Search

The mechanical properties of cooperative system bridges are complex. This paper describes the construction monitoring and load tests of a cable-stayed and arch cooperative bridge. The cable force, girder stress and arch alignment were monitored during construction to ensure the safety of the bridge structure and attain the intended internal force state in the completed bridge. Static and dynamic load tests were performed after completing the bridge to test its bearing capacity. The construction monitoring observations indicated that the cable force and suspender force change of the bridge during construction were generally consistent with theoretical calculations. The measured cable force of cable C01 was between 2155 and 3085 kN, and the measured value of suspender LS15 was between 980 and 1250 kN; these values conform to the laws of mechanics. The load test results demonstrated that the maximum deflection of the mid-span section of the girder was 5.8 mm, which was less than the theoretical value (6.3 mm). The measured impact coefficients of the bridge under four sets of working conditions based on dynamic load testing were similar to the computed results. These results confirm that the girder has sufficient structural stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upgrade of industrial structure is one type of momentum for improving urban ecological efficiency, and exploring the nexus between them can help implement the concept of green development. Using data from 284 cities in China between 2004 and 2019, this research employs a series of econometric models to examine how improving industrial structure contributes to the growth of urban ecological efficiency. The research results reveal that urban ecological efficiency can be significantly improved by industrial structure upgrade, while ecological efficiency is inhibited by low-quality GDP and financial development models and insignificantly decreased by industrial structure rationalization. In addition, industrial structure upgrading has failed to play a mediating role in promoting eco-efficiency through technological innovation and the reduction of pollutant emission intensity. Moreover, officials' turnover plays a negative moderating influence on the role of industrial upgrading in increasing ecological efficiency, while environmental regulation plays the opposite role. This study further conducts triple heterogeneity tests including city size, resource endowment, and regional heterogeneity, which provide a feasible way for further implementation of relevant policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest intermontane basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP), the Qaidam Basin provides unique insight into paleoclimatic change and its relationship with global change and uplift on the TP. In this study, based on morphological comparison, fossil fruit of Cyclocarya from the Early Oligocene Shangganchaigou Formation in the Qaidam Basin is assigned as Cyclocarya cf. weylandii. The discovery of Cyclocarya cf. weylandii demonstrates the occurrence of Cyclocarya in the Oligocene sediment in Qaidam Basin. This is the first record of Cyclocarya fossil of Early Oligocene Age in China and indicates that Cyclocarya has existed on the northeastern TP since at least the Early Oligocene. The living analogues of the current fossil now lives in sub-tropical China, where the East Asian Monsoon is prevalent. Integrating the new fossils and previously reported fossil remains of plants and fishes, it can be inferred that the Early Oligocene Qaidam Basin was primarily influenced by westerly circulation and had a relatively warm and humid climate, which was in sharp contrast to the present-day climate in Qaidam Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Providing a favourable practice environment has been regarded as an essential to improve the job outcomes of newly graduated nurses (NGNs). However, little is known about how and when NGNs can best utilize their practice environment to produce optimal job outcomes. Aim: The aim of this study, which is based on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Social Cognitive Model of Career Self‐Management, is to investigate whether NGNs who have a higher level of personal growth initiative are more likely to benefit from their practice environment and achieve better job outcomes by increasing their occupational self‐efficacy. Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: From 1 September 2022, to 30 September 2022, 279 NGNs from five Chinese state‐owned hospitals were recruited for this study. The participants completed measures of practice environment, personal growth initiative, occupational self‐efficacy, job stress, job satisfaction, turnover intention and quality of care. A descriptive analysis and a moderated mediation model were computed. Reporting adhered to the STROBE statement. Results: The influence of the practice environment on job outcomes was significantly mediated by occupational self‐efficacy, with personal growth initiative acting as a moderator of this mediation effect. Conclusions: NGNs who exhibited a higher degree of personal growth initiative were more likely to derive benefits from their practice environment and attain positive job outcomes by enhancing their occupational self‐efficacy. To boost NGNs' occupational self‐efficacy and achieve optimal job outcomes, hospital administrators may not only provide a supportive practice environment for them but also conduct interventions that promote their personal growth initiative. No Patient or Public Contribution: This study was designed to examine the psychosocial factors associated with NGNs' job outcomes. The study was not conducted using suggestions from the patient groups or the public. Impacts: Our findings indicate that favourable practise contexts may not always benefit the nursing job outcome if NGNs do not exhibit a high level of personal growth initiative and produce increased occupational self‐efficacy. Therefore, hospital administrators should consider implementing an intervention to improve the personal growth initiative of NGNs so that they can take full advantage of the practice environment and gain resources at work to create optimal job outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative role of stochasticity versus determinism is critically dependent on the spatial scale over which communities are studied. However, only a few studies have attempted to reveal how spatial scales influence the balance of different assembly processes. In this study, we investigated the latitudinal spatial scale dependences in assembly processes of microeukaryotic communities in surface water and sediment along the continental shelves of China. It was hypothesized that different microeukaryotic trophic groups (i.e., autotroph, heterotroph, mixotroph, and parasite) showed different latitudinal scale dependences in their assembly processes. Our results disclosed that the relative importance of different assembly processes depended on a latitudinal space scale for planktonic microeukaryotes. In surface water, as latitudinal difference increased, the relative contributions of homogenous selection and homogenizing dispersal decreased for the entire community, while those of heterogeneous selection and drift increased. The planktonic autotrophic and heterotrophic groups shifted from stochasticity-dominated processes to heterogeneous selection as latitudinal differences surpassed