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Paulownia fortunei, one of the world's fastest growing timber tree species, is universally applied with fertilizer as a management approach to meet the nutrient requirements for efficient cultivation. The substantial effects of fertilizer on soil microorganisms in Paulownia plantations have been empirically tested; however, the successive chronosequence of soil microbial carbon and nitrogen functional genes under different fertilizer application durations remains limited. The objective of this study was to explore the characteristics of soil microorganisms involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas (GHG) production under different fertilizer application durations. Different fertilizer treatments, i.e., the short-term group (SG) versus the long-term group (LG), and durations were applied to subtropical plantations in southern China and compared with zonal evergreen broad-leaved forests. Results showed that fertilizer treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of Acidobacteriota and the expression of nirK and nosZ. The functional groups that dominated metabolism in SG and LG treatments belonged to Actinobacteria and Acidobacteriota, respectively, suggesting that the nutrient preference of microorganisms in forest soil may change from copiotrophs to oligotrophs with increasing fertilizer application duration. Correlation network analysis showed that the communities that dominated the carbon and nitrogen cycles belonged to Actinobacteria and Acidobacteriota, respectively, and were closely related to ammonium nitrogen and available iron. Actinobacteria and Acidobacteriota were likely the major taxa that affected soil GHG production under different fertilizer application durations. We concluded that long-term fertilizer use changed the preference of microbial nutrient uptake into recalcitrant nutrients, and the sensitivity of the microbial community to nutrients gradually decreased with increasing fertilizer application time. The dominant Actinobacteria affected soil carbon and nitrogen cycles largely by stimulating denitrification to increase the release of nitrous oxide, which might lead to the loss of nitrogen components and the intensification of the GHG effect with increasing fertilizer application time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of natural fungal diversity impacts our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes and can lead to novel bioproduct discovery. Russula and Lactarius, both in the order Russulales, represent two large genera of ectomycorrhizal fungi that include edible as well as toxic varieties. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, including nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 28S large subunit of ribosomal RNA (LSU), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2), the ribosomal mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) gene sequences, we here describe and illustrate two new species of Russula and one new species of Lactarius from southern China. These three new species are: R. junzifengensis (R. subsect. Virescentinae), R. zonatus (R. subsect. Crassotunicatae), and L. jianyangensis (L. subsect. Zonarii). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica diagenesis has been proved to significantly affect rock composition and fabric. However, it still needs to be clarified how silica diagenesis affects the mechanical properties of shales. To further investigate this impact, we collected shale samples from the Upper Ordovician Wufeng and the Lower Silurian Longmaxi formations, southeast Sichuan Basin. The total organic carbon (TOC) content, mineralogical composition, and major oxide concentrations were measured to characterize the shale composition. Thin-section observations and high-resolution imaging techniques were used to characterize the rock fabric and identify quartz types. The Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and the measured hardness were used to characterize the shale mechanical properties. Four major lithofacies were identified, namely, siliceous shale, siliceous-argillaceous mixed shale, silty mudstone, and argillaceous shale. Three types of authigenic quartz in the Wufeng-Longmaxi formations were observed, namely, quartz overgrowth, matrix-dispersed microquartz, and microquartz aggregates. Matrix-dispersed microquartz is typically mixed with clay matrix, while microquartz aggregates typically coexist with migrated organic matter. The combined analysis of Fe–Al–Mn ternary diagram, cross-plots of Si versus Al, Rb versus K 2 O, and TOC content versus excess silica demonstrate that the dominant silica source of quartz cementation is biogenic. The cross-plot of excess silica contents versus Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and hardness suggest that silica diagenesis significantly affects the mechanical properties of shale rocks. Microquartz aggregates greatly contribute to shale brittleness, while detrital quartz minimally affects shale brittleness if the detrital quartz was enclosed by ductile clay minerals. • Four quartz types were identified in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shales. • Silica cementation could significantly enhance shale rock mechanical properties. • The organic-rich siliceous shale typically manifests the best brittleness behavior. • The evolution patterns of silica diagenesis in different lithofacies were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liu, S.; Gao, M.; Hou, G., and Jia, C., 2021. Groundwater characteristics and mixing processes during the development of a modern estuarine delta (Luanhe River Delta, China). Journal of Coastal Research, 37(2), 349–363. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The Luanhe River Delta (LRD) is divided into two parts, the ancient LRD and the modern LRD (MLRD), and has formed since 7000 calibrated years before present (cal yr BP). The MLRD developed from 2500 cal yr BP. Influenced by paleoclimatic changes and human activity, its groundwater environment is complex. In this study, groundwater monitoring methods, hydrochemistry, and isotopes are used to determine the groundwater characteristics and mixing processes during MLRD development. The groundwater dynamics show seasonal variations. The groundwater salinity distribution features vertical zones and is the same as the stratal distribution. The saline groundwater formation involves evaporation, condensation, hydrolysis, dissolution of evaporated salts, and mixing of groundwater with different qualities and hydrochemical compositions. Brackish water and saline water are the result of mixing between fresh and highly saline waters in deep groundwater based on the hydraulic conditions and the dispersion effect. The formation of the MLRD, which can be described as natural reclamation, provides good groundwater flow and mixing channels. Based on hydrochemical data, the mixing model, and the hydrochemical facies evolution diagram, salinity in shallow groundwater is influenced by seawater intrusion and saline water intrusion. The concentrations of sodium and chloride can indicate the intrusion degree. Precipitation and other freshwater inputs provide the main recharge sources that lead to freshening of the shallow groundwater. Close to the sea, the water exchange between groundwater and seawater is intense, which can lead to similar hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater and local seawater. Saline water intrusion in deep groundwater is more serious than that in shallow groundwater because there is no other freshwater recharge to deep groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic epigenetic changes during hibernation occur in some hibernating rodents, but these changes are poorly understood in hibernating bats. Populations of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in north China hibernate and provide an opportunity to study how epigenetic markers and modifiers differ in the active and torpid states of a chiropteran. We used fluorescence-labeled methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (F-MSAP) and qRT-PCR techniques to determine changes in the global DNA methylation levels and mRNA expression levels of methylation-related proteins. These included DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs), methyl-CpG-binding proteins (MBPs, including MBDs, UHRFs, and zinc-finger protein family) in active and torpid R. ferrumequinum. In the torpid state, both the relative global methylation and the relative mRNA expression levels of some DNMTs and MBPs, including dnmt3b and zbtb4 , increased significantly compared to the expression levels of these in the active state. These changes may involve methylation or assist in regulation of a particular subset of genes according to hibernation status. This indicates that epigenetic mechanisms may exist and facilitate the hibernation process of R. ferrumequinum. [Display omitted] • The global DNA methylation level increased in torpid state. • Some MBPs showed higher mRNA expression levels in hibernation. • Epigenetic marker and modifiers may facilitate the hibernation of the great horseshoe bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal reclamation can result in considerable changes in the quality and quantity of submarine groundwater at the land/sea interface. In this study, submarine groundwater monitoring wells and water samples were designed and implemented to get data of groundwater level, electrical conductivity, temperature, and hydrochemistry data to examine the responses of silty-sand submarine groundwater in different sedimentary strata to reclamation in south of Laizhou Bay. The submarine groundwater is mainly saline water and its salinity in the deep aquifer is higher than that of seawater and close to brine. It was formed in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Drilling core data indicates that there is a stratigraphic boundary at a depth of 18.58 m, with Holocene strata above, and Late Pleistocene strata below, this level. Continuous electrical conductivity data indicates that the submarine groundwater properties are stratigraphically distributed in this study area. And there is an interface at a depth of 38 m. Above the 38 m depth, the water quantity of submarine ground-saline water is freshening. The major ions showed a tendency to change continually above 25 m, but the tended to stabilize below 25 m depth. Freshwater is the major recharge source in the upper section of the Holocene strata, between the surface and 8.00 m depth, and the hydrochemical type has changed from Cl Na to Cl·HCO 3 Na. In the lower section of Holocene strata (8.00–23.00 m) and upper section of late Late Pleistocene strata (23.00–38.00 m), groundwater is influenced by seawater and groundwater of upper aquifer. The freshwater, seawater, and groundwater recharge in the upper aquifer has no influence on the groundwater in the section below the late Late Pleistocene (between 38.00 and 49.15 m) and the early Late Pleistocene strata (between 49.15 and 75.00 m). The filling layer, added in the coastal reclamation project, is comprised of clayey silt and fine sand, and its high porosity means that it is suitable for water storage. After the reclamation, meteoric water was stored in the filling layer that became the stable recharge resource. The recharge resource and the filling layer can improve the properties of the confined aquifer to increase the groundwater level. They may also influence the groundwater quantity and the flow direction. The groundwater in the Holocene strata is clearly influenced by recharge and the previously saline water aquifers receive freshwater on an on-going basis, such that the water is now becoming fresh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant community is the basic landscape unit of the coastal green