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ABSTRACTIndustrial land status, encompassing quantity, distribution and efficiency, is pivotal in urban planning and sustainable development. However, obtaining detailed and up-to-date industrial land maps poses a significant challenge in many developing countries due to rapid urban expansion. Furthermore, the identification and efficiency assessment of industrial land at the parcel scale are rarely undertaken. To address these challenges, our study proposes an innovative approach to map industrial land, categorize its types and assess its efficiency at the parcel scale. We select Shenzhen, one of China’s largest industrial cities, as a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. Our results unveil several key findings: (1) Shenzhen’s urban area was meticulously segmented into 15,591 multi-size socio-economic parcels, of which 5,738 were identified as industrial parcels (IPs); (2) IPs were further categorized into three distinct types: office industrial parcels at 69.47%, manufacturing industrial parcels at (6.08%) and comprehensive industrial parcels at 24.45%; (3) Their efficiency was classified into four levels: low (20.30%), middle (35.73%), fine (35.97%) and high (8.00%). Efficient IPs were predominately concentrated in the southwest, whereas other IPs clustered in the northwest. Our findings can provide valuable insights into industrial land identification, classification and efficiency evaluation at parcel scale.

Exploring the synergy types and optimization paths between Poverty Alleviation Effectiveness and Rural Revitalization is necessary for achieving the two centenary goals. Taking poverty alleviation counties in Hunan Province, China as an example, our study proposed an indicator to measure the synergistic development between Poverty Alleviation Effectiveness and Rural Revitalization using the multi-index integrated evaluation method. Then, the coupling types were classified based on both the proposed indicator and regional characteristics. Besides, the corresponding optimization path for each coupling type was proposed to promote the synergistic development of Poverty Alleviation and Rural Revitalization. Results are as follows: 1) Lower synergy focused on the southwestern Hunan, while low synergy is widely distributed (such as the west, southwest, northwest, and midland). Moderate synergy is in the midland, such as Huaihua and Chenzhou cities. High synergy is distributed in Yongzhou, Huaihua, Xiangxi cities, etc. Besides, only Hecheng City belongs to the higher synergy. 2) This paper proposes corresponding development paths for different development characteristics and main problems from multiple perspectives of the protection system, industrial planning, and rural market. Continuously consolidate and enhance the effectiveness of Poverty Alleviation and Rural Revitalization to achieve coupled and synergistic development of the two systems. Our research results can provide theoretical support for implementing Poverty Alleviation and Rural Revitalization in Hunan Province, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous development of urbanization in China has brought new opportunities to rural settlements but has also led to spatial problems such as disorderly layout and unbalanced morphological structures, and the sustainable development of the countryside faces great challenges. As the core spatial carrier of rural settlements, scientific identification of their characteristics and delineation of their types is conducive to the subsequent spatial optimization of rural settlements to promote the coordinated and orderly development of rural areas. In recent years, several studies have explored the characteristics and classification of rural settlements based on single factor influences, but few studies have comprehensively considered them from a multidimensional perspective. To fill this gap, this paper takes the rural settlements in the Weibei Plain as the research object, uses the continuous spectral transect analysis method, combines the landscape security pattern analysis, establishes a multidimensional feature matrix model, quantitatively analyzes the spatial differentiation characteristics, and classifies the types. The key findings are as follows. (1) According to the analysis of landscape security patterns, it was divided into four types of rural settlements. The rural settlements with high and medium security patterns accounted for 86.79%, and the overall ecological adaptability was good. (2) In terms of spatial distribution, 80% of patches in the Weihe River transect are small and unevenly distributed under the influence of river runoff, gradually changing from dense to discrete; the fluctuation range of the 70% patch area is restricted by the terrain in the Hanyuan tableland transect is small and changes from discrete to dense. In terms of spatial morphology, 70% of the Weihe River transect was irregular and varied greatly. The morphology of the Hanyuan tableland transect