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Recent years have witnessed a growing body of research on the English learning of ethnic minority students in China, yet little is known as to how these students enact their agency to address the challenges they encounter in learning English. Through the lens of activity theory, this qualitative case study explored the manifestations and influencing factors of English learning agency of four first-year Uyghur university students. Data were collected through the students' journals, interviews, and documents, supplemented by the interview data from their teachers. The findings revealed that Uyghur students' English learning agency was manifested by reflecting on the gap btween themselves and their Han classmates and adjusting their English learning methods; adapting to the mode of all-English teaching and the rule of English presentation; using tools such as the Mandarin Chinese, English learning apps and the Internet; and seeking help from teachers, peers and other community members. The study also found that Uyghur students' agency was influenced by factors such as language proficiency, motivation, and personal learning experiences. Additionally, preferential policies of the state and the school, help from teachers and peers, and emotional support from family members also had an impact on their English learning agency. This study provides implications for the English teaching of ethnic minority students at universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the rehabilitation psychological experience of the Chinese elderly within 6 months of initial disability, understand and analyse their real feelings and thoughts to help caregivers in providing support. We adopted the descriptive phenomenology method to purposefully select elderly with initial disability within 6 months from neurorehabilitation departments of 2 hospitals in China, who were able to cooperate with researchers to conduct interviews. The data were collected from semi-structured interviews and analysed using Colaizzi's analysis method. fifteen participants with an average age of 73.7(±9.0) years and an average disability time of 3.2 (±1.5) months were interviewed. Four themes were identified: (1) the discomfort of losing the sense of self; (2) feeling trapped over unmet needs; (3) ambivalence towards rehabilitation; (4) expectations and hopelessness for the future. Traditional Chinese thoughts such as family concepts played an important role in the generation of complex emotions. The elderly had the desire and motivation to recover and return to the families and society. However, due to personal, family and social factors, they still felt ambivalence towards rehabilitation, self-worth and life, which hindered rehabilitation. Therefore, carers should focus on the elderly's psychological states, taking corresponding measures to satisfy their complex demands and motivate long-term recovery. Chinese elderly with initial disability often had a strong sense of ambivalence towards self-worth, rehabilitation and life, among which the influence of the traditional Chinese family concept counts. Health care personnel should improve the positive coping ability of the elderly to promote their harmonious coexistence with disability, rebuild their personal values, develop their rehabilitation potential. Health care departments need to provide support to the elderly and their families to maximize the positive role of the family in the rehabilitation process of the elderly. In order to alleviate the discomfort of disabled elderly in rehabilitation and enhance compliance, there is a need to improve the hard environment (rehabilitation technologies, etc.) and soft environment (rehabilitation concept and service quality, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, most normal BMI (body mass index of ≥18.5 to <25 kg/m2) adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) exhibit visceral adiposity. This study compared the effects of exenatide and humalog Mix25 on normal BMI patients with T2DM and visceral adiposity. A total of 95 patients were randomized to receive either exenatide or humalog Mix25 treatment for 24 weeks. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were quantified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and liver fat content (LFC) by liver proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS). Each patient's weight, waist circumference, BMI, blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic β-cell function, and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) levels were measured. Data from 81 patients who completed the study (40 and 41 in the exenatide and humalog Mix25 groups, respectively) were analysed. The change in 2 h plasma blood glucose was greater in the exenatide group (P = 0.039). HOMA-IR and MBCI improved significantly after exenatide therapy (P < 0.01 , P = 0.045). VAT and LFC decreased in both groups (P < 0.01 for all) but to a greater extent in the exenatide group, while SAT only decreased with exenatide therapy (P < 0.01). FGF-21 levels declined more in the exenatide group (P < 0.01), but were positively