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Climate variation is a primary driving force influencing the hydrological cycle, resulting in extreme natural disasters such as drought. Investigating the linkage between meteorological and hydrological droughts under climate change is critical for early warning against hydrological drought. In this study, we investigated spatial and temporal characteristics of the drought propagation threshold (PT) in the Han River Basin (HRB) of South Korea. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) were employed to represent meteorological drought and hydrological drought, respectively. Correlation analyses between the SPI at various time scales (1–24 months) and the three-month SRI (SRI-3) were performed to identify the best time scale of SPI corresponding to the SRI-3. To investigate PTs, five general circulation models (GCMs) were selected to compute multi-model ensemble projections under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. A future period (2021–2099) was sub-divided into two periods such as P2 (2021–2060) and P3 (2061–2099) to estimate temporal variation of PT. Our results indicated that the SPI-4 showed the highest correlation with the SRI-3 in P1, while the SPI-3 best corresponded to the SRI-3 in future periods under both climate change scenarios. Drought characteristics of meteorological and hydrological drought showed increasing trends in P2 and P3 under both climate change scenarios. Spatio-temporal variation in PT was observed throughout the HRB. The PT showed significant decreases in both future periods, while the highest percentage decreases were observed in watersheds located in the northern, mid, and western parts of the HRB in P3 under both climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving industrial eco-efficiency is of great significance for building a beautiful China and achieving its carbon peak and neutrality targets. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2007 to 2018, this paper uses the super-efficiency SBM model to measure industrial eco-efficiency and empirically tests the influence of green finance on Chinese industrial eco-efficiency from the national and regional levels. The results show that the average level of industrial eco-efficiency in China is relatively stable during the study period with a large space for advancement. Second, there is spatial heterogeneity in Chinese industrial eco-efficiency, showing a gradually decreasing "southeast-northwest" ladder-like distribution. Third, the national-level regression results show that there is a significant "U-shaped" relationship between green financing and industrial eco-efficiency. In addition, the regression results at the regional level indicate that there is regional heterogeneity in the impact of green finance on industrial eco-efficiency. Finally, based on the research conclusions, specific suggestions on how green finance can improve industrial eco-efficiency in China are put forward, including vigorously developing green finance at the macro and micro levels, and exerting the positive effects of green finance in improving industrial eco-efficiency according to the area and the development level of green finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ratio of gamma-glutamyltransferase to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (GGT/HDL-C) has been highlighted in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by previous studies. However, there have been fewer investigations into the correlation between the GGT/HDL-C ratio and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incidence. Our secondary analysis used published data from a Japanese population and aimed to investigate the role of the GGT/HDL-C ratio in the incidence of T2DM. Methods: The research was a longitudinal cohort study completed by Okamura, Takuro et al. We obtained the data from the DATADRYAD website and used it for secondary analysis only. The participants recruited from a medical program called the NAGALA database received regular medical examinations and standardized questionnaires to obtain the baseline variables. Abdominal ultrasound was used to diagnose fatty liver disease. The participants were followed up, and the duration and occurrence of T2DM were documented. The GGT/HDL-C ratio evaluated at baseline served as the independent variable, while the occurrence of diabetes served as the dependent variable. Results: A total of 15,453 cases (8,419 men and 7,034 women) were included in our study. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, DBP, SBP, ALT, AST, TG, TC, HbA1C, FPG, drinking status, smoking status, exercise status, and fatty liver, we observed that the GGT/HDL-C ratio was positively associated with the incidence of T2DM (hazard ratio = 1.005, 95% confidence interval: 1.000 to 1.010, P = 0.0667). The results were consistent when the GGT/HDL-C quartile was used as a categorical variable (P for trend < 0.00396). A curvilinear relationship with a threshold effect was identified between the GGT/HDL-C ratio and the risk of incident T2DM. On the left of the point, a one-unit increase in the GGT/HDL-C ratio was associated with a 1.5-fold increase in the risk of incident T2DM (hazard ratio 2.57, 95% confidence interval 1.20 to 5.49). On the right of the point, when GGT/HDL-C was greater than 6.53, their relationship became saturated. Conclusion: The GGT/HDL-C ratio correlated with the incidence of T2DM in a curvilinear form with a threshold effect. Their positive relationship could be observed when GGT/HDL-C was less than 6.53. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of financial market development, financial crises and deposit insurance on bank risk based on macro data of 86 countries during the period 1998-2014. The results show that banking sector development and stock market development have opposing effects on bank risk measured as bank non-performing loan ratio. The introduction of an explicit deposit insurance system plays a significant role in reducing banks' risk. However, the bank market development after the introduction of this system also increases banks' risk. The impact of financial market development and deposit insurance system on banks' risk was more significant before the 2008 financial crisis. It is found that there is a nonlinear relationship between financial market development, deposit insurance, financial crises and banks' risk. The stock market development has an asymmetric effect on banks' risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation of obesity and metabolic abnormalities with asthma and non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis has been extensively studied. However, the association between asthma and non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis has been largely overlooked. This study aims to investigate the potential association between asthma risk and the fatty liver index (FLI), a validated indicator of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We screened 16,223 adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data between 2001 and 2018. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between FLI and asthma risk. We assessed their dose-response relationship using a restricted cubic spline (RCS) model. The threshold effect was analyzed to identify the FLI threshold point. Among the subjects screened, there were 2,192 cases suffered from asthma. After adjusting for all the confounders, using the Q3 group (FLI, 54-83) as the reference, the odds ratios (ORs) were 1.35 for the Q1 group (95% CI, 1.01-1.81), 1.21 for Q2 (95% CI, 0.98-1.49), and 1.48 for Q4 (95% CI, 1.27-1.73). Moreover, the RCS showed a nonlinear relationship between FLI and asthma risk (p < 0.05). Although the nonlinear relationship remained significant after gender-based stratification (p < 0.05), low FLI did not confer an increased risk of asthma in females. The optimal FLI threshold was 65 for the study sample; it was 68 and 63 for males and females, respectively (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between FLI and asthma risk. Furthermore, maintaining respective index values of 68 and 63 for males and females is likely associated with the lowest asthma risk.

