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Aim Design Methods Results Conclusion Impact Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To identify factors associated with job embeddedness from the perspective of retaining new graduate nurses.The study was cross‐sectional in design.Convenience and stratified sampling were used to recruit 415 newly graduated nurses from 12 tertiary hospitals in China. Anonymized data were collected through self‐designed sociodemographic questionnaires, job embeddedness scale, feedback‐seeking behaviour scale, authentic leadership perception scale and decent work scale. Appropriate indicators were used for descriptive statistics and t‐tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression to examine the influencing factors.The study showed that monthly income level, decent labour, authentic leadership and feedback‐seeking behaviour were significant predictors of job embeddedness among new graduate nurses.The job embeddedness of new graduate nurses is moderate. Nursing managers need to construct reasonable and fair compensation incentives, adopt positive leadership styles and encourage proactive feedback‐seeking behaviours to improve the job embeddedness of new graduate nurses and alleviate the nursing talent shortage.Exploring the factors influencing the job embeddedness of new graduate nurses provides a reference for establishing new graduate nurse retention strategies to help promote the career development of new graduate nurses and alleviate the nursing brain drain.We adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the initial impoundment of the Baihetan Reservoir in April 2021, the water level in front of the dam rose about 200 m. The mechanical properties and effects of the bank slopes in the reservoir area changed significantly, resulting in many bank collapses. This study systematically analyzed the bank slope of the head section of the reservoir, spanning 30 km from the dam to Baihetan Bridge, through a comprehensive investigation conducted after the initial impoundment. The analysis utilized UAV flights and ground surveys to interpret the bank slope's distribution characteristics and failure patterns. A total of 276 bank collapses were recorded, with a geohazard development density of 4.6/km. The slope gradient of 26% of the collapsed banks experienced an increase ranging from 5 to 20° after impoundment, whereas the remaining sites' inclines remained unchanged. According to the combination of lithology and movement mode, the bank failure mode is divided into six types, which are the surface erosion type, surface collapse type, surface slide type, bedding slip type of clastic rock, toppling type of clastic rock, and cavity corrosion type of carbonate rock. It was found that the collapsed banks in the reservoir area of 85% developed in the reactivation of old landslide deposits, while 15% in the clastic and carbonate rock. This study offers guidance for the next phase of bank collapse regulations and future geohazards prevention strategies in the Baihetan Reservoir area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture in China has undergone significant evolution in recent decades, transitioning from traditional practices to a vital food production industry. Alongside the rapid growth of aquaculture in China, aquafeed production continues to expand swiftly. This review attempts to establish an overview of the history and achievements in aquaculture nutrition research and feed industry in China. The development of scientific concept and methodology, especially the advanced molecular biology technology guarantees the shift from traditional nutrition to molecular nutrition, and subsequently to precision nutrition in aquaculture nutrition research. This evolution has facilitated the formulation of effective strategies to enhance the growth, health and product quality of aquatic animals. The advancements of aquaculture nutrition research and feed industry have also been propelled by innovative research concepts rooted in principles such as the health and safety of aquatic animals, the quality of aquatic products, resource conservation and environmental friendliness, and the advancements in key processing technologies within the aquafeed industry. The future perspectives of the aquaculture nutrition research and feed industry in China are also proposed. The present work aims to provide a reference for promoting the development of aquaculture nutrition research and feed industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Long-term bladder instillation therapy will bring more infusion side effects and economic consumption to patients. This study aims to compare short-term gemcitabine vs. long-term epirubicin for intravesical chemotherapy in patients diagnosed with moderate- to high-risk NMIBC treated using transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Materials and methods: This randomized controlled trial enrolled patients diagnosed with pT1 bladder cancer who underwent TURBT at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute from (01/2015- 07/2018), randomized 1:1 to gemcitabine vs. epirubicin. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were monitored by cystoscopy. Side-effects after intravesical instillation and QLQ-C30 questionnaire were collected. Results: Finally, 208 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 50.6 (6–69) months. The median RFS of the gemcitabine vs. epirubicin groups were 46.7 (6–69) vs. 47.2 (8–69) months, respectively (P > 0.05); the median PFS was 51.3 (9–69) vs. 50.9 (27–69) months, respectively (P > 0.05). The incidence rates of lower urinary tract symptoms, dysuria, hypo gastralgia, and gastrointestinal symptoms in the epirubicin group were 33.3%, 6.7%, 17.7%, and 18.3%, compared with 8.5%, 3.4%, 8.5% and, 1.2%, respectively, for gemcitabine. The gemcitabine group had a better quality of life than epirubicin in global health status (82.8 ± 8.5 vs. 79.6 ± 4.2, P = 0.01) and pain symptom domain (1.1 ± 2.8 vs. 2.4 ± 3.8, P = 0.04). Conclusions: There are no significant differences in efficacy between gemcitabine and epirubicin for intravesical chemotherapy in patients with moderate to high-risk NMIBC to prevent tumor recurrence or progression for patients intolerant to BCG or those for whom BCG is not accessible. Patients with gemcitabine suffer fewer adverse events and have a better health status than with epirubicin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an acute infectious disease characterized by neurological and respiratory symptoms. In order to have a better understanding of the current prevalence of PRV in northeastern China, a strain of PRV was isolated by us. Then, protein structure analysis and pathogenicity testing of the virus were performed to give insight into the characterization of the isolated PRV strains. In this study, the PRV strain named CH/HLJPRVJ/2023 was isolated and identified. Genome-wide phylogenetic analysis shows CH/HLJPRVJ/2023 and HeN1 have higher homology. The CH/HLJPRVJ/2023 strain had the highest homology with HeN1 strain (97.3%) and the lowest homology with Bartha-K61 (89.2%). Recombinant evolution analysis shows CH/HLJPRVJ/2023 shows many variants in OBP, AN, UL21, UL17, VP11/12, and VP1/2 fragments, which predict its unique genetically. VP1/2, an effector protein of capsid transport and neuroinvasion, has mutations and deletions in its amino acids, which cause changes in the protein conformation of CH/HLJPRVJ/2023. Besides the typical neurologic and respiratory lesions, infection with highly pathogenic CH/HLJPRVJ/2023 can lead to damage to the colonic villi and colonic barrier in piglets. This study will provide a basis for knowledge about the prevalence, genetic evolution, and vaccine optimization of endemic PRV strains in northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Feedback is critical to improving practitioners' clinical practice and professional growth. Although they are still considered junior practitioners, their feedback-seeking experiences have yet to be investigated. This study aimed to understand the fundamental thoughts and experiences of new graduate nurses regarding feedback-seeking and to identify the main factors that influence their feedback-seeking behaviors. Methods: Conducting a descriptive phenomenological study, semi-structured in-depth interviews with newly graduated nurses from four hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China, face-to-face or via video call in the hospital conference room through purposive and snowball sampling. Interview data were evaluated using Colaizzi's 7-step phenomenological data analysis. The COREQ checklist was followed. Results: A total of 15 new graduate nurses were interviewed as a sample, and 13 categories emerged from our data. They were categorized into four central elements: (1) perceptions and attitudes, (2) drivers, (3) dilemmas and needs, and (4) transformation and growth. Conclusions: This study found that new graduate nurses have various needs but face dilemmas in the feedback-seeking process. Nursing managers should be proficient at providing positive leadership, collaborating with clinical mentors to foster an atmosphere where new graduate nurses may obtain honest, transparent, and fair feedback, and exercising caution when providing negative feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous challenge of existing vaccine systems by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) variant strains in recent years, it caused significant economic losses in the global swine industry. A PEDV virulent strain CH/HLJBQL/2022 was successfully isolated in China in this study. A genome-wide based phylogenetic analysis suggests that CH/HLJBQL/2022 belongs to the GII subtype, and 96.3%–99.6% homology existed in the whole genomes of other strains. For the first time, simultaneous mutations of four amino acids were found in the highly conserved membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins, as well as five amino acid mutations that differed from the vast majority of strains in the spike (S) protein. Mutations in the M and S proteins were found to produce coils with different angles by building 2D and 3D structural models. Epitope analysis indicated that the isolates produced specific changes and that the transmembrane function of the M protein had not been affected. In addition, typing markers exist during strain evolution, but isolates are using the fusion of specific amino acids from multiple variant