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The paper industry is a high-carbon emission and energy-intensive industry. From the perspective of low-carbon trade and carbon neutrality, its energy conservation and emission reduction are worthy of attention. This study used the input-output model to calculate the embodied carbon emissions of China’s paper industry’s export trade to the United States from 2006 to 2020 and used the logarithmic mean division index (LMDI) method to analyze influencing factors of the change of embodied carbon emissions. The study found that the embodied carbon emissions of China’s paper industry’s export trade to the United States generally shows a stable downward trend after reaching the peak with the increase of export trade scale; scale effect is the main factor that causes the embodied carbon emissions, while technological progress, policy support, and environmental regulations are important driving forces to promote carbon emission reduction. The research results of this paper not only can test and guide China’s paper industry trade policies and industrial policies, but they can also provide decision-making reference for China and the United States to promote the carbon emission reduction of the paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folk paper-cut art is one of the bright pearls, with a wide range of shapes and a long history, that serves as a model for modern visual communication design in China and encourages designers to think creatively. Integrating emotional elements into a design not only can elicit an emotional response from the viewer but also can make works created using traditional rational thinking more vivid, energetic, and touching. The main focus of this research is on the path and method of incorporating folk paper-cut emotion into visual communication design. The research status of various feature extraction methods and image recognition methods at home and abroad is examined in depth in this paper. For the recognition of distorted images that are not transformed by mathematics, some effective methods are proposed. They are used to recognize artistic images of paper-cut patterns because they can extract effective features that are not affected by translation, rotation, scale change, or small deformation. Experiments have shown that they have a positive impact. The use of folk paper-cut art in visual communication design not only improves the quality of design work but also generates new ideas for the transmission and development of other traditional Chinese cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coating technique, supposedly invented by Chinese papermakers no later than the 3rd century AD, greatly improved paper sheets' qualities of color, texture, writability, and printability. Alongside the dispersal of papermaking and surface-treatment techniques beyond China, coated papers were manufactured and used in many other regions of the world. Understanding the manufacture of coated papers, therefore, is crucial for perceiving how surface treatments were developed to meet the need for paper with enhanced properties. However, the characterization of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese papers has long remained an unsolved issue, and previous studies on this topic have often produced inconclusive results. To explore a non-invasive methodology that can more reliably characterize coated papers and the coating pigment on them, this article presents the results of a pilot study that applied micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and Raman spectroscopy to samples of three Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD) papers and two handmade papers manufactured in China in the 1990s. Micro-CT revealed the coating layer(s) on Lajian (waxed coated paper) and Lengjinjian (gold-dusted paper) of the Qing Dynasty and characterized the modern raw xuan and bamboo papers as uncoated. Raman spectroscopy, together with handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis, identified the mineral-based pigment in the coating layer, suggesting the use of lead white or kaolin as the coating pigment. Additionally, Raman analysis confirmed the use of other mineral pigments (red lead and cinnabar), beeswax, and organic dyes (gamboge, kermesic acid, and possibly purpurin) in the manufacture of Lajian and Lengjinjian papers. The combination of micro-CT and Raman spectroscopy, it is therefore suggested, is a practical, more reliable approach for non-invasive investigation of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese paper specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the art of paper tearing by Hong Kong-based paper-tearing artist Sing Man Lee in his aim to create a bridge between contemporary life and traditional Chinese cultures. Other topics include how Lee made his first paper-tearing artwork, how the art can improve a person's confidence, and an exploration of Lee's artwork through the National Visual Arts Standards.