tended to be similar, and the degree of fragmentation of the Hanyuan tableland transect was higher than that of the Weihe River transect. (3) The Weihe River transect was divided into six types of settlement space, the Hanyuan tableland transect was divided into seven types, and the characteristics of different settlement space types were quite different. The results can provide a scientific basis for the spatial planning, industrial guidance, and facility layout of rural settlements and have important significance for the rational formulation of spatial agglomeration guidance strategies and the promotion of sustainable rural development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting quality evaluations of rural residential areas and effectively improving their utilization levels is an important aspect of correctly handling the relationship between humans and the land and achieving high-quality rural developments. Taking Wangkui County, Heilongjiang Province, as an example, this study aimed to achieve the "intensive, humanistic, and green" development of rural residential areas. An evaluation index system of utilization quality was constructed using three aspects: intensive land utilization, human settlement environment quality, and ecological environment quality. The comprehensive evaluation results were classified using a multidimensional combination matrix and targeted optimization plans were proposed. Additionally, an obstacle diagnosis model was constructed to identify the factors that hinder the high-quality utilization of rural residential areas. The results demonstrated the following: (1) The utilization quality of the rural residential areas in the study area was mainly at a medium level, followed by low and high levels, with proportions of 20.18%, 51.38%, and 28.44%, respectively. The utilization levels gradually decreased from the town centers to the surrounding areas. (2) Based on the evaluation results, there were 23 combinations of rural residential areas in the study area, which were classified into four types: coordinated control, key development, single leading, and transforming and upgrading. Optimization plans were proposed for the different types. (3) From the perspective of identifying the barrier factors, the top five factors that hindered the high-quality utilization of rural residential areas were the traffic land density, aggregation index, green-coverage rate of built-up areas, completeness of public service facilities, and the proportion of secondary and tertiary industrial land area. This study provides a significant reference for the evaluation of the utilization quality of rural residential areas in plain agricultural regions to effectively raise their levels of intensive land utilization, improve their settlement environments, enhance their ecological quality, and achieve a development of high quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave-dissipating blocks are the armor elements of breakwaters that protect beaches, ports, and harbors from erosion by waves. Monitoring the poses of individual wave-dissipating blocks benefits the accuracy of the block supplemental work plan, recording of the construction status, and monitoring of long-term pose change in blocks. This study proposes a deep-learning-based approach to detect individual blocks from large-scale three-dimensional point clouds measured with a pile of wave-dissipating blocks placed overseas and underseas using UAV photogrammetry and a multibeam echo-sounder. The approach comprises three main steps. First, the instance segmentation using our originally designed deep convolutional neural network partitions an original point cloud into small subsets of points, each corresponding to an individual block. Then, the block-wise 6D pose is estimated using a three-dimensional feature descriptor, point cloud registration, and CAD models of blocks. Finally, the type of each segmented block is identified using model registration results. The results of the instance segmentation on real-world and synthetic point cloud data achieved 70–90% precision and 50–76% recall with an intersection of union threshold of 0.5. The pose estimation results on synthetic data achieved 83–95% precision and 77–95% recall under strict pose criteria. The average block-wise displacement error was 30 mm, and the rotation error was less than 2 ∘ . The pose estimation results on real-world data showed that the fitting error between the reconstructed scene and the scene point cloud ranged between 30 and 50 mm, which is below 2% of the detected block size. The accuracy in the block-type classification on real-world point clouds reached about 95%. These block detection performances demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the classification method of body type, 103 young female college students in Jiaodong area(Shandong, China) were measured by a 3D body scanning system, and variables of upper body parts were selected and analyzed by SPSS software. According to the indices such