BackgroundThe relationship between thyroid function parameters and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) remains controversial. Additionally, little is known about the relationship between thyroid function parameters and MAFLD in the Chinese population.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 177,540 individuals with thyroid function tests and MAFLD diagnosis from 2010-2018. The association between thyroid function parameters and MAFLD was evaluated on a continuous scale with restricted cubic spline (RCS) models and by the prior-defined centile categories with multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Thyroid function parameters included free triiodothyronine (FT3), free tetra-iodothyronine (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Additionally, fully adjusted RCS models stratified by sex, age, and location were studied.ResultsIn the RCS models, the risk of MAFLD increased with higher levels of FT3 when FT3

The prerequisite for urban stormwater simulation and analysis is to accurately grasp urban rainfall-runoff response laws.This paper analyzes the nonlinear response law of rainfall-runoff and builds a TVGM-urban model to simulate and analyze the measured rainfall and storm scenarios designed under different recurrence periods by taking the Baolitongjifu neighborhood in Chancheng District,Foshan as the research object.The results are as follows.There is a power function correlation between rainfall and runoff in the city.The non-linear relationship between maximum rainfall intensity and peak flood flow can be verified by eight selected flood data in the neighborhood with the fitting effect of the power function (R2=0.6207,p2=0.5629,p

Using panel data regression of 48 countries during 2000–2019, the research aims to examine the role of budget balance on economic growth in Asia. Also, with the application of Panel Threshold Regression (PTR), the author tests the nonlinear relationship and to identify an optimal budget balance threshold to achieve the most effective economic growth. The study shows that the lower national budget deficit level is remained, the greater economic growth in Asia is driven. Additionally, it is revealed that an effective economic growth is best promoted with budget balance ranging from 22.6935% GDP to 25.1950% GDP. However, only a few of nations in the sample have achieved the optimal threshold of budget balance above during the period of research. Meanwhile, several countries in Asia have been suffering from the budget deficit for many years. Therefore, in order to stabilize the economic development, most of the Asian countries should adjust the national budget revenue and expenditure process to keep the balance properly.

Background: Despite the recognized implications of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in cardiovascular diseases, the role of body mass index (BMI) in HDL-C association with cardiovascular outcomes remains unclear. This study investigated the possible modifying implications of BMI on the correlation between HDL-C and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) outcomes. Methods: The present cohort included isolated CABG patients (median follow-up: 76.58 [75.79–77.38] months). The participants were classified into three groups: 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 (normal), 25 ≤ BMI < 30 (overweight), and 30 ≤ BMI < 35 (obese) kg/m2. Cox proportional hazard models (CPHs) and restricted cubic splines (RCSs) were applied to evaluate the relationship between HDL-C and all-cause mortality as well as major adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in different BMI categories. Results: This study enrolled a total of 15,639 patients. Considering the final Cox analysis among the normal and overweight groups, HDL-C ≥ 60 was a significant protective factor compared to 40 < HDL-C < 60 for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.47, P: 0.027; and aHR: 0.64, P: 0.007, respectively). However, the protective effect of HDL-C ≥ 60 was no longer observed among patients with 30 ≤ BMI < 35 (aHR: 1.16, P = 0.668). RCS trend analyses recapitulated these findings; among 30 ≤ BMI < 35, no uniform inverse linear association was observed; after approximately HDL-C≈55, its increase was no longer associated with reduced mortality risk. RCS analyses on MACCE revealed a plateau effect followed by a modest rise in overweight and obese patients from HDL-C = 40 onward (nonlinear association). Conclusions: Very high HDL-C (≥ 60 mg/dL) was not related to better outcomes among obese CABG patients. Furthermore, HDL-C was related to the post-CABG outcomes in a nonlinear manner, and the magnitude of its effects also differed across BMI subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The preoperative diagnosis of noninvasive fungal rhinosinusitis (NIFRS) is inaccurate, and biomarkers to assist the diagnosis are urgently needed. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between albumin levels and NIFRS to assist in early diagnosis. Methods: Patients with NIFRS and chronic sinusitis were enrolled in this study. Appropriate statistical methods were used to determine whether there was a statistical difference between the groups. Subgroup analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between albumin levels and NIFRS, and a generalised additive model (GAM) was used to perform nonlinear relationships. Results: A total of 620 patients were included, including 240 patients with NIFRS. A close relationship was found between albumin levels and NIFRS (P < 0.0001), and the low albumin group was associated with a higher incidence of NIFRS, which was reduced by 60 and 70% in the middle and high albumin groups, respectively. The subgroup analysis also demonstrated an association between albumin levels and NIFRS, except in patients with an alcohol history (P = 0.0665). Interestingly, a nonlinear relationship is observed according to the adjusted GAM. The inflection point was set at 37.0 g/L. A negative correlation was observed among patients with albumin > 37.0 g/L. When the albumin count was <37.0 g/L, the Y value obviously increased and was saturated at 70%, with no further significant increase. Conclusion: Albumin levels were significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of NIFRS, and the incidence increased markedly among patients with albumin < 37.0 g/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a dynamic panel threshold model, we find a nonlinear effect of financial development on participation in the global value chains for 92 countries. The effect is positive below a threshold and turns negative above it. We provide evidence supporting our explanation that when a country's financial system develops to a certain level, it serves foreign buyers by engaging more in outward foreign direct investments instead of enhancing its participation in the global value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is closely associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. However, the association remains inconclusive among obese and nonobese individuals. Methods: This prospective study was conducted in 5751 adults with normal carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) at baseline. We divided the population into four groups based on the TyG index, which was calculated by the following formula: Ln (fasting triglycerides [mg/dL] × fasting glucose [mg/dL]/2). Information on CIMT was acquired by ultrasonography. Incident elevated CIMT was defined as IMT values greater than 0.9 mm at follow‐up. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations between TyG index and elevated CIMT were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: After a median follow‐up of 4.3 years, 722 (12.6%) individuals had progressed to elevated CIMT. Compared with the second quartile of the TyG index, the first and fourth quartile both conferred higher risks of elevated CIMT after adjusting for potential confounders. In the total population, the ORs for the first and fourth quartile were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.00‐1.66) and 1.42 (95% CI, 1.11‐1.83), respectively. Restricted cubic splines demonstrated an approximately U‐shaped association between TyG index and elevated CIMT among the total and nonobese adults (P for nonlinearity <.05), but not in those with general or abdominal obesity. Conclusions: A U‐shaped association was observed between TyG index and elevated CIMT only among nonobese Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity plays a key role in supporting ecosystem services. Understanding this relationship sheds light on the linkages between ecological structure and functioning, thereby increasing the capacity for effective strategies of ecosystem conservation and restoration.Focusing on southwestern China, a global biodiversity hotspot, we evaluated the spatial correlations between biodiversity and four regulating services and one cultural service. We calculated critical points of change in the relationship between biodiversity and each of these ecosystem services and categorized the region into 'threshold', 'sensitive', 'saturation', 'recession' and 'low‐value' areas.The results show that the spatial correlation between biodiversity and regulating services was mainly positive in the Nujiang River and Lancang River basins and the Dayao Mountains, while biodiversity was negatively correlated with provisioning and cultural services in the Qionglai and Hengduan Mountains. The slope value of the curve fitted for the biodiversity–ecosystem service relationships was approximately 1 when species richness was approximately 50; the corresponding areas were termed threshold areas and were pivotal zones of change in the biodiversity–ecosystem service relationships. These areas were mainly distributed in the Qionglai Mountains, Hengduan Mountains and Nujiang River Basin, and should be prioritized for monitoring and biodiversity protection.Synthesis and applications: Our findings can help improve understanding of the spatially complex interactions between biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services, as well as identifying areas that should be prioritized for protection and restoration; they also contribute towards a scientific framework for integrated management and policy in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has not been clearly elucidated in middle-aged and older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the non-linear dose-response relationship between BMI and LDL-C in males and females. Methods Data was obtained from two nationally representative surveys in China—the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS, 2009) and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2012). To evaluate the sex differences in the association between BMI and LDL-C, the generalized additive models with a smooth function for continuous BMI and smooth-factor interaction for sexes with BMI were used. Segmented regressions were fitted to calculate the slopes with different estimated breakpoints among females and males. Results A total of 12,273 participants (47.1% male) aged 45 to 75 years were included. The generalized additive models revealed that a non-linear relationship between BMI and LDL-C level in both sexes after adjustment for age, residence, education levels, marital status, drinking, smoking status, and cohort (CHNS or CHARLS). Slopes of the association between BMI and LDL-C association changed at BMI 20.3 kg/m2 (95% CI: 18.8 to 21.8) in females and 27.1 kg/m2 (95% CI: 25. 8 to 28.4) in males. Below these BMI breakpoints, LDL-C levels increased 1.84 (95% CI: 1.45 to 2.31) in males and 3.49 (95% CI: 1.54 to 5.45) mg/dL per kg/m2 in females. However, LDL-C levels declined − 1.50 (95% CI: − 2.92 to − 0.09) mg/dL per kg/m2 above BMI of 27.1 kg/m2 in males. The non-linear association BMI and LDL-C in males and females was varied by cohort source, age groups, and the number of metabolic syndrome criteria. Conclusions In the Chinese middle aged and older adults, the BMI and LDL-C relationship was inverted U-shaped with a high level of LDL-C at a BMI of 27.1 kg/m2 in males, and an approximately linear association was observed in females.

