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An analysis of 8,541 majors of graduate student recruit students of 42 double first class universities found that departures from national requirements in the three dimensions of training type, study method, and discipline field affect the advancement of equal enrollment opportunities for Master's students nationwide in different ways, and the causes are all based on institutional partiality or discrimination against candidate origin. Therefore, we recommend that double first class universities comprehensively investigate majors with unequal recruitment and eliminate those that are not compliant or have unreasonable conditions while designing "impartial" graduate student recruitment institutions that uphold personnel and institutional views of equal opportunity. [Translation by Jeff Keller.]

As China strives to balance rapid urbanization with environmental conservation, increasing attention is being paid to the pursuit of green production efficiency (GPE) in the real estate industry. The undesirable super-SBM model was used to calculate the GPE of China's real estate industry from 2001 to 2020. Additionally, GPE spatial distribution characteristics in China's real estate industry were analyzed using the standard deviation ellipse (SDE), Moran's index, Theil index, random kernel density estimation (RKDA), and spatial Markov chain (SMC) methods. The GPE exhibited a U-shaped trend, with 2008 as the inflection point, first decreasing and then increasing. It reached a maximum value of 0.747 in 2020. The Theil index increased from 0.043 to 0.121 nationwide, indicating the overall characteristics of low-level slow growth, and imbalance. Discrepancies in input–output scales, the southward shift of economic centers, and population movements contribute significantly to the disparities between the east and west, north and south, and regions divided by the Hu Huanyong Line (Hu Line). The GPE exhibited club convergence characteristics; however, polarization phenomena exist in local areas. Spatial spillover effects were also observed in GPE. Finally, we provide recommendations for promoting green development in the real estate industry, including green building technology, fiscal subsidy investment, and population migration management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flow hazards seriously threaten the safety and sustainable development of mountainous areas. Numerous debris flow mitigation measures have been implemented worldwide; however, a comprehensive assessment of the specific disaster reduction effects of these measures and their economic, social and ecological benefits is yet to be performed. The western region of Sichuan Province frequently suffers from geohazards such as debris flow, and the government has adopted many mitigation measures. This study assessed the benefits of debris flow mitigation measures and identified the key influencing factors via a field-based study conducted in 81 villages in western Sichuan province, China. A framework for the evaluation of the benefits of rural debris flow mitigation measures was constructed and quantitatively evaluated using a survey. Snowball sampling was performed to recruit 81 village leaders and 468 farmers. The results showed that management and engineering measures were the main methods used to mitigate debris flow; ecological measures were auxiliary. The average satisfaction scores of farmers for these three types of measures were 4.07, 3.90, and 3.56, respectively (as measured on a five-point Likert scale). In contrast, in terms of the benefits of these mitigation measures, only a small proportion of villages (11.11%) obtained a high level of comprehensive benefits from the debris flow mitigation measures, while the majority (88.89%) received medium to low-level benefits. To improve this situation, we further studied and found that the main factors that restricted villages from achieving high-level comprehensive benefits were the unpredictable nature of debris flows, labour force outflow and remoteness. Effective control measures, a good economic environment and strong government assistance were reported as crucial factors for improving these comprehensive benefits. This study provides socio-scientific references for decision-making on rural debris flow mitigation measures while keeping villages at the centre of economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the predictive capabilities of the CMA-GD model for wind speed prediction in two wind farms located in Hubei Province, China. The observed wind speeds at the height of 70m in wind turbines of two wind farms in Suizhou serve as the actual observation data for comparison and testing. At the same time, the wind speed predicted by the EC model is also included for comparative analysis. The results indicate that the CMA-GD model performs better than the EC model in Wind Farm A. The CMA-GD model exhibits a monthly average correlation coefficient of 0.56, root mean square error of 2.72 m s–1, and average absolute error of 2.11 m s–1. In contrast, the EC model shows a monthly average correlation coefficient of 0.51, root mean square error of 2.83 m s–1, and average absolute error of 2.21 m s–1. Conversely, in Wind Farm B, the EC model outperforms the CMA-GD model. The CMA-GD model achieves a monthly average correlation coefficient of 0.55, root mean square error of 2.61 m s–1, and average absolute error of 2.13 m s–1. By contrast, the EC model displays a monthly average correlation coefficient of 0.63, root mean square error of 2.04 m s–1, and average absolute error of 1.67 m s–1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green credit policy is designed to address the global climate risk. However, few studies have investigated empirically whether green credit policy indeed reduces corporate carbon emission intensity. Based on firm‐level data in China and a difference‐in‐differences model, this study explores how corporate carbon emission intensity evolves following the green credit policy. We find that, on the whole, the green credit can effectively reduce corporate carbon emission intensity, while the dynamic negative effect tends to alleviate after 2017. Specifically, green credit reduces corporate carbon emission intensity mainly through lowering investment carbon intensity and enhancing environmental supervision. However, the signaling mechanism of green credit does not significantly alleviate corporate carbon emission intensity. The green credit has a stronger reduction effect on corporate carbon emission intensity with third‐party certification, non‐state‐owned ownership, and high financing constraint. We thereby suggest that innovations should be made to the standards and processes of green credit to ensure sustainability and stability. Quantitative and standardized corporate environmental information disclosure is essential for the low‐carbon effect on green finance innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnant women are widely exposed to phthalic acid esters (PAEs) that are commonly used in most aspects of modern life. However, few studies have examined the cumulative exposure of pregnant women to a variety of PAEs derived from the living environmental conditions in China. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the urinary concentrations of nine PAE metabolites in pregnant women, examine the relationship between urinary concentrations and residential characteristics, and conduct a risk assessment analysis. We included 1,888 women who were in their third trimester of pregnancy, and we determined their urinary concentrations of nine PAE metabolites using high-performance gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The risk assessment of exposure to PAEs was calculated based on the estimated daily intake. A linear regression model was used to analyze the relationship between creatinine-adjusted PAE metabolite concentrations and residential characteristics. The detection rate of five PAE metabolites in the study population was > 90%. Among the PAE metabolites adjusted by creatinine, the urinary metabolite concentration of monobutyl phthalate was found to be the highest. Residential factors, such as housing type, proximity to streets, recent decorations, lack of ventilation in the kitchen, less than equal to three rooms, and the use of coal/kerosene/wood/wheat straw fuels, were all significantly associated with high PAE metabolite concentrations. Due to PAE exposure, ~ 42% (n = 793) of the participants faced potential health risks, particularly attributed to dibutyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, and di(2-ethyl)hexyl phthalate exposure. Living in buildings and using coal/kerosene/wood/wheat straw as domestic fuel can further increase the risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applicability of statistics-based landslide susceptibility assessment methods is affected by the number of historical landslides. Previous studies have proposed support vector machine (SVM) as a small-sample learning method. However, those studies demonstrated that different parameters can affect model performance. We optimized the SVM and obtained models as 5-fold cross validation (5-CV) SVM, genetic algorithm (GA) SVM, and particle swarm optimization (PSO) SVM. This study compared the prediction performances of logistic regression (LR), 5-CV SVM, GA SVM, and PSO SVM on landslide susceptibility mapping, to explore the spatial distribution of landslide susceptibility in the study area in Tibetan Plateau, China. A geospatial database was established based on 392 historical landslides and 392 non-landslides in the study area. We used 11 influencing factors of altitude, slope, aspect, curvature, lithology, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), distance to road, distance to river, distance to fault, peak ground acceleration (PGA), and rainfall to construct an influencing factor evaluation system. To evaluate the models, four susceptibility maps were compared via receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and the results showed that prediction rates for the models are 84% (LR), 87% (5-CV SVM), 85% (GA SVM), and 90% (PSO SVM). We also used precision, recall, F1-score and accuracy to assess the quality performance of these models. The results showed that the PSO SVM had greater potential for future implementation in the Tibetan Plateau area because of its superior performance in the landslide susceptibility assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen causing pneumonia in humans. In February 2022, Legionnaires' disease caused by L. pneumophila strain Corby in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma was identified for the first time in China. This paper includes the case report and phenotypic and genomic analysis of the Corby (ICDC) strain. Its biological characteristics were evaluated by antibiotic sensitivity testing and cytology experiments, and genomic analysis was performed to understand its genetic evolution. The patient's clinical manifestations included cough, fever, pulmonary infiltration, and significantly