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Territorial spatial planning involves fixability and flexibility in different driving factors related to control and development orientation, and they play an important role in regional sustainable development, especially in developing countries such as China. With rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, China has been impacted by conflicts between development and protection in territorial space. To integrate the contradictions among different territorial spatial planning measures, planners and scholars have started to focus on studies regarding fixability–flexibility relationships and integration. However, the relationship between and integration of fixability and flexibility in territorial spatial planning have yet to be clearly summarised. This paper explores an innovative research direction for the fixability–flexibility relations in territorial spatial planning from a new perspective, the Food–Energy–Water Nexus, which is a dynamic and comprehensive framework for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) studies. This paper covers the existing research on fixability and flexibility in territorial spatial planning. Moreover, after summarising the conflicts of fixability and flexibility, the dialectical relationship between and the integration of fixability and flexibility are researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the occurrence of the global financial crisis in 2008, the U.S. unconventional monetary policy affected the Chinese market. Based on a monthly data sample from 2008M1 to 2015M12, in this paper we identify U.S. and Chinese monetary policy shocks by using a structural vector autoregression (SVAR) model with multi-external instrumental variables along with principal component analysis (PCA) combined with high-frequency financial market data. The empirical results show that the unconventional monetary policies had a negative effect on China's inflation and output due to the signal effect, and China's stock and commodity markets increased in the short term. During the same period, China's monetary policy had a greater impact on the domestic economy and financial markets. The conclusion of this paper provides a significant reference for relevant departments to make decisions amidst the new wave of unconventional U.S. monetary policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through extensive data research and analysis, this paper comprehensively summarizes the status and key insights of global carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) development. It aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relevant policies, technologies, and security measures adopted by major countries in their CCS development processes. Furthermore, it explores the existing status and limitations of China's offshore development efforts, while providing valuable recommendations for enhancing China's offshore CCS initiatives, as well as serving as a reference for other nations worldwide. Offshore CCS plays a crucial role for China to achieve the development target of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, due to its energy structure and industrial distribution. While China possesses significant offshore CCS potential, achieving commercialization still requires substantial efforts. To facilitate the process and draw insights from successful experiences in other countries, this paper illustrates the characteristics and generalizes the experience of offshore CCS industry practices in America, Europe and Japan, respectively. Furthermore, it is recommended that a new round of investigation into offshore CCS potential be conducted, while promoting integrated collaboration between geological surveying and marine scientific research. Additionally, further research on industrial policies and green financial strategies should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Park green space is a big part of public infrastructure in cities, and how to evaluate and optimize the mismatch of urban park green space (UPGS) has become the focus of current research in academia and industry. Taking China's 286 cities as an example, this paper used the spatial cluster and Boston Consulting Group Matrix to analyze the aggregation laws and changing modes of UPGS from 2010 to 2020, introduced the spatial mismatch model to analyze the matching of its supply and demand with GDP and population, and adopted the Geodetector to analyze the influencing factors. The findings: (1) The evolution of UPGS in China had long been characterized by a "pyramidal" pattern, i.e., limited green cities > developing green cities > steady green cities > booming green cities, exhibiting the spatial characteristics of gradient differences between the coasts and inland areas, and the aggregation of blocks in some areas. (2) The supply and demand mismatches of the UPGS were relatively stable, with negative matching being the main supply mismatch type, and positive matching being the main demand mismatch type. The contribution of supply and demand mismatches similarly showed a spatial pattern of a gradual decrease from the coast to inland and the aggregation of blocks in some areas. (3) Five types of factors played different driving roles on UPGS, with social development remaining a weak factor, and the strong factor switching from urban infrastructure to construction land scale. The interaction detection was