strains to add additional features, as also demonstrated by protein alignments and 3D models of numerous subtype strains. These results suggest that aa mutations in the M and S proteins may have changed the structure and antigenic epitope of the isolates and PEDV is evolving again on the basis of variants that have been found to counteract the immune network of the new vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of spatial susceptibility of debris flow is a basis for carrying out geological hazard prevention and developing ecological restoration plans. It is difficult to efficiently and accurately identify potential debris flow gullies on a large spatial scale simply by relying on field surveys combined with remote sensing observations or debris flow simulations with small watersheds as units. Taking the Jinsha River Basin of China as an example, we propose a quantitative scheme to describe the intensity of extrinsic forces by calculating the stream power gradient (ω). We extracted gullies prone to debris flow, assuming that there is no spatial heterogeneity in the provenance supply conditions based on the fundamental understanding that debris flow is a high-energy gravity flow. In the situation where the threshold (ω=1x10-4 W/m²) is the mutational site of the gradient change trend of the relation curve between the number of debris flow gullies and ω value, a total of about 32 thousand debris flow gullies with lengths of more than 200 m were found. In the middle and lower reaches of the basin, these gullies are located within a 30-kilometer buffer zone along the Jinsha and Yalong Rivers, and there is a power function relationship between the number of debris flow gullies and the width of a buffer zone. However, extreme weather events are likely to increase in the future under global warming, and these areas should be the critical prevention areas of debris flow disasters, especially the cascade reservoir area. The results of this study provide a lattice data set of spatial locations of the gullies prone to debris flow and the stream power gradients in the Jinsha River basin, which can be used to retrieve the exact location of the high-energy gullies and can also be used as the basic data for the study of related geological hazards and surface processes in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic matter (OM) and nutrient inputs generated by human activities promote the development of eutrophication. Amino acids (AAs) are an integral part of OM, and studying their patterns will provide new insights into organic matter dynamics in lakes. Four seasonal field campaigns in eutrophic Lake Taihu and a 14-day phytoplankton degradation experiment were carried out to determine the variability and bioavailability of amino acids. The quality and quantity of AAs varied among different seasons and lake types. The concentrations of particulate (PAA) and dissolved (DAA) AA were 14.67 ± 13.25 μM (carbon- and nitrogen-normalized PAA yields: PAA-C%, 23.8 ± 13.5%; PAA-N%, 22.8 ± 2.1%) and 2.95 ± 1.05 μM (carbon- and nitrogen-normalized DAA yields: DAA-C%, 3.7 ± 1.1%; DAA-N%, 12.6 ± 11.2%) in Lake Taihu, respectively. PAA and DAA showed high mean values in the algal-dominated northern area in summer. Glutamic acid (Glu), alanine (Ala), aspartic acid (Asp) and glycine (Gly) contributed to nearly 50% of PAA, while Gly, accounting for 17–24%, was the main component of DAA. During a 14-day phytoplankton degradation period, 98% of Chl a, 63% of POC and 92% of PAA were removed in the dark treatment, and a more obvious downward trend was recorded than in the light treatment. Principal component analysis of the indices of PAA indicated that Glu, arginine (Arg) and histidine (His) were dominant on day 0, while Gly and lysine (Lys) were dominant on day 14. There were notable serine + threonine (Ser + Thr [mol%]) and aspartic acid/glycine ratio (Asp/Gly [mol%]) end-member divisions among different organic matter sources. DAA had higher Ser + Thr [mol%] and lower Asp/Gly [mol%] values than PAA. The amino acid degradation index (DI) of PAA and DAA was 0.97 ± 0.28 and − 1.04 ± 0.43, respectively. The fresh DAA from the algae degradation incubation also had DI values similar to those of field DAA in the northern algae–dominated lake region. Amino acid parameters (AA-C%, DI values, Ser + Thr [mol%] and Asp/Gly [mol%]) were calculated to indicate the source, freshness and bioavailability of organic matter in eutrophic shallow Lake Taihu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) variant strains cause great economic losses to the global swine industry. However, vaccines do not provide sufficient protection against currently circulating strains due to viral mutations. This study traced the molecular characteristics of the most recent isolates in China and aimed to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of PEDV. Methods: We obtained samples from a Chinese diarrheal swine farm in 2022. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence were used to determine the etiology, and the full-length PEDV genome was sequenced. Nucleotide similarity was calculated using MEGA to construct a phylogenetic tree and DNASTAR. Mutant amino acids were aligned using DNAMAN and modeled by SWISS-MODEL, Phyre2 and FirstGlance in JMOL for protein tertiary structure simulation. Additionally, TMHMM was used for protein function prediction. Results: A PEDV virulent strain CH/HLJJS/2022 was successfully isolated in China. A genome-wide based phylogenetic analysis suggests that it belongs to the GII subtype, and 96.1–98.9% homology existed in the whole genomes of other strains. For the first time, simultaneous mutations of four amino acids were found in the highly conserved membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins, as well as eight amino acid mutations that differed from the vast majority of strains in the spike (S) protein. Three of the mutations alter the S-protein spatial structure. In addition, typing markers exist during strain evolution, but isolates are using the fusion of specific amino acids from multiple variant strains to add additional features, as also demonstrated by protein alignments and 3D models of numerous subtype strains. Conclusion: The newly isolated prevalent strain CH/HLJJS/2022 belonged to the GII subtype, and thirteen mutations different from other strains were found, including mutations in the highly conserved m and N proteins, and in the S1° and COE neutralizing epitopes of the S protein. PEDV is breaking through original cognitions and moving on a more complex path. Surveillance for PEDV now and in the future and improvements derived from mutant strain vaccines are highly warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is involved in the pathological process of vascular dementia (VD). GJ-4 is extracted from Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis and has been reported to have protective roles in ischemia-related brain damage. However, the role of GJ-4 in ERS has not been elucidated. We established a VD rat model through bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (2-VO). The rats were intragastrically administrated with GJ-4 (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg) and nimodipine (10 mg/kg). Data from a Morris water maze test showed that GJ-4 could significantly alleviate learning and memory deficits in VD rats. Nissl and cleaved caspase-3 staining revealed that GJ-4 can inhibit apoptosis and thus exert a protective role in the brain of 2-VO rats. Western blot results suggested that GJ-4 significantly reduced ERS-related protein expression and inhibited apoptosis through suppression of the PERK/eIF2 α /ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway. For in vitro studies, the oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) SH-SY5Y model was employed. Western blot and Hoechst 33342/PI double staining were utilized to explore the effects of crocetin, the main active metabolite of GJ-4. Like GJ-4 in vivo, crocetin in vitro also decreased ERS-related protein expression and inhibited the activation of the PERK/eIF2 α /ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway. Thus, crocetin exerted similar protective roles on OGD challenged SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. In summary, GJ-4 and crocetin reduce the ERS in the brain of VD rats and SY5Y cells subjected to OGD and inhibit neuronal apoptosis through suppression of the PERK/eIF2 α /ATF4/CHOP pathway, suggesting that GJ-4 may be useful for the treatment of VD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is one of the most important physiologic structures that should be detected in Ultrasound (US) scanning for the normal development of the fetal central nervous system. However, manual measurement of CSP is still a difficult and time-consuming task due to the high noise of US images, even for experienced sonographers. Especially considering that maternal mortality remains high in many developing countries, a data-driven system with a medical diagnosis can help sonographers and obstetricians make decisions rapidly and improve their work efficiency. In this study, we propose a novel data-driven system based on deep learning for the diagnosis of CSP called CA-Unet, which consists of a channel attention network to segment the CSP and a post-processing module to measure and diagnose the anomalies of CSP. We collected the US data from three hospitals in China from 2012 to 2018 year to validate the effectiveness of our system. Experiments on a fetal US dataset demonstrated that our proposed system is able to help doctors make decisions and has achieved the highest precision of 79.5% and the largest Dice score of 77.5% in the segmentation of CSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DSGSD) triggered by impoundment has attracted worldwide attention. After impoundment of Wudongde reservoir downstream of Jinsha River, China, Zaogutian DSGSD occurred with an estimated volume of 129 million m3, which provided an opportunity for in-depth analysis and cognition of its mechanism and risk. The DSGSD sits on a chair-shaped bedding bank slope with multi-weak interlayers at the bottom, forming a lithology structure of brittle cap overlying a ductile substratum. Based on the traditional engineering geological exploration, 3D observation of the DSGSD was carried out by UAV photogrammetry, and the cracks, discontinuities, and macroscopic deformation characteristics of different areas were identified. Combining the InSAR survey and