Unlike in developed countries, most public toilets in China do not provide toilet paper onsite and users must bring their toilet paper. Moreover, an open waste bin is placed in each user's cubicle to collect used toilet paper and tissues. Such practices, which are common in East Asia and central America, have induced a dilemma of toilet paper disposal because some municipalities have removed waste bins from public toilets to prevent virus transmission by fecal matter. As a consequence, users were forced to flush down their used toilet paper and tissues. Yet, it is unknown whether standard toilet paper can be flushed easily without causing issues in sewer operations. Here, we surveyed the conditions of toilets in university campus and other public facilities in different regions across China. We also evaluated the disintegration characteristics of toilet paper products both by conducting online surveys and by physical disintegration experiments. We found that only 15% of toilets provided toilet paper, while open waste bins occurred at nearly all sites. Further, our survey indicated that 82% of toilet paper products sold in China did not give any indication on their flushability, whereas 77% of US products did. Disintegration results showed that none of the five popular, best-selling toilet paper products passed the flushability standard. We propose strategies to solve the current toilet paper dilemma in developing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scientific paper's citation represents its influence, which is the most intuitive indicator to access the quality of papers. This paper mainly adopts the social network analysis method, using the authors and the keywords of sports industry papers in China to constitute the networks of collaboration and knowledge, to explore effects of the degree centrality of authors and keywords and the structural hole of authors and keywords on the citation of papers in the collaboration and knowledge networks and draw the following conclusions: (1) as for collaboration networks, the degree centrality at the paper level is positively correlated with citations; (2) in the collaboration network, the positive correlation between the structural hole at the paper level and citations does not exist; (3) within knowledge networks, an inverted- U shape was found between degree centrality and paper's citation; and (4) within knowledge networks, a positive correlation is in existence between the structural hole of papers and their citation. This study synthesizes the already widely used collaboration network with the knowledge network constructed through keywords, distinguishes from the previous network features focusing at the author level, and explores research projects of Chinese Sports Industry from the paper level, providing a new perspective for the research of sports industry in China, complementing the methods and ideas of sports industry research, as well as providing a reference for the research in other disciplinary fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the digitalization of traditional funeral joss paper into digital commodities through the case study of the Chinese online cemetery 00tang.com. Joss paper are paper replicas of everyday items such as money and objects that are ritually burned as a form of symbolic offering to the deceased in accordance with traditional Chinese practices of ancestor worship. Using both ethnographic interviews and discursive interface analysis, I look at how the remediation of spiritual joss paper into digital objects complicates perceived dichotomy between the gift and commodity that requires new ways of thinking about the acts of social reciprocity, indebtedness, and obligation. Drawing on established literature relating to gift and digital economies, I argue 00tang's digitization of joss paper on internet cemeteries is reflexive of the biopolitical means by which the state and market forces work to subsume traditional ancestor worship into controllable and commodifiable labor of mourning. Here, the subversive wastefulness of the gift is replaced by its accumulation and preservation online. Digitization in this regard highlights the process by which objects take on different materiality, values, aesthetics, and productive labor practices, all of which fundamentally alters the symbolic regimes of death and the ritual gift economy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of digital economy development on carbon emissions, which is a hot topic in the field of environmental economics. This topic is within the scope of the Frontiers in Environmental Science and is particularly in line with the theme of Environmental Economics and Management section in the journal. Firstly, this paper constructs the Digital Economy Development Index and its variable indicators to measure the development of the digital economy. Secondly, this paper uses urban panel data to reveal the impact of digital economy development on carbon emissions, and further adopts IV method to deal with endogeneity issues. Thirdly, this paper performs the heterogeneity analyses depending on the characteristics of the city. The results can provide a basis for formulating differentiated policies. Fourthly, this paper further explores the mechanism by which the digital economy affects carbon peaking. The results show that the digital economy may influence carbon peaking through upgrading of the industrial structure, technical innovation, and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subject to various restrictive requirements on project application and completion, funded projects are often affected by funding policies for the selection of research objects. This study explored the impact of scientific research funding policies on the funding and research by comparing the topic distribution of awards and papers. A total of 1,870 awards and 16,491 papers of the National Social Science Foundation of China (NSSFC) in library and information science (LIS) were collected from a Chinese research project database. According to the results, the growth rate of awards on most topics is higher than that of papers, while the growth rate of papers on the relevant topics to users, technology, and metrology is higher than that of awards. It was found out in the study that the topics funded by NSSFC were imbalanced. NSSFC provides much more funding to traditional topics rather than emerging topics. As indicated by the funding provided to the projects on traditional topics for research on a large number of papers on emerging topics, however, the innovation and diversity of academic research have yet to be restricted. This study demonstrated that the effect of funding policies on the research topics in LIS is significant. Topic suggestions and funding structure of NSSFC have more impacts on award topics than on paper topics. The influence of NSSFC-recommended topics on paper topics is declining year by year. Additionally, awards with high funding intensity are more susceptible to topic suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Index of recycling sustainability for assessing waste paper recycling. • Integrating methodology of GIS and value chain model. • Historical changes of informal recyclables distribution