thresholds of 8° and 16°, respectively. For mixotrophic and parasitic groups, however, the assembly processes were always dominated by drift across different spatial scales. The balance of different assembly processes for the autotrophic group was mainly driven by temperature, whereas that of the heterotrophic group was driven by salinity and geographical distance. In sediment, neither the entire microeukaryotic community nor the four trophic groups showed remarkable spatial scale dependences in assembly processes; they were always overwhelmingly dominated by the drift. This work provides a deeper understanding of the distribution mechanisms of microeukaryotes along the continental shelves of China from the perspective of trophic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Articulated natural assemblages contain direct evidence of the element numbers, morphologies, positions and structures for reconstructing the feeding apparatuses of conodont animals, but these kind of materials are very rare in fossil records. Here we report ten new conodont natural assemblages from Member II of the Guanling Formation in Luoping County, eastern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. These assemblages were obtained from the fossil-bearing layers of the Luoping Biota, dated to the early Middle Triassic Anisian stage (Pelsonian substage). These fossiliferous laminated limestones mainly consist of calcites and dolomites, with platy clay minerals and pyrites as subordinate components, indicating that the conodont assemblages were preserved in a lower energy and anoxic sedimentary environment. The new natural assemblages preserve the primary collapse orientations of the Nicoraella feeding apparatus from the Luoping Biota, showing the relative original positions of the S, M and P elements, that could be further used to refine the architecture of this apparatus in space variable M elements and the position unclear P1 elements. Integrating previously reported three-dimensional and bilaterally symmetrical fused clusters, we statistically analyze the size of the positional homogenous elements within different sized materials, in particular S4, S3, or S2 elements, indicates that elements ontogenic changes do not affect the apparatus architecture. Architecture of Nicoraella apparatus remains stable in the process of ontogeny, so our reconstructed model is credible. It is the first time that ample types of materials have been used to restore a conodont apparatus within one genus, namely natural assemblages (articulated and disarticulated), fused clusters (articulated, disarticulated, compressed, and relatively three-dimensional), and abundant discrete elements, respectively. These materials together record the most complete information on architecture in the gondolelloid apparatuses, thus enabling us to reconstruct a reliable fifteen-element apparatus and propose it as a standard template for gondolelloid apparatus reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use changes are an important factor contributing to the increasingly severe deterioration of the ecological environment. Therefore, regional analyses of land use and ecological risk should be developed for the restoration of ecological functions. In this study, a comprehensive ecological risk assessment was constructed on a regional scale and applied to Daye, a traditional mining city in China. Cointegration analyses and Granger causality tests were used to explore the complex relationship between land use and ecological risks in the study area from 2007 to 2021. The results show a long-term and stable relationship between land use changes in different sub-regions and ecological risks, albeit with distinct Granger causality relationships. This research presents the development trend of the relationship between land use change and ecological risks in a mining city, from rapid economic growth to economic restructuring and full-region ecological governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortage of human resources is a key problem restricting the development of China's hospitality industry. In the meantime, Chinese hospitality higher education faces high graduate leakage – their undergraduates as the most promising hospitality human resource are reluctant to pursue a career in the hotel industry. Therefore, based on a framework of the perception of a job-the perception of a person-outcome, this study explored the negative effects of perceived occupational stigma and work dirtiness on hospitality management undergraduates' career choice intentions. Structural equation modelling was applied using 928 questionnaires received from 31 universities in China. The results also revealed the psychological mechanism of face concern and self-esteem, as well as the moderating role of career development programmes. From the perspective of Chinese Confucian culture, this research explicated the reason for Chinese hospitality management undergraduates' giving up on a hotel career, and provided valuable implications for hospitality higher education and hotel human resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale seepage‐faces occur on small‐slope tidal flats. All previous studies assume that the seepage‐face has only one single exit point. Here we show via numerical simulations of tidally‐influenced groundwater flow that, in a two‐dimensional vertical, homogeneous transect of a tidal flat with gentle beach slope of 1‰, multiple seepage‐faces may occur with at most four unsaturated beach surface segments which separate four seepage‐faces. Salinity‐variation induced density‐dependent flow leads to this complex phenomenon. While the seepage‐faces are the groundwater discharging zones on the beach surface, the unsaturated zones are the recharging zones. The whole aquifer beneath the tidal flat is almost occupied by seawater and forms a wall blocking the horizontal seaward discharge of inland fresh groundwater so that inland freshwater discharges mainly occur near the high tide mark. This is in great contrast with the traditional results that inland freshwater discharge occurs mainly near low tide mark. Plain Language Summary: Tidal flat with very gentle‐slopes distributes extensively around the world, for example, the coastline of Bohai, the Yellow Sea of China, and Willapa bay of USA. Due to small slopes, the intertidal zone can be as wide as several kilometers, leading to large‐scale seepage‐faces (saturated beach surface with groundwater efflux) during ebbing and low tides. All previous studies assume that the seepage‐face has only at most one segment, the upper end of which is the exit point of water table and the other end is the intersection point of seawater and beach surface. Here, we found that in a tidal flat with gentle beach slope of 1‰, multiple seepage‐faces may occur with at most 4 unsaturated beach surface segments which separate 4 seepage‐faces during low and rising tides. The locations of these seepage‐faces and adjacent unsaturated zones are quite dynamic due to the complex, dynamic density‐dependent groundwater flow in the aquifer beneath the tidal flat. Seepage‐faces are kind of complex and important boundary for coastal groundwater flow in order to accurately model the groundwater flow and solute transport in intertidal aquifers, the complex nonlinear boundary conditions on the seepage‐faces should be strictly and accurately implemented. This paper made such an attempt. Key Points: Tidal groundwater flow