space. The study of the oil-contaminated coastal green space plant community has an important role in improving the landscape quality and aesthetics of the coastal green space. This article takes the oil pollution shoreline of Jiaozhou Bay as an entry point to build a plant community landscape evaluation model, analyzes and evaluates the most scenic plant community types in the coastal area of Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay in order to provide scientific basis for the plant community landscape configuration along the oil polluted coastline of Jiaozhou Bay, and provide reference for the evaluation and construction of plant community landscape in other cities. • The plant community is the basic landscape unit of the coastal green space. • Oil-contaminated coastal green space plant community has an important role in improving the landscape quality. • The configuration has significance for landscape evaluation and construction of plant communities in coastal green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats play important roles in ecosystems, and are thus considered bioindicators. Libraries of echolocation calls provide huge potential resources for bat species identifications, ecological studies and conservation surveys. Here, the echolocation calls of two morphologically similar bat species (Miniopterus magnater and Miniopterus fuliginosus) were recorded and described in order to characterize vocal signatures for field identification in China. Both M. magnater and M. fuliginosus emitted short frequency modulated echolocation calls with narrow bandwidths. Each call of the former species included two harmonics, with the first harmonic being the strongest, whereas calls of the latter species normally contained one harmonic. Although call durations were similar between the two species, there were significant differences in start, end and peak frequencies between M. magnater and M. fuliginous. The results showed that 92.3% of all calls recorded in China were attributed to the correct species based on spectral features of echolocation calls. We concluded that echolocation calls are valuable characters for the identification of morphologically similar bat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate patients' preference and the attitude towards physician attire in an internal medicine clinic in China. Methods. This study was conducted from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021 in a tertiary care hospital in China. We surveyed 126 patients in the hospital with 6 sets of pictures of commonly worn physician attires in the hospital setting with a two-part questionnaire. The first part listed respondent demographics to collect basic information. The second part of the questionnaire was administered to adult patients who received care in the internal medicine clinics (outpatients). Survey forms collected demographic data (age, gender, patient age, education, marital status, and employment status), asked questions regarding 6 specific attires (scrubs, scrubs and white coat, casual, casual and white coat, business suit, and formal and white coat), and behavioral items (professional, responsible, reliable, knowledgeable, succession rate, and medical safety), finally, to assess the preference of attire on overall perception. Results. Scrubs and white coat scored the highest through 6 domains about physicians' attire (professional, reliable, responsible, knowledgeable, medical safety, and succession rate, p < 0.05 for all comparisons). A casual suit without a white coat was the least preferred across the surveyed attributes. There was a significant preference gap between wearing a white coat and not wearing a white coat (p < 0.001). Physician attire to white coat was considered as more professional, reliable, responsible, knowledgeable, having greater medical safety, and a higher success rate than attires without white coat. Conclusion. Patients felt that the physician wearing a white coat was better than other attires. Scrubs and white coat was the most popular attire. Hospital or related authorities may promote the standardized wearing of white coats, leading in a greater patient-physician relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: White‐nose syndrome, a disease that is caused by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has threatened several North America bat species with extinction. Recent studies have shown that East Asian bats are infected with P. destructans but show greatly reduced infections. While several factors have been found to contribute to these reduced infections, the role of specific microbes in limiting P. destructans growth remains unexplored. We isolated three bacterial strains with the ability to inhibit P. destructans, namely, Pseudomonas yamanorum GZD14026, Pseudomonas brenneri XRD11711 and Pseudomonas fragi GZD14479, from bats in China. Pseudomonas yamanorum, with the highest inhibition score, was selected to extract antifungal active substance. Combining mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses, we identified the active compound inhibiting P. destructans as phenazine‐1‐carboxylic acid (PCA), and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 50.12 μg ml−1. Whole genome sequencing also revealed the existence of PCA biosynthesis gene clusters. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analysis identified volatile organic compounds. The results indicated that 10 ppm octanoic acid, 100 ppm 3‐tert‐butyl‐4‐hydroxyanisole (isoprenol) and 100 ppm 3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐1‐ol (BHA) inhibited the growth of P. destructans. These results support that bacteria may play a role in limiting the growth of P. destructans on bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The main factors influencing the formation process of saline submarine groundwater are summarized. • The submarine aquifer in this study area is the extension of the terrestrial brine (or saline water) aquifer to marine environments. • Paleoclimatic characteristics is the main factors for the formation of submarine saline water (or brine) in southern Laizhou Bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the literature review on medical education and university performance evaluations and from the perspective of individual advantage identification, an evaluation method of medical universities' performance in a hierarchical context was proposed. This study designs a method system, including individual learning benchmarking from the individual perspective, group learning benchmarking from the democratic perspective, and benchmarking of single and overall indicators. From the perspective of the most favorable to medical universities, this study applies the designed research methods to the performance evaluation of medical universities and takes 15 medical universities in China as samples to conduct an empirical research. The following conclusions were found. First, the method helps form various development modes of medical universities in the individual advantage characteristic context. Second, the method not only shows objectivity but also provides a basis for how medical universities find individual and integral benchmarking. Finally, the method demonstrates the democracy feature, which provides a basis for how relevant departments allocate resources and formulate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of good performance in the logistics industry contributing towards a low-carbon economy is widely recognised. However, there are few studies on carbon emissions performance for the logistics industry, especially at the city level. Therefore, this study attempts to analyse the carbon emissions performance of the logistics industry at the city level by examining sixteen cities within Yunnan Province. In particular, the Data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and Malmquist index from both the static and dynamic perspective were explored. To further capture the driving factors of the carbon emissions performance in logistics, the Tobit model was applied to perform regression analysis. The results indicate that (1) with regards to static performance, two northwest cities, Nujiang and Diqing, have reached the technological frontier; (2) regarding dynamic performance, although six cities have improved, the average dynamic logistics carbon emissions performance of all the cities decreases by approximately 5.9% from 2011 to 2015; (3) in terms of driving factors, the economic development factor is found to be positively and significantly related to static carbon emissions performance, whereas others indicate negative and significant relationships. • We investigate carbon emissions performance in logistics at the city level. • An empirical study on sixteen cities in China is conducted. • Logistics-related carbon emissions of sixteen cities have increased from 2011 to 2015. • Carbon emissions performance in logistics vary across cities. • Carbon emissions performance in logistics attributes to different driving factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PAH records in Liaodong Bay provides the first detailed reconstruction of industrial activities;. • PAH variations can be divided into four episodes linked to industrialization process since 1815. • Dominant PAH sources of Northeast China shift from wood to coal and petroleum over time;. • PAH fluxes could be used to track the trend for regional anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are excellent tracers for fossil fuel combustion, natural fires and petroleum contamination, and have been widely used for reconstructing past wildfires and industrial activities at a variety of time scales. Here, for the first time, we obtain a high resolution (annual to decadal scale) record of PAHs from two parallel marine sediment cores from the Liaodong Bay, Northeastern China to reconstruct the industrial activities, spanning the past ∼ 200 years from 1815 to 2014. Our data indicate that PAH variations can be divided into four episodes: I) low (probably near background) PAHs from natural fires and domestic wood combustion during the pre-industrial period from 1815 to 1890; II) slightly increased (but with large fluctuations) PAH concentrations derived from intermittent warfare during the World War (1891–1945) and increased industrial activities after 1946 (1946–1965); III) a period of stagnation and, in some cases, reduction in PAHs during the "Cultural Revolution" (1966 to 1979); and IV) a rapid and persistent rise in PAHs post 1979 linked to fast economic development, with PAH concentrations doubled from 1979 to 2014. Changes in PAH distributions demonstrate major shifts in the dominant types of fuels over time from vegetation/wood, to coal and wood, followed by coal and petroleum (including vehicle emissions) over the past 200 years. We find that PAH records also show similar trend to domestic economy and the estimated regional Anthropocene CO 2 emissions from industrial activities, suggesting sedimentary PAH fluxes could be used as an indirect and qualitative proxy to track the trend for regional anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal aquifers provide fresh drinking water to over 20% of the world's population. In recent times, they have come under immense pressure due to salinization. This study aims to investigate the origin of groundwater salinity and elucidate the major processes controlling shallow groundwater (depth of 0–50 m) evolution in the Luanhe River Delta since the Holocene. Rapid increase in Electric Conductivity (EC) profile was observed in the area, as such, based on the vertical distribution of EC and sedimentary history, shallow groundwater was generalized into two zones for analysis: the groundwater in Holocene stratum (HSG) and groundwater in Late Pleistocene stratum (PSG). The isotopic (δ 18O, δ 