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Online peer feedback has become prevalent in university writing classes due to the widespread use of peer learning technology. This paper reports an exploratory study of Chinese-speaking undergraduate students' experiences of receiving and reflecting on online peer feedback for text revision in an English as a second language (L2) writing classroom at a northeastern-Chinese university. Twelve students were recruited from an in-person writing class taught in English by a Chinese-speaking instructor and asked to write and revise their English persuasive essays. The students sought online peer feedback asynchronously using an instant messaging platform (QQ), completed the revision worksheet that involved coding and reflecting on the peer feedback received, and wrote second drafts. Data included students' first and second drafts, online peer feedback, analytic writing rubrics, revision worksheets, and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative analysis of students writing performance indicated that peer feedback led to students' revisions produced meaningful improvements in the scores between drafts. The results of qualitative analyses suggested that: (1) the primary focus of peer feedback was content; (2) students generally followed peer feedback, but ignored disagreements with their peers; (3) students strategically asked for clarification from peers on the QQ platform when feedback was unclear or confusing while collecting information from the internet, e-dictionaries, and Grammarly; and (4) students thought they benefited from experiencing the peer-mediated revision process. Based on the results, we provide recommendations and instructional guidance for university writing instructors for scaffolding L2 students' text revision practices through receiving and reflecting on online peer feedback.

Background: Modelling academic self-concept through second-order factors or bifactor structures is an important issue with substantive and practical implications; besides, the bifactor model has not been analysed with a Chinese sample and cross-cultural studies in the academic self-concept are scarce. Likewise, latent structure validity evidence using network psychometrics has not been carried out. Aims: The aim of this study is twofold: to analyse (1) the internal structure of ASC through the Self-Description Questionnaire II-Short (SDQII-S) in Chinese and Spanish samples using two approaches, structural equation modelling and network psychometrics conducting an exploratory graph analysis; and (2) the measurement invariance of the best model across countries and investigate the cross-cultural differences in ASC. Sample: The sample was composed by 651 adolescents. Seven models of ASC were tested. Results: Results supported the multi-dimensional nature of the data as well as the reliability. The best-fitted model for the two subsamples was the three-factor ESEM model, but only the configural invariance of this model was supported across countries. The graph function shows that the "school" dimension appears more related to the "verbal" factor in the Spanish subsample and to the "math" dimension in the Chinese subsample. Likewise, the relationship between "verbal" and "math" factors in Spanish students is non-existent, but this connection is more relevant for Chinese students. Conclusion: These two differences may be behind the difficulty in finding invariance using SEM models. It is a question of the construct's nature, less related to analytical phenomena, and deserves deeper discussion.

Purpose: This paper discusses Chinese students' negative and positive written feedback about Thai teachers using metaphorical descriptions and the links between it and their classroom experiences. Methodology: An open-response questionnaire was employed to collect the data from 21 Chinese female students. The questionnaire provided both positive and negative "people" or "thing" metaphors of Thai teachers for students' selection. In addition, students were allowed to use their own metaphors to describe their teachers. Data was analyzed by using open and axial coding techniques. Findings: The results revealed that Chinese students were able to compare Thai teachers with either a "person" or "thing" metaphor and could write a metaphorical description that reflected different aspects of their instructors' teaching, both positively and negatively. The quality of their descriptions was rich enough to link with their classroom learning experiences. Both positive and negative "people" and "thing" metaphorical descriptions were associated with three different viewpoints: academic, power dynamics, and emotion. The positive "people" metaphorical descriptions were linked to four classroom issues: knowledge and experience, teaching style, motivation, and guardian/protector. In contrast, the positive "thing" and negative "people" and "thing" metaphorical descriptions were linked to three classroom issues: knowledge and experience, teaching style, and emotion. Significance: These findings help to strengthen Thai-Sino understanding of the relationship between Chinese students and Thai teachers. Findings also suggested that Chinese students' metaphorical feedback should be used with the non-metaphorical assessment form to evaluate and improve Thai teachers' instructional practices in the Thai-Chinese student exchange curriculum.

The Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) is a multi-level, multi-purpose Chinese proficiency test developed by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (previously the Office of Chinese Language Council International and, henceforth, referred to by its colloquial name "Hanban"). It assesses reading, writing, and listening skills of second language (L2) Chinese learners wanting to study or work in China (Peng et al., 2020). Because the test contains no speaking skills section, however, educators and employers in China have complained that there was no way to evaluate test takers' ability in this area based on HSK results (Jin, 2019). To address this concern, Hanban introduced a speaking test--Hanyu Shuiping Kouyu Kaoshi (HSKK)--to measure L2 Chinese learners' general speaking proficiency as a complement to the HSK. Since the original one-level (i.e., advanced-level) HSKK version (used from 1990 to 2009) has been criticized for being impractical and difficult (Wang & Jiang, 2017), the new (and current) three-level HSKK version appeared in 2010 and has gradually attracted the attention of international Chinese learners. HSKK is presently conducted in about 120 countries and 860 cities worldwide, and more than 30,000 L2 Chinese learners take the test yearly (Ding et al., 2021). As the most influential speaking test for L2 Chinese learners, its results are of great importance for test users (Cui, 2010; Wang, 2014, 2018; Yang, 2017). The current version of HSKK (Hanban, 2010) is thus reviewed in this paper.

This paper reports on the first stage of an international comparative study for the project "'Digital educational architectures: Open learning resources in distributed learning infrastructures--EduArc,'" funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This study reviews the situation of digital educational resources (or (O)ER) framed within the digital transformation of ten different Higher Education (HE) systems (Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and the United States). Following a comparative case study approach, we investigated issues related to the existence of policies, quality assurance mechanisms and measures for the promotion of change in supporting infrastructure development for (O)ER at the national level in HE in the different countries. The results of this mainly documentary research highlight differences and similarities, which are largely due to variations in these countries' political structure organisation. The discussion and conclusion point at the importance of understanding each country's context and culture, in order to understand the differences between them, as well as the challenges they face.

