must be considered. This research suggests that a team approach to proactive planning and open communication during the emergency is an efficient and productive strategy to improve the nurses' experience and sense of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: University students who are exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be mentally distressed. We aimed to evaluate the pattern and risk factors of mental health and suicidal behavior among students who experienced long-term school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This large-sample, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted from June 29, 2020, to July 18, 2020. Eleven thousand two hundred fifty four participants were recruited from 30 universities located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal behavior was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Insomnia Severity Index, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, and questions about suicidal ideation and attempts, respectively. Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors for mental health problems and suicidal behavior. Results: The prevalence of mental health problems was 41.5% for depressive symptoms, 32.6% for anxiety symptoms, 35.0% for insomnia symptoms, 8.5% for PTSD symptoms, and 2.0% for suicidal behavior. Participants with high stress during the pandemic were at higher risk of symptoms of depression [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.43–1.95, p < 0.01), anxiety (adjusted OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.63–2.23, p < 0.01), insomnia (adjusted OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.44–1.87, p < 0.01), PTSD (adjusted OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.38–2.11, p < 0.01) and suicidal behavior (adjusted OR = 3.51, 95% CI = 2.28–5.40, p < 0.01). Distant relationship with parents, changes in lifestyle and alcohol use during the pandemic were associated with higher risk of mental health symptoms and suicidal behavior, whereas regular physical exercise reduced the risk of mental health problems. Conclusions: The psychological symptoms and suicidal behavior were relatively high among students who attended university in Wuhan, China after 6 months of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Comprehensive mental health services and suicide prevention strategies are essential for university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine animals are a huge resource of various glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) with specific structures and functions. A large number of byproducts, such as low-edible mantle, are produced during the processing of Chlamys farreri , which is one of the most cultured scallops in China. In this study, a major GAG component was isolated from the mantle of C. farreri , and its structural characteristics and biological activities were determined in detail. Preliminary analysis by agarose electrophoresis combined with specific enzymatic degradation evaluations showed that this component was heparan sulfate and was named CMHS. Further analysis by HPLC and NMR revealed that CMHS has an average molecular weight of 35.9 kDa and contains a high proportion (80%) of 6- O -sulfated N -acetyl-D-glucosamine /N -sulfated-D-glucosamine (6- O -sulfated GlcNAc/GlcNS) residues and rare 3- O -sulfated β-D-glucuronic acid residues. Bioactivity analysis showed that CMHS has much lower anticoagulant activity than heparin and it can interact with various growth factors with high affinity. Moreover, CMHS binds strongly to the morphogen Wnt 3a to inhibit glypican-3-stimulated Wnt 3a signaling. Thus, the identification of CMHS with unique structural and bioactive features will provide a promising candidate for the development of GAG-type pharmaceutical products and promote the high-value utilization of C. farreri mantle. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the causal nexus between defense expenditure and economic growth in China using the bootstrap Granger full-sample causality test and rolling-window estimation. The full-sample result indicates a positive bidirectional causality between economic growth and defense expenditure, suggesting that more defense spending increases economic growth, and vice versa. By adopting a time-varying rolling-window approach to revisit the dynamic causal relationships, this article identifies that the causality changes over time. We find significant positive short-run causality running from economic growth to defense expenditure in most of the time investigated, thus implying that economic growth stimulates defense expenditure. However, large-scale disarmaments break such positive linkage. Conversely, both positive and negative effects of defense expenditure on economic growth are demonstrated, showing that more defense spending has ambiguous effect on economy. Consequently, economic growth mainly drives defense expenditure rather than the other way around. The impact of defense expenditure in China on national economy is affected by multiplier effect and crowding-out effect as well as institutional factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the nexus between the defense spending growth rate and inflation to test whether defense spending is inflationary in China, particularly in times of peace. Using wavelet analysis, we find that the linkage between the defense spending growth rate and inflation changes over time and across frequencies. We provide evidence supporting negative leading effects of inflation on the defense spending growth rate in certain periods across various frequencies. The results illustrate that the relationship is stronger at the short- to medium-term horizon of less than eight years than it is in the long term. No