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We aim to advance athlete career scholarship using meta-transitions within the Chinese Whole Nation System (CWNS). The intentions are to: (a) provide in-depth understandings of Chinese elite athletes' careers through shared dialog, (b) transform knowledge and support prospective athletes, and (c) contribute to the advancement of the CWNS by exploring its impact on elite athletes' career development and transitions. A polyphonic reflective tale is introduced to extend reflective practice through amalgamating group reflections and represent our cultural reflections as former elite athletes. Group reflections were applied as a data collection method and a learning tool to increase self-awareness and understanding of our athletic careers. Our polyphonic reflective tale revealed barriers, resources, and thoughts through seven meta-transition vignettes, each a small turn relating to athletic and personal development, beginning with incipiency into elite table tennis (first level career) and spanning transitions into our post-sport careers: (a) the first level aspiration, (b) transition to the first level, (c) acclimation to the first level, (d) first level developments/improvements, (e) the first level trajectory, (f) post-first level career explorations, and (g) post-first level career developments. The polyphonic reflective tale is discussed as a career assistance strategy to support athletes' careers. Lay summary: Comprehending how athletes' meta-transitions can be facilitated within their sports environments will support athletes' athletic and personal development. Our authors shared their personal experiences and reflections of their first level meta-transitions within the CWNS. The results emphasize the necessity of developing context-driven interventions during stages of athletes' meta-transitions throughout their careers. Explorations of athletes' meta-transitions provides contextually relevant knowledge unique to athletes' sports and national sports system that can inform career assistance programs. Culturally situated reflective practice uses athletes' experiences as resources to inform career assistance interventions unique to their athletic and personal development, enhancing their capacities to function and contribute to their sports system. The polyphonic reflective tale offers a qualitative research method and an applied strategy to examine athletes' meta-transitions within their social and sport contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new concept for systematically evaluating ecosystem services, Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) provides an effective means to comprehensively reveal the overall status of the ecosystem, the impact of economic activities on the ecological environment, and the effectiveness of ecological protection efforts. GEP accounting has been conducted in various regions; however, GEP's application in natural reserves still requires further exploration. Taking the Qinling Mountains as the research area, this paper aims to assess the relationship between GEP and economic development on the basis of the GEP accounting system. The results indicated that: (1) From 2010 to 2020, GEP tended to increase continuously and exhibited a distribution pattern with high value regions in the east and west, and low value regions in the north and south. (2) Over the years, the coupling coordination degree between GEP and GDP was in a consistent upward trend. In 2020, a good coupling coordination state between GEP and GDP was achieved in most districts and counties. (3) With the relative development between GEP and GDP, the social economy of most districts and counties lagged behind GEP in 2010. The number of districts and counties lagging in GEP in 2020 increased, while the number of regions with a balanced development of GEP and GDP was still relatively discouraging. (4) In general, elevation, contagion, temperature, population density, and precipitation were the main drivers of coupling coordination degree between GEP and GDP. If the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection can be reasonably balanced, it will further promote the sustainable development of nature reserves, and provide a scientific basis for sustainable policy-making in other similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial ecosystems can exhibit various behaviors in response to climate change and human activities. Nonlinear and abrupt shifts in ecosystems are particularly important as they indicate substantial modifications in ecosystem structure and function, posing a threat to the provision of ecosystem services. Here we distinguish between linear, curvilinear, and abrupt shifts in ecosystem productivity from 2000 to 2020 in China's Loess Plateau. We utilize spatial Random Forest models to analyze the driving factors behind these change patterns. Our findings indicate that 84.1% of the ecosystems experienced a positive change in plant productivity, while a small proportion (2.5%) exhibited a negative change. Abrupt shifts are prevalent in both positive and negative changes in ecosystem productivity, with negative changes often manifesting as abrupt shifts (79.3%). Negative changes in plant productivity, particularly the negative abrupt shifts, are primarily associated with human activities characterized by increased nighttime light and urbanization. Land conversion to forest is linked to a curvilinear trajectory in plant productivity, characterized by nonlinear changes with acceleration. Higher water availability and a wetter environment are more likely to promote positive changes in plant productivity. Moderate warming trends contribute to abrupt positive changes in plant productivity, while high warming trends are associated with increased negative abrupt and curvilinear changes. We highlight the importance of accounting for diverse change behaviors in ecosystems for the development of targeted conservation and restoration measures. Plain Language Summary: Terrestrial vegetation provides numerous benefits to humans, including soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and regulation of water flows. Understanding how vegetation responds to climate change and human activities is crucial for developing targeted conservation and restoration measures. In China's Loess Plateau, we distinguish three types of change trajectories in ecosystem productivity from 2000 to 2020: linear, curvilinear, and abrupt shifts. We find that 84.1% of the ecosystems experienced positive changes in plant productivity, and only a small portion (2.5%) experienced negative changes. Interestingly, abrupt shifts occurred in both positive and negative changes in plant productivity. Human activities, land use conversions, and climatic factors collectively shape the diverse change trajectories in ecosystem productivity. These findings underscore the importance of considering different change behaviors in vegetation ecosystems when designing conservation and restoration strategies. Key Points: Most areas of China's Loess Plateau (84.1%) experienced positive changes in plant productivityAbrupt shifts were common in positive and negative plant productivity changesHuman activities, land use conversions, and climate collectively shape the diverse trajectories in plant productivity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical ecological fragile zone and an area with a high intensity of human activities, the Loess Plateau (LP) of China has significantly altered its ecosystem and the corresponding services under the influence of urbanization processes. However, most existing studies focus on the spatial and temporal changes of ecosystem services (ESs) and their interrelationships under the influence of ecological restoration works in the LP, leaving limited research on the impacts of urbanization on ESs. Therefore, this study constructed a research framework for exploring the spatio-temporal dynamics and interactions of ESs under the influence of urbanization based on time series data from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that: (1) based on the comprehensive urbanization level (CUL), developed and developing areas accounted for 5.63% of the total area; (2) for the whole LP, all ESs except Habitat Quality (HQ) showed an increased trend. HQ showed a trade-off with the other services, while there was a clear synergy between the other three types of services; (3) in terms of processes of urbanization, Carbon Sequestration, Water Yield and HQ gradually decreased with increased levels of urbanization, and Soil Conservation increased the least in developing areas. The trade-off between HQ and the other three services decreased with increasing urbanization, while the synergy between the other three services strengthened as urbanization deepened. These findings suggest that urbanization significantly impacts ESs. It is necessary to implement appropriate measures (e.g., sponge city construction, urban green space, etc.) to address the impacts of urbanization on ESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective pain management is closely related to nurses' knowledge, attitudes and empathy regarding pain. Nursing educators and managers should understand the relationship between nurses' pain management knowledge, attitudes and empathy level, and take targeted measures accordingly. Currently, there is limited study exploring the relationship between pain empathy and pain knowledge and attitudes among nurses in North China. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of nurses' pain management knowledge and attitudes and pain empathy, to analyze the factors influencing pain empathy, and to explore the relationship between these two variables. Design: This study was a quantitative, descriptive-correlation design. Setting and participants: The study population was registered nurses in North China, the sample included 177 registered nurses in North China. Methods: Data were collected with the "General data questionnaire", "Knowledge and attitudes survey regarding pain" (KASRP) and the "Empathy for pain scale" (EPS) via Wechat mini program "Questionnaire Star". Results: The 177 registered nurses completed the survey. The averege correct rate for KASRP was (51.94 ± 9.44)%, and none of the respondents achieved a percentage score of >80%. The mean score for pain empathy was (2.78 ± 0.78), the empathy reactions dimension was (2.99 ± 0.77), and the body and mind discomfort dimension was (2.71 ± 0.80). The results of multiple stepwise linear regression showed that whether they had received empathy training, whether they had greater trauma or severe pain and whether they had negative emotions were independent influencing factors for EPS scores. Pearson correlation analysis showed that KASRP scores were positively correlated with EPS scores (r = 0.242, P < 0.05). Conclusions: The pain knowledge and attitudes of nurses in North China are far from optimal. Nurses have a relatively low accuracy rate in areas such as medication knowledge, assessment of patient pain based on case studies, and handling PRN prescriptions. Nursing educators and administrators need to design some pain management courses in a targeted manner. Nurses' empathy for pain was at a moderate level. Pain empathy was positively correlated with pain knowledge and attitudes, suggesting that empathy for pain can be developed postnatally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As population growth and urbanization continue to accelerate, city dwellers are increasingly conscious of the demand for urban green space (UGS) and the ecosystem services (ESs) it provides. Great efforts are made for the supply of certain ESs in UGS. However, less is known about the residents' preferences and the supply–demand matching of UGS types, as well as the various ESs it provides at different spatial scales. Given this, our research establishes a research framework to reveal the heterogeneity of USG types and the supply–demand matching degree (SDM) of ESs from municipal, provincial, and national spatial scales, and examines the correlation between the influencing factors and demands of residents for UGS. This study mainly used the Gini coefficient, the Lorenz curve, Z-scores, the Jenks natural breaks classification method, Pearson correlation analysis, and spatial analysis. The main findings are that (1) the Gini coefficients are 0.433 and 0.137 at the municipal and provincial scales, respectively, indicating that the supply of UGS is more unequal at the municipal scale than provincial scale; (2) the multi-scale demand for ESs between residents has no significant difference. At the provincial scale, the area with low demand is larger than that of high demand, while at the municipal scale, the contrary is the case; (3) the SDM was in a deficit at both the provincial and municipal scales. And as the scaling-up occurred, the spatial heterogeneity of the SDM decreased; (4) the number of influencing factors that significantly affected the UGS type and ESs grew as the scale increased. Among them, the impact of age and COVID-19 on three scales deserves attention. These results identify regions with deficits and surpluses in ESs provided by UGS in China at different scales. This research also advises that attention should be paid to the distribution of UGS between cities within provinces, and future UGS planning should focus on building regional green spaces to promote the well-being of an aging society. The findings in this study would offer insights for managers to improve UGS construction and urban forestry planning in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is an important resource that supports the production, life, and ecological development of human society. The current research on production–living–ecological space (PLES) is mainly focusing on the identification of single and dominant functions of land space, and the comprehensive spatial function measurement index of PLES (PLESI) is less known in the effective quantitative evaluation of multifunctionality of different land use categories. Integrating the CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6) scenario data and the future land use simulation model (FLUS), this research took the upper reaches of the Hanjiang River (URHR) as an example to explore the temporal and spatial variations in land use, PLES, and PLESIs during 2000–2020, and in the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios from 2021 to 2100. The findings were as follows: (1) Forest land is the most widely distributed type of land; correspondingly, ecological space has the widest distribution area in PLES, followed by production space. (2) The area of dry land and building land increased between 2000 and 2010, accompanied by the increase in living space. From 2010 to 2020, the growth rate of building land tended to slow down while forest land increased, and the conflict of PLES eased. (3) The transfer between forest land and dry land is projected to intensify under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, while it is projected to occur between forest land and grassland under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. As for the changes in PLES, the SSP2-4.5 scenario has a greater impact than the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Spatially, several sub-basins in the northern URHR are the main areas of land use and PLES change. (4) PLESI presents a significant downward trend from 2000 to 2020 while trending upward under the SSP5-8.5 scenario and trending downward slightly under the SSP2-4.5 scenario between 2020 and 2100. Combining climate scenarios and the future land use simulation, this research would support the effective utilization of regional land resources and ecosystem management decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety risk management is an important cross-boundary issue around the world from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Public–public collaboration is the most basic form of cross-boundary governance. This study investigates the main factors affecting the governance effectiveness in public–public collaboration for food safety risk management through a questionnaire survey in Jiangsu Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, using a multivariable linear regression model based on principal component analysis. The results show that although the governance effectiveness in public–public collaboration is affected by many factors, the most important of which are the behavior and capabilities of legislative, administrative regulation and enforcement, and environmental improvement government (public) agencies, professionalism of government agencies, and laws and regulations as the basis for government agencies to perform their responsibilities. This research provides a case study for the academic community to better understand the main problems facing public–public collaboration for food safety risk management in China. It also provides insights into promoting public–public collaboration in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone addiction (MPA) is a widespread problem in China, and college students face an especially high risk of its associated consequences. This study aimed to examine the interactions between level of mobile phone addiction and duration of mobile phone use and their impacts on psychological health, physical health, and sleep status of Chinese college students. Our study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey which applied stratified random sampling method to recruit 946 participants. The level of mobile phone addiction was measured by Mobile Phone Addiction Index Scale. Sleep status was assessed by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Designed questions were asked to evaluate the psychological and physical health status of the previous month of participants. The prevalence of MPA among Chinese undergraduates was estimated to be 36.6%. Severe MPA was significantly associated with psychological problems (anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, loneliness, social anxiety, impaired concentration, and sad or hopeless), physical problems (palpitation, nausea, and asphyxia), and sleep problems (sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep disturbances, sleep duration, and sleep dysfunctions). Interaction analysis indicated that college students with severe MPA who used their phones for more than 4 hours everyday were more likely to develop above problems. The findings reveal that relieving the MPA and controlling duration of phone use can ameliorate the psychological, physical, and sleep-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve CO2 capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) to solve carbon emission, sandstone from the Triassic Liujiagou Formation (LF) from the Ordos Basin in China was investigated using permeability tests and computed X‐ray tomography (CT) scanning. The presence of reactive minerals within the geological CO2 sequestration target storage formation can allow reaction with injected CO2, which changes the porosity and permeability of the LF beds, affecting storage effectiveness. To investigate the effect of chemical reactions on the pore structure and permeability of sandstone cores representing the LF CO2 storage, tests were conducted to analyze the changes in porosity and permeability of sandstone cores induced by CO2‐saturated brine at different reaction times (28‐day maximum reaction period). Porosity and permeability of the sandstone increased after reaction with CO2‐saturated brine due to mineral dissolution. The sandstone exhibited an increase in porosity and permeability after 15 days of reaction with CO2‐saturated brine. Moreover, there was an increase in the volume of large pores in the sandstone after the 28‐day period. The pore network of the sandstone was established through CT results, and the porosity calculated based on the obtained pore network was close to that measured in the test, demonstrating the feasibility to use CT to study the evolution of the microstructure of sandstone after long‐time exposure to CO2‐saturated brine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mao Jian Tea (MJT) has been generally consumed as a digestive aid for more than a hundred years in the Shanxi province of China. However, determination of its efficacy still remains elusive. This study investigated the effect of Mao Jian Green Tea (MJGT) on gastrointestinal motility. The biphasic effects of the hydro extracts of MJGT on gastric emptying and small intestinal propulsion of rats were identified in vivo; namely, the low (MJGT_L) and medium (MJGT_M) concentrations promoted gastrointestinal motility (p < 0.05), whereas the high concentration (MJGT_H) showed the opposite effect (p < 0.01). The expression levels of the gastric hormones, GAS, MTL and VIP (p < 0.05) were consistent with the gastrointestinal motility variation, with the exception of MTL in MJGT_H group (p > 0.01). Two flavonoids, eriodictyol (0.152 mg/mL) and luteolin (0.034 mg/mL), and the corresponding glycosides eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside (0.637 mg/mL) and luteolin-7-O-glucoside (0.216 mg/mL), dominated the hydro extracts identified by HPLC and UPLC-ESI-MS. These compounds can regulate the muscle strip contractions isolated from the gastrointestinal tissues. Additionally, the different concentrations also influenced the gut microbiota accordingly characterized by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The MJGT_L boosted several probiotic bacteria, such as Muribaculaceae (1.77-fold), Prevotellaceae (1.85-fold) and Lactobacillaceae (2.47-fold), and suppressed the pathogenic species such as