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

Paper mulberry, a vigorous pioneer species used for ecological reclamation and a high-protein forage plant for economic development, has been widely planted in China. To further develop its potential value, it is necessary to explore the regulatory mechanism of nitrogen metabolism for rational nitrogen utilization. In this study, we investigated the morphology, physiology and transcriptome of a paper mulberry hybrid (Broussonetia kazinoki  ×  B. papyrifera) in response to different nitrogen concentrations. Moderate nitrogen promoted plant growth and biomass accumulation. Photosynthetic characteristics, concentration of nitrogenous compounds and activities of enzymes were stimulated under nitrogen treatment. However, these enhancements were slightly or severely inhibited under excessive nitrogen supply. Nitrite reductase and glutamate synthase were more sensitive than nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase and more likely to be inhibited under high nitrogen concentrations. Transcriptome analysis of the leaf transcriptome identified 161,961 unigenes. The differentially expressed genes associated with metabolism of nitrogen, alanine, aspartate, glutamate and glycerophospholipid showed high transcript abundances after nitrogen application, whereas those associated with glycerophospholipid, glycerolipid, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were down-regulated. Combined with weighted gene coexpression network analysis, we uncovered 16 modules according to similarity in expression patterns. Asparagine synthetase and inorganic pyrophosphatase were considered two hub genes in two modules, which were associated with nitrogen metabolism and phosphorus metabolism, respectively. The expression characteristics of these genes may explain the regulation of morphological, physiological and other related metabolic strategies harmoniously. This multifaceted study provides valuable insights to further understand the mechanism of nitrogen metabolism and to guide utilization of paper mulberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsar time has different physical mechanisms from atomic time, and these two time-scales are complementary in terms of stability performance. The joint timekeeping of pulsar and atomic time is currently an important application direction. Our research utilizes a wavelet analysis method to perform multiscale analysis of time signals in both the time and frequency domains, and assigns corresponding weights to different frequency bands for synthesis, which solves the problem of balancing long- and short-term stability in unified weighted synthesis. In this paper, a joint time-scale APT (atomic pulsar time) is obtained by a fusion of pulsar ensemble time (EPT) and atomic time TA(NTSC) (AT) based on wavelet analysis. The results show that APT effectively integrates the stability advantages of both EPT and AT, and the short-term stability of APT at 0.4 yr is consistent with that of AT, reaching 5.6 × 10−15 as evaluated by σ z variance. The stability of APT remains consistent with EPT after 3.2 yr, and the long-term stability at 13.1 yr is close to 1.3 × 10−16, perfectly retaining the excellent long-term stability characteristics of pulsar time. The root mean square of APT's clock difference relative to TT(BIPM) is much lower than that of TA(NTSC). Moreover, we propose ways to improve the stability of APT through experimental comparisons. The results indicate that APT has the potential to serve as a reference for steering UTC(NTSC) in the future, improving the long-term timekeeping capability of local atomic time in China, thereby comprehensively improving the stability and reliability of China's time reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altay Prefecture, a typical arid region in northwestern China, has experienced the climate transition from warming-drying to warming-wetting since 1980s and has attracted widespread attention. Nonetheless, it is still unclear how climate change has influenced the distribution of vegetation in this region. In this paper, a reaction–diffusion model of the climate–vegetation system is proposed to study the impact of climate change (precipitation, temperature and carbon dioxide concentration) on vegetation patterns in Altay Prefecture. Our results indicate that the tendency of vegetation growth in Altay Prefecture improved gradually from 1985 to 2010. Under the current climate conditions, the increase of precipitation results in the change of vegetation pattern structures, and eventually vegetation coverage tends to be uniform. Moreover, we found that there exists an optimal temperature where the spot vegetation pattern structure remains stable. Furthermore, the increase in carbon dioxide concentration induces vegetation pattern transition. Based on four climate change scenarios of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), we used the power law range (PLR) to predict the optimal scenario for the sustainable development of the vegetation ecosystem in Altay Prefecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the results of a regional study. The studies were reviewed using PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine, Wan Fang Data and Chinese Science Citation Database. After screening articles and data extraction, Stata V.16 was used for statistical analysis. This study was registered in the Prospective Register Systematic Reviews (CRD42020170649). A total of 2126 articles were identified, and nine papers were finally included. Random-effects modelling showed that the pooled prevalence of hypertension among Chinese patients with T2DM was 54% (95% CI 47 to 61%). Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence in men (59.8%; 95% CI 49.0 to 70.7%) was higher than that in women (40.2%; 95% CI 29.3 to 59.2%). The prevalence in North China was higher than that in East China. The prevalence in institution-based settings (56%; 95% CI 48 to 64%) was higher than that in community-based settings (51%; 95% CI 34 to 69%). Appropriate preventive measures should be undertaken, such as health education, to control and reduce the risk of hypertension in diabetic patients and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common pathogens in surgical site infections (SSIs). However, comprehensive epidemiological and antibiotic resistance details for P aeruginosa in Chinese SSIs are lacking. We evaluated the proportions and antimicrobial resistance of P aeruginosa among patients with SSIs in China. Methods Relevant papers from January 2010 to August 2022 were searched in databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Weipu. A meta-analysis was performed to analyze the proportions and 95% confidence interval (CIs) of P aeruginosa among patients with SSIs. Meta-regression analysis was used to investigate the proportion difference among different subgroups and antimicrobial resistance. Results A total of 72 studies met inclusion criteria, involving 33 050 isolated strains. The overall proportion of P aeruginosa among patients with SSIs was 16.0% (95% CI, 13.9%–18.2%). Subgroup analysis showed higher proportions in orthopedic (18.3% [95% CI, 15.6%–21.0%]) and abdominal surgery (17.3% [95% CI, 9.9%–26.2%]). The proportion in the central region (18.6% [95% CI, 15.3%–22.1%]) was slightly higher than that in other regions. Antibiotic resistance rates significantly increased after 2015: cefoperazone (36.2%), ceftriaxone (38.9%), levofloxacin (20.5%), and aztreonam (24.0%). Notably, P aeruginosa resistance to ampicillin and cefazolin exceeded 90.0%. Conclusions The proportion of P aeruginosa infection among patients with SSIs was higher than the data reported by the Chinese Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System, indicating rising antimicrobial resistance. The existing antimicrobial drug management plan should be strengthened to prevent a hospital epidemic of drug-resistant P aeruginosa strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent shifts in political sociology have moved away from reification of the state to focus more on symbolic and everyday sociocultural perceptions of political units. Yet the launching points for most research has been state-led programs. To remedy this gap, this paper takes a relatively non-political activity, domestic tourism, and builds a theoretical model of how the circulation of tourist bodies provides legitimation for the material, symbolic, and territorial projects of the nation-state. Using qualitative content analysis of online travel diaries for domestic vacations taken in China from 2006–2019, I find that travel practices are integral to perceptions of and bodily engagement with the geography, history, ethno-culture, and modernization projects of the nation-state. I argue that tourist practices naturalize and confirm knowledge and classifications about the nation-state, making abstract political conceptions into experiential realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper starts from the supposition that civilization is an important concept for thinking about world order, and one that is increasingly coming back into play in world politics. It opens