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Rice (Oryza sativa) production consumes a huge amount of fresh water, and improvement of drought tolerance in rice is important to conserve water resources and minimize yield loss under drought. However, processes to improve drought tolerance in rice have not been fully explored, and a comparative study between rice and wheat (Triticum aestivum) is an effective method to understand the mechanisms determining drought tolerance capacity. In the present study, we applied short-term drought stress to Shanyou 63 rice and Yannong 19 wheat to create a range of water potentials and investigated the responses of gas exchange, plant hydraulic conductance, and root morphological and anatomical traits to soil drought. We found that photosynthesis in rice was more sensitive to drought stress than that in wheat, which was related to differences in the decline of stomatal conductance and plant hydraulic conductance (Kplant). The decline of Kplant under drought was mainly driven by the decrease of soil–root interface hydraulic conductance (Ki) because Ki was more sensitive to drought than root and shoot hydraulic conductance and the soil–root interface contributed to >40% of whole-plant hydraulic resistance in both crops. Root shrinkage in response to drought was more severe in rice than that in wheat, which explains the larger depression of Ki and Kplant under drought stress in rice. We concluded that the decline of Ki drives the depression of Kplant and photosynthesis in both crops, and the plasticity of root morphology and anatomy is important in determining drought tolerance capacity. Root shrinkage under drought is more severe in rice than in wheat, which explains the larger depression of plant hydraulic conductance and photosynthesis under drought in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, we have reviewed the synthesis literature critically through four databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Eight relevant studies were examined after compliance with the criteria for inclusion and exclusion, as well as documentation quality evaluation. This report covered all randomised, controlled studies of total hip arthroplasty (THA) comparing the direct anterior approach (DAA) with the postero‐lateral approach (PLA). The main result was surgical site infection rate. The secondary results were duration of the operation, length of the incision and VAS score after surgery. The results of the meta‐analyses of wound infections in the present trial did not show any statistically significant difference in DAA versus PLA (between DAA and PLA) (OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.5 to 4.04, p = 0.51). Compared with PLA, DAA had shorter surgical incision (WMD = −3.2, 95%CI: −4.00 to −2.41; p < 0.001) and longer operative times(WMD = 14. 67, 95%CI: 9.24 to 20.09; p < 0.001). Postoperative VAS scores were markedly lower in DAA compared with PLA within 6 weeks of surgery (p < 0.05), with low heterogeneities(I2 = 0). We found that DAA did not differ significantly from PLA in terms of the risk of wound infection for THA and that the surgical incisions was shorter and less postoperative pain after surgery, even though DAA surgery takes longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the second largest country in South Asia, Pakistan has succeeded relatively well in tackling COVID-19 after it broke out in 2020. Due to this, it is necessary to inquire into Pakistan's statecraft to find out how it responded to the pandemic issue, first domestically and then globally. As one of the key neighboring countries of China where the large-scale pandemic started, Pakistan has been very vulnerable to the epidemic. However, the Pakistani government led by Imran Khan has achieved a remarkable record in controlling COVID-19. No doubt, the domestic progress in Pakistan is destined to enhance its reputation abroad. For example, the international community has extended encouraging words and deeds to Pakistan, while some developed EU countries have policies designed by Pakistani Goverment because Islamabad has adopted successful social security and financial stimulus strategies. This study aims to give a balanced understanding of what policy, approaches, and strategies have been used by the current ruling elites of Pakistan; and how the domestic achievements have effectively bolstered its prestigious image on the global stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal rainfall regime is a key factor control on local ecological and social processes and is commonly thought to be stable under long‐term climate changes. Here we present a unique high‐resolution rainfall record from the Thai‐Malay Peninsula, combined with a state‐of‐the‐art transient climate simulation, demonstrating a fundamental rainfall regime shift from summer to winter during the Holocene. Transient model simulation and new sensitivity experiments further reveal that westward migration of the boundary between summer and winter rainfall regimes results in a summer to winter rainfall regime shift forced by distinct changes in summer and winter monsoons. Our findings suggest that the seasonal rainfall regime could be unstable under climate change around the boundaries of rainfall regimes in the tropics and possibly worldwide, which might be more critical for shaping both past and future ecological environments. Plain Language Summary: The observed seasonal rainfall regime, which varies over time, challenges the assumption of stable seasonal patterns in reconstructions of paleorainfall, suggesting that a reappraisal of the understanding of past ecological‐social changes with respect to rainfall may be needed. In this study, we have used a high‐resolution rainfall record from the Thai–Malay Peninsula and a state‐of‐the‐art transient paleoclimate simulation to describe a novel summer to winter rainfall regime shift during the Holocene era in the tropics, which may apply to regime‐boundary regions worldwide and thus provide a new perspective on dramatic ecological and social changes recorded around regime boundary regions for both past and future studies. Key Points: A unique rainfall record in the Thai‐Malay and a transient simulation suggest a summer to winter rainfall regime shift during the HoloceneTransient paleoclimate simulation simulation reveals that this shift was caused by westward migration of the boundary between summer and winter rainfall regimesThis regime shift could occur in regions around the boundaries of rainfall regimes in the tropics and possibly worldwide [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon isotope (δ13C) in marine biogenic carbonate is a valuable tool for comprehending the marine carbon cycle. However, the absence of monthly resolved δ13C records before the instrumental era (since 1850) hinders us to fully understand the global carbon cycle. In this study, we present a δ13C record from a modern Tridacna gigas shell (δ13Cshell) collected from the southern South China Sea (SCS) with an average resolution of ∼10 days. The δ13C record illustrates seasonal and interannual cycles which are superimposed by long‐term decreasing trend. We investigate the environmental controls influencing the δ13Cshell on different time scales. We suggest that more positive δ13Cshell values observed during the juvenile stage (first 8–10 years), which correspond to a high growth rate, can be attributed to 13C enrichment of the internal dissolved inorganic carbon pool. This resulted from the exponential increase of symbiotic zooxanthellae, and preferential 12C sequestration by the accelerated buildup of productive tissues. On the interannual time scale, changes in δ13Cshell were likely affected by both internal (vital effect) and external processes (sea water δ13C), as well as being disturbed by the super El Niño‐La Niña event. Seasonal changes of δ13Cshell were mainly dominated by the intensity of photosynthesis and respiration of symbiotic zooxanthellae, which depend on the seasonal solar irradiance variations in association with precipitation and the South Asian summer monsoon. Our study sheds light on the controlling factors of δ13Cshell variations on seasonal timescale and the long‐term trend, providing insight into the carbon cycle over geological history. Plain Language Summary: Tridacna is a marine bivalve that forms symbiotic zooxanthellae in its mantle tissues and has a hard calcium shell. In this study, we analyzed the carbon isotope composition of the Tridacna shell collected from the southern South China Sea and compared it with various climatic and oceanographic records. Our results suggest that the variability of carbon isotope in the Tridacna shell is predominantly controlled by the activity of its symbiotic zooxanthellae in association with solar radiation and growth rate on various time scales. Furthermore, we found that changes in the carbon isotope of Tridacna shell can be influenced by fluctuations in the South Asian summer monsoon and strong El Niño‐La Niña events. Our study sheds light on the factors that control carbon isotope in the Tridacna shell on different time scales, thereby providing valuable insights into the carbon cycle and climate history. Key Points: A high‐resolution δ13C record of Tridacna shell from the southern South China Sea was presentedActivity and density of symbiotic zooxanthellae linked to the solar irradiance dominated the δ13C changes of Tridacna shellsChanges of δ13C of Tridacna shells are also affected by the South Asian summer monsoon and super El Niño‐La Niña event [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]