decreased activity endurance. After empirical antimicrobial therapy, infection indicators decreased. The Corby (ICDC) strain was susceptible to nine antibiotics and exhibited strong intracellular proliferation ability. A phylogenetic tree showed that the Corby (ICDC) strain was closely related to the Corby strain, but under the pressure of a complex environment, its genome had undergone more rearrangement and inversion. The type IF CRISPR-Cas system was identified in its genome, and spacer analysis indicated that it had been invaded by several foreign plasmids, bacteria, and viruses during evolution. Legionnaires' disease caused by L. pneumophila strain Corby may be ignored in China, and it is urgent to improve long-term monitoring and investigation of aquatic environments and patients with respiratory infections to prevent a large-scale outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Understanding the transmission source, pattern, and mechanism of infectious diseases is essential for targeted prevention and control. Though it has been studied for many years, the detailed transmission patterns and drivers for the seasonal influenza epidemics in China remain elusive. Methods In this study, utilizing a suite of epidemiological and genetic approaches, we analyzed the updated province-level weekly influenza surveillance, sequence, climate, and demographic data between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2018 from continental China, to characterize detailed transmission patterns and explore the potential initiating region and drivers of the seasonal influenza epidemics in China. Results An annual cycle for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and B and a semi-annual cycle for influenza A(H3N2) were confirmed. Overall, the seasonal influenza A(H3N2) virus caused more infection in China and dominated the summer season in the south. The summer season epidemics in southern China were likely initiated in the "Lingnan" region, which includes the three most southern provinces of Hainan, Guangxi, and Guangdong. Additionally, the regions in the south play more important seeding roles in maintaining the circulation of seasonal influenza in China. Though intense human mobility plays a role in the province-level transmission of influenza epidemics on a temporal scale, climate factors drive the spread of influenza epidemics on both the spatial and temporal scales. Conclusion The surveillance of seasonal influenza in the south, especially the "Lingnan" region in the summer, should be strengthened. More broadly, both the socioeconomic and climate factors contribute to the transmission of seasonal influenza in China. The patterns and mechanisms revealed in this study shed light on the precise forecasting, prevention, and control of seasonal influenza in China and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Evidence of the association between marital status and cognitive function in Chinese older adults is limited. Aims: To examine the relationship between marital status and cognitive function and to explore the role of gender amongst older adults from three Chinese communities. Methods: A total of 1376 participants aged 60 years or over were included in this cross-sectional study. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Marital status and other variables were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine associations between marital statuses and cognitive function amongst the target population. The moderating role of gender in these potential associations has also been explored. Results: In univariate linear regression models, compared to being married, both being widowed (β [95% CI]: −1.46[−2.78 to − 0.13]) and being single (β [95% CI]: − 4.88[−6.43 to − 3.38]) were associated with lower MMSE scores. After adjustment for confounding factors, the significant association of being widowed with MMSE scores disappeared (β [95% CI: − 0.08[− 1.04 to 0.86]), but the association of being single with MMSE scores still existed (β [95% CI]: − 1.87[− 3.17 to − 0.58]). Furthermore, the association of being single with MMSE scores was statistically significant in men (β [95% CI]: − 5.25[− 7.17 to − 3.33]) but not in women (β [95% CI: 0.88[− 0.87 to 2.64]). Discussion and conclusions: Being single was associated with poorer cognitive function compared with their married counterparts in older Chinese men but not in women. More preventive measurements should be implemented for single men to reduce or delay cognitive decline. This is particularly important in the context of an aging population in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational hypertension during pregnancy has not yet been established. To investigate the association between PAH exposure and GDM and gestational hypertension, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 4206 pregnant women from the Zunyi birth cohort in southwestern China. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to detect the urinary levels of 10 monohydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs). GDM and gestational hypertension were diagnosed and the relevant information was documented by specialist obstetricians and gynecologists. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline regression were employed to investigate their single and nonlinear associations. Stratified analyses of pregnancy and body mass index data were conducted to determine their moderating effects on the abovementioned associations. Compared with the first quartile of urinary ∑OH-PAHs, the third or fourth quartile in all study participants was associated with an increased risk of GDM (quartile 3: odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.77) and gestational hypertension (quartile 3: OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.26–2.81; quartile 4: OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04–2.39), respectively. Nonlinear associations of 1-OH-PYR with GDM (cutoff level: 0.02 μg/g creatinine [Cr]) and 1-OH-PHE with gestational hypertension (cutoff level: 0.06 μg/g Cr) were also observed. In pregnant women with overweight or obesity, 1-OH-PHE and 3-OH-PHE were more strongly associated with gestational hypertension. Our results indicate that exposure to PAH during pregnancy may significantly increase the maternal risks of GDM and gestational hypertension; however, this finding still needs to be confirmed through larger-scale prospective studies and biological evidence. [Display omitted] • PAHs are associated with an increased risk of GDM and gestational hypertension. • The Safety thresholds for PAHs in GDM and gestational hypertension are low. • Prepregnancy weight control might reduce the risk of gestational hypertension. • Prevention of PAH-associated risk of both conditions is critical in pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to describe frequency and quantity of total dairy consumption of Chinese children and adolescents and explore the associations between dairy consumption and nutrition status, including stunting, wasting, overweight, and obesity. Participants included 28,250 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years old. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) including 100 kinds of food was used to collect information about frequency and quantity of dairy consumption. Determination of stunting was with a height cutoff value for age and gender, and determination for wasting, overweight, and obesity was with BMI for age and gender. Of the total sample, 36.1% of children aged 6-17 reported consuming dairy food more than once per day (≥ 1/day). The average total dairy intake of all the participants was 126.7 g/day. For boys, dairy consumption had an inverse correlation with stunting and wasting after controlling for confounders. For girls, dairy consumption was negatively associated with stunting and obesity after controlling for confounders as above. Dairy consumption in Chinese children and adolescents was relatively lower than that in developed countries, and was negatively associated with stunting and wasting for boys and with stunting and obesity for girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional rural homegarden agroforestry systems (referred to as homegarden) in the Western Sichuan Plain of China are often referred to as "Linpan" in Chinese. These homegardens are usually composed of farm houses, trees, bamboos, and small patches of land for flowers, fruits and vegetables. Over the Western Sichuan Plain's area of approximately 18,800 km2, there were more than 200,000 homegardens, accommodating 72.5% of the region's rural population. As a unique local, cultural, and ecological resource, homegardens continuously support peasant households with provisioning, regulation, and landscape ecosystem services. This study combined low height remote sensing used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, field investigation, and instrument monitoring. We try to identify the composition and structural characteristics of homegardens, as well as climatic regulation effects of the different types of homegardens. Temperature data were collected both for summer (June to August 2016) and winter (December 2016 to February 2017). The result shows that: (1) the average area of homegardens was 0.67ha (sizes ranging from 0.16ha to 1.24ha), and with vegetation coverage 43.5%-76.9% (including 310 plant species). (2)In comparision with outside the homegardens, the average temperature inside the homegardens was significantly lower in summer (approximately 0.31 °C -0.90°C). Although, the lowest summer temperature was differentiatee in between 13:30-16:00. Especially, the thermal effects of the home gardens were ranged from 2.00°C-2.65°C at high temperatures (≥30°C). (3) The cooling effect of homegardens were positively correlated (p<0.05) with tree area(X1), vegetation coverage(X2), tree coverage(X3), tree species(X4), and tree biomassper unit area(X5), and the contribution rate was represented by X3>X4>X5>X2>X1. (4)This study indicates the major role of homegardens for climate regulation and energy efficiency, providing suggestions for homegarden transformation and construction planning for new rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose China’s expanded rice imports offer a profitable business opportunity for both domestic and international grain marketers. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of select variables on Chinese consumers’ rice choices, specifically focusing on country-of-origin, price, organic, brand, freshness, and taste. The study concludes with suggestions for domestic and international rice marketers to help them develop more efficient rice marketing plans.Design/methodology/approach This study developed a conditional logit model to analyze survey data gathered from Chongqing and Chengdu, two of China’s largest rice consumption cities.Findings Chinese consumers are price sensitive in their rice choices. Country-of-origin is the most imperative factor affecting rice selection for lower food expense consumers but branded rice attracts the attention of higher food expense consumers. Furthermore, these higher food expense consumers are willing to pay a small premium of $0.22 for a pound of organic rice.Research limitations/implications A general trend in demand for organic rice from higher food expense consumers was identified, and this trend predicts a profitable market for organic rice sellers. However, these research findings are geographically limited and may only represent a consumption trend from the two sampled cities rather than all of China.Originality/value The study concludes with meaningful recommendations to rice marketers to aid in developing profitable market entrance strategies to China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics, which are plastic debris with a particle diameter of less than 5 mm, have attracted growing attention in recent years. Its widespread distributions in a variety of habitats have urged scientists to understand deeper regarding their potential impact on the marine living resources. Most studies on microplastics hitherto are focused on the marine environment, and research on risk assessment methodology is still limited. To understand the distribution of microplastics in urban rivers, this study investigated river sediments in Shanghai, the largest urban area in China. Seven sites were sampled to ensure maximum coverage of the city's central districts, and a tidal flat was also included to compare with river samples. Density separation, microscopic inspection and μ-FT-IR analysis were conducted to analyze the characteristics of microplastics and the type of polymers. The average abundance of microplastics in six river sediment samples was 802 items per kilogram of dry weight. The abundance in rivers was one to two orders of magnitude higher than in the tidal flat. White microplastic spheres were most commonly distributed in river sediments. Seven types of microplastics were identified, of which polypropylene was the most prevailing polymers presented. The study then conducted risk assessment of microplastics in sediments based on the observed results, and proposed a framework of environmental risk assessment. After reviewing waste disposal related legislation and regulations in China, this study conclude that in situ data and legitimate estimations should be incorporated as part of the practice when developing environmental policies aiming to tackle microplastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) has become an increasingly popular means of ecosystem conservation. Opportunity cost is an important factor to increase the investment efficiency of PES projects. However, the distribution of opportunity cost is usually unclear in mountainous regions due to the obvious environment changes. In this study, we developed a framework to assess the distribution of agricultural opportunity costs in mountainous regions and applied this method to Baoxing County, a typical mountainous county in Sichuan Province of southwest China. Planting suitability of 17 crops was assessed based on agricultural statistics and natural conditions data within a GIS environment. Agricultural opportunity cost was quantified with a weighted summation of farmers' willingness to cultivate and each crop's opportunity cost. Finally, specific agricultural opportunity cost was obtained according to the spatial areas of the protection programs and land use status. The results showed that agricultural opportunity costs of PES in Baoxing County were estimated to be more than $30 million, with a mean of 400.85 $/ha. Agricultural opportunity costs in mountainous regions displayed some obvious spatial variation and areas with lower agricultural opportunity costs could be selected as priority areas for PES. Our findings revealed that the planting suitability evaluation can make agricultural opportunity costs mapping more reasonable. It will be helpful for the PES programs implementation in mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines Chinese consumers’ acceptance and price willingness to pay for organic fluid milk. We used questionnaire data gathered in 2014 to analyze the impact of price and milk knowledge, as well as consumer age, gender, education and income on organic milk choice. The results indicate that: 1) young females with a strong educational background have shown the strongest consumption desire for organic milk; 2) those who shop for the family tend to support organic milk and are willing to pay more for the milk; 3) shoppers with more disposable income are willing to pay a premium price for organic milk. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine recent developments pertaining to China’s shadow banking sector. Shadow banking has the potential not only to be a beneficial contributor to continued economic growth, but also to contribute to systematic instability if not properly monitored and regulated. An assessment is made in this paper as to whether shadow banking is beneficial or harmful to China’s economic growth. Design/methodology/approach – The authors start with providing an overview of shadow banking from a global perspective, with information on its recent growth and importance in selected countries. The authors then focus directly on China’s shadow banking sector, with information on the various entities and activities that comprise the sector. Specifically, the authors examine the interconnections between shadow banking and regular banking in China and the growth in shadow banking to overall economic growth, the growth in the money supply and the growth in commercial bank assets. Findings – Despite the wide range in the estimates, the trend in the size of shadow banking in China has been upward over the examined period. There are significant interconnections between the shadow banking sector and the commercial banking sector. Low deposit rate and high reserve requirement ratios have been the major factors driving its growth. Shadow banking has been a contributor, along with money growth, to economic growth. Practical implications – The authors argue that shadow banking may prove useful by diversifying China’s financial sector and providing greater investments and savings opportunities to consumers and businesses throughout the country, if the risks of shadow banking are adequately monitored and controlled. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the few to systematically evaluate the influence of shadow banking on China’s economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork is the most preferred meat for the Chinese, representing 64 percent of the national animal protein consumption in 2011. Severe pork contaminations have caused the loss of 1,700 lives, weakened consumer confidence, and plagued China's already inefficient pork supply system. This study examines Chinese consumers' attitudes toward the government-issued Quality and Safety Certificate (the QS label). We applied a three-stage adoption framework and focused on the impact of self-perceived opinion leadership, pork-related health risk knowledge, consumption frequency, retailers visited, price concerns, and demographic factors related to the awareness, use, and valuation of the QS label. Results from a univariate profit model show that 1) opinion leadership status is the only factor that positively affects all three stages of adoption; 2) pork health risk knowledge only contributes to the second stage of how the label is used; 3) education and spouse participation in decision making positively affects the awareness of the label; and 4) frequent pork consumers tend to perceive the label as useful. The results suggest that, due to the increased awareness and improved acceptance of labeled pork by more knowledgeable consumers, private firms and the government stand to benefit from improvements in comprehensive pork safety control in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapidly expanding wealthy population has expressed a new desire for imported red wines. Using data collected in China's major red wine consumption region of Beijing, this study analyzes the impact of country of origin, price, wine age, and brand on consumer-derived utility and willingness to pay for red wines. Findings from a conditional logit model and a mixed logit model indicate that price remains the key factor in Chinese consumers' red wine choices. For gift purchases, consumers are willing to pay an additional $20 to move from a US wine to a French wine. For own consumption, French wines are preferable if their price is within a reasonable range of $13–20 above Chinese or US wines. Chinese consumers also strongly favor branded and matured red wines. China's rapid and sustainable economic growth and its stronger integration to the global economy have led to greater disposable income and the expanding consumer demand for luxury beverage of red wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the impact of education on Chinese consumers' willingness to pay for domestically produced and imported red wines. It uses a conjoint choice experiment and survey data gathered from China's major red wine market in Beijing. A conditional logit and a mixed logit model suggest that (1) Chinese consumers are sensitive to price change and they seek reasonably priced, aged, and branded wines; (2) high-end French wines are the most preferred wines; (3) if education is not considered, consumers are willing to pay a premium to switch from a Chinese wine to a California wine; (4) if education is considered, consumers prefer Chinese wines better than California wines; and (5) a group of job-preparing school graduates is willing to pay a premium for California wines. Our new data show that a new consumer segment with a weaker educational background is an emerging red wine consumption group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As the world’s largest seafood consumer and exporter, China is challenged by frequent seafood contamination incidents. To restore consumer confidence in seafood safety, China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) mandated a nation wide quality standard that awards a green label to qualified safer seafood. MOA is also planning for an environmental friendly label to address consumers’ concerns about wild sea species sustainability. This study developed a three-stage purchase framework model and applied a multivariate Probit regression to analyze questionnaire information collected from 14 supermarkets in Beijing, China. The results show that Chinese consumers consider the seafood label a more important information source than previous consumption experience. They are willing to pay more for green-labeled seafood for the protection of individual benefits. Moreover, consumers are willing to pay more for the eco-labeled seafood for the protection of societal benefits. Gender, shopping venues, education, seafood expenditure and knowledge of the labeled products affected purchase intention and willingness to pay. Price was not a statistically significant factor affecting purchase decisions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence and current status of caries about the first permanent molars of students in elementary