with a close look at the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI): what does it say, what does it imply, about what is it silent, and what are its policy contexts? It offers the theory of Uneven and Combined Development (UCD) as a way of looking at multiple modernities in terms of civilizational pluralism. This is followed by a historical unfolding of UCD since the early 19th century, showing how it has generated both single and multiple modernities cast in civilizational terms. The penultimate section focuses on the risks and opportunities that a world order of civilizational pluralism would create specifically for China. The conclusions summarize the main points of argument, and set out a more detailed global vision of what the GCI might aim to achieve if played well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a dataset on disaggregated national military capabilities from 1970 to 2014, drawn from the International Institute for Strategic Studies Military Balance. While practitioners have long recognized the importance of what weapons states own, scholars have largely examined surrounding questions in piecemeal fashion due to data limitations. The Distribution of Military Capabilities dataset identifies the weapons portfolios of states over the past half century at various levels of aggregation suitable to a wide variety of research questions. This paper begins by explaining the value of data on disaggregated national military capabilities, the data's scope, and the data collection process, including the creation of a new modular typology of weapons categories consistent across time and space. I then identify some initial trends about changes in the distribution of military capabilities and their implications for China's military rise. These data allow scholars to better investigate important questions concerning power projection, military innovation, conflict outcomes, the use of force decisions, and interest group lobbying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese governments at all levels have been using various policies to encourage innovation by firms. However, few studies considered the superimposed effects of multilevel innovation policies. Based on the panel data of 443 Chinese innovation–oriented firms from 2008 to 2011, this study investigates the complementarities between national and local science and technology programmes. The heterogeneous effects across stages of the innovation process are also considered. Results show that the national science and technology (S&T) programmes significantly increase firms' external research and development (R&D) expenditure but inhibit the commercialisation. In addition, the national and local S&T programmes complement each other in promoting external R&D expenditure while presenting substitutive in increasing patent outputs. This paper further finds that national and local programmes are more likely to be complementary at high subsidy intensity. This study contributes to the development of policy mix theory and has manifold implications for designing pertinent innovation policy systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Health inequality poses a challenge to improving the quality of life of older adults as well as the service system. The literature rarely explores the moderating role of medical services accessibility in the association between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality. Objective This study examines the socioeconomic deprivation and medical services accessibility associated with health inequality among older Chinese adults, which will contribute to the medical policy reform. Methods Using data from the 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), we analyse 14,232 older adults. This paper uses a concentration index (CI) to measure the income-related health inequality among the target population and employs a recentered influence function–concentration index–ordinary least squares (RIF-CI-OLS) model to empirically analyse the correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality among older Chinese adults. Based on the correlation analysis, we discuss the moderating effect of medical services accessibility. Results We find that health inequality exists among older Chinese adults and that the relative deprivation in socioeconomic status (SES) is significantly associated with health inequality (⁠ β ∈   [ 0.1109 ,   0.1909 ] ⁠ , P < 0.01). The correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality is moderated by medical services accessibility, which means that an increase in medical services accessibility can weaken the correlation between socioeconomic deprivation and health inequality. Conclusion China needs an in-depth reform of its medical services accessibility system to promote the equitable distribution of medical services resources, strengthen medical costs and quality management, and ultimately mitigate the SES reason for health inequality among older Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaeomagnetic investigations often encounter multiple magnetization components, where secondary processes have obscured, partially overprinted or completely replaced the original (primary) remanent magnetization. Identification and separation of primary and secondary magnetizations are generally carried out with principal component analysis of stepwise demagnetization data. However, rocks may contain multiple generations of magnetic minerals with overlapping unblocking ranges that complicate the discrimination of components when applying best-fitting line procedures. Developing a method to differentiate and quantify contributions of overlapping magnetic components using directional data is therefore highly desirable. This paper presents a method to unmix stepwise demagnetization data using an inverse modelling approach. We show that the method is capable of accurately resolving two or three magnetic components with overlapping or superimposed unblocking spectra as well as quantifying absolute component contributions. The method depends on accurate identification and selection of end-member components prior to analysis; in doing so, the method can help palaeomagnetists understand how magnetization components combine to explain their data. We show that the dilution of one component by more than ca. 25 per cent from another component can result in linear demagnetization curves that decay to the origin on orthogonal plots, but whose best-fitting direction can significantly deviate from both end-members. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated through examples of demagnetization data from hematite and/or magnetite-bearing sandstones from China. This method can be broadly applied to all multicomponent magnetization problems in palaeomagnetism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's influence in extractive industry sectors worldwide has expanded in tandem with the rising global demand for the natural resources integral to producing such low carbon products as electric vehicles. Many Chinese-operated mining projects overseas have hence generated broad concern on the ground about their negative environmental and social impacts. Chinese actors, meanwhile, have begun to engage with transnational extractive governance initiatives entailing a transparency norm that requires disclosure of environmental and social risks. China, however, appears to be reshaping this transparency norm through its establishment of the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI)—a China-led "transnational" governance initiative facilitating a Chinese version of that norm, known as "thin" transparency. Based on process-tracing and semi-structured interviews, in applying Acharya's (2018) norm-circulation model, this paper examines what type of Chinese domestic actors act as norm-makers and under what conditions. The study thus refines certain core analytical concepts of the model. The RCI case stands alone in highlighting China's growingly normative role in contesting the transparency norm through transnational interactions among Chinese and international actors in global extractives governance. The result shows China's norm-making as a strategic choice of a local idea-shifter to cope with China's internal and external legitimacy crises and to strengthen its emerging identity as a responsible great power. This study rejects the notion of China as a monolithic actor, rather suggesting a multi-agency and multilevel approach to understanding the complex realities of China's normative leadership in global governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By adopting a set of panel data from thirty provinces in China from 2007 to 2017, this paper examines how regional innovation efficiency is influenced by different types of innovation policies from a specific long-range plan ('National Medium- and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006–20)'). We incorporate public direct research and development (R&D) grants, R&D tax credits, and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection into our research. We also explore the heterogeneous influences of these factors at different stages in regional innovation