Although the theory of the socio-cultural approach to creativity is gaining steam, empirical studies with advanced statistical tools are lagging behind. To address the gap of empirical studies integrating individual, social environmental, and cultural factors, we examined how motivational factors and environmental responsiveness were jointly related to college students' creative achievement in different nations. Participants were university students from eight culturally and geographically diverse regions: Argentina, Austria, Chile, China, Kosovo, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Overall, the results painted a generally positive picture of the relationship between environmental responsiveness, motivational factors, and creative achievement. By employing structural equation modeling (SEM) and multiple-group SEM (MGSEM) methods, results partially supported the mediation role of motivational factors between environmental responsiveness and creative achievement. In addition, we observed more consistent relationships between parental responsiveness and motivational factors or creative achievement, than lecturer. This held in common across all seven countries which fulfilled the requirements for the SEM process, indicating that parents play a potential vital role in supporting students' motivational aspects and creative achievements, whereas lecturers supporting role is relative to the cultural organizational circumstances. As the first large-scale empirical study with a socio-cultural approach, we invited further discussion and proposed future cross-cultural research of this kind. Research implications and practical suggestions were addressed.

This study investigated bilingualism effects on the production of focus in 5- to 9-year-old Cantonese–English bilingual autistic children's L1 Cantonese, compared to their monolingual autistic peers as well as monolingual and bilingual typically developing children matched in nonverbal IQ, working memory, receptive vocabulary and maternal education. The results from an elicitation task showed that monolingual autistic children had significantly lower accuracy than typically developing children in producing focus in subject and object positions. Bilingual autistic children in general performed similarly to monolingual autistic children but outperformed their monolingual autistic peers in the production of object focus with a significantly higher accuracy. The total amount of English exposure did not relate to the accuracy of focus production in autistic and typically developing children. Our results also revealed autistic children's tendency to make use of less prosodic means to produce focus. The overall findings indicate that bilingual exposure has no detrimental effect on the language skills of autistic children but might enhance the production of focus in bilingual autistic children's L1 Cantonese. It is commonly believed among professionals and parents that exposure to two languages imposes an additional burden on children with autism spectrum disorder. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support or reject this belief. With the prevalence of autism and an increasing number of children growing up bilingual, it is urgent to understand how bilingual exposure interacts with autism. Bilingual autistic children from Hong Kong, with Cantonese as their first language and English as their second language, took part in the study. We used a production game to test how bilingual autistic children use different levels of linguistic knowledge to produce contrastive information in real conversations, compared to their monolingual autistic peers and typically developing children matched in language abilities, nonverbal IQ, working memory and maternal education. We found that bilingual autistic children performed as good as typically developing children in general, and they even performed better than monolingual autistic children. Our findings suggest a bilingual advantage in autistic children in conveying constative information in sentences. We thus encourage parents to engage their children in rich bilingual environments. Clinicians, educators and other professionals may also consider adding bilingual aspects in training programmes to support families raising bilingual autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research in security studies contends that information warfare (IW) is becoming a critical element in states' overall security strategies. Additionally, many researchers posit that artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly emerging as an important component of digital communications and states' military applications worldwide. However, less is known regarding how states are incorporating AI in their information warfare and influence operations (IWIO). Thus, given the growing importance of AI and IW in global security, this paper examines how the United States, China, and Russia are incorporating AI in their IWIO strategies and tactics. We find that the US, China, and Russia are utilizing AI in their IWIO approaches in significant ways depending on each state's overall IW strategy, with important implications for international security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the exposure–response (E‐R) relationship, including exposure–efficacy and exposure–safety, of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b treatment in patients with polycythaemia vera (PV). Methods: Based on the results of the phase II trial A20‐202 regarding ropeginterferon alfa‐2b in patients with PV, E‐R analyses were performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the given dosing regimen. The E‐R analyses were based on logistic and linear regression and the relationship between exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and key efficacy and safety variables. The key efficacy variables included complete haematologic response (CHR) and reduction of the driver mutation JAK2V617F. The safety variable was treatment‐related adverse events (TRAEs). Results: A clear relationship between the exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and CHR was observed, with an increase in drug exposure resulting in an increased probability of achieving CHR. Similar CHR probabilities were observed in the third and fourth quantiles of the average concentration at Week 24. The results from the exposure–JAK2V617F model indicated that the JAK2V617F allele burden decreased with increasing exposure to ropeginterferon alfa‐2b and baseline body surface area. Exposure–safety analysis revealed a risk of AEs associated with transaminase abnormalities, which were not associated with clinical significance. Conclusions: Our analyses have shown that patients with PV treated with ropeginterferon alfa‐2b had an increased probability of achieving CHR and a molecular response with acceptable safety risks at the 250–350–500 μg titration dosing regimen. This study has provided the relevant data for the application of a biologics licence of ropeginterferon alfa‐2b for PV treatment in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment for several diseases. It combines light energy with a photosensitizer (PS) to destroy the targeted cells or tissues. A PS itself is a non-toxic substance, but it becomes toxic to the target cells through the activation of light at a specific wavelength. There are some limitations of PDT, although it has been used in clinical studies for a long time. Two-photon excitation (TPE) and upconversion (UC) for PDT have been recently developed. A TPE nanoparticle-based PS combines the advantages of TPE and nanotechnology that has emerged as an attractive therapeutic agent for near-infrared red (NIR) light-excited PDT, whilst UC is also used for the NIR light-triggered drug release, activation of 'caged' imaging, or therapeutic molecules during PDT process for the diagnosis, imaging, and treatment of cancers. Methods: Nine electronic databases were searched, including WanFang Data, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer Link, SciFinder, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), without any language constraints. TPE and UCNP were evaluated to determine if they had different effects from PDT on cancers. All eligible studies were analyzed and summarized in this review. Results: TPE-PDT and UCNP-PDT have a high cell or tissue penetration ability through the excitation of NIR light to activate PS molecules. This is much better than the conventional PDT induced by visible or ultraviolet (UV) light. These studies showed a greater PDT efficacy, which was determined by enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced cell viability, as well as inhibited abnormal cell growth for the treatment of cancers. Conclusions: Conventional PDT involves Type I and Type II reactions for the generation of ROS in the treatment of cancer cells, but there are some limitations. Recently, TPE-PDT and UCNP-PDT have been developed to overcome these problems with the help of nanotechnology in in vitro and in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative process involving both healthcare providers and patients in making medical decisions, which gains increasing prominence in healthcare practice. But evidence on the level of SDM in medical practice and barriers as well as stimulus during the SDM implementation among aesthetic dermatologists is limited in China. Methods: From July to August 2023, 1938 dermatologists were recruited online in China. Data were collected through an electronic questionnaire covering: (1) demographic features; (2) SDM questionnaire physician version (SDM-Q-Doc); and (3) stimulus and barriers in SDM implementation. Logistic regression was applied to explore factors associated with SDM practice, barriers, and stimulus of SDM implementation, respectively. Results: The 1938 dermatologists included 1329 females (68.6%), with an average age of 35 years. The total SDM score ranged from 0 to 45, with a median value of 40 (IQR: 35– 44), and the median stimulus score and barriers scores were 28 (IQR: 24– 32) and 19 (IQR: 13– 26), respectively. The prevalence of good SDM was 27.2%, logistic regression indicated that female dermatologists (odds ratio, OR=1.21, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.96– 1.51), and dermatologists with more years of aesthetic practice had a higher proportion of good SDM practice (OR was 1.44 for 5– 9 years, 1.58 for 10– 15 years and 1.77 for over 15 years). Moreover, female dermatologists and dermatologists with higher education level and serviced in private settings had lower barrier scores; female dermatologists and dermatologists with more years of aesthetic practice had higher stimulus scores. Conclusion: Chinese aesthetic dermatologists appear to implement SDM at an active level, with more stimulus and less barriers in SDM implementation. The integration of SDM into clinical practice among dermatologists is beneficial both for patients and dermatologists. Moreover, SDM practice should be strongly promoted and enhanced during medical aesthetics, especially among male dermatologists, dermatologists with less working experience, and those who work at public institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxide–apatite (IOA or Kiruna-type) deposits typically consist of a magnetite-apatite-actinolite/diopside assemblage and are spatially associated with extensive Na-(Ca) alteration and brecciation. The origin of these deposits is highly controversial and has been ascribed to the separation of iron-oxide/sulfate-(carbonate) melts, magnetite emulsions, or metasomatic replacement by aqueous fluids from silicate magmas. Here, we propose a new model based on the findings from a cluster of IOA deposits located in the early Cretaceous Ningwu andesitic volcanic field, eastern China. In these deposits, magnetite coeval with apatite and actinolite occurs as coarse-grained veins, massive replacement, and fine-grained disseminations in the albitized, often brecciated, apical zones of diorite porphyry intrusions, the overlying andesites, and adjacent sedimentary rocks. The primary magnetite grains from ores with various textures contain similar and variable trace element compositions with up to 5 wt% Ti + V and show the characteristics of high-temperature hydrothermal magnetite in magmatic-hydrothermal systems. Diopside and garnet as well as magnetite contain fluid inclusions with multiple daughter minerals (vapor + halite + sylvite ± anhydrite ± iron chloride ± liquid ± hematite), which show extremely high salinities of more than ~ 90 wt% NaClequiv, homogenization temperatures of 745–846 °C, and Cl/Br mole ratios of 2000–6000. In combination with oxygen isotopes of the magnetite-apatite assemblage and the association with shallow-seated ore-hosting porphyry, available evidence suggests that these deposits formed from hydrosaline liquid exsolved from subvolcanic dioritic magmas with high Cl/H2O at magmatic temperatures (~ 800 °C). Decompression from lithostatic to hydrostatic condition and the interaction with country rocks explain the abundance of breccia bodies and widespread sodic alteration in IOA deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garnet is a prominent mineral in skarn deposits and its rare earth elements (REE) geochemistry is pivotal for understanding skarn mineralization and fluid evolution. In contrast to magmatic and metamorphic garnets, skarn garnets are mainly grossular-andradite in composition. They exhibit variable REE patterns, spanning from notable heavy (H)-REE enrichment to significant light (L)-REE enrichment, accompanied by negative to positive europium (Eu) anomalies. However, the key factors governing REE fractionation in skarn garnets remain uncertain. This study applies the lattice-strain theory (LST) to investigate the influence of crystal chemistry and structure on REE fractionation in garnets from the Lazhushan Fe skarn deposit in eastern China. Our results demonstrate that the garnet-liquid partition coefficient ratios of DLa/DYb significantly increase (up to 5–7 orders of magnitude) with rising andradite content in garnet. This variation underscores the pivotal role of garnet structure in controlling LREE/HREE fractionation. The results further show that partition coefficient ratios of DLa/DSm are strongly dependent on andradite content in garnets, whereas the DGd/DYb ratios only show a weak correlation to the garnet composition. This contrast suggests that fractionation of LREE in garnet is more sensitive to variations of andradite content than HREE. Data compilation of major elements and REE for garnet from the Lazhushan Fe skarn deposit and other skarn deposits worldwide shows that the garnet REE patterns vary from positive through concave to negative shapes with the garnet ranging from grossularitic to andraditic compositions. Such variations in garnet REE patterns are consistent with the results of geochemical modeling based on the LST. This study demonstrates that, through LST equations, the shape of fluid REE patterns can be predicted from garnet REE patterns, and vice versa. Furthermore, the Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*Grt) in skarn garnet depends mainly on fluid Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*fluid) and garnet-fluid partition coefficient ratio of D(Eu2+)/D(Eu3+) with the latter being influenced by garnet composition. These findings highlight the critical role of crystal chemistry and structure in garnet REE fractionation, enhancing our ability to utilize garnet REE in tracing the origin and evolution of skarn-forming fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the influence of globalization, Chinese young adults' transition to adulthood today are cultivated by both traditional Chinese values (e.g., collectivism, Confucian philosophy), as well as Western values (e.g., individualism, independence). The present study aimed to characterize emerging adults' perception of adulthood in China today in terms of (1) the criteria for adulthood Chinese emerging adults considered important; (2) the relationships between subjective importance of adulthood status and status as a student or non-student; (3) gender; and (4) hukou status (rural vs urban). Chinese emerging adults aged 17–30 (N = 7099; 69% college students; 54% female; 57% with rural hukou status) completed a cross-sectional survey between October and November 2021. We found that most Chinese emerging adults felt ambivalent about their adulthood status. The findings suggest that cultural and geographical differences exist between emerging Chinese and Western young adults in their perceptions of entering adulthood. Concerning the self-perceived adulthood status and the subjective importance of criteria, several differences were found among Chinese emerging adults based on gender (male vs female), hukou status (rural vs urban), and educational status (student vs non-student). With increasing age, being men or having rural hukou, Chinese emerging adults may be more likely to adhering to traditional markers of adulthood. Overall, this study not only sheds light on conceptions of adulthood among Chinese emerging adults, but also provides