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Black carbon (BC) is a crucial air pollutant that contributes to short-lived climate forcing and adverse health impacts. BC emissions have rapidly declined over the past three decades and it is important to uncover the major factors behind this decline. Herein, the temporal trends in BC emissions were compiled from 146 detailed sources from 1960 to 2019. Results revealed that the major emission sources were residential solid fuel usage, coke production and brick production. Furthermore, 96.9% of the emission reduction from 3.03 Tg in 1995 to 1.02 Tg in 2019 was attributed to these three sources. It was determined that the transition in residential energy/stove usage, phasing-out of beehive coke ovens and brick kiln upgrading were the most important drivers leading to this reduction and will continue to play a key role in future emission mitigation. In addition, this study identified the need to address emissions from coal used in vegetable greenhouses and the commercial sector, and diesel consumption in on/off-road vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism activity is a global industry, and thus it is exposed to global risks. Covid-19 and tourism are intricately connected. Tourists were among those who suffered the most damage in the initial stages of the disease outbreak. They became carriers of this disease and eventually became victims of travel and tourism. In the 21st century, the two driving factors for change in the tourism industry are climate change and global health emergencies. Urgent attention to this event and the future of travel and tourism is necessary in a world where disease outbreaks and epidemics are increasingly being considered due to increased travel and ease of access to destinations worldwide. Concerning practical purpose, the present research has been carried out using the survey method at the exploratory level based on the future research approach. In this research, using the Delphi method and the participation of 34 experts, the results were analyzed in the Mic Mac software environment. Then these factors were determined based on the degree of importance and uncertainty, prioritization, and the most critical factors to identify the drivers. A key from the software (Mic Mac) is used. The results show that ten variables were identified as vital drivers among the 36 effective variables discovered in the future state of Shiraz tourism. The results indicate that the key driver of the non-publication of the statistics on the incidence of covid-19 with a score of 92 has the highest impact factor on other variables. Also, the lack of a single plan to deal with this crisis is the municipality's cooperation to monitor health more. Public places and spaces were identified in the agenda of the development of healthy city policies as other key drivers of tourism and obstacles to improving the tourism situation during the occurrence of infectious diseases in Shiraz metropolis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lut Desert is one of Iran's and the world's unique geosystems. Its evolution and transformation have led to the formation of inherent diversity and dominance in environmental characteristics. These two features, diversity and uniqueness, have provided this unit with inherent capabilities for tourism development. Therefore, using the technique of future studies, this study identifies, prioritizes, and formulates the most important factors that determine the development of Lut Desert tourism. It presents a suitable framework for planning in the horizon of 2036. In terms of purpose, this study is practical, and this research uses a combination of documentary and survey methods. In terms of nature, it is based on future studies and exploratory and analytical methods. This was carried out by applying a combination of quantitative and qualitative models. The documentary and Delphi methods were mainly used to collect data. MICMAC software was also utilized for data analysis. Following initial discussion sessions with twenty tourism elites and experts as the study sample, fourteen variables out of forty were identified as the most important and uncertain factors related to the research topic. These variables were extracted from a review of sources and expert interviews, focusing on development factors. Five driving forces of potential alternatives were identified for future development during the analysis of the mutual effects between these factors. These driving forces include planning and policy development for Lut Desert tourism, governance development, strengthening the country's sovereignty in Lut Desert tourism development, improving the economic system, and enhancing financial support and investment. As a result, by applying the future research technique and taking into consideration the mentioned key drivers, decisions and plans will be directed and placed on a targeted path in the direction of the sustainable development of Lut desert ecotourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava is an important crop for ensuring African’s food security and livelihoods. However, limited technology adoption has reduced its productivity across the continent, especially in sub-Saharan African countries. The study investigated the key drivers affecting the adoption decision and intensity of adoption of cassava technologies in Sodo Zuria, Offa, and Kindo Koysha Woredas, Southern Ethiopia. The study used cross-sectional data collected from 1040 rural cassava producers by employing a three-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and double hurdle regression model were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 39.6% of the sampled farmers adopted cassava technologies. The double hurdle model results revealed that cassava technology adoption decision negatively associated with exposure to media and mobile ownership. Moreover, the intensity of cassava technology adoption was positively related to farm size, cooperative membership, and on-farm income while negatively related to the market access, tropical livestock unit (TLU), and off-farm income. To boost the yield and productivity of cassava crops, this study recommends the provision of improved cassava technologies, dissemination of timely information, and strengthening the cooperative membership will empower the producers to adopt modern techniques, ultimately leading to an increase in cassava crop yield and productivity.

Successful adoption of the principles for establishing building maintenance procedures still remains partial, particularly in developing countries. Well-known obstacles, such as a lack of methodology and planning, knowledge of staff and quality required, and budget limitations, may all outweigh any practical information and guides to efficiently achieving maintenance objectives for existing buildings. Given that, in Iraq, public office buildings are one of the largest parts of the buildings construction sector, and that Iraq is considered to have one of the largest rates of maintenance work expenditure, significant investigation is needed. However, research related to Iraqi maintenance operations is limited to a few, general aspect overviews of some elements of maintenance. These require amalgamation to overcome all maintenance issues and establish a future strategy for efficient maintenance operations. This paper presents a detailed review and quantitative investigation of the barriers, success factors, and key drivers regarding effective building maintenance practice in Iraq. Based on feedback from 72 specialist stakeholder respondents and interviews with experts at different levels, it can be said that building maintenance procedures in this study area are still in their infancy. In order to reinforce building maintenance as a robust and unified practice, the goal should be to formulate a comprehensive plan earlier in the building process, based on the drivers that have been identified and on the deep knowledge stakeholders possess about successful building maintenance procedures. The study concludes that budgets for building maintenance operations should be aligned with expected building deficiencies during their operating phase and with building standards quality, and that the failure of such estimations can render maintenance operations inefficient. Thus, the findings can provide a best practice guide to aid future researchers in managing maintenance operations within a framework based on investigated factors that guarantees long-term benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing sustainable practices in farms' value chains to transform their business models into sustainable business models (SBMs) is a priority for farmers and policymakers. This paper first aims to provide a framework for implementing sustainable agriculture practices. We explain managerial practices, key drivers, and the agents involved through different theories and in four main stages. Secondly, using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), we offer an update and a complete list of 133 sustainable (economic, social, and environmental) key performance indicators, which can be used to measure farms' sustainability performance and the success of the SBM applied. Our insights show that there are different drivers that may affect farms’ commitment to sustainability practices. However, the importance of these drivers is not equal. Similarly, not all the agents have the same relevance since this depends on the stage.