With the rise of “Internet + Agriculture”, existing related research has focused on the impact of Internet use on agricultural productivity. However, few studies have considered the impact on agricultural green production efficiency. This paper employed the SBM model to calculate the agricultural green production efficiency using the observation data of 459 farmers in Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan provinces. Further, the influencing factors, their nonlinear impact, and even the effect of using the internet on agricultural green production efficiency were analyzed. The results show that corn’s average agricultural green production efficiency is 0.44, with the main peak distributed in a low-level range. The impact of the Internet use on agricultural green production efficiency is positively moderated by rural infrastructure, household assets, and educational attainment. Age and arable land area significantly impact agricultural green production efficiency. The endogenous switching regression model (ESR) shows that the agricultural green production efficiency of farmers who do not use the internet will increase by 41.45% if they use the internet. Internet use has a “U-shaped” impact on agricultural green production efficiency, and the threshold value of the farmers’ expenditure to income ratio is 0.0886. The policy aimed at improving agricultural green production efficiency and popularizing Internet use should, therefore, focus on strengthening the emphasis on increasing agricultural green production, increasing investment in rural human capital, providing green production subsidies and green production skills training, improving infrastructure construction in rural areas, integrating and enriching agricultural-related information on the Internet.

The paper investigates the impact of institutional quality on economic growth by taking 48 countries in Asia between 2005 and 2018. By using the quantile regression methods with panel data, institutional quality is found to be a key factor of economic development. However, in the lower-income Asian countries, the institution with better quality appears to promote the growth more effectively than in the higher-income ones. Moreover, the paper also finds out a nonlinear relationship between institutions and economic growth. The results show that there is an institutional threshold for economic growth to reach its highest level. If the institution indicator exceeds the threshold, it causes the reverse effect on the growth. Moreover, the economic growth of Asian countries is also affected by inflation (INF), labor force (LABO), trade openness (OPEN), and infrastructure (TELE). From that, the study suggests some policy implications for Asian countries and Vietnam, in particular, in order to improve institutions contributing to economic growth.

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics between landscape pattern changes and ecological environmental quality is essential for optimizing regional landscapes and improving the ecological environment. However, previous studies have certain shortcomings in understanding both aspects: On one hand, ecological environment assessments that overlook air quality may be misleading; On the other hand, the spatiotemporal driving mechanisms between landscape patterns and ecological environmental quality are still unclear. This study considers air quality information, refines ecological remote sensing indices, and employs the Random Forest-Multiscale Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (RF-MGTWR) analytical framework to reveal the nonlinear effects and spatiotemporal heterogeneity between landscape patterns and ecological environmental quality across the dimensions of aggregation, connectivity, and diversity. The results indicate:(1) ARSEI (Advanced Remote Sensing Ecological Index) is more suitable for assessing ecological environment quality in areas with air pollution compared to RSEI (Remote Sensing Ecological Index). (2) Ecological environmental quality is most strongly influenced by landscape connectivity, followed by diversity and aggregation. The driving effects of landscape aggregation, diversity, and connectivity will change around the values of 91, 0.64, and 80, respectively, all exhibiting complex nonlinear relationships.(3) Landscape patterns exhibit opposing trends in ecological benefits between urban centers and rural areas: In urban centers, landscape aggregation is negatively correlated with ecological environmental quality, while increased connectivity and diversity have positive effects; this is reversed in areas with good ecological conditions. As urbanization progresses, the positive impacts of landscape connectivity and diversity are enhanced, although the positive effects of diversity gradually diminish. (4) The combination of random forests and MGTWR offers a comprehensive and innovative perspective for analyzing driving mechanisms. Based on the findings, landscape planners should pay attention to the impact thresholds, scales of action, and spatiotemporal heterogeneity between landscape indicators and ecological environment quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The relationship of droughts and vegetation dynamics is nonlinear and directional. • Droughts have significant nonlinear impacts on vegetation dynamics. • Vegetation dynamics could also reversely affect droughts. Understanding the response of vegetation dynamics to droughts at regional scales is of great importance to reveal the behavior mechanism of terrestrial ecosystems. Under the realm of statistical analysis, this study intends to detect the quantitative information about the impact from droughts to vegetation dynamics, from their respective time series. Two problems should be considered regarding the relationship between droughts and vegetation dynamics: the nonlinearity and the directionality. In the literatures of the relationship between droughts and vegetation dynamics, the mostly applied statistical technique is correlation-based analysis, which, however, is essentially a linear and directionless tool, and thus fails to unravel the nonlinear relationship or distinguish the direction of the impact. Therefore, conducted in Pearl River Basin (PRB), this study applies Convergent Cross Mapping (CCM) based on Nonlinear Dynamical System (NDS) theory to quantify the nonlinear impact from meteorological drought (SPI and SPEI), hydrological drought (SRI), and agricultural drought (SM) on vegetation dynamics (NDVI) respectively, and the reverse impacts from vegetation dynamics to different types of drought. Specifically, we found that both SPI and SPEI have a nonlinear impact on NDVI with similar strength around 0.60, while NDVI only has a reverse impact on SPEI around 0.20. Compared with SPI/SPEI, SRI has a weaker nonlinear impact on NDVI (0.44), but the reverse impact from on SRI is quite strong (0.76). SM also has a significant nonlinear impact on NDVI (0.62), and NDVI has a similar reverse impact on SM (0.58). In general, the outcomes of this study provide a nonlinear statistical perspective for the relationship between vegetation dynamics and droughts under the context of global warming, which helps to better understand their underlying physical mechanism and drought forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BSC trips were identified using large-scale bike-sharing trajectory data. • Spatial quality factors influencing BSC trips were extracted from street-view images. • Spatial heterogeneity of factors influencing BSC trips was validated through the nonlinear analysis. • Explored how interactions among built environment factors affect BSC trips. Bike-sharing has become an effective solution to address the "last mile" challenge in public transit. Existing studies insufficiently consider architectural environmental factors from a design perspective in impacting bike-sharing-to-subway connection(BSC) behavior, and often relying on subjective