implication for understanding emerging adults' lived experience and subjective perception of this life stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms underlying diversity–productivity relationships (DPRs) is crucial to mitigating the effects of forest biodiversity loss. Tree–tree interactions in diverse communities are fundamental in driving growth rates, potentially shaping the emergent DPRs, yet remain poorly explored. Here, using data from a large‐scale forest biodiversity experiment in subtropical China, we demonstrated that changes in individual tree productivity were driven by species‐specific pairwise interactions, with higher positive net pairwise interaction effects on trees in more diverse neighbourhoods. By perturbing the interactions strength from empirical data in simulations, we revealed that the positive differences between inter‐ and intra‐specific interactions were the critical determinant for the emergence of positive DPRs. Surprisingly, the condition for positive DPRs corresponded to the condition for coexistence. Our results thus provide a novel insight into how pairwise tree interactions regulate DPRs, with implications for identifying the tree mixtures with maximized productivity to guide forest restoration and reforestation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbes inhabiting deep soil layers are known to be different from their counterpart in topsoil yet remain under investigation in terms of their structure, function, and how their diversity is shaped. The microbiome of deep soils (>1 m) is expected to be relatively stable and highly independent from climatic conditions. Much less is known, however, on how these microbial communities vary along climate gradients. Here, we used amplicon sequencing to investigate bacteria, archaea, and fungi along fifteen 18‐m depth profiles at 20–50‐cm intervals across contrasting aridity conditions in semi‐arid forest ecosystems of China's Loess Plateau. Our results showed that bacterial and fungal α diversity and bacterial and archaeal community similarity declined dramatically in topsoil and remained relatively stable in deep soil. Nevertheless, deep soil microbiome still showed the functional potential of N cycling, plant‐derived organic matter degradation, resource exchange, and water coordination. The deep soil microbiome had closer taxa–taxa and bacteria–fungi associations and more influence of dispersal limitation than topsoil microbiome. Geographic distance was more influential in deep soil bacteria and archaea than in topsoil. We further showed that aridity was negatively correlated with deep‐soil archaeal and fungal richness, archaeal community similarity, relative abundance of plant saprotroph, and bacteria–fungi associations, but increased the relative abundance of aerobic ammonia oxidation, manganese oxidation, and arbuscular mycorrhizal in the deep soils. Root depth, complexity, soil volumetric moisture, and clay play bridging roles in the indirect effects of aridity on microbes in deep soils. Our work indicates that, even microbial communities and nutrient cycling in deep soil are susceptible to changes in water availability, with consequences for understanding the sustainability of dryland ecosystems and the whole‐soil in response to aridification. Moreover, we propose that neglecting soil depth may underestimate the role of soil moisture in dryland ecosystems under future climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2019, an outbreak of a respiratory disease called the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a new coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Wuhan, China. The SARS-CoV-2, an encapsulated positive-stranded RNA virus, spread worldwide with disastrous consequences for people's health, economies, and quality of life. The disease has had far-reaching impacts on society, including economic disruption, school closures, and increased stress and anxiety. It has also highlighted disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, with marginalized communities disproportionately affected by the SARS-CoV-2. The symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild to severe. There is presently no effective cure. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made in developing COVID-19 vaccine for different therapeutic targets. For instance, scientists developed multifold vaccine candidates shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak after Pfizer and AstraZeneca discovered the initial COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines reduce disease spread, severity, and mortality. The addition of rapid diagnostics to microscopy for COVID-19 diagnosis has proven crucial. Our review provides a thorough overview of the historical development of COVID-19 and molecular and biochemical characterization of the SARS-CoV-2. We highlight the potential contributions from insect and plant sources as anti-SARS-CoV-2 and present directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on health and socio-economic determinants of later-life labour force participation have mainly come from high-income European countries and the United States of America (USA). Findings vary between studies due to different measures of socio-economic status and labour force outcomes. This study investigated longitudinal associations of physical incapacity and wealth with remaining in paid employment after age 60 in middle- and high-income countries. Using harmonised cohort data in the USA, England, Japan, Mexico and China (N = 32,132), multilevel logistic regression was applied for main associations. The age-related probabilities of remaining in paid employment by physical incapacity and wealth were estimated using marginal effects. This study found that physical incapacity predicted lower odds of remaining in paid employment in each country. Wealth was associated with higher odds of remaining in paid employment in the USA, England and Japan, but not in Mexico. Probabilities of remaining in paid employment were high in Mexico but low in China. The absolute difference in the probability of remaining in paid employment between the richest and the poorest groups was greater in the USA than that in any other country. In the USA, England and Japan, the inverse association between physical incapacity and remaining in paid employment could be partially compensated by wealth only when physical incapacity was not severe. National policies, including considering older adults' changing capacities for job placement and prioritising the provision of supportive services for socio-economically disadvantaged older adults, developing pathways for informal workers to access social security and pension coverage, and encouraging employers to hire socio-economically disadvantaged older workers and enhancing their employability, could be facilitated. Future studies, such as exploring health and socio-economic determinants of remaining in part-time and full-time paid employment separately in more countries, and the moderating effects of relevant policies on these associations, are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report optical observations of the millisecond pulsar binary system PSR J1622–0315 with the Lulin 1 m telescope in Taiwan and the Lijiang 2.4 m telescope in China between 2019 and 2021. The companion of the pulsar, which is of V ∼ 19 mag, showed ellipsoidal-distorted orbital variations in its light curves. The best-fit model to the light curves, with the binary code PHOEBE, gives a companion mass of 0.122 ± 0.006 M ⊙. This places PSR J1622–0315 in the spider-system subclass. We compared the properties of PSR J1622–0315 with other spider pulsar binaries for the scalings between the spin-down luminosity derived for the pulsar, irradiation luminosity of the companion, and X-ray luminosity of the binary. We find that pulsar irradiation in PSR J1622–0315 is insignificant and the irradiation luminosity of the transitional millisecond pulsars PSR J1023+0038 and PSR J1227–4853 are the highest among the redback systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity and biology of the moss and leaf litter-inhabiting flea beetles are still poorly known. In this study, three new species of Benedictus are described from China: Benedictus fuanensis Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov., Benedictus quadrimaculatus Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov., and Benedictus wangi Ruan & Konstantinov, sp. nov. Comments on their biology are given. Benedictus quadrimaculatus has a highly unusual morphological feature not reported