Background: The rising occurrence of simultaneous large wildfires has put strain on United States national fire management capacity leading to increasing reliance on assistance from partner nations abroad. However, limited analysis exists on international resource-sharing patterns and the factors influencing when resources are requested and deployed. Aims: This study examines the drivers of international fire management ground and overhead personnel deployed to the United States. Methods: Using descriptive statistics and case examples data from 2008 to 2020, this study investigates the conditions under which international personnel are deployed to the United States and their relationship to domestic resource strain. Factors such as fire weather, fire simultaneity, and the impact on people and structures are analysed as potential drivers of demand for international resources. Additionally, barriers to resource sharing, including overlapping fire seasons between countries are examined. Key results: The findings indicate that international personnel sharing is more likely when the United States reaches higher preparedness levels, experiences larger area burned, and when fires pose a greater impact on people and structures. However, overlapping fire seasons can limit the ability to share resources with partner nations. Conclusions and implications: Understanding the factors influencing resource sharing can help improve collaboration efforts and enhance preparedness for future wildfire seasons. This study explores drivers of international resources sent to aid with US fire management, focusing on ground and overhead personnel. Using 2008–2020 data, this study investigates conditions for international sharing and potential barriers. Findings show sharing is more likely with higher preparedness, larger areas burned, and greater impact on people and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative tourism is a new concept in the tourism industry that is seen as a more sustainable form of tourism because it uses renewable sources of creative energy. The development of Creative tourism depends on various factors that need to be systematically addressed. This highlights the importance of future research and development to explore the potential of creative tourism in tourism development. A study was conducted to determine the key drivers that are effective in the development of creative tourism in Borujerd County. The study used the foresight method, Delphi technique, and Micmac software to gather insights from 35 managers and experts in the tourism industry. The results indicated that 10 out of the 33 factors affecting the development of creative tourism in Borujerd County were the most significant. These key drivers included increasing the transportation infrastructure, marketing and supporting investors, improving language skills and communication, enhancing the knowledge of tourism employees, promoting ethnic and cultural diversity, including participation of natives and vulnerable groups, supporting rituals and traditions, maintaining social security and ethics, and creating job opportunities in the tourism sector. Overall, the study suggests that addressing these key drivers can help foster the development of creative tourism in Borujerd County and contribute to a more sustainable form of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim Recent National Family Health Survey results portray striking improvements in most population and health indicators, including fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, gender treatment, household environments, and health insurance coverage of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), with all India resonance. However, the prevalence of any anaemia (

Purpose- The "Smart Village" approach includes long-term social, economic, and environmental activities of the rural community that involve widespread participation in local governance processes, promoting entrepreneurship, preserving the rural environment and, ultimately, sustainable development of rural areas. Therefore, the development of scenarios that facilitate the realization of the smart village approach in the peri-urban settlements of the metropolis of Tehran should be emphasized . Design/methodology/approach-This research is a descriptive-analytical study from the perspective of its objectives it is applied. Data and information were collected through library research, documentary studies, and survey methods (interviews). By reviewing scientific sources and conducting interviews with experts, 57 influencing factors of the smart village approach on the sustainability of peri-urban settlements were identified, categorized into 5 dimensions, and a total of 35 people, including managers of relevant organizations and university experts, were interviewed. The analysis of data was based on futures studies techniques, including structural analysis and mutual effects analysis (done using Micmac and Scenario Wizard software) . Finding- The research findings show that there are a very large number of possible scenarios for the impact of the smart village on the sustainability of peri-urban settlements in the metropolis of Tehran within the range of Islamshahr County. Among them, 14 scenarios have weak compatibility and only 1 scenario is in a state of strong and sustainable compatibility (zero incompatibility). The first scenario, which is a positive one, has a mutual effect score of 733 and a compatibility value of 13, while the second scenario, which indicates unfavorable conditions for the future impact of the smart village on sustainable development, has a mutual effect score of -144 and a compatibility value of 5. The third scenario also has a compatibility value of -2 and with a mutual effect score of 63, it can be one of the impactful scenarios for the smart village on the sustainability of peri-urban settlements in the metropolis of Tehran . At the end of the research, operational suggestions are presented to enhance the indices of a smart village to achieve sustainable development in the rural settlements of the studied area. Originality/Value - For the first time in Iran, scenarios have been developed on the impact of smart villages on the sustainability of peri-urban settlements, and from this perspective, it is innovative and among the first research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As key inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL6) play an important role in the pathogenesis of non-inflammatory diseases, including specific cancers, such as breast cancer (BC). Previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have neither explained the large proportion of genetic heritability nor provided comprehensive understanding of the underlying regulatory mechanisms. We adopted an integrative genomic network approach by incorporating our previous GWAS data for CRP and IL6 with multi-omics datasets, such as whole-blood expression quantitative loci, molecular biologic pathways, and gene regulatory networks to capture the full range of genetic functionalities associated with CRP/IL6 and tissue-specific key drivers (KDs) in gene subnetworks. We applied another systematic genomics approach for BC development to detect shared gene sets in enriched subnetworks across BC and CRP/IL6. We detected the topmost significant common pathways across CRP/IL6 (e.g., immune regulatory; chemokines and their receptors; interferon γ, JAK-STAT, and ERBB4 signaling), several of which overlapped with BC pathways. Further, in gene-gene interaction networks enriched by those topmost pathways, we identified KDs-both well-established (e.g., JAK1/2/3, STAT3) and novel (e.g., CXCR3, CD3D, CD3G, STAT6)-in a tissue-specific manner, for mechanisms shared in regulating CRP/IL6 and BC risk. Our study may provide robust, comprehensive insights into the mechanisms of CRP/IL6 regulation and highlight potential novel genetic targets as preventive and therapeutic strategies for associated disorders, such as BC.