as the chest ratio, the chest sagittal diameter ratio, and the shoulder angle, the tested population was quickly clustered into six categories by the classification method of “size feature+shape index+front and back indices”, which were divided into flat chest body, graceful body, breast augmentation body, normal body, convex back body, and flat body. The proportion of various body types and classification rules were obtained. According to the classification rules, 103 samples and 15 new females’ body data were analyzed and verified. Finally, according to the descriptive statistical analysis of upper body-related indicators of young female in this area, the height and the chest circumference were selected as independent variables, regression analysis was carried out on 11 related indicators, and the mapping relationship between height and chest circumference was studied, which provided a mathematical model for the design of fit clothing structure of young females in Jiaodong area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting quality evaluations of rural residential areas and effectively improving their utilization levels is an important aspect of correctly handling the relationship between humans and the land and achieving high-quality rural developments. Taking Wangkui County, Heilongjiang Province, as an example, this study aimed to achieve the “intensive, humanistic, and green” development of rural residential areas. An evaluation index system of utilization quality was constructed using three aspects: intensive land utilization, human settlement environment quality, and ecological environment quality. The comprehensive evaluation results were classified using a multidimensional combination matrix and targeted optimization plans were proposed. Additionally, an obstacle diagnosis model was constructed to identify the factors that hinder the high-quality utilization of rural residential areas. The results demonstrated the following: (1) The utilization quality of the rural residential areas in the study area was mainly at a medium level, followed by low and high levels, with proportions of 20.18%, 51.38%, and 28.44%, respectively. The utilization levels gradually decreased from the town centers to the surrounding areas. (2) Based on the evaluation results, there were 23 combinations of rural residential areas in the study area, which were classified into four types: coordinated control, key development, single leading, and transforming and upgrading. Optimization plans were proposed for the different types. (3) From the perspective of identifying the barrier factors, the top five factors that hindered the high-quality utilization of rural residential areas were the traffic land density, aggregation index, green-coverage rate of built-up areas, completeness of public service facilities, and the proportion of secondary and tertiary industrial land area. This study provides a significant reference for the evaluation of the utilization quality of rural residential areas in plain agricultural regions to effectively raise their levels of intensive land utilization, improve their settlement environments, enhance their ecological quality, and achieve a development of high quality.

On the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau area, the permafrost and the wetlands are interdependent to form a symbiotic system, called permafrost wetlands (PWs). Due to the extremely complex hydrothermal conditions, the PWs greatly impact road stability. Thus, it is necessary to classify PWs in terms of engineering characteristics and evaluate their engineering stability. In this study, the typical diseases of subgrade in permafrost wetland areas are analyzed based on field investigation. Then, the permafrost type, waterlogged area ratio, and meadow development degree are used as the main indicators for classifying PWs by a three-level division method. Finally, a scheme for the engineering stability evaluation of PWs was established based on the fuzzy comprehensive theory and used for the pre-evaluation of the engineering stability for the proposed Qinghai 224 highway. The results indicate that the longitudinal cracks and uneven deformation are the main road diseases in this area, caused by the combined effect of permafrost, waterlogged areas, and meadow development. The PWs are divided into 15 types according to the engineering characteristics. Waterlogged area ratio and meadow development degree are proven to represent the development of underlying permafrost. The influencing factors include climatic environment, permafrost property, and wetland conditions, which have decreased influence on the engineering stability of PWs. The engineering stability of k230 + 100 and k255 + 400 is evaluated as basically stable and less stable, and the corresponding measures are adopted. At present, no significant damage occurred on the two road sections. The results suggest that the evaluation model in this article can be used to pre-evaluate the engineering stability of PWs.