before in flea beetles: black spots on the abdominal tergites that are visible through the elytra. Traditional and modified ethanol traps were tested and proven useful for collecting leaf litter- and moss-inhabiting flea beetles. Based on our tests, eight traps could collect one specimen each day in the testing sites in Fujian Province; three traps could collect one specimen each day in the testing sites in Guangdong Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have documented that utilizing peer feedback can enhance students' English academic writing skills. Little is known, however, about the effects of incorporating peer feedback to enhance English as a second language (L2) medical students' academic writing performance. Methods: This longitudinal interventional study examines Chinese medical students' English academic writing skills development via peer feedback in four parallel classes over an 18-week semester between the experimental and control groups (n = 124). Results: Significant increases in the experimental group's performance in the post-test were found after 18-week instructions (pre- vs. post-test: overall score, p <.001; task response, p <.001; coherence and cohesion, p <.001; lexical resource, p <.001; grammatical range and accuracy, p <.001), and the effects were retained in the delayed post-test 6 weeks later (post- vs. delayed post-test: overall score, p =.561; task response, p =.585; coherence and cohesion, p =.533; lexical resource, p =.796; grammatical range and accuracy, p =.670). Little improvement was found in the control group in the post-test (pre- vs. post-test: overall score, p =.213; task response, p =.275; coherence and cohesion, p =.383; lexical resource, p =.367; grammatical range and accuracy, p =.180) or the delayed post-test (post- vs. delayed post-test: overall score, p =.835; task response, p =.742; coherence and cohesion, p =.901; lexical resource, p =.897; grammatical range and accuracy, p =.695). Between-group comparisons indicate that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the post- and the delayed post-tests, as shown in their overall score and scores on the four components. Conclusions: Incorporating peer feedback into process-oriented medical English writing classroom teaching can effectively enhance Chinese medical students' English academic writing skills over time, while the traditional product-oriented writing instructions had little help in improving Chinese medical students' academic writing skills. This longitudinal intervention study develops our understanding of the effectiveness of peer feedback in L2 academic writing pedagogy. It offers instructional implications for L2 writing teachers to teach English academic writing among medical students in China and beyond. Limitations and suggestions for future studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereotyping towards the second language accent of second language learners is extensively seen even when the content of learner speech can be understood. Previous studies reported conflicting results on accent perception by speakers of second languages, especially among homogenous learners. In this paper, we conducted a survey and two experiments to test whether Mandarin-speaking advanced learners of English may give harsher accent ratings to their fellow learners than to Standard American English speakers. The survey was designed to understand the L2 listeners' beliefs about accented speech. In Experiment 1, participants rated short audio recordings of L2 learner' and Standard American English speech; in Experiment 2, they did the same in a more detailed word-in-sentence accent rating task. Results showed a markedly high level of perceived L2 accentedness for several learner speech stimuli despite good intelligibility, especially for the strongly-accented Cantonese passage and for specific vowel and consonant types. The findings reveal the existence of native-speakerism in China and highlight existing accent stereotypes. Implications for policymaking and language teaching are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have considered the theoretical role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) may play in shaping the global balance of power in the future. While these studies are informative, we currently lack an understanding regarding the precise manner AI technologies are being applied and incorporated in militaries in major power states. Thus, in this study, we examine how AI technology is being applied in the militaries in the US, China, and Russia and analyse the implications for the future of AI, global military competition, and international security. We examine current research on the military application of AI technology in the US, China, and Russia and conduct expert interviews with leading AI experts in academia, think tanks, multinational technology companies, and the military to better understand how AI technology is being applied in the three major powers states and the implications for global security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rising wages and increasing maturity of computer technology, computer use in the workplace is becoming increasingly common. Based on data from an urban labor survey, 58 percent of urban workers used computers at work in 2016. Using computer price and density as instrumental variables, we identify the estimation bias from the simultaneous determination of computer use and its productivity effect. We further identify the productivity effect based on computer use frequency. With the above econometric issues taken into account, computer use at work significantly boosts labor productivity and increases workers' wage returns by 48.4 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, public–private partnership (PPP) projects consist of six phases, from inception to completion. In the final phase, known as the transfer phase (TP), the project assets are transferred back to the government, and the project is effectively closed out. Although success factors (SF) covering the earlier phases of PPPs have been well-documented, little is known about the effective execution of the TP in China. The main reason is that PPPs are a relatively new phenomenon, with few having reached the end of their life cycle, although this is happening now. Consequently, the determination of critical success factors (CSFs) in the TP is of great interest. This study aims to identify those CSFs that are most impactful to the success of the TP. A total of 23 process factors, arranged in four factor groups, are taken from an earlier study. These factors were presented to China's water PPP project experts in an online questionnaire, with 52 valid responses returned. Of the 23 process factors, 22 were revealed to be statistically critical to the success of the TP, which were identified as critical transfer success factors (CTSFs). The top five CTSFs are (1) contract system, (2) infrastructure, (3) transferred assets, (4) transfer acceptance criteria, and (5) overhaul information. The identification of the relative criticality of CTSFs and, in particular, the identification of the leading factors, can be expected to support the government and contractor entities in effecting the smooth transfer of many Chinese PPP water projects approaching maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across several countries, science is often regarded as unpopular and a male-dominated domain. Furthermore, the number of students who are interested in science education or intend to work in the field of science is relatively low. This might be due to expectations adolescents hold towards science and successful scientists. The current cross-national study investigates the expectations of students in relation to highly achieving peers in science education in the three countries China, Germany and Russia (N?=?420). Students were asked to indicate their expectations about two fictitious new classmates with respect to three categories: intelligence, social competence and eagerness. Besides national differences, differences concerning the gender of the participating students, the gender of the target students (fictitious highly achieving students in science education) and interaction effects were investigated. Whereas the effects of gender and target gender are inconsistent and negligible, there are significant national differences. Notably, Chinese students hold the most positive expectations about successful peers in science education. The results are discussed with regard to possible explanations and educational consequences.