The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs)/insulin resistance (IR) axis is the major metabolic hormonal pathway mediating the biologic mechanism of several complex human diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cancers. The genomewide association study (GWAS)-based approach has neither fully characterized the phenotype variation nor provided a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory biologic mechanisms. We applied systematic genomics to integrate our previous GWAS data for IGF-I and IR with multi-omics datasets, e.g., whole-blood expression quantitative loci, molecular pathways, and gene network, to capture the full range of genetic functionalities associated with IGF-I/IR and key drivers (KDs) in gene-regulatory networks. We identified both shared (e.g., T2DM, lipid metabolism, and estimated glomerular filtration signaling) and IR-specific (e.g., mechanistic target of rapamycin, phosphoinositide 3-kinases, and erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 signaling) molecular biologic processes of IGF-I/IR axis regulation. Next, by using tissue-specific gene-gene interaction networks, we identified both well-established (e.g., IRS1 and IGF1R) and novel (e.g., AKT1, HRAS, and JAK1) KDs in the IGF-I/IR-associated subnetworks. Our results, if validated in additional genomic studies, may provide robust, comprehensive insights into the mechanisms of IGF-I/IR regulation and highlight potential novel genetic targets as preventive and therapeutic strategies for the associated diseases, e.g., T2DM and cancers.

Evaluation and improvement of cultivated land system resilience (CLSR) play a significant role in the sustainable development of cultivated land. From the perspective of multifunction of cultivated land, this study revealed the spatiotemporal evolution of CLSR in China's major grain‐producing regions during 2000–2020 by catastrophe model based on a comprehensive evaluation system including production resilience (PR), ecological resilience (ER), and economic resilience (CR), and further identified the key drivers to find scientific paths to improve CLSR. The results demonstrated that the CLSR had significant spatiotemporal differences and stayed at a low level but showed a steady rise. In terms of spatial scope, the number of provinces with middle‐ and high‐grade resilience had increased from 0 to 10. As for time variation, the CLSR showed an upward trend, from 0.78 to 0.95. PR and CR were similar to CLSR, showing an increased tendency, while ER displayed the characteristics of first decreased and then increased. As for the key drivers, PR played a central role in the CLSR, the effect of CR on CLSR was weakened, while the ER was gradually strengthened. Specifically, the stability of grain production, effective irrigated area rate, agricultural pollution, and the contribution of agriculture to GDP were the key factors to CLSR. Hence, stabilizing cultivated land areas, controlling nongrain growing phenomena, strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction, promoting ecological restoration of cultivated land, and ensuring economic contribution of cultivated land were effective ways to improve CLSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Recent National Family Health Survey results portray striking improvements in most population and health indicators, including fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, gender treatment, household environments, and health insurance coverage of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), with all India resonance. However, the prevalence of any anaemia (< 11 g/dl) among children under age five has exhibited a reversed trajectory in recent years. Therefore, the present study explores key drivers of the reversal of the trend in the prevalence of childhood anaemia between 2015 and2021. Methods: Data of four rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) were used to show the overall trend of anaemia among children. However, for the analysis of key drivers of the reversal trend of childhood anaemia, only the recent two rounds (NFHS-4 & NFHS-5) were used. Descriptive, bivariate multivariable analysis and Fairlie decomposition model were used to explore the drivers of the reversal of the trend in childhood anaemia. Results: During the past two decades, India has seen a decline in the prevalence of childhood anaemia (NFHS-2 to NFHS-4). However, a reversal of trend was observed recently. The prevalence of anaemia among children aged 6–59 months increased from 59 percent in NFHS-4 to 67 percent in NFHS-5. In addition, the prevalence of mild anaemia increased from 23.3 percent in NFHS-2 to 28.7 percent in NFHS-5. However, the prevalence of moderate and severe anaemia declined considerably from NFHS-2 (40 percent and 4.1 percent) to NFHS-4 (28.7 percent and 1.6 percent), but showed an increase in the prevalence in NFHS-5 (36.3 percent and 2.2 percent). Among others, mothers' educational attainment, anaemia status and socio-economic status emerge as the key drivers of the change in the prevalence of childhood anaemia. Conclusion: These findings may have vital implications for the ongoing Anaemia Mukt Bharat Programme, one of the government's dream projects in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group A strep tests in patients aged below 3 years are not recommended unless the patient has appropriate symptoms and a positive contact or signs of complications. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase the percentage of appropriately ordered strep tests among providers. Data were collected retrospectively and prospectively from 1163 patient visits. Providers were exposed to educational interventions, an electronic medical record order change, and provider feedback. Proportional control charts characterized the providers' behaviors and determined significant improvement among testing. The result was an increase in appropriate tests (13.7% to 37.8%), and the control charts showed sustainable results over time. This project demonstrates the efficacy of these methods to encourage antibiotic stewardship among providers. Furthermore, the interventions used here can be applied to other areas with low-value diagnostic testing. Future studies should investigate whether parental anxiety and educational programs influence testing and evaluate the efficacy of certain strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the regional and global effects of biomass burning at national and pantropical scales, little effort has focused on determining the influence of climate and socioeconomic conditions on fire regimes in tropical regions. Aims: We explored the climate and human factors that explain remotely sensed burnt area and fire abundance in Mexico. Methods: We used MCD64A1 data and climate and socioeconomic metrics to understand factors explaining the variation in number of fires and burned area. Key results: The largest burned area (41.9% of the total) occurred in temperate forests, grasslands and hydrophilic vegetation, with numerous fire events of medium relative size. The next most extensive burned area (38%) was observed in croplands, with numerous small-size fires. The third group (17.8%) occurred in tropical forests, which had the smallest and most frequent fires. Finally, a fourth group (11.9%) was composed of shrublands, which showed the largest fire sizes and lowest-frequency events. The variability of burned area was related to variations in temperature and precipitation, poverty index, altitude, and distance to water bodies. Conclusions and Implications: Our analysis suggests that an assessment integrating climate, human and topographic metrics predicts burned area and may improve fire forecasting in Mexico landscapes. We aimed to assess the climate and human factors that explain burnt area in Mexico. The largest burned area occurred in temperate forests, grasslands and hydrophilic vegetation, followed by fires in croplands, tropical forests and shrublands. Burnt area was related to temperature, precipitation, poverty, altitude and distance to water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood pressure (BP) is a highly heritable trait and a major cardiovascular disease risk factor. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated a number of susceptibility loci for systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure. However, a large portion of the heritability cannot be explained by the top GWAS loci and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms is still lacking. Here, we utilized an integrative genomics approach that leveraged multiple genetic and genomic datasets including (a) GWAS for SBP and DBP from the International Consortium for Blood Pressure (ICBP), (b) expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) from genetics of gene expression studies of human tissues related to BP, (c) knowledge-driven biological pathways, and (d) data-driven tissue-specific regulatory gene networks. Integration of these multidimensional datasets revealed tens of pathways and gene subnetworks in vascular tissues, liver, adipose, blood, and brain functionally associated with DBP and SBP. Diverse processes such as platelet production, insulin secretion/signaling, protein catabolism, cell adhesion and junction, immune and inflammation, and cardiac/smooth muscle contraction, were shared between DBP and SBP. Furthermore, "Wnt signaling" and "mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling" pathways were found to be unique to SBP, while "cytokine network", and "tryptophan catabolism" to DBP. Incorporation of gene regulatory networks in our analysis informed on key regulator genes that orchestrate tissue-specific subnetworks of genes whose variants together explain ~20% of BP heritability. Our results shed light on the complex mechanisms underlying BP regulation and highlight potential novel targets and pathways for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

AbstractStatement of Problem: Security directly and indirectly affects all aspects of citizens' lives. One of the most important aspects of security is the feeling of social security, which includes financial, life, job, and economic, and moral securities, etc. Examining how the state of social security feels and the key drivers that affect it was the main issue of the present study.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the indicators of feeling of social security and identify the key drivers that affect it in urban spaces. This was a case study in Ravansar City in Kermanshah Province.Method: The present quantitative and applied research was done with a combination of descriptive-analytical and exploratory methods. To achieve the research objectives, a combination of the opinions of citizens (364 people) and experts and specialists (30 people) was used. The main tool for data collection was a combination of a researcher-made questionnaire and the Delphi technique. To analyze the collected data SPSS and MicMac software was utilized.Results: The results showed that the average values of 2.692, 2.769, 2.6, 2.66, and 2.507 obtained for the dimensions of financial, occupational, and economic securities, moral, value, and cultural securities, and family security were significantly lower than the average base, respectively. Also, the variable of life safety with the value of 3.023 was not significantly different from its mean base. The results of the study of the general state of social security showed that the obtained average value of 2.788 was significantly lower than its average base. The results showed that the key drivers of social security affecting the feeling of social security were as follows: life satisfaction, good urban governance, income, trust, police performance, quality of physical environment, social cohesion, access to essential services and welfare, and performance of responsible institutions.Innovation: Identifying urban management as the link and main element of providing citizens’ sense of social security, which depends on their conscious participation in the selection of urban managers, was the innovation of the present study. IntroductionSecurity is one of the basic human needs. Human’s peace of mind is weakened and anxiety and restlessness replace it by reducing it. Many human needs depend on security. Although security plays an important and key role in the individual and social life of human beings and its absence or disruption has worrying consequences, the effects and damages of feeling insecure are worse than insecurity itself. Therefore, security can be considered as the main axis of human needs. However, today, the expansion of urbanization and the growing population of urban areas have complicated the problems of urban spaces as a result of insecurity. Lack of security and the sense of insecurity are the main challenges of urban spaces in this century.Ravansar City with a population of 24,527 people and 7,122 households is one of the urban spaces located in Kermanshah Province. It is one of the small and sparsely populated cities of this province in terms of population. Due to the spatial location of this city (being located in the main intercity traffic route and as the communication axis of Kermanshah to Javanrood, Paveh, Tazehabad, and Kamyaran to Oramanat region, it has experienced significant poverty, unemployment, etc. triggered by high traffic and congestion of population over the past years. Moreover, it has experienced an increasing trend of numerous crimes, including car theft, theft due to public property, theft from homes, etc. Since the citizens’ sense of security could be mentioned as a symbol of sustainable development of urban spaces, examining the their sense of security and identifying the factors affecting it in the form of key drivers was necessary. The general state of the feeling of social security in the current situation and identifying the factors affecting it could provide the ground for improving its level. MethodologyAccording to the objectives of the present study, this research was done in two parts. In general, it was a quantitative research that was done by combining descriptive-analytical and exploratory methods, through which the documentary data, including articles, reports, and data of the Statistics Center of Iran, and the field data consisting of the citizens and experts’ opinions could be collected. The first part of the research was dedicated to the purpose of assessing and measuring the citizens’ sense of social security and its components and the second part was related to identifying the key drivers affecting their sense of social security. In the first part of the research, the statistical population included 7122 heads of households in Ravansar City, from among whom 364 people were selected as the statistical sample by using Cochran's formula. The main tool for collecting the field data was a researcher-made questionnaire, which was evaluated for its (formal) validity by using the urban planning experts and specialists’ opinions, as well as those of the university professors. To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, a pre-test method was applied for completing 30 questionnaires. The obtained Cronbach's alpha coefficient was more than 0.7. Results and discussionThe results of the study of the general state of social security among the citizens were examined. The results of the frequency distribution table showed that the 27.5, 37.4, and 35.2% of the citizens had very weak and weak, moderate, and high and very high levels of social security, respectively. The results of examining the general state of social security among the citizens by using the mean comparison test showed that the obtained average value of 2.788 was significantly lower than the baseline average value. This was confirmed by the negative t-statistics, deviation from the mean, and upper and lower limits. The reason for this situation could be attributed to the weak status of the research-dependent variables, especially family, moral, job and economic, value and cultural, and financial securities.The findings of this study in connection with the analyses of the impact and effectiveness of the main variables affecting the feeling of social security showed that a total of 9 key variables from among 25 main factors affected the citizens’ feeling of social security in Ravansar City. These variables, in which mostly affected the northwestern half of the region had their most and least impacts on other variables, including the factors of life satisfaction, good urban governance, income, trust, police performance, quality of physical environment, Social cohesion, access to essential services and welfare, and functioning of the responsible institutions. ConclusionThe results of the present field research revealed that with the exception of the component of life security, other components