assessments to explain the spatial heterogeneity of the built environment on BSC travel. To investigate the impact mechanisms of the built environment on BSC behaviors, this study used weekly data on bike-sharing travel trajectories from April 7 to April 14, 2021, in Shenzhen, China, as the research sample. By integrating large-scale urban point of interest(POI), street-view images and road-network data from Shenzhen, this study examines the mechanisms by which the built environment influences BSC travel. This study initially applied linear regression and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of built environment impacts on BSC travel. Then, XGBoost's nonlinear relationships were used to explain and validate the MGWR results. This study reveals that functional diversity is the most significant factor influencing BSC travel. At subway stations where it is difficult to enhance functional diversity, improvements in road connectivity, vegetation, and enclosure can enhance BSC commuting. These findings are crucial for decreasing the reliance on motor vehicles and fostering sustainable urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First exploration of urban built environment's impact on freight-related emissions using AI-based methodologies. • Proposed a framework employing fine-grained grids for the estimation of urban freight emissions. • Employed denser urban truck trajectory data to infer distribution of emissions. • Analyzing non-linear correlations between built environment and freight emissions using interpretable methods. • Identified key factors influencing freight-related emissions and discovered nonlinear effects. Truck activities are the primary source of NOx and PM2.5 emissions in urban environments. This study harnesses a vast truck GPS dataset from Chengdu, employing the International Vehicle Emissions (IVE) model to estimate freight-related emissions and utilizing Gradient Boosting Regression Trees (GBRT) for an in-depth analysis of the impact of urban built environment factors—such as land use, traffic design, and density—on these emissions. It reveals significant correlations, highlighting that main road density, built-up area, industrial land ratio, and electricity consumption play pivotal roles in affecting freight pollution. Specifically, regions with main road density ranging from 5890 to 9560 m/km2 exhibit a marked increase in emissions. These insights provide robust support for the formulation of urban planning and traffic management strategies aimed at mitigating freight-related pollution, emphasizing the critical need to consider the urban built environment in policy-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies have revealed linear associations between the urban environment and health, the nonlinear effects of subjective and objective neighborhood environment on health have been under-researched. Using Beijing as a case study, this study employs the random forest method to investigate the nonlinear relationship between subjective/objective neighborhood environment and physical/mental health, respectively. The findings indicate that the subjective environment is the most important for both physical and mental health, and subjective air and noise pollution are the key factors. Neighborhood environmental variables have nonlinear correlations with health. Improved perception of facility accessibility is positively associated with physical health, whereas extremely high levels of accessibility may inversely decrease the probability of reporting good health. Road connectivity and bus stop density exhibit inverted U-shaped patterns with physical health and mental health, separately. Furthermore, the study highlights different dimensions of green space affect residents' health in diverse ways. • Subjective environment is the most important for both physical and mental health. • Neighborhood environment has nonlinear relationship with health. • Road connectivity and bus stop density exhibit inverted U-shaped patterns with health. • Various green space indicators influence residents' health in different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the microdata of Chinese listed enterprises from 2012 to 2017, we empirically examine the nonlinear relationship between institutional ownership and enterprise innovation. We find that institutional ownership has an inverted-U nonlinear relationship with enterprise patenting when enterprise characteristics and fixed effects such as time, region, industry type and ownership type of enterprises (SOE or NSOE) are controlled and the endogeneity is considered. This nonlinear relationship significantly varies among active, passive, pressure-resistant and pressure-sensitive groupings of institutional investors. Employing the mediation model proposed by Hayes and Preacher (2010) [Quantifying and testing indirect effects in simple mediation models when the constituent paths are nonlinear. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 45(4), 627–660], we further investigate the mediating effects of financing constraints and R&D manipulation. The results show that institutional ownership linearly drives enterprise innovation by alleviating financing constraints but nonlinearly affects the enterprise innovation by manipulating R&D activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evidence regarding the relationship between serum triglyceride-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) ratio and outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients is still mixed. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to explore the link between the TG/HDL-c ratio and unfavorable outcomes in patients with AIS.Methods: This was a second analysis based on a cohort study. The study population was 1764 patients with AIS collected from January 2010 to December 2016 at a hospital in South Korea. We used a binary logistic regression model to assess the linear association between the TG/HDL-c ratio and unfavorable outcomes for AIS patients. A generalized additive model (GAM) and smooth curve fitting (penalized spline method) was conducted to explore the nonlinear relationship between TG/HDL-c ratio and unfavorable outcomes for AIS patients. Additionally, we compute the inflection point using a recursive algorithm and then build a two-piece binary logistic regression model on both sides of the inflection point. A log-likelihood ratio test was used to determine the most appropriate model describing the association of TG/HDL-c ratio and unfavorable outcomes in patients with AIS.Results: The incidence rate of unfavorable outcomes was 28.2%, and the median TG/HDL-c ratio was 2.130. After adjusting covariates, the results of the binary logistic regression model suggested that the relationship between the TG/HDL-c ratio and the risk of unfavorable outcomes for AIS patients was not statistically significant. However, there was a nonlinear relationship between them, and the inflection point of the TG/HDL-c ratio was 3.515. On the left side of the inflection point, each 1-unit increase in the TG/HDL-c ratio was associated with a 22.6% lower risk of unfavorable outcomes (OR = 0.774, 95%CI:0.656 to 0.914, p = 0.002). On the right side of the inflection point, the effect size (OR) was 1.195 (95%CI:1.004 to1.423, p = 0.003).Conclusion: There is a nonlinear relationship and threshold effect between the TG/HDL-c ratio and 3-month unfavorable outcomes in AIS patients. When the TG/HDL-c ratio is lower than 3.515, the TG/HDL-c ratio is significantly negatively related to the risk of unfavorable outcomes. When the TG/HDL-c ratio is greater than 3.515, the TG/HDL-c ratio was positively associated with the risk of unfavorable outcomes in AIS patients. This provides a reference for optimizing lipidemia intervention and promoting clinical communication in patients with AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides original econometric evidence on whether banking concentration