correlated with VAT in the entire cohort before (r = 0.244 , P = 0.043) and after (r = 0.290 , P = 0.016) the intervention. The effects of exenatide on glycaemic metabolism, insulin resistance, pancreatic β-cell function, and fat deposition support its administration to normal BMI patients with T2DM and visceral adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite of the Lüliangshan unit of the Shenglikou area, North Qaidam, were studied with emphasis on rutile and titanite. A special focus is on the formation of rutile and its corona of titanite (Ttn1) in retrograde eclogite and on coarse-grained titanite (Ttn2) from the garnet amphibolite. Using zirconium (Zr)-in-rutile and Zr-in-titanite thermometers, the temperatures estimated for the formation of an early generation of rutile are 823–884 °C at 2.5–2.8 GPa, while 812–894 °C at 1.3–1.5 GPa are derived for the formation of coronitic Ttn1 in the retrograde eclogite. Therefore, isothermal decompression must have occurred during exhumation, which also has triggered the partial melting of the retrograde eclogite. Ttn2 of the garnet amphibolite has high REE contents and high Th/U ratios, indicating that it is newly grown from a Ti, Ca, and LREE enriched anatectic melt derived from the partial melting of retrograde eclogite. LA-ICP MS U-Pb dating yields a lower intercept age of 423±4 Ma for Ttn2, which is consistent with the granulite-facies metamorphic age of the retrograde eclogite. Moreover, a temperature of 781–823 °C at 1.0–1.2 GPa is obtained for Ttn2, which fits the P-T conditions of the HP granulite-facies metamorphic stage (P=1.07–1.24 GPa and T=774–814 °C), and documents that the crystallization of the melt occurred at the granulite-facies stage at 423 Ma. The high amount of REE of the garnet amphibolite is a consequence of the formation of Ttn2 from the melt. The contents and ratios of Zr and Hf in rutile and Ttn2 differ from those in the garnet amphibolite, and the whole rock Zr/Hf ratios of retrograde eclogite and garnet amphibolite are both higher than the respective ratios in rutile and Ttn2, suggesting that rutile and titanite cannot be the major carriers of Zr and Hf accounting for the high whole rock Zr/Hf ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kyanite-bearing garnet pelitic gneiss from the Jianggalesayi area in southern Altyn Tagh high pressure/ultra-high pressure belt was proved to have been experienced UHP metamorphism (>12 GPa) by the discovery of kyanite and spinel exsolution microstructure in quartz (precursor stishovite). In this study, three stages of retrograded metamorphism (M2–M4) after the UHP metamorphism (M1) were identified for the UHP pelitic gneiss. The HP granulite-facies stage (M2) was characterized by the mineral assemblage of garnet+kyanite+K-feldspar+rutile+quartz±ilmenite, recording the P-T condition of >1.12 GPa and ≈850–930 ºC. The granulite-facies stage (M3) was represented by the mineral assemblage of garnet rim+K-feldspar+sillimanite (Sill1)+biotite (Bt1)+plagioclase (Pl1)+ilmenite+quartz, and confined under P-T conditions of 0.5–0.8 GPa and ≈770–795 ºC. The late cooling stage M4 was accompanied by the appearance of fine-grained Pl2, Sill2 and Bt2 in the matrix, and the P-T conditions were 0.4–0.6 GPa and <675 ºC. A clockwised P-T path was obtained for the pelitic gneiss in the P-T pseudosection, which showed a deep subduction/collision processes with subsequent exhumation and cooling. Combined with the corresponding multistage metamorphic assemblages, the age dating results implied that the zircons from the gneiss have integrated the recording peak metamorphic (M1, 484±3 Ma) and retrograded metamorphic ages (M2 to M3, 450±2 Ma). There was about 32 Ma interval during the first exhumation from the upper mantle depth (>350 km) to the lower crust depth (≈40–20 km), resulting in an average exhumation rate of 9.11–9.70 mm/yr. In the southern Altyn Tagh region, the HP and UHP rocks from different areas had identical peak metamorphic ages. Therefore, contemporary UHP and HP rocks with different metamorphic evolutions were recognized coexisting in the same orogenic belt, which can be interpreted by the model of subduction channel. The continental crustal were subducted to different depths along the direction of the subduction channels at ≈500 Ma, suffered different grade metamorphism, and then returned to the surface along the subduction channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Herein, crop (vegetables and rice, n = 30), soil (n = 14), dust (n = 12), and PM10 (n = 25) samples were collected to assess the environmental quality of a former e-waste recycling area and evaluate the related health risks. In dust and PM 10 , the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were lower than previously reported values, although the numbers for soil, vegetables, and rice remained high. The average accumulation factors of heavy metals in crops decreased in the order of Zn > Cd > Ni > Cu > Pb, and soil was identified as the largest contributor to crop pollution. Heavy metal ingestion largely occurred via rice consumption, which accounted for a significant fraction of the