positive leading effect of defense spending on inflation is demonstrated, showing that defense spending is not inflationary in China. The results indicate that inflation lowers the defense spending growth rate at short and medium scales, particularly in peace time. This study provides new insights into the nexus between defense spending and inflation and emphasizes that such a correlation has time and frequency features. Meanwhile, given that there is little evidence supporting the idea that defense spending is inflationary, a moderate increase in defense spending will not damage price stability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on carbon spot prices selected from seven carbon pilots, we assess the financial performances related to carbon volatility in China on the overall perspective. According to the results, the Chinese carbon market fluctuated severely at the beginning of carbon trading, but has stabilised in general, despite several dramatic changes related to ‘yearly compliance events’. Long-term memory exists in the volatility series. Moreover, asymmetry exists in the Chinese carbon market, and volatility reacts more severely to good news than to bad news. Finally, we discuss our empirical results, and make certain suggestions regarding firms’ awareness, international cooperation and individual investors not only for policy makers in China but also for other developing countries who are contemplating either commencing carbon trading or improving the current market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to identify whether the inflation expectation formation models adopted by Chinese agents are heterogeneous or homogeneous. A Gaussian mixture model is developed assuming that agents form inflation expectations by selecting a model from alternatives. Analysis results reveal that only adaptive expectation (AE) model is significant, indicating that both households and financial participants are fairly homogeneous in selecting inflation expectation formation models. Therefore, the mechanism of heterogeneous models is inoperative in explaining the heterogeneous inflation expectations in China, and the AE is the main driver of Chinese agents' perceptions about cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the risk of heavy metals contamination on the aquatic ecosystem in downstream waters of a gold field in Northeast China, samples of sediment, fish, shrimp, and mussels were collected to determine heavy metals concentrations. According to Igeo, more attention should be given to Hg, Pb, and Cu pollution in sediment of Weisha River. For aquatic animals, the greatest contents of Hg, Cu, and Pb were found in samples collected from Weisha River, while the maximum values of Zn, Cd, and Cr were found in Hongshi Reservoir, Banmiao River, and Songhua Lake, respectively. The Hg and Pb contents in fish were found in the order of predatory fish > omnivorous fish > herbivorous fish, although for other metals no significant difference was observed among the three trophic levels. The contents of metals in Oriental river prawn and Chinese pond mussel were greater than that in fish, except for Pb. The Target Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index of metals showed that the Carnivorous and Omnivorous fish from Songhua Lake and Hongshi Reservoir, as well as all fish from Banmiao River and Weisha River, were not suitable for consuming in the view of the combined risk of all metals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Our previous studies showed that the expressions of miR-148a, miR-152 and miR-148b are altered in gastric cancer (GC). The present study aimed to find relationship between individual single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes of these miRNAs and susceptibility, clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of GC in a large sample of the Han population of Northern China. Twelve SNPs were genotyped using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry in a case–control study of 571 Chinese GC patients and 571 cancer-free controls. The rs11170877 G allele (P = 0.027) and the rs12231393 C allele (P = 0.034) were associated with a decreased risk of GC. However, these associations were lost after Bonferroni correction. The rs4719839 G allele was associated with Borrmann type III–IV GC (P = 0.034), increased tumour size (P = 0.020), an increased rate of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.047) and advanced TNM stage (P = 0.009). These associations were also lost after Bonferroni correction. The haplotype of miR-148b was significantly correlated with GC risk. The haplotypes in miRNA-148a were different in Borrmann types. The haplotype of miR-152 distributed various in the positive lymphovascular invasion group compared to negative group. Polymorphisms of miR-148b rs11170877 and 12231393 and their haplotypes were predictive factors of susceptibility to GC. A functional genetic variant of miRNA rs4719839 and the corresponding haplotype were associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis of advanced GCs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Comparing with the accelerating of carbon trading worldwide, the interactions between carbon markets and the building sector in China are underexplored. To this end, this study proposes a Network-SVAR model to reveal the inner linkage between carbon prices and significant building variables. Specifically, based on the Additive Bayesian Network (ABN) methodology, we investigate the inter-connectedness of target variables through a network and find a direct linkage between carbon prices and the construction area of real estate. Meanwhile, we find some indirect relationships between carbon prices and other building factors such as energy prices. The network