surface-parallel flow assumption, the mm-level 3D deformation rate field and time-series displacement from December 2019 to December 2020 were reconstructed. Finally, the following conclusions were arrived at: according to the cracks and the boundary between rock mass and deposit, the DSGSD could be divided into four zones: the loose deposit near the bank, the scarp area in the front part, the major sliding area in the middle part, and the stable area. The loose deposits were deforming by uplifting with a maximum rate of 70 mm/year. The deformation rate in the western part of the major sliding area was the fastest, and the rates of the maximum settlement and southward deformation peaked at 100 mm/year and 250 mm/year, respectively, which were 2–3 times data in the scarp area. Under the soaking of reservoir water, the mechanical magnitude of the weak layer in the lower Dengying Formation and the Guanyinya Formation got reduced, which was the triggering factor of Zaogutian DSGSD. As a result, the major sliding area pushed the scrap area to creep along with the weak layer, and sliding accompanied by tensile fracturing is the instability mode in case of failure. The combination of InSAR and UAV observation provides a deeper insight into the deformation mechanism of DSGSD, which is not only conducive to slope stability evaluation but also demonstrates the role of remote sensing technology in the study of DSGSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the unique hydrogeological environment of karst areas, pollutants are more likely to enter the soil and water, showing a special migration and transformation behavior. In this work, the binding behaviors between strontium (Sr2+) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted from soil under the influence of pH and Ca2+ in a typical karst area were investigated by applying three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy combined with parallel factor analysis (EEM–PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation analysis (2D-COS) of synchronous fluorescence spectra (SF). The results show that DOM extracted from soil was dominated by tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like materials (77% in total). Two-dimensional COS of SF showed that the tryptophan-like substance in DOM extracted from soil preferentially bound to Sr2+. When the pH was 7, the binding coefficient (logKa) of the four DOM components ranged from 2.69 to 4.04, which was more conducive to the binding of DOM extracted from soil and Sr2+ than under acidic and alkaline conditions. Ca2+ in soil weakened the binding of DOM extracted from soil to Sr2+ by competing for binding sites and changing the molecular surface potential. This research is helpful for acknowledging the migration and transformation of Sr2+ and offers a reference for groundwater protection in karst areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rock resistivity is a major geophysical technical parameter in geological and geotechnical engineering, geothermal prospecting, and oil and gas exploration. Its accurate measurement is of great significance to achieve the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality". To solve anisotropic problems, a method to test the radial resistivity in cylindrical core samples has been proposed and has been deemed the universal method, as it has the virtues of no specially processed sample being needed and nondestructive testing. However, there is still a difference in the radial resistivities obtained from this method and another testing method that is commonly used for cuboid samples. Furthermore, the differences between these methods have not yet been made clear in China or elsewhere. Therefore, we compared the results of the above-two testing methods via numerical simulations after establishing the potential field distribution, and, in combination with their methodological principles, illustrated the differences between the resistivities determined in samples with distinct shapes obtained using the two testing methods, summarized the conditions when there was zero difference and considerable difference when using the two methods, and provided a theoretical basis for the reasonable selection of an appropriate method to test the resistivity anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rising consumption of oil resources, major oil companies around the world have increasingly engaged in offshore oil exploration and development, and offshore oil resources have accounted for an increasing proportion. Offshore oil engineering projects are capital intensive, and the development of offshore oil fields faces a tough battle, especially in a period of low oil prices. Thus, a comprehensive evaluation model is highly needed to help assess economic benefits and provide meaningful and valuable information for operators and investors to make sensible decisions. This study firstly proposed a realistic and integrated evaluation model for offshore oil development based on actual historical project data. This evaluation model incorporated modules from the underwater system to the platform system and processes from oil reservoir extraction to oil, gas and water treatment. The uncertain parameters in the evaluation process are dealt with by sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed model is applied to a typical offshore oil development project in Bohai Bay, China. The results reveal that the recovery factor and oil price have the greatest impact on the economic benefits. In the case of deterministic analysis, the breakeven oil price of the project is 40.59 USD/bbl. After considering the uncertainty of project parameters, the higher the oil price, the greater the probability of NPV > 0. When the oil price is higher than 70 USD/bbl, even with uncertain project parameters, the probability of NPV > 0 can still be as high as 97.39%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) and Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are both autoimmune diseases with low prevalence in China. Subacute combined degeneration (SCD) of the spinal cord is the most common neurological manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Until now, a patient with pSS and complications of AIG including SCD has not been reported. Case Presentation: A 69-year-old woman presented with palpitations and symmetrical and progressive numbness in her hands and feet. The patient had a sense of stepping on cotton and could not write or walk without help. We reviewed the patient's history and analyzed her blood tests, imaging, gastroscopic findings, and pathological results. The patient fulfilled the criteria of AIG, pSS, spinal cord SCD and early pernicious anemia (PA) simultaneously. Although pSS can lead to reduction of vitamin B12, this is the first overlapping case of pSS with spinal cord SCD. After symptomatic treatment, the patient returned to a normal life. Conclusions: This first report about the coexistence of pSS and complications of AIG including SCD and PA will promote a better understanding of the relationship between these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease with global importance caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Rodents are considered the most significant reservoirs for both human and animal infection. Historically, Guangzhou has been an endemic region of human leptospirosis. Although the incidence in humans has significantly decreased in the past decades in China, the epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira in wild rodents is of great significance for the prevention and control of human leptospirosis. In this study, a total of 296 wild rodents were trapped in urban areas of Guangzhou, in southern China, in 2020. Three pathogenic Leptospira species, i.e., Leptospira interrogans, L. borgpetersenii, and L. kirschneri, were detected by nested PCR in this wild rodent population with an overall prevalence of 9.5%. Additionally, L. interrogans was detected in three of the four captured rodent species, and the relative high prevalence suggests that L. interrogans probably represents the preponderant species of the pathogenic Leptospira circulating in Guangzhou. Taken together, this study reveals a high genetic diversity of pathogenic Leptospira disseminated among wild rodents in the urban areas of Guangzhou and emphasizes that the risk for the occurrence of human leptospirosis in Guangzhou remains high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the green efficiency performance of the logistics industry in China's 30 provinces from 2008 to 2017. We first evaluate the green efficiency of the logistics industry through the non-directional distance function method. Then, we use the functional clustering method funHDDC, which is one of the popular machine learning methods, to divide 30 provinces into 4 clusters and analyze the similarities and differences in green efficiency performance patterns among different groups. Further, we explore the driving factors of dynamic changes in green efficiency through the decomposition method. The main conclusions of this paper are as follows: (1) in general, the level of green efficiency is closely related to the geographical location. From the clustering results, we can find that most of the eastern regions belong to the cluster with higher green efficiency, while most of the western regions belong to the cluster with lower green efficiency. However, the green efficiency performance in several regions with high economic levels, such as Beijing and Shanghai, is not satisfactory. (2) Based on the analysis of decomposition results, the innovation effect of China's logistics industry is the most obvious, but the efficiency change still needs to be improved, and technical leadership should be strengthened. Based on these conclusions, we further propose some policy recommendations for the green development of the logistics industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sediment-water mesocosm experiment was set up to identify the effects of different debris biomass P. crispus decomposition on water body physicochemical properties and greenhouse gas emissions in Dongping Lake, a typical shallow macrophytic lake in the north of China. The results indicated that the decomposition of high biomass (BL-2) of P. crispus could significantly affect the physicochemical properties of water bodies, especially within the first 47 days. During the experiment, DO and water pH in BL-2 were significantly lower, while NH3-N, NO2--N, DOC, and