total average daily dose (ADD; 75.2–86.7% in children and 78.0–91.7% in adults), especially for Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn. However, in the case of Pb, soil ingestion accounted for 48.9% of the ADD in adults, while in children, vegetable, rice, and dust ingestion accounted for 44.7%, 28.6%, and 23.7% of the ADD, respectively. The combined exposure hazard indices at the fifth, median, and 95th percentiles for all heavy metals were determined as 2.54, 9.40, and 40.1 for adults and as 3.75, 13.7, and 58.4 for children, respectively. In terms of health risk, crop consumption was identified as the major exposure pathway for both children and adults, featuring a contribution of 99.9%. In addition, the 95th percentile carcinogenic risks for Pb exceeded the acceptable level. Thus, this work shows that to reduce the health risk for local residents in the former e-waste area, more attention should be paid to soil repair. Highlights • Combing multiple exposure pathways to assess the human health risk of residents. • Heavy metals in dust and PM 10 showed an overall decreasing trend. • Soil is the largest contributor to crop pollution refer to heavy metals. • Crop consumption is the major exposure pathway for human health risk. • More attention should be paid to food safety, particularly to Cd of rice in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the fluoride present in tea plants ( Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) and its relationship to soils, varieties, seasons and tea leaf maturity. The study also explored how different manufacturing processes affect the leaching of fluoride into tea beverages. The fluoride concentration in the tea leaves was significantly correlate to the concentration of water-soluble fluoride in the soil. Different tea varieties accumulated different levels of fluoride, with varieties, Anji baicha having the highest and Nongkang zao having the lowest fluoride concentration. In eight different varieties of tea plant harvested over three tea seasons, fluoride concentration were highest in the summer and lowest in the spring in china. The fluoride concentration in tea leaves was directly related to the maturity of the tea leaves at harvest. Importantly, the tea manufacturing process did not introduced fluoride contamination. The leaching of fluoride was 6.8% and 14.1% higher in black and white tea, respectively, than in fresh tea leaves. The manufacturing step most affecting the leaching of fluoride into tea beverage was withering used in white, black and oolong tea rather than rolling or fermentation. The exposure and associated health risks for fluoride concentration in infusions of 115 commercially available teas from Chinese tea markets was determined. The fluoride concentration ranged from 5.0 to 306.0 mg kg −1 , with an average of 81.7 mg kg −1 . The hazard quotient (HQ) of these teas indicated that there was no risk of fluorosis from drinking tea, based on statistical analysis by Monte Carlo simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Qaidam Belt (NQDB) is an Early Paleozoic continental ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt between the Qaidam Block and South Qilian Belt (SQB) in northwest China, and the UHP metamorphic rocks recorded differential/diachronous exhumation and anatexis histories. To constrain the multi-stage exhumation and the associated magmatism of the NQDB and its adjacent areas, an integrated study of petrology, geochemistry, zircon U Pb and Lu Hf isotopes was conducted on the OIB-like dolerite and A-type dacite porphyry from the SQB. The OIB-like dolerite is enriched in light rare-earth elements (LREEs), large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), and high field strength elements (HFSEs), and depleted in heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs), with a crystallization age of 425 ± 7 Ma and zircon ε Hf (t) values ranging from −4.2 to 0.3. Given that the oceanic/continental deep subduction occurred in this area during Early Paleozoic, the fertile mantle source of OIB-like dolerite was likely formed by the crust-mantle interaction between the oceanic crust and juvenile lithospheric mantle at the instability field of rutile above the subduction zone. The A-type dacite porphyry is enriched in Al, Fe, LILEs and LREEs, depleted in Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, Eu and HFSEs, and is characterized by high Zr concentrations (231–271 ppm), 10,000*Ga/Al ratios (2.51–2.73) and crystallization temperatures (738–836 °C). Zircon U Pb and Lu Hf isotopic data reveal the dacite porphyry crystalized at 423 ± 5 Ma with zircon ε Hf (t) values ranging from −8.9 to −3.3. The inherited magmatic zircons gave a formation age of 472 ± 8 Ma with ε Hf (t) values ranging from −3.9 to −1.9, contemporaneous with the oceanic subduction-related magmatism in the NQDB, indicating the dacite porphyry may be derived from the Early Paleozoic arc. Combined with the previous studies on the UHP metamorphism (ca. 458–420 Ma), retrograde metamorphism (ca. 432–397 Ma), and anatexis (ca. 436–417 Ma) in the NQDB, we conclude that the breakoff of the oceanic lithosphere