provides a basis for selecting important variables that link carbon markets and the building sector, which are then used to construct a SVAR model. Using the forecast error variance decompositions based on the distance covariance approach, we find that the construction area of real estate and the electricity price contribute most to the forecast error of carbon prices. A further study of impulse-responses supports the importance of the construction area of real estate to carbon price changes and reveals the interactions between them. However, shocks of building material prices exert limited effects on carbon prices, which indicates the low-involvement of construction companies in carbon markets. The results provide insightful implications for the management scheme of the building sector in managing price risks and reducing carbon emissions through climate finance. • We portray the inter-connectedness of carbon prices and the building sector using ABN. • The interactions of carbon prices and the construction industry are quantified. • The construction area of real estate has a direct dependency with carbon prices. • Building material prices have limited impact on carbon prices. • Construction areas and electricity prices have delayed effects on carbon prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the relationship between ecosystem health and urbanization is the foundation for solving the ecological and environmental problems of urban ecosystems and has both theoretical and practical significance. This paper investigates the relationship between ecosystem health and urbanization in 260 Chinese cities in the years 2000, 2005 and 2010. For each city, four aspects of ecosystem health are evaluated and three types of urbanization are measured. The paper uses piecewise linear regression to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of the relationship between urbanization and ecosystem health at both national and regional levels. Finally, the threshold levels of urbanization that cause changes in ecosystem health responses were estimated. The results show significant negative correlations between different dimensions of urbanization and ecosystem health at the national level, with spatial urbanization having a greater effect than economic and population urbanization. The results also reveal regional and temporal differences in the correlations at both national and regional levels, along with threshold levels for the effects of urbanization. This paper aims to explore the dynamic impacts of different urbanization characteristics and stages on ecosystem health, and help in reconciling the contradictions between economy, population, land expansion, and ecosystem health in different urbanization stages by identifying the thresholds of change trends. [Display omitted] • Ecosystem health (EH) is evaluated at 260 Chinese prefecture level cities. • At national scale, correlation thresholds of economic and spatial urbanization with EH are 92.8 and 12.5% respectively. • Spatial urbanization has strongest correlation to ecosystem health. • Significant thresholds can be defined as start, end or change point of different urbanization effects. • Policy making should differ in growth speed in medium level cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, urban flood disasters caused by sudden heavy rains have become increasingly severe, posing a serious threat to urban public infrastructure and the life and property safety of residents. Rapid simulation and prediction of urban rain-flood events can provide timely decision-making reference for urban flood control and disaster reduction. The complex and arduous calibration process of urban rain-flood models has been identified as a major obstacle affecting the efficiency and accuracy of simulation and prediction. This study proposes a multi-scale urban rain-flood model rapid construction method framework, BK-SWMM, focusing on urban rain-flood model parameters and based on the basic architecture of Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). The framework comprises two main components: 1) constructing a SWMM uncertainty parameter sample crowdsourcing dataset and coupling Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) and K-means clustering machine learning algorithm to discover clustering patterns of SWMM model uncertainty parameters in urban functional areas; 2) coupling BIC and K-means with SWMM model to form BK-SWMM flood simulation framework. The applicability of the proposed framework is validated by modeling three different spatial scales in the study regions based on observed rainfall-runoff data. The research findings indicate that the distribution pattern of uncertainty parameters, such as depression storage, surface Manning coefficient, infiltration rate, and attenuation coefficient. The distribution patterns of these seven parameters in urban functional zones indicate that the values are highest in the Industrial and Commercial Areas (ICA), followed by Residential Areas (RA), and lowest in Public Areas (PA). All three spatial scales' RE Q , NSE Q , and R D 2 indices were superior to the SWMM and less than 10%, greater than 0.80, and greater than 0.85, respectively. However, when the study area's geographical scale expands, the simulation's accuracy will decline. Further research is required on the scale dependency of urban storm flood models., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ammonia, as the only high-concentration alkaline gas in the atmosphere, plays an extremely important role in the initial nucleation process of aerosols. A rise in the concentration of NH 3 after sunrise has been observed in many areas, known as the "morning peak phenomenon", which is likely related to the dew evaporation process because of the considerable