development. The results indicate that public direct R&D grants have a significantly negative influence, especially in innovation-catching-up regions. Conversely, the R&D tax credit has a considerably positive impact on innovation-catching-up regions. IPR protection plays various roles according to different innovation development stages. Specifically, IPR protection has a positive impact on innovation-leading regions, while it negatively influences regional innovation efficiency in innovation-catching-up regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of trench-arc-backarc (TABA) systems is uniquely associated with modern-style plate tectonics on Earth. The Qilian orogenic belt in NW China records the evolution history of the Proto-Tethys Ocean at the transition time from the Proterozoic to Phanerozoic. This paper presents systematic studies of petrography, U–Pb chronology and geochemistry on various rocks from a middle-ocean ridge (MOR)-type ophiolite belt, active continental margin and back-arc basin in the Qilian orogenic belt to address the development of a modern-style TABA system. Arc magmas include felsic intrusions with ages of 531 to 477 Ma and felsic-mafic arc volcanic rocks with ages of 506 to 439 Ma, showing distinctive features of typical magmatic rocks formed at an Andean-type continental margin. The back-arc basin is recorded by a 490- to 448-Ma suprasubduction zone (SSZ)-type ophiolite with boninite, and Silurian turbidite flysch formation. We establish a three-stage tectonic history from the initiation of subduction to the formation of a mature Japan-Sea-type back-arc basin at the active continental margin in the Early Paleozoic era. (1) Northward subduction of Proto-Tethys Ocean initiated and the Andean-type continental arc developed at ~530 to 500 Ma with continual crustal thickening; (2) a tectonic transition occurred from an Andean-type active continental margin to a West Pacific-type active continental margin at ~500 to 490 Ma with rapid thinning of crust to ~35 km; and (3) mature ocean basins and back-arc-basin (BAB) ophiolites were formed in the back-arc extensional environment at ~490 to 450 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant studies from July 1919 to May 2021. Results: Seventeen papers pertinent to our questions were found: In a meta-analysis, we found that IVIG significantly improved the level of CK (SMD (STD. Mean Difference) = -0.69; 95%CI -0.93, -0.46; 푃 < 0.0001), Manual Muscle Test (SMD = 1.12; 95%CI 0.77, 1.47; 푃 < 0.00001), Medical Research Council (SMD = 1.59; 95%CI 0.86, 2.33; 푃 < 0.00001), Activities of Daily Living (SMD = 1.07; 95%CI 0.59, 1.56; 푃 < 0.0001). The CK levels in DM and PM were also significantly improved after IVIG (SMD = -0.73; 95%CI -1.12, -0.34; 푃 = 0.0002 and SMD = -3.29; 95%CI -5.82, -0.76; 푃 < 0.0001, respectively). The meta-analysis of three RCTs showed that there was a statistically significant improvement after IVIG (SMD = 0.63; 95%CI 0.22, 1.03; 푃 = 0.002). In a random effects model, pooled muscle power improvement rate was 77% (95% CI: 66.0-87.0%). Meta-analyses of IVIG as first-line therapy showed a significant improvement of the CK level (SMD = -0.71; 95%CI -1.12, -0.30; 푃 = 0.0007). The polled improvement rate of oesophageal disorders was 88% (95% CI: 80.0-95.0%). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of improvement between the number of courses <2 and ≥2 (0.80% vs. 0.80%, 푃 = 0.9). The proportion of corticosteroid-sparing success reached 81.8%. Adverse reactions following IVIG administration are usually mild and transient. Seven patients developed serious adverse events. Conclusion: IVIG seems to be an effective drug for DM/PM, improving muscle strength, CK levels, and oesophageal involvement, and it is well tolerated by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant studies from July 1919 to May 2021. Results: Seventeen papers pertinent to our questions were found: In a meta-analysis, we found that IVIG significantly improved the level of CK (SMD (STD. Mean Difference) = −0.69; 95%CI −0.93, −0.46; P < 0.0001), Manual Muscle Test (SMD = 1.12; 95%CI 0.77, 1.47; P < 0.00001), Medical Research Council (SMD = 1.59; 95%CI 0.86, 2.33; P < 0.00001), Activities of Daily Living (SMD = 1.07; 95%CI 0.59, 1.56; P < 0.0001). The CK levels in DM and PM were also significantly improved after IVIG (SMD = −0.73; 95%CI −1.12, −0.34; P = 0.0002 and SMD = −3.29; 95%CI −5.82, −0.76; P < 0.0001, respectively). The meta-analysis of three RCTs showed that there was a statistically significant improvement after IVIG (SMD = 0.63; 95%CI 0.22, 1.03; P = 0.002). In a random effects model, pooled muscle power improvement rate was 77% (95% CI: 66.0–87.0%). Meta-analyses of IVIG as first-line therapy showed a significant improvement of the CK level (SMD = −0.71; 95%CI −1.12, −0.30; P = 0.0007). The polled improvement rate of oesophageal disorders was 88% (95% CI: 80.0–95.0%). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of improvement between the number of courses <2 and ≥2 (0.80% vs. 0.80%, P = 0.9). The proportion of corticosteroidsparing success reached 81.8%. Adverse reactions following IVIG administration are usually mild and transient. Seven patients developed serious adverse events. Conclusion: IVIG seems to be an effective drug for DM/PM, improving muscle strength, CK levels, and oesophageal involvement, and it is well tolerated by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies how China has established and exercised leadership by creating and operationalising the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" (CBDRs) in United Nations climate negotiations—from the embryo of this principle in the Stockholm Declaration to its operationalisation in the Paris Agreement. Building on the updated scholarship on climate leadership, this paper proposes a four criteria test to ascertain the existence of a leadership relationship. It comprises (1) a wilful leader; (2) consensual followers; (3) a commonly shared goal shaped mainly by the leader and accepted by the followers; and (4) a process of leadership-building triggered through use of any one of the following four modes of leadership: ideational, directional, instrumental, or structural. In light of the leadership criteria, this paper focuses on how China has operationalised these various leadership modes towards realising the evolving collective goals of its developing followers. In doing so, the paper provides empirical evidence of the significance of each of the four leadership modes in underpinning China's leadership in the climate regime. This paper finds that while ideational leadership was prominent in creating the CBDRs principle, instrumental leadership, with the support of occasional usages of directional and structural leadership, has also been vital to China in tackling the internal divisions of developing countries and in overcoming the limitations of such countries' normative power in the post-Kyoto era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This structured review aimed to discuss the existing literature on therapeutic hypothermia for moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy exclusively in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods: Medline, Embase, CINHAL and Cochrane Registry were searched for original papers with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for treating neonatal encephalopathy in LMIC with no language restrictions. The search identified 1413 papers from 1990 to 31 August 2021.Results: Twenty-one original papers were included after duplicates removal and full-text screening in the final review. Fourteen randomized control studies and seven non-randomized studies were discussed with various modes of cooling (servo-controlled, phase changing material, traditional methods), complications during cooling, mortality and long-term neurodevelopmental assessment. Although there is sufficient evidence in LMIC favouring cooling for the reduction in mortality and improving the neurodevelopmental outcomes, nonetheless these studies were widely heterogeneous in terms of method of cooling, tools for assessing developmental outcomes, age at assessment and variations in neuroimaging tools and reporting.Conclusion: Therapeutic hypothermia is beneficial in LMICs with low certainty of evidence in reducing mortality and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has become an impactful science superpower, but it is asserted that its influence provides it with disproportionate benefits that some national research policies have not thus far appreciated. To create context, Web of Science data are used to analyse research collaborations between the UK and China: trends in volume of output between 1981 and 2019; citation impact; and comparative performance across research fields. UK–China collaboration increased from fewer than 100 co-authored papers before 1990, to 750 per year in 2000, 3,324 in 2010, and 16,267 papers (10.9 per cent of UK output) in 2019. UK–China collaboration is concentrated in technology-based fields: in some (e.g. telecommunication), over 30 per cent of UK papers are in collaboration with Chinese-based researchers. The paper discusses the policy consequences