stems from financial inclusion in African countries. In applying a system generalized methods of moments (SGMM) and the panel threshold regression method to a sample of 30 African countries for 2004–2017, we find two main results. First, bank concentration negatively and significantly affects financial inclusion in Africa. Second, as far as the nonlinear relationship is concerned, we find two extreme regimes with a smooth shift characterizing the bank concentration–financial inclusion nexus, with respect to conditional variables; bank concentration effects are negative and significant under the first regime and positive and significant under the second. Furthermore, our findings show that the nonlinear relationship between bank concentration and financial inclusion depends on the levels of financial freedom, mobile phones penetration, protection of property rights, control of corruption and regulatory quality. The results are robust to alternative measures of banking market structure, such as Lerner index and Boone indicator and to the panel smooth transition regression (PSTR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Ongoing global changes can lead to the expansion of species' geographical range. Exploring the drivers of the successful ongoing expansion of the golden jackal across Europe is essential to understand the species' trophic ecology. We analysed which climatic and environmental factors affected the dietary composition of golden jackals and compared these drivers in the species' historic and recently colonized distribution ranges. Location: Eurasia. Taxon: Golden jackal (Canis aureus). Methods: Using 40 published datasets, we modelled jackal diet composition using 13 food categories based on the relative frequency of occurrence of food items and trophic niche breadth (BA) against climatic and environmental factors from throughout the jackals' recently colonized (22 studies) and historic range (18 studies) using general additive models. Results: The proportion of small mammals in golden jackal diet decreased with annual mean temperature, whereas the consumption of wild ungulates increased with environmental productivity. Increasing temperature and environmental productivity positively influenced niche breadth, while increasing precipitation negatively affected it. The recently colonized distribution range of golden jackals in Europe had a lower mean temperature but higher environmental productivity compared to the species' historic range in Eurasia. In the recently colonized range, jackals consumed small mammals and/or wild ungulates (mostly from scavenging) more frequently, and fewer plants and/or domestic animals (again, mostly from scavenging). Main Conclusions: The golden jackal is an opportunistic, omnivorous carnivore with high dietary flexibility and biogeographical variation. Climatic and environmental factors shape the species' diet composition, which, in a changing environment, greatly enhances the opportunities for golden jackals to colonize new areas successfully. Golden jackals will likely continue to expand their range in the foreseeable future. The species' trophic niche is expected to broaden with predictions of overall increasing temperatures and reduced precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work is reported as a major source of psychological stress. Because of its role in the onset of burnout and its impact on economic and health systems, work stress (WS) has become an issue of great concern. Two categories of physical activity, namely leisure-time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (LTPA and MVPA), show promising evidence for reducing WS. Previous findings suggest that LTPA and MVPA allow adults to experience psychological detachment from job demands and to restore their depleted resources at work. However, doses of LTPA and MVPA associated with WS have not been established. This study aimed to address this gap using a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of 4200 workers. Generalized additive models indicated that one hour a day, on average, spent doing an LTPA of 8.5 metabolic equivalents-hour (METs-hour) was associated with the lowest WS level (p < 0.001, Adjusted R2 = 0.04) while the optimal daily dose of MVPA was around 90 min (p < 0.001, Adjusted R2 = 0.04). A reduction in WS occurs even with low doses of physical activity, aligning with the tenet that getting some physical activity is better than none. This study's findings offer quantitative insights for guiding health policies as well as future longitudinal and experimental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to guide the community life circle to create a green, travel-supportive built environment. It quantitatively analyzes the variations in car usage behavior based on the level of the built environment of the community and objectively reflects the car usage behavior based on the parking space utilization rate (PSUR). Ordinary least squares (OLS) and gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) models were developed to describe the impact of the built environment on this utilization rate. An empirical analysis of the model was also conducted using the multisource, heterogeneous parking data of commercial parking facilities in the main urban area of Chongqing, China; the data include records of parking survey, points of interest, and road networks. The results showed that the GBDT model had a better fitting degree than the OLS model considering nonlinear effects. In terms of the contribution of community-built environment variables, distance to business center (14.30%), population density (14.20%), and land use mix (12.60%) considerably affect the PSUR, indicating that these variables have an important influence on the use of private cars. All built environment variables have nonlinear relationships, and the threshold effects reflect a complex relationship between the built environment and car usage behavior. This study provides refined suggestions for the spatial design and transformation of the community life circle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental information disclosure is one of the important ways to realize urban sustainable development. This study explores the transmission mechanism between environmental information disclosure and urban green economic efficiency (UGEE) and solves the “black box” system between them. In this method, first, the urban green economic efficiency is calculated using the data envelopment analysis model with undesirable output. Second, the panel data model and the mediating effects model are employed to test the impact of environmental information disclosure on urban green economic efficiency and the possible mediating variables. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: 1) Environmental information disclosure significantly improves urban green economic efficiency, and reducing industrial pollutant emission and improving technological innovation are the significant transmission mechanisms. (2) There is a U-shaped curve relationship between environmental information disclosure and urban green economic efficiency and environmental information disclosure and technological innovation. On the contrary, there is an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between environmental information disclosure and industrial pollutant emission. 3) Environmental information disclosure has a greater sustainability effect in industrial cities. The conclusion shows that environmental information disclosure can improve the efficiency of urban green economy by improving the ability of urban technological innovation and reducing the emission of industrial pollutants. Environmental information disclosure plays a role of “restraining first and then promoting” to sustainable development. This research provides a reference for how to lessen information asymmetry and reduce negative externalities in the formulation of environmental regulatory policies.