amount of NH 4 + release from dew evaporation in downtown (WH) and suburban areas (SL), the dew amount and chemical makeup were measured and analyzed in Changchun, in northeastern China, from April to October 2021. The differences in the fraction of NH 3 release from dew evaporation in downtown (WH) and suburban areas (SL), the dew amount and chemical makeup were measured and analyzed in Changchun, in northeastern China, from April to October 2021. The differences in the fraction of NH 4 + released as NH 3 gas and the NH 3 emission flux and rate during the process of dew evaporation between SL and WH were identified. The results showed that the daily dew amount in WH (0.038 ± 0.017 mm) was lower than that in SL (0.065 ± 0.032 mm) (P < 0.01), and the pH in SL (6.58 ± 0.18) was approximately 1 pH unit higher than that in WH (5.60 ± 0.25). SO 4 2- , NO 3 - , Ca 2+ and NH 4 + were the main ions in WH and SL. The ion concentration in WH was significantly higher than that in SL (P < 0.05), which was influenced by human activities and pollution sources. A total of 24%-48% NH 4 + was released as NH 3 gas during dew evaporation in WH, which was lower than the conversion fraction of SL dew (44%-57%). The evaporation rate of NH 3 was 3.9-20.6 ng/m 2 ·s (9.9 ± 5.7 ng/m 2 ·s) in WH and 3.3-15.9 ng/m 2 ·s (8.6 ± 4.2 ng/m 2 ·s) in SL. The dew evaporation process makes an important contribution to the NH 3 morning peak phenomenon, but it is not the only contributor., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Aim: To explore anxiety, sleep quality, and mindfulness of frontline nurses at the initial epicenter of the pandemic, to examine the mediating effects of mindfulness., Background: COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in January 2020. Nurses were at the forefront of care and treatment across hospitals in response to the pandemic., Methods: Single site cross-sectional survey conducted in Wuhan province (China) between March and April in 2020. Quantitative analysis of survey data from N118 nurses working in the frontline COVID response. Questionnaires included: The general information questionnaire, the Self-Anxiety Scale, the Short Inventory of Mindfulness, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index., Results: Front-line nurses' anxiety was positively associated with sleep quality and mindfulness was negatively associated with anxiety and sleep quality. Mindfulness had a mediating role on anxiety and sleep quality, with intermediary adjustment effects (ES = 0.136, 95 % CI 0.02 to 0.26), accounting for 21.9 % of the total effect ratio., Conclusions: Anxiety causes a reduction in sleep quality and mindfulness can help with anxiety. Mindfulness strategies may help during periods of higher anxiety in the workplace; however, other factors must be considered. Further research is required on strategies for assisting nurses during periods of extreme anxiety., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No conflict of interest exits in the submission of this manuscript, and manuscript is approved by all authors for publication., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Considering that the promotion of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) is a potential measure to address urban air pollution, the Chinese government has launched subsidy schemes to improve its market penetration. The purpose of this study is to quantify the economic benefits of NEV promotion from 2016 to 2019 and compare them with the cost of government subsidies in Beijing, so the effectiveness of the NEV policies can be evaluated and valuable recommendations can be provided for decision-making. The exposure-response model and the cost of illness approach was applied to evaluate the health and economic benefits of NEV promotion. Our results are as follows: (1) promoting NEVs can reduce the PM 2.5 concentration significantly, the average annual concentration reduction was between 3.23 μg/m 3 and 4.61 μg/m 3 ; (2) at least 37,545 illnesses and deaths in Beijing could be reduced through NEV promotion annually, internal disease (15-64) was the most affected illness; (3) the economic benefits of NEV promotion were far more than the cost and the net benefits stock reached 33.71 billion CNY in 2019, accounting for 0.95% of Beijing's GDP in the same period. This study provides references in the perspective of environmental economics for the policy formulation of promoting NEVs.

Marinated vegetables are traditional cold dishes with a long history and special flavor in the Chinese deli market. However, the traditional thermal-and-soaking (TS) procedure often results in unreproducible flavor quality properties of marinated vegetables and waste of brine and time in production. A novel green and sustainable technique, high-pressure processing (HPP), has caught the attention of the food industry. In this study, the effects of HPP and TS treatment on the visual, flavor, textural, and microbiological qualities of Chinese marinated lotus root slices were investigated. Compared to the TS products, lighter color, more varieties of volatile compounds, and crunchier texture were detected in the HPP products. Throughout the 4 °C, 25 °C, and 45 °C shelf life challenges, the HPP products retained their original color and crunchiness better than the TS ones, whereas no significant differences were found in total viable counts (TVCs) in the first half of the shelf lives. The Arrhenius model under the first-order reaction of TVC deterioration showed a good fit to the shelf life of the HPP marinated lotus root slices. This study demonstrates that HPP may assist in making the best use of brine in a more time-efficient manner to improve the visual, flavor, and textural quality of traditional Chinese marinated lotus root slices.