Future Geosynchronous Synthetic Aperture Radar (GEOSAR) missions will provide permanent monitoring of continental areas of the planet with revisit times of less than 24 h. Several GEOSAR missions have been studied in the USA, Europe, and China with different applications, including water cycle monitoring and early warning of disasters. GEOSAR missions require unprecedented orbit determination precision in order to form focused Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images from Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). A precise orbit determination technique based on interferometry is proposed, including a proof of concept based on an experimental interferometer using three antennas separated 10–15 m. They provide continuous orbit observations of present communication satellites operating at GEO as illuminators of opportunity. The relative phases measured between the receivers are used to estimate the satellite position. The experimental results prove the interferometer is able to track GEOSAR satellites based on the transmitted signals. This communication demonstrates the consistency and feasibility of the technique in order to foster further research with longer interferometric baselines that provide observables delivering higher orbital precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound dry and hot events can cause aggregated damage compared with isolated hazards. Although increasing attention has been paid to compound dry and hot events, the persistence of such hazards is rarely investigated. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the simultaneous evolution process of such hazards in space and time. Based on observations during 1961–2014, the spatiotemporal characteristics of compound long-duration dry and hot (LDDH) events in China during the summer season are investigated on both a grid basis and a 3D event basis. Grid-scale LDDH events mainly occur in eastern China, especially over northeastern areas. Most regions have experienced a pronounced increase in the likelihood of LDDH events, which is dominated by increasing temperatures. From a 3D perspective, 146 spatiotemporal LDDH (SLDDH) events are detected and grouped into 9 spatial patterns. Over time, there is a significant increase in the frequency and spatial extent of SLDDH events. Consistent with the grid-scale LDDH events, hotspots of SLDDH events mainly occur in northern China, such as the Northeast China, North China and Qinghai clusters, which are accompanied by a high occurrence frequency and large affected areas greater than 300 000 km 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With more non-local (Mainland China and overseas) students admitted into the universities of Hong Kong, the student population on campus is becoming much more diversified. This study was a phenomenological inquiry into the social engagement experiences of local and non-local Chinese students in their first year at a university in Hong Kong. Qualitative data was obtained from 10 focus groups. The findings suggested that the majority of the students in the study were active in social engagement and most achieved a sense of belonging to the university or its sub-communities. The culture in student communities played an important role in students' social engagement. It pushed students to become intensively involved in out-of-class activities and challenged them to reflect on the direction in which they would carry this historical legacy forward in the diversifying campus.

We examine the extent to which self-reported health and psychosocial health are affected by relative economic status in China, for the first time examining the importance of reference groups not defined by geographic location or demographic characteristics. We propose a methodology to address potential bias from subjective reporting biases and control for unobserved community characteristics. Analyzing a nationally representative data set from China, our findings support the relative deprivation hypothesis and suggest that relatives and classmates are salient reference groups for urban residents and neighbors are important for rural residents. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 16 footnotes.)

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of child maltreatment as perpetrated by parents, its associated health outcomes, and its resilient factors among high school students in China. Methods: A multi-level stratified random school-based survey was conducted in 2005. Twenty four high schools were randomly chosen from eight districts in Guangzhou, South China (three from each district). Two classes were randomly selected from each of Form 1 to Form 3 (aged 12-16) in each selected school. Data from 6,593 students were analyzed. A number of locally validated tools were used to measure various types of maltreatment as well as physical and psychological conditions of students. Results: The half-year prevalence of psychological aggression, minor physical maltreatment, severe physical maltreatment, and very severe physical maltreatment were 78.3%, 23.2%, 15.1%, and 2.8% respectively; while the half-year prevalence of sexual abuse was .6%. Maltreated students were more likely to report physical and psychological problems, and a positive relationship was also found between the severity of maltreatment and the likelihood of negative health outcomes. Male gender or having higher levels of social support and life satisfaction were identified as resilient factors to physical health of maltreated students. Conclusions: Child maltreatment as perpetrated by parents is common among high school students in Guangzhou, China. More public education programs are needed to raise public awareness of this problem. Intervention programs that target at improving social support and life satisfaction of students are potentially beneficial. (Contains 5 tables.)

We develop a game-theoretic model to study the incentive for competing manufacturers to share supplier audit information. Based on the audit information, each manufacturer decides whether to source from a common supplier who has uncertain responsibility violation risk or to switch to a backup supplier who has no responsibility violation risk but charges a higher price. When supplier responsibility violation occurs, some consumers boycott the manufacturers involved. Audit information allows a manufacturer to reduce the uncertainty about the risk of the common supplier. We show that audit information sharing may make the manufacturers' sourcing strategies more or less differentiated. As a result, the information-sharing decision is not monotone in the model parameters. We fully characterize the manufacturers' equilibrium audit information-sharing and sourcing decisions and establish conditions under which audit information sharing induces the manufacturers to adopt more or less responsible sourcing strategies. We also show that a manufacturer could be better off when the cost premium of sourcing from the backup supplier or the risk of the common supplier becomes higher or the audit information becomes less accurate. We consider several extensions of the base model and demonstrate that the main insights remain mostly valid. This paper was accepted by Charles Corbett, operations management. Funding: A. Y. Hawas supported by the Wei Lun Foundation. W. Shang was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong [GRF Project LU 13501415]. Y. Wang was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71901209]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4358. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid urban population growth and industrial agglomeration, the urban land supply is becoming gradually tight. Improving land use quality (LUQ) is becoming increasingly critical. This study was carried out in the Luohe built-up zones between 2013 and 2021. The aim is to explore the growth characteristics of LUQ and determine the association between the inner urban location and the growth rate from the perspective of spatial heterogeneity. Therefore, based on a socio-economic-environmental framework, we selected an integration/GDP/population/artificial-surface Rate, and a remote-sensing-based ecological index to construct a LUQ assessment framework that is more stable and applicable for developing urban areas. Additionally, then, multiscale geographical weighted regression is adopted, which can better help us explore the scale of the location factors. The results show that: (1) The LUQ overall growth is gradually slowing. High-quality areas clustered in the urban center and subsystem elements spread outward along the national and provincial highways to drive boundary expansion; (2) In the W/E/SE direction, land use tends more towards physical sprawl than usual development and expansion; (3) Location factors were distinguished as global, semi-global, and local. The global factors constitute the homogenized locational space. Semi-global and local factors constitute a heterogeneous locational space. The latter is critical to guide LUQ growth. LUQ assessment can promote intensive land use. Exploring location factors can further guide the LUQ spatial growth and provide data in support of urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New coronavirus infection causing COVID-19, which was first reported in late 2019 in China, initiated severe social and economic crisis that affected the whole world. High frequency of the errors in replication of RNA viruses, zoonotic nature of transmission, and high transmissibility allowed betacoronaviruses to cause the third pandemic in the world since