DRP in surface water and OM in sediment were significantly higher than those in the low biomass treatment (BL-1) and zero control (CK). Moreover, the DOC in BL-1 were significantly higher than CK. The decomposition of P. crispus significantly affected the emission fluxes of CH4 and CO2, but had no significant impact on N2O emission. CH4 and CO2 fluxes were generally more significantly correlated with the properties of surface water in BL-2 than in BL-1. High debris biomass decomposition significantly promoted the emission of CH4 enhancing the source effect of water body, while the decomposition of both low and high biomass notably promoted the emission of CO2 converting the water bodies from sink to source of CO2. There were significant differences in global warming potential among the three groups in which CH4 contributed most. Considering the negative impact on water environment and elevated carbon emission during the decomposition of P. crispus, it was suggested to strengthen the management of P. crispus in Dongping Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a clinically important causative agent of acute respiratory diseases in postweaning calves and feedlot cattle and causes numerous economic losses to the cattle industry. In June 2018, an outbreak of an acute respiratory disease occurred among 4- to 10-month-old calves on three intensive beef cattle farms in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, with a 27.42% morbidity rate (329/1200) and a > 25% mortality rate (85/329). Using next-generation sequencing, we comprehensively analyzed microbial diversity in the lung samples of the diseased cattle and found that the causative agent of this epidemic outbreak is mainly a bovine orthopneumovirus named BRSV strain DQ. We then isolated and confirmed the virus by RT-PCR and an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Phylogenetic analysis of genes G, F, N, NS1, NS2, and SH of BRSV strain DQ showed that this strain shares the highest genetic similarity with strains USII/S1, 15489, V41, and NY487834 belonging to subgroup III of BRSV. This is the first report of subgroup III strain of BRSV presence in China. Heilongjiang Province is a major cattle-breeding province in China; therefore, it is necessary to test for BRSV in the cattle trade and to conduct region-extended epidemiological surveillance for BRSV in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are common hazards in orogenic belt areas. However, it is difficult to quantitatively express the driving effects of tectonic uplift and stream erosion on the occurrence of landslides on large spatial scales by conducting field investigations. In this study, we analyzed a relatively large region that extends over the Yangbi River basin on the upper Lancang-Mekong in China. A series of quantitative indices, including kernel density of the landslide (KDL), hypsometric integral (HI), steepness index (ksn), stream power (Ω), and stream power gradient (ω) were used to explore the promoting effects of tectonic uplift and stream action intensity on landslides by mapping geomorphic dynamic parameters combined with actual landslide data. The analysis showed that the HI value in the highest landslide risk area was approximately 0.47, and that the KDL in the region can be expressed as a function of steepness or stream power gradient of the channel network, namely, KDL = 0.0127 Ln ksn − 0.0167 (R2 = 0.72, P < 0.001) and KDL = 0.0219 Ln ω − 0.0558 (R2 = 0.21, P < 0.02). Therefore, the lower reach of the Yangbi River basin, with higher steepness and stream power gradient, usually has a high uplifting rate and stream incision that drives landslides and causes the entire river network system to be in a stage of long-term active erosion. Furthermore, the results suggest that sediments were being rapidly discharged from the steep tributary channels to the mainstream. This practical situation highlights that the downstream area of the river basin is a high-risk area for landslide hazards, especially in association with heavy rainfall and earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an international public health threat, and people's participation in disease-related preventive behaviours is the key to controlling infectious diseases. This study aimed to assess the differences in adopting preventive behaviours among populations to explore potential individual and household factors and inequalities within families. Methods: This online survey was conducted in April 2020. The directional stratified convenient sampling method was used to select 4704 participants from eight provinces in eastern, central, and western China. The questionnaire included demographic information, household variables, and five target prevention behaviours. The chi-squared test, binary multilevel model, and Mantel–Haenszel hierarchical analysis were used for data analysis in the study. Results: Approximately 71.2% of the participants had appropriate outdoor prevention, and 32.9% of the participants had indoor protection in place. Sharing behaviours (P < 0.001) and education level (P < 0.001) were positively associated with adopting preventive measures. The inhibiting effect of household crowding and stimulating effect of high household income on preventive behaviours were determined in this study. Household size was negatively associated with living area (β = -0.057, P < 0.05) and living style (β = -0.077, P < 0.05). Household income was positively associated with age (β = 0.023, P < 0.05), and relationship with friends (β = 0.053, P < 0.05). Vulnerable groups, such as older adults or women, are more likely to have inadequate preventive behaviours. Older adults (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.09–2.15), women (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.15–1.64), and those with more than 2 suspected symptoms (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.07–3.19) were more likely to be affected by the inhibiting effect of household crowding, while the stimulating effect of high household income was limited in these groups. Conclusions: Inequalities in COVID-19 prevention behaviours exist between families and inadequate adoption of prevention by vulnerable groups are noteworthy. This study expands the research perspective by emphasizing the role of household factors in preventive behaviours and by focusing on family inequalities. The government should use traditional media as a platform to enhance residents' public health knowledge. Targeted additional wage subsidies, investments in affordable housing, financial support for multigenerational households, and temporary relocation policies may deserve more attention. Communities could play a critical role in COVID-19 prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the concentrations of six toxic metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in surface sediments within the Yangtze, Yellow, Pearl, and Liaohe rivers, China, were analyzed, and their associated pollution statuses and potential ecological risks were assessed using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), and the potential ecological risk index (RI). Relatively high toxic metal concentrations were observed in the Pearl and Yangtze rivers, whereas relatively low concentrations were observed in the Yellow and Liaohe rivers. In the Yangtze, Pearl, and Liaohe rivers, the concentrations of these six toxic metals were higher than their background values. Based on the SQGs, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Cu in the four rivers were found to be higher than the threshold effect levels (TELs) but lower than the probable effect levels (PELs); however, the concentration of Ni exceeded the PEL in the Pearl River sediments. The Igeo index indicated that all four rivers were heavily contaminated with Cd. The RI of the Pearl and Yellow rivers was classed as high and low, respectively, and that of the Yangtze and Liaohe rivers as moderate. The pollution status of the sediments in the four major rivers was explored in relation to the geochemical background, the ecological toxicity of metals, and the sensitivity of the local benthic communities. These results provide meaningful information for directing river management priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacterial community play a key role in environmental and ecological processes in river ecosystems. Rivers are used as receiving body for treated and untreated urban wastewaters that brings high loads of sewage and excrement bacteria. However, little is known about the bacterial community structure and functional files in the rivers around the eutrophic Chaohu Lake, the fifth largest freshwater lake in China, has been subjected to severe eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms over the past few decades. Therefore, understanding the taxonomic and functional compositions of bacterial communities in the river will contribute to understanding aquatic microbial ecology. The main aims were to (1) examine the structure of bacterial communities and functional profiles in this system; (2) find the environmental factors of bacterial community variations. Results: We studied 88 sites at rivers in the Chaohu Lake basin, and determined bacterial communities using Illumina Miseq sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene, and predicted functional profiles using PICRUSt2. A total of 3,390,497 bacterial 16 S rRNA gene sequences were obtained, representing 17 phyla, and 424 genera; The dominant phyla present in all samples were Bacteroidetes (1.4-82.50 %), followed by Proteobacteria (12.6–97.30 %), Actinobacteria (0.1–17.20 %). Flavobacterium was the most numerous genera, and accounted for 0.12–80.34 % of assigned 16 S reads, followed by Acinetobacter (0.33–49.28 %). Other dominant bacterial genera including Massilia (0.06–25.40 %), Psychrobacter (0-36.23 %), Chryseobacterium (0.01–22.86 %), Brevundimonas (0.01–12.82 %), Pseudomonas (0-59.73 %), Duganella (0.08–23.37 %), Unidentified Micrococcaceae (0-8.49 %). The functional profiles of the bacterial populations indicated an relation with many human diseases, including infectious diseases. Overall results, using the β diversity measures, coupled with heatmap and RDA showed that there were spatial variations in the bacterial community composition at river sites, and Chemical oxygen demand (CODMn) and (NH4+)were the dominant environmental drivers affecting the bacterial community variance. Conclusions: The high proportion of the opportunistic pathogens (Acinetobacter, Massilia, Brevundimonas) indicated that the discharge of sewage without adequate treatment into the rivers around Chaohu Lake. We propose that these bacteria could be more effective bioindicators for long-term sewage monitoring in eutrophic lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