sites in Beijing. • Value chain of waste paper recycling in Beijing may face challenges in the future. • Policy implications to improve waste paper recycling in Beijing. China established a self-organized and market-driven recycling system, which was dominated by the informal sectors. In recent years, the amount of domestically-recycled waste paper grew slower than expectation in China, which may be resulted from a decline in economic sustainability of current recycling system. For understanding the waste paper recycling system in most cities in China, the economic mechanism remains unclear and the city-level data is extremely insufficient. In this work, an index of recycling sustainability (IRS, benefit divided by cost) is analyzed with a resolution of 1 km2 grid in Beijing City, by adopting value chain and GIS methodology. Five degrees of IRS are defined, from high-degree (IRS > 1.10) to low-degree (IRS < 0.95). Different stakeholders in the informal waste paper recycling system were interviewed to fill the data gap. Results show that: (1) from 2015 to 2018, the informal recycling of waste paper accounted for approximate 80% in Beijing; (2) the number of informal recyclables distribution sites decreased from 27 to 11, and their average distance to the city-center rose from 27.5 km to 40.9 km; (3) in 2015 and 2018, the grids with high-degree IRS accounted for 99.5% and 89.2%, respectively, indicating a sustainable waste paper recycling industry in Beijing; and (4) according to the scenario analysis, if the operating cost rises by 30%, the grids with low-degree IRS accounts for 98.5%, indicating a nontrivial challenges when the recycling cost keeps increasing in the future. Policy recommendations are put forward for a more sustainable paper waste recycling system in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publications in Renal Failure in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) between 1992 and 2021 were analyzed. Six publication indicators: total, independent, collaborative, first author, corresponding author, and single author publications as well as their related citation indicators, were used to compare performances of countries, institutes, and authors. Comparison of the highly cited papers and journal's impact factor (IF) contributors was discussed. In addition, the main research topics in the journal were presented. Results show that China published the most total articles and reviews, as well as the first-author papers and corresponding-author papers in the journal. The Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan ranked the top in five publication indicators: total, single-institution, inter-institutionally collaborative, first author, and corresponding-author papers. A low percentage of productive authors emerged as a journal IF contributor. Similarly, only a limited relationship between highly cited papers and IF contributing papers was found. Publications related to hemodialysis, chronic kidney disease, and acute kidney injury were the most popular topic, while meta-analysis was new focus in the last decade in the journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, a big paper-making country, produced hundreds of millions of tons of waste paper which contain a lot of fiber every year. Cellulose nanocrystals were extracted from recycled waste paper which can be a high value utilization of secondary fiber. In this paper, cellulose nanocrystals were successfully extracted from waste paper fibers via two different systems, sulfuric acid hydrolysis (SCNCs) and one-step ammonium persulfate (APS) oxidation (OCNCs). This not only broadened the methods of extracting CNCs from waste paper, but also improved the dispersion and reactivity of CNCs. The CNCs products were investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy for functional group structure, X-ray diffraction for crystal structure, TG-DTG for thermal stability and scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope for morphology. The results showed that both OCNCs and SCNCs were a rod-like structure. The crystallinity of OCNCs and SCNCs increased to 72.45 and 77.56, but with a low yield of 22.42% and 41.22%, respectively. The result also suggested H 2 O 2 formed by decomposition of APS, selectively oxidized the hydroxyl on the C 6 in cellulose to carboxyl, introduced 0.57 mmol/g carboxyl. Successful preparation of CNCs extracted from waste paper can effectively utilize the fiber resources in waste paper, thus transforming into higher economic benefits. • CNCs was successfully extracted from waste paper fibers via different systems. • No ink-towing or bleaching treatment was carried out during the preparation of CNC. • The structure of CNCs prepared via different systems was compared differences completely and systematically [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) is a well-established method of assessing trainees' clinical competence in the workplace. In order to improve the quality of clinical learning, factors that influence the provision of feedback are worthy of further investigation. A retrospective data analysis of documented feedback provided by assessors using the mini-CEX in a busy emergency department (ED) was conducted. The assessors comprised emergency physicians (EPs) and trauma surgeons. The trainees were all postgraduate year one (PGY1) residents. The completion rate and word count for each of three feedback components (positive feedback, suggestions for development, and an agreed action plan) were recorded. Other variables included observation time, feedback time, the format used (paper versus computer-based), the seniority of the assessor, the gender of the assessor and the specialty of the assessor. The components of feedback provided by the assessors and the influence of these contextual and demographic factors were also analyzed. During a 26-month study period, 1101 mini-CEX assessments (from 273 PGY1 residents and 67 assessors) were collected. The overall completion rate for the feedback components was 85.3% (positive feedback), 54.8% (suggestions for development), and 29.5% (agreed action plan). In only 22.9% of the total mini-CEX assessments were all three aspects of feedback completed, and 7.4% contained no feedback. In the univariate analysis, the mini-CEX format, the seniority of the assessor and the specialty of the assessor were identified as influencing the completion of all three components of feedback. In the multivariate analysis, only the mini-CEX format and the seniority of the assessor were statistically significant. In a subgroup analysis, the feedback-facilitating effect of the computer-based format was uneven across junior and senior EPs. In addition, feedback provision showed a primacy effect: assessors tended to provide only the first or second feedback components in a busy ED setting. In summary, the authors explored the influence of gender, seniority and specialty on paper and computer-based feedback provision during mini-CEX assessments for PGY1 residency training in a busy ED. It was shown that junior assessors were more likely to provide all three aspects of written feedback in the mini-CEX than were senior assessors. The computer-based format facilitated the completion of feedback among EPs.