to the UK of this indicative dependency, arguing that exiting from such collaborations is ill advised, provided the risks, perceived or real, are mapped, managed, and mitigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ipomoea cairica (L.) Sweet is an invasive vine in South China with strong ecological adaptability in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. However, its invasion mechanism under global warming still remains unknown. In the present study, the thermal adaptability of I. cairica was investigated from the perspective of photosynthetic physiology to explain its successful invasiveness in South China, compared to a niche-overlapping native vine Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. Results of field photosynthesis measurements indicated a higher photosynthesis of I. cairica than P. scandens , which was also more temperature-sensitive. Under heat treatment (40 °C), the thermal-avoidance strategy of P. scandens and the thermal-adaptation strategy of the I. cairica enhanced the photosynthetic growth advantage of I. cairica over P. scandens. In I. cairica , the increase of soluble sugar and antioxidant enzyme activity along with the decrease of Malondialdehyde and oxide accumulation demonstrated that I. cairica has superior thermal-adaptation, contrary to P. scandens. Expression of IcOr and IcSRO1 in I. cairica was induced at 40 °C, maintaining the stability of photosynthetic system II and enhancing antioxidant ability. Out study suggested that a higher frequency of heat disturbance under global warming will enhance the invasion capability I. cairica but inhibit the native vine P. scandens. Highlight This paper reveals that contrary thermal-adaptation strategies expanded the photosynthetic, growing, and physiological advantages of invasive I. cairica over native P. scandens under high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GECEM Project Database stands out as a new Digital Humanities solution to accurately order and analyse the new historical Big Data gathered in Chinese and European historical archives. Traditional challenges such as capture, storage, analysis, data curation, searching, sharing, transfer, visualization, querying, updating, and information privacy are being tackled and solved within the design of this new multi-relational database. The implementation of this database has as its main innovative elements the capability of coding and cross-referring historical data in Chinese and Western languages. Thus, we present a new database as a digital solution to solve the long-lasting problem in historical research: the maximization and optimization of data collection when analysing historical sources and how to make use of a large amount of registers and information when developing case studies and work hypotheses for historical research. In this paper, we present a solution for data collection and analysis of probate inventories and trade records which is a relevant source when determining changes in patterns of consumption and global trade through the introduction of Chinese goods into Europe and vice versa during the early modern period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on policy coordination between government agencies reveals little about how coordination is managed in centralized political systems. This paper, therefore, presents a dynamic and quantitative analysis of policy coordination in China based on the science and technology (S&T) policy documents issued by China's central government agencies in the period 1978–2019. From a series of snapshots depicting inter-agency policy development in five historical stages over this timeframe, we find that (1) policy coordination has developed steadily and has mainly occurred to interpret macro strategies and put in place more detailed implementation measures. (2) Ministries under the purview of the State Council have played a leading role in policy coordination, while other types of agencies have cooperated in more supporting roles. (3) Coordination efforts have mainly focused on inclusive and national demand-oriented themes, such as high-tech industrialization, rural S&T, and social development. This research offers a panoramic view of policy coordination trajectories and mechanisms in centralized political systems. As such, it adds to the analysis methods available for quantitatively studying policy documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Coping style can affect the patient's physical and mental health management. Therefore this study aimed to identify factors related to the coping style of young and middle-aged sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) patients to provide reference for clinical nursing practice. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on young and middle-aged SSNHL patients hospitalized in the otolaryngology departments of four hospitals in Suzhou City, China. A paper-based self-administered questionnaire investigated the patient's coping style and related factors. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysed the effective related factors in patients' coping styles. Results Among 872 patients, 866 completed the survey, with an average age of 37.27 y. Factors related to the coping style of these patients included gender, chronic diseases, history of trauma, social support and type D personality (p<0.05). Female patients adopt more negative coping styles than male patients. Patients with chronic diseases or a history of trauma had more positive coping styles. Higher social support scores were related to improvements in coping style. Patients with type D personality were more likely to adopt negative coping styles. Conclusions This study suggests that psychological assessment of patients, chronic diseases, history of trauma, social support and type D personality may benefit the understanding of these patients' coping styles and, as a consequence, may improve their stress management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Daliang Shan is a tectonic unit that connects the active southeastern Tibetan Plateau with the stable South China block. As a newly generated (formed later than the Xianshuihe–Xiaojiang active fault system) seismotectonic zone induced by the Tibetan tectonics, the detailed constraints of the crustal deformation are central to the understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of the Tibetan expansion. This paper establishes and analyses a high-spatial resolution global positioning system (GPS) velocity field from a dense GPS network in this region. Our modelling results indicate that, in contrast to the equivalent sinistral strike-slip rate of approximately 5 mm yr–1 on the Anninghe–Zemuhe and Daliangshan faults, their inferred interseismic locking depth varies within a large range. The southern segment of the Anninghe Fault and the middle segment of the Daliangshan Fault have deep locking depths of ∼13 km, indicating that the seismic risk is high in these areas. In addition, the detectable counter-clockwise rotation rate of 0.35 ± 0.12° Myr–1 of the Mabian block makes a significant contribution of ∼50 per cent to the strike-slip motion on its boundary faults. This counter-clockwise rotation may be induced by a left-lateral shear gradient with southeastward motion relative to the South China-fixed reference frame, indicating the significance of a simple-shear pattern in exploring the kinematics of the encroachment of the Tibetan tectonics upon a stable block (craton). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although researchers and practitioners have discussed the concept of Global Englishes (GE), the degree of GE's influence in the practical use of English is much wider and deeper in the real world than in the field of education. Mainstream ELT practices tend to adhere to native and fixed norms, which are regarded as the central problems in ELT from the perspective of the GE paradigm. Although a GE-oriented pedagogy has been discussed, studies on curriculum in the Chinese ELT context from the GE perspective are relatively rare. This paper aims to investigate the extent to which the National English Curriculum (NEC) in China reflects GE-oriented phonology and cultural learning. The study adopted a content analysis in which the NEC statements on phonology and cultural aspects were identified and discussed. After reporting the findings, the paper further discusses some pedagogic implications about curriculum and language teaching from the GE perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving carbon emission peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 is China's long-term climate change strategy for the 21st century in accordance with the provisions of the Paris Agreement. Achieving carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality have caused a profound change in the society, which not only requires energy conservation and carbon emission reduction of all walks of life, but also profoundly affects people's lifestyles. In the current carbon emission reduction research, low-carbon lifestyle tends to focus on the relationship between human behavior and energy conservation. This paper starts from a new