InSAR observation with a wide range and high sensitivity is one of the main techniques for active landslide identification, but due to the influence of the SAR satellite side-view imaging method and observation angle, single-track images in alpine valley areas facing geometric distortion, such as shadowing, layover, and foreshortening, which leads to ineffective observation in some areas. Combining the ascending and descending observation results is expected to compensate for this deficiency to a large extent. This work constructs a pixel-level image fusion method to achieve the fusion of InSAR ascending and descending orbit deformation results, consisting of three algorithms: the DMPI (decision matrix-guided pixel-level InSAR image fusion algorithm), the DMFS (deformable median filter based on decision feedback), and the Q S D S (superpixel-based dual-space InSAR image fusion quality evaluation algorithm). To verify the effect, the Batang section of the Jinsha River with high mountain canyon terrain and frequent active landslides is selected. The results show that using the DMPI fused InSAR ascending and descending orbit images can improve spatial perception by enhancing the texture gradient value of remote sensing images by a maximum of two orders of magnitude, compared with the single-track InSAR observation images. Meanwhile, the number of landslides identified increased by 31.5%, and the total area increased by 50.9% on average, improving the accuracy of target detection and identification. In noise reduction, DMFS improves fusion image readability and feature detail by removing SPN (salt and pepper noise) while preserving target edge detail. Furthermore, the Q S D S which can evaluate the quality of InSAR fusion images from the perspective of human eye vision, provides an adequate basis for determining the interpretability of InSAR images. This fusion method can partially improve the question of incomplete ground observation due to radar line of sight occlusion in the high mountain canyon area, thus better presenting the InSAR observation results and helping to comprehensively and conveniently interpret the InSAR deformers. • A new method of the ascending and descending observation InSAR image fusion is presented • A decision matrix-guided pixel-level InSAR image fusion algorithm is developed • A deformable median filter based on decision feedback is proposed • A hyperpixel-based dual-space InSAR image fusion quality evaluation algorithm is constructed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical remote sensing and field investigations cannot satisfy the accuracy and timeliness requirements of active landslide detection. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology has become the mainstream method for observing active landslides in recent years, due to its advantages of a large detection range and high sensitivity to surface deformation. However, quickly and accurately obtaining landslide boundaries from InSAR results is still a key issue for hazard mitigation and watershed management. In this study, first, an automatic recognition method for active landslides based on InSAR results is established to rapidly extract deformed slopes. In the recognition process, using the deformation value map as the object, the optimal threshold is determined using the image gradient edge information to extract the deformed pixels. Second, the contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) algorithm is employed to improve the contrast of images with weak deformation. Last, morphological rules are applied to optimize the segmentation results to ensure that they are near the boundary of the natural landslide. To verify the effectiveness of the method, the Baihetan Reservoir area, which has frequent landslides in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River Basin, was selected as the test area. Under the conditions of ascending and descending orbits, 336 and 590 landslides, respectively, were recognized. Through unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and field investigations, the recognition accuracy of 76% is reached without sample training, and the maximum intersection over union (IOU) of a single landslide is increased by 0.3. This finding shows that the automatic recognition method can quickly identify dangerous active landslides at large spatial scales and with complex topographies. • An unsupervised landslide automatic recognition method using InSAR result is devised. • A threshold criterion function based on gradient edge information is constructed. • An optimization step of digital morphology for landslide recognition is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground mining in coal mining areas will induce large-scale, large-gradient surface deformation, threatening the safety of people's lives and property in nearby areas. Due to mining-related subsidence is characterized by fast displacement and high nonlinearity, monitoring this process by using traditional and single interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology is very challenging, and it cannot accurately and quantitatively calculate the deformation of the mining area. In this paper, we proposed a new method that combines both multitemporal consecutive D-InSAR and offset tracking technology to construct a complete deformation field of the coal mining area. Taking into account the accuracy of multitemporal consecutive D-InSAR in calculating small deformation areas and the ability of offset tracking to measure large deformation areas, we utilized their respective advantages to extract the surface influence range and applied an adaptive spatial filtering method to integrate their respective results for inversion of the deformation field. 12 ascending high-resolution TerraSAR-X images (2 m) from September 3, 2018, to October 26, 2019, and 39 descending Sentinel-1 TOPS SAR images from August 5, 2018, to November 4, 2019, in the Ordos Coalfield located at Inner Mongolia, China, were utilized to obtain the whole subsidence field of the working faces F6211 and F6207 during the 454-day mining period. The GPS monitoring station located in the direction of the mining surface is used to verify the accuracy of the above method; at the same time, to a certain extent, the difference between the unmanned aerial vehicle's DSM data acquired after coal mining and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STRM) DEM can qualitatively verify the accuracy of the results. Our results show that the results of TerraSAR are basically consistent with the deformation trend of GPS data, and that of Sentinel-1 have large errors compared with GPS. The maximum central subsidence reaches ~12 m in the working face F6211 and ~4 m in the working face F6207. In the working face F6207, the good agreement between GPS and TerraSAR results indicated that the method above using high-resolution SAR data could be reliable for monitoring the large deformation area in the mining field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pet dogs are important companion animals that share the environment within households, and play an important role in local community life. In addition, pet dogs also are reservoirs of zoonotic agents, including Rickettsia spp., thus increasing the risk of rickettsial infections in humans. It's meaningful to investigate the epidemiology of rickettsial agents in pet dogs, and make contribute to the surveillance of rickettsioses in human in China. Results: In this study, a total of 496 pet dogs' blood samples and 343 ticks infested in pet dogs were collected, and the presence and prevalence of Rickettsia were determined by amplifying the partial gltA and 17-kDa genes, with an overall positive rate of 8.1 % in blood samples and 14.0 % in tick samples. In addition, the rrs, gltA, groEL, and ompA genes of rickettsial were also recovered to determine the species of Rickettsia detected furtherly. Sequencing blast and phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of three human pathogenic Rickettsia species (Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae and Rickettsia felis) in samples associated with pet dogs. Moreover, all the sequences of Rickettsia that we obtained presented close relationship with others available in GenBank, and Rickettsia raoultii was the most predominant Rickettsia species infected in pet dogs' blood samples or in tick samples. Conclusions: This study provides the molecular epidemiology data about the Rickettsia spp. infection associated with pet dogs in urban areas of Harbin city. Three rickettisae species pathogenic to humans were identified from pet dogs' blood and the infested ticks in urban areas of Harbin city. Considering the intimate relationship between human and pets, these results indicate the potential transmission risk of human rickettisal infections from pet dogs through ectoparasites, and also highlighting that more attention should be paid to rickettsial infection in pet dogs and the infested ticks from the "One health" perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrification plays an important role in nitrogen (N) removal in freshwater ecosystems. Aquatic plants might have an impact on the sediment denitrification of water body, especially in macrophytes-dominated lake; however, there were different opinions about it. Our hypothesis was that the sediment denitrification rates differ significantly in different vegetation zones and seasons because of direct and indirect effect of the aquatic plants. Therefore, we studied sediment denitrification in Dongping Lake, a typical macrophytes-dominated lake located in the north of China. The acetylene inhibition technique was used to quantify the sediment denitrification rates (DRs) in the Phragmites communis (P. communis) zone, aquaculture zone, Potamogeton crispus (P. crispus) zone and mixed vegetation zone in July (summer), October (autumn), December (winter) of 2015 and March (spring) of 2016. The results showed that the average DRs were significantly higher in the P. communis zone (69.0 ± 91.6 μmol N m−2 h−1) than the mixed vegetation zone (8.70 ± 5.44 μmol N m−2 h−1), and the average DRs represented significant seasonal