dominated by a bilinear enhancement, with super-interaction factors changing from an output value of the tertiary industry and population urbanization rate to education expenditure in local general public budgets. (4) Based on the mismatch between the supply and demand for UPGS in China, 286 cities were classified into four types, namely a smart shrinking zone, smart growing zone, status quo zone, and overlay policy zone, and differentiated development proposals for the corresponding zoning were put forward. This paper constructed an application framework of "evolution pattern + supply demand match + driving factors + policy zoning" for UPGS at a large scale, which will effectively enhance the effective allocation of its resources across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been fruitful publications on thermal comfort of urban residential buildings in China. However, there is a lack of reviews on this topic to perform a comprehensive analysis and find opportunities to meet occupants' thermal comfort needs while improving building energy efficiencies. This paper addresses this issue by presenting a systematic review on the advancements in research on thermal comfort in urban residential buildings in China. Firstly, two common thermal comfort research approaches, i.e., field studies and laboratory studies, are discussed. Secondly, eleven main thermal comfort evaluation indicators are summarized. Finally, this paper analyzes the thermal comfort survey data from different researchers, discusses the impacts of adaptive behaviors on human thermal comfort, and provides recommendations for future research on urban residential thermal comfort. It was found that people have higher and higher requirements for their indoor thermal environment as time goes by, especially in the winter; the thermoneutral temperature is higher in warmer climate regions in the summer but lower in the winter than in colder climate regions; the thermoneutral temperature tends to increase with the indoor air temperature due to an adaptation to the indoor thermal environment. The outcomes of this paper provide valuable information on thermal comfort behaviors of urban residents in different climate zones in China, which can serve as a resource for the academic community conducting future research on thermal comfort and assist policymakers in enhancing building energy efficiencies without compromising the occupants' comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientifically measuring the level of environmental governance (EGL) and understanding its spatial convergence has important reference value for ecological governance. In this paper, the global entropy method is applied to measure the EGL of 284 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, which are divided into three major river basins, including the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Pearl River, to observe the spatial–temporal evolutionary characterization through a standard deviation ellipse model. The coefficient of variation and the spatial econometric model are the tools used to conduct the spatial convergence test. The results are as follows: (1) China's EGL is low overall, though it is fluctuating upward at low magnitude, and the three major river basins follow the ranking: The Pearl River Basin > The Yangtze River Basin > The Yellow River Basin. (2) Spatially, the distribution pattern of China's EGL changes from "scattered and sporadic" to "multipolar core". (3) The center of China's environmental governance was concentrated in the east from 2007 to 2019, and the EGL in the midstream and downstream regions of the three major river basins increased rapidly. (4) Environmental governance in China has significant absolute and conditional β-convergence characteristics, as do the three major basins, while the ranking of convergence speed remains "Yangtze River Basin > Yellow River Basin > Pearl River Basin". Of these, economic development accelerated the convergence rate of environmental governance in China and its three major river basins; financial pressure significantly inhibited the convergence of the EGL of the Yellow River Basin. The improvement of the EGL in the Pearl River Basin was also negatively influenced by the industrial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coupling coordination of agricultural technology innovation with food security is of great significance for high-quality agricultural development. By identifying the coupling coordination relationship between the two systems and the influencing factors, this paper aims to promote the virtuous cycle of coordinated development between regional agriculture and technology, as well as accelerate the realisation of high-quality development of Chinese agriculture. Therefore, this paper explores the spatial and temporal coupling characteristics of the two using the entropy value method, coupling coordination degree model, and exploratory spatial data analysis, and it screens for important influencing factors using the grey correlation model. The main results show that ① the coupling coordination relationship between agricultural technology innovation and food security in China is at a dissonant stage, but the value of the coupling coordination degree increases from 0.2076 to 0.3437 during the period of study, and the level of coordination gradually improves. ② The degree of coupling coordination in the provincial space exhibits a distribution