schools in Xuhui District of Shanghai Municipality in order to provide evidence for prevention and treatment strategies of caries. METHODS: Random cluster samples of 5698 students aged from 7 to 12 years old were examined with regard to caries epidemic status of the first permanent molars. The results were analyzed by SPASS13.0 software package. RESULTS: The caries prevalent rate of the first permanent molars was 16.18%. The mean DMFT of the caries patients was 1.80. The females' mean caries prevalent rate and DMbq' of the first permanent molars were both significantly higher than males'. The caries rate increased rapidly with aging from 7 to 12 (P<0.01). The overall filling rate of the first permanent molars was 56.04% .The prevalence of the first permanent molars in the mandible was significantly higher than that in the maxilla (P<0.01). The caries rate of students, who brushed teeth twice a day or more, was significantly lower than those who brushed teeth once a day or less. CONCLUSIONS: The caries prevalence of the first permanent molars in students of 7 to 12 years old in elementary schools in Xuhui District of Shanghai municipality was less optimistic. Some concrete measures should be taken to prevent and treat caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal-Gas replacement project has been implemented to decrease haze pollution in China in recent years. Airborne arsenic (As) mostly originates from coal burning processes. It is noteworthy to compare the distribution of arsenic fraction in PM 2.5 before and after coal-gas replacement. Eighty PM 2.5 samples were collected in Baoding in December 2016 (coal dominated year) and December 2017 (gas dominated year) at different functional areas including residential area (RA), industrial area (IA), suburb (SB), roadside (ST) and Botanical Garden Park (BG). The fraction, bioavailability and health risk of As in the PM 2.5 samples were investigated and compared between these two years. Arsenic was mainly distributed in the non-specifically sorbed fraction (F1) and the residual fraction (F5). However, the proportion of F1 to the total As in 2017 was higher than that in 2016, while the proportion of As in the amorphous and poorly-crystalline hydrous oxides of Fe and Al fraction (F3) in 2017 was lower. The distributions of fraction and bioavailability showed temporal and spatial characteristics. The total concentration and bioavailability of As in SB and IA were significantly higher than those in RA, ST and BG. The BF (Bioavailability Factor) values of As ranged from 0.30 to 0.61. Health risk assessment indicated that the hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) of As in PM 2.5 significantly decreased after coal-gas replacement. Image 1 • Concentration of As in PM 2.5 decreased after coal limiting. • Fraction distribution was different in the samples from different functional areas. • Health risk was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after Coal-Gas replacement. The concentration of arsenic in PM 2.5 and health risks decreased after coal-gas replacement implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Water and soil loss are the major causes of the land degradation in the hilly area of the Sichuan Basin, China, where purple soil (FAO, Calcaric Regosols) is widely distributed. Little research has been conducted on changes in overland flow and sediment during rain events on sloping cropland in this area. In this study, 45 artificial rainfall events were applied to five runoff plots with slopes of 9%, 18%, 27%, 36%, and 47%, respectively. Results showed that erosion processes on purple soil of sloping cropland are complex, because the sediment concentration changes with time under different situations. According to correlations between runoff discharge and sediment concentration, all erosion events were classified into three types: (1) positive correlation; (2) negative correlation; and (3) no correlation. Positive correlations were dominant, accounting for 60% of all events. Rainfall intensity, slope gradient, and tillage treatment were the main factors that influenced erosion events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The role of rivers as a major transport pathway for all sizes of plastic debris into the ocean is widely recognized. Global modelling studies ranked the Changjiang River as the largest contributor of plastic waste to the marine environment, but these estimates were based on insufficient empirical data. To better understand the role of rivers in delivering terrestrial plastic debris to the ocean, the spatial and temporal patterns of microplastics (MP) in the Changjiang Estuary (CE) and the East China Sea (ECS) were studied based on surface water samples in February, May, and July 2017. A total of 3225 MP (60–5000 μm) were identified by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. MP abundance in July was higher than in February and May due to higher river discharge. Density stratification in CE significantly influenced the surface MP abundances. A temporal accumulation zone within the river-sea interface for plastics was indicated by stations with apparently higher abundances in the river plume. Fibers were the most common MP (>80%) over three months. Small MP (<1000 μm) composed 75.0% of the total plastics on average. The average mass of MP was 0.000033 g/particle, which was two orders of magnitude lower than the empirical mass in literature. Without considering tidal effects, we estimate 16–20 trillion MP particles, weighing 537.6–905.9 tons, entered the sea through the surface water layer of the Changjiang River in 2017. These findings of this study provide reliable information on MP waste in a large river, which should be considered in further studies for estimating the riverine plastic loads. Image 1 • MP abundance and size exhibited distinct seasonality in the Changjiang Estuary. • A 'Patchiness' in distribution of MP were observed in the Changjiang River plume. • The water density stratification impacted suspended microplastic abundances. • MP in our study averagely weighed 0.000033 g. • The annually MP load in the top layer of the Changjiang River is 537.6–905.9 tons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, China is focusing significant efforts to resolve its problems of environmental pollution. For rural environmental protection, it is critical to identify farming practices that pose a negative environmental impact and potential areas with high environmental pollution risk. This study presents a methodology for the development of a novel index, specifically targeted at the assessment of the plot-scale cropland disturbance intensity (CLDI). Different farming practices during each crop management stage that potentially induce both physical and chemical disturbances were systematically evaluated. The rough set method was utilized to avoid subjectivity during weight allocation. Furthermore, an ordered logit model was applied to analyze critical factors that affect CLDI as well as to identify potential areas of rural environmental protection in the mountainous regions of southwestern China. Our results indicate that tillage contributed most to the physical disturbance, and the widespread application of inorganic fertilizers was the main reason for the high level of chemical disturbance. Cropland plots in traditional farming areas received a more intensive physical disturbance. However, for areas where off-farm work is popular and with broad participation in China’s Sloping Land Conversion Program, cropland plots suffered from the most intensive chemical disturbance. The model results show that both household and plot level variables significantly influenced the CLDI (R 2  = 0.65, P < 0.01). At the household level, critical variables that positively affected the CLDI included the scale of the agricultural laborer, cash income, and cultivated land area per agricultural laborer. The intensity of chemical disturbance increased with increasing off-farm work. At the plot level, distance from the household negatively impacted CLDI, while the distance to the nearest forest posed a positive influence. To achieve a reduction of soil erosion and non-point source pollution control in the study area, we suggest to prioritize cropland plots with a distance radius of 150 and 800 m from households, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the world-class Gejiu Sn district, South China, tin mineralization is related to the Gejiu granitoids, which consist of porphyritic quartz monzonite, syenogranite, and porphyritic/equigranular biotite monzogranites. Zircon U Pb dating shows that these granitoids were emplaced at ca. 77.9–81.7 Ma. Close spatio-temporal associations, systematic element distribution patterns, and similar isotopic compositions, together reveal that they are consanguineous, and the porphyritic quartz monzonite represents relatively primitive magma. The occurrence of hornblende, high apatite Nd N /Nd N * (mostly > 1), and whole-rock evolutionary trends, collectively indicate that the Gejiu granitoids are fractionated I-type granites. Negative and fluctuant εHf(t) values (−13.3 to −3.8) reveal that their I-type affinities could be caused by a mixing source through partial melting of metasedimentary rocks with minor input of mantle-derived materials, which is supported by the presence of mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs). Zircon and apatite elemental fingerprints, combined with Rayleigh fractional crystallization modeling, decipher a two-stage fractional crystallization of hornblende-dominated and feldspar-dominated. The negative correlation between whole-rock Fe 2 O 3 /FeO and Rb/Sr ratios suggests that the magmatic oxygen fugacity gradually decreases with fractional crystallization. High zircon saturation temperatures (∼ 835 °C) indicate that the additional heat from the mantle provided a higher melting temperature to trigger biotite breakdown reactions, which can effectively release Sn into the initial melt. Subsequently, tin in magma underwent a two-stage enrichment process under the conjunctive effect of the variation of fractionating phases and magmatic redox state. In the first stage, there is no significant Sn enrichment during hornblende, magnetite, and titanite fractionation, which is due to the compatibility of Sn with these Ti-bearing minerals under oxidized conditions. In the second stage, the dominant Sn-poor feldspar with limited Sn-sequestering biotite fractionation under more reduced conditions efficiently increases Sn concentration in the residual melt by a factor of ∼ 8, as demonstrated by systematic apatite geochemical data. The hysteretic crystallization of biotite prevents the premature sequestration of Sn and reserves adequate metals for eventual mineralization. Finally, fluid exsolution during the magmatic-hydrothermal transition loads magmatically enriched Sn into the hydrothermal system, leading to the formation of the Gejiu Sn district. [Display omitted] • The Gejiu granitoids are fractionated I-type granites. • Their magmatic oxygen fugacity gradually decreases with fractional crystallization. • They