difference as in the order of winter (74.5 ± 88.3 μmol N m−2 h−1) > autumn (15.7 ± 18.6 μmol N m−2 h−1) ≈ summer (10.7 ± 5.90 μmol N m−2 h−1) > spring (3.85 ± 1.29 μmol N m−2 h−1). The DRs generally decreased with the increasing of depth; however, significant increase of DRs with depth were found in certain seasons at the vegetated zones except the non-vegetated zone (the aquaculture zone) indicating the possible rhizosphere effect of aquatic plants on denitrification. The higher DRs and cycling rates of nitrate in the P. communis zone might be related to the larger biomass and oxygen transporting capacity of P. communis than those of the other aquatic plants. Winter peaks of DRs might be attributed to the higher NO3− load and the absence of the plant uptake. The high cycling rates of nitrate in Dongping Lake indicated an enhanced internal N cycling by aquatic plants. Sediment denitrification could remove about 537.7 t N every year, which was about 26.5% of annual TN loading in Dongping Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xian-Ling-Gu-Bao (XLGB), a famous traditional Chinese medicine prescription consisted of six herbal medicines, was used for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in China. As an oral formulation, the multiple components contained in XLGB were inevitably biotransformed by the intestinal microflora before absorption via the gastrointestinal tract. However, the dynamic profiles of biotransformation products of XLGB remain unknown. In this paper, a rapid and sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of multiple biotransformation products of XLGB with rat intestinal microflora. For 10 selected quantitative compounds, all calibration curves revealed good linearity (r 2 > 0.99) within the sampling ranges considered. The whole intra- and inter-day precisions (as relative standard deviation) of all analytes were <13.5%, and the accuracies (as relative error) were in the range from −11.3 to 11.2%. The lower limits of quantification were 20, 10, 5, 20, 2, 2, 2, 5, 2 and 2 ng/mL for sweroside, timosaponin BII, epimedin C, asperosaponin VI, psoralen, isobavachin, icariside II, timosaponin AIII, isobavachalcone and icaritin, respectively. The matrix effects, extraction recoveries and stabilities were all satisfactory. Meanwhile, dynamic profiles of 21 additional biotransformation products were also monitored by their area-time curves. The analytical method was successfully applied to describe dynamic profiles of 31 biotransformation products of XLGB and the recipes with removal of a definite composed herbal medicine (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma or Rehmanniae Radix). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication can reduce the prevalence of gastric cancer. However, whether H. pylori eradication therapy should be performed in infected patients, especially in asymptomatic cases, is still controversial.Aims: The aims of this study were to determine whether H. pylori screening and eradication could prevent gastric cancer in a cost-effective way, and further whether eradication therapy should be administered to asymptomatic individuals.Methods: Cost-effectiveness analysis was performed using a Markov model. We established two groups, each with 10,000 hypothetical Chinese individuals at the age of 40 years. Clinical outcomes and cost of H. pylori eradication were compared between the eradication and control groups.Results: There was a lower morbidity with gastric cancer in the eradication group than in the control group, which was most significant after running the model for 15 years. The eradication group experienced an average of 34.64 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) per person, and the average cost was US $1706.52 per person. The control group exhibited an average of 32.63 QALYs per person, and the average cost was US $2045.10 per person. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that eradication saved $1539 per LY per person and $168.45 per QALY per person.Conclusions: H. pylori screening and eradication therapy effectively reduces the morbidity of gastric cancer and cancer-related costs in asymptomatic infected individuals. Therefore, we believe that H. pylori eradication can prevent gastric cancer in a cost-effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial interpolation is a traditional geostatistical operation that aims at predicting the attribute values of unobserved locations given a sample of data defined on point supports. However, the continuity and heterogeneity underlying spatial data are too complex to be approximated by classic statistical models. Deep learning models, especially the idea of conditional generative adversarial networks (CGANs), provide us with a perspective for formalizing spatial interpolation as a conditional generative task. In this article, we design a novel deep learning architecture named conditional encoder-decoder generative adversarial neural networks (CEDGANs) for spatial interpolation, therein combining the encoder-decoder structure with adversarial learning to capture deep representations of sampled spatial data and their interactions with local structural patterns. A case study on elevations in China demonstrates the ability of our model to achieve outstanding interpolation results compared to benchmark methods. Further experiments uncover the learned spatial knowledge in the model's hidden layers and test the potential to generalize our adversarial interpolation idea across domains. This work is an endeavor to investigate deep spatial knowledge using artificial intelligence. The proposed model can benefit practical scenarios and enlighten future research in various geographical applications related to spatial prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water originating from non-karst area, i.e., allogenic water (AW), has low pH and low calcite saturation. After entering the karst area, the chemical weathering of carbonate rocks would be accelerated and the karst carbon sink flux would be increased. Yufuhe River Basin, located in Ji'nan, Northern China, was selected to clarify the mechanism of the karst carbon sink and its flux under the influence of AW; both the surface water and groundwater were detected in situ and their hydrochemical characteristics were analyzed in the laboratory. To estimate the influence of AW on the karst carbon sink exactly, a modified Galy model was adopted. The results showed that the hydrochemical type of Yufuhe River Basin is HCO3·SO4–Ca, and its ions were derived mainly from carbonate rock and less from silicate rock. Water saturation model demonstrated that AW became saturated after they mixed with the karst water (KW) as indicated by dolomite saturation index (SId) and calcite saturation index (SIc). The dissolution capacity of KW and karst carbon sink flux was then enhanced. The estimation showed that the weathering rate of silicate rocks is 8.06 mm/ka, and the weathering rate of carbonate rocks is 18.51 mm/ka. When AW mixed with KW, the dissolution rate of carbonate erosion rate increased to 20.12 mm/ka. There was also a significant promoting effect of AW on the karst carbon sink. The CO2 sink rate of metamorphic rock (gneiss-dominated area) in the upper reaches of the basin is 3.87 t/km2a. In the karst area, the average CO2 sink rate of the KW is 7.51 t/km2a, while the value became 13.03 t/km2a when it mixed with AW, nearly doubled compared with KW. Based on the above analysis, the annual CO2 consumption of Yufuhe River Basin is 5500 t, contributing to an important approach of the regional CO2 sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides are one of the most common geological hazards in many parts of the world, which have brought catastrophic consequences to mankind. Seismic shaking can be an important trigger factor generally resulting in large-scale landslides. For some paleolandslides triggered by earthquakes, despite the lack of historical records, certain paleoseismic parameters can be back-analyzed. In this paper, the discrete element method (DEM) was applied to back-analyze the peak ground acceleration (PGA) triggering the Tahman landslide, a paleolandslide located in eastern Pamir, northwest China. Firstly, detailed field geological and geomorphological investigation was conducted to reveal the natural and seismic characteristics of the landslide. Subsequently, discrete element modeling was carried out. Simulation results suggested that the Tahman rock slope was stable under natural conditions. Owing to arid climate and water shortage of the study area, the influence of water was ignored. Additionally, from the perspective of the occurrence time of the landslide and geomorphologic feature of the deposits, the landslide was not caused by glacier activity and freeze–thaw events, and thus, must have been triggered by an earthquake. A peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.55 g was found to be a critical value for triggering landslides, and a PGA of 0.76 g could best simulate the kinematic process of a landslide when the simulation results were calibrated against the current geomorphological features of the landslide deposits. It can be concluded from the present study that: (1) PGA amplification in the rock slope was related to the topography during earthquake excitation; (2) the effective duration of the seismic wave had a considerable impact on the back-analyzed PGA, which decreased with increasing effective duration; and (3) the long runout of the Tahman landslide was due to its large volume and the interaction of the slide mass with moraines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of reservoir bank slopes is always of great concern in hydropower construction. After impounding, some unstable slopes may fail, leading to landslides with significant displacements. This work investigated the vertical and horizontal displacements of the Yizicun landslide before and after impoundment of the Xiluodu Reservoir on the Jinshajiang River, southwestern China using InSAR technique and data from ALOS PALSAR, ENVISAT–ASAR, TerraSAR-X and Sentinel-1. The purpose was to explore the relationships between the ground surface deformation and the landslide movement mode, and to make further analysis on its deformation characteristics. Combining with field investigations, the analysis of InSAR reveals that the Yizicun landslide was a push type before impoundment and is a pull type after impoundment. This landslide is largely a whole slump with multiple slip