pattern of "high in the east and low in the west". The areas of high value are primarily situated in the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, and other provinces along the southeastern coast of China, while the areas of low value are mainly located in the provinces of Qinghai, Ningxia, and other provinces in inland northwest China. ③ The Moran's index of provincial coupling coordination is greater than 0, showing a certain positive correlation, and there is a significant pattern of spatial aggregation. ④ The correlation coefficients between the influencing factors and the degree of coupling coordination are all greater than 0.35, indicating a moderate or high correlation, but the significance of technological support capacity and food distribution security increased over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban park green areas are part of territorial space planning, shouldering the mission of providing residents with high-quality ecological products and public space. Using a combination of several measurement models such as the BCG (Boston Consulting Group) matrix, ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis), MLR (Machine Learning Regression), GWR (Geographically Weighted Regression), and GeoDetector, this paper presents an empirical study on the changes in Urban Park Green Areas (UPGAs) in the Grand Canal of China. By quantitatively measuring the spatio–temporal evolution patterns of UPGAs, this study reveals the driving mechanisms behind them and proposes policy recommendations for planning and management based on performance evaluation. The spatio–temporal evolution of UPGAs and their performance in China's Grand Canal are characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity and correlation, with diversified development patterns such as HH (High-scale–High-growth), HL (High-scale–Low-growth), LH (Low-scale–High-growth), and LL (Low-scale–Low-growth) emerging. The evolution performance is dominated by positive oversupply and positive equilibrium, where undersupply coexists with oversupply. Therefore, this paper recommends the implementation of a zoning strategy in the future spatial planning of ecological green areas, urban parks, and green infrastructure. It is also recommended to design differentiated construction strategies and management policies for each zoning area, while promoting inter-city mutual cooperation in the joint preparation and implementation of integrated symbiosis planning. Furthermore, the spatio–temporal evolution of the UPGAs in the Grand Canal of China is influenced by many factors with very complex dynamic mechanisms, and there are significant differences in the nature, intensity, spatial effects, and interaction effects between different factors. Therefore, in the future management of ecological green areas, urban parks, and green infrastructure, it is necessary to interconnect policies to enhance their synergies in population, aging, industry and economy, and ecological civilization to maximize the policy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islam is widely spread throughout every corner of China, with the Hui people, the largest Muslim ethnic group in China, numbering over 10 million people, serving as its main carrier. Their culture types and local features exhibit great diversity across different provinces. The ceremony of Prophet's Day or Mawlid al-Nabi in China, as one of the three fundamental festivals of the Hui people alongside Eid al-Fitur and Eid al-Qurban, appears to be more comprehensive, open, and localized. Drawing from fieldwork in three Hui communities—Xi'an in Shaanxi province, Najiaying in Yunnan province, and Hezhou in Gansu province—this paper approaches the topic from the perspective of inculturation and cultural innovation. It aims to describe the ritual processes observed in these three different Hui communities and discuss how the Hui people integrate Islam with traditional Chinese culture in their local contexts, with the intention of forming and preserving their own cultural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interethnic marriage amongst China's ethnic population has not received the attention it deserves. This is partly due to the hesitation and resistance of the more prominent ethnic groups—Tibetans and Uyghurs—to enter an interethnic marriage. Still, it is less so for China's Mongols, who now have an interethnic marriage rate of almost 90 percent. The intermarriage pattern had previously involved urbanities, but over the last twenty years, it has included those living in townships and villages, suggesting that the integration of Mongols within the People's Republic's mainstream society was gradual and arose from shared cultural beliefs and practices among Mongols and Han Chinese. It further indicates that marital issues will be like those in non-ethnic marriages. The paper explores prevailing attitudes toward interethnic marriages of the 1980s and the 2000s. The analysis highlights commonalities and shifts in marital expectations initially grounded in ethnic reaffirmation that is motived more out of personal commonality, commitment, and affection, suggesting that the offspring from these unions have hybridized or mixed ethnic identities, whereby urban Mongols entertain two identities—one ethnic and the other national. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban regeneration is a sound, sustainable urban development strategy globally. In China, promoting urban regeneration has become the national sustainable urban strategy. Under the resource constraint, it is necessary to understand what benefits different types of urban regeneration projects can contribute to urban development. Much research has contributed to evaluating the benefits of urban regeneration on the project scale. The systematic investigation of their effects on surrounding economic vitality, especially the comparison between different types of projects, is relatively downplayed. This paper aims to evaluate and compare the effects of urban regeneration projects on surrounding economic vitality by calculating the change in housing prices. Chongqing is selected as the case city. Based on the housing transaction data from 2015 to 2021, a staggered difference-in-difference method is employed to capture the results. The finding shows that the overall effects are significantly negative, especially within a 400–800 m radius. Higher investment or better project location relates to stronger negative effects. Moreover, the differences in effects among the three types of urban regeneration projects are clearly revealed from diverse perspectives. It provides a valuable reference for policymakers and urban planners to make urban regeneration planning better by considering comprehensive benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When studying the coupling coordination relationship between agricultural eco-efficiency and urbanization, it is crucial to consider food security, especially in a populous country like China. This paper focuses on 31 provinces in China as the research units, covering the time period from 2000 to 2020. Based on the concept of agricultural eco-efficiency, an evaluation index system was developed to include undesirable outputs (carbon emissions), and agricultural eco-efficiency scores were calculated using the SBM–DEA model. An urbanization evaluation index system, covering six dimensions and twelve indexes, was constructed. A comprehensive index of urbanization is measured using the entropy method. On this basis, a coupling coordination model was applied to quantify the relationship between agricultural eco-efficiency and urbanization at the provincial scale in China. The results showed that the agricultural eco-efficiency of all provincial units in China exhibited an overall trend of improvement. Average efficiency followed a spatial pattern of majority grain-consuming areas > grain production–consumption balance areas > majority grain-producing areas. The level of coupling between agricultural eco-efficiency and urbanization is generally low. Currently, no regions have reached the stage of synergy or high-level coupling. Most regions are currently in an antagonistic stage with a coupling degree of 0.3 < C ≤ 0.5. The classification of coupling coordination levels changed from four levels of "severe imbalance", "moderate imbalance", "mild imbalance", and "primary coordination" to "moderate imbalance", "mild imbalance", "primary coordination", and "intermediate coordination". The level of "severe imbalance" disappeared, the level of "intermediate coordination" appeared, and the level of "mild imbalance" became the largest scale level. From the perspective of food security, the proportion of grain production in the categories of "primary coordination" and "intermediate coordination" was less than 10%, and these provinces never achieved self-sufficiency in food production. The proportion of grain production at the "mild imbalance" level reached 62.4%, while the per capita grain production at the "moderate imbalance" level reached 846.7 kg. Provinces with lower levels of coupling coordination have stronger food security capabilities. It can be observed that the weaker the coupling coordination between agricultural eco-efficiency and urbanization, the higher the food self-sufficiency. Based on the research results above, we discussed strategies to enhance agricultural eco-efficiency in majority grain-producing regions by focusing on technological progress and technical efficiency. Additionally, we analyzed approaches to achieve grain self-sufficiency in regions characterized by a high level of coordination between agricultural eco-efficiency and urbanization, considering both production and trade dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general requirements of China's rural revitalization strategy are industrial prosperity, ecological livability and rich life. However, the traditional livestock breeding model has struggled to balance the dual requirements of production development and ecological protection, and it is urgent to inject new impetus and explore new development paths. At present, e-commerce has become a bridge between pastoral areas and cities, herdsmen and consumers. E-commerce participation is not only an important starting point for herdsmen to increase the added value and profit space of livestock products, but also an effective way to change the original breeding behavior based on the premise of destroying grassland. Therefore, this paper presents an in-depth study on the issue of e-commerce enabling grassland ecological restoration, aiming to provide more scientific and effective guidance for e-commerce to be used to achieve a win–win situation in economy and ecology. Therefore, based on the data of 271 herdsmen in pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia, we used the OLS model and the two-stage