experienced a two-stage fractional crystallization process. • Feldspar-dominated fractionation results in significant enrichment of magmatic Sn. • Melt-fluid transition loads magmatically enriched Sn into the hydrothermal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: WHO recommended that iodized salt are more than 90% of households in USI programs, which may not be suitable for all regions, especially in coastal areas. This study intended to find out levels of iodine nutrition and give advice from the USI programs for areas with different iodized salt coverage.Methods and Study Design: Coastal and inland areas were selected according to geographical regions in Zhejiang Province, China. The water iodine concentration (spectrophotometer analysis), salt iodine concentration (the colorimetric titration method), salt intake, urinary iodine concentration (spectrophotometer analysis), and thyroid volume examination (ultrasonography), as well as questionnaire, were measured in the two areas.Results: Mean Urinary Iodine concentration (MUIs) of children in coastal areas was 149 μg/L, which was significantly lower than that in inland areas (191 μg/L). MUIs of pregnant women in coastal and inland areas were111 and 138 μg/L, respectively. Pregnant women who consumed iodine-containing supplements had higher MUIs (207 μg/L) than those did not (134 μg/L) in inland areas. Prevalence of goitre in children reached 7.0% and 6.6% in coastal and inland areas, respectively. The lowest prevalence of goitre was reached when the urinary iodine concentration was approximately 120-160 μg/L in coastal areas.Conclusion: Iodine levels of coastal and inland areas were in the adequate range. Advice from the USI program should be specialized for different areas to appropriately reduce the salt iodine concentrations in inland areas and to determine an appropriate proportion of households using iodized salt in coastal areas. Moreover, iodine supplement intake during pregnancy should officially be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: From March to June 2021, the reported number of clinically diagnosed endemic typhus in Anhui and Hubei provinces of China nearly increased four-fold compared with the monthly average numbers in last 5 years. An etiological and epidemiological investigation was initiated., Methods: The clinical specimens from the reported patients and the potential vector ticks were collected for molecular and serological detection, as well as cell culturing assay to identify the potential pathogen., Results: Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis of rrs and groEL showed that the pathogen from these patients was Ehrlichia sp., isolated from Haemaphysalis longicornis attached to these patients. The phylogenetic analysis based on 39 Ehrlichia genomes suggested that it should be taxonomically classified as a novel species, tentatively named "Candidatus Ehrlichia erythraense". A total of 19 of 106 cases were confirmed as Candidatus Ehrlichia erythraense infections by polymerase chain reaction, sequencing, and/or serological tests. The most frequent symptoms were fever (100%), rashes (100%), asthenia (100%), anorexia (100%), and myalgia (79%)., Conclusion: The occurrence of the disease presenting with fever and rashes in Anhui and Hubei provinces was caused by a novel species of the genus Ehrlichia; physicians need to be aware of this newly-discovered pathogen to ensure appropriate testing, treatment, and regional surveillance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To assess the health inequality caused by foreign trade in China using individual self-rated health data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). Methods: The GMM model was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of foreign trade on health level, and the concentration index method was then used to decompose the contribution of foreign trade to health inequality. Results: The direct effect of foreign trade does not contribute to the current health inequality, although the indirect effects of trade contribute to health inequality through inequalities in income and healthcare utilization. The indirect pollution effect of trade does not cause health inequality. Subsequently, the direct effect of trade aggravates the dynamic expansion trend of health inequality, whereas the indirect effects of trade alleviate the increasing trend of health inequality. Conclusion: Although foreign trade improves the overall health level in China, it contributes to health inequality. Optimizing product structure of trade, adjusting income distribution, and enhancing medical securities for low-income groups are necessary to alleviate the health inequality caused by foreign trade., 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 Xu and Ye.)

Background: With the global aging problem is becoming increasingly severe, the elderly care has become an important issue that needs attention. Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of medical and health care institutions, and is committed to improving the comprehensive quality of elderly rehabilitation nursing staff in medical and health care institutions., Methods: From June to September 2019, a cross-sectional study among 193 elderly rehabilitation nursing staff was conducted in Liaoning Province, China. Using a self-designed questionnaire, the comprehensive quality of elderly rehabilitation nursing staff in medical and health care institutions was investigated by face to face. The multiple linear regression model was explored to analyze the influencing factors., Results: A total of 193 questionnaires were distributed, and 189 (97.93%) valid questionnaires were recovered. Age was from 19 to 65 years old, with an average age of (38.34 ± 9.76) years old. Bachelor degree or above accounted for 54.00%. 57.10% have engaged in elderly rehabilitation nursing for more than one year. There were 163 nurses with qualification certificates, accounting for 86.20%. The total score of comprehensive quality was 118.52 ± 22.90. The total Cronbach ' s α coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.967, and the content validity index was 0.991. Only 61 (32.30%) elderly rehabilitation nurses received professional training in elderly rehabilitation nursing. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the educational level of elderly rehabilitation nursing staff (P = 0.002) and the number of years engaged in elderly rehabilitation nursing (P = 0.005) were the main influencing factors of comprehensive quality., Conclusions: The comprehensive quality of elderly rehabilitation nursing staff is at a medium level in Liaoning Province's medical and health care institutions. However, the professional nursing talents were very short, and the education level and years of experience in elderly care were the main influencing factors of the comprehensive quality., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Microplastic (MP) pollution is ubiquitous in the terrestrial and marine environments, even in the air. However, ecological risk assessment studies of microplastics are scarce. In the present study, an ecological risk assessment model was built to evaluate the risks of microplastics in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas. A basic index database of the impacts of MP pollution on the ecosystem was constructed around three types of indices, namely, the pressure, status, and response indices. While the expert scoring method was used to determine the weights of these indices, in view of the complexity of the ecosystem in the Yangtze River Estuary, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to evaluate its ecological risk. According to the model, microplastic pollution in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent marine areas was within a lower risk state, indicating that its risks for the marine ecosystem were still within a controllable range., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Previous studies have found associations between single toxic metals, such as arsenic and cadmium, and kidney function in adults with diabetes. However, studies with regards to other metals and metal mixtures are still limited., Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the associations between urinary concentrations of 5 selected metals and metal mixtures and kidney function using a sample of older adults with diabetes mellitus in Chinese communities., Methods: In a sample of older adults (n = 5186), 592 eligible subjects were included in this study. Urinary concentrations of 5 metals, i.e., arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), and thallium (Tl), were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated and dichotomized into indicator of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Logistic analysis and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to explore the associations between single metals and metal mixtures and CKD, respectively., Results: Urinary levels of As and V were positively correlated with CKD (OR=2.37, 95% CI: 1.31-4.30 for As; OR=2.24, 95% CI: 1.25-4.03 for V), when compared the 4th quartile with the 1st quartile. After adjustment for potential confounders, the significant association between As and CKD still existed (OR=2.73, 95% CI: 1.23-6.07). BKMR analyses showed strong linear positive associations between As and V and CKD. Higher urinary levels of the mixture were significantly associated with higher odds of CKD in a dose-response pattern. As and V showed the highest posterior inclusion probabilities., Conclusion: Urine As and V were positively associated with CKD in older adults with diabetes mellitus, separately and in a mixture. The metals mixture showed a linear dose-response association with the odds of CKD. The analyses of mixtures, rather than of single metals, may provide a real-world perspective on the relationship between metals and kidney function., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Thyroid function can be influenced by external stimuli such as light and temperature. However, it is currently unknown whether there is seasonal variation of thyroid function in women of reproductive age. Adequate thyroid function in reproductive-aged women is necessary for optimal fetal-maternal outcomes. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the seasonal changes in levels of thyrotropin (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT 3 ), free thyroxine (FT 4 ), and TSH index (TSHI) in women of reproductive age., Methods: A large retrospective study was conducted that included women aged 20-49 years who visited our outpatient or checkup center between 2012 and 2018. Thyroid function was measured using the automated immunochemiluminescent assay kit. Subjects with overt thyroid dysfunction, pregnancy, thyroid disease, cancer, and severe infectious or psychological disease were excluded. Seasonal differences of thyroid function were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test or the analysis of means with transformed ranks. Spearman's correlation was performed to evaluate the association between thyroid function parameters and age. A subset of 181 subjects was included in the longitudinal analyses. Differences in thyroid function between summer and winter were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test., Results: A total of 48,990 women with a median age of 39 years were included. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was lower in summer but higher in winter (5.6% vs. 7.0%, p < 0.05). The TSH, FT 3 , and FT 4 levels and TSHI reached a peak in winter, while they declined to trough in summer. The TSH concentrations (r = 0.044, p < 0.001) and TSHI (r = 0.025, p < 0.001) were positively correlated with age, whereas FT 3 (r = -0.073, p < 0.001) and FT 4 (r = -0.059, p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with age. The associations of thyroid parameters with age were similar between subjects with positive thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and those with negative TPOAb. In the matched longitudinal analysis of 181 subjects, no differences were detected in the thyroid parameters between summer and winter., Conclusions: This retrospective single-center study showed that thyroid hormone levels and central sensitivity to thyroid hormones are influenced by age and seasonal fluctuations among women of reproductive age, while their impact on reproductive health remains to be elucidated in future studies., 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 © 2021 Fu, Zhang, Xu, Guo, Li, Guan and Li.)