With the continuous expansion of COVID-19, many medical experts with the characteristics of "Internet Celebrities" are increasingly influencing people's vaccination behavior, which is crucial for overall social welfare. To explore the influence of Internet celebrity medical experts on people's vaccination against COVID-19, this study constructed a conceptual model of COVID-19 vaccination intention based on the professionalism, morality, interaction dimension, and information content of Internet celebrity medical experts, to generate perceived value by establishing a trusting relationship between them and the influenced people. The empirical analysis shows that interactivity and information content are important factors determining the influence of Internet celebrity medical experts. In the context of high demands for COVID-19 vaccines, it is more effective to influence vaccination intention through strong demand than through generating trust. The empirical analysis shows that Internet celebrity medical experts have a significant role in COVID-19 vaccination, and interactivity and information content are two important factors determining the influence. Through the connection of information-demand, Internet celebrity medical experts can greatly influence the perceived value, by coaction with trust to influence the final intention. Therefore, the COVID-19 vaccination persuasion information released by Internet celebrity medical experts should be elaborately organized and demonstrated, especially from the demand aspect, and government could put more resources to support the information to spread., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wei, Zhao, Meng, Chen and Xu.)

Information release is a key to the macro-economy during the outbreak of the Coronavirus Diosease-2019 (COVID-19). To explore the relationship between information supply by the government and public information demand in the pandemic, this study collected over 4,000 posts published on the most popular social media platform, i.e., WeChat. Many approaches, such as text mining, are employed to explore the information at different stages during the pandemic. According to the results, the government attached great importance to the information related to the pandemic. The main topics of information released by the government included the latest situation of the pandemic, announcements by the State Council, and prevention policies for COVID-19. Information mismatch between the public and Chinese governments contributed to the economic depression caused by the pandemic. Specifically, the topics of "the latest situation" and "popular scientific knowledge regarding the pandemic" have gained the most attention of the public. The information demand of the public has changed from the pandemic itself to the recovery of social life and industrial activities after the authority announced the control of the pandemic. However, during the recession phase, the information demand has shifted to asymptomatic infections and global pandemic trends. By contrast, some of the main topics provided by the government, such as "How beautiful you are," were excessive because the public demand is insufficient. Therefore, severe mismatches existed between information release of the government and public information demand during the pandemic, which impeded the recovery of the economy. The results in this study provide strategical suggestions of information release and opinion guidance for the authorities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Tang, Wu, Chen, Lu, Zhang, Xu and Zhang.)

Objectives: To determine the safety and efficacy of bedaquiline for Chinese patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) based on serum concentration monitoring and to identify factors associated with QTc prolongation occurring during treatment., Methods: Data were collected from 35 patients who received treatment regimens containing bedaquiline for MDR-TB from May 2018 to December 2020. Blood samples were collected, and serum concentrations of bedaquiline were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry., Results: After completing the 24-week bedaquiline treatment course, 80.0% of the patients' sputum cultures turned negative. The median time to sputum culture conversion was 75.5 days (interquartile range 52-126 days). The mean serum concentration of bedaquiline was 0.586 ± 0.288 µg/ml during treatment and 0.205 ± 0.145 µg/ml at 16 weeks after bedaquiline discontinuation. Bedaquiline remained detectable 52 weeks after discontinuation. Combination with clofazimine during bedaquiline treatment significantly increased cardiac QTc prolongation. When QTc prolongation occurred, serum potassium levels decreased by 10.71% from baseline, while serum sodium levels increased by 1.07% from baseline., Conclusions: Good treatment outcomes were obtained with bedaquiline treatment in Chinese patients with MDR-TB. Combination with clofazimine increased the risk of QTc prolongation. Serum electrolytes (potassium and sodium) should be measured regularly during treatment of MDR-TB with regimens containing bedaquiline., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Quarantine and isolation measures urgently adopted to control the COVID-19 pandemic might potentially have negative psychological and social effects. We conducted this cross-sectional, nationwide study to ascertain the psychological effect of quarantine and identify factors associated with mental health outcomes among population quarantined to further inform interventions of mitigating mental health risk especially for vulnerable groups under pandemic conditions. Sociodemographic data, attitudes toward the COVID-19, and mental health measurements of 56,679 participants from 34 provinces in China were collected by an online survey from February 28 to March 11, 2020. Of the 56,679 participants included in the study (mean [SD] age, 36.0 [8.2] years), 27,149 (47.9%) were male and 16,454 (29.0%) ever experienced home confinement or centralized quarantine during COVID-19 outbreak. Compared those without quarantine and adjusted for potential confounders, quarantine measures were associated with increased risk of total psychological outcomes (prevalence, 34.1% vs 27.3%; odds ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.28-1.39; P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that vulnerable groups of the quarantined population included those with pre-existing mental disorders or chronic physical diseases, frontline workers, those in the most severely affected areas during outbreak, infected or suspected patients, and those who are less financially well-off. Complying with quarantine, being able to take part in usual work, and having adequate understanding of information related to the outbreak were associated with less mental health issues. These results suggest that quarantine measures during COVID-19 pandemic are associated with increased risk of experiencing mental health burden, especially for vulnerable groups. Further study is needed to establish interventions to reduce mental health consequences of quarantine and empower wellbeing especially in vulnerable groups under pandemic conditions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited part of Springer Nature.)