Staphylococcaceae (0.03-fold) that, conversely, was enriched in the MJGT_H group (1.92-fold). Therefore, the biphasic effect indicated that the dosage of the herbal tea should not be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active soil substances, which can indicate environmental changes sensitively, have the fastest turnover rate. Vegetation diversity and soil bio-physicochemical properties according to five elevations classes (800 m, 1000 m, 1100 m, 1200 m, and 1500 m a.s.l.) in the Southern Taihang Mountain were investigated. Soil ammonium-N (NH4+—N), nitrate-N (NO3−—N), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and nitrogen (MBN), as well as soil urease (URE) and sucrose (SUC) activities were determined. The results showed that elevation gradients, soil layers, and their interaction had significant effects on most of the active soil substances. With the rise of elevation, soil NO3−—N, inorganic N, MBC, and MBN contents, as well as SUC activity and SUC/MBC ratio basically showed an inverted V-shaped distribution trend and reached the peak value at 1100 m (p < 0.05). Soil URE showed a fluctuating upward trend and reached the peak value at 1500 m (p < 0.05), and the URE/MBC ratio showed a straight upward trend. With the depth of soil layer, the contents of active soil substances tended to decrease, showing a phenomenon of surface aggregation. Active soil substances were correlated with plant community diversity indexes, soil water content, pH, available N, and available phosphorus contents, and available N was the main factor affecting active soil substances, which could explain 34.4% of the variation. In summary, at the intermediate slope of 1100 m, soil moisture and tightness were suitable for soil microbial activity and plant growth, the highest contents of active soil substances, indicating a fast turnover of soil carbon and nitrogen. The present study enriched our understanding of soil carbon and nitrogen turnover mechanisms in the mountain ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With accelerated urbanization and rapid expansion of the urban population, there is an increasing demand among urban residents for urban green spaces (UGS) and the ecosystem services (ES) they provide. The existing research mostly focuses on the spatial pattern of UGS types and ES provided by different UGS but ignores that residents' preferences for UGS types and their ecological and social services should also be incorporated into the spatial planning decision-making of UGS. A web-based questionnaire was distributed randomly in urban areas of China and 1050 valid samples were collected in this study. Descriptive statistical analysis methods, structural equation modeling, and Pearson correlation were used to parse the residents' preference for both UGS types, ecological–social services, and the relevant impact factors. The results showed that: (1) the strongest preference of residents for UGS and their ecological and social services are the attached green space, "beautifying the city", and "physical and mental relaxation", respectively; (2) the leading factors for residents' access to UGS are "age" and "sufficient time", except for attached green space. The most significant effect on both ecological and social services is the "season" factor. Further, "social gathering" and "exercise" are the services most and least likely to be affected. (3) Future planning of UGS should reinforce construction of attached green space and improve the aesthetics-related ES they provide. Construction of park green space and plaza green space should be enhanced to deal with the aging trend in society. Further, maintaining the existing construction of attached green space and building regional green space are crucial to the sustainability of UGS and its ecological–social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of minimizing a convex expectation function with a set of inequality convex expectation constraints. We propose a stochastic augmented Lagrangian-type algorithm—namely, the stochastic linearized proximal method of multipliers—to solve this convex stochastic optimization problem. This algorithm can be roughly viewed as a hybrid of stochastic approximation and the traditional proximal method of multipliers. Under mild conditions, we show that this algorithm exhibits O (K − 1 / 2) expected convergence rates for both objective reduction and constraint violation if parameters in the algorithm are properly chosen, where K denotes the number of iterations. Moreover, we show that, with high probability, the algorithm has a O (log (K) K − 1 / 2) constraint violation bound and O (log 3 / 2 (K) K − 1 / 2) objective bound. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is efficient. History: Accepted byAntonio Frangioni, Area Editor for Design & Analysis ofAlgorithms—Continuous. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 11971089, 11731013, 12071055, and 11871135]. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplementary Information [https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1228] or is available from the IJOC GitHub software repository (https://github.com/INFORMSJoC) at http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818229. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary patterns and symptoms research among Chinese with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its precursor lesions is limited, especially as it relates to multiple food consumption and multiple co-occurring symptoms. The aim of our study was to identify the dietary patterns and severity of symptom classes with the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its histological precursor lesions, and develop a risk prediction model for different stages of esophageal disease.Methods: We analyzed data from a multicenter cross-sectional study carried out in ESCC high incidence areas between 2017 and 2018, which included 34,707 individuals aged 40-69 years. Dietary patterns and severity of symptom classes were derived by applying a latent class analysis (LCA). A multiple logistic regression model was used to derive the odds ratio (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ESCC and the different stages of esophageal disease according to the dietary patterns and severity of symptom classes identified. We built the risk prediction model by using a nomogram.Results: We identified five dietary patterns and three severity of symptom classes. The dietary patterns were classified as follows: "Healthy", "Western", "Lower consumers-combination", "Medium consumers-combination" and "Higher consumers-combination" patterns based on the intake of foods such as red meat, vegetables and fruits. The severity of symptoms was categorized into "Asymptomatic", "Mild symptoms" and "Overt symptoms" classes based on health-related symptoms reported by the participants. Compared to the "Healthy" pattern, the other four patterns were all associated with an increased risk of esophageal disease. Similarly, the other two symptom classes present different degrees of increased risk of esophageal disease compared to the "Asymptomatic". The nomograms reflect the good predictive ability of the model.Conclusion: Among individuals aged 40-69 years in high incidence regions of upper gastrointestinal cancer, the results supplied that subjects with diets rich in livestock and poultry meat and low in fruits and vegetables and subjects with typical symptoms were at increased ESCC risk. The findings highlight the importance of considering food and symptom combinations in cancer risk evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite research efforts, the causative factors that contribute to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in high-risk areas have not yet been understood. In this study, we, therefore, aimed to describe the risk factors associated with ESCC and its precursor lesions.Methods: We performed an endoscopic examination of 44,857 individuals aged 40-69 years from five high incidence regions of China in 2017-2018. Participants were classified as 4 groups of normal control, esophagitis, low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia/esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HGIN/ESCC) using an unconditional logistic regression determine risk factors.Results: We identified 4890 esophagitis, 1874 LGIN and 437 HGIN/ESCC cases. Crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted odds ratios were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Drinking well and surface water, salty diet, and positive family history of cancer were the common risk factors for esophagitis, LGIN and HGIN/ESCC. History of chronic hepatitis/cirrhosis was the greatest risk factor of esophagitis (adjusted OR 2.96, 95%CI 2.52-3.47) and HGIN/ESCC (adjusted OR 1.91, 95%CI 1.03-3.22). Pesticide exposure (adjusted OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.05-1.37) was essential risk factor of LGIN.Conclusions: Among individuals aged 40-69 years in high incidence regions of upper gastrointestinal cancer, the results provided important epidemiological evidence for the prevention of different precancerous lesions of ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street‐level bureaucrats (SLBs) can act as policy entrepreneurs to cope with the dilemmas in policy implementation. However, there is insufficient knowledge about whether the strategies adopted by them that SLBs in the role of policy entrepreneurs are institution sensitive. In addition, there is insufficient knowledge regarding the elements that impel and support such entrepreneurial actions. Based on China's community governance, this article attempts to clarify the strategies employed by SLBs to that result in their becoming policy entrepreneurs. It was observed that the Chinese SLBs primarily employed three strategies to act as policy entrepreneurs, which shows that different institutional contexts may shape the various strategies. This article indicates that the opportunity structure of the institution, in this case, the Chinese bureaucracy, enables SLBs to act entrepreneurially and the success of these strategies is also dependent on the SLBs' accountability and communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seepage characteristics of granite are complicated due to flow exchange between fractures and micropores, which are strongly heterogeneous and anisotropic. The potential geothermal reservoirs of hot dry rocks are often related to granite. The key to geothermal production from hot dry rocks is to generate an efficient fracture network through enhanced geothermal system (EGS) technologies. Although hydraulic fracturing technology is applied in most EGS projects worldwide, it has been indicated that thermal and chemical stimulation methods are also efficient. In this paper, different thermal and chemical treatments are applied to Mesozoic granite