least squares (2SLS) method to identify the direct impact of herdsmen's e-commerce participation on grassland utilization pressure. The empirical results show that e-commerce participation can significantly decrease the grassland utilization pressure. The conclusion was still valid after alleviating endogeneity and conducting a robustness test. The results of a mechanism analysis suggest that the reduction effect of e-commerce participation on grassland utilization pressure is mainly due to price incentive, reputation incentive and place identity. Subjective norms can strengthen the inhibitory effect of e-commerce participation on grassland utilization pressure. Furthermore, a heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that e-commerce participation has a better, decreased impact on the grassland utilization pressure on the banners of China's rural e-commerce demonstration county program. Under a counterfactual assumption, if herdsmen who can participate in e-commerce choose not to do this, their grassland utilization pressure will increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China's pursuit of modernization, the government has introduced the rural revitalization strategy to combat rural decline, foster balanced urban–rural development, and reduce the urban–rural gap. Rural human settlements, as key components of this strategy, play a vital role. This paper examines the types and characteristics of human–earth relationships within rural settlements, emphasizing their significance. Using national land use and population census data, we analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of rural settlements at the county level, investigating landscape pattern changes, assessing the degree of coupling coordination between rural population and settlements, categorizing relationship types and features, and estimating the potential for remediation. Our findings reveal a growing trend in the scale of rural human settlements, particularly sourced from arable land, with significant expansions observed in the North China Plain and Northeast Plain, indicating potential for farmland reclamation and village consolidation. Landscape patterns of rural human settlements exhibit increased fragmentation, complex shapes, and aggregation. We categorize the utilization of rural human settlements into two types, each with four distinct features: human–land coordination is observed in regions characterized by either a higher rural population and larger rural settlement areas, or lower rural population and smaller rural settlement areas. Human–land trade-offs are evident in areas where there is either a higher rural population and smaller rural settlement areas, or lower rural population and larger rural settlement areas. This provides valuable insights for the Chinese government's context-specific implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. It also serves as an experiential reference for the governance of rural human settlements in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The reduviid genus Sycanus Amyot & Serville, 1843, possesses higher aesthetic value and plays a crucial role as a natural enemy in the control of agricultural and forestry pests. However, Sycanus from China has not undergone a comprehensive review for over four decades. Based on both molecular data and morphological evidence, we conducted a systematic review of the 14 Chinese Sycanus species, including a description of three new species. Due to the variability of body coloration and morphological similarity among closely related species, unresolved issues and debates still persist in the taxonomic study of the genus Sycanus from China. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation for Sycanus in China based on a COI DNA barcoding dataset comprising 81 samples. The results revealed that all the samples could be classified into 12 species by integrating molecular analyses with morphological comparison. This paper provides a comprehensive systematic review of the Sycanus species found in China, including descriptions of three new species: S. taiwanensis Zhao & Cai sp. nov., S. flavicorius Li & Cai sp. nov., and S. hainanensis Wang & Cai sp. nov. Furthermore, it is proposed that S. croceovittatus Dohrn, 1859, S. leucomesus Walker, 1873, and S. villicus Stål, 1863, are three synonyms of S. bifidus (Fabricius, 1787); S. bicolor Hsiao, 1979, is a synonym of S. versicolor Dohrn, 1859; and S. hsiaoi Maldonado-Capriles, 1990, is a synonym of S. marginellus Putshkov, 1987. Additionally, brief biological information is provided for two species, S. falleni Stål, 1863, and S. croceus Hsiao, 1979. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great theoretical and practical significance to investigate the influence of intelligent city construction on urban innovation. Based on the data of 238 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this paper utilizes the staggered difference-in-differences (staggered DID) model and the mediating effect model to examine the impact and mechanisms of smart city construction on urban innovation. We find that China's smart city pilot policies significantly promote urban innovation. Mechanism analysis shows that this innovation promotion effect acts through improving urban informatization, government financial expenditure on science and technology, and the upgrading of the city's industrial structure. Further analysis shows that smart city construction has a stronger promoting effect on innovation in cities of a larger scale, that located in the eastern region, and have a lower level of science and education. Overall, our findings provide new insights into urban innovation and objectively assess the impact of smart city construction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its early start in urbanization, Europe has accumulated a wealth of practical experience in urban agriculture (UA), exploring various development models. This paper compares and analyzes the characteristic patterns of UA in Europe and China through theoretical research, academic frontier exploration, and case analysis. In order to investigate and analyze theoretical developments and the current state of academic frontiers in a systematic, accessible, and comprehensive approach, the methodology of bibliometric analysis has been utilized. A bibliometric method is applied to analyze relevant data from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection database and 2230 CNKI publications. The case study section conducts separate field research on nine representative European practices of urban food gardening and urban farming. Additionally, the study scrutinizes UA research development and its implementation in Hangzhou, China. Based on the findings of this study, the authors recommend that European approaches to the development of UA in China's future UA practice be taken into account, in particular their methods and strategies for realizing social and cultural benefits. It is imperative to integrate UA projects into urban green space system planning and to rationalize their construction types. Simultaneously, Chinese scholars are encouraged to explore the socio-cultural functions of UA, with a particular focus on urban agricultural heritage conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unconventional tight oil and gas resources in the Xinzhao East belt of the Hangjinqi Prospect area in the Ordos Basin of China are abundant. However, the reservoir's internal storage space is complex, and the microscopic pore throat structural features are not well recognized, which has led to some trouble in the deployment of oil and gas exploration. To reveal the microscopic characteristics of the dense sandstone gas layer in the first member of the Lower Stone Box Formation of the D-well Zone in the Xinzhao East belt of the Hangjinqi Prospect area, a three-dimensional space digital core was built, and the stored set spatial data were extracted, based on rock sheet and coring data and X-CT scanning technology. Quartz grain size was segmented and analyzed based on an adaptive approach. The microscopic characteristics of the gas layer in the studied section and the factors influencing its development were studied, combining the use of a field emission scanning electron microscope, helium porosimeter, and gas permeability meter. We found that in the studied section, the porosity is relatively high, the pore throat size is large, and the pore permeability correlation is good. The reservoir space, which consists of intergranular pores, intragranular pores, and microcracks at the grain edges in the study area, is characterized by a complex distribution pattern. Within the gas layer, isolated pores are connected by microcracks to form a network of reservoir spaces, which increases the pore throat size, enhances the connectivity of the pore throat, and makes the microscopic characteristics of the reservoir space better. The first member of the Lower Stone Box Formation could be an advantageous reservoir. Hole–throat connectivity is poor because of the gas layer having underdeveloped primary pores, the blockage of pores by unstable minerals (kaolinite, etc.), and poorly connected pore throats based on insoluble mud cementation. The high content of quartz brittle minerals and the development of natural microcracks within the gas formation are favorable conditions for fracking development. The quartz grain size within the gas layer is positively correlated with the pore throat size, which suggests that the quartz grain size somewhat influences the microscopic characteristics of the reservoir space. This comprehensive study shows that the methodology of the study is more advantageous than traditional methods in the fine and three-dimensional spatial characterization of the microstructure of dense sandstone reservoirs. The research results of this paper have certain guiding significance for further reservoir evaluation and advantageous reservoir prediction in the Hangjinqi Prospect area in the Ordos Basin. We also provide the basis for the subsequent efficient development of the gas reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential mobility serves as a pivotal determinant in reshaping urban social spaces and driving spatial differentiation and segregation within cities. This study harnesses a rich dataset from surveys and the housing market in Nanjing, China to dissect the spatial distribution patterns of its mobile population. Employing the Mantel Test—a novel approach in this context—we assess the interplay between spatial shifts in residential locations and the socio-demographic attributes of individuals, thereby shedding light on the socio-spatial dynamics across various migration categories. Our findings underscore a pronounced trend in the post-2000 era of China's housing marketization: residential migrations occur predominantly within a five-year