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In this paper, we propose a novel Total Electron Content (TEC) map prediction model, named ED‐AttConvLSTM, using a Convolutional Long Short‐Term Memory (ConvLSTM) network and attention mechanism based on encoder‐decoder structure. The inclusion of the attention mechanism enhances the efficient utilization of spatiotemporal features extracted by the ConvLSTM, emphasizing the significance of crucial spatiotemporal features in the prediction process and, as a result, leading to an enhancement in predictive performance. We conducted experiments in East Asia (10°N–45°N, 90°E−130°E). The ED‐AttConvLSTM was trained and evaluated using the International GNSS Service TEC maps over a period of six years from 2013 to 2015 (high solar activity years) and 2017 to 2019 (low solar activity years). We compared our ED‐AttConvLSTM with IRI‐2016, COPG, LSTM, GRU, ED‐ConvLSTM and ED‐ConvGRU. The results indicate that our model surpasses the comparison models in forecasting both high and low solar activity years, across most months and UT moments in a day. Moreover, our model exhibits notably superior prediction performance during the most severe phases of a magnetic storm when compared to the comparison models. Subsequently, we then also discuss how the prediction performance of our model is affected by latitude. Finally, we discuss the diminishing performance of our model in multi‐day predictions, demonstrating that its reliability for forecasts ranging from one to 4 days in advance. Beyond the fifth day, there is a pronounced decline in the model's performance. Plain Language Summary: High precision prediction of Total Electron Content (TEC) is of great significance for improving the accuracy of global satellite navigation systems. In this paper, we introduced the attention mechanism into the ionospheric TEC map prediction model to adaptively weight the ionospheric TEC spatiotemporal features, highlighting the contribution of important spatiotemporal features in TEC map prediction. Results showed that the prediction performance of our model is improved compared with the other six models. Key Points: Introducing ED‐AttConvLSTM, a novel Total Electron Content (TEC) map prediction model utilizing Convolutional Long Short‐Term Memory and an attention mechanism in an encoder‐decoder frameworkThe incorporation of attention mechanisms markedly decreased root mean square error in TEC map predictions for 2015 and 2019Our model excels over 6 state‐of‐the‐art models, affirming its robustness and reliability for TEC map prediction [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests disturbance by tropical cyclones is mostly documented by field studies of exceptionally strong cyclones and satellite-based approaches attributing decreases in leaf area. By starting their analysis from the observed damage, these studies are biased and may, therefore, limit our understanding of the impact of cyclones in general. This study overcomes such biases by jointly analyzing the cyclone tracks, climate reanalysis, and changes in satellite-based leaf area following the passage of 140 ± 41 cyclones. Sixty days following their passage, 18 ± 8 % of the cyclones resulted in a decrease and 48 ± 18 % showed no change in leaf area compared to nearby forest outside the storm track. For a surprising 34 ± 7 % of the cyclones, an increase in leaf area was observed. Cyclones resulting in higher leaf area in their affected compared to their reference area coincided with an atmospheric pressure dipole steering the cyclone towards a region experiencing a dry spell caused by the same dipole. When the dipole was present, the destructive power of cyclones was offset by their abundant precipitation enabling forest canopies in the affected area to recover faster from the dry spell than canopies in the reference area. This study documents previously undocumented widespread antagonist interactions on forest leaf area between tropical cyclones and droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting observational records demonstrate human‐caused faunal decline in recent decades, while accumulating archaeological evidence suggests an early biodiversity impact of human activities during the Holocene. A fundamental question arises concerning whether modern wildlife population declines began during early human disturbance. Here, we performed a population genomic analysis of six common forest birds in East Asia to address this question. For five of them, demographic history inference based on 25–33 genomes of each species revealed dramatic population declines by 4‐ to 48‐fold over millennia (e.g. 2000–5000 thousand years ago). Nevertheless, summary statistics detected nonsignificant correlations between these population size trajectories and Holocene temperature variations, and ecological niche models explicitly predicted extensive range persistence during the Holocene, implying limited demographic consequence of Holocene climate change. Further analyses suggest high negative correlations between the reconstructed population declines and human disturbance intensities and indicate a potential driver of human activities. These findings provide a deep‐time and large‐scale insight into the recently recognized avifaunal decline and support an early origin hypothesis of human effects on biodiversity. Overall, our study sheds light on the current biodiversity crisis in the context of long‐term human–environment interactions and offers a multi‐evidential framework for quantitatively assessing the ecological consequences of human disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID-19 surge in Taiwan, the Far East Memorial Hospital established a system including a centralized quarantine unit and triage admission protocol to facilitate acute care surgical inpatient services, prevent nosocomial COVID-19 infection and maintain the efficiency and quality of health care service during the pandemics. Materials and methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients undergoing acute care surgery. The triage admission protocol was based on rapid antigen tests, Liat® PCR and RT-PCT tests. Type of surgical procedure, patient characteristics, and