In the context of Chinese enterprises' privatization reforms, the relationships between ownership structure and optimal capital structure and between ownership structure and firm performance are worth attention. Using data on listed companies in China, this article uses the panel smooth transfer regression (PSTR) model and multiple regression models to test the nonlinear relationship between capital structure and firm performance. The optimal capital structure is calculated using the partial correlation function of the PSTR model, and the ownership structure–optimal capital structure relationship is analysed. This research found that (a) the effect of the debt‐to‐asset ratio on firm performance shows a nonlinear relationship with sudden changes in characteristics, and a debt‐to‐asset ratio interval exists that can significantly improve firm performance; (b) under the premise of the effect of ownership checks and balances, an increase in ownership concentration can improve the optimal capital structure; thus, enterprises can achieve effective operations with higher debt; (c) the promotion effect of ownership concentration on firm performance varies depending on a company's debt‐to‐asset ratio; and (d) different industries have different optimal capital structures. The raw materials industry has a high optimal capital structure. A series of robustness tests verify the robustness of these conclusions. This research enriches the theoretical interpretation of the optimal capital structure and provides new insights into the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance. The conclusions drawn by this article are helpful to enterprises making corresponding financial decisions and the government in formulating corresponding capital market systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have estimated the nonlinear association of ambient temperature with the risk of influenza. We therefore applied a time-series analysis to explore the short-term effect of ambient temperature on the incidence of influenza in Wuhan, China. Daily influenza cases were collected from Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Hubei CDC) from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2017. The meteorological and daily pollutant data was obtained from the Hubei Meteorological Service Center and National Air Quality Monitoring Stations, respectively. We used a generalized additive model (GAM) coupled with the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to explore the exposure-lag-response relationship between the short-term risk of influenza and daily average ambient temperature. Analyses were also performed to assess the extreme cold and hot temperature effects. We observed that the ambient temperature was statistically significant, and the exposure–response curve is approximately S-shaped, with a peak observed at 23.57 ℃. The single-day lag curve showed that extreme hot and cold temperatures were both significantly associated with influenza. The extreme hot temperature has an acute effect on influenza, with the most significant effect observed at lag 0–1. The extreme cold temperature has a relatively smaller effect but lasts longer, with the effect exerted continuously during a lag of 2–4 days. Our study found significant nonlinear and delayed associations between ambient temperature and the incidence of influenza. Our finding contributes to the establishment of an early warning system for airborne infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between CEO age and corporate risk-taking has remained inconclusive after decades of research. This study contends that CEO may have different risk-taking propensities at different age stages and the relationship could be better captured by nonlinear function. Using a large sample of 6169 firm-year observations of public listed companies in Malaysia, we study the risk-taking behaviour of CEO for the period of 2009 to 2017. We find that CEO age has an inverse U-shaped relationship, such that risk-taking increases with CEO age but reduces beyond certain age threshold. Besides, drawing on socioemotional wealth perspective, we further examine the moderating effect of family CEO. We find that near-retirement family CEO reverses the conservative behaviour at old age and results an inverse S-curved relationship. Findings of this paper yields implication for family business and policymakers seeking to encourage risk-taking behaviour in emerging countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Reflective learning is a fundamental part of human learning and development and has attracted attention from management scholars as well as practitioners. In this study, we build on trait activation theory and investigate how proactive personality and team task support jointly influence employee reflective learning. Using a questionnaire survey, we collected data at two time points from 154 participants nested in 37 teams in five organizations in the United Kingdom. The results from multilevel analyses showed that proactive personality had a positive effect on reflective learning up to a certain point. Over and above this inflection point, this positive effect ceased to further increase. In addition, the nonlinear effect of proactive personality on reflective learning was much stronger when team task support was weak than when it was strong. The finding regarding the nonlinear relationship extends our understanding of the effect of proactive personality. The cross‐level moderating effect of team task support suggests a complementary perspective to appreciate the interactions between proactive personality and its relevant situational characteristics. Practitioners can use these findings to design effective intervention plans and facilitate employee reflective learning in specific settings and in workplace learning in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study explored the association between body temperature and 28-day septic ICU hospital mortality., Design: Retrospective cohort analysis., Setting: 208 ICUs in the United States., Patients or Participants: Sepsis patients from 2014-2015 eICU Collaborative Research Database., Interventions: Binary logistic regression models, Generalized Additive Model (GAM), Two-Piece Binary Logistic Regression Model., Main Variables of Interest: Body temperature, 28-day inpatient mortality., Results: Nonlinear relationship observed; hypothermia (≤36.67 ℃) associated with increased mortality (adjusted OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.70-0.80, p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Hypothermia in sepsis correlates with higher mortality; rewarming's potential benefit warrants further exploration., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

In an era characterized by growing environmental concerns and the urgent call for climate action, the role of green finance in addressing ecological sustainability has become a subject of paramount importance. Owing to this need, the current study examines the nonlinear relationship between green finance and environmental sustainability in 51 developing countries from 2000 to 2022. We employ various advanced panel estimation techniques, including Driscoll-Kraay standard errors (D-K), Feasible generalized least squares (FGLS), Generalized linear model (GLM), and System GMM to examine the long-run impact of this association. The results are further validated using a unique bootstrap quantile approach as a robustness check. We find a nonlinear inverted U-shaped relationship between green finance and environmental sustainability. We extend our analysis to lower-income and lower-middle-income countries and see that this nexus is stronger in middle-income countries than lower-income ones. Our findings also confirm the green finance based-EKC across the sub-samples of lower- and lower-middle-income countries. We also document that this nonlinear relationship is weak during the COVID-19 pandemic. This underscores the complexity of the investigated nexus, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to foster a sustainable environment in developing economies., 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. The research presented in this manuscript is solely the result of the authors' academic investigation and is not influenced by any financial or commercial entities. All funding sources, if any, have been acknowledged in the manuscript, and the authors have adhered to the ethical guidelines of the Journal of Environmental Management throughout the research and publication process., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the association between survival status and the number of resected lymph nodes in node-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) after surgical treatment., Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study and data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program (SEER) and TaiZhou hospital in China. The data for subjects with negative lymph nodes and no distant metastasis (pN0M0) after post-operative pathology were screened. The nonlinear relationship between resected lymph node number and survival status in node-negative ESCC was conducted using restricted cubic spline regression analysis. The association between the number of resected lymph nodes and survival status in node-negative ESCC was evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression models. Subgroup analysis based on different subgroups was also performed., Results: A total of 999 subjects were included in the study. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to show a U shaped association between the number of resected lymph nodes and survival status in node-negative ESCC, with low count associated with a decreased survival. To elucidate the association, we adjusted for age, sex, race, T stage, TNM (tumor node metastasis classification), location, grade, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. As the resected lymph node number increased by one node, the survival status was improved by 2% (Hazard ratio(HR) = 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98-0.99). Sensitivity analysis indicate that the effect size and direction in different subgroups are consistent, the results is stability in SEER., Conclusion: A low count of resected lymph nodes correlated with reduced survival in patients with ESCC, where resecting 25 to 28 or more nodes is considered optimal. Larger prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Lu et al.)