of the feeling of social security in the study area were in an unfavorable situation. The results of the study of the general state of the feeling of social security also showed that the situation of this key indicator of sustainable urban development among the citizens was at an inappropriate level. The main reasons for the unsatisfactory state of social security in the study area were the rising trends of home and car thefts, numerous scams, weakening of trust among the citizens, job insecurity, income instability, increasing divorce rates, and concerns about community membership. There were also concerns about the gradual decline of religious and moral values, transportation of money and valuables, increasing drug use, and so on.In general, it could be said that due to the chain relationship of the components of the sense of social security with the citizens’ economic, social, managerial, cultural, and infrastructure conditions, etc., the residents’ sense of social security could be caused by several factors. Therefore, in continuation of the research, the key drivers affecting the citizens’ sense of social security were examined.In this regard, 9 key variables were identified from among the 25 factors affecting the citizens’ feeling of social security in Ravansar City. These variables had the most and least impacts on the other variables affecting their feeling of social security, which included life satisfaction, good urban governance, income, trust, police performance, quality of physical environment, social cohesion, access to essential services and welfare, and performance of the responsible institutions. According to the results, it could be said that several factors affected the citizens’ sense of social security. Accurate assessment of the nature of these key variables showed that the levels of the other variables affecting their sense of social security and consequently its state could be improved by coherent, integrated, and efficient urban management under the banner of good urban governance. Unfortunately, employment of committed, experienced, and specialized city managers, who were proficient in various urban affairs, was the missing link in the development of a sense of social security in the study area. 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Enhancing feelings of security: How institutional trust promotes interpersonal trust. PLoS ONE, 15(9), e0237934. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237934- Suutari, A. M., Areskoug‐Josefsson, K., Kjellström, S., Nordin, A. M. M., & Thor, J. (2019). Promoting a sense of security in everyday life—A case study of patients and professionals moving towards co‐production in a trial fibrillation “learning café”. Health Expectations, 22, pp. 1240-1250. Figures and Tables- Fig. 1: Conceptual model of the research (components of social security and its determinants)- Fig. 2: Location of the study area in Kermanshah Province, Iran- Table 1: The main dimensions of the feeling of social security, number of variables, and calculation of their reliability coefficients- Table 2: The main factors affecting the feeling of social security among the citizens of Ravansar City from the experts and specialists’ perspectives- Table 3: Assessment of the status of the indicators of social security among the citizens by using the mean comparison test- Table 4: Prioritization of the indicators of the feeling of social security among the citizens- Table 5: Assessment of the general state of social security among the citizens by using the frequency distribution table- Table 6: Evaluation of the general state of the feeling of social security among the citizens by using the mean comparison test- Table 7: MDI matrix of the key drivers affecting the feeling of social security among the citizens in Ravansar City- Figure 3: Status of the key drivers of social security among the citizens in Ravansar City- Fig. 4: Ravansar citizens’ direct effects on each other based on the variables of social security (very strong effects)- Fig. 5: Ravansar citizens’ direct effects on each other based on the variables of social security (very weak effects)- Fig. 6: Ravansar citizens’ indirect effects on each other based on the variables of social security (very strong effects)- Figure 7: Ravansar citizens’ direct effects on each other based on social the variables of security (very weak effects)

The emergence of Bicycle-Sharing Systems (BSSs) has brought about changes in traffic systems and generated economic, environmental, and human health effects. This study took Beijing as the research object, and aimed to examine the economic, environmental, and human health effects of BSSs and the key drivers affecting the environmental performance of shared bicycles. Questionnaire surveys were carried out to provide an overview of BSSs in Beijing by referring to the original data in the impact assessment, and the identification of key drivers. Based on the relationship between leisure-time and economic growth, the economic effects resulted in a statistically significant increase of 79.3 US dollars (612.3 RMB) and 44.4 US dollars (342.7 RMB) per capita GDP per day in the baseline of the United States and Denmark, respectively. The environmental and human health effects were evaluated using the life cycle assessment method to study the substitution of different transport modes during the entire life cycle of bicycle-sharing. The results revealed that reduced adverse environmental effects were proved to be significant and positive on all impact categories and the reduction in human health damage were positive, approximately equal to 500,000 DALYs. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the increase of usage rate in sharing bicycle will bring more environment benefits and human health damage reduction. The identification of key drivers was determined by the binary logistic model, and included the following: gender, monthly income, the low cost of BSSs, the location of BSSs in relation to bus stations, metro stations, and residential areas; perceptions of a higher frequency of bicycle-sharing; damaged bicycles as a development barrier, and optimism about the future of BSSs. This study provides empirical evidence for BSS management and policy making by the administrative department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change with global warming as the main feature associated with fossil energy use has been recognized as a threat to public health and welfare. Energy-related carbon emission reduction is a more serious challenge for BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) countries with rapid economic development. Examining key impact factors is necessary and helpful. This paper is the first study providing detailed country-by-country analyses aiming to identify the key drivers and inhibitors of energy-related carbon emission in 66 BRI countries with more systematic impact factors. The results show that: (1) Economic development (A), population (Ps), urbanization (Pu), and industrialization (Ss) are the key drivers for 52%, 26%, 11%, and 6% countries of BRI countries. Technological progress (T), energy consumption structure (E), and tertiary industry proportion (St) serve as key inhibitors for 65%, 17%, and 8% countries of BRI countries. (2) Different carbon emission reduction strategies should be formed on different geographical scales. At the international level, carbon emission reduction consensus should be reached and carbon emission reduction targets should be formulated. At the regional level of the Belt and Road Initiative, a carbon emission reduction cooperation fund should be established, and carbon emission reduction technologies and measures should be exchanged and data should be shared to promote the green development of the Belt and Road. At the national level, there should be carbon emission reduction policies reflecting national characteristics. At the local level, there should be specific carbon reduction measures in line with local conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater drainage in urban areas has become a challenge due to the rapid and random growth of urban areas, removal of vegetation, reduction in the effectiveness of drainage infrastructure, and climate change. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), Low Impact Development (LID), Best Management Practices (BMP), Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) and the Sponge City Programme (SCP) are various aspects for urban stormwater management in a few parts of the world. Urban hydrology plays a vital role in the urban stormwater management system. However, optimal results can only be possible when the combined effect of climate change, land use patterns, reuse, treatment, ecology, and societal aspects are considered. There is a need to provide sustainable and resilient urban drainage systems to manage stormwater more efficiently. The present review has thoroughly discussed various features related to urban stormwater management, highlighted key drivers, identified knowledge gaps in each of the measures and/or practices, recommended future research needs of urban stormwater management to become sustainable and resilient. Integrated modelling approaches considering various key drivers including reuse and real time governance enables stormwater management to be sustainable and resilient in urban environments. HIGHLIGHTS A review of the state of the art on integrated urban stormwater management (USWM) is presented.; Various aspects affecting integrated USWM including climate change, water quality, reuse and treatment perspectives of USW are discussed.; Various innovative, advanced integrated USWM measures and/or practices such as LID, BMP, SUDS, WSUD and SCP are reviewed.; Specified critical remarks and expressed views on future research needs for integrated USWM are given.;

The etiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common form of chronic liver disease, is poorly understood. To understand the causal mechanisms underlying NAFLD, we conducted a multi-omics, multi-tissue integrative study using the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, consisting of ∼100 strains of mice with various degrees of NAFLD. We identified both tissue-specific biological processes and processes that were shared between adipose and liver tissues. We then used gene network modeling to predict candidate regulatory genes of these NAFLD processes, including Fasn, Thrsp, Pklr, and Chchd6. In vivo knockdown experiments of the candidate genes improved both steatosis and insulin resistance. Further in vitro testing demonstrated that downregulation of both Pklr and Chchd6 lowered mitochondrial respiration and led to a shift toward glycolytic metabolism, thus highlighting mitochondria dysfunction as a key mechanistic driver of NAFLD.

The etiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common form of chronic liver disease, is poorly understood. To understand the causal mechanisms underlying NAFLD, we conducted a multi-omics, multi-tissue integrative study using the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, consisting of ∼100 strains of mice with various degrees of NAFLD. We identified both tissue-specific biological processes and processes that were shared between adipose and liver tissues. We then used gene network modeling to predict candidate regulatory genes of these NAFLD processes, including Fasn, Thrsp, Pklr, and Chchd6. In vivo knockdown experiments of the candidate genes improved both steatosis and insulin resistance. Further in vitro testing demonstrated that downregulation of both Pklr and Chchd6 lowered mitochondrial respiration and led to a shift toward glycolytic metabolism, thus highlighting mitochondria dysfunction as a key mechanistic driver of NAFLD.

The mechanisms of chronic pain are complex, and genetic factors play an essential role in the development of chronic pain. Neuropathic pain (NP) and inflammatory pain (IP) are two primary components of chronic pain. Previous studies have uncovered some common biological processes in NP and IP. However, the shared genetic mechanisms remained poorly studied. We utilized multi-omics systematic analyses to investigate the shared genetic mechanisms of NP and IP. First, by integrating several genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with multi-omics data, we revealed the significant overlap of the gene co-expression modules in NP and IP. Further, we uncovered the shared biological pathways, including the previously reported mitochondrial electron transport and ATP metabolism, and stressed the role of genetic factors in chronic pain with neurodegenerative diseases. Second, we identified 24 conservative key drivers (KDs) contributing to NP and IP, containing two well-established pain genes, IL1B and OPRM1, and some novel potential pain genes, such as C5AR1 and SERPINE1. The subnetwork of those KDs highlighted the processes involving the immune system. Finally, gene expression analysis of the KDs in mouse models underlined two of the KDs, SLC6A15 and KCNQ5, with unidirectional regulatory functions in NP and IP. Our study provides strong evidence to support the current understanding of the shared genetic regulatory networks underlying NP and IP and potentially benefit the future common therapeutic avenues for chronic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose- Owramanat County in Kermanshah province with 14 tourism regions, is one of the best tourist destinations of Kermanshah province, in which the tourism activists have faced challenges during the period of the outbreak of the Covid- 19 pandemic. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate and analyze the resilience of rural tourism and identify the key drivers affecting it in the face of Covid-19 pandemic in Owramanat County. Design/methodology/approach- the present applied, quantitative study has been conducted with a combined approach (combination of descriptive-analytical and exploratory methods). The questionnaire method was used for data collection and its validity and reliability have been confirmed by observing scientific principles. In order to achieve the purposes of the study, the opinions of 150 people from the local community active in the field of tourism were used to evaluate the resilience, and the opinions of 30 experts were used to identify the primary factors affecting the resilience and also the views of 25 experts were taken into consideration in order to identify the key drivers affecting the resilience of rural tourism. The SPSS and MICMAC software were used to analyze the collected data. Findings- The research findings showed that, the average of four variables including local government budget, environmental knowledge, community welfare, and social support system as the main components of the resilience of rural tourism were 1.757, 2.358, 1.808, and 2.295 respectively and have been significantly lower than the base average. The overall assessment results showed that the calculated average with a value of 2.014 has been significantly lower than the medium level. The results also showed that, among 17 factors affecting the resilience of tourism, 5 factors of government financial support, financial capital, sanitary equipment, infrastructural facilities and disease control are the most effective key drivers on resilience. Originality/ value- Evaluation and analysis of the resilience of rural tourism in the face of Covid-19 pandemic with an approach of presenting the key indicators and variables in this field and also identification of key drivers affecting the resilience of rural tourism have received less attention from researchers and this proves the originality of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development level, coordinated among three sub-systems in the economy, society, and environment, has changed globally or regionally. The key factors and mechanisms driving these changes remain uncharacterized due to the lack of a systematic method. Here, within the production-living-ecological framework, this study quantified China's sustainable development change at a fine scale and identify the key factors as well as explored its driving mechanism by combining a machine learning approach with multi-dimensional datasets. The results indicate that more than one-fifth of China has experienced sustainability change over two decades, and the dominant types of change divide this nation into four zones. The socioeconomic and the man-made environment rather than nature itself have greatly influenced this change. Road density is the key driver of sustainability change except in east China where arresting environmental deterioration via artificial plantation and mountain closure is the dominant factor for the change to take place. The findings provide a novel insight into understanding sustainable development change and its driving mechanism.