cycle. The decay in migration distances aligns with the migration field formula, suggesting a systematic attenuation of mobility over spatial extents. The study identifies a strong congruence between the mobility rings—zones of frequent residential movement—and the micro-level characteristics of residents, reflecting the nuanced fabric of urban stratification. Furthermore, we unveil how macro-level institutional frameworks and the housing market milieu substantially shape and limit the migration frequency, hinting at the overarching impact of policy and economic landscapes on residential mobility patterns. The paper culminates by articulating the underlying dynamics of urban residential migration, providing a comprehensive account that contributes to the discourse on sustainable urban development and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crop planting structure in the world has shown a trend of "non-grain", which will shake the foundations of global food security in the long run. As a basic and important production factor, changes in land will have an impact on farmers' crop planting decisions. In this paper, we take China, a country that is experiencing land transfer, "non-grain" production, and farmer differentiation, as the research area, use the household survey data at the national level, and adopt the methods of Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and multiple regression models to reveal the impact of land transfer-in on the crop planting structure and its heterogeneity among farmers. The results showed that land transfer-in can drive the crop planting structure to tend to be "non-grain" in China. The research conclusion was still valid after the robustness tests of expanding the sample size, increasing the number of control variables, and introducing endogenous problem management. The heterogeneity analysis indicated that the negative impact of land transfer-in on the planting of grain crops mainly exists for large-scale farmers and farmers with agriculture as the main source of income. Based on these findings, the Chinese government should formulate targeted policies to prevent the "non-grain" tendency of crop planting structure after land transfer-in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines housework reallocation during China's stringent pandemic lockdowns in 2020, where individuals were homebound and job-free while employment status remained unchanged. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, it analyzes 1669 surveys and 100 interviews to understand changes in domestic labor patterns and the underlying reasons. The findings indicate that men increased their participation in grocery shopping but decreased in cooking, cleaning, and laundry during the lockdown. This gender-task pattern was mirrored in multi-generational households, where younger family members often took on these tasks. The reasons articulated for these shifts predominantly converged around the 'doing gender' theory. Women, particularly those working full-time, had more time to engage in household chores. Men, while also having more available time, predominantly focused on grocery shopping, a task that gained masculine connotations during the lockdown. Factors such as perceived differences in household labor quality, difficulty delegating housework, and reduced workload led to women's increased involvement and specialization in domestic tasks. The study challenges the notion that economic factors are the primary drivers of gender-based division of housework. Instead, it suggests that ingrained gender norms continue to dictate domestic roles, as evidenced during the lockdown period devoid of usual economic and time pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Miao (Hmong) community in Southwest China, deeply entrenched in a religious belief system acknowledging the omnipresent spiritual essence and venerating ancestor worship, perceives life as a harmonious blend of the "soul" and the "body", intricately interwoven and mutually reinforcing. Within this cultural milieu, shamanism and healing practices form an inseparable nexus, epitomizing a worldview characterized by the harmonious coexistence of gods, spirits, ancestors, ghosts, and shamans. This study scrutinizes the syncretism employed by the Miao to address illness, bridging shamanic practices and scientific treatments with religion, ritual, and local knowledge. Through methodologies such as autoethnography, participant observation, and in-depth interviews, the research explores a Miao woman's healing journey, synthesizing shamanic traditions with scientific interventions to reveal the nuanced interplay between traditional customs, environmental influences, and health beliefs. Despite encountering challenges like limited healthcare access and high costs, numerous Miao people seek assistance from shamans, underscoring the community's resilience in navigating the intricate interrelationship between traditional practices and modern healthcare systems. By emphasizing the significance of syncretism, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of how the Miao seamlessly integrate shamanic practices with scientific treatments, fostering improved intercultural communication and cultivating culturally sensitive healthcare practices, ultimately enhancing the overall well-being of the Miao community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the attitudes and actions of scientific journal editors in China towards open access. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 Chinese editors from various scientific journals during September and October of 2022. The results indicate that the editors generally possess knowledge of open access and have implemented an appropriate open access model for their respective journals. However, the Chinese-language journal editors expressed a lack of motivation to adopt open access, unless there is a reform in the mechanism of academic publishing or a policy is imposed. On the other hand, the English-language journal editors acknowledged that they have no other choice but to adopt open access. This study helps us learn about Chinese editors' understanding and attitudes towards open access, the current status of open access in China's scientific journals, and the mechanisms of academic publishing in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and timely urban boundaries can effectively quantify the spatial characteristics of urban evolution and are essential for understanding the impacts of urbanization processes and land-use changes on the environment and biodiversity. Currently, there is a lack of long time-series, high-resolution, nationally consistent Chinese urban boundary data for urban research. In this study, the city clustering algorithm was used to generate urban settlement boundaries in China based on the local density, size, and spatial relationships of impervious surfaces. The results showed that both the area and the number of urban settlements in China revealed an upward trend from 1985 to 2020, with East China (EC) being much higher than other regions and South China showing the most significant growth rate. The average area ratio of urban green space in China was 41.68%, with the average area ratio in EC being higher than in other regions. Meanwhile, Zipf's law was used to verify the universality of urban settlement rank–size; the changes in the Zipf index from 1985 to 2020 also revealed that China's urban size tended to be concentrated, and the development of large urban settlements was relatively prominent. The urban definition method we propose in this study can divide urban boundaries efficiently and accurately, identify urban expansion hotspots, and promote research on farmland loss and ecological land degradation, further exploring the impacts of urbanization on food security, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. By coupling big data such as economy, energy, and population with urban evolution patterns, urban managers can analyze current and future problems in urban development, thereby providing scientific decision-making for urban sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of sugar labeling depends not only on direct sugar reduction but also on the extent to which compensatory eating occurs. This study focuses on the use of sucrose grade labels in the Chinese market to investigate not only consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for different sucrose labels but also the consistency of their sugar control behavior when confronted with unlabeled processed foods. The findings reveal that consumers are willing to pay approximately 4%, 7%, and 7% more for yogurt labeled as "low sucrose", "no sucrose", and "no sucrose with sugar substitutes", respectively, compared to yogurt labeled as "regular sucrose." Furthermore, when subsequently presented with unlabeled toast, a significant proportion of consumers who initially chose "no sucrose" yogurt continued to select wholewheat toast, which contains less sugar than white and coconut toast. This indicates their commitment to maintaining their sugar control behavior. The study provides valuable experimental evidence for researchers, food manufacturers, and policymakers regarding the efficacy of sucrose grade labels. In particular, it offers policymakers insights into guiding consumers to promote sustainable healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net precipitation (NP) is the primary source of soil water essential for the functioning of vegetated ecosystems. By quantifying NP as the difference between gross precipitation and canopy interception evaporation, this study examined the dynamics of NP in China from 2001 to 2020 and the contribution of environmental factors to NP variations was investigated. The findings revealed a multiyear mean NP of 674.62 mm, showcasing a 2.93 mm/yr increase. The spatiotemporal variations in NP were mainly attributed to a remarkable increase in precipitation rather than canopy interception. Notably, climate (temperature, wind speed, surface solar radiation downward and vapor pressure deficit) and vegetation factors (leaf area index and net primary productivity) played a dominant role in NP in 61.53% and 15.39% of China, respectively. The dominant factors contributing to NP changes were vapor pressure deficit (mean contribution rate: −43.68%), temperature (mean contribution rate: 11.69%), and leaf area index (mean contribution rate: 2.13%). The vapor pressure deficit negatively exerts a negative influence on the southern and eastern regions. Temperature and leaf area index have the greatest effect on the northeastern and southwestern regions, respectively. The results provide valuable insights into the pivotal role of climatic and vegetation factors in ecohydrological cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how ambidextrous balanced innovation and ambidextrous