perspective, low-carbon lifestyle and health, focuses on the community fitness activity environment in the construction of complete residential communities, seizes the combination of physical-medical therapy national policy, improves people's health on the basis of advocating fitness activities and reducing medical travel, closely links low-carbon, health and community construction and endows the low-carbon community with a health function. Studies have shown that regular exercise can effectively prevent and manage many urban chronic diseases. By carefully selecting the prevalent chronic diseases and population disability adjustment years, this paper presents the characteristics of chronic diseases in major China provinces. Taking into account popular fitness activities, this paper innovatively puts forward the 'urban chronic disease community physical activity management model'. At the same time, it proposes the community fitness and activity infrastructure design and builds strategies to manage urban chronic diseases. At the end of the article, it gives an actual project case of fitness and activity environment and puts forward the suggestion of establishing 'living laboratory for community fitness and activity' as the test bed to collect big data for follow-up study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote the integration of the information industry, chain is of great significance for enterprises to improve quality, efficiency cost reduction and high-quality industry development. In this paper, based on the data envelopment analysis method, the efficiency measurement models of series structure, parallel structure and hybrid structure industrial chain are constructed under two different scenarios of central decision-making mechanism and decentralized decision-making mechanism. By quantifying the input and output resources that is in each link of the information industry chain integration process, measuring the input and output efficiency under different industrial chain integration structure; comparing and analyzing the integration efficiency of different regions, different links, discussing the cause of the differences in the integration efficiency of industry chain; thus, providing policy recommendations for the efficiency of industrial chain integration. In addition, taking the actual situation of two industrial parks with the main characteristics of carbon emission in a city of China as an example, the paper analyzes the difference of the integration efficiency of the information industry chain between the two parks. The empirical analysis shows that the information industry chain integration efficiency measurement model based on data envelope analysis theory is feasible and effective. It can not only measure the industry chain efficiency as a whole but also compare and analyze the integration efficiency of enterprises in different links of the industry chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Do distinct subpopulations of decidual stromal cells (DSCs) exist and if so, are given subpopulations enriched in recurrent miscarriage (RM)?Summary Answer: Three subpopulations of DSCs were identified from which inflammatory DSCs (iDSCs) and glycolytic DSCs (glyDSCs) are significantly enriched in RM, with implicated roles in driving decidual inflammation and immune dysregulation.What Is Known Already: DSCs play crucial roles in establishing and maintaining a successful pregnancy; dysfunction of DSCs has been considered as one of the key reasons for the development of RM.Study Design, Size, Duration: We collected 15 early decidual samples from five healthy donors (HDs) and ten RM patients to perform single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). A total of 43 RM patients and 37 HDs were enrolled in the validation cohort.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Non-immune cells and immune cells of decidual tissues were sorted by flow cytometry to perform scRNA-seq. We used tissue microarrays (TMA) to validate three distinct subpopulations of DSCs. The expression of inflammatory and glycolytic proteins by DSCs was validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC). Different subsets of decidual NK (dNK) cells and macrophages were also validated by multicolor flow cytometry and mIHC. Cell ligand-receptor and spatial analyses between DSCs and immune cells were analyzed by mIHC.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: We classify the DSCs into three subtypes based on scRNA-seq data: myofibroblastic (myDSCs), inflammatory (iDSCs) and glycolytic (glyDSCs), with the latter two being significantly enriched in RM patients. The distribution patterns of DSC subtypes in the RM and HD groups were validated by mIHC. Single-cell analyses indicate that the differentiation of iDSCs and glyDSCs may be coupled with the degrees of hypoxia. Consequently, we propose a pathological model in which a vicious circle is formed and fueled by hypoxic stress, uncontrolled inflammation and aberrant glycolysis. Furthermore, our results show that the inflammatory SPP1+ macrophages and CD18+ dNK cells are preferentially increased in the decidua of RM patients. Cell ligand-receptor and mIHC spatial analyses uncovered close interactions between pathogenic DSCs and inflammatory SPP1+ macrophages and CD18+ NK cells in RM patients.Large Scale Data: The raw single-cell sequence data reported in this paper were deposited at the National Omics Data Encyclopedia (www.biosino.org), under the accession number OEP002901.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The number of decidual samples for scRNA-seq was limited and in-depth functional studies on DSCs are warranted in future studies.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Identification of three DSC subpopulations opens new avenues for further investigation of their roles in RM patients.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This study was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program (No. XDB29030302), Frontier Science Key Research Project (QYZDB-SSW-SMC036), Chinese Academy of Sciences; National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFE0200600), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31770960), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (No. 2019SHZDZX02, HS2021SHZX001), and Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology (17411967800). All authors report no conflict of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Are there temporal trends of sperm concentration (SC) and total sperm count (TSC) in Chinese healthy males from 1981 to 2019?Summary Answer: Our result indicated a temporal decrease in SC and TSC among 327 373 healthy Chinese men in the recent four decades.What Is Known Already: A review of 61 papers reported a temporal decline in SC and TSC from 1938 to 1990. This trend was later confirmed by a systematic review of 185 published papers from 1981 to 2013. However, the majority of the included individuals were from western countries. In China, whether SC and TSC have declined remains controversial.Study Design, Size, Duration: This systematic review of published articles used data extracted from Pubmed, Science Direct, Embase, China-National-Knowledge-Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data to assess changes in SC and TSC in China from 1981 to 2019.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: A total of 111 studies including 327 373 individuals who provided semen samples from 1981 to 2019 were extracted for the present analysis. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent researchers. The trends in SC and TSC were analysed using liner-regression and meta-regression before and after adjusting for potential covariates. Moreover, subgroups, categorised based on geographic region, fertility status or recruitment source, were also analysed.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: SC declined significantly (slope liner-regression = -0.748 million/ml/year; P = 0.005; slope meta-regression = -0.824 million/ml/year; P < 0.001) between 1981 and 2019 in China. Trends for TSC was similar to that for SC (slope liner-regression = -2.073 million/year; P = 0.032; slope meta-regression = -2.188 million/year; P = 0.003). In subgroup meta-regression analyses, males with definite fertility had continuous declines in SC (slope northern group=-2.268, P = 0.009; slope southern group=-1.014, P = 0.009) and TSC (slope northern group=-9.675, P = 0.010; slope southern group=-3.215, P = 0.042). However, in the unselected group, where fertility status was unknown, the obvious downward trend in SC was only seen in males from Northern regions (slope = -0.836, P = 0.003). Another subgroup analysis demonstrated that obvious decreases in SC (slope = -1.432, P < 0.001) and TSC (slope=-4.315, P = 0.001) were only seen in volunteer groups but not in pre-pregnancy examination groups and other recruitment groups. The results changed minimally in multiple sensitivity analyses.