Resilience is a new approach for assessing and enhancing the resilience of cities' development foundations. The purpose of this research is to model the key drivers effective in increasing the physical resilience of the district 10 of Tehran against earthquakes with a futuristic approach and designing the relationships between the key drivers. This study was conducted using descriptiveanalytical method, and the key drivers affecting the increase of physical resilience were identified using content analysis method. In the modeling section, through Delphi method, the opinions of academic experts of physical resilience were obtained. Interview and a questionnaire were used to collect data. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using face validity criteria. Relationships between the key drivers affecting the increase of physical resilience of the studied sample against earthquakes were determined and analyzed by the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) method. Finally, using Micmac analysis, the key effective drivers were identified and classified in six levels according to their impact on other factors. The results show that the driver "granulation class" has the highest penetration force and is infrastructure and the main stimulus of urban physical resilience. Any action to increase the physical resilience of the sample against earthquakes requires modifications in this driver. Service distribution and the strength of public buildings have the least impact with 1 and 3 penetration force, respectively. The results also show that elements at higher levels have less stimulating power and more dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of Problem: Security directly and indirectly affects all aspects of citizens' lives. One of the most important aspects of security is the feeling of social security, which includes financial, life, job, and economic, and moral securities, etc. Examining how the state of social security feels and the key drivers that affect it was the main issue of the present study. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the indicators of feeling of social security and identify the key drivers that affect it in urban spaces. This was a case study in Ravansar City in Kermanshah Province. Method: The present quantitative and applied research was done with a combination of descriptive-analytical and exploratory methods. To achieve the research objectives, a combination of the opinions of citizens (364 people) and experts and specialists (30 people) was used. The main tool for data collection was a combination of a researcher-made questionnaire and the Delphi technique. To analyze the collected data SPSS and MicMac software was utilized. Results: The results showed that the average values of 2.692, 2.769, 2.6, 2.66, and 2.507 obtained for the dimensions of financial, occupational, and economic securities, moral, value, and cultural securities, and family security were significantly lower than the average base, respectively. Also, the variable of life safety with the value of 3.023 was not significantly different from its mean base. The results of the study of the general state of social security showed that the obtained average value of 2.788 was significantly lower than its average base. The results showed that the key drivers of social security affecting the feeling of social security were as follows: life satisfaction, good urban governance, income, trust, police performance, quality of physical environment, social cohesion, access to essential services and welfare, and performance of responsible institutions. Innovation: Identifying urban management as the link and main element of providing citizens’ sense of social security, which depends on their conscious participation in the selection of urban managers, was the innovation of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ozone (O 3) has emerged as the primary air pollutant in China, superseding PM 2.5. Previous studies have concentrated on the spatiotemporal variation of ozone pollution, the analysis of its sources and drivers, as well as its environmental impacts and health benefits. Since ozone pollution can be dynamically transferred through industrial activities and meteorological factors, it is crucial to scientifically identify the spatial spillover and path-dependent effects of ozone pollution in China. However, existing studies have not yet addressed this issue. Therefore, we investigate the spatiotemporal evolution and the spatial spillover of ozone pollution by means of the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) using panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2013 to 2020 in this study. The dynamic spatial Durbin model (SDM) was employed to reveal the key drivers of ozone pollution from the perspectives of spatial spillover and path-dependence effects. The direct and spillover effects of each driver on ozone pollution are systematically analyzed. The results show that from 2013 to 2020 ozone concentrations followed a fluctuating upward trend at national and provincial scales. Ozone pollution presented significant spatial spillover and path dependence effects. The direct effects indicated that economic growth, technological level, industrial structure, energy structure, ventilation coefficient, relative humidity and precipitation were the key drivers of local ozone pollution. The spillover effects indicated that population density, technology level, industrial structure, environmental regulations, ventilation coefficient, sunshine hours and relative humidity had significant spatial spillover effects on ozone pollution of surrounding regions. These findings will contribute to the understanding of the spatial spillover and path-dependent effects of O 3 pollution, and provide scientific guidance for regional synergy and long-term ozone control policies in China. [Display omitted] • The spatiotemporal pattern of ozone pollution in China was revealed. • Spatial autocorrelation of ozone pollution in China was explored. • The key drivers of ozone pollution in China were identified. • Policy implications for ozone pollution control in China were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundComplex diseases are characterized by multiple subtle perturbations to biological processes. New omics platforms can detect these perturbations, but translating the diverse molecular and statistical information into testable mechanistic hypotheses is challenging. Therefore, we set out to create a public tool that integrates these data across multiple datasets, platforms, study designs and species in order to detect the most promising targets for further mechanistic studies.ResultsWe developed Mergeomics, a computational pipeline consisting of independent modules that 1) leverage multi-omics association data to identify biological processes that are perturbed in disease, and 2) overlay the disease-associated processes onto molecular interaction networks to pinpoint hubs as potential key regulators. Unlike existing tools that are mostly dedicated to specific data type or settings, the Mergeomics pipeline accepts and integrates datasets across platforms, data types and species. We optimized and evaluated the performance of Mergeomics using simulation and multiple independent datasets, and benchmarked the results against alternative methods. We also demonstrate the versatility of Mergeomics in two case studies that include genome-wide, epigenome-wide and transcriptome-wide datasets from human and mouse studies of total cholesterol and fasting glucose. In both cases, the Mergeomics pipeline provided statistical and contextual evidence to prioritize further investigations in the wet lab. The software implementation of Mergeomics is freely available as a Bioconductor R package.ConclusionMergeomics is a flexible and robust computational pipeline for multidimensional data integration. It outperforms existing tools, and is easily applicable to datasets from different studies, species and omics data types for the study of complex traits.