Due to the complex dynamic of aeolian and fluvial interacted processes behind the landform development, most of previous works started from classifying the types of landscape characterized by various aeolian and fluvial features. Such classifications are usually generalized based on large geomorphic data set abstracted from satellite images without field verification and dynamic field data. In this study, we identified river banks in deserts as a unique geographical unit dominated by aeolian-fluvial processes. Three distinct locations have been identified as representative study cases, which are in the Keriya River Basin in the west, the Mu Bulag River Basin in the middle and the Xar Moron River Basin in the east of the northern China. The aeolian-fluvial interaction types were quantified based on site observation and measurement, topographic mapping and remote-sensing image analysis. Dimensional morphological relationship between river channel and adjacent sand dunes areas were explored. We concluded that different channels are often associated with different distributions of riparian dunes. The quantitative data enabled us to distinguish statistically four different types of landscape in aeolian-fluvial dominant environment, namely riverside dunes-straight channel, symmetrical interleaving dunes-meandering channel, river-island dunes- braiding channel, and grid-like dunes-anastomosing channel, aiming to provide compensational information to current aeolian-fluvial interaction studies. The angle of interaction between aeolian and fluvial systems, the windward and leeward sites of the bank, vegetation coverage and underlying landform determines the distribution, morphology, scale and direction of extension of the riparian dunes. The results of the work study can provide a reference for study of aeolian-fluvial interactions at different spatial scales in arid region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present the ratings obtained by a group of animals divided by the lactation rank and the differences between them and the breed standard. The tool that helps us to have an overview of the herd that we are working with is the type classification action. It is a very important element in the exploitation of dairy cows because it helps us to establish a hierarchy of animals in terms of conformation. Most of the results obtained from type classification of the animal group, have values close to those of the Holstein international standard. In some farms, there is now no emphasis on proper animal breeding technology nor is there a clear direction of genetic improvement in cows. In order to achieve higher economic performance, it is recommended to establish the long-term objective of development of the farm and then use of all existing means in the field to reach it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid visco analyser (RVA) method has been widely used to investigate starch viscosity and to quality control starch based cereals. Different rice types vary significantly in composition, which is reflected by their different pasting properties. However, the RVA has a reduced sensitivity when it is used to identify types. This study combined RVA profiles with multivariate data analysis methods to obtain more information from the RVA profiles. A total of 152 rice profiles were collected and analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLSDA). The results showed that there were two rice subspecies group types that could be distinguished. In order to optimize the established model, all the data were subjected to a regression analysis and the initial stage was identified as the point when viscosity differences between the groups had the highest regression coefficients. The discrimination accuracy improved when the extracted viscosity data was used. For further verify the applicability of the models, 60 of unknown samples were examined, and the classification accuracy was 100%. All the findings confirmed that this study offers a practical and reliable way to predict rice types, providing a foundation for further studies on origin discrimination and age prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative analysis of rural ecosystem health (REH) is required to comprehend the spatial differentiation of rural landscape and promote rural sustainable development under the pressure of urbanization and industrialization, especially those with dramatic changes in rural ecology of China and other developing countries. In this study, taking Jiangsu province as the case study, appropriate indicators were selected in the perspective of compound ecosystem and the rural ecosystem health index (REHI) was developed including four rural ecological subsystems of resource, environmental, social and economic. The comprehensive indicator assessment models and geographic information system (GIS) spatial methods were used to analyze the REH status and spatial differentiation of 57 counties in Jiangsu province. The REH scores of 57 rural counties were in a higher range of 0.686–0.882 and fluctuating increased from north to south, indicating that the rural ecosystem in Jiangsu province was at a relatively healthy level and counties in southern Jiangsu were healthier than those in central and northern regions. The spatial concentration of REH in Jiangsu was poor and the spatial distribution of four subsystems health levels were significantly different by