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: The validity of the meta-analysis results was limited mainly by the quality of the included studies. Additionally, our study spanned many decades and the recommended criteria for some semen parameter assessments have significantly changed, which may bring about some unavoidable bias. Moreover, the data remain insufficient especially in some provinces of China.Wider Implications Of the Findings: The present study is the first study to report significant decreases in SC and TSC in 327 373 healthy Chinese men between 1981 and 2019, indicating a serious reproductive health warning. Further studies on the causes of the declines are urgently needed.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): D.Z. is supported by the National Natural Science Funding of China, Natural Science Funding of Shaanxi Province, Science Funding of Health Department, Shaanxi Province, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central University and the Project of Independent Innovative Experiment for Postgraduates in Medicine in Xi'an Jiaotong University. The authors have no conflicts of interests to declare.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general remit of this paper is the role of wildlife trade in pathogen spillover. Its underlying assumption is that, so far from being the exclusive domain of the life sciences, the study of pathogen spillover will be greatly enhanced by multi-perspectival approaches, including One Health and those employed here, namely, non-speciesist green criminology and critical animal studies. The paper moves from discussions of zoonosis, anthroponosis and wildlife trade to the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. The paper recommends the abolition of all wildlife trade and the reclamation of wildlife habitat and broaches discussion of the extension of legal personhood to wild animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qilian orogen marks the northern boundary of the Proto-Tethys Ocean and consists of the North Qilian belt, the Central Qilian block and the South Qilian belt. The metamorphic P–T–t path of the Central Qilian block and the tectonothermal processes that affected it are crucial to understanding the closure of the ocean. This paper presents a systematic investigation of the metamorphic P–T–t path of amphibolites from the Precambrian Huangyuan Group and Maxianshan Group in the Central Qilian block. An amphibole 40Ar/39Ar age of 456.7 ± 5.2 Ma from a garnet amphibolite and a 427.8 ± 3.8 Ma muscovite 40Ar/39Ar age from an orthogneiss in the Huangyuan Group, and amphibole and biotite 40Ar/39Ar ages of 408.7 ± 2.2 Ma and 349.9 ± 2.0 Ma from an amphibolite and a 361.4 ± 2.0 Ma biotite 40Ar/39Ar age from an orthogneiss in the Maxianshan Group record cooling stages after peak metamorphism. Phase equilibrium modeling of all amphibolite samples indicates clockwise P–T paths. A garnet amphibolite from the sillimanite zone in the Huangyuan Group recorded peak metamorphic conditions of 5.6–6.6 kbar and 730–770°C, reflecting granulite-facies metamorphism. Peak P–T conditions for a garnet amphibolite from the garnet zone are constrained to 580–600°C and 6–7 kbar. The amphibolite sample from the Maxianshan Group indicates peak P–T conditions of ~5.2 kbar and ~630°C. The Central Qilian block was affected by both southward subduction of the North Qilian Ocean and northward subduction of the South Qilian Ocean, which resulted in paired metamorphic belts along the northern margin of the Central Qilian block and accretion of the Hualong block to its southern margin. The subducted North Qilian oceanic slab detached and the remainder was exhumed at 453–445 Ma, accompanied by the extension and retrograde metamorphism of the overlying crust of Huangyuan Group at 457–428 Ma. Subsequent cooling of the Maxianshan Group indicates that the thermal regime relaxed during post-collisional extension at c. 409–350 Ma between the Hualong block and the Central Qilian block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receiver function (RF) analysis is an indispensable method that is widely utilized to image the deep structure of the crust and upper mantle. Although the P -wave receiver function (PRF) has the advantages of a higher signal-to-noise ratio and higher resolution than S -wave receiver function, the information about P -to- S converted (Ps) phases from velocity discontinuities of the crust and upper mantle is usually obstructed by multiples from shallower crustal interfaces. Sometimes it is difficult to identify useful information about lithospheric discontinuities. In this paper, we propose a method for suppressing multiples and isolating the Ps phases of RFs. This task is accomplished by exploiting the differences in arrival times resulting from the slowness between the conversion and the multiples that occur at the same interface in the PRFs and by separating them in the Radon domain, which enables removal of crustal and sedimentary multiples. This method can effectively remove multiples and isolate the useful signals of Ps phases contained in the PRFs. We test the method on synthetic PRFs and demonstrate that crustal multiples can be effectively eliminated or suppressed and that the Ps phase of lithospheric discontinuities can be coherently traced. Next, we apply the method to real PRF data collected from the seismic station of the China Array seismic experiment (Phase II and Phase III) in the Ordos block and its adjacent area, and successfully obtain an improved common conversion point stacking image of lithospheric discontinuity structures in the depth domain, particularly for detecting the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an influential economic entity, China's economic growth pattern is changing. The traditional way brought high-speed growth as well as caused environmental damage. The concept of environmental innovation, which combines the advantage of technology innovation and environmental consideration, has become a vital means to achieve sustainable development. Due to the double externality characteristic of environmental innovation, the government plays an important role in its development. Based on provincial panel data from 2008 to 2017, this paper first examines the distinct influences of various economic incentive instruments on environmental innovation. Then, the moderation role of marketization is explored. The results show that governments' direct financial expenditure on environmental protection has a positive impact on environmental innovation, while the effect of the environmental tax is not significant. In addition, the impact is negatively moderated by marketization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges when applying data envelopment analysis (DEA) is the selection of appropriate input and output variables. This paper addresses this important problem using a novel two-stage method. In the first stage, we use entropy theory to generate a comprehensive efficiency score (CES) of each decision-making unit. In the second stage, we select input and output variables using the Bayesian information criterion, when CES is treated as a dependent variable and the input and output variables are used as explanatory variables. We use stochastic data to demonstrate that our proposed method can improve the discrimination power of DEA and determine the important input and output variables. Finally, we compare the proposed method with principal component analysis using datasets on carbon emissions in China. This comparison demonstrates the practical value of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between a national constitution and international law reflects a nation's self-positioning in the international legal regime and its reception of international law in the local context. The adaptation of international law in the Chinese Constitution and legal system determines China's engagement and participation in the international law regime and indicates the country's treaty performance. This paper provides an overview of the position and status of international law, including both treaties and customary international law, in China's current 1982 Constitution and domestic legal system. It also analyzes current practice of international law in China's judicial practice. By reference to recent developments in the PRC Constitution and domestic laws, especially the 2018 Constitutional Amendment, this article attempts to provide a contextual analysis on the standing of international law in the Chinese Constitution and legal system, in the hope that the understanding of the interplay between international law and the Chinese constitutional and legal system will help scholars and policymakers to pursue opportunities for cultural communication and reconciliation to seek normative consensus in the formation of international law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, a significant and rising number of workers are engaged in on-demand work. The legal status of on-demand workers has been widely debated, and it seems that the vast majority are not protected by labour law, since the law accords rights only to those workers with 'labour relationships'. While there is widespread consensus in China that on-demand workers need more protection, steps taken in that direction to date have been small indeed. This paper seeks to explain the current legal situation of