Introduction: Today, in many developing and even developed countries, some border cities towards the central towns and provinces are losing their population and economic, social, and cultural capital, which is the phenomenon of urban shrinkage. Data and Method: The study is practical in terms of its purpose and qualitative-quantitative in terms of its method. The required data and information have been collected by library methods (identification of variables and drivers) and the Delphi survey. The study is practical in terms of its purpose and qualitative-quantitative in terms of its method. Mic Mac software and Morphol scenario have been used to analyze the data. Results: The findings show that the drivers of poverty and unemployment, lack of government facilities, lack of attention to border cities, and migration have the highest impact on the process of the urban contraction in Arkavaz. Conclusion: According to the results, the process of the urban shrinkage of Arkavaz will not have unfavorable future because many scenarios are in unfavorable situations (8 Scenarios). According to these situations, the grounds for the migration of its population, human, and financial capital are available. Catastrophic scenarios are ahead of the significant drivers in various economic, social, natural, and political dimensions. Therefore, with the current trend, the urban shrinkage situation is inevitable. This situation may change with planning, changing strategy, and the impact of unpredictable macro variables. Of course, regarding infrastructure development and management, intermediate to favorable scenarios have been presented that can affect other drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elisha Brownfield,1 David J Cole,2 Richard L Segal,3 Elizabeth Pilcher,4 Darlene Shaw,5 Gail Stuart,6 Gigi Smith7 1Division of General Medicine, Strategic Leadership Development, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC, USA; 2Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC, USA; 3Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, MUSC College of Health Professions, Charleston, SC, USA; 4Department of Oral Rehabilitation, MUSC College of Dental Medicine, Charleston, SC, USA; 5Institutional Strategy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; 6MUSC College of Nursing, Charleston, SC, USA; 7MUSC Education Innovation and Student Life, College of Nursing, Charleston, SC, USACorrespondence: Elisha BrownfieldDivision of General Medicine, Strategic Leadership Development, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC 29425, USATel +1 843-876-8547Fax +1 843-792-7285Email brownfe@musc.eduProblem: In an era of increasing complexity, leadership development is an urgent need for academic health science centers (AHSCs). The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and others have described the need for a focus on organizational leadership development and more rigorous evaluation of outcomes. Although the business literature notes the importance of evaluating institutional leadership culture, there is sparse conversation in the medical literature about this vital aspect of leadership development. Defining the leadership attributes that best align with and move an AHSC forward must serve as the foundational framework for strategic leadership development.Approach: In 2015, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) began a systematic process to approach strategic leadership development for the organization. An interprofessional group completed an inventory of our leadership development programs and identified key drivers of a new institutional strategic plan. A strategic leadership advisory committee designed a series of leadership retreats to evaluate both individual and collective leadership development needs.Outcomes: Three key drivers were identified as critical attributes for the success of our institutional strategy. Four specific areas of focus for the growth of the institution’s ideal leadership culture were identified, with specific action items or behaviors developed for our leaders to model. As a result of this foundational work, we have now launched the MUSC Leadership Institute.Next Steps: Knowledge of our current leadership culture, key drivers of strategy and our desired collective leadership attributes are the basis for building our institutional leadership development strategy. This will be a longitudinal process that will start with senior leadership engagement, organizational restructuring, new programming and involve significant experimentation. Disciplined, thoughtful evaluation will be required to find the right model. In addition to individual transformation with leadership development, MUSC will measure specifically identified strategic outcomes and performance metrics for the institution.Keywords: key drivers, strategic development, collective efficacy, collaboration, courageous authenticity, interprofessional

The mechanisms of chronic pain are complex, and genetic factors play an essential role in the development of chronic pain. Neuropathic pain (NP) and inflammatory pain (IP) are two primary components of chronic pain. Previous studies have uncovered some common biological processes in NP and IP. However, the shared genetic mechanisms remained poorly studied. We utilized multi-omics systematic analyses to investigate the shared genetic mechanisms of NP and IP. First, by integrating several genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with multi-omics data, we revealed the significant overlap of the gene co-expression modules in NP and IP. Further, we uncovered the shared biological pathways, including the previously reported mitochondrial electron transport and ATP metabolism, and stressed the role of genetic factors in chronic pain with neurodegenerative diseases. Second, we identified 24 conservative key drivers (KDs) contributing to NP and IP, containing two well-established pain genes, IL1B and OPRM1, and some novel potential pain genes, such as C5AR1 and SERPINE1. The subnetwork of those KDs highlighted the processes involving the immune system. Finally, gene expression analysis of the KDs in mouse models underlined two of the KDs, SLC6A15 and KCNQ5, with unidirectional regulatory functions in NP and IP. Our study provides strong evidence to support the current understanding of the shared genetic regulatory networks underlying NP and IP and potentially benefit the future common therapeutic avenues for chronic pain.

Background: Root-associated microbiomes are important for plant nutrient uptake, disease suppression and plant growth. It is important to reveal wheat-root associated microbial community assembly and dominant drivers determining their variability. Methods: Using 16S rRNA gene profiling, we investigated the effects of sample type, location, growth stage and variety on prokaryotic communities in the root endosphere and rhizosphere of wheat and bulk soil based on the field samples including 5 varieties from 4 locations along similar latitude with the distance about 157 to 800 km apart between any two locations. Results: Prokaryotic communities were more diverse in the bulk soil and rhizosphere than in root endosphere. Wheat-root associated prokaryotic community assembly was shaped predominantly by sample type, while within each sample type, location had stronger effects on the variation in prokaryotic community than growth stage or variety. Wheat variety effects varied substantially among different locations and growth stages in root endosphere and rhizosphere samples, and the variety effects were location-specific and growth stage-specific. Root endosphere specially enriched Pseudomonas, relative to other two sample types, while rhizosphere mainly enriched Bacillus. Conclusions: This study characterized prokaryotic communities of wheat-root endosphere and rhizosphere and their relationships, and demonstrated significant interactive effects between wheat variety, location and growth stage on prokaryotic community assembly in field condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]