Search

Savanna-like vegetation and dry thickets occur in hot dry valleys across southwestern China. Here, the flora and biogeography in hot dry valleys with savanna-like vegetation in SW China are studied. Native seed plants of 3217 species and varieties from 1038 genera in 163 families are recorded from these hot dry valleys. The biogeographical elements with a tropical distribution contribute 57.18%, but the ones with a temperate distribution contribute 36.45% of the total genera of the flora. This implies that the flora in hot dry valleys is of tropical margin nature and has been influenced by temperate elements. Floristic divergence across these hot dry valleys is obvious. The floras in the Yuanjiang and the Nujiang valleys are dominated by tropical elements (with a tropical distribution) (77.26% and 74.49 of the total genera, respectively), but the flora of the Jinshajiang valley is composed of half tropical (47.27%) and half temperate (44.96%) genera. Regarding floristic similarities, the Jinshajiang shows the highest similarity to the Yuanjiang although these river valleys are located a great distance from each other. We hypothesize the geological events in Yunnan could profoundly influence the flora and its divergence of the savanna-like vegetation in these deep, hot dry river valleys. Our results could be well explained from the geological events since the Cenozoic, such as the uplift of Himalayas, the extrusion of Indochina, the river capture of the Jinshajiang separating from the Yuanjiang, and the northward movement of the Burma Plate. Our study could be clues to explore the possible formation of the savanna-like vegetation. Keywords Flora * Biogeography * Savanna-like vegetation * Hot dry valleys * Geological history * SW China, Introduction The savanna-like vegetation or dry thickets, including woodland and dry thorny shrubs, occur in hot dry valleys and some dryer habitats in southeastern Asia (Blasco et al., 1996). Scholes [...]

Aim: To construct key quality indicators for aged care facilities in China. Background: Evaluating the care quality in aged care facilities is problematic. Evaluation of nursing care quality is important for improving nursing and self‐supervision in aged care facilities. However, a few regulations and studies regarding care quality evaluation have been implemented in China. Design and Method: This two‐tier Delphi study aimed to achieve consensus on key quality indicators for aged care facilities in China. The entry pool was determined by literature review and research team discussion, followed by a discussion by a panel of experts to establish the items of the Delphi study. Finally, key care quality indicators were established through a two‐round Delphi study. This study followed the SQUIRE 2.0 guidelines. Results: The initial 16 quality indicators of the entry pool was developed based on a literature review and a group discussion. Sixteen quality indicators were reduced to eight after the expert discussion. After two rounds of expert consultation, the eight quality indicators became nine, which were then evaluated for importance, formula rationality, and operability using Kendall's harmony coefficients (first round: 0.150, 0.143 and 0.169, respectively; second round: 0.209, 0.159 and 0.173, respectively). Conclusions: Key quality indicators provide quantifiable evidence for evaluating the care quality in aged care facilities, but their applicability needs continuous improvement. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Nine key quality indicators were selected from numerous indicators for measuring the care quality in aged care facilities, supporting the evaluation of the care quality and self‐supervision for aged care facilities. Elderly or Public Contribution: No elderly or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yunnan of southwestern China supports an extremely rich biodiversity and various vegetation types dominated by evergreen broad-leaved forest. The floristic composition, species diversity, physiognomy and biogeography of three major types of the evergreen broad-leaved forest in Yunnan were surveyed using 1-ha plots. The three forest types are very diverse in species composition, diversity, physiognomy and biogeography, although they are commonly dominated by species of the families Fagaceae, Theaceae and Lauraceae. The lower montane evergreen broad-leaved forest (LMEB) in southern Yunnan is extremely rich in species and is characterized by a tropical physiognomy and dominated by tropical Asian species, similar to the tropical lower montane evergreen forest commonly in southeast Asia. The semi-wet evergreen broad-leaved forest (SWEB) on plateaus and the upper montane evergreen broadleaved forest (UMEB) in central and northern Yunnan are characterized by a subtropical physiognomy and are dominated by Sino-Himalayan and Chinese endemic species, and are unique in southwestern China. The SWEB and the UMEB should be given high conservation values due to their uniqueness and abundant Chinese endemic species. Especially, the SWEB should be given the highest protection because most remnants of this forest have lost due to heavily human disturbance. Keywords Evergreen broad-leaved forests * Floristic composition * Species diversity * Physiognomy * Biogeography * Conservation * Southwestern China, Introduction The Yunnan Province of southwestern China lies between 21[degrees]09' and 29[degrees] 15' N, 97[degrees]32' and 106[degrees] 12' E (Fig. 1) and occupies an area of 394,100 [km.sup.2]. It has [...]

Aims and Objectives: To investigate the use of physical restraints in aged care facilities(ACFs)and analyse its associated risk factors. Background: Physical restraints have been widely used in ACFs worldwide, but they can cause physical and mental harm to older people. It is important to regulate the use of physical restraint. Design: A cross‐sectional observational and correlational multicentre study. Methods: By convenience sampling method, we selected eight ACFs in four representative regions of Hunan province, China, for this study. The ACF‐related information was obtained by interviewing the managers and reviewing records. We conducted investigation and observation on the elderly in the ACFs to understand the use of physical restraints at three different times: 9:30–11:30, 16:00–18:00 and 19:30–21:30 on a working day. The STROBE checklist was followed for this cross‐sectional study. Results: This study found that the utilisation rate of physical restraints was 23.2%. The critical risk factors affecting the use of physical restrains include the following: (1) the ratio of nursing staff to the elderly residents; (2)whether there is a dementia care unit at the facility; (3) the number of elderly residents in each room; (4) the elderly residents' age, degree of education, marital status, care dependence and cognitive impairment; (5) whether the elderly has suffered from a stroke or senile dementia; (6) whether the elderly carries medical catheters. Conclusion: There is a lack of standardisation in the use of physical restraints in ACFs of central China. Chinese ACFs should develop guidelines and reduction measures to standardise the use of physical restraints, basing on the key factors affecting the use of physical restraints. Relevance to clinical practice: The use of physical restraints in ACFs is threatening the safety of the elderly residents. Understanding the implementation of physical restraint in ACFs can provide reference for reducing the use of physical restraint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid, sensitive and visual loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for detecting Acidovorax citrulli in cucurbit seed was developed in this study. The LAMP primers were designed to recognize the non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene (locus tag: Aave_4658) from A. citrulli. The LAMP assay was conducted at 64°C in 1 hr with calcein as an indicator. The sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assay were further compared with those of a conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The LAMP assay is highly specific to A. citrulli, and no cross‐reaction was observed with other bacterial pathogen. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay was 100‐fold higher than that of conventional PCR with a detection limit of 1 pg of genomic DNA. Using the LAMP assay, 7 of 12 cantaloupe seedlots collected from Xinjiang province were determined to be positive for A. citrulli. In contrast, only 2 of 12 seedlots showed positive for the pathogen with conventional PCR. Moreover, A. citrulli was detected in 100% of artificially infested seedlots with 0.01% infestation or greater. Our results demonstrated that the LAMP assay was simple, visual and sensitive for detecting A. citrulli, especially in seed health testing. Hence, this method has great potential application in routine detecting seed‐borne pathogens and reducing the risk of epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]