Chinese on-demand workers by outlining the responses to the spread of on-demand work of the judicial and arbitration system, national government, trade unions and workers themselves. Addressing the question why on-demand workers have not yet been accorded labour protections, it points in particular to the national government's concern to maintain high levels of employment and ensure economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Answering how and why policies emerge and interact with one another will advance our understanding of the evolution of policies. The paper investigates policy emergence as a practice defining possible policy objects in a specific domain and policy interaction as a practice enabling the defined objects. To trace the policy evolution, we define three types of citations to describe policymaking processes, establish the citation and co-citation networks of policy documents, and then conduct a natural language processing-based bibliometric analysis. We reveal the patterns of policymaking practices and identify the focal policies in a given domain. The results within the context of Chinese innovation and entrepreneurial policies suggest the information contained in focal policies drives the direction of future policy themes, as well as regular policies, tend to cite focal policies and follow the ideas of focal policies to achieve their goals. Our findings also provide some implications for Chinese future policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preference of biofloculants over chemical flocculants in water and wastewater remediation systems has gained wider attention due to their biodegradability, innocuousness, safety to human and environmental friendliness. The present study aimed to evaluate research outputs on bioflocculant potentials in wastewater remediation from 1990 to 2019 using bibliometric analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric report in bioflocculant research. The subject bibliometric dataset was extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and Scopus using the Boolean, 'bioflocculant* and waste*' and analysed for indicators such as a yearly trend, productivity (authors, articles, country, institution and journal source), conceptual framework and collaboration network. We found 119 documents with 347 authors from 78 journal sources on the subject, an annual growth rate of 12·1%, and average citations/document of 15·08. Guo J. and Wang Y. were the top researchers with 15 and 12 outputs respectively. China (42%) and South Africa (9·24%) ranked the top two dominant countries in the field. The top journals were Bioresource Technology (9 papers, 506 citations), Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (5 papers, 268 citations), whereas, the top institution was Chengdu University of Information and Technology (n = 9 documents) followed by Sichuan Univ. Sci. & Engn, China (n = 8 documents). This study found that lack of intercountry collaboration and research funding adversely affects research participants in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo is a highly renewable biomass resource with outstanding ecological, economic and social benefits. However, its lengthy vegetative growth stage and uncertain flowering period have hindered the application of traditional breeding methods. In recent years, significant progress has been made in bamboo breeding. While technical advances in bamboo breeding have been impressive, it is essential to also consider the broader implications we can learn from bamboo's extraordinary features for sustainable development. This review provides an overview of the current status of bamboo breeding technology, including a detailed history of bamboo breeding divided into four eras, a comprehensive map of bamboo germplasm gardens worldwide, with a focus on China, and a summary of available transgenic technologies for gene function verification and genetic improvement. As the demand for bamboo as a sustainable and renewable resource increases continuously, breeding objectives should be focused on enhancing yield, wood properties and adaptability to diverse environmental conditions. In particular, priority should be given to improving fiber length, internode length and wall thickness, as well as regulating lignin and cellulose content for papermaking, substitute for plastic and other applications. Furthermore, we highlight the challenges and opportunities for future research and development in bamboo breeding, including the application of omics technologies, artificial intelligence and the development of new breeding methods. Finally, by integrating the technical advances in bamboo breeding with a discussion of its broader implications for sustainable development, this review provides a comprehensive framework for the development of bamboo industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its rapid economic growth and increasing demand for energy, China has engaged in numerous efforts to sustain its energy supplies and enhance its energy security. While existing literature argues that access to energy is oftentimes the driving force behind Beijing's foreign policy behavior, little work has been done to systemically examine the bilateral relationship between China and energy-producing countries. This paper explores how China's foreign policy making is influenced by its energy security concern, focusing on three foreign policy instruments—partnerships, foreign aid, and leadership visits. Using a large- N , quantitative approach, this paper analyzes the effect of oil production on these three foreign policy indicators. The results show that Beijing is more likely to form partnerships with oil-producing countries. Top Chinese leaders are also more likely to travel to countries that produce a higher level of oil. China's aid allocation to Africa is driven by oil abundance as well, although the findings on aid are only valid in the cross-national analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause condyloma acuminatum and cervical cancer. Some mutations of these viruses are closely related to the persistent infection of cervical cancer and are ideal cancer vaccine targets. Several databases have been developed to collect HPV sequences, but no HPV mutation database has been published. This paper reports a Chinese HPV mutation database (HPVMD-C), which contains 149 HPV genotypes, 468 HPV mutations, 3409 protein sequences, 4727 domains and 236 epitopes. We analyzed the mutation distribution among HPV genotypes, domains and epitopes. We designed a visualization tool to display these mutations, domains and epitopes and provided more detailed information about the disease, region and related literature. We also proposed an HPV genotype prediction tool, which can predict HPV carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risk genotypes. We expect that HPVMD-C will complement the existing database and provide valuable resources for HPV vaccine research and cervical cancer treatment. HPVMD-C is freely available at Database URL : http://bioinfo.zstu.edu.cn/hpv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological innovation of wind power is crucial to energy security and energy structure transformation. The Chinese government has been committed to improving the innovation of the wind power industry for decades. Although academic researchers and wind power policymakers have been widely concerned about the absolute score of innovation output, concentrating on innovation output in isolation is ultimately insufficient. This article goes beyond bean counting and evaluates the innovation of the Chinese wind power industry from the perspective of relative efficiency, and then assesses the efforts of the government to improve innovation efficiency (IE). The study uses the data of 105 wind power listed enterprises in China over the period 2008–2019. According to the recommendation made by the existing papers, IE is defined as the capability to generate innovation outputs per unit of R&D investment. Regression analysis is applied to test the policy effect. During 2008–2019, the average value of IE of Chinese wind power industry is 0.196. The IE of wind power enterprises in eastern China (0.265) is higher than that in central and western China (0.169). Besides, the regression results indicate that all categories of wind power innovation policies contribute to the IE of wind power industry in China. Furthermore, the innovation policies issued by the departments of the State Council significantly improve the IE of wind power industry, but the innovation policies from the National People's Congress and the State Council have no significant impacts on IE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Buddleja lindleyana Fort., which belongs to the Loganiaceae with a distribution throughout the tropics, is widely used as an ornamental plant in China. There are several morphologically similar species in the genus Buddleja, but the lack of comprehensive molecular and phylogenetic studies makes it difficult to distinguish related species, which hinders further studies of this genus. Objective: Using molecular biology techniques to sequence and analyze