Purpose: Muscle Quality Index (MQI), defined as the muscle strength per unit of muscle mass, is considered an emerging indicator of health and physical function. This study aims to explore the relationship between MQI and the risk of depression among non-elderly US adults., Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from participants aged between 20 and 59 years old, utilizing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2014. The MQI was calculated by dividing the handgrip strength (HGS, kg) by the arm and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM, kg). Depression assessments were conducted using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The relationship between MQI and the risk of depression was explored by weighted logistic regression, smooth curve fitting, and subgroup analyses., Results: A total of 4773 participants were included in this study. After adjusting for confounding factors, low MQI levels were identified as an independent risk factor for depression (OR = 0.800, 95%CI:0.668-0.957, P = 0.015). Smooth curve fitting analysis indicated a nonlinear relationship. Subgroup analysis did not identify any specific populations., Conclusions: Higher MQI levels were closely associated with a lower risk of depression among non-elderly US adults. MQI could enhance our understanding of the link between muscle and depression and might serve as a simple functional measure for evaluating and predicting depression., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study addresses the relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality in End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESRD) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), a topic with limited existing evidence. Utilizing data from the US eICU-CRD v2.0 database (2014-2015), a retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 3700 ICU ESRD patients. We employed binary logistic regression, smooth curve fitting, and subgroup analyses to explore the association between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality. The 30-day in-hospital mortality rate was 13.27% (491/3700), with a median platelet count of 188 × 10 9 /L. After adjusting for covariates, we observed a relationship between platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.97, 0.99). Subgroup analyses supported these findings. More importantly, a nonlinear association was detected, with an inflection point at 222 × 10 9 /L. The effect sizes (OR) on the left and right sides of the inflection point were 0.94 (0.92, 0.96) and 1.03 (1.00, 1.05), respectively. The most significant finding of this study is the revelation of a nonlinear relationship between baseline platelet count and 30-day in-hospital mortality in ICU patients with ESRD. This discovery explicitly suggests that when ESRD patients are admitted to the ICU, a platelet level closer to 222 × 10⁹/L may predict a lower 30-day in-hospital mortality risk., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common cause of liver disease in children and adolescents. The relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and MAFLD in children with short stature remains largely unknown. The present study was to investigate the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in children with short stature. A total of 1754 children with short stature were enrolled. Anthropometric, biochemical and hormonal indexes were collected through physical measurement examinations and laboratory tests. A nonlinear association was found between the TyG index and ALT. The inflection point of the curve was at a TyG index of 8.24. In multivariate piecewise linear regression, only when the TyG index was greater than 8.24 was there a significant positive association between the TyG index and ALT (β 5.75, 95% CI 3.30, 8.19; P < 0.001). However, when the TyG index was less than 8.24, there was no significant association between the TyG index and ALT (β -0.57, 95% CI -1.84, 0.71; P = 0.382). This study demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between TyG index and ALT in children with short stature. This finding suggests that a high TyG index is associated with elevated ALT in children with short stature., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In the process of penicillin fermentation, there is a strong nonlinear relationship between the input eigenvector and multiple output vectors, which makes the prediction accuracy of the existing model difficult to meet the requirements of chemical production. Therefore, a local selective ensemble learning multi-objective soft sensing modeling strategy is proposed in this study. Firstly, a localization method based on transfer entropy and k-means is proposed to reconstruct the sample set. Then, based on the reconstructed local samples, the local soft sensing model is established by the multi-objective support vector regression method, and the selective ensemble of sub-models and the adaptive calculation of prediction weights are realized. At the same time, to reduce the adverse effects caused by improper selection of model parameters, the sparrow search algorithm is used to realize the tuning of the mentioned model parameters. Finally, the proposed modeling strategy is simulated. The results show that, compared with other methods, the proposed local selective ensemble learning multi-objective soft sensing modeling strategy has better prediction performance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Using panel data regression of 48 countries during 2000–2019, the research aims to examine the role of budget balance on economic growth in Asia. Also, with the application of Panel Threshold Regression (PTR), the author tests the nonlinear relationship and to identify an optimal budget balance threshold to achieve the most effective economic growth. The study shows that the lower national budget deficit level is remained, the greater economic growth in Asia is driven. Additionally, it is revealed that an effective economic growth is best promoted with budget balance ranging from 22.6935% GDP to 25.1950% GDP. However, only a few of nations in the sample have achieved the optimal threshold of budget balance above during the period of research. Meanwhile, several countries in Asia have been suffering from the budget deficit for many years. Therefore, in order to stabilize the economic development, most of the Asian countries should adjust the national budget revenue and expenditure process to keep the balance properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of surface landscapes by human activities is the main driving factor that affects changes in ecosystem functions and ecological processes, significantly influencing the ability of regional water ecosystems to deliver products and services to human society. However, the relationship between landscape heterogeneity and multiple water ecosystem services and the mechanisms of dynamic change remain unclear, posing challenges for managing and enhancing ecosystem services through landscape management decisions. Taking the Zishui basin as an example, this study aimed to clarify the impact of landscape heterogeneity on water-related ecosystem services and relationships by analyzing the relative importance and comprehensive impacts of landscape structure composition and landscape spatial configuration changes on three ecosystem services (water production, soil conservation, and water purification). These services were quantified for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2018 using the InVEST model. Furthermore, quantitative indices were constructed to assess the impact of landscape heterogeneity on water ecosystem services. The results show that annual water yield and soil conservation increased at first and then decreased from 2000 to 2018, with 24.48% and 22.50% overall decreases, respectively. In contrast, the total export of N and P decreased at first and then increased, with 3.65% and 5.18% overall increases, respectively. The contribution indices of landscape pattern changes to water yield, soil conservation, nitrogen export, and phosphorus export were 0.04%–2.02%, 0.08 × 10−2%–0.32 × 10−2%, 13.57%–70.05%, and 11.01%–68.22%, respectively, showing interannual and spatial differences. The impact of landscape pattern change on water-related ecosystem services mainly reflects intensity change, which does not change the dominant relationships. Both landscape composition and configuration have impacts on water-related ecosystem services, but the effects of composition are larger than those of configuration. Among them, the proportions of cultivated land, woodland, and construction land, along with changes in Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI), patch density (PD), and edge density (ED) have obvious influences on water-related ecosystem services and show nonlinear relationships. In summary, the impacts of landscape heterogeneity indicators on water-related ecosystem services have obvious category differences, interannual changes, and spatial differences. This study provides new insight into the driving effects of landscape pattern change on the supply of water-related ecosystem services and will provide a reference for practical land management applications and policy formulation of water ecosystem services.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has not been clearly elucidated in middle-aged and older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the non-linear dose-response relationship between BMI and LDL-C in males and females. Methods: Data was obtained from two nationally representative surveys in China—the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS, 2009) and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2012). To evaluate the sex differences in the association between BMI and LDL-C, the generalized additive models with a smooth function for continuous BMI and smooth-factor interaction for sexes with BMI were used. Segmented regressions were fitted to calculate the slopes with different estimated breakpoints among females and males. Results: A total of 12,273 participants (47.1% male) aged 45 to 75 years were included. The generalized additive models revealed that a non-linear relationship between BMI and LDL-C level in both sexes after adjustment for age, residence, education levels, marital status, drinking, smoking status, and cohort (CHNS or CHARLS). Slopes of the association between BMI and LDL-C association changed at BMI 20.3 kg/m2 (95% CI: 18.8 to 21.8) in females and 27.1 kg/m2 (95% CI: 25. 