spatial Gini coefficient analysis. The REH of 57 counties in Jiangsu province were classified into 13 types according to the identification of the health levels and quantity of four subsystems. Moreover, we analyzed the influencing factors of each type and proposed paths to promote the development and management of rural ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let be a single vertex k-graph and let be the von Neumann algebra induced from the Gelfand–Naimark–Segal (GNS) representation of a distinguished state ω of its k-graph C*-algebra . In this paper we prove the factoriality of , and furthermore determine its type when either has the little pullback property, or the intrinsic group of has rank 0. The key step to achieving this is to show that the fixed-point algebra of the modular action corresponding to ω has a unique tracial state. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Under the current government strategy of building a Silk Road economic belt, tourism in Chinese border counties has becoming increasingly popular. Studying tourism competitiveness in Chinese border counties is of sizable theoretical and practical importance, as there are several notable factors involved. In this study, we constructed a tourism competitiveness evaluation model based on eight factors: natural environment, tourism resource, location and transportation, social environment, tourism service facility, border port, tourism industrial cluster and tourism market. We then analyzed the spatial characteristics of tourism competitiveness in border counties and identified five types of border counties: resource advantage type (RA), border-port advantage type (PA), location advantage type (LA), agglomeration advantage type (AA), and relative balance type (RB), and examined the correlation between tourism market competitiveness and interior competitiveness factors in the counties from 2006 to 2011. Results showed that tourism resource, location and transportation, and tourism service facility are the most important competition factors for RA border counties during the study period. Competition factors in PA counties transferred from tourism resource, social environment and tourism service facility to border port and tourism industrial cluster; competition factors in LA counties transferred from natural environment and tourism resource to tourism service facility and tourism industrial cluster and border port. Competition factors in AA counties transferred from tourism service facility to tourism resource. Tourism industrial cluster, tourism service facility and tourism resource proved to be important competition factors in RB counties. The findings of this study can be used to target tourism strategies according to different county types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We elicit individual-level peer-punishment types in a cooperation (social dilemma) and a coordination (weakest link) problem. In line with previous literature, we find heterogeneity in peer-punishment in both environments. Comparing punishment behavior across the two environments within subject, we observe a high degree of individuals’ punishment type stability. However, the aggregate punishment demand is higher in the weakest-link game. The difference between the two environments is driven by subjects whose behavioral types are inconsistent rather than by a change in the punishment demand of those who punish in both environments.

Based on the linear type classification of 49 246 young cows of the Czech Fleckvieh breed the overall udder score was proposed. Calculation of the overall udder score is derived from the particular type traits, especially from those traits, where the optimal development is not scored by maximum. Cubic regression coefficients were used for recalculation and obtained a new scale for traits such as udder depth, teat length, teat thickness, teat position and teat placement. These re-calculated traits together with other particular traits described on the udder were combined to the model for overall udder score – model 1. In the model 2 the same proportion of the particular traits was used with restriction by extreme development of the udder dept, where two different levels of penalization (−3 and −6 points) were used. Both models were compared with the current used system, where the x = 77.1, s = 5.22; for model 1 x = 84.94 (s = 2.65); for model 2 x = 84.40, s = 2.74. In both proposed models the distribution of the overall score for udder showed significantly smooth distribution, than in current system.The coefficient of correlation between current system and new proposals reached r = 0.799. Estimated breeding values for new models decreased from x = 0.199, s = 0.946 by the current used system, to x = 0.087 for model 1, x = 0.089 for model 2 respectively. Also the variability of the breeding values decreased. Estimated coefficients of heritability also decreased from 0.22 by the current system to 0.15 by the model 1 and 0.15 by the model 2, respectively.

The article discusses the use of automated algorithms in determining cases of diabetes in children and diabetes type classification based on demographic characteristics. Topics include how administrative and electronic health record data can be used in these algorithms, how age, race, and ethnicity impact the risk of diabetes, and how effective the algorithms were at identifying childhood diabetes of both types.