with strict and explicit seepage‐face boundary conditions were numerically simulatedMultiple seepage‐faces were first found to develop on gentle tidal flat with slope around 1‰Multiple seepage‐faces imply multiple local density‐dependent groundwater‐seawater re‐circulations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to air pollution is one of the greatest environmental risks for human health. Air pollution level is significantly driven by anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions. To protect people from air pollutants, China has implemented clean air actions to reduce anthropogenic emissions, which has led to rapid improvement in air quality over China. Here, we evaluated the impact of anthropogenic emissions and meteorological conditions on trends in air pollutants in a coastal city (Lianyungang) in eastern China from 2015 to 2022 based on a random forest model. The annual mean concentration of observed air pollutants, including fine particles, inhalable particles, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide, presented significant decreasing trends during 2015–2022, with dominant contributions (55–75%) by anthropogenic emission reduction. An increasing trend in ozone was observed with an important contribution (28%) by anthropogenic emissions. The impact of meteorological conditions on air pollution showed significant seasonality. For instance, the negative impact on aerosol pollution occurred during cold months, while the positive impact was in warm months. Health-risk-based air quality decreased by approximately 40% in 8 years, for which anthropogenic emission made a major contribution (93%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a portion of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), the Beishan Orogen is key to the evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO). The Mazongshan ophiolitic mélange in central Beishan Orogen comprises peridotite, gabbro, dolerite, anorthosite, massive and pillow basalt, and chert and turbiditic mudstone. Its age and tectonic environment remain controversial, which seriously affects the understanding of the tectonic evolution of the CAOB and PAO. Geochemical results demonstrated that gabbros could be divided into two distinct groups. Group A was enriched in both large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and high field strength elements (HFSE) and had high total rare earth element (REE) concentrations with the light REE (LREE) distinctly enriched relative to heavy REE (HREE), showing geochemical characteristics of oceanic island basalt (OIB). Group B has enriched LILE but flat HFSE patterns with LREEs slightly depleted relative to HREEs, which was similar to the patterns of normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (N-MORB). Basalts and peridotites displayed consistent geochemistry of MORB. Negative εSr(t) (− 44.89 to − 33.45) and positive εNd(t) (2.21 to 3.29) values of Group A indicated mantle origin. Gabbro and dolerite from Group A yielded a U–Pb age of 420 ± 2 Ma and 414 ± 3 Ma, respectively, but gabbro from Group B and tuff yielded a U–Pb age of 486 ± 15 Ma and 425 ± 6 Ma. The anorthosite dykes were formed approximately during 370 ± 5 Ma. These results demonstrate that the Mazongshan ophiolite represents relicts of the Ordovician–Devonian Paleo-Asian oceanic crust formed in the mid-ocean ridge and oceanic plateau environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the structural safety and normal operation of a cable-stayed bridge in China (Rainbow Bridge), cables were replaced and construction monitoring and control were conducted. In the process of cable replacements, the cable force and girder elevation were monitored and the distribution of cable force was adjusted according to the construction monitoring results to improve the structural force and increase the safety reserve of the structure. In the process of monitoring the cable force, the difference between the measured cable force and the design cable force was 0.4–4.4%. After adjusting the cable force, the difference between the measured cable force and the design cable force was less than 2%, and the change in the cable force was uniform, meeting the original design requirements. In the monitoring process of the main girder elevation, the elevation was increased by a maximum of 0.054 m. After completing cable adjustment, the main girder elevation was increased by 0–5 mm. This elevation was more reasonable and met the design requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas there is a large literature evaluating the impacts of education, most of the focus has been on getting to universal primary enrollment and understanding the returns to basic education; but it misses the major shifts toward higher education in many fast-growing parts of the developing world over the last 20 years. In this paper, I study the returns to higher education in China using the reinstatement of the National College Entrance Examination in 1977 as a natural experiment, investigating the causal impacts of higher education on later life outcomes and well-being. Through a combination of regression discontinuity and difference-in-difference methods, I find that cohorts that were more likely to complete high school and obtain a college education as a result of the reform were no more likely to be employed, but were more likely to have a high-socioeconomic (SES) occupation in their early 30s, and lesser of the same in their 40s. Cohorts with higher education work for fewer days in a week, and, on average, earn a higher monthly income by 56 percent in their late 40s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen that causes acute respiratory tract infection in children ≤5 years old. • The prevalence peak of HMPV in southern China appeared between March and May. • Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common respiratory virus coinfected with HMPV in children. • The predominant subtype of HMPV in this area is B1, followed by A2c subtype. • Long sunshine duration might decrease the HMPV prevalence. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological and genetic features of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection in children in southern China, and the effect of meteorological factors on infection. 14,817 children (≤14 years) with acute respiratory tract infections from 2010 to 2019 were examined for HMPV and other respiratory viruses by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Full-length F gene of 54 positive samples were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The correlation between the HMPV-positive rate and meteorological factors was analyzed by linear regression analysis. HMPV was detected in 524 (3.5%) children, who were mostly younger than 1 year. The seasonal peak of HMPV prevalence mainly occurred in spring. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus coinfected with HMPV (5.3%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequenced HMPV strains belonged to four sublineages, including A2b (1.9%), A2c (31.5%), B1 (50.0%), and B2 (16.7%). After adjusting for all meteorological factors, sunshine duration was inversely correlated with the HMPV-positive rate. HMPV is an important respiratory pathogen that causes acute respiratory tract infections in children in southern China, particularly in children ≤5 years old. The prevalence peak of HMPV in this area appeared in spring, and the predominant subtype was B1. Meteorological factors, especially long sunshine duration, might decrease the HMPV prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ∼785 Ma mafic-ultramafic cumulates in West Cathaysia formed from hydrous basaltic magmas. • Their geochemical data are consistent with arc-related cumulate petrogenesis. • They were probably formed at a crustal depth in a subduction setting. • Yangtze and West Cathaysia were not amalgamated in the Tonian, but more likely in the early Paleozoic. The Neoproterozoic tectonic setting of the West Cathaysia terrane and its relationship with the Yangtze Block are critical to understanding the formation and tectonic evolution of South China. A detailed study of late Tonian mafic-ultramafic cumulate slivers embedded in the Shenshan tectonic mélange along the northwest margin of West Cathaysia is presented here with the aim of elucidating its Neoproterozoic tectonic history. These partly-altered mafic-ultramafic rocks include olivine-bearing cumulates (olivine pyroxene hornblendite or olivine hornblende pyroxenite), pyroxene hornblendite, and gabbroic cumulates. The early crystallization of clinopyroxene and the abundance of hornblende indicate that they formed from hydrous magmas. The rocks have similar geochemical distribution patterns and show variable initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.702679 to 0.709742 and positive εNd(t) values of +2.10 to +4.52. The mineral compositions of the clinopyroxene and hornblende and their whole-rock extended normalized trace element patterns show features (e.g., negative Nb anomalies, LILE enrichment) typical of rocks with an arc affinity. The high calculated Mg# values (58–77, average 71) of the equilibrium magmas are close to those of primary mantle-derived basalts. We conclude that these mafic and ultramafic cumulates were derived from a subduction-related, hydrous, magnesian basalt in a subduction setting. The estimated crystallization temperature and pressure, based on the composition of the amphiboles, suggest that the minerals accumulated in magma chambers at middle to lower crustal depths. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircon from the gabbroic cumulate indicates crystallization at ca. 785 Ma. A previous interpretation for West Cathaysia at this time involved a continental rift basin (the Nanhua basin) that straddled the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Block and the northwestern margin of West Cathaysia. In contrast, our results suggest that West Cathaysia was an arc at ca. 785 Ma, which supports the interpretation that the amalgamation between Yangtze and West Cathaysia did not occur in the Tonian, but more likely in the early Paleozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estuarine oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis), a species native to Asia, is widespread throughout the estuarine region along the northern and southern coasts of China and has important ecological and economic values. Owing to runoff dropping and environmental threats caused by climate change and anthropogenic influences, the natural resources of C. ariakensis have persistently declined. Therefore, breeding oysters with high adaptability, which requires efficient and accurate genotyping tools, is beneficial to restore the germplasm resources and aquaculture. However, targeted genotyping tools are poorly developed for this species and even in other aquatic species. Previously, we have detected some selective regions and genes associated with temperature and salinity adaptation using selection signature analysis and found that the upstream regulatory regions of the environment-responsive genes exhibited higher differentiation. In this study, we developed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) targeted genotyping tool for C. ariakensis , which includes 30 K SNPs located in previously identified target regions. The target genomic regions were enriched by hybridization capture using double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) biotin-labeled probes, and sequenced with high depth. A total of 24,541 (81.8%) high-quality SNPs were successfully genotyped in 655 samples. Compared to the genotypes obtained from previous genome-wide resequencing, 74.2% of the SNPs had a consistency rate of 1, with an average consistency rate for each sample of 97.8%. Population structure analysis showed three divergent populations (northern, southern, and middle) on the coast of China, consistent with those constructed using SNPs derived from whole-genome resequencing data. Most of the 30 K SNPs were located in the intergenic and regulatory regions, whereas 7% were located in the coding region. These high-quality SNPs were located in 953 genes, including 100 heat-response and 348 high-salinity-responsive genes. Therefore, this panel can be used to evaluate the adaptive divergence between populations, and causative SNPs related to temperature and salinity adaptation in the linkage and association analysis, providing robust support for the molecular breeding of estuarine oyster. To the best of our knowledge, this study proposes the first high-throughput SNP-targeted genotyping tool for studying the genetic basis of environmental adaptation in oyster, and providing insights into the development of targeted SNP genotyping tools for the adaptation study in other aquatic species under climate changes. • We developed a 30 K targeted genotyping tool for Crassostrea. Ariakensis. • 24,541 high-quality SNPs were successfully genotyped in 655 samples. • These high-quality SNPs were located in environment-responsive genes. • 74.2% of the SNPs had a consistency rate of 1 with resequencing. Population structure analysis showed three divergent populations on the coast of China • This study could be used to dissect the genetic basis of environmental adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of electric bicycles (EBs) for short- and medium-distance travel provides an opportunity to decarbonize the transport sector. Using life cycle assessment, this study evaluated and compared the environmental and economic performances of EBs powered by four different types of batteries in China. The results show that EBs powered by lead-acid batteries have the worst environmental performance, whereas those powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries have the best environmental performance. Motor production was found to have the highest potential for metal depletion and toxicity for humans and ecology, owing to the use of copper in its production. These environmental consequences can be mitigated by continuous promotion of circular economy. The use stage brings about the most environmental pressure related to energy use. Power cleaning will reduce most environmental indicators by 10–25%. EBs powered by lithium manganate batteries have been a mainstream technology, but the short lifetime and low economic value of recycling the battery may constrain their development. [Display omitted] • Environmental and economic performance of electric bicycles (EBs) are evaluated. • Lead-acid battery EBs have the worst performance but use the least metals. • Motor is the component with the greatest environmental impact due to copper use. • Promoting circular economy can reduce environmental impact related to metal use. • EBs powered lithium-ion batteries have higher total cost but lower cost per km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea components (tea polyphenols, catechins, free