the beginning of 2003: SARS-CoV in 2003, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019. The latest pandemic united scientific community and served as a powerful impetus in the study of biology of coronaviruses: new routes of virus penetration into the human cells were identified, features of the replication cycle were studied, and new functions of coronavirus proteins were elucidated. It should be recognized that the pandemic was accompanied by the need to obtain and publish results within a short time, which led to the emergence of an array of conflicting data and low reproducibility of research results. We systematized and analyzed scientific literature, filtered the results according to reliability of the methods of analysis used, and prepared a review describing molecular mechanisms of functioning of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. This review considers organization of the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, mechanisms of its gene expression and entry of the virus into the cell, provides information on key mutations that characterize different variants of the virus, and their contribution to pathogenesis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the landscape architecture of traditional settlements in southern China, this study takes water as a vital element through field investigation and model analysis to explore the water management strategies of two traditional villages in Xiangjiang River Basin, Hunan Province. We have found that traditional settlements are located between rivers and mountains. The community of the settlement has a strong interaction with the water environment. The water management system consists of two parts: the rainwater collection and storage system of a single building and the settlement' s water collection and drainage system. Through calculation, we found that the amounts of water collected (per year) between the two villages are different: ZhangGuYing (Z village) = 5.73 million L, ShangGanTang (S village) = 1.784 million L, in spite of the fact that water management strategies of the two settlements are similar. Further analysis shows that the difference is related to the adaption of the precipitation and topography of the surrounding areas. The above-mentioned systematic management strategy of water resources has been used until currently, with adaptability, low cost, and sustainability. It has outstanding significance for the current demand for sustainable development from both resource management and cultural aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes household and school survey data from poor counties in six Chinese provinces to examine the effects of poverty, intra-household decision-making, and school quality on educational investments and learning outcomes. Finds, for example, that being poor and credit-constrained does not significantly affect learning in school (as measured by test scores and being held back). (Contains 34 references.) (Authors/PKP)

Pymetrozine is one of the most commonly used insecticides in China. This study was conducted to analyse Pymetrozine's potential exposures through various environmental routes beyond the treatment areas. The aim was to estimate the potential health risk for communities due to non-dietary exposures to Pymetrozine in soil and paddy water. Data on registration of pesticides in China, government reports, questionnaires, interviews and literature reviews as well as toxicological health investigations were evaluated to determine the hazard and dose–response characteristics of Pymetrozine. These were based on the US EPA exposure and human health risk assessment methods and exposure data from soil and paddy water samples collected between 10 and 20 m around the resident's location. The exposure doses from dermal contact through soil and paddy water were estimated. The potential cancer risk from the following exposure routes was evaluated: ingestion through soil; dermal contact exposure through soil; dermal contact exposure through paddy water. The potential total cancer risk for residents was estimated to be less than 1 × 10−6. These were relatively low and within the acceptable risk levels. The potential hazard quotient (HQ) from acute and lifetime exposure by dermal contact through paddy water and soil and acute and lifetime exposure by soil ingestion for residents was less than 1, indicating an acceptable risk level. This study suggested that there were negligible cancer risk and non-cancer risks based on ingestion and dermal contact routes of exposure to residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring learner agency and potential for creativity in task design are likely to elicit different flow experiences among learners, either facilitating or impeding their task engagement and oral or written performance in foreign language learning contexts. However, so far little attention has been paid to the role of these factors in learners’ flow experiences in task-based second language (L2) writing. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between different task conditions operationalized as a teacher-generated content task (TGT), a learner-generated content task (LGT), and a creative task (CT), and learners’ flow experiences by utilizing Czimmermann and Piniel’s adaptation of Egbert’s flow questionnaire. Moreover, the study also examined the possible role that study contexts might play in students’ flow experiences in English writing. Our investigation involved two groups of Chinese learners studying in Hungary and China, 40 students in total, who produced 120 narratives and filled in a flow questionnaire after each completed task. MANOVA results showed a significant main effect for the study context, suggesting that Chinese learners in Hungary experienced more flow in all of the writing tasks while their peers in China experienced more anti-flow on them. Despite the fact that multivariate analyses did not reveal a main effect for task conditions for either flow or anti-flow experiences or an interaction between study contexts and task conditions, findings from univariate follow-up analyses warrant a closer examination of possible task and interaction effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound dry and hot events can cause aggregated damage compared with isolated hazards. Although increasing attention has been paid to compound dry and hot events, the persistence of such hazard is rarely investigated. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the simultaneous evolution process of such hazard in space and time. Based on observations during 1961-2014, the spatiotemporal characteristics of compound long-duration dry and hot (LDDH) events in China during the summer season are investigated on both a grid basis and a 3D event basis. Grid-scale LDDH events mainly occur in eastern China, especially over northeastern areas. Most regions have experienced a pronounced increase in the likelihood of LDDH events, which is dominated by increasing temperatures. From a 3D perspective, 146 spatiotemporal LDDH (SLDDH) events are detected and grouped into nine spatial patterns. Over time, there is a significant increase in the frequency and spatial extent of SLDDH. Consistent with the grid-scale LDDH events, hotspots of SLDDH events mainly occur in northern China, such as Northeast, North China and Qinghai clusters, which are accompanied by high occurrence frequency and large affected areas greater than 300,000 km². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of children's migration on the well-being of left-behind parents using panel data on experienced utility measured by the Day Reconstruction Method. Exploiting exogenous variation in exposure to employment shocks at migration destinations for identification, we find that left-behind parents experience lower utility when their adult children migrate. This is partly due to increased working time and less time spent in social activities, and partly due to reduced utility within activity type. The latter effect is consistent with the finding of less physical care and psychological support from children who have migrated. These negative effects dominate the possible benefits of greater income associated with children's migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's rapid development has gradually expanded beyond urban areas, vernacular landscape as a significant expression of local conditions receives more and more attention. This paper aims to formulate a comprehensive zoning scheme for vernacular landscapes of China. The zoning applies zoning methods and technical means of the Geographic Information System. Based on the understanding of the vernacular landscape concept, the main factors that determine the feature of the vernacular landscape are identified, including landforms, climate, hydrology, vegetation, land use, settlements, housing, population, economy, and customs. Then, the indicators that can significantly reflect the characteristics of each factor are selected to construct an indicator system for comprehensive zoning. We combine quantitative and qualitative analysis to examine the spatial differentiation patterns of Chinese vernacular landscapes comprehensively. The prior zoning principle is a combination of the principles of relative consistency of natural constituents of vernacular landscape and relative consistency of human constituents of vernacular landscape. Simultaneously, it considers the combination of the principles of synthesis and dominant factors, the combination of the principles of top-down and bottom-up, the combination of the principles