2H and 14C) analyses showed that the HSG is recharged by modern surface water, while the PSG having enriched isotopic values could have been recharged during a warmer Holocene transgression period. The hydrochemistry analyses demonstrated that seawater is the major source of salinity in groundwater and over time a series of geochemical processes (mineral weathering and/or cation exchange) modified the chemistry of the groundwater. The combined use of Cl− and δ 18O yielded four classes of groundwater (fresh water, brackish water, saline water and brine), while the mixing phenomena between fresh water and seawater was identified to be the main evolutionary process of the shallow groundwater. To improve understanding of evolution of multiple groundwater types in a spatial context, a conceptual model was developed integrating the results derived from the presented study in a vertical cross-section. The conceptual model shows that the residual seawater mixes with freshwater from surface recharge at the shallow aquifer of the delta plain where the lagoon environment provides salinity concentration conditions for the formation of hyper-saline water. Due to the precipitation and accumulation of the salinity from hyper-saline water, some brine might form formed in late Pleistocene continental stratum. In addition, the submarine groundwater discharge may be mainly from deeper inland fresh groundwater, but it is not significantly affected by the hyper-saline water from the shallow aquifer in Luanhe River delta. • Trapped palaeo-seawater from marine sediments deposited during Holocene transgression is responsible for inland salinity in coastal delta. • Shallow saline groundwater is a mixture of fresh water and palaeo-seawater and salinity is marine source. • δ D and δ 18O of groundwater highlight the distinction between modern and paleo-recharge source. • A conceptual model is used to describe the evolution of shallow salty groundwater in Luanhe River Delta which may be relevant to other deltas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The molecular and genetic mechanisms by which different single nucleotide variant alleles in specific genes, or at the same genetic locus, cause distinct disease phenotypes often remain unclear. Allelic truncating mutations of FBN1 could cause either classical Marfan syndrome (MFS) or a more complicated phenotype associated with Marfanoid–progeroid–lipodystrophy syndrome (MPLS). Methods: We investigated a small cohort, encompassing two classical MFS and one MPLS subjects from China, whose clinical presentation included scoliosis potentially requiring surgical intervention. Targeted next generation sequencing was performed on all the participants. We analyzed the molecular diagnosis, clinical features, and the potential molecular mechanism involved in the MPLS subject in our cohort. Results: We report a novel de novo FBN1 mutation for the first Chinese subject with MPLS, a more complicated fibrillinopathy, and two subjects with more classical MFS. We further predict that the MPLS truncating mutation, and others previously reported, is prone to escape the nonsense‐mediated decay (NMD), while MFS mutations are predicted to be subjected to NMD. Also, the MPLS mutation occurs within the glucogenic hormone asprosin domain of FBN1. In vitro experiments showed that the single MPLS mutation p.Glu2759Cysfs*9 appears to perturb proper FBN1 protein aggregation as compared with the classical MFS mutation p.Tyr2596Thrfs*86. Both mutations appear to upregulate SMAD2 phosphorylation in vitro. Conclusion: We provide direct evidence that a dominant‐negative interaction of FBN1 potentially explains the complex MPLS phenotypes through genetic and functional analysis. Our study expands the mutation spectrum of FBN1 and highlights the potential molecular mechanism for MPLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the sensory drive hypothesis can explain the geographic variation in echolocation frequencies of some bat species, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. The three lineages of greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in China (northeast, central-east, and southwest) have significant geographic variation in resting frequencies (RF) of echolocation calls. Because their cochleae have an acoustic fovea that is highly sensitive to a narrow range of frequencies, we reported the transcriptomes of cochleae collected from three genetic lineages of R. ferrumequinum, which is an ideal organism for studying geographic variation in echolocation signals, and tried to understand the mechanisms behind this bat phenomenon by analyzing gene expression and sequence variation. Results: A total of 8190 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. We identified five modules from all DEGs that were significantly related to RF or forearm length (FL). DEGs in the RF-related modules were significantly enriched in the gene categories involved in neural activity, learning, and response to sound. DEGs in the FL-related modules were significantly enriched in the pathways related to muscle and actin functions. Using 21,945 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we identified 18 candidate unigenes associated with hearing, five of which were differentially expressed among the three populations. Additionally, the gene ERBB4, which regulates diverse cellular processes in the inner ear such as cell proliferation and differentiation, was in the largest module. We also found 49 unigenes that were under positive selection from 4105 one-to-one orthologous gene pairs between the three R. ferrumequinum lineages and three other Chiroptera species. Conclusions: The variability of gene expression and sequence divergence at the molecular level might provide evidence that can help elucidate the genetic basis of geographic variation in echolocation signals of greater horseshoe bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]