amino acids, and caffeine) are the key factors affecting the quality of green tea. This study aimed to relate key biochemical substances in tea to soil nutrient composition and the effectiveness of fertilization. Seventy tea samples and their corresponding plantation soil were randomly collected from Xinyang City, China. The catechins, free amino acids, and caffeine in tea were examined, as well as the soil pH, nitrate ( N O 3 - -N), ammonium ( N H 4 + -N), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and soil organic matter (SOM). The ordinary kriging was employed to visualize the spatial variation characteristic by ArcGIS. A quadratic regression model was used to analyze the effects of the soil environment on the tea. The results showed that the soil pH of the study area was suitable for cultivating tea plants. The relationship between soil pH and tea polyphenols and catechins presented the U-shape curve, whereas the soil pH and N H 4 + -N and the free amino acids, the soil pH, and caffeine presented the inverted U-shape curve. Soil management measures could be implemented to control the soil environment for improving the tea quality. The combination of the macro metrological model with individual experimentation could help to analyze the detailed influence mechanisms of environmental factors on plant physiological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oysters are a keystone species in estuaries and intertidal zones and have important economic and ecological significance; however, worldwide, the dominant aquaculture oyster species suffers from mass mortality owing to anthropogenic impacts and rapid climate change. As a possible solution, inter/intraspecies hybridization is a feasible way to breed new germplasms with genetic improvement and high environmental adaptability. Suminoe oysters (Crassostrea ariakensis) are broadly distributed in the estuaries of China and have evolved strong genetic divergence between the northern and southern populations; therefore, they are ideal candidates to explore intraspecies heterosis and the associated molecular mechanisms. In this study, we performed reciprocal hybridization and examined fitness traits in oysters cultured in both northern and southern habitats. Reciprocal hybrids performed better than inbred populations in both environments, indicating heterosis in Suminoe oysters. Hybrids reared in maternal habitats showed faster growth, higher field survival, and greater aerobic metabolism than alternative hybrid oysters under the same conditions. The transcriptional analysis identified modules related to heterosis and maternal effect, while genes responsible for galactose metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were enriched and upregulated in hybrids, especially those in maternal environments. Our findings reveal that accelerated aerobic energy metabolism, which may result from mitonuclear coadaptation, underlies the molecular basis of heterosis and maternal effect in the hybridization of Suminoe oysters. Thus, we provide important insights for the aquaculture management of marine species, revealing that selecting appropriate environments (maternal habitats) is critical for heterosis in cross-breeding. • Hybrids from divergent oyster populations showed heterosis in growth and survival. • Hybrids in maternal habitat exhibited better performance indicating maternal effect. • Accelerated aerobic metabolism underlies heterosis and maternal effect in oyster. • Our findings propose better hybridization breeding of hybrids in maternal habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity and last appearance patterns of different taxa, inhabiting varied palaeo-water depths, can provide significant insights into the deterioration process of palaeoecosystems. This paper systematically summarizes the last appearance of the end-Permian planktons (including deep-water, intermediate-water, and shallow-water radiolarians) and benthos (including ostracods, foraminifers, brachiopods and bivalves) from Dongpan, a deep-water section of South China. Results show that the deep-water radiolarian Albaillellaria was the first order to go extinct, quickly followed by the intermediate- and shallow-water radiolarians and bottom-water ostracods and foraminifers. This was followed by the extinction of the bottom-water brachiopods and bivalves. We propose that the two-stage extinction pattern was related to the end-Permian migration and vertical expansion (both upward and downward) of an oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) along the southern margin of South China. • An end-Permian two-stage extinction pattern in deep water. • Planktons and benthos at Dongpan. • Deep-water, shallower-water, and bottom-water dwellers successively went extinct. • Extinction was related to the upward and downward migrations of an OMZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The AOP approach in land management marked its pioneering effort. • Multi-path presentation provided holistic land ecosystem protection. • AOP identification unveiled pivotal ecological mechanisms confirming hypotheses. • Tailored strategies for distinct AOP stages were devised. • GIS visualization ensured precise strategy implementation within the AOP. At the regional scale, the complexity of ecological deterioration limits effective decision-making and preventive measures. In this study, an adverse outcome pathway approach was developed and applied to land resource management and environmental decision-making in Daye, a traditional mining city in China. First, adverse outcome pathways for land degradation were hypothesized. Second, a weight of evidence approach was used based on the data strength and causal chain strength of each degradation pathway. Then, the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) was used with entropy information and integrated with the geographic information system (GIS) to evaluate the credibility of each pathway. The most likely adverse outcome pathway and the spatial distribution for different sub-regions were obtained. The apparent spatial heterogeneity suggests that land degradation pathways are closely associated with economic production activities in each sub-region. This study is expected to facilitate the identification of key mechanisms underlying ecological degradation and to guide the management of land systems to ensure long-term functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of marine ecosystem collapse during the Permian–Triassic mass extinction may have varied in different paleogeographic settings and the intensity of oxygen depletion changed with different water depths. It remains largely unknown about the detailed biotic community collapse and its relation to paleo-redox condition in the deep-water basin. At the Kejiao section in the Nanpanjiang Basin of South China, the continuous sedimentation sequences and complete fossil records from the Changhsingian of Permian to the lowest Triassic provide a unique opportunity to study the progressive biotic crisis associated with oxygen deficiency in a deep-water setting. Here, we document high-resolution records of both the biodiversity dataset of different taxa and the redox data from the Kejiao section to achieve a new understanding of ecosystem deterioration associated with changes of redox conditions. The redox evolution revealed by changes in pyrite framboid size and morphology shows a change trend from lower dysoxic to oxygenated, and then to dysoxic interrupted by oxygenated and anoxic conditions in the late Changhsingian, and ending with euxinic conditions in the earliest Triassic. 