surfaces. After the impoundment of the reservoir, the landslide boundary had a tendency to spread, and its rear edge has extended backward about 20 m. More fissures and secondary landslides appeared on the southern boundary than those in the north. The horizontal movement changed from southwestward to westward, and the vertical deformation increased. The current stability of the landslide might be subjected to a combined action of ground water levels and precipitation intensity. The study also indicates that InSAR has many inimitable advantages in the study of reservoir landslides, such as backtracking for stability of bank slopes before impounding, three-dimensional monitoring of active areas, landslide movement mode analysis and so on. Thus, it is a suitable method to efficiently analyze landslide deformation characteristics before and after reservoir impoundment, which is of great significant for detecting and monitoring reservoir landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium-sized enterprises are important components of the economy worldwide, and they are considered to be responsible for a large part of carbon emissions. However, because of the limitations in resource, knowledge and technical capabilities, most SMEs are confronting environmental issues such as the negative spillovers. The policy costs of an administrative order that is effective to promote emission reductions of large enterprises in China's current economy could be high, and therefore, it is essential and crucial to establish a market-driven mechanism to help and encourage SMEs to make environmental improvement regarding the cap-and-trade system. In this context, new patterns of emission reduction would have profound impacts on knowledge management (KM) of SMEs, especially on knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. In this paper, we adopt a micro-model to study the behaviors and carbon emissions of SMEs under different scenarios. We find that both trading and sharing of knowledge on carbon emission reduction are conducive to reducing emissions of SMEs in the context of cap-and-trade. Besides, the more the compensation is granted, the more manufacturing firms are willing to share knowledge with partners who have complementary knowledge. Subsidies or rewards on knowledge sharing can be helpful to reduce carbon emission, which may have important implications for public policy to solve the problem of carbon emission reduction of SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal glacier movement is likely to result in canyon-type hazards chain, such as the barrier lake of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon formed by glacier debris flow in October 2018 in China. Glacier hazard usually evolves from the glacier surge and may occur in a regular cycle. Understanding the characteristics and process of glacier surge is important for early hazard recognition and hazard assessment. Based on field investigations, remote sensing interpretations and SAR offset-tracking surveys, this study confirms a typical glacier surge in the northeast Pamir, and presents its characteristics and processes. "Black ice" mixed moraines choking uplift and overflowing lateral marine are the most important scenic characteristics, which were formed under the conditions of stagnant glacier downstream and abundant super-glacial moraine. Glacier movement event can be divided into a five-period cycle including quiescent, inoculation, initiation, fracture and decline. This surge event lasted for about 300 days, initiated in February 2015 developed extensive fracturing zone in spring and early summer at maximum velocity of 10±0.95 m/day, declined after August 2015 and recovered to quiescent status in October 2015 for the next inoculation. The average height of glacier "receiving" area increased by 20–40 m with 2.7–3.6×108 m3 ice transferred from glacier "reservoir", and this volume accumulation again require 50–100 years for glacier mass balance which gives approximately 100 years frequency of the glacier surge. Nevertheless, long-period increase of precipitation and temperature were favorable for the occurrence, hydrological instability is the direct triggering mechanism, and while the Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) hazards are unlikely to occur with this surge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: DC-CIK therapy included DC-CIK cells and Ag-DC-CIK cells. To further confirm whether DC-CIK reconstructs the antitumor immunity and improves the tumor responses and reveals its optimal usage and combination with chemotherapy, we systematically reevaluated all the related studies.Materials and Methods: All studies about DC-CIK plus chemotherapy for NSCLC were collected from the published and ongoing database as CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, ISI, Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, WHO-ICTRP, Chi-CTR, and US clinical trials (established on June 2017). We evaluated their methodological bias risk according to the Cochrane evaluation handbook of RCTs (5.1.0), extracted data following the predesigned data extraction form, and synthesized the data using meta-analysis.Results: We included 28 RCTs (phase IV) with 2242 patients, but most trials had unclear bias risk. The SMD and 95% CI of meta-analysis for CD3+ T cells, CD3+ CD4+ T cells, CD3+ CD8+ T cells, CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio, CIK cells, NK cells, and Treg cells were as follows: 1.85 (1.39 to 2.31), 0.87 (0.65 to 1.10), 1.04 (0.58 to 1.50), 0.75 (0.27 to 1.22), 3.87 (2.48 to 5.25), 1.51 (0.99 to 2.03), and -2.31(-3.84 to -0.79). The RR and 95% CI of meta-analysis for ORR and DCR were as follows: 1.38 (1.24 to 1.54) and 1.27 (1.20 to 1.34). All differences were statistically significant between DC-CIK plus chemotherapy and chemotherapy alone. Subgroup analysis showed that only DC-CIK cells could increase the CD3+T cells, CD3+ CD4+T cells, CD3+ CD8+T cells, and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio. In treatment with one cycle or two cycles and combination with NP or GP, DC-CIK could increase the CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio. All results had good stability.Conclusions: DC-CIK therapy can simultaneously improve the antitumor immunity and tumor responses. DC-CIK therapy, especially DC-CIK cells, can improve antitumor immunity through increasing the T lymphocyte subsets, CIK cell, and NK cells in peripheral blood. The one cycle to two cycles may be optimal cycle, and the NP or GP may be optimal combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality index (AQI) and air pollutants during two typical pollution episodes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fresh snow after each episode in the winter 2019 across Harbin City in northeast China were investigated to explore the co-environmental behaviors. Significantly greater values of AQI and PAHs were found in the more serious atmospheric pollution episode (episode Ⅱ), demonstrating that PAHs in fresh snow is a robust indicator. PM 2.5 was the primary air pollutant in both episodes based on PM 2.5 /PM 10 ratios, which might be attributed to fine particulate converted from gas-to-particle process. PM 2.5 and 4-ring PAHs significantly positive correlated, indicating that airborne particulate PAHs were co-emitted and co-transported with atmospheric fine particles released from coal combustion and vehicular emission under low temperature and high relative humidity. 3- and 4- rings PAHs were dominant in episode Ⅱ, while 5- and 6- rings PAHs were found the lowest in both episodes. These characteristics reflected that long-range transportation of coal and biomass burning were from the surrounding areas, while vehicle exhausts were mainly from local emissions. Except for the impact of local pollution source emissions, the regional transport could make a greater contribution in a more serious pollution event. [Display omitted] • PAHs in fresh snow is a robust indicator of atmospheric pollution. • Atmospheric PM 2.5 and 4-ring PAHs in fresh snow were most significantly positive correlated. • Low temperature and high relative humidity had effects on atmospheric pollution. • Long-range transportation of coal and biomass burning were from the surrounding areas. • Vehicle exhausts were mainly from local emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bailongjiang watershed in southern Gansu province, China, is one of the most landslide-prone regions in China, characterized by very high frequency of landslide occurrence. In order to predict the landslide occurrence, a comprehensive map of landslide susceptibility is required which may be significantly helpful in reducing loss of property and human life. In this study, an integrated model of information value method and logistic regression is proposed by using their merits at maximum and overcoming their weaknesses, which may enhance precision and accuracy of landslide susceptibility assessment. A detailed and reliable landslide inventory with 1587 landslides was prepared and randomly divided into two groups, (i) training dataset and (ii) testing dataset. Eight distinct landslide conditioning factors including lithology, slope gradient, aspect, elevation, distance to drainages, distance to faults, distance to roads and vegetation coverage were selected for landslide susceptibility mapping. The produced landslide susceptibility maps were validated by the success rate and prediction rate curves. The validation results show that the success rate and the prediction rate of the integrated model are 81.7 % and 84.6 %, respectively, which indicate that the proposed integrated method is reliable to produce an accurate landslide susceptibility map and the results may be used for landslides management and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government has promised that China should peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and that the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption should rise to around 20%. Since the industrial sector is the largest CO 2 emitter in China, emission reduction in the industrial sector is significant to the realization of those targets. Using the panel data of provincial industrial sectors in China during 1998–2011, we apply the meta-frontier non-radial Malmquist CO 2 emission performance index (MNMCPI) to estimate the changes in China’s CO 2 emission performance as well as their driving forces, and compare MNMCPI with other traditional CO 2 emission