samples obtained from geothermal region of Liaodong Peninsula in northeastern China, and their impacts on the seepage characteristics of the granite are carefully analyzed. The thermal and chemical damage mechanisms of granite, in terms of the mineral components, microstructures and physical properties, are also studied. The results show that cooling in cold water results in a much larger permeability increase than that achieved with cooling in air after the granite is heated to a specific temperature. Thermal treatments cause mechanical damage (e.g., compressive strength, elastic modulus, etc.) of granite. However, the differences between the damage factors of various granite samples are large, which are highly dependent on the original mineral composition and microstructures. Thermal cracking induced by either thermal fatigue or thermal shock causes changes in the porosity and permeability of granite. The permeability of the granite changes substantially, i.e., 3–4 orders of magnitude, after soaking in mud acid solutions, while it changes by less than 1 order of magnitude after soaking in alkaline solutions. The dissolution ability of the mud acid solution with the highest concentration (12% HCl + 3% HF) is the strongest among the three types of mud acid solutions tested (S1, S2 and S3). But it mainly acts on improving the proportion of small pores with the size of 0.01–10 μm. It has the least impact on the generation of large pores (10–50 μm), which may be caused by the heterogeneity of mineralogy among different granite samples. Different chemical solutions infiltrate the interior of the granite through various micropores and fissures, enhancing the chemical interaction through the dissolution and precipitation of minerals, the porosity, and the permeability, destroying not only the grains and minerals but also the microstructures of the granite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During a public health emergency, social media is a major conduit or vector for spreading health misinformation. Understanding the characteristics of health misinformation can be a premise for rebuking and purposefully correcting such misinformation on social media. Methods: Using samples of China's misinformation on social media related to the COVID-19 outbreak (N=547), the objective of this article was to illustrate the characteristics of said misinformation on social media in China by descriptive analysis, including the typology, the most-mentioned information, and a developmental timeline. Results: The results reveal that misinformation related to preventive and therapeutic methods is the most-mentioned type. Other types of misinformation associated with people's daily lives are also widespread. Moreover, cultural and social beliefs have an impact on the perception and propaganda of misinformation, and changes in the crisis situation are relevant to the type variance of misinformation. Conclusion: Following research results, strategies of health communication for managing misinformation on social media are given, such as credible sources and expert sources. Also, traditional beliefs or perceptions play the vital role in health communication. To sum up, combating misinformation on social media is likely not a single effort to correct misinformation or to prevent its spread. Instead, scholars, journalists, educators, and citizens must collaboratively identify and correct any misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Communities are central to the practice of public health emergency preparedness and response. This article mainly focuses on COVID-19 and discusses the formation and structure of community disaster resilience, which is an effective method for coping with such a public health emergency. Methods: Based on the management of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, this article uses Shanghai's experience to illustrate how a community disaster resilience was formed for risk management. Resorting to the analytical framework of risk city, principles of community disaster resilience are given. Results: Four actions can be recommended based on Shanghai's experience: 1) Applying a vulnerability analysis matrix for targeted risk governance, 2) empowering volunteer groups for emergency response, 3) policy and action for public health emergency prevention, and 4) risk communication for uncertainty-oriented planning. Conclusion: Shanghai's experience offers a reference to tackle the COVID-19 at the global level. The COVID-19 outbreak highlights that humans still face various unpredictable health risks in the future. Forming a connection-based resilience at the community level is an effective way to risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few reports of Cryptosporidium spp. in snakes in China have been published. To determine the infection rate and document the presence of Cryptosporidium in pet snakes using molecular methods, 273 fecal samples were collected from eight species of pet snakes from 13 pet households in Beijing, China, and were examined by PCR amplification of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. Cryptosporidium was detected from 17 of 273 (6.2%) samples, and nine out of 13 households tested positive for Cryptosporidium with a range of 3.3 to 33.3% among households showing significant difference (p < 0.01). The infection rate of Cryptosporidium for females and males was 6.5% (13/201) and 5.6% (4/72), respectively, showing no significant difference (p > 0.05). Six out of eight pet snake species tested positive for Cryptosporidium with a range of 4.2 to 9.1% among species, showing no significant difference (p > 0.05). Two Cryptosporidium species were identified: Cryptosporidium serpentis in 10 samples and Cryptosporidium varanii in seven samples. No zoonotic Cryptosporidium species occur in our study populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to argue that evidence-based decision-making for a public health emergency is "easier said than done" reflected on COVID-19 response in China. For the local government, the behavioral pattern is prone to blame-avoiding instead of making decision following scientific evidence and experts' advice. However, such behavior is not based on completely subjective judgment but a rational choice for the local government. Some consequences associated with China's response to COVID-19 reveals an inflexible administrative system. Therefore, China's governance reform should focus on empowering local governments with more flexibility and resilience, which enables local governments to make independent and scientific decisions in an emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ordovician–Silurian (O–S) transition was a critical interval in geological history. Multiple geochemical methods are used to explore the changes in oceanic environment. The Nd isotopic compositions in the Yangtze Sea are controlled by two sources: the continental erosion and the Panthalassa Ocean. High ε Nd(t) values during the Katian, late Hirnantian and Rhuddanian intervals are associated with the high sea level, which resulted in less terrestrial input based on the low Ti/Al and Zr/Al ratios. In contrast, low ε Nd(t) values during the early Hirnantian interval are related to the sea-level fall; in this case, the exposure of submarine highs and the growth of Yangtze Oldlands could lead to more continental materials being transported into the Yangtze Sea based on high Ti/Al and Zr/Al ratios. In addition, the negative ε Nd(t) excursion can also be attributed to the weak circulation between the Yangtze Sea and Panthalassa Ocean when sea level was low. Furthermore, the sea-level eustacy plays a significant role in the changes in redox water conditions. The redox indices, mainly UEF, Ce/Ce* and Corg/PT, across the O–S transition show a predominance of anoxic ocean over the Yangtze Sea during the Katian, late Hirnantian and Rhuddanian intervals, and an oxygenated episode was briefly introduced during the early Hirnantian period because of the fall in sea level. The Late Ordovician biotic crisis was marked by two-phase extinction events, and the change in sea level and redox chemistry may be the important kill mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between stressful life events and school adjustment in Chinese adolescents. The Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist, the Adolescent Executive Function Scale, the Chinese version of the Resilience Scale, and the School-adjustment Scale were administered to 1101 Chinese adolescents (465 males, 636 females), aged 11–19 years, from three secondary schools. Results from serial mediation analysis revealed that perceived stressful life events could affect school adjustment through the mediation of executive function and resilience. The mediation effect contained three paths, the separate mediation effect of executive function, the separate mediation effect of resilience, and the serial mediation effect of executive function and resilience. These findings provide valuable insights into the effect of perceived stressful life events on school adjustment of Chinese adolescents, and suggest that, the researchers and educators could enhance school adjustment in vulnerable groups by improving their executive function and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure exerts detrimental effects on cardiovascular health. Evidence on the relation of chronically exposed ambient PM 10 and PM 2.5 with coronary stenosis remains lacking. Our aim was to investigate the association of PM 10 and PM 2.5 with coronary stenosis in patients undergoing coronary angiography. We performed a retrospective cohort study consisting of 7513 individuals who underwent coronary angiography in Fujian Province, China, from January 2019 to December 2021. We calculated a modified Gensini score (GS) to represent the degree of stenosis in coronary arteries by selective coronary angiography. We fitted linear regressions and logistic models to assess the association of PM 10 and PM 2.5 with coronary stenosis. We employed restricted cubic splines to describe the exposure-response curves. We performed mediation analyses to assess the potential mediators. Long-term ambient PM 10 and PM 2.5 (prior three years average) exposure was significantly associated with the GS, with a breakpoint concentration of 47.5 μg/m3 and 25.8 μg/m3 for PM 10 and PM 2.5 , respectively, above which we found a linear positive exposure-response relationship of ambient PM with GS. Each 10 µg /m3 increase in PM 10 exposure (β: 4.81, 95 % CI: 0.44–9.19) and PM 2.5 exposure [β: 10.50, 95 % CI: 3.14–17.86] were positively related to the GS. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for each 10 µg/m3 increment in PM 10 exposure on severe coronary stenosis was 1.33 (95 % CI: 1.04–1.76). Correspondingly, the adjusted OR for PM 2.5 was 1.87 (95 % CI: 1.24–2.99). The mediation analysis indicated that the effect of PM 10 on coronary stenosis may be partially mediated through total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, and the effect of PM 2.5 may be mediated in part by hemoglobin A1c. Our study provides the first evidence that chronic ambient PM 10 and PM 2.5 exposure was associated with coronary stenosis assessed by GS in patients with suspected coronary artery disease and reveals its potential mediators. [Display omitted] ● The first study to reveal the association between particulate matter and Gensini score. ● Long term PM 10 and PM 2.5 exposure was associated with coronary stenosis. ● The effects might be mediated partially through TC, LDL-C, apo-B, SCr, BUN, and HbA1c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Middle Jurassic coals contain abundant Ca-aluminophosphates as well as elevated concentrations of P and Sr. • The sudden decrease in the chemical weathering index reveals a change from hot-humid to seasonally arid paleoclimate. • Formation of Ca-aluminophosphates was a response to the global abrupt cooling. Aalenian-Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) cooling events have been widely postulated, but the evolution of the paleoclimate in the northeastern part of Tethys, especially that recorded in terrestrial coal-bearing sedimentary successions, has received little attention. Jurassic coals in the Santanghu Basin, NW China, are well preserved and provide an opportunity to reveal the early Middle Jurassic climate. These coals contain kaolinite, illite, quartz, and carbonate minerals. Coal 1# to 3# is especially unusual in having abundant aluminophosphates. Compared to worldwide and Chinese coals, the contents of elements P 2 O 5 (0.21 %) and Sr (757.3 ppm) of Coal 1# to 3# are noticeably elevated. The provenance of the coal-bearing strata is upland areas on both sides of the basin comprising intermediate rocks, such as andesites. Based on chemical weathering indices and paleoclimatic indicators of non-coal samples, the paleoclimate of the early Middle Jurassic was reconstructed. A sudden decrease in the chemical weathering index reveals a change from humid to seasonally arid paleoclimate in the Aalenian-Bajocian. The deposition of the aluminophosphate minerals,as well as enriched phosphorus and strontium, is mainly controlled by the flow of Sr- and/or Al-rich solutions caused by sedimentary environments (low pH and oxidizing conditions). The syngenetic Ca-aluminophosphate formation may have been linked to the climatically induced changes in hydrological cycling, in response to the global abrupt cooling of the early Middle Jurassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: This study aimed to estimate the time to precursor progression and to identify significant predicators. Methods: One hundred thirty-three precursor and 311 normal cases detected in a population- based screening were surveyed for 5.5 years. Precursor progression was defined as worsening of dysplasia or development of a new precursor. Time to precursor progression was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Significant predicators were estimated by Cox proportional regression. Results: Of the 133 precursor cases, 33.08% (44/133) progressed or recurred, 30.08% (40/ 133) persisted, and 36.84% (49/133) regressed; of the 311 normal subjects, 13.50% (42/ 311) developed a precursor. Progression occurred significantly earlier and more frequently with ncreasing histology: with mind dysplasia (mD), 7.8% progressed by 1 year and 23.3% progressed by 5 year; with moderate dysplasia (MD), 18% progressed by 1 year and 70% progressed by 5 years; and with severe dysplasia, 50% progressed by 1 year and 100% progressed by 5 years. The difference between any two groups was significant. In addition, the marginal Lugol-stained mucosa at endoscopic mucosal resection had a progressing risk similar to that of MD, and basal cell hyperplasia was similar to that of mD. Significant predicators for precursor progression included male sex (hazard ratio and 95% CI: 2.74 (1.63-4.60)), age over 50 years (2.31 (1.33-4.02)), family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC) (1.56 (1.00-2.45)), multifocal dysplasia (5.11 (3.01-8.68)), and baseline histology. Conclusions: Sex, age, family history of UGIC, multifocal dysplasia, and baseline histology are significant independent predicators for precursor progression. Patients after endoscopic mucosal resection should be continuously surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography ( STE) techniques in the assessment of left ventricular function and myocardial infarct size ( MIS). Methods Thirty-two patients diagnosed with ST elevation myocardial infarction and 18 healthy control patients underwent 2D echocardiography, 3D echocardiography, and single photon emission computed tomography ( SPECT). 3D left ventricular global area strain ( GAS), 2D and 3D global longitudinal strain ( GLS), global radial strain ( GRS) as well as global circumferential strain ( GCS) were analyzed to correlate with myocardial infarct size detected by SPECT. 2D and 3D left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF) as well as 2D and 3D wall motion score index ( WMSI) also were measured using conventional echocardiography. Results The 2D- GLS values were significantly higher than that of 3D- GLS, while 2D- GCS and GRS were significantly lower than 3D- GCS and GRS, respectively. However, no significant differences in LVEF and WMSI could be observed between 2D and 3D echocardiography. Myocardial strain indices, LVEF, and WMSI using 2D and 3D echocardiography also had good correlations with MIS as measured by SPECT. ROC curve analysis showed that the 3D and 2D myocardial indices, LVEF, and WMSI could distinguish between small and large MIS, while 2D- GLS had the highest AUC. Conclusion The 2D and 3D myocardial strain indices correlated well with MIS by SPECT. Among them, the 2D- GLS showed the highest diagnostic value, while 3D- GRS and GCS had better diagnostic value than 2D- GRS and GCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great efforts have been made to control soil erosion by restoring plant communities in degraded ecosystems world-wide. However, soil erosion has not been substantially reduced mainly because current restoration strategies lead to large areas of mono-specific vegetation, which are inefficient in reducing soil erosion because of their simple canopy and root structure. Therefore, an advanced understanding of how community functional composition affects soil erosion processes, as well as an improved restoration scheme to reduce soil erosion, is urgently needed., We investigated the effect of community functional composition on soil erosion in restored semi-arid grasslands on the Loess Plateau of China. Community functional composition of 16 restored grasslands was quantified by community-weighted mean ( CWM) and functional diversity ( FD) trait values, which were calculated from nine plant functional traits of thirteen locally dominant plant species. Species richness and evenness were also measured. Soil erosion rates were measured using standard erosion plots. The multimodel inference approach was used to estimate the direction and the relative importance of these biodiversity indices in reducing soil erosion., A robust and strong negative effect of functional divergence ( FDiv) on soil erosion was found. The prevalence of particular trait combinations can also decrease soil erosion. The greatest control over soil erosion was exerted when the community mean root diameter was small and the root tensile strength was great., Synthesis and applications: These findings imply that community functional diversity plays an important role in reducing soil erosion in semi-arid restored grasslands. This means that current restoration strategies can be greatly improved by incorporating community functional diversity into restoration design. We propose a trait-based restoration framework for reducing soil erosion, termed ' SSM' (Screening-Simulating-Maintaining). SSM aims to translate the target of community functional diversity into community assemblages that can be manipulated by practitioners. Based on this framework, a comprehensive procedure, highlighting functional diversity as the primary concern in determining optimal community assemblages, was developed to meet the pressing need for more effective restoration strategies to reduce soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation priority setting is the critical process of allocating the limited resources available for nature conservation and; safeguarding the sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ESs). It is difficult, however, to achieve the goal of simultaneously conserving both biodiversity and ESs, not only because of the potential trade-offs between biodiversity and ESs, but also because of the trade-offs between multiple ESs. Thus far, research has focused on the trade-offs between ESs caused by spatial competition resulting from land use change or by the destruction of biophysical interaction between multiple ESs. Few studies, however, have paid attention to the trade-offs induced during the decision-making process. Approaches for measuring the trade-offs between multiple ESs in decision-making processes would thus prove to be extremely helpful. In this paper, we map the water supply, soil conservation, and net primary production as ESs in the Jiangxi province of China in the year 2010, and use risk, tradeoff, and spatial efficiency indices to measure the conservation efficiency of seven established ordered weighted averaging (OWA) scenarios under two conservation levels (conserving the top ESs at 10 or 20 % of the area of the Jiangxi province). The main results are as follows: (1) conserving one ES may result in inefficient conservation of other ESs; and (2) conserving multiple ESs and the use of GIS-based OWA methods can balance conflicts among multiple ESs and can significantly enhance the spatial efficiency of the identified priority areas. Decision-makers may combine the spatial efficiency, risk and tradeoff levels of each OWA scenario with other specific conservation demands of their own specific cases in order to achieve the optimal identification of priority areas for the simultaneous conservation of multiple ESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological restorations over time may have profound effects on ecological and socio-economic systems. However, land-use changes and landscape functions that accompany ecological restorations can have spatial differentiations due to varied biophysical and socio-economic contexts. Therefore, these spatial differentiations caused by ecological restoration must be understood for better planning and management of restoration activities. The Baota District, with 576 villages in the center of the Chinese Loess Plateau, was selected as the study area because of its dramatic transition from cropland to grassland and shrubland from 1990 to 2010. Using the ArcGIS software and a k-means clustering analysis, an approach to identify types of land-use change patterns (TLCPs) at the village level was developed, and four TLCPs were delineated. The analysis indicated a general pattern of cropland decline by 21.6 %, but revealed significant spatial variations between villages in different TLCPs. Vegetation cover and soil retention, which are key proxies for landscape functions, increased by 22.70 and 108 %, respectively, from 2000 to 2010 with significant spatial heterogeneity. The Universal Soil Loss Equation was employed for the assessment of soil retention. The analysis of landscape metrics revealed a major trend of fragmentation and regularity on the county and village scale; however, spatial variations remained. Physical attributes were used to characterize different TLCPs, and notable differences were found. The spatial heterogeneous change in land use and landscape functions on the village scale may be useful for land use and ecological restoration management policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined the features and forming mechanism of Smithian microstromatolites from the upper Helongshan Formation in Triassic in Northwest Chaohu, Anhui Province, China. According to the study, the thin bedded marl strata around the microstromatolites have bivalves and some small ammonoids. A quiet, argillaceous and calciprivus environment was observed in the formation of the microstromatolites.