Background: COVID-19 is still spreading worldwide and posing a threat to individuals' physical and mental health including problematic internet use (PIU). A potentially high-risk group for PIU are those with symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD symptoms), because of restrictions in their physical activity levels and engagement in computer diversions requiring only short attention spans., Methods: We used convenience sampling in a cross-sectional survey of university students from 30 universities in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. We assessed PIU using the Internet Addiction Test and ADHD symptoms using the WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale. Using logistic regression and linear regression analyses we adjusted for demographic, epidemic-related and psychological covariates in models of the association between ADHD symptoms and PIU., Results: Among 11,254 participants, we found a 28.4% (95% CI, 27.5%-29.2%) prevalence of PIU, relatively higher than before the pandemic. In our final logistic regression model, participants with ADHD symptoms had approximately two times the risk for PIU (OR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.89-2.83). Similarly, individuals with depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD symptoms and feeling stress during the pandemic had a higher risk of PIU, while those exercising regularly during the pandemic had a lower risk., Limitations: The cross-sectional design and reliance on internet based self-reports for ADHD symptoms and PIU assessments, without direct structured interviews for validation, are limitations., Conclusions: The prevalence of PIU was high during COVID-19, and those people with ADHD symptoms and other mental illness symptoms appear to be at higher risk of PIU. Regular exercise may reduce that PIU risk and hence should be recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

BACKGROUND We aimed to profile the current epidemiology of hypertension among the survivors of hemorrhagic stroke in northeast China. MATERIAL AND METHODS Our cross-sectional study included 18 796 adults aged 40 years or older and residing in northeast China. Hemorrhagic stroke was identified according to the CT and/or MRI results. Hypertension was defined based on the Chinese hypertension guidelines. RESULTS We identified 208 patients with previous hemorrhagic stroke in this population-based study. The overall prevalence of hypertension in the studied population was 88%. Out of all the survivors of hemorrhagic stroke, 80.9% were aware of their hypertensive condition, 70.5% of the patients were in antihypertensive medications treatment, and only 12% of the patients had their blood pressure under control. Furthermore, only 17.10% of the patients who took hypertensive medications achieved appropriate blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers were more commonly used than other medications. Patients with controlled hypertension had significantly higher percentages of comorbidities when compared to those with uncontrolled hypertension. In our patient sample, the rates of stage 2 and stage 3 hypertension in the hemorrhagic stroke population were 28.8% and 15.9%, respectively, and women had a significantly higher prevalence of stage 3 hypertension when compared with men (21.3% vs. 10.0%, P=0.026). CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension and high rates of blood pressure at stages 2 and 3 in patients with prior hemorrhagic stroke indicated a considerable stroke burden in northeast China. Therefore, effective and long-time management of hypertension in stroke survivors should be a priority.