performance indices, such as the Malmquist CO 2 emission Performance Index (MCPI). The results indicate that the CO 2 emission performance of China’s provincial industrial sector during 1998–2011 grew at an average annual rate of 5.53%, and that the average CO 2 emission performance of industrial sector in Eastern, Central and Western China decreased in turn. MCPI overestimates CO 2 emission performance. The efficiency change ( EC ) index based on MNMCPI increases by the average annual rate of 2.297%. EC of CO 2 emission performance in 21 provinces shows an increasing trend. The innovation effect indicated by best-practice gap change ( BPC ) is significant. We also find that the increase in the CO 2 emission performance of industrial sector of 23 provinces is mainly driven by technology innovation, but the CO 2 emission performance of industrial sector of other 6 provinces is mainly driven by technology efficiency improvement. In terms of technology gap change ( TGC ) index, none of the three regions seem to be a technology leader, and the inter-temporal frontier of three regions has been shifting away from the global frontier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disease, and the overlap with upper functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) is popular. However, the coexistent upper GI symptom profiles, upper FGID spectra, and related risk factors among IBS subjects remain unclear in mainland of China. Methods Consecutive patients from the outpatient gastroenterology clinics of three tertiary hospitals in China were enrolled in this multicenter study. All upper GI symptoms occurring at least once a week in the last 3 months were recorded. Diagnostic criteria of functional esophageal, gastroduodenal disorders and IBS were based on Rome III criteria. Risk factors were assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results Of the 8906 consecutive patients, 751 patients met Rome III criteria for IBS and 735 IBS patients participated in the interview. Postprandial fullness (30.6%), belching (27.1%), and regurgitation (21.8%) were the three most prevalent upper GI symptoms in IBS. Functional dyspepsia (FD, 36.7%), belching disorders (27.1%), and functional heartburn (16.3%) were the three most frequent upper FGID in IBS patients. Female sex, divorced or widowed versus married status, defecation straining, reduced bowel movement, mixed IBS, abdominal distention, mild abdominal pain, moderate discomfort were positively associated with IBS-FD overlap. Female sex, drinking, moderate discomfort, and mild to moderate distension were independent risk factors for IBS-belching disorder overlap. Conclusions The study provides detailed overlap spectra of upper FGID with IBS. Mixed IBS is an important risk factor for IBS-FD overlap, which deserved more concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical investigation of the seeds ofThevetia peruvianaresulted in the isolation of seven cardiac glycosides (1–7), including two new compounds (1and2). Cytotoxicity of them toward cancer cell lines P15 (human lung cancer cell), MGC-803 (human gastric cancer cells), SW1990 (human pancreatic cancer cells), and normal hepatocyte cell LO2 suggested that compound1could selectively inhibit the proliferation of cancer cell lines with IC50from 0.05 to 0.15 μM. Pro-apoptotic activity revealed that it induced the apoptosis of MGC-803 cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, treatment of MGC-803 cancer cells with1resulted in diminution of pro-caspases 3 and 9 and activation of caspases 3 and 9, while it increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in a dose-dependent manner. These meant that1induced the apoptosis of cancer cells by involving the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. In addition, the cell cycle distribution of MGC-803 cancer cells treated by1revealed that it could lead to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Altogether, this study suggested that compound1may exhibit anticancer activity by its capability of induction of intrinsic apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Duck circovirus (DuCV) is the smallest known virus in waterfowl that infects both domestic and wild duck. Infected ducks often show stunted growth and immunosuppression, which increases the rate of secondary infection with other pathogens. In this study, 270 liver tissue samples were collected to screen the presence of DuCV in Guangdong province, China, and the complete genome sequences were recovered and systematically analyzed. Genetic analyses revealed that sequences determined in this study shared 81.6% to 100.0% genome-wide pairwise identity with previously identified DuCV genomes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that 2 DuCV genotypes with a high infection rate were co-circulating in duck population in Guangdong province, and extensive recombination events have occurred during the evolution of DuCV. Our results expand upon the knowledge regarding the genetic diversity and evolution of DuCV, and also indicate that extensive genetically divergent DuCV are co-circulating in the duck populations in Guangdong, southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's power generation capacity structure should be adjusted due to the needs to reduce $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ emissions. Now, we should take carbon dioxide emissions as a constraint in satisfying the electricity demand. Through an optimization model, the optimal power generation capacity structure under the constraint of carbon dioxide emission reduction is achieved. Also, the macroeconomic influences are accessed through a computable general equilibrium model, which results from the increment of power generation costs owing to adjustment of power generation capacity structure. The results show that, the implementation of renewable energy planning has significant positive effects on $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ emission reduction. Nevertheless, the constraint of carbon dioxide emissions will change the power generation capacity structure as well as the power generation costs, and consequently has negative impacts on the macro-economy. It is worth noting that at current stage, many important industries in China are highly reliant on coal and thermal power. As a result, the potential for emission reduction by adjusting power generation capacity structure seems to decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivation mechanism and stability of ancient landslides are the major concerns in the tectonically active zone. A detailed case study has been conducted to examine the reactivation mechanism of ancient landslides in Southwest China by investigating the reactivation process, shear strength and stability. Field investigation suggests that the reactivation of ancient giant slides, such as the Luosiwan slide, is attributed to the cumulative effect of adverse geological, structural condition and intensive artificial processes. However, long-term observation has shown that the ancient giant landslides usually remain stable in the remote area in spite of such adverse conditions. Ring shear tests also indicate high peak shear strength of the sliding zone soils. However, the shear strength decreases significantly once displacement occurs at the toe of giant landslide due to engineering construction. The construction process could be considered as the critical triggering factor for the reactivation of ancient giant landslide, which exerts sudden changes in the forces acting on the slope. Both long-term adverse geological evolution and sudden change in the strength lead to the reactivation of giant landslide. This study also suggests that liquefaction plays an important role in the failure behavior of reactivated ancient landslide. An effective drainage system has to be set up during engineering construction so as to reduce the probability of reactivation of ancient landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the evolution of echovirus 7 (Echo7) strains and the relationship between Echo7 strains and the prototype strain Wallace, phylogenetic analysis of Echo7 strains prevailing in mainland China was performed. The Echo7 strain, DH22G/JS/2012 was isolated from a 32-month-old boy who was clinically diagnosed with HFMD. The complete genome sequence of this isolate was determined after the virus was propagated in cell culture. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the subgroups B1 and C1 prevailed in mainland China from 1998 to 2012 and that the subgroup B2 began to circulate in mainland China in 2009. The result of Simplot analysis showed that the Echo7 strain DH22G/JS/2012 is a recombinant coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) that circulated in mainland China in 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poyang Lake is a unique wetland system that has evolved in response to natural seasonal fluctuations in water levels. To better characterize the response of water quality to hydrological variation, historical data were analyzed in combination with dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorescence samplings conducted in situ. Historical data showed that long-term changes in water quality are mainly controlled by the sewage inputs to Poyang Lake. Monthly changes in water quality recorded during 2008 and 2012 suggest that water level may be the most important factor for water quality during a hydrological year. DOM fluorescence samples were identified as three humic-like components (C1, C2, and C3) and a protein-like component (C4). These obvious compositional changes in DOM fluorescence were considered to be related to the hydrodynamic differences controlled by water regimen. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed higher C1 and C2 signals during a normal season than the wet season, whereas C3 was lower, and C4 was higher in the dry season than in the wet or normal seasons. From the open lake to the Yangtze River mouth, increased C3 component carried by backflows of the Yangtze River to the lake resulted in these unique variations of PCA factor 2 scores during September. These obvious compositional changes in DOM fluorescence were considered to be related to the hydrodynamic differences controlled by water regimen. DOM fluorescence could be a proxy for capturing rapid changes in water quality and thereby provide an early warning signal for the quality of water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]