60 species in 41 genera from radiolarians, bivalves, brachiopods and cephalopods were identified in the section and their occurrences show two pulses of extinction. The first pulse corresponds to the reduction in species richness of planktonic radiolarians and nektonic cephalopods, and the second pulse is documented by the wipe out of benthic brachiopods and remnant nektonic cephalopods and the decline in the species richness of benthic bivalves. This indicates the collapse of plankton and most nekton communities is ahead of the counterpart of benthos in the deepwater setting, supporting what observed in other sections in South China. The plankton and nekton communities inhabited water columns and the benthic community dwelled in the bottom water. Thus, the stagewise collapse of communities might be contributed by the expansion/migration, in particular, the downward expansion of Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ) documented by the information from pyrite framboids and the sedimentation. • New records on the largely unknown deep-water palaeocommunity collapse near the PTB. • Radiolarian, bivalve, brachiopod and cephalopod species were examined at Kejiao. • The collapse of plankton and most nekton communities is ahead of that for benthos. • Changes in pyrite framboid sizes show a fluctuated, deficient oxygen condition. • The stagewise collapse of communities recalled the expansion of OMZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric aerosol pollution, such as fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and inhalable particulate matter (PM 10), is one of the most important environmental problems in China. To mitigate particulate air pollution, the Chinese government has been implementing a series of clean air actions. Here, we conducted a comprehensive analysis on surface air pollutants data obtained from the China air quality observation network using a random forest (RF) approach, to evaluate the impact of clean air actions on aerosol pollution from 2015 to 2022. Overall, the observed PM 2.5 and PM 10 showed evidently decreasing trends during 2015–2022 in each season, with the largest trends in winter. Based on the RF model analysis, we further quantified the seasonal-dependent trends in PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations driven by anthropogenic emissions over China, which were approximately −3.84 and −6.14, −2.82 and −4.71, −2.58 and −4.45, and −2.77 and −4.06 μg m−³ yr−1 for winter, spring, summer, and autumn, respectively. Furthermore, anthropogenic emissions were estimated to contribute 34.44 and 54.98, 24.10 and 37.22, 23.48 and 36.20, and 21.04 and 30.69 μg m−3 to declines in annual mean PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations during the eight years in megacity clusters of eastern China for winter, spring, summer, and autumn, respectively. These seasonal-dependent trend analyses reveal the largest reduction in ambient aerosol pollution due to anthropogenic emission abatements during cold season and further demonstrate substantial effectiveness of the clean air actions for improvement in particulate air quality in China. Correlation analysis on PM 2.5 with the major meteorological parameters and the RF model built-in feature importance suggested that a combination of high relative humidity, shallow boundary layer heights, and low wind speeds could promote wintertime aerosol pollution in short-time scales over northern China (e.g., the North China plain). • Machine learning quantified aerosol pollution trends in China during 2015–2022. • Trends in aerosol pollution in all seasons was driven by anthropogenic emissions. • The largest emission-driven improvement in particulate air quality was in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In past studies, the health and ecological risks of PCBs are well established. The impact of low-dose PCBs on aquatic ecosystems for an extended period is a matter of concern in the current era. The application of fatty acids (FAs) as bioindicators of pollution in the freshwater food web is almost unavailable. This study investigated concentrations of 209 PCB congeners, stable isotope levels, and FAs composition in ten freshwater species of Dongtinghu Lake, China. Total PCB congeners (∑PCBs) concentrations were ranged from 4.17 to 38.35 ng/g lipid weight. A total of 84 PCB congeners were detected out of 209 target PCB congeners, particularly PCB101, 118, 138, 153, and 155 found in all samples. The concentrations of 24 PCB congeners increased with trophic levels, but PCB 155 concentrations were consistent throughout trophic levels. The toxic equivalents (TEQ) of dl-PCBs (mostly PCB 126 and 169) also increased with trophic levels Out of total 35 FAs, 21 FAs were significantly positively correlated with 43 PCB congeners. Among FAs, C16:0 was the most abundant and positively correlated with most PCB compounds. Positive correlations between FAs and PCBs indicated that FAs can be used as efficient bioindicators of PCBs pollution in the aquatic food web. [Display omitted] • Stable isotope, fatty acids and PCBs were analyzed in a freshwater lake food web. • A total of 84 PCB congeners were detected out of 209 target PCBs. • Fatty acids were significantly positively correlated with PCBs in the food web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: It has been reported that maresin 1 (MaR1) is able to protect against the development of atherogenesis in cellular and animal models. This study was performed to investigate whether plasma MaR1 is associated with the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) at the population level., Methods and Results: The study included 2822 non-ASCVD participants from a community-based cohort who were followed for about 8 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for ASCVD events according to baseline MaR1 quartiles were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model. During follow-up, a total of 290 new ASCVD cases were identified. The restricted cubic spline analysis indicated a linear dose-response association between plasma MaR1 and incident ASCVD. In addition, the adjusted-HR (95% CI) for ASCVD events associated with one standard deviation increase in MaR1 was 0.79 (0.68-0.91). Moreover, the adjusted-HRs (95% CIs) for ASCVD events associated with the second, third and fourth quartiles versus the first quartile of plasma MaR1 were 1.00, 1.04 (0.76, 1.42), 0.88 (0.64, 1.22) and 0.58 (0.41, 0.84), respectively. Mediation analyses showed that the association between MaR1 and incident ASCVD was partially mediated by small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, with a mediation proportion of 9.23%. Further, the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement of ASCVD risk were significantly improved when MaR1 was added to basic model established by conventional risk factors (all p < 0.01)., Conclusions: Elevated plasma MaR1 concentrations are associated with a lower risk of ASCVD development., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and circulating folate metabolites, folic acid (FA) intake, and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) genotype., Materials and Methods: A prospective pregnancy cohort study was conducted in Beijing, China, from 2022 to 2023. Circulating folate metabolites, including red blood