Background: Following the sufficient studies of the effects of skin barrier impairment and heightened neural reaction on sensitive skin (SS), many scholars have paid great attention to the roles of superficial microvasculature in SS., Methods: By questionnaire survey, lactic acid sting test, and capsaicin test, eligible subjects were classified as normal skin, only lactic acid sting test positive (LASTP), only capsaicin test positive (CATP), and both positive (both LASTP and CATP). D-OCT was used to photograph images for evaluating the cutaneous vessels features each group., Results: Totally 137 subjects completed the study. Compared with LASTN group, the vascular vessels were closer to epidermis in LASTP group. Mesh and branching vessels were more popular in SS than normal skin. High blood vessel density was more prevalent in SS, while low density frequently presented in normal skin. The vascular depth had a closely negative correlation with face flushing and SSS, and vascular shapes had a good positive correlation with face flushing and SSB., Conclusions: Our study indicates that there is a significant difference in vascular depth, shape, and density between SS and normal skin which is valuable to explore SS pathologic mechanism and to further investigate cutaneous microvasculature functions in SS., (© 2019 The Authors. Skin Research and Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Denitrification and nitrification processes are the two prominent pathways of nitrogen (N) transformation in composting matrix. This study explored the dynamics of denitrifying and nitrifying bacteria at different composting stages of cow manure and corn straw using functional gene sequencing at DNA and cDNA levels. Corresponding agreement among OTUs, NMDS, mental test and network analyses revealed that functional bacteria community compositions and responses to physicochemical factors were different at DNA and cDNA levels. Specifically, some OTUs were detected at the DNA level but were not observed at cDNA level, differences were also found in the distribution patterns of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria communities at both levels. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis indicated that Pseudomonas, Paracoccus and Nitrosomonas were identified as the keystone OTUs at the DNA level, while Paracoccus, Agrobacterium and Nitrosospira were keystone OTUs at the cDNA level. Mantel test revealed that TN, C/N and moisture content significantly influenced both the denitrifying bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities at the DNA level. NO 3 - -N, NH 4 + -N, TN, C/N, and moisture content only registered significant correlation with the nosZ-type denitrifiers and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities at the cDNA level. Structural equation model (SEM) showed that TN, NH 4 + -N, and pH were direct and significantly influenced the gene abundance of denitrifying bacteria. Howbeit, TN, NH 4 + -N, and NO 3 - -N had significant direct effects on amoA gene abundance., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The response of Carex lasiocarpa in riparian wetlands in Sanjiang Plain to the environmental gradient of water depth was analyzed by using the Gaussian Model based on the biomass and average height data, and the ecological water-depth amplitude of Carex lasiocarpa was derived. The results indicated that the optimum ecological water-depth amplitude of Carex lasiocarpa based on biomass was [13.45 cm, 29.78 cm], while the optimum ecological water-depth amplitude of Carex lasiocarpa based on average height was [2.31 cm, 40.11 cm]. The intersection of the ecological water-depth amplitudes based on biomass and height confirmed that the optimum ecological water-depth amplitude of Carex lasiocarpa was [13.45 cm, 29.78 cm] and the optimist growing water-depth of Carex lasiocarpa was 21.4 cm. The TWINSPAN, a polythetic and divisive classification tool, was used to classify the wetland ecological series into 6 associations. Result of TWINSPAN matrix classification reflected an obvious environmental gradient in these associations: water-depth gradient. The relation of biodiversity of Carex lasiocarpa community and water depth was determined by calculating the diversity index of each association.

The vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) plays an important role in the angiogenesis and prognosis for gastric cancer. In addition, several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGF-A have been shown to affect gene expression and process of angiogenesis. The present study evaluated the correlations between SNPs in VEGF-A and gastric cancer survival. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of 404 gastric cancer patients and blood samples from 404 controls were included in the study. The SNPs -460T/C (rs833061), +405G/C (rs2101963), -7C/T (rs25648) and +936C/T (rs3025039) were genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We showed patients carrying the +405GG genotype had significantly worse survival in the N0 (lymph-node negative), N0L0 (lymph-node negative and lymphovascular-invasion negative) and TNM stage I-II subgroups (P = 0.021, P = 0.007 and P = 0.017, respectively). In addition, haplotype -460T/+405G/-7C and -460C/+405G/-7C carriers showed poor survival in the N0, N0L0 and TNM stage I-II subgroups (P = 0.004, P = 0.030 and P = 0.009 for TGC; P = 0.033, P = 0.049 and P = 0.011 for CGC). Overall, the +405 GG genotype or TGC and CGC haplotypes were correlated with poor survival in TNM stage I-II gastric cancer patients. The +405G/C polymorphism of VEGF-A could be used as a biomarker for molecular staging in stage I-II gastric cancer in Northern China.