Background: The causes of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are still unclear. Recent studies have found that the imbalance of the gut microbiome could lead to disorders of human metabolism and immune system, resulting in GDM. This study aims to reveal the different gut compositions between GDM and normoglycemic pregnant women and find the relationship between gut microbiota and GDM., Methods: Fecal microbiota profiles from women with GDM (n = 21) and normoglycemic women (n = 32) were assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Fasting metabolic hormone concentrations were measured using multiplex ELISA., Results: Metabolic hormone levels, microbiome profiles, and inferred functional characteristics differed between women with GDM and healthy women. Additionally, four phyla and seven genera levels have different correlations with plasma glucose and insulin levels. Corynebacteriales (order), Nocardiaceae (family), Desulfovibrionaceae (family), Rhodococcus (genus), and Bacteroidetes (phylum) may be the taxonomic biomarkers of GDM. Microbial gene functions related to amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were found to be enriched in patients with GDM., Conclusion: Our study indicated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiome exists in patients with GDM in the second trimester of pregnancy, and gut microbiota might be a potential diagnostic biomarker for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of GDM., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Abstract: In patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, MYC combined with Bcl2 and/or Bcl6-based protein expression is called double expression lymphoma (DEL). R-DA-EPOCH program chemotherapy is typically recommended because these patients often have a poor prognosis. Although numerous factors affect survival of patients with DEL, the roles of the tumor biomarker histone methyltransferase G9a (G9a) and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are unknown.We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 51 patients. These patients were newly diagnosed with DEL and treated with R-DA-EPOCH at Taizhou People' s Hospital and Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital between June 2014 and December 2019. Receiver operator characteristic curve results were used to calculate the LMR cutoff value. We used an immunohistochemical analysis to examine G9a expression in DEL tissues. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) characteristics. Cox proportional-hazards models were constructed for univariate and multivariate analyses to examine the prognostic values of LMRs and G9a in patients with DEL.The cutoff value for LMR was 2.18. The 5-year PFS rate was 35.3%, and the 5-year OS rate was 39.2%. Patients with DEL with lower LMRs and who were G9a-positive predicted inferior PFS and OS. Univariate analysis revealed that patients with elevated LDH levels, high National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) scores, LMRs ≤2.18, and G9a-positive results had relatively poorer PFS and OS. The multivariate analysis revealed that LMRs ≤2.18 and a G9a-positive result were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS in patients with DEL treated with R-DA-EPOCH.The study results suggested that peripheral blood LMRs were an important marker for evaluation of prognosis in patients with DEL. High expression of G9a was associated with worse outcomes, indicating that G9a may serve as a prognostic biomarker for patients with DEL who undergo R-DA-EPOCH program chemotherapy., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

State and local governments consider payment for ecosystem services (PES) a valuable tool for watershed protection. However, regional differences in PES policies, which significantly influence province-scale cooperation, have been seldom documented. The interrelationships among these policies directly affect overall PES development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). Textual analysis was used to categorize the content of PES policies in 11 provinces from 2004 to 2018. Then, we assessed these PES policies with four indicators (i.e., policy intensity, interdepartmental coordination, diversity, and duration). Finally, we analyzed the impact factors of these regional differences. The results showed that the number of PES policies increased yearly, reaching a peak in 2017. Provinces in the upper reaches had the highest policy-intensity score (7.38), followed by downstream provinces (6.39) and provinces in the middle reaches (4.52). Regarding interdepartmental coordination, the downstream areas exhibited the most interdepartment interaction (27.92%), followed by the upstream areas (20.76%) and the middle areas (19.18%). Diversity in the middle reaches was the highest (scored 4.3) while the upstream area exhibited the lowest diversity value (3.25). Downstream provinces issued PES policies the earliest, with a duration 5.52 years, followed by the upstream provinces (4.68) and middle provinces (4.28). Policy intensity was significantly correlated with fixed-asset investment, solid-waste generation, and population. The results suggest that PES in the YREB needs to be strengthened by enhancing policy consistency. In this regard, identifying regional differences in PES policies can help improve the coordination of PES policies for the whole YREB., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Identifying priority conservation areas plays a significant role in conserving biodiversity under climate change, but uncertainties create challenges for conservation planning. To reduce uncertainties in the conservation planning framework, we developed an adaptation index to assess the effect of topographic complexity on species adaptation to climate change, which was incorporated into the conservation framework as conservation costs. Meanwhile, the species distributions were predicted by the Maxent model, and the priority conservation areas were optimized during different periods in Sichuan province by the Marxan model. Our results showed that the effect of topographic complexity was critical for species adaptation, but the adaptation index decreased with the temperature increase. Based on the conservation targets and costs, the distributions of priority conservation areas were mainly concentrated in mountainous areas around the Sichuan Basin where may be robust to the adaptation to climate change. In the future, the distributions of priority conservation areas had no evident changes, accounting for about 26% and 28% of the study areas. Moreover, most species habitats could be conserved in terms of conservation targets in these priority conservation areas. Therefore, our approach could achieve biodiversity conservation goals and be highly practical. More importantly, quantifying the effect of topography also is critical for options for planning conservation areas in response to climate change., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests

To comprehend the runoff load of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and the impact on the receiving river in an agricultural area with an intensive orchard plantation and a longitudinal ridge and furrow morphology in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, the runoff and N and P concentrations were dynamically monitored in a typical citrus orchard catchment in Wanzhou Country, Chongqing, China. The results showed that the nutrient concentration in runoff water from the intensive citrus planting catchment was very high. The average annual event mean concentrations (EMC) were 9.31 mg·L -1 for total nitrogen (TN), 8.11 mg·L -1 for dissolved nitrogen (DN), 5.66 mg·L -1 for nitrate nitrogen (NN), 0.51 mg·L -1 for ammonium nitrogen (AN), 0.87 mg·L -1 for total phosphorus, 0.56 mg·L -1 for solved phosphorus (DP), and 0.32 mg·L -1 for particulate phosphorus (DP). In addition, the annual loss loads were 13.43, 12.20, 8.77, 0.75, 1.26, 0.84, and 0.42 kg·(hm 2 ·a) -1 for TN, DN, NN, AN, TP, DP, and PP, respectively. The annual average concentrations of TN and TP were 8.49 mg·L -1 and 0.87 mg·L -1 , respectively, which exceeded the category V values of the surface water quality standards (GB3838-2002) by 4.25 times and 2.2 times, respectively, and also exceeded the internationally recognized thresholds for the eutrophication of waterbodies. The TN and TP loss load from storm runoff was one of the main reasons for the degradation of the river water quality, thus suggesting the need to treat surface runoff and control runoff nutrient losses, especially during the first storm events after fertilization. During two typical long-duration springtime rainfall events after fertilization, the loads of nitrate nitrogen (NN) and dissolved phosphorus (DP) were 4.94 kg·hm -2 and 0.28 kg·hm -2 , respectively, which accounted for 92.90% and 64.69% of the total annual TN and TP loss loads, respectively. The loads of NN and DP in a short-duration high-intensity rainfall event were 0.52 and 0.05 kg·hm -2 respectively, which accounted for 65.92% and 74.88% of the total annual TN and TP loss loads, respectively. The DN and DP were the main forms of nitrogen and phosphorus losses from the intensive citrus orchard with a longitudinal ridge and furrow morphology. Meanwhile, the catchment showed a significant first-flush phenomenon during a typical rainfall event, with a total of 58.0%, 57.0%, 58.5%, 79.0%, 62.0%, 63.5%, and 60.0% of the mass of TN, DN, NN, AN, TP, DP, and PP in the initial 20% of the runoff, respectively. Hence, controlling the surface runoff at the early runoff stage plays an important role in reducing nutrient losses.