cell (RBC) 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), 5, 10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate (5,10-CH2-THF), 5- formyltetrahydrofolate (5-CHO-THF), and unmetabolised folic acid (UMFA), and plasma homocysteine (HCY), 5-MTHF, and methylmalonic acid (MMA), were determined at 6-17 weeks and 20-26 weeks of gestation. FA intake and the MTHFR and MTRR genotype were also examined. GDM was diagnosed between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy by a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The association between the folate status and GDM was ascertained using multivariate generalised linear models, logistic regression models, and restricted cubic spline regression, adjusting for potential confounders., Results: The study included 2032 pregnant women, of whom 392 (19.29%) developed GDM. UMFA above the 75th percentile (≥P75) [adjusted OR (aOR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) = 1.36 (1.01-1.84)], UMFA ≥ P90 [aOR (95% CI) = 1.82 (1.23-2.69)], and HCY ≥ P75 [aOR (95% CI) = 1.40 (1.04-1.88)] in early pregnancy, and RBC 5-MTHF [aOR (95% CI) = 1.48 (1.10-2.00)], RBC 5,10-CH2-THF [aOR (95% CI) = 1.55 (1.15-2.10)], and plasma 5-MTHF [aOR (95% CI) = 1.36 (1.00-1.86)] in mid-pregnancy ≥ P75 are associated with GDM. Higher UMFA levels in early pregnancy show positive associations with the 1-h and 2-h glucose levels during the OGTT, and higher HCY levels are associated with increased fasting glucose levels during the OGTT. In comparison, RBC 5- MTHF and 5,10-CH2-THF, and plasma 5- MTHF in mid-pregnancy are positively associated with the 1-h glucose level (p < 0.05). The MTHFR and MTRR genotype and FA intake are not associated with GDM., Conclusions: Elevated levels of UMFA and HCY during early pregnancy, along with elevated RBC 5-MTHF and 5,10-CH2-THF and plasma 5-MTHF during mid-pregnancy, are associated with GDM. These findings indicate distinct connections between different folate metabolites and the occurrence of GDM., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Resolvin D2 (RvD2) has been reported to protect against the development of atherosclerosis in animal models. The objective of this study was to examine the prospective association between plasma RvD2 and the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) at the population level., Methods and Results: A cohort of 2633 community-dwelling individuals aged 35-60 years was followed for 8 years in this study. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs for ASCVD outcomes according to baseline RvD2 levels were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Mediation analysis was used to test the indirect effect of serum cholesterol indicators on the association between RvD2 and ASCVD probability. In total, 284 new cases of ASCVD were identified during follow-up. An inverted U-shaped association between natural log (ln)-transformed RvD2 and incident ASCVD was determined, and the threshold value for lnRvD2 was 3.87. Below the threshold, each unit increase in lnRvD2 was associated with a 2.05-fold increased risk of ASCVD (95% CI, 1.13-3.74; P =0.019). Above the threshold, each unit increase in lnRvD2 was associated with a 36% reduced risk of ASCVD (95% CI, 0.51-0.80; P <0.001). In addition, the association between RvD2 and ASCVD probability was partially mediated by high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (15.81%) when lnRvD2 <3.87, but by total cholesterol (30.23%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (30.13%) when lnRvD2 ≥3.87., Conclusions: Both lower and higher RvD2 levels are associated with a reduced risk of ASCVD, forming an inverted U-shaped relationship. Furthermore, this association is partially mediated by total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Background: Little is known about the associations of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and its constituents with ovarian reserve, and the potential susceptible window of exposure remains unclear., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 5189 women who attended a fertility center in Hubei, China, during 2019-2022, and estimated concentrations of PM 2.5 and its major constituents during the development of follicles (4th-6th month [W1], 0-4th month [W2], 0-6th month [W3]) and 1-year before measurement (W4) based on Tracking Air Pollution in China database. We used multivariable linear regression and logistic regression models to examine the associations of PM 2.5 and its constituent exposures with anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), the preferred indicator of ovarian reserve., Results: We observed significantly decreased AMH levels associated with increasing PM 2.5 concentrations, with the percent changes (95 % confidence intervals [CIs]) of 1.99 % (0.24 %-3.71 %) during W1 and 3.99 % (0.74 %-7.15 %) during W4 for per 10 μg/m 3 increases in PM 2.5 .When PM 2.5 exposure levels were equal to 50th percentile (32.6-42.3 μg/m 3 ) or more, monotonically decreased AMH levels and increased risks of low AMH were seen with increasing PM 2.5 concentrations during W1 and W4 (P < 0.05). Black carbon (BC), ammonium (NH 4 + ), nitrate (NO 3 - ), and organic matter (OM) during W1, and NH 4 + , NO 3 - , as well as sulfate (SO 4 2- ) during W4 were significantly associated with decreased AMH. Moreover, PM 2.5 and SO 4 2- exposures during W4 were positively associated with low AMH. Additionally, the associations were stronger among women aged <35 years, lived in urban regions, or measured AMH in cold-season (P for interaction <0.05)., Conclusion: PM 2.5 and specific chemical components (particularly NH 4 + , NO3 - , and SO4 2- ) exposure during the secondary to antral follicle stage and 1-year before measurement were associated with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), indicating the adverse impact of PM 2.5 and its constituent exposures on female reproductive potential., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ensuring optimal iodine nutrition in pregnant women is a global public health concern. However, there is no direct data on safe tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for pregnant women. A cross-sectional study was performed to determine the ULs of pregnant women. A total of 744 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The median (IQR) urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in pregnant women was 150.2 (87.6, 268.0) μg/L, and the urinary iodine excretion (UIE) over 24 h was 204.2 (116.0, 387.0) μg/day. Compared with those with a UIE figure of between 150-250 μg/day, the reference group, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 5.7 times higher (95%CI: 1.7, 19.2) in pregnant women with a UIE figure of between 450-550 μg/day, and 3.9 times higher (95%CI: 1.5, 10.3) in pregnant women with a UIE figure of ≥550 μg/day. Compared with an estimated iodine intake (EII) of between 100-200 μg/day, the reference group, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction was 4.3 times higher (95%CI: 1.3, 14.4) in pregnant women with a UIE figure of between 500-600 μg/day, and 3.6 times higher (95%CI: 1.5, 8.9) in pregnant women with UIE of ≥600 μg/day. In general, our cross-sectional study found that excessive iodine intake during pregnancy appears to directly increase the risk of thyroid dysfunction. Avoiding chronic iodine intakes of 500 μg/day or higher or having a UIE figure of ≥450 μg/day is recommended for pregnant women in China.