from the continental lithosphere triggered the thermal perturbation from the asthenosphere upwelling at ca. 425 Ma and the subsequent partial melting of the fertile metasomatized mantle and Early Paleozoic arc, forming the OIB-like dolerite and A-type dacite porphyry in the SQB. Moreover, the coeval mafic and felsic magmatism indicates an important tectonic transformation that the subducted continental crust experienced a localized detachment/exhumation before ca. 425 Ma and entire exhumation after slab breakoff. • Coeval (425–423 Ma) dolerite and dacite porphyry in the South Qilian Belt. • These magmas were caused by the slab breakoff. • The subducted continental plate experienced two stages of exhumation in the NQDB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhu, X. and Li, B., 2020. Convergence of efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in the coastal areas of China. In: Hu, C. and Cai, M. (eds.), Geo-informatics and Oceanography. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 105, pp. 171–175. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Based on the Slack Based Measure model of unexpected output, this paper estimates the efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and eight economic regions including coastal areas of China for the time period 2003–15. According to the difference of efficiency in different economic regions, convergence theory is used to study the convergence of efficiency difference. The efficiency of environmental pollution control investment in the northern coast, the eastern coast, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and the nationwide show obvious σ convergence trend. The internal differences in the southern coast shows an m-type σ convergence trend; NE China shows a tail divergence trend; and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, NE China, and NW China show a periodic σ convergence trend. Absolute β convergence and conditional β convergence of the efficiency in the nationwide and eight economic regions including coastal areas occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Qaidam orogenic belt (NQOB) lies at the northeast margin of Tibet Plateau, between the Qilian massif to the north and Qaidam massif to the south. It consists of predominantly gneisses and marbles with minor eclogite and garnet peridotite, and is known as an Early Paleozoic continental deep subduction ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt in northwest China. Recently some studies suggest that the NQOB experienced oceanic deep subduction prior to the continental deep subduction. However, the records of ocean events are rarely preserved because of the complex multi‐stage transformation. Therefore, whether the Early Paleozoic ocean exists and the formation, nature and evolution of the Early Paleozoic ocean in North Qaidam are still in controversies. In this contribution, we report a new discovered SSZ‐type ophiolite suite in Kaipinggou area, the western segment of the NQOB. The ophiolite is mainly composed of peridotite, gabbro, basalt, boninite, andesitic porphyrite and plagiogranite. In which, the basalt and homogeneous gabbro are both enriched in LILE and depleted in HFSE, and display flat or LREE‐depleted REE patterns, similar to the MORB‐like geochemical characteristics of fore‐arc basalts; the boninite exhibits characteristics of fore‐arc boninites with high Si and Mg, but low Ti and Ca contents; the andesitic porphyrite is enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE, similar to island arc magmatic rocks. Rock assemblage and their geochemical characteristics suggest that this SSZ‐type ophiolite was formed in fore‐arc setting of intra‐oceanic arc. The plagiogranite is a low‐potassium tholeiite metaluminous granite with low trace elements contents, slight enrichment of LREE, depletion of HREE and positive Eu anomaly; combining with ∊Hf (t) values (13.8–17.1) of zircons, the plagiogranite could be originated from partial melting of gabbros. LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb dating yielded the crystallization ages of 535±2 Ma, 513±3 Ma and 510±3 Ma for two cumulate gabbros and one homogeneous gabbro, respectively, and a formation age of 492±8 Ma for the plagiogranite. All these data suggest the existence of an Early Paleozoic ocean in the North Qaidam, and the initial subduction of the oceanic slab occurred earlier than 535Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Hudian monzonitic granite and its dark enclaves were formed at ca. 1.77–1.78 Ga and metamorphosed at ca. 400 Ma. • The Hudian pluton was formed in the southern North China Craton (NCC) in a continental rift environment. • The Hudian monzonitic granite was involved in the North Qinling Orogen Belt (NQOB) at ca. 400 Ma. Before this convergent process, the NQOB has no relation to the NCC. The Hudian gneissic monzonitic granite with lentoid dark enclaves and foliated mafic dykes was exposed in the western segment of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt (NQOB). It has long been considered as an intrusion into the Kuanping Complex, the northernmost component of the NQOB. LA–ICP–MS