efficacy indices of the centralized quarantine unit and emergency department (ED) were collected and analyzed before (Phase I: May 11 to July 2, 2021) and after (Phase II: July 3 to July 31, 2021) the system started. Results: A total of 287 patients (105 in Phase I and 182 in Phase II) were enrolled. Nosocomial COVID-19 infection occur in 27 patients in phase I but zero in phase II. More patients received traumatological, orthopedic, and neurologic surgeries in phase II than in phase I. The patients' surgical risk classification, median total hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and the number of patients requiring postoperative ICU care were similar in both groups. The duration of ED stay and waiting time for acute care surgery were longer in Phase II (397 vs. 532 minutes, p < 0.0001). The duration of ED stay was positively correlated with the number of surgical patients visiting the ED (median = 66 patients, Spearman's ρ = 0.207) and the occupancy ratio in the centralized quarantine unit on that day (median = 90.63%, Spearman's ρ = 0.191). Conclusions: The triage admission protocol provided resilient quarantine needs and sustainable acute care surgical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The efficiency was related to the number of medical staff dedicated to the centralized quarantine unit and number of surgical patients visited in ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol variability is influenced by changes in emissions and atmospheric dynamics. The aim of this study is to identify the role of synoptic weather systems in affecting the aerosol variation over East Asia under future changes in atmospheric dynamics. First we investigate the influence of synoptic weather on aerosol optical depth (AOD) spatiotemporal variability using long-term observations from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We demonstrate that the major synoptic weather patterns of each season are among the dominant factors that affect AOD variations. During spring and autumn, AOD variability is significantly influenced by dynamic transport under northeasterly (winter monsoon) or southwesterly (summer monsoon) conditions. In summer, the maximum anomaly of the AOD variability was associated with the occurrence of fronts and tropical cyclones near Taiwan. While in winter, cold surge was the major event controlling the AOD variability. As atmospheric dynamics are well connected with AOD interannual variability, the AOD predictability over East Asia is associated with the predictability of synoptic weather systems. We apply the high-resolution atmospheric model (HiRAM) to identify these weather systems in present climate and under future warming scenarios. Under future climate based on HiRAM, the occurrence of summer tropical cyclones decreases by 32%, and the autumn southwesterly pattern increases by 50%. Considering the frequency change in summer tropical cyclones and autumn southwestlies under future scenarios, this may lead to the accumulation of AOD over China during summer and autumn through dynamic transport. The results suggest that AOD variations in East Asia may change along with future changes in the large-scale circulation under global warming. • Transport under monsoons notably altered aerosol variability in spring and fall. • In summer, AOD variability was highly linked to fronts and cyclones near Taiwan. • Cold surge was the major event controlling the aerosol variability in winter. • The future change in event frequency may lead to aerosol accumulation over China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal recognition of same-sex partnerships and marriages has been at the forefront of media attention in East Asian societies. For our comparative study, we carried out qualitative in-depth interviews with 31 gay men and lesbians to investigate the nuanced understanding of marriage, family and sexual citizenship within the context of debates on marriage equality across Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan. Expanding on the theoretical concepts in Chen's 'Asia as method', Iwabuchi's 'inter-Asian referencing' and Yue and Leung's 'queer Asia as method', we aim to understand how the act of marriage is defined, conducted and rationalized amidst a web of social relations within each research locale. We argue that despite the variations in the structure and practice of kin relations, same-sex unions cannot be detached from the kinship institution in the three research sites. Our study points to a different perspective on same-sex marriage that goes beyond the binary of assimilation to/dismantling of the heterosexual marriage institution by attending to the structural and symbolic significance of the family and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phthalate plasticizer, di(2‐ethyl‐hexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and its derived metabolites are common anthropogenic environmental toxins, which are known to act as endocrine disruptors. Numerous studies have associated DEHP with disruption of sex hormones, abnormal development of reproductive organs, allergies, and inflammation. Its role in promoting inflammation has been reported by both human epidemiological and animal studies. In stomach tissue, chronic inflammation is known to accompany mucosal damage, and pave the way to gastritis, stomach ulcers, and ultimately gastric cancer. Eastern Asian populations possess the highest gastric cancer incidences in the world. Coincidentally, East Asia is one of the world's major sites for plastics manufacture and export. Thus, possible correlations between DEHP, a common plasticizer, and gastric cancer are of great interest. Our study revealed several critical findings. First, even at very low dosage, mimicking the residual plasticizer exposure, detrimental effects of DEHP on gastric cells can be detected. Second, gastric cells treated with DEHP increased cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in a time‐dependent manner. Third, promoter deletion studies revealed a critical role of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) for COX‐2 gene responses. Finally, our results indicated that a low concentration of DEHP is able to