• NRAP-IAM-CS was used to assess the system-level leakage risk for the Shenhua CO2 storage site, China. • Total CO2 and brine leakages from the 3 wells on site are trivial in most scenarios tested, except for the scenario assuming significantly leaking wells. • For the significantly leaking scenario, there is a 10% probability to have a moderate leakage-affected volume in the shallow aquifer with the pH below 6.5, and a large volume with the TDS above 500 ppm. Therefore, pH and TDS may be considered for site monitoring plans. • Simulation results show a very low probability to observe significant CO2 and brine leakages at the Shenhua site. This paper describes a system-level risk assessment for the Shenhua CO 2 storage site, China, using the National Risk Assessment Partnership Integrated Assessment Model for Carbon Storage (NRAP-IAM-CS). We begin by determining the optimal number of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to achieve CO 2 and brine leakage result convergence. Then, we calculate mass CO 2 and brine leakage to the atmosphere and a hypothetical shallow aquifer. Finally, we assess the geochemical impacts in the event of leakage as if there were a shallow freshwater aquifer at the Shenhua site. Simulation results show that leakage results tend to stabilize after 300 Monte Carlo simulations. When the three wells on site are assigned a permeability of 10−11 m2 (representing significantly leaking wells), moderate CO 2 and brine leakages occur, and the percentage of CO 2 leakage exceeds the threshold value we set based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This is, however, unlikely to be the case for the Shenhua site. For all the other scenarios, the CO 2 leakage is trivial although there is still the possibility of CO 2 leakage into the groundwater aquifer exceeding the 1% threshold over 1000 years, assuming constant legacy wellbore permeability. For the significantly leaking scenario, there is a 10% probability to have a moderate (2.7 × 107 m3) leakage-affected volume in the shallow aquifer with the pH below 6.5, and a large (1.4 × 108 m3) volume with the total dissolved solids (TDS) above 500 ppm, hence pH and TDS may be considered for site monitoring plans. Based on the simulation results, there is a very low probability of significant CO 2 /brine leakage through the existing wells at the Shenhua CO 2 storage site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies indicated that not only individual self-esteem (e.g., Diener & Diener, 1995; Neto, 1993) but also collective self-esteem (e.g., Crocker, Luhtanen, Blaine, & Broadnax, 1994; Zhang & Leung, 1999) contributed to prediction of life satisfaction. When the effects of individual and collective self-esteems on life satisfaction have been demonstrated, a further question in life satisfaction research is that whether the relationship between self-esteem and life satisfaction is subject to the influence of boundary conditions. The present investigation focused on moderating effects of gender and age on the relationship between self-esteem and life satisfaction in Chinese people. Participants were 1347 Mainland Chinese (aged from 14 to 88 years, 52.3% female) from three generations. They finished the General Life Satisfaction Scale (Leung & Leung, 1992), Life Domain Satisfaction Scale (revised from Michalos, 1985), Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and Collective Self-Esteem Scale (Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the relationship between collective self-esteem and general life satisfaction was stronger for the male participants than for the female participants. The effect of individual self-esteem on life domain satisfaction was stronger in the male group than in the female group. The effect of individual self-esteem on life domain satisfaction was stronger in the older people than in the younger people. However the effect of collective self-esteem on life domain satisfaction was stronger in the younger people than in the older people. These results might reflect life task differences and social expectation differences between male and female, younger and older people. Additional research is needed with other types of samples, especially with samples from some individualist cultures to see whether the results could generalize to these cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change can have critical impacts on ecosystem services (ESs) and their inter-relationships, especially for water-related services. However, there has been little work done on characterizing the current and future changes in these services and their inter-relationships under a changing climate. Based on the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), the soil conservation service curve number model (SCS-CN), and the improved stochastic weather-generator-based statistical downscaled global climate models (GCMs), we examined two important water-related services, namely, the soil conservation (SC) service and the flood mitigation (FM) service, and their inter-relationship under baseline and future climate scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5). We took the Upper Hanjiang River Basin (UHRB), which is the core water source area of the China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project (S–NWDP), as an illustration. The findings revealed that (1) the SC and FM services will both decrease under the two climate scenarios examined; (2) the SC and FM services showed a significant synergistic inter-relationship and the synergy will be improved by 16.48% and 2.95% under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, respectively, which provides an opportunity for management optimization; (3) the ecological degradation in the UHRB will likely have serious consequences for the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang river basin, and therefore impact the actual economic benefits of the S–NWDP. This study points to the necessity for understanding the dynamic changes and inter-relationships of ecosystem services under future climate change and provides information regarding the consequences of climate change, which is useful for policy and infrastructure investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined two kinds of microbialites from the lower Olenekian in the Lower Yangtze in South China. Microbial mats and stromatolites are the two kinds of microbialites found in the lower Olenekian in the study site. It cites Girvanella, Sphaerocodium and Codiaceae as dominant microfossils in the microbial mats. Information on the morphologic features of the stromatolites is provided.

This paper focusses on sequence stratigraphy of coal-bearing strata, coal petrography, coal chemistry, and the CH 4 adsorption capacity of the Badaowan Formation in Santanghu Basin, China. The comprehensive coal characteristics of 12 coal samples were determined, coupled with maceral composition, proximate analysis, elemental analysis, reflectance (Ro), and high-pressure CH 4 adsorption. The results indicated that maceral composition and chemical properties of coal were controlled by the sequence stratigraphic framework. During the TST, the content of vitrinite, the ratio of vitrinite to inertinite (V/I) and the content of carbon in coal increased gradually from bottom to top. While during HST, an opposite trend was observed. Furthermore, due to the intrusion of the lake water, the ash yield in the TST is higher than that in HST. The CH 4 adsorption capacity is positively correlated with the content of vitrinite and V/I. There is a moderate positive correlation between fixed carbon contents and V Lad. Ash content was strongly correlated to Langmuir volume under the air-dry basis, with increasing A d associated with the reduction of the V Lad. It was observed that the CH 4 adsorption capacity generally gradually increased during the TST, and gradually decreased in the HST. Gas content also shows a similar change rule. CH 4 adsorption capacity is functionally dependent on coal characteristics, which again are dependent on sequence stratigraphy and thus the coal-forming environment. The base level and cycles of the sequence establish a theoretical and practical framework for CBM extraction from low-rank coal reservoirs. • The maceral composition and coal chemical properties are affected by sequence stratigraphy framework. • The correlation between the methane adsorption capacity and coal characteristics is discussed. • CH 4 adsorption capacity varies regularly with stratigraphic sequence framework. • A model of the change of coal composition and the methane adsorption capacity in sequence stratigraphic is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auxiliary power supply system is an important part of the China standard EMU (Electric Multiple Units). It is mainly composed of auxiliary converters, chargers, battery packs and several loads. According to the topology of the EMU real auxiliary power supply system, the whole simulation system including the auxiliary converter, charger, single-phase inverter and other single models is built, and the internal working principle and working process of the system are studied. The auxiliary converter adopts the droop control method introducing virtual impedance to reduce the circulation effect of the parallel system. Combined with the battery pack charging characteristic curve, the constant current and constant voltage step-by-step charging management strategy is studied. The actual operating conditions of the system are simulated according to the auxiliary power supply system control logic. The system-level simulation on the MATLAB/Simulink platform shows that the output performance of each component is good, working in the rated parameters and meeting the working requirements of the auxiliary power supply system. Finally, the rationality, stability and robustness of the auxiliary power supply system model are proved by simulation and experimental comparison. This research provides a certain theoretical basis for the research of China standard EMU auxiliary power supply system, which has a certain significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological conservation and restoration are necessary to mitigate environmental degradation problems. China has taken great efforts in such actions. To understand the ecological transition during 2000-2010 in China, this study analysed trends in vegetation change using remote sensing and linear regression. Climate and socioeconomic factors were included to screen the driving forces for vegetation change using correlation or comparative analyses. Our results indicated that China experienced both vegetation greening (restoration) and browning (degradation) with great spatial heterogeneity. Socioeconomic factors, such as human populations and economic production, were the most significant factors for vegetation change. Nature reserves have contributed slightly to the deceleration of vegetation browning and the promotion of greening; however, a large-scale conservation approach beyond nature reserves was more effective. The effectiveness of the Three-North Shelter Forest Program lay between the two above approaches. The findings of this study highlighted that vegetation trend detection is a practical approach for large-scale ecological transition assessments, which can inform decision-making that promotes vegetation greening via proper socioeconomic development and ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Ordovician and Early Silurian periods experienced glaciation and mass extinctions. However, debates exist regarding the factors that initiated the glaciation and the subsequent delay in biotic recovery. To uncover the relationships between paleoclimate, marine redox states, and biotic recovery in the Early Silurian, temporal variations in Zinc (Zn) isotopic compositions along with other multi-geochemical proxies were analyzed for a carbonate-dominated section in South China. A stratigraphic δ66Zn trend was found in studied section, indicating a widespread disturbance to the marine Zn cycle. A significant negative shift in δ66Zn by up to ∼0.7 ‰ was observed immediately following the Hirnantian Glaciation and HICE, which can be attributed to a combination of reduced burial efficiency of organic carbon, fast weathering of large igneous provinces and increased riverine Zn input. This was followed by a ∼ 0.4 ‰ rise in δ66Zn values, alongside a sharp decrease in δ13C values, indicating an increase in sulfide precipitation (e.g., ZnS, FeS) due to expansions of euxinia. Subsequently, a notable rise in δ66Zn values by up to ∼1.1 ‰ is interpreted as an increase in organic carbon burial, given the concurrent variation of δ66Zn and δ13C during this period. The findings suggest that the increase in organic carbon burial, a reduction in reverse weathering, or a combination of them contributed to the glaciation in Silurian. Furthermore, the weathering-induced high primary productivity led to anoxic water conditions in the latest Hirnantian and Rhuddanian. This prolonged marine anoxia in seawater thus caused the deposition of organic-rich sediments and hindered biotic recovery in the Rhuddanian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a direct limiting factor for crop yield. Drought may also greatly affect soil nematode community due to their dependence on soil water and indirectly reduce crop yield. However, the regulatory role of soil nematodes in this process is poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a manipulative field experiment to study the changes in soil nematode community and peanut yield along an experimental drought gradient. Our results showed that drought decreased the total nematode and absolute and relative bacterivore abundance, nematode channel ratio, and peanut yield, but increased the absolute and relative abundance of fungivores, resulting in a fungal-based and slow energy channel. The structural equation model showed that peanut yield was influenced by all nematode trophic groups. This highlights the important role of soil nematode community in modulating crop production. Specifically, peanut yield was positively correlated with the relative abundance of bacterivores, fungivores, and omnivore-predators, and negatively correlated with the relative abundance of plant parasitic nematodes. In addition, moderate drought enhanced the complexity and stability of nematode interaction network, which is in accordance with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. The effects of soil nematode community on peanut production should be emphasized in the context of more frequent droughts in the future. • Drought reduced peanut yield. • Drought changed soil nematodes community and co-occurrence network. • Free-living nematodes positively influenced peanut yield. • Plant parasitic nematodes negatively impacted peanut yield. • Moderate drought enhanced the complexity of nematode network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Late Ordovician mass extinctions were divided into two distinct stages, with the second stage occurring during the Late Hirnantian. However, biotic recovery was delayed until the Aeronian and the triggering factors are still unknown. To comprehend the connections between paleoclimate, marine redox states, and biotic recovery in the Early Silurian, we analyzed temporal variations in chemical weathering intensity using multi-geochemical proxies for the shales of the Longmaxi Formation in South China. The results reveal a significant increase in chemical weathering intensity from the Rhuddanian warming phase to the Aeronian cooling phase. This increase is anomalous, considering it coincides with the Early Silurian's climate cooling. This study posits that Rhuddanian sediments exhibited low chemical weathering intensity and more congruent weathering, while Aeronian sediments were characterized by intermediate chemical weathering intensity and incongruent weathering. Given that the gradual enrichment of oxygen within bottom waters can be supported by C org /P and C org -S-Fe, this study suggests that congruent weathering-induced high paleoproductivity is the primary factor accelerating anoxia in the Rhuddanian. In summary, the persistent marine anoxia of seawater thus triggered the deposition of organic-rich shales and delayed biotic recovery in the Rhuddanian. • Termination of glaciation contributes to the low chemical weathering intensity and congruent weathering in the Rhuddanian. • Weathering-induced high primary productivity is the first-order control for the anoxic water conditions in the Rhuddanian. • The persistent marine anoxia of seawater resulted in the delayed biotic recovery in the Rhuddanian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rivers are important sites of both nitrogen removal and emission of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a powerful greenhouse gas. Previous measurements have focused on nitrogen-rich temperate rivers, with cold, low-nitrogen river systems at high-altitude receiving less attention. Here, nitrogen removal rates were estimated by directly measuring dissolved N 2 and N 2 O of the Yellow River in its source region of the Tibetan Plateau, a frigid high-altitude environment. We measured the dissolved N 2 and N 2 O using N 2 :Ar ratio method and headspace equilibrium technique, respectively. Dissolved N 2 in the river water ranged from 337 to 513 μmol N 2 L−1, and dissolved N 2 O ranged from 10.4 to 15.4 nmol N 2 O L−1. Excess dissolved N 2 (△N 2) ranged from −8.6 to 10.5 μmol N 2 L−1, while excess dissolved N 2 O (△N 2 O) ranged from 2.1 to 8.3 nmol N 2 O L−1; they were relatively low compared with most other rivers in the world. However, N 2 removal fraction (△N 2 /DIN, average 21.6%) and EF 5r values (N 2 O − N/NO 3 − N, range 1.6 × 10−4–5.0 × 10−2) were comparable with many other rivers despite the high altitude for the Yellow River source region. Furthermore, the EF 5r values increased with altitude. Estimated fluxes of N 2 and N 2 O to the atmosphere from the river surface ranged from −67.5 to 93.5 mmol N m−2 d−1 and from 4.8 to 93.8 μmol N m−2 d−1, respectively, and the nitrogen removal from rivers was estimated to be 1.87 × 107 kg N yr−1 for the Yellow River source region. This is the first report of nitrogen removal for a frigid high-altitude river; the results suggest that N removal and N 2 O emission from cold high-altitude rivers should be considered in the global nitrogen budget. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Excess dissolved N 2 and N 2 O in the Yellow River source region were lower than other rivers. • N 2 O emission factor increased with the elevation of the Yellow River in its source region. • N 2 removal fraction and N 2 O emission factor in this study were comparable with other rivers. • The nitrogen removal from the Yellow River source region was about 1.87 × 107 kg N yr−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hetao Irrigation District (HID) is characterized by less rainfall and high evaporative, but it is a main grain production region in China. Increasing water use efficiency is an appropriate way to fulfill the sustainable agriculture development because the allocated water for HID will be reduced in the future. In this study six irrigation treatments with irrigation amounts being the 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120% of crop water requirement (ET c ) were carried out for maize crop ( Zea mays L.) in the HID under mulch-dripped irrigation condition in 2013 and 2014 years. Soil water and electrical conductivity, plant growth factors, harvest factors and yield were investigated, and crop actual evapotranspiration (ET cact ), water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) were calculated. Results showed that soil water and salt mainly varied in the upper 60 cm soil layer. At harvest, salt accumulation was found in the upper soil layer and the highest salt accumulation was in the least irrigation treatment. Growth factors and harvest factors were reduced significantly (P < 0.05) for irrigation depth of less than 40%ETc compared to 80–120%ETc, but they were not significantly (P > 0.05) different from 80 to 120%ETc. The highest grain yield were found at 100%ETc, then yield decreased with irrigation depth decreasing due to the reductions of ear size and 100-grain weight. ET cact ranged from 200 to 430 mm in the two seasons, and linearly increased with the irrigation depth increasing. The highest WUE was found at 60%ETc, while IWUE was decreasing with irrigation depth increasing. Fully considering maize yield, water use efficiency, soil salt balance and water resources availability of Yellow river, full irrigation with 100%ETc is recommended with the objective of the highest yield when water resources can satisfy water demand of irrigation and economic development, while water deficit of 20–30% is recommended with the objective of getting the highest WUE and little yield loss (4–8%) under mulched drip irrigation in HID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some important progress has been made in coalbed gas (CBG) exploration in the Kuqa-Bay coalfield in the northern Tarim Basin, where a demonstration base of CBG development and utilization has been established in the Tieliekedong (TD) region. Currently, there has been no detailed study of the formation mechanism of the CBG in the TD region, which has restricted the next phase of the CBG exploration. In this study, gas and water samples in the TD region were collected and analyzed to determine the genesis of the CBG, the formation pathways of the microbial gas, the source of the coalbed water, the composition of the microbial community, and the accumulation process of the CBG. The results indicate that the CBG in the TD region is a mixture of biodegraded thermogenic gas and secondary microbial gas. The geochemical characteristics of the water samples indicate that the coalbed water actively receives recharge from surface water, and it exhibits the characteristics of a weak-runoff water environment (i.e., a relatively closed system). Based on the stable isotope compositions of the gas-water samples, CO 2 reduction is the main metabolic pathway for generating the microbial gas. That is, in the relatively closed system, initial CO 2 from the different sources was converted to CH 4 by hydrogenotrophic methanogens (e.g., Methanobacterium), and the residual CO 2 became progressively enriched in 13C (i.e., high positive δ13C-CO 2 and δ13C-dissolved inorganic carbon values). However, the microbial community composition indicates that acetogenic bacteria (e.g., Acetobacterium , and Lentimicrobium) and acetoclastic methanogens (i.e., Methanosaeta) are widely developed in the coalbed water, so acetoclastic methanogenesis should also take place. According to the priority of the biodegradation, the microbial oxidation of thermogenic C 2+ components (e.g., ethane and propane) mainly occurred in the early stage and lasted for a short period of time, primarily producing CH 4 enriched in 12C. After these components were consumed, the bacteria began to degrade the organic matter in the coal, and the methanogens continued to generate secondary microbial gas, finally forming a 13C-enriched pool of carbon species. Based on these results, the CBG accumulation in the TD region was determined. The results of this case study provide an obvious supplement to the geological theory of CBG accumulation, and have a guiding significance for CBG exploration in the TD region. • CBG genesis and the formation pathways of microbial gas was determined. • Sources of coalbed water was identified. • Compositions of microbial community were discussed. • CBG accumulation mode were concluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic-rich black shales from the Late Ordovician and early Silurian were identified as essential source rocks for shale gas exploration and development in South China. To investigate the influence of volcanic activity on the deposition of organic-rich shales in the Wufeng and Longmaxi formations, this study presents the carbon isotope and geochemical compositions of the Upper Ordovician-lower Silurian succession of the Yangtze Platform. The organic-rich Wufeng and lower Longmaxi shales are characterized by isotopically negative carbon shifts; however, obviously high δ13C org values are shown in the organic-poor shales of the upper Longmaxi Formation. The negative δ13C org excursion is attributed to 12C-depleted CO 2 sourced from volcanic activity. Furthermore, the positive δ13C org excursion in the upper Longmaxi Formation occurs because a large amount of 12C was removed from the ocean-atmosphere system through continuous burial of organic carbon. The biogenic silica (Si bio) contents and (Cu + Ni)/Al ratios in the lower Longmaxi Formation display higher values than those in the upper Longmaxi Formation, suggesting that the primary productivity gradually decreased from the Wufeng Formation to the Longmaxi Formation. This study proposes that high primary productivity was related to accelerated chemical weathering and release of micro-nutrients. The former emphasizes that high pCO 2 and globally high temperatures can enhance chemical weathering, so that more nutrients are transported from continents to oceans (Yan et al., 2010, 2019). The latter highlights that volcanic material input can act as fertilizer by releasing many nutrients. Moreover, the values of U EF and Mo EF are higher in the Wufeng and lower Longmaxi formations than in the upper Longmaxi Formation, suggesting that the oxygen concentration increased upward through the section. Given the positive correlations between indicators of productivity and redox conditions, the constantly high primary productivity would consume much O 2 , resulting in anoxic conditions in the Wufeng and lower Longmaxi formations. Overall, this study considers that volcanic activity-driven primary productivity is the first-order control for organic matter (OM) enrichment. • The negative δ13C org excursion in Wufeng and lower Longmaxi formations is attributed to the volcanism. • Volcanic activity contributed to the high primary productivity. • High primary productivity and anoxic conditions lead to the deposition of organic-rich shales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hirnantian Glaciation resulted in a perturbation in global carbon cycling, which is recognized as a positive excursion in the δ13C values of both carbonates and organic matter. To investigate the factors controlling the carbon and nitrogen cycles from the late Ordovician to the early Silurian, the C and N isotopic and geochemical compositions of marine sediments deposited on the Yangtze Platform were measured. The majority of rocks in the Wukemuchang section exhibit high δ15N bulk values, reflecting aerobic nitrogen cycling in the inner shelf. The global spatial variation in δ15N bulk values likely reflects the occurrence of nitrate gradients in seawater, implying that nitrate was limited in offshore environments that were characterized by oxic conditions. More eukaryotes may be restricted to the inner shelf environments, where large amounts of bioavailable nitrate were accessible. The limited availability of nitrate may have affected the fossil distributions and the complexity of animal ecosystems, thereby influencing the late Ordovician extinction and early Silurian biotic recovery. The δ13C org profiles from the Yangtze Platform are consistent with earlier reports of Hirnantian shelf gradients in sedimentary δ13C DIC values. We suggest that the global variation in δ13C org values during the late Ordovician was related to the amount of nitrate because productivity is limited when bioavailable N is scarce. In addition to intense carbonate weathering, the high level of photosynthesis in the inner shelf caused by abundant nitrate and nutrients may have enhanced the dissolved inorganic carbon gradient on shelves globally, driving sedimentary δ13C org values even higher than those of sediments deposited in the outer shelf where carbon exchange with the surface ocean was less restricted • Study of nitrogen cycling in Ordovician-Silurian marine units of South China • Aerobic nitrogen cycling contributes to the heavy δ15N bulk in shallow shelf. • The shallow shelf is characterized by high primary productivity. • The difference in magnitude of the Hirnantian isotope carbon excursion (HICE) was related to productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic-rich siliceous shale in Upper Ordovician is the major source rock for shale gas in the South China, while the deposition mechanism of these rocks is still under debated. Here we present systematic geochemical and petrographic characteristics of the Upper Ordovician sediments to evaluate the redox conditions, paleo-productivity, terrestrial input, and to investigate the depositional mechanisms of these organic rich siliceous shales in the Wufeng Formation. In shallow water areas, the Linxiang Formation is dominantly characterized by grey thick Limestone. The Upper Daduhe Formation is composed of calcareous mudstone intercalated with argillaceous limestone, while the Lower Daduhe Formation consists of limestone interbedded with mudstone. At deep water area, the Linxiang Formation is dominated by limestone and muddy limestone. The lower and upper Wufeng Formation are mainly characterized by grey argillaceous shale and organic-rich siliceous shale respectively. It is suggested that the lithological and environmental changes in the Yangtze area were the response to the development of the Kwangsian Orogeny. During the late Ordovician, the Yangtze basement constantly descended and the sea level rose relatively due to the collision between the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks. Thus, the oxygen concentration decreased with the rising sea level according to the U EF values and Ce/Ce* ratios, which resulted in anoxic water condition and promoted the preservation and enrichment of organic matter in marine sediments. Meanwhile, uplifts (e.g., Jiangnan - Xuefeng, Qianzhong and Chuanzhong) constantly expanded around the Sichuan Basin, leading to high terrigenous input that is reflected in geochemical and Nd isotopic compositions. Additionally, primary productivity gradually increased, because the Si/Al ratios exhibit an increasing trend in both shallow and deep water areas, and it may be related to the high clastic influx which provided adequate nutrients for siliceous organisms. Overall, anoxic water condition and high biogenic Si influx caused by Kwangsian Orogeny are considered as the most important factors controlling the organic-rich siliceous shale in the Wufeng Formation. • The Yangtze Sea in Late Ordovician underwent significantly oceanic change. • The lithological and environmental changes in Yangtze Sea is related to the Kwangsian Orogeny. • The moderate clastic input has promoted the deposition of organic - rich siliceous shales in Wufeng Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]