8 to 28.4) in males. Below these BMI breakpoints, LDL-C levels increased 1.84 (95% CI: 1.45 to 2.31) in males and 3.49 (95% CI: 1.54 to 5.45) mg/dL per kg/m2 in females. However, LDL-C levels declined − 1.50 (95% CI: − 2.92 to − 0.09) mg/dL per kg/m2 above BMI of 27.1 kg/m2 in males. The non-linear association BMI and LDL-C in males and females was varied by cohort source, age groups, and the number of metabolic syndrome criteria. Conclusions: In the Chinese middle aged and older adults, the BMI and LDL-C relationship was inverted U-shaped with a high level of LDL-C at a BMI of 27.1 kg/m2 in males, and an approximately linear association was observed in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Station overcrowding negatively impacts passenger safety and travel efficiency. To deal with the overcrowding in the urban rail transit transfer station, this paper proposes a novel multiposition joint control (MPJC) model. Its objective is to meet all the safety limits in key areas of the transfer station and improve passenger travel efficiency. The model makes full use of the space, with the control positions jointly set on the moving routes of passenger flow. To make better use of the capacity of the trains to improve travel efficiency, the outflows at multiple control positions are optimized considering the nonlinear characteristics of passenger flow. Simulation experiments were carried out on GuoMao Station in the Beijing subway. Extensive experimental results demonstrated that the joint control scheme with the MPJC model can increase the average travel efficiency of passengers by 3.9% and keep the numbers of passengers in key areas under safety limits, thus effectively relieving the transport pressure in the station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study investigated the relationship between urbanicity and dementia and predicted its nonlinear pattern among Chinese adults aged 50 years and older. Methods This study used data from the Second National Sample Survey on Disability, which was implemented from April 1 to May 31, 2006 across China. Dementia status was determined by a 2-stage process: the combination of self-reports or family members' reports and an onsite medical diagnosis by experienced specialists based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision Symptom Checklist for Mental Disorders. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between urbanicity and dementia, and restricted polynomial spline regression models were plotted to examine the nonlinear exposure–response relationship of urbanicity and dementia. Results Logistic regression results showed that an increase of 10% in the degree of urbanization was associated with a 73% decrease in the odds of dementia after adjusting for covariates, particularly area-level socioeconomic variables. This observed association was stronger in the younger age group, and this age group difference was only present in women. Spline regression findings suggested a nonlinear exposure–response relationship between urbanicity and the odds of dementia. Areas with very high levels of urbanization were associated with increased odds of dementia. Conclusions These findings highlight the necessity to properly examine the nuanced relationship between urbanicity and mental health, especially for women in the younger age group. Notably, there were increased odds of dementia at very high levels of urbanicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of profitability on the capital structure decision of US multinational and domestic corporations. The findings reveal that the relationship between multinational corporations' (MNCs') profitability and their leverage ratios is U‐shaped and nonlinear, while this nonlinear relation does not exist for domestic firms (DCs). This nonlinear relationship indicates that the effect of profitability on multinational corporations' leverage depends on the levels of their profitability. Consistent with the dominance of the pecking order theory, lower‐profitability MNCs have a tax shield advantage that does not outweigh the information asymmetry costs of debt financing. Conversely, higher‐profitability MNCs have a tax shield advantage that outweighs the information asymmetry costs of debt financing. The findings are robust after using two different classifications for multinational firms, including foreign tax and foreign sales; after applying an alternative methodology and during different time horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A more comprehensive understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on changes in pollution could serve us to better deal with the environmental challenges caused by the pandemic. Existing studies mainly focused on the linear impact of the pandemic on the pollutants without considering the impact of other factors. To fill the research gap, the nonlinear relationship between pandemic and pollutants with considering the temperature factor was explored by developing panel threshold regression approach. In the proposed approach, the number of confirmed cases was set as explanatory variable, concentrations of NO2 and PM2.5 were set as explained variables, temperature was used as threshold variable, and other air pollution indicators were used as control variables. The results showed that there is a threshold effect between the changes in confirmed COVID-19 cases and the concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2, confirming the impact of the pandemic on pollutions was nonlinear. The results also show that the negative impact of pandemic on pollution increased when the temperature was rising. This work had theoretical and practical significance. The nonlinear research perspective of this article provided a methodological reference for exploring the relationship between epidemic and pollutant-related variables. Furthermore, this study expanded the scope of application of the threshold panel regression model and enriched the quantitative analysis of epidemics and pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the comprehensive effects of green finance (GF) on the low-carbon transition of the energy system (LTES) by analyzing panel data from 281 cities in China from 2006 to 2021. It is found that GF significantly reduces overall energy consumption and exhibits a U-shaped association with energy efficiency, while its relationship with the energy consumption structure is inverted U-shaped. After accounting for endogeneity in the robustness tests, these findings remain consistent and are therefore deemed reliable. A mechanistic analysis reveals that GF promotes industrial upgrading, technological progress, and economic agglomeration, collectively facilitating the LTES. The impact of GF on LTES shows considerable variation among regions, influenced by their levels of economic growth, extents of marketization, and governmental environmental preferences. Our findings provide new evidence for the relationship between GF and LTES, offering a scientific basis for formulating GF policies to accelerate this transformation. • We examine the effects of green finance on the low-carbon transformation of the energy system. • Our analysis utilizes panel data from 281 prefecture-level cities in China spanning from 2006 to 2021. • The study establishes a robust index system for evaluating the transition of the energy system towards low-carbon models. • Green finance catalyzes industrial transformation, technological progress, and economic agglomeration towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water replenishment is an important measure for maintaining and improving the aquatic environmental quality of lakes. The problems of water quality deterioration and water shortage can be alleviated by introducing water of higher quality. However, the mechanism of water replenishment in the improvement of the water quality and trophic status of lakes remains unclear. This study investigated water replenishment in Wuliangsuhai Lake (WLSHL) from 2011 to 2021 by collecting seasonal water samples and conducting laboratory analyses. Water replenishment was found to be capable of significantly improving lake water quality and alleviating eutrophication. It is worth noting that single long-term water replenishment measures have limitations in improving the water quality and trophic status. The whole process was divided into three stages according to the water quality and trophic status, namely the buffer period, decline period, and stable period. During the buffer period, the water quality and trophic status showed only slight improvement because of the small amount of water replenishment and the low proportion of higher-quality water from the Yellow River. In the decline period, with increasing water replenishment, the proportion of higher-quality water from the Yellow River gradually increased, leading to the most significant and stable degree of improvement. In the stable period, increases in the amount of water replenishment had little effect on improving the water quality and trophic status, which is attributable to the balance between internal pollutants (lake water–sediment), and the balance between internal-external pollutants (lake water–irrigation return flow + Yellow River water). On the premise of stable water quality, with eutrophication control as the management goal, the optimal water replenishment would be approximately 10.58 ×108 m3. Further necessary measures for solving aquatic environmental problems include the combination of sediment dredging, optimization of the water replenishment route, and implementation of quality management in water replenishment. • Water replenishment significantly reduced nutrient and salt load in WLSHL. • Water replenishment significantly alleviated the eutrophication of WLSHL. • Water replenishment has limitations in improving water quality and trophic status. • The optimal amount of water replenishment would be approximately 10.58×108 m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While established studies have explored interventions in the built environment (BE) and transportation sector to mitigate travel carbon emissions (TCE), planners still struggle to determine the most effective units of intervention, identify key variables, and determine their optimal values. This study addresses the gap by employing the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model to create a multi-scale comparative framework. This study revealed that the relationship between the built environment and travel-related carbon emissions varies depending on the zoning and scale of the BE measurement unit. The explanatory power of TCE varies across different geographic units, with the 15-min walk distance buffer of residents being the most effective in explaining TCE. Most variables were nonlinearly associated with TCE, and the precise threshold of the association between BE attributes and TCE was quantified. Based on these findings, we provide precise and nuanced insights into BE interventions to reduce TCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]