trigger COX‐2 activation via the extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and NF‐κB signaling pathway. Taken together, we demonstrate that very low doses of DEHP enhance the expression of the prototypical inflammatory gene, COX‐2, in gastric cancer cells via ERK1/2 and NF‐κB activation. This study provides important insights into the inflammatory process and damages associated with phthalate plasticizers exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We constructed the A-Train co-located aerosol and marine warm cloud data from 2006 to 2010 winter and spring over East Asia and investigated the sensitivities of single-layer warm cloud properties to aerosols under different precipitation statuses and environmental regimes. The near-surface stability (NSS), modulated by cold air on top of a warm surface, and the estimated inversion strength (EIS) controlled by the subsidence are critical environmental parameters affecting the marine warm cloud structure over East Asia and, thus, the aerosols–cloud interactions. Based on our analysis, precipitating clouds revealed higher cloud susceptibility to aerosols as compared to non-precipitating clouds. The cloud liquid water path (LWP) increased with aerosols for precipitating clouds, yet decreased with aerosols for non-precipitating clouds, consistent with previous studies. For precipitating clouds, the cloud LWP and albedo increased more under higher NSS as unstable air promotes more moisture flux from the ocean. Under stronger EIS, the cloud albedo response to aerosols was lower than that under weaker EIS, indicating that stronger subsidence weakens the cloud susceptibility due to more entrainment drying. Our study suggests that the critical environmental factors governing the aerosol–cloud interactions may vary for different oceanic regions, depending on the thermodynamic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense economic and industrial development in China has been accompanied by severe local air pollution, as well as in other downwind countries in East Asia. This study analyzes satellite observational data of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and aerosol optical depth (AOD) to explore the spatial distribution, long-term temporal variation, and correlation to meteorological conditions over this region over the period 2005–2015. SO2 and NO2 data are retrieved from the ozone monitoring instrument (OMI) onboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aura satellite, while AOD data are from the moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the NASA Aqua satellite. Spatial distributions of SO2, NO2, and AOD show the highest levels in the North China Plain (NCP), with hotspots also in Southeastern China (SC) and the Sichuan Basin (SB). Biomass burning also contributes to a high level of AOD in Southeast Asia in spring and in Equatorial Asia in fall. Considering the correlation of pollutant levels to meteorological conditions, monitoring data show that higher temperature and higher relative humidity (RH) favor the conversion of SO2 and NO2 to sulfate and nitrate aerosol, respectively. The impact of stronger lower tropospheric stability facilitates the accumulation of SO2 and NO2 in NCP and SC. Transport of SO2 and NO2 from intense source regions to relatively clean regions is highly influential over East Asia; such transport from the NCP leads to a considerable increase of pollutants in SC, SB, Taiwan Island (TW), and Taiwan Strait (TWS), particularly in winter. Aerosols generated by biomass burning in Southeast Asia and anthropogenic aerosol in SC are transported to TW and TWS and lead to the increase of AOD, with the highest levels of AOD in SC, TW, and TWS occurring in spring. Precipitation results in the removal of pollutants, especially in highly polluted regions, the effect of which is most significant in winter and spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a highly urbanized city in East Asia, Hong Kong has faced severe photochemical ozone (O 3) pollution for years. A comprehensive understanding of pollution characteristics is crucial for effective mitigation of the O 3 problem. This study systematically investigated the multi-year trends of surface O 3 over the last decade using measurements from 11 selected Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS). The analysis reveals upward trends in the annual average and daily maximum 8-h average (DMA8) O 3 from 2011 to 2022, with rates of 0.34 ppb year−1 (p < 0.05) and 0.22 ppb year−1 (p = 0.19), respectively. Though upward trends of DMA8 O 3 were observed at urban stations (0.10–0.88 ppb year−1), the significant decreases in NO 2 levels at all stations (−0.18 to −1.75 ppb year−1) led to a decline of total oxidants (O x , O 3 +NO 2). In addition to the daytime O 3 peak increase, a clear nighttime O 3 peak was present with a significant increasing trend, which was associated with the regional transport of O 3 -rich plumes and weakened NO titration effect. The relative contributions of local production and regional transport were investigated, and results indicated that local control efforts have predictably alleviated the locally produced O x , while the regional background O x still contributes significantly but appears to decline. Furthermore, an observation-based model was employed to examine the evolution of O 3 -precursors relationships. The results indicate that O 3 formation was still VOC-limited in Hong Kong, and the suppressive effect of NO x on O 3 formation has decreased in recent years. In terms of abatement strategies, apart from aromatics, we emphasize the significance of carbonyl compounds due to their high reactivity to O 3 production. • A comprehensive analysis presents the long-term upward trend of surface O 3 in Hong Kong. • Elevated nighttime O 3 peaks in Hong Kong due to the regional transport of O 3 -rich plumes with reduced NO titration effect. • Strict emission control measures have alleviated local O x production and ceased the degradation of regional background O x. • The O 3 formation regime remains VOC sensitive, with high reactivity contribution from aromatics and carbonyl compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]