Coal-Gas replacement project has been implemented to decrease haze pollution in China in recent years. Airborne arsenic (As) mostly originates from coal burning processes. It is noteworthy to compare the distribution of arsenic fraction in PM 2.5 before and after coal-gas replacement. Eighty PM 2.5 samples were collected in Baoding in December 2016 (coal dominated year) and December 2017 (gas dominated year) at different functional areas including residential area (RA), industrial area (IA), suburb (SB), roadside (ST) and Botanical Garden Park (BG). The fraction, bioavailability and health risk of As in the PM 2.5 samples were investigated and compared between these two years. Arsenic was mainly distributed in the non-specifically sorbed fraction (F1) and the residual fraction (F5). However, the proportion of F1 to the total As in 2017 was higher than that in 2016, while the proportion of As in the amorphous and poorly-crystalline hydrous oxides of Fe and Al fraction (F3) in 2017 was lower. The distributions of fraction and bioavailability showed temporal and spatial characteristics. The total concentration and bioavailability of As in SB and IA were significantly higher than those in RA, ST and BG. The BF (Bioavailability Factor) values of As ranged from 0.30 to 0.61. Health risk assessment indicated that the hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) of As in PM 2.5 significantly decreased after coal-gas replacement., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors (Jiao-Jiao Xie, Chun-Gang Yuan, Jin Xie, Xiao-Dong Niu, Xu-Rui Zhang, Ke-Gang Zhang, Pei-Yao Xu, Xiao-Ying Ma, Xiang-Bin Lv) have seen and approved the submission of the manuscript. The authors declared that there is no conflict of intrest. We also affirm that this manuscript is not under consideration for publication and has not been published elsewhere in any medium including electronic journals and computer databases of a public nature. We assure you that there are no related works that are currently under consideration for publication in this or other journals., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: A one-stage laparoscopic operation has recently been considered a favorable option for the management of patients with Hirschsprung's disease (HD) due to its superior cosmetic results. One-stage transanal endorectal pull-through for the treatment of rectosigmoid HD has been widely used in newborns without complications. However, enterostomy is required in some HD cases for enterocolitis and dilated colon. Our transumbilical enterostomy (TUE) and two-stage laparoscopy-assisted anorectoplasty were effective and achieved a similar cosmetic effect to one-stage laparoscopy on the abdominal wall in patients with anorectal malformation, but the effect in patients with HD is unclear., Aim: To evaluate the safety, efficacy and cosmetic results of TUE in two-stage laparoscopy-assisted pull-through for HD., Methods: From June 2013 to June 2018, 53 patients (40 boys, 13 girls; mean age at enterostomy: 5.5 ± 2.2 mo) who underwent enterostomy and two-stage laparoscopy-assisted pull-through for HD with stoma closure were reviewed at our institution. Two enterostomy approaches were used: TUE in 24 patients, and conventional abdominal enterostomy (CAE) in 29 patients. Eleven patients with rectosigmoid HD had severe preoperative enterocolitis or a dilated colon. 26 patients had long-segment HD, and 16 patients had total colonic aganglionosis (TCA). The patients with left-sided HD underwent the two-stage laparoscopic Soave procedure, and the patients with right-sided HD and TCA underwent the laparoscopic Duhamel procedure. Demographics, enterostomy operative time, complications and cosmetic results were respectively evaluated., Results: There were no differences between the groups with respect to gender, age at enterostomy, weight and clinical type ( P > 0.05). No conversion to open technique was required. Two patients experienced episodes of stomal mucosal prolapse in the TUE group and 1 patient in the CAE group (8.33% vs 3.45%, P > 0.05). No parastomal hernia was observed in either of the two groups. Wound infection at the stoma was seen in 1 case in the TUE group, and 2 cases in the CAE group (4.17% vs 6.90%, P > 0.05). No obstruction was noted in any of the patients in the TUE group, whereas obstruction was found in 1 patient in the CAE group. Enterocolitis was observed in 3 and 5 patients in the TUE and CAE group, respectively (12.50% vs 17.24%, P > 0.05). There was no significant difference between the TUE group and CAE group in terms of the incidence of soiling and constipation ( P > 0.05). The cosmetic result using the scar score in the TUE group was better than that in the CAE group (6.83 ± 0.96 vs 13.32 ± 1.57, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: TUE is a safe and feasible method for the treatment of HD, and the staged enterostomy and two-stage laparoscopy-assisted pull-through achieved a similar cosmetic effect to the one-stage laparoscopic procedure., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors stated that they have no financial relationships to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2019. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Plastic pollution, including microplastics (MPs), poses a global threat to environmental and human health. Studies on the transference of MPs along marine food webs are limited. In the present study, we investigated MP pollution in 11 wild fish species (193 individuals) and 8 wild crustacean species (136 individuals) captured from the Zhoushan fishing ground, off the East China Sea. The average abundance of MPs found in two main tissues, the gill and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, were 0.77 ± 1.25 and 0.52 ± 0.90 items/individual, respectively. The MPs we found were predominantly fiber-shaped, blue, and composed of polyester polymers. Our results suggest that MP pollution is ubiquitous in the East China Sea. We suggest that MPs are likely aggregated in the higher trophic level fish species throughout the marine food web. Furthermore, we suggest that marine organisms which occupy higher trophic levels might be suitable MP indicator species., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The distribution and bioavailability of arsenic (As) in indoor/outdoor total suspended particulates (TSP), inhalable particulate matters (PM 10 ), and fine particulate matters (PM 2.5 ) in Baoding, China were investigated. The average I/O ratios for TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 were 0.52, 0.66, and 0.96, respectively. There was no significant correlation between indoor/outdoor TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 . The indoor/outdoor concentrations of As surpassed the limited value of As. I/O ratios of arsenic in TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 were 0.52, 0.58, and 0.55, respectively. The contents of arsenic in different fractions were mainly affected by the total concentrations of arsenic in particulate matters (PM) rather than the particle sizes for TSP and PM 10 . Arsenic was mainly in non-specifically sorbed fraction (F1) in both indoor and outdoor PM 2.5 . The evaluated carcinogenic risk (CR) was within the safe level. The bioavailability of As increased with particle size decreasing for both indoor and outdoor PM. The potential bioavailability of As in outdoor particles was higher than that of indoor particles with the same size, especially PM 2.5 .