The author conducted sampling and statistical analysis of papers on education policy research collected by the China National Knowledge Infrastructure in the period from the years 2004--2013. Under the current state of education policy research in China, the number of papers correlates positively with the year; the papers are concentrated in education journals; the researchers are primarily associated with institutions of higher education; and the studies cover a broad range of topics, while emphasizing the practice of education policy. The development trends of education policy research in China include a general rising trend for research on education policy; in the future, researchers from institutions of higher education will continue to be a dominant force in education policy research, and the authors' regional distribution will continue to be imbalanced; education policy research will focus more on educational equity and improved quality, and studies of foreign education policies will continue to be a topic of interest. [This article was translated by Carissa Fletcher.]

Background: Personalised medicine (PM) has been fostered by technological and medical advances, but all stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, citizens and policy makers, should achieve adequate health literacy to promote PM implementation. The "Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalised Medicine" (IC2PerMed) project, funded by the International Consortium for Personalised Medicine, focuses on this issue by highlighting the need to educate healthcare professionals and empower citizens. Within the aforementioned project, building on a mapping of European and Chinese policies in PM, experts in the field of PM participated in an online workshop and a following two-round Delphi survey, in order to identify the priority areas of intervention for healthcare professionals' education and curricula, engagement and empowerment of citizens and patients., Results: Nine experts completed the survey and reached a consensus on seventeen priorities: seven were related to health professionals' education and curricula, whereas ten on citizen and patients' awareness and empowerment., Conclusion: These priorities emphasized the importance of education and health literacy, multidisciplinary and international collaboration, public trust, and consideration of ethical, legal, and social issues. The present experience highlights the relevance of the involvement of stakeholders in informing decision-makers, developing appropriate national plans, strategies, and policies, and ensuring the adequate implementation of PM in health systems., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Carbon emission issues are becoming increasingly severe, and the carbon emissions in shrinking cities, primarily characterized by population loss, are often overlooked and insufficiently studied. This paper focuses on the carbon emissions from county-level administrative units in China's three northeastern provinces from 2001 to 2017. The study scientifically identified shrinking cities and measured the differences in carbon emission characteristics between growing and shrinking cities using the Theil index. Ultimately, the paper constructs a panel spatial econometric model to analyze the factors influencing them and explore their spatial effects. (1) The total carbon emissions in the Three Northeastern Provinces exhibited an inverted U-shaped trend, increasing from 734.21 million tons in 2001 to 1731.73 million tons in 2017, with the Mann–Kendall trend test showing a significant increase; spatially, this manifests as a significant positive spatial autocorrelation. (2) The region has 138 shrinking cities, accounting for over 50%; regarding carbon emission characteristics, the Theil index has consistently remained above 0.18, indicating significant differences between the carbon emissions of growing and shrinking cities. (3) The panel spatial econometric model results show that the influencing factors of carbon emissions in shrinking cities have unique directions, intensities, and spatial effects. In shrinking cities, aside from localized GDP effects and per-capita GDP acting as a suppressant, the population size has a pronounced inhibitory effect on local and surrounding carbon emissions. The analysis reveals significant differences in the carbon emission patterns and mechanisms between growing and shrinking cities; based on these results, the paper proposes differentiated carbon control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural yellow plant dyes and traditional medicines were used widely on historical papers in ancient China for religious reasons and conservation considerations. This study aims to evaluate some traditional yellow botanical sources of dyes that contain different chemical colorant compositions in order to understand their effects on the properties of traditional handmade paper. The physical and chemical changes in paper specimens treated with plant dyes were studied by examining properties such as the color, pH, thermogravimetric (TG) characteristics, tensile strength, folding endurance and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that different colorants had different toning effects and that the main components, including carboxyl and ketone groups, could affect the paper stability at high temperatures. The results also revealed that the mechanical properties of paper specimens were improved after treatment with plant dyes. The significant improvements in the tensile strength and folding endurance and the slightly higher decomposition temperature of Amur cork tree-dyed paper could be ascribed to the strong interaction between the colorants' main components and the fibers. The scientific evaluation of the property changes is therefore valuable information for weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the various yellow toning materials for paper conservation treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publishing English papers in journals listed in Science Citation Index (SCI) has become a requirement for degree conferment for doctoral science students at many universities in China. The publication requirement engenders high pressure for doctoral students and their supervisors and shapes the politics of the relationship between the two parties. This is illustrated in the present paper which reports a study conducted at a prestigious university in east China. Focusing on the case of a research group in biochemistry led by an expert writer (the supervisor), the study aimed to find out, from the supervisor's perspective, what revising papers for the students means to him, and what the students learn as a result of their papers being revised. It is shown that the students depend on the supervisor to meet the publication requirement, and the supervisor believes an average student cannot write a publishable paper. The paper discusses the disempowering effect of the publication requirement, and concludes that there is a role for a course on academic English writing, and that the focus on "publishing SCI papers or no degree" should be shifted at the policy level and long-term planning should go into the training of EAP-qualified language professionals.