Abstract: CALIPSO Level-1 attenuated backscatter and Level-2 aerosol products (Version-3.01) are evaluated with a combined ground-based lidar and AERONET-sunphotometer measurements in the daytime over the New York metropolitan area. To assess the CALIPSO Level-1 product, we combine the co-located ground-lidar and sunphotometer to derive aerosol extinction and backscatter profiles, and then simulate the CALIPSO equivalent attenuated backscatter coefficients. Direct statistical comparisons show a strong correlation (R = 0.92) and modest relative errors. Both dust and smoke plume events are focused to evaluate CALIPSO Level-2 aerosol layer products. The CALIPSO algorithms for cloud-aerosol discrimination and aerosol type classification are shown for the most part to work well, with a few exceptions in cases of aloft plumes with high aerosol loading. Small partitions of dense smoke are misclassified as the clouds or polluted dusts in the CALIPSO product. The aerosol extinction and backscatter coefficients are generally consistent between the CALIPSO and ground-based retrievals, but both geometric thickness and column optical depths of aerosol layers from CALIPSO products are underestimated. In addition, we find that some weakly scattering aerosol layers are clearly displayed by the ground-based lidar, but not identified by the current CALIPSO algorithm due to the detection sensitivity issue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the current study, the spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics of marine economy resilience in three coastal areas of China were analysed based on multi-dimensional perspectives. The entropy weight method (EWM) was adopted to assign weights to each resilience dimension to define the marine economy-associated resilience value. Additionally, the classification criteria of coastal provinces (cities) was determined according to their temporal distribution ranges. Next, the spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics and types of marine economy resilience in China's three coastal regions were explored and determined. Collectively, this study provides a novel strategy for measuring multiple aspects of marine economy resilience with the capacity to determine the specific types of marine economy resilience for each coastal province (city). This strategy can be implemented by decision makers to formulate targeted policies and measures to facilitate improved development of the marine economy in China's coastal regions. • Developed method for measuring multiple aspects of marine economy resilience • New method determines types of marine economy resilience coastal provinces • Assess spatio-temporal evolutionary characteristics of marine economy resilience • Entropy weight method employed to define marine economy associated resilience value • Coastal province group criteria determined based on temporal distribution ranges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The genetic code is the triplet code based on the three-letter codons, which determines the specific amino acid sequences in proteins synthesis. Choosing an appropriate model for processing these codons is a useful method to study genetic processes in Molecular Biology. As an effective modeling tool of discrete event dynamic systems (DEDS), colored petri net (CPN) has been used for modeling several biological systems, such as metabolic pathways and genetic regulatory networks. According to the genetic code table, CPN is employed to model the process of genetic information transmission. In this paper, we propose a CPN model of amino acids classification, and further present the improved CPN model. Based on the model mentioned above, we give another CPN model to classify the type of gene mutations via contrasting the bases of DNA strands and the codons of amino acids along the polypeptide chain. This model is helpful in determining whether a certain gene mutation will cause the changes of the structures and functions of protein molecules. The effectiveness and accuracy of the presented model are illustrated by the examples in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The results of type classification recorded between 1982 and 1999 were used to study the evolution of the genetic variances and heritabilities of six type traits in 23405 Zebu cows between 2 and 12 years of age. These females are progenies of 928 sires of this breed and these data sets were studied through a sire random regression model (RRM). The best results were obtained for a RRM with an order of fit k = 2 for the random effects, k = 5 for the fixed effects of groups of similar age and k = 3 for the effects of the calving classification interval. The use of the RRM to analyze these traits permitted to describe the pattern of inheritance of these characters according to age. Higher results are manifested before 48 months of age; there was a stable phase later. The values of heritability (hij²) for all the traits were as average of hij² = 0.30 (0.22 to 0.45) when evaluating before 48 months of age, whereas they were decreased and stabilized at hij² = 0.15 to 0.22 between 4 and 12 years. The genetic correlations were higher than 0.8 between adjacent ages and decreased up to 0.67 between early ages and the adult stage. The regression coefficients of the breeding value (BV) of the sires, estimated at 36 months of age, had high accuracy to predict the BV of the same sires at adult ages, thus it is recommended to use it in practical conditions. This paper shows the possibilities to estimate the BV of the sires using a random regressions procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for object detection and classification based on their shapes in images is presented. In the new method, to describe objects and match them with the models, local photometric features are incorporated with global shape features in a probabilistic framework, which is an extension of conventional approaches to geometric object recognition. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in vehicle detection in road images with background clutter, as well as in face detection under varying lighting conditions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(9): 10–19, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10641 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since haze and other air pollution are frequently seen in the North China Plain (NCP), detail information on aerosol optical and radiative properties and its type classification is demanded for the study of regional environmental pollution. Here, a multiyear ground-based synchronous sun photometer observation at seven sites on North China Plain megalopolis from 2013 to 2018 was conducted. First, the annual and seasonal variation of these characteristics as well as the intercomparsion were analyzed. Then the potential relationships between these properties with meteorological factors and the aerosol type classification were discussed. The results show: Particle volume exhibited a decreasing trend from the urban downtown to suburban and the rural region. The annual average aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AOD 440) varied from ∼0.43 to 0.86 over the NCP. Annual average single-scattering albedo at 440 nm (SSA 440) varied from ∼0.89 to 0.93, indicating a moderate to slight absorption capacity. Average absorption aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AAOD 440) varied from ∼0.07 to 0.10. The absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) (∼0.89–1.40) indicated the multi-types of absorptive matters originated form nature and anthropogenic emission. The discussion of aerosol composition showed a smaller particle size of aerosol from biomass burning and/or fossil foil consumption with enhanced aerosol scattering and enlarged light extinction. Aerosol classification indicated a large percentage of mixed absorbing aerosol (∼20%–49%), which showed increasing trend between relative humidity (RH) with aerosol scattering and dust was an important environmental pollutant compared to southern China. • Long-term aerosol observation campaign was conducted in NCP megalopolis. • SSA indicated a moderate to slight absorption capacity of aerosol over seven sites. • Smaller aerosol size with enhanced aerosol scattering and extinction was found. • Dust was still an important environmental pollutant in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite various studies regarding polycentric development at metropolis or even larger spatial scales, there is little systematic analysis regarding the rapid urbanization area at the county-level scale. Therefore, this study explored polycentric development in 52 county-level administrative units in Zhejiang Province, China, from a public service perspective. Based on point-of-interest data, our analysis detected the intra-county urban centers and measured their polycentric characteristics. According to the number, scale, and equilibrium value of intra-county polycentricity, the 52 county-level units were classified into three types using a two-step cluster algorithm method. The empirical results suggest that polycentric characteristics vary in the rapid urbanization area, and the spatial distribution of typological units is characterized by agglomeration. Topographical condition, fixed assets investment, public transportation, and residential consumption ability are highly associated with the classification of polycentric urban areas. The conclusion of this study would help local governments initiate better urban development policies and provide potential research directions for further studies about the relationship of inter-county urban centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since haze and other air pollution are frequently seen in the North China Plain (NCP), detail information on aerosol optical and radiative properties and its type classification is demanded for the study of regional environmental pollution. Here, a multiyear ground-based synchronous sun photometer observation at seven sites on North China Plain megalopolis from 2013 to 2018 was conducted. First, the annual and seasonal variation of these characteristics as well as the intercomparsion were analyzed. Then the potential relationships between these properties with meteorological factors and the aerosol type classification were discussed. The results show: Particle volume exhibited a decreasing trend from the urban downtown to suburban and the rural region. The annual average aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AOD 440 ) varied from ∼0.43 to 0.86 over the NCP. Annual average single-scattering albedo at 440 nm (SSA 440 ) varied from ∼0.89 to 0.93, indicating a moderate to slight absorption capacity. Average absorption aerosol optical depth at 440 nm (AAOD 440 ) varied from ∼0.07 to 0.10. The absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) (∼0.89-1.40) indicated the multi-types of absorptive matters originated form nature and anthropogenic emission. The discussion of aerosol composition showed a smaller particle size of aerosol from biomass burning and/or fossil foil consumption with enhanced aerosol scattering and enlarged light extinction. Aerosol classification indicated a large percentage of mixed absorbing aerosol (∼20%-49%), which showed increasing trend between relative humidity (RH) with aerosol scattering and dust was an important environmental pollutant compared to southern China., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We elicit individual-level peer-punishment types in a cooperation (social dilemma) and a coordination (weakest link) problem. In line with previous literature, we find heterogeneity in peer-punishment in both environments. Comparing punishment behavior across the two environments within subject, we observe a high degree of individuals' punishment type stability. However, the aggregate punishment demand is higher in the weakest-link game. The difference between the two environments is driven by subjects whose behavioral types are inconsistent rather than by a change in the punishment demand of those who punish in both environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]