the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of B. lindleyana. Methods: After sequencing of the genomic DNA using next-generation sequencing, a series of bioinformatics software were used to assemble and analyze the molecular structure of the cp genome of B. lindleyana. Results: The complete cp genome of B. lindleyana is a circular 154 487-bp-longmolecule with a GC (Guanine and Cytosine) content of 38.1%. It has a quadripartite structure, including a LSC region (85 489 base pair (bp)), a small single-copy region (17 898 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (25 550 bp). A total of 133 genes were identified in this genome, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA (transfer Ribonucleic Acid) genes, eight rRNA (ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid) genes, and two pseudogenes. Conclusion: These results suggest that the B. lindelyana cp genome could be used as a potential genomic resource to resolve the phylogenetic positions and relationships of Loganiaceae, and will offer valuable information for future research in the identification of Buddleja species and will conduce to genomic investigations into these species. Highlights: This paper study the B. lindelyana cp genome and it's structural characteristics, and analyze the phylogeny of Loganiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar power tower (SPT) receiver design should be able to stand with fatigue damage caused by the passage of clouds, start-up and shut-down. In this paper, to investigate the impacts of incident heat flux distribution and SPT site weather data on the thermal stress, fatigue life and allowable flux density (AFD) of the molten salt receiver, the relationship between the fatigue life and AFD of the tube wall is developed based on the coupled thermal–structural analysis and Miner linear damage theory. The results show that the cosine effect of the circumferential heat flux distribution considered has a significant influence on the location and magnitude of the maximum thermal stress of the tube wall, which lead to the difference in the tube wall fatigue damage. The AFD are, respectively, 829 kW/m2 and 1037 kW/m2 under uniform and cosine circumferential heat flux distributions for the site of Barstow, USA, when the design lifetime of the tube is 30 years. Compared with the SPT site of Barstow, USA, the fatigue damage of the tube wall in Sevilla, Spain, and Delingha, China, are lower under the same conditions due to lower insolation hours of direct normal irradiation in the range of 750–1100 W/m2. The AFD are, respectively, 829 kW/m2, 973 kW/m2 and 997 kW/m2 for the site of Barstow, USA, Sevilla, Spain, and Delingha, China, with 30 years design life. These findings give guidelines for the operation reliability of the SPT molten salt receiver tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the promulgation and implementation of China's 'carbon peak' and 'carbon neutrality' policies, the evaluation of the carbon footprint of the domestic catering industry is particularly important. Currently, comparative studies on the life-cycle carbon footprint of different common dining styles, such as home cooking, restaurant dining and takeaway, are scarce. Focused on three dining methods, this paper involved in-depth research on carbon footprint of the whole life cycle from the perspectives of whole industry and specific dish. The carbon footprint contribution of each stage of three different dining ways is obtained from the four stages, namely, the stage of upstream raw materials and manufactures, the stage of platform empowerment, the stage of consumer dining and the stage of waste treatment. The study found that the carbon emissions of the three dining ways in the overall industry analysis were canteen (2.9564 kgCO2e/per person) > takeaway (2.4821 kgCO2e/per person) > home cooking (2.2778 kgCO2e/per person); and the carbon emissions of honey sauce fork-fired were canteen (6.5843 kgCO2e/per person) > home cooking (6.4721 kgCO2e/per person) > takeaway (5.6718 kgCO2e/per person). The production of raw materials and products is the largest stage of carbon emissions among the three dining ways. Besides the carbon emissions of raw materials, the storage and cooking of food products are the unit processes with large carbon emissions. According to the results of sensitivity analysis, traffic travel mode is an important factor affecting the carbon footprint of canteen food. The above research can provide effective basis and data support for policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot dry rock is an abundant, stable and low-carbon geothermal resource, which has a promising prospect for power generation in China. In this paper, a hot dry rock power generation system model based on conventional organic Rankine cycle was established. The performance of the system was evaluated by thermodynamic analysis, as well as energy and exergy analyses. Four types of organic working fluids were selected to investigate their effects on system energy efficiency. R114 had much higher energy efficiency (17.50%~ 19.00%) than other three organic working fluids (R245fa, R245ca and R601) when water flow rate ranged from 80 t/h to 260 t/h. When R245fa was used as working fluid and power output was set at 4 MW, energy and exergy efficiency of the system were 15.27% and 50.42%, respectively. According to the energy flow analysis, the major energy losses (15.67 MW) in the system were attributed to the discharge temperature of turbine exhaust. However, exergy flow analysis indicated that the energy loss from turbine exhausts was not as serious as expected, since the work potential of that energy was limited. The exergy destruction of each component in the system was calculated, and the results showed that heat exchanger and the vapor separator were the weakness components in the system, and they respectively contributed to 44.8% and 29.8% of the total exergy destruction. The results obtained in this study provide possible strategies to improve the overall performance of the hot dry rock power generation system based on conventional organic Rankine cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windows are responsible for the largest amount of energy loss related to building envelope. Past studies on the energy consumption of windows have mainly focused on residential and commercial buildings, while few studies have explored the energy consumption of windows in educational buildings. The sizes and locations of classroom windows affect not only the building energy consumption but also the indoor environment quality, which is an issue that needs to be balanced. This paper takes a classroom in Guangzhou as the object. Under the premise of meeting the lighting standards of the classroom, two parameters—window height and sill height —were simulated in different corridors of north–south and east–west classrooms to analyse the impact of their changes on the indoor environment as well as energy consumption based on the parametric platform Grasshopper and its plug-ins Ladybug and Honeybee. The energy consumption of a number of fenestration combinations on both sides of the classroom was optimized automatically by genetic algorithm, and the sizes and positions of windows that benefitted energy savings were obtained. In the best case ~16.6% of energy consumed in a whole year can be saved compared with the worst case. This conclusion can provide a quick decision-making process for the design of window shapes for the purpose of energy savings in the early design stage of educational buildings in the Pearl River Delta such that energy savings can be quickly and clearly guaranteed in the subsequent window configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, based on the panel data of 281 prefecture-level cities in China, applies the difference-in-differences (DID) approach and the propensity score matching DID (PSM-DID) approach to an empirical study on the impacts of the low-carbon pilot program on industrial structure. It concludes that the program has contributed significantly to more rational industrial structures of pilot areas. The study shows that pilot areas have more rational industrial structures than non-pilot areas, recording an increase of 0.058 units in average rational level. This conclusion holds under various robustness tests. Further heterogeneity analysis suggests that the low-carbon pilot program has notably boosted the rational levels of industrial structures of cities in central China and small cities, while less so for other parts of China or other larger cities. Mechanism test shows that low-carbon cities have realized industrial structure upgrading by facilitating urban innovation. In light of this, the low-carbon pilot program should be further put in place steadily with a focus on tailoring pilot policies to local conditions and enhancing their economic adaptability. The role of the program in optimizing industrial structure should be fully leveraged to effectively add to efforts in actively exploring green, low-carbon sustainable development of economy and pulling off the transformation of both economic structure and energy mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]