We performed this study to clarify the dynamic changes in maternal manganese (Mn) concentration during pregnancy and its association with spontaneous preterm birth (SPB). A nested case-control study was conducted based on the Beijing Birth Cohort Study (BBCS) from 2018 to 2020. Singleton pregnancy women aged 18-44 ( n = 488) were involved in the study, including 244 cases of SPB and 244 controls. All of the participants provided blood samples twice (in their first and third trimesters). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the laboratory analysis, and unconditional logistic regression was used for the statistical analysis. We found that the maternal Mn levels were significantly higher in the third trimester than those in the first trimester (median: 1.23 vs. 0.81 ng/mL). The SPB risk was increased to 1.65 (95% CI: 1.04-2.62, p = 0.035) in the highest Mn level (third tertile) in the third trimester, especially in normal-weight women (OR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.18-3.61, p = 0.011) or non-premature rupture of membrane (PROM) women (OR: 3.93, 95% CI: 2.00-7.74, p < 0.001). Moreover, a dose-dependent relationship exists between the SPB risk and maternal Mn concentration in non-PROM women (P trend < 0.001). In conclusion, dynamic monitoring of maternal Mn level during pregnancy would be helpful for SPB prevention, especially in normal-weight and non-PROM women.

The research on the postoperative complications of aortic dissection (AD) has received great attention from scholars all over the world, and the number of research articles in this field has consistently increased year after year. However, no bibliometric reports have been published yet to analyze the scientific output and the current situation in this field. The Bibliometrix R-package, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace software were used to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the hotspots and development frontiers of AD. A total of 1242 articles were retrieved. The USA, China, and Japan had the highest number of publications. The five keywords with the highest frequency were "analysis," "incidence," "acute type," "graft," and "risk factor." The results also indicated that the research in related fields had shifted from surgical treatment and utilizing experience to the evidence-based exploration of risk factors and the construction of prediction models to help better manage postoperative complications of AD. This is the first bibliometric analysis of global publications on the postoperative complications of AD. The current research hotspots focus on three areas: common postoperative complications of AD, exploration of the related risk factors, and management of complications. Future research could focus on identifying risk factors through meta-analysis and using a multicenter database for AD as well as building relevant models to predict the development of complications to better facilitate the clinical management of AD patients., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

In the past 10-15 years, the government of China has made various efforts in tackling excessive antibiotics use. Yet, little is known about their effects at rural primary care settings. This study aimed to determine the impact of government policies and the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic prescribing practices at such settings utilizing data from separate studies carried out pre- and during the pandemic, in 2016 and 2021 in Anhui province, China, using identical sampling and survey approaches. Data on antibiotics prescribed, diagnosis, socio-demographic, etc., were obtained through non-participative observation and a structured exit survey. Data analysis comprised mainly descriptive comparisons of 1153 and 762 patients with respiratory infections recruited in 2016 and 2021, respectively. The overall antibiotics prescription rate decreased from 89.6% in 2016 to 69.1% in 2021, and the proportion of prescriptions for two or more classes of antibiotics was estimated as 35.9% in 2016 and 11.0% in 2021. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of days from symptom onset to clinic visits between the year groups. In conclusion, measures to constrain excessive prescription of antibiotics have led to some improvements at the rural primary care level, and the COVID-19 pandemic has had varying effects on antibiotic use.

Objective: Large sample investigations for risk factors for pneumonia in elderly patients after hip fracture surgeries are lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence and risk factors for postoperative pneumonia in geriatric patients following hip fracture operations., Methods: A retrospective study of incidence and risk factors in a tertiary referral center between 2016 and 2020 was conducted. Geriatric patients who developed postoperative pneumonia after surgeries of hip fracture during hospitalization stay were defined as cases and those without as controls. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate risk factors for postoperative pneumonia., Results: This study included 3147 patients, and 182 developed postoperative pneumonia, denoting the rate of 5.8%. In the multivariate analyses, age (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.06), sex (males) (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.64-3.13), respiratory disease (OR 3.74; 95% CI 2.32-6.04), heart disease (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.14-2.47), cerebrovascular disease (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.11-2.27), liver disease (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.33-5.15), preoperative stay (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.05-1.11) and general anesthesia (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.15-2.27) were identified as independent risk factors for postoperative pneumonia., Conclusions: This study identified several risk factors for pneumonia in geriatric patients after hip fracture operations, providing a viable preventive strategy for optimizing clinical conditions for reduction of postoperative pneumonia., (© 2022. The Author(s).)