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Household income predicts early adolescents' cognitive development. However, the mechanism underlying this association and protective factors are unclear. This study assessed one-year longitudinal data to examine whether perceived discrimination mediated the association between household income and executive function and the moderating role of shift-and-persist. 344 early adolescents in rural China were included in the study (mean = 10.88 years, SD = 1.32 years, girls: 51.74%). The latent variable model revealed that household income predicted early adolescents' cognitive flexibility and working memory in the subsequent year through perceived discrimination. Shift-and-persist moderated the negative effects of perceived discrimination on cognitive flexibility: perceived discrimination impeded cognitive flexibility only among early adolescents with low shift-and-persist. The findings highlight perceived discrimination in the relation between household income and early adolescents' executive function and underscore the protective role of shift-and-persist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, hydrofracture technology is mainly used for shale gas exploration and exploitation, and the effect of volume fracturing is tightly linked to the mechanical properties (including anisotropy and brittleness) of shale. Meanwhile, Sichuan Basin is also an important area for unconventional natural gas exploration and development in China. This work analyzed mineral composition and microstructure of outcrop shale matrix in Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation through XRD test, slice observation, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). How anisotropy affects shale deformation, strength and failure characteristics at different bedding angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) under diverse confining pressures (0 MPa, 25 MPa, 50 MPa, 75 MPa, and 100 MPa) in conventional uniaxial/triaxial experiments were discussed. The acoustic emission (AE) evolution was introduced to reveal the cracks closure and propagation of Longmaxi Formation shale and qualitatively characterized the brittleness of the shale. What's more, based on the existing brittleness index, this study proposed an indicator BInew that considers the shape of the stress–strain curve before and after the peak stress to evaluate the brittleness of the Longmaxi Formation shale. The index BInew can better describe the changes of brittleness with confining pressure and bedding angle. Finally, this work elaborately explained the relationship between AE characteristics, brittleness, and failure modes of shale. AE characteristics can not only qualitatively characterize shale brittleness but also show the failure process and modes of shale samples. Change of failure modes rests with the difference in brittleness and also reflects the level of brittleness. The change of brittleness with failure modes can be expressed as shear along bedding plane (Sh-Al) > splitting through bedding plane (Sp-Th) > conjugate shear failure (Co-Sh) > shear along bedding plane (Sh-Al) > shear through bedding plane (Sh-Th). Highlights: Uniaxial/triaxial compression and acoustic emission (AE) monitoring of Longmaxi formation shale were carried out. Influence of anisotropy of shale on mechanical properties under different confining pressures was analyzed. Different brittleness indexes were used to evaluate the brittleness of shale, and a new brittleness index was established. Relationship between AE characteristics, brittleness, and failure modes of shale was discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sauropterygia is the largest, most successful group of Mesozoic marine diapsids, spanning from the late Early Triassic to the Late Cretaceous. Plesiomorphic for sauropterygians, pachypleurosauroids are important for our understanding on the early evolution of this group. Here, we present a new pachypleurosaurid, Luopingosaurus imparilis gen. et sp. nov., based on an exceptionally preserved skeleton from the early Middle Triassic Luoping Lagerstätte in Yunnan, China. The discovery documents the first long-snouted pachypleurosaurid with an unexpected hyperphalangy in the manus, providing new insights into the morphological diversification, ecological adaption and biogeographic evolution of this clade. The discovery further indicates that there is a morphological divergence between short-snouted (brevirostrine) keichousaurids and relatively long-snouted (longirostrine) pachypleurosaurids, which was probably driven by ecological specializations related to feeding and foraging. Additionally, an evolutionary trend towards the reduction of the ratio of the hyoid length to mandibular length (HM ratio) is recognized in pachypleurosauroids. This reduction of HM ratio, associated with the increase of the snout length, might implicate a gradual recession of suction feeding in pachypleurosauroid evolution. Phylogenetic studies incorporating Luopingosaurus recover European pachypleurosaurids as successive sister groups to Chinese derived pachypleurosaurids, supporting a western Tethyan origin for this family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial agglomeration (IA) has greatly promoted the improvement of industrial efficiency (IE), but it has also brought serious environmental pollution (EP), which in turn affects sustainable industrial development. Therefore, this study built a theoretical derivation model including pollution output and used a vector error correction model (VECM) and three-stage simultaneous equations (3SLS) to explore the mechanisms among IA, EP and sustainable IE. The following conclusions were reached: (1) The relationship between IA and EP presents an inverted U-shape and is located on the left side of the inverted U-shape curve. IA has increased emissions of industrial sulphur dioxide, industrial soot and industrial wastewater pollutants, but is conducive to IE. Increased EP will inhibit both IA and the level of IE. (2) Both IA and low EP can enhance the level of sustainable IE. (3) IE plays a mitigating role in IA and EP; it will weaken the inhibitory effect of EP on IA and strengthen the impact of IA on EP. In the future, China should continue its industrialization process to promote the scale of IA and strictly control the discharge of industrial pollutants to reduce EP. Simultaneously, the government should encourage industrial enterprises to improve technological innovation to promote IE. IA, EP and IE form a virtuous circle that promotes the development of the industrial economy and optimizes the environment. This approach can also be applied to other regions to provide decision support for the sustainable development of industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments actively encourage renewable energy use to deal with climate change and achieve carbon emission reduction targets. It is crucial to find out the driving factors that affect the utilization of renewable energy. Therefore, based on China's 2010–2016 input–output table, this paper uses the input–output model and structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to analyze the driving factors of renewable energy changes in the production end, household end, and the aggregate economy. The results show that the changes in the consumption structure (F) is the most crucial factor for renewable energy use, followed by technology progress (T) and final demand per capita (V). Sector SEHW (supply of electric power, heat power, and water) and MCRP (manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products) are the two vital sectors to achieve China's energy transition of the production level. However, as for households, the proportion of renewable energy has been declining. Hence, the government should promote renewable energy use and achieve the green transition in production and household levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study the influence of hyperbilirubinemia on indexes of neonatal kidney function. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted September 2019 to March 2020 in Neonatology Department of Xuzhou Central Hospital. Neonates with gestational age ≥ 35 weeks and aged ≤ 7 days were included and divided into mild, moderate, and severe groups according to total serum bilirubin level. Epidemiologic and demographic data and daily urine output were recorded. Total serum bilirubin, serum creatinine, serum cystatin C, serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), urine NGAL, and kidney injury molecule-1 were tested before and 12~18 h after phototherapy. Parameters of kidney function were compared between groups. Results: Fifty-three, 52, and 49 neonates were included in the mild, moderate, and severe groups, respectively. Urine NGAL was higher in severe (1.36 ± 0.24 μg/L) compared to moderate (1.22 ± 0.19 μg/L) and mild groups (1.16 ± 0.19 μg/L), and differences were statistically significant (P = 0.004 and < 0.001, respectively). Urine NGAL was not significantly different between moderate and mild groups (P > 0.05). No significant differences in other kidney function indexes were observed between the three groups (all P > 0.05). Significant reduction in urine NGAL levels 12~18 h after stopping phototherapy was found in severe group ((1.17 ± 0.28) μg/L vs. (1.35 ± 0.23) μg/L, P < 0.001). Urine NGAL positively correlated with total serum bilirubin (r = 0.575, P < 0.001). Among all cases, neither serum creatinine nor daily urine output met neonatal acute kidney injury diagnostic criteria. Conclusion: Severe hyperbilirubinemia may temporarily impair renal tubular reabsorption functions in full-term and near-term neonates, which is likely reversible. However, it has little effect on glomerular filtration function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determine the main factors affecting carbon emissions of the Chinese steel industry is indispensable commitments to achieve the sustainable development of China. Hereby, based on the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIPRAT) model, this paper combines the economic growth function, carbon emission production function, and the FDI function of the Chinese steel industry, and uses the three-stage least square equation model (3SLS) to analyze the relationship between China's economic growth, carbon emissions in the steel industry, and FDI (foreign direct investment) inflows. The results document a complete two-way causal relationship of three variables in the whole country and the Western region, while the relationship in the Eastern region and the Central region is not complete. Moreover, there are no bidirectional causal relationship between carbon emissions and FDI in the Eastern region, while only bidirectional causality between carbon emissions and FDI in the Central region. These findings are of great significance for the Chinese steel industry to formulate effective emission reduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosted by volcaniclastics of the Carboniferous Dahalajunshan Formation, the Songhu iron deposit is located in the central segment of the Awulale metallogenic belt, Chinese Western Tianshan. Mineralization and alteration are structurally controlled by orogen-parallel NWW-striking faults. Integrating with mineralogical and stable isotopic analyses based on paragenetic relationships, two types of iron mineralization have been identified. The deuteric mineralization (Type I) represented by brecciated, banded, and disseminated-vein ores juxtaposed with potassic-calcic alteration in the inner zone, which was formed from a magmatic fluid generated during the late stages of regional volcanism. In contrast, the volcanic-hydrothermal mineralization (Type II) is characterized by hydrothermal features occurring in massive and agglomerated ores with abundant sulfides, and was generated from the magmatic fluid with seawater contamination. Two volcaniclastic samples from the hanging and footwall of the main orebody yield zircon U-Pb ages of 327.8 ± 3.1 and 332.0 ± 2.0 Ma, respectively, which indicate Middle Carboniferous volcanism. Timing for iron mineralization can be broadly placed in the same epoch. By reviewing geological, mineralogical, and geochemical features of the primary iron deposits in the Awulale metallogenic belt, we propose that the two types of iron mineralization in the Songhu iron deposit are representative regionally. A summary of available geochronological data reveals Middle-Late Carboniferous polycyclic ore-related volcanism, and nearly contemporaneous iron mineralization along the belt. Furthermore, petro-geochemistry of volcanic-volcaniclastic host rocks indicates that partial melting of a metasomatized mantle wedge under a continental arc setting could have triggered the continuous volcanic activities and associated metallogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii is an important disease of melon, and race 2F is the predominant race in most areas of China. Resistance to P. xanthii race 2F in melon K7-1 was controlled by a dominant gene, designated Pm- 2F, in a 106-member population of recombinant inbred lines derived from K7-1× susceptible K7-2. Using bulked segregant analysis with molecular markers, we have identified two polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSR) to determine that Pm- 2F is located on linkage group II. Comparative genomic analyses using mapped SSR markers and the cucumber genome sequence showed that the melon chromosomal region carrying Pm- 2F is homologous to a 288,223 bp genomic region on cucumber chromosome (chr) 1. The SSR markers on chr 1 of cucumber, SSR02734, SSR02733 and CS27 were found linked with Pm- 2F. Comparative mapping showed that two SSR markers (SSR02734 and CMBR8) flanked the Pm- 2F locus and two nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat resistance genes were identified in the collinear region of cucumber. A cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker was developed from the sequence of resistance genes and it delimits the genomic region carrying Pm- 2F to 0.8 cM. The evaluation of 165 melon accessions and 13 race differential lines showed that the newly developed CAPS (CAPS- Dde I) marker can be used as a universal marker for effective marker assisted selection in melon powdery mildew resistance breeding. The putative resistance gene cluster provides a potential target site for further fine mapping and cloning of Pm- 2F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]