of spatial integrity and continuity, and the principle of hierarchical zoning. Based on indicator evaluation and essential zoning basis, using overlay analysis and comparative analysis methods, the country is divided into two-grade spatial units of vernacular landscapes by two steps: 8 vernacular landscape regions and 56 vernacular landscape sub-regions. It provides theoretical support for protecting and developing vernacular landscape characteristics, and exerting regional advantages to achieve comprehensive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public–private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects progress through separate phases, with each phase subject to unique risks, thereby requiring a phase-based strategy for managing risks. To date, most research on PPP risk has emphasized phases, with an obvious neglect of the final, transfer phase (TP) of PPP projects, in which the project ownership reverts to government. This study identified and evaluated critical risk categories of the TP, using China's PPP water sector as the context of analysis. A two-stage approach was adopted, including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Seven critical transfer risk categories (CTRCs) were identified, namely overhaul risks, contract risks, posttransfer operation risks, residual value risks, political risks, information risks, and succeeding operator risks, of which three are unique to the TP. Expert recommendations were presented for the facilitation of a smooth transfer of water PPPs in China. The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge in PPP risk management, and the specialized research approach employed may be utilized in similar exploratory studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chinese American adults experience health disparities at the end of life. Culturally tailored advance care planning (ACP) may promote goal-concordant care across the continuum of serious illness. However, seriously ill Chinese Americans' preferences for ACP remain unknown. Objective: To explore barriers and facilitators to ACP among Chinese patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers. Design: Informed by socioecological theory, we conducted an exploratory qualitative study using semistructured interviews that were thematically analyzed. Setting/Participants: We recruited participants at one U.S. comprehensive cancer center. Of 27 eligible patients approached, we recruited 20 patients (74.1%) and 8 accompanying caregivers. Overall, participants were middle aged (55.6 ± 13.5 years), 60.7% female, 85.7% partnered/married, 89.3% college educated, and had low acculturation (mean Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identify Acculturation = 2.0 ± 1.6/5.0). More patients were privately insured (35%) than self-pay (30%), Medicare (25%), and Medicaid (10%). Caregivers were split between "spouse" and "child." Results: Findings highlight participants' trust in their clinicians and the study institution as primary supports for clinicians to lead ACP. However, participants' preconceptions of clinicians' professional responsibilities and participants' belief in an uncertain future may hinder an open discussion of goals and values for future medical care. A key moderating factor in how participants view ACP may be their level of acculturation to local care, behavioral, and communication norms. Conclusions: Chinese patients may prefer a routinized clinician-led ACP approach that supports their actionable priorities in the present by leveraging patient–clinician trust, gauging acculturation level, and using indirect communication strategies. Future studies should investigate preferred communication strategies to support in-the-moment care planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency (ID) in early life is associated with morbidities. Most fetal iron required for infant growth is acquired in the third trimester from maternal iron store. However, how prenatal iron level affects ferritin level in early infancy remains controversial. This study aimed to examine the associations between maternal ferritin levels and cord blood serum ferritin (CBSF) and to compare the ferritin levels between different feeding practices in early infancy. Healthy Chinese mothers with uncomplicated pregnancy and their infants were followed up at 3 months post-delivery for questionnaire completion and infant blood collection. Infants who were predominantly breastfed and those who were predominantly formula fed were included in this analysis. Serum ferritin levels were measured in maternal blood samples collected upon delivery, cord blood and infant blood samples at 3 months of age. Ninety-seven mother–baby dyads were included. Maternal ID is common (56 %) while the CBSF levels were significantly higher than maternal ferritin levels. Only three infants (3 %) had ID at 3 months of age. There were no significant correlations between maternal ferritin levels with CBSF (r 0·168, P = 0·108) nor with infant ferritin levels at 3 months of age (r 0·023, P = 0·828). Infant ferritin levels at 3 months were significantly and independently associated with CBSF (P = 0·007) and birth weight (P < 0·001) after adjusting for maternal age, parity, maternal education, infant sex and feeding practice. In conclusion, maternal ID was common upon delivery. However, maternal ferritin levels were not significantly associated with CBSF concentrations nor infant ferritin concentrations at 3 months of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear is a negative emotional reaction to or persistent worry over an imminent public health event like COVID-19. The COVID-Fear Scale was developed in many countries, but not in China. The current study aims to examine the psychometric properties of Chinese version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Translation into Chinese and back-translation into English were conducted firstly. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted in Sample 1, followed by validity tests in Sample 2. Likely, test-retest reliability was conducted in sample 3. A bifactor structure of Chinese version of FCV-19S with a general fear factor and two orthogonal group factors with fear thoughts and physical response was confirmed. Besides, it has good internal consistency reliability (α =.92), composite reliability (CR =.92), and validity correlation validity. The results of the present study confirmed that the Chinese version of FCV-19S has good psychometric properties in the Chinese communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early evidence from China suggested that blood groups may be involved in susceptibility to COVID‐19. Several subsequent studies reported controversial results. We conducted a retrospective matched case‐control study that aims to investigate the association between blood groups and the risk and/or severity of COVID‐19. We compared the blood groups distribution of 474 patients admitted to the hospital for COVID‐19 between March 2020 and March 2021, to that of a positive control group of outpatients infected with COVID‐19 and matched them for sex and age, as well as to the distribution in the general population. Three hundred and eighteen HC+ pairs with available blood group information were matched. The proportion of group A Rh+ in hospitalized patients (HC+) was 39.9% (CI 35.2%–44.7%), compared to 44.8% (CI 39.8%–49.9%) and 32.3% in the positive outpatient controls (C+) and the general population (C−), respectively. Both COVID‐19‐positive groups (HC+ and C+) had significantly higher proportions of group A Rh+ compared to the general population (p = 0.0019 and p < 0.001, respectively), indicating that group A Rh+ increases susceptibility to COVID‐19. Although blood group A Rh+ was more frequent in the outpatients C+ compared to the hospitalized group HC+, the association did not reach statistical significance, indicating that blood group A Rh+ is not associated with severity. There was no significant relationship between COVID‐19 and other blood groups. Our findings indicate that blood group A Rh+ increases the susceptibility for COVID‐19 but is not associated with higher disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storage sludge has high water content and low shear strength, which limits the capacity expansion of overlying municipal landfilling. Few studies have addressed the field treatment of large amounts of storage sludge due to the variability of the depth of geotechnical property. This paper proposes a stratified treatment method for storage sludge, based on the in situ characterization of layered sedimentary patterns of the storage sludge acquired from the Qizishan landfill in China. Additionally, the stability of the landfilling above the sludge pond is analyzed using the Morgenstern–Price and limit equilibrium slice method, which considers the layered strength properties of solidified sludge. The treated sludge has a significant decrease in average water content from 1398% to 88% and an increase in average cohesion to 23.52 kPa. The high content of clay particles, low amount of solidification products, and high water content together result in the high sensitivity to the water content of the strength of deep solidified sludge. For a 40-m high waste body, stability analysis suggests a sliding surface across the raw sludge pond, while the critical surface remains outside the treated sludge pond and the safety factor is increased from 0.934 to 1.464. The validated stratified treatment provides valuable references for the treatment of deep sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]