Objective: To investigate the relationship of leptin gene polymorphism with obesity in ethnic minority Hui and Uygur children in China., Methods: Sixty-eight ethnic minority (35 Hui and 33 Uygur) children with obesity and 69 age-matched minority (36 Hui and 33 Uygur) children without obesity were recruited from six primary schools in the sub-urban areas of Urumqi. Venous blood was sampled from all subjects after fasting for 12 hours. Leptin gene C2549A polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. Blood concentrations of lipids, leptin and insulin were measured with biochemical methods and radioimmunoassys, respectively., Results: In the 137 children tested, the prevalence of AA, AC and CC genotype was 9.5%, 33.6% and 56.9%, respectively. A allele frequency was significantly different between the two ethnic (i.e. Hui and Uygur) groups (P<0.05). A allele frequency and AA+ AC genotype frequency were not significantly different between obese and non-obese children in both ethnic groups (P>0.05). Blood leptin levels were not significantly different between obese and non-obese children with an AA+AC or CC genotype in both ethnic groups (P>0.05)., Conclusions: Leptin gene polymorphisms exist in Hui and Uygur children. The C2549A polymorphism is not significantly associated with the prevalence of obesity in both Hui and Uygur children.

Purpose: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) inhibits FSH-stimulated follicle growth and aromatase activity. The three fold higher serum AMH in PCOS patients may account for the increased number of small follicles and androgen level. We attempted to determine whether polymorphisms in AMH gene were associated with PCOS in Chinese han population., Methods: A case-control study involving 475 PCOS patients and 512 normoovulatory women was conducted. Rs10407022 and rs8112524 were two tagging SNPs selected according to the HapMap database. Taqman assay was used for rs8112524 genotyping, and PCR-RFLP method for rs10407022., Results: No significant difference was found in genotypic or allelic distributions of both of the two SNPs, rs10407022 and rs8112524, between PCOS women and controls. LH level and progesterone level were significantly higher in rs8112524 AA genotype in PCOS group (P = 0.012, 0.014 respectively). TA haplotype might enhance susceptibility to PCOS (P = 0.013, OR = 4.996, 95 % CI = 2.001-5.251), and GA haplotype might be protective (P = 0.000, OR = 0.117, 95 % CI = 0.049-0.417)., Conclusions: Although individual TagSNPs in AMH gene do not affect susceptibility to PCOS, haplotypes of the two SNPs were associated with PCOS risk, as TA haplotype might enhance susceptibility to PCOS and GA inversely.

The D19S884 marker at the fibrillin 3 gene has been analysed as a candidate location for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mainly in Caucasian descendants. A case-control study was performed with 272 PCOS women and 271 controls to test the hypothesis that variants in the D19S884 marker increase susceptibility to PCOS in Chinese women and a meta-analysis was undertaken to clarify whether there is an allele consistently contributing to the susceptibility. The association analysis showed that PCOS women were significantly different from controls in the distribution of D19S884 allele frequencies. Instead of the well-known A8 allele, the most common allele in Chinese population was proved to be A7, and the allele frequencies of A7 were statistically different between cases and controls (P=0.037). The meta-analysis of A8 and A7 only identified A8 as a significant allelic association at the D19S884 marker in all combined samples (A8: OR 1.391, 95% CI 1.169-1.654; A7: OR 1.154, 95% CI 0.894-1.490). In conclusion, the association study showed a potential association of the D19S884 marker with PCOS in Chinese Han women and the meta-analysis identified that A8 may increase susceptibility to PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, and it affects an estimated 15% of women worldwide based on the Rotterdam criteria. Many studies in Caucasian descendants suggested that variants of the D19S884 marker at the fibrillin 3 gene are associated with the risk of this syndrome. Here we performed a case-control study with 272 PCOS women and 271 controls to investigate whether variants in the D19S884 marker increase susceptibility to PCOS in Chinese women. We also carried out a meta-analysis of some relevant studies to find a more reliable result. Our association analysis showed that PCOS women were significantly different from controls in the distribution of D19S884 allele frequencies, and instead of the well-known A8 (the letter 'A' represents 'allele'), the most common allele in Chinese population was proved to be A7, whose allele frequencies were statistically different between cases and controls. The meta-analysis of A8 and A7 only identified A8 as a significant allelic association at the D19S884 marker in all combined samples. In conclusion, our association study showed a potential association of the D19S884 marker with PCOS in Chinese Han women and the meta-analysis identified that A8 may increase susceptibility to PCOS., (Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the correlations between obesity index such as waist circumference, hip circumference, skin-fold thickness, body mass index, waist to hip ratio, waist to height ratio etc, and blood pressure among Kazak children living in Yili of Xinjiang., Methods: In May-June 2009, 2438 Kazak children aged 7 to 14 at primary schools in Yili of Xinjiang, were investigated. Waist circumference, hip circumference, skin-fold thickness, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured to calculate the body mass index, waist to hip ratio and waist to height ratio. Analysis on the differences in age and gender, blood pressure (BP) between hypertensive or normal BP group under the standard set for children. SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis on its correlation., Results: The total prevalence of hypertension was 5.7% in Kazak ethnic school-age children in Yili, with 4.4% in the boys and 7.0% in girls. Data from waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-height-ratio, waist-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed gender and age differences (P = 0.000). Average systolic blood pressure was correlated to waist circumference, hip circumference, skin-fold thickness, body mass index and waist to hip ratio (P = 0.000), with hip circumference the most (man: r = 0.618, female: r = 0.655). The average diastolic blood pressure was correlated to waist circumference, hip circumference, skin-fold thickness, body mass index and waist to hip ratio (P = 0.000), with hip having the strongest relation (r = 0.489 for male and r = 0.548 for females). Significant differences were seen between Hypertension group and normal blood pressure group on waist circumference, hip circumference, skin-fold thickness, body mass index and waist-hip ratio (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: In Yili of Xinjiang, the prevalence of hypertension was at the low level in Kazak ethnic school-aged children when comparing to data from national and foreign standards. Indicators related to obesity as waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass index and waist to hip ratio were positively correlated with blood pressure, with hip in particular.

The cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) gene plays an important part in the synthesis of sex hormones and has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome. A case-control study including 314 PCOS patients and 314 controls was conducted to assess the association of the SNPs rs4077582 and rs11632698 in CYP11A1 with PCOS using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Thereafter, 100 DNA samples were re-genotyped by direct sequencing for confirmation. The genotypic distribution of rs4077582 in women with PCOS differed from that in controls (P = 0.002). No such distributional difference was found in rs11632698 (P = 0.912). Data from our previous study of these two SNPs in another population including 290 PCOS patients and 344 controls was combined with the current data. Combined analysis (a total of 1262 participants, including 604 PCOS patients and 658 control women) showed a much more significant difference in the genotypic distribution of rs4077582 between PCOS and controls (P < 0.001). The T allele was more prevalent in PCOS patients (Odds ratio = 1.314; 95 % CI 1.122-1.540). The testosterone levels among the three genotypes for rs4077582 were different in the control group, as were the LH levels and the LH/FSH ratio. Therefore, SNP rs4077582 in CYP11A1 is strongly associated with susceptibility to PCOS and may alter the testosterone levels by the regulation of LH in different genotypes. No association was observed in rs11632698.