zircon dating yields consistent formation age of ca. 1.77 Ga for the granite and dark enclaves and the same metamorphic age of ca. 400 Ma for the granite and the mafic dykes. The formation age of ca. 1.77 Ga of the Hudian pluton is much older than the deposition age (<530 Ma) of its wall-rock Kuanping clastic rocks and no detrital zircon age of ca. 1.77 Ga was found in the Kuanping clastic rocks, suggesting that the Hudian monzonitic granite is not an intrusion in the clastic rocks, and the pluton was far apart when the Kuanping clastic rocks were deposited. The granite is low in Al 2 O 3 , CaO, MgO and Mg# high in SiO 2 , Na 2 O + K 2 O, Fe 2 O 3 T, Zr and 10,000*Ga/Al, and displays slightly right dipping "gull-wing" shaped rare earth element patterns, agreeing well with the features of A-type granites; the dark enclaves are basalt-andesitic rocks and show characteristics of crust-contaminated continental within-plate basaltic rocks, all suggesting a tectonic setting of extension. The major and trace element compositions of the Hudian monzonitic granite and its dark enclaves and the zircon ε Hf (t) values (−12.1 to −7.1) of the Hudian monzonitic granite all show strong comparability to the 1.75–1.8 Ga A-type granites and coeval intermediate-basic rocks of the Xiong'er Group in the southern North China Craton (NCC), indicating that the Hudian pluton maybe initially formed in the southern NCC. Considering the absence of obvious 1.75–1.8 Ga detrital zircon records in the Kuanping Complex, and the common metamorphic age of ca. 400 Ma in the Kuanping Complex and Hudian pluton as well as other units of the NQOB, we propose that the NCC has no affinity to the NQOB and the Hudian pluton was involved in the NQOB during the collision between the southern NCC and the NQOB at ca. 400 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qilian orogeny formed by subduction of the proto-Tethyan ocean along the northern margin of Gondwana. In this paper we report geochemical, zircon U-Pb-Hf, and mapping data of the Duoruonuoer volcanic rocks from the western Qilian Orogen. Based on distinct geochemical compositions, four melt types can be distinguished: boninite-like basalt, OIB-like basalt, MORB, and high-K to shoshonitic volcanic rocks (HKSV). Field relationships show a compositional change from HKSV, MORB, OIB to boninite-like basalt, from north to south. The boninite-like basalt is low to medium-K calc-alkaline, with low TiO 2 (0.13–0.18 < 0.5 wt%) and high CaO/Al 2 O 3 ratio (0.72–0.80), similar to high-Ca back-arc boninite. The geochemical characteristics of Duoruonuoer OIB-like basalt, MORB, and HKSV are similar to those of the Izu-Bonin (IB) back-arc magmatic assemblages. Boninite-like basalt is enriched in LILEs, and has low Ce/Pb, and high Sr/Nd, Ba/Nb ratios, indicating an addition of a shallow subduction-derived fluid phase. Inferred pressures of magma segregation are 0.9–1.4 GPa with temperatures of 1200–1370 °C consistent with melting of a highly depleted, low pressure hydrous mantle source. The MORB-like rock formed by mixing of depleted mantle and a subduction component, and is identical to back-arc basin floor basalt (BABB). The HKSV, dated at 475 Ma, shares the characteristics with lava from the IB back-arc seamount chains (rear-arc). Their low Ce/Pb and high Th/Yb and Th/Nb ratios are compatible with contributions from melts of deep subducting sediment and oceanic crust. High pressure (1.8–2.0 GPa) may reflect sourcing from a mantle melt at the base of thickened arc crust. The OIB-like basalts have high TiO 2 , Zr/Yb, Nb/Yb and Ce/Pb ratios, suggesting an enriched component from partial melting of the asthenosphere. The high-Fe 8 and Ti 8 composition of the Duoruonuoer OIB-like basalt is produced by fractional melting, similar to a spreading ridge segment developed a deeper source. The variety of Duoruonuoer back-arc magmatism highlights the importance of changes to the melt source region linked to replenishment of the mantle wedge by material extracted from the subducting slab and influx of more fertile mantle material. It is also controlled by evolution of the mantle wedge over time in the building of the back-arc basin. These findings provide evidence for c.475 Ma back-arc basin developed on a thickened arc lithosphere at the western Qilian Orogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Some eclogites experienced ca. 929–916 Ma amphibolite-facies and ca. 439–430 UHP metamorphism. • The Neoproterozoic metamorphism is related to the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. • Mesoproterozoic to early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the NQOB is reconstructed. • The Qaidam Block was probably the eastward extension of the Tarim Block during the Neoproterozoic. Eclogites documenting two orogenic cycles not only contain essential information on subduction and exhumation mechanisms during the most recent orogenic cycle, but can also provide insights into the earlier cycle. Such rocks are ideal for deciphering the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts with a multi-orogenic history. This is the case for the North Qaidam orogenic belt (NQOB) in northwest China where, for the first time, we have discovered eclogites that preserve a record of two orogenic cycles. The first orogenic event occurred at ca. 929–916 Ma and the second at ca. 439–430 Ma. The metamorphic P–T conditions of these two events were 5.0–7.0 kbar/616–669 °C and 29.0–32.5 kbar/620–670 °C, respectively. Zircon U–Pb dating yielded protolith ages of 1280–1070 Ma for these eclogites, which are much older than the protolith ages for other eclogites in the NQOB. The eclogites exhibit chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns that are flat or depleted in light rare earth elements, similar to present-day N- and E-MORB. Magmatic zircon cores from the eclogites have high ε Hf (t) values of 8.4 ± 4.0 to 18.1 ± 1.1, comparable to depleted mantle within uncertainty, and indicating a juvenile crustal origin. Our data show that the eclogite protoliths were probably pre-Rodinia Mesoproterozoic oceanic crust that was emplaced in an active continental margin during oceanic subduction, and experienced Neoproterozoic metamorphism related to the amalgamation of Rodinia and early Paleozoic continental deep subduction. Using published data for all eclogites and their host gneisses, we reconstructed the Mesoproterozoic to early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the NQOB. Given the similar Meso–Neoproterozoic evolution of the NQOB and adjacent Tarim Block, we suggest that the Qaidam Block was the eastward extension of the Tarim Block during the Neoproterozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A clockwise P–T path was established for Chachahe eclogites in North Qaidam UHP belt, NW China. • The Chachahe eclogites experienced a 1.92 Ga metamorphic event prior to eclogitization at ∼ 450 Ma. • Overriding plate material can enter subduction channel via tectonic erosion and be carried to mantle depths of ≥ 85 km. Although numerical modelling and marine seismic data show that overriding plate material can enter subduction channel and even recycle to mantle, and finally contribute to mantle heterogeneity and arc magmas, protoliths of the majority of high pressure (HP) and ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks on the earth's surface originate from the subducting plate. Whether overriding plate material can enter subduction channel and their fate in subduction channel remain enigmas. The North Qaidam UHP Metamorphic Belt (NQUB), located in northwestern China, was formed by north-dipping subduction of the Qaidam Block beneath the Quanji block in the Early Paleozoic. In this paper, we report that some eclogites in Chachahe area, NQUB experienced a 1.92 Ga low-grade metamorphism prior to eclogitization at ∼ 450 Ma. This Paleoproterozoic metamorphic event is not reported in the subducted Qaidam Block but widespread in the overriding Quanji Block, indicating that protoliths of Chachahe eclogites originated from the overriding plate. A clockwise P–T path from 12 kbar/520 °C to near UHP conditions of 25.5 kbar/690 °C, followed by isothermal decompression, was estimated for the Early Paleozoic metamorphism using a combination of garnet major and trace element zoning, phase equilibrium modelling and thermobarometry. This P–T path pattern is similar to other eclogites in this area, protoliths of which originated from the subducted plate. These results clearly show that overriding plate material can enter subduction channel and be carried to mantle depths of at least 85 km and exhume fast along subduction channel with other slices from subducted slab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging contaminants pose a potential risk to aquatic ecosystems in the Pearl River Basin, China, owing to the high population density and active industry. This study investigated samples from eight sewage treatment plants, and five surface water bodies of related watersheds. To screen the risk of emerging contaminants (ECs), and clarify their sources, this study calculated the risk quotient of detected chemical and performed source identification/apportionment using the positive matrix factorization method. In total, 149 organic pollutants were identified. Pharmaceuticals showed significant concentrations in sewage treatment plant samples (120.87 ng/L), compared with surface water samples (1.13 ng/L). The ecological risk assessment identified three chemicals with a heightened risk to aquatic organisms: fipronil sulfide, caffeine, and roxithromycin. Four principal sources of contaminants were identified: pharmaceutical wastewater, domestic sewage, medical effluent, and agricultural runoff. Pharmaceutical wastewater was the primary contributor (60.4 %), to the cumulative EC concentration and to ECs in sewage treatment plant effluent. Agricultural drainage was the main source of ECs in surface water. This study provides a strategy to obtain comprehensive information on the aquatic risks and potential sources of EC species in areas affected by artificial activities, which is of substantial importance to pollutant management and control., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Increasingly, drivers are choosing to buy usage-based automobile insurance (UBI). Manage-how-you-drive (MHYD) insurance, a new type of UBI, incorporates active safety management to monitor driver behavior and issue warnings as needed. While researchers have introduced telematics data into automobile insurance pricing, the specific effect of in-vehicle active safety management on driver risk assessment has been neglected, especially for truck drivers, whose crashes have more serious consequences. This study uses telematics and in-vehicle monitoring features to examine the key factors underlying large commercial truck crashes, and quantifies the effect of these factors on crash risk. Data from 2,185 trucks in Shanghai, China, were collected for a total of 105,786 trips and 465,555 in-vehicle warnings to investigate three types of factors affecting risk: travel characteristics, driving behavior, and in-vehicle warnings. A zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression model was built, and a ZIP model without the warning variables as well as a basic Poisson model with warnings were considered for comparison. It was found that the ZIP model considering in-vehicle warning information performed significantly better than the other models. The standardized regression coefficient method was used to identify the most important variables. In-vehicle yawn and smoking warnings had significantly more association with the number of crashes than did the travel characteristics and driving behavior variables, though freeway distance traveled, average freeway speed, percentage of trips on sunny days, and percentage of trips at night also correlated significantly with crash risk. These results can provide a reference for UBI insurance professionals considering in-vehicle active safety management, as well as support freight companies in drafting appropriate working regulations., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sixteen priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in the water dissolved phase (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sediment collected from the water source zone of the Pearl River Delta region. The sum of 16 PAH concentrations ranged from 92.8 to 324 ng/L in the water DP, from 28.8 to 205 ng/L in the SPM, and from 55.7 to 381 ng/g (d.w.) in the sediment. Compared with other areas globally, the PAH levels were considerably moderate in the DP and SPM and relatively low in the sediment. Spatial distribution of PAHs was site-specific, and relatively higher PAH levels were found in the areas with dense population and heavy traffic. The PAH profile was dominated by two- and three-ring PAHs, and PAH pollution was identified of pyrolytic origins. Based on risk quotient, the ecological risk in water was ranked as moderate, but the adverse health risk associated with water ingestion was minimal. Naphthalene and fluorene of the sediment samples showed potential biological impairment in some locations; nevertheless, the mean effects range median quotient suggested that the ecological risk of multiple PAHs was quite low (less than 10% incidence of adverse effects).

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), which plays a crucial role in lipoprotein metabolism, has been also regarded as an important marker for atherosclerosis. Available evidence indicated that 2-h postchallenge plasma glucose (2-hPG) could be another biomarker for atherosclerosis. However, currently the association between circulating PCSK9 and 2-hPG remains unclear. Here, we explored this potential link in a Chinese Han population., Methods: Totally, 600 Chinese Han subjects from Nanjing district, China, were enrolled for the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and they included normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n = 200), impaired glucose regulation (IGR, n = 200), and type 2 diabetes (T2DM, n = 200). Anthropometric and biochemical determinations such as serum lipid measurements were made. A sandwich ELISA assay was performed to measure serum PCSK9 levels in all subjects., Results: Serum PCSK9 concentrations were higher in IGR group (77.63 ± 28.14 ng/ml) and T2DM group (90.62 ± 39.96 ng/ml) than in NGT group (65.33 ± 32.68 ng/ml), and it was significantly higher in T2DM group than in IGR group (p < 0.01). Serum PCSK9 levels positively correlated with 2-hPG and LDL-C in all subgroups, but presented a positive correlation with fasting blood glucose (FBG) only in T2DM group. Using multiple regression model analysis, we also found that PCSK9 levels closely correlated with 2-hPG in all tested groups. According to multinomial logistic regression analysis, PCSK9 levels positively correlated with T2DM (OR = 1.017[1.010-1.025], p < 0.001) even after adjustment for lipid levels. Moreover, in subjects with normal FBG level, 2-hPG gradually and significantly increased across PCSK9 tertiles (6.68 ± 2.01, 7.48 ± 2.10 and 8.27 ± 2.41 mmol/L, respectively, p < 0.01); however, in subjects with normal 2-hPG levels, no such difference was observed., Conclusions: PCSK9 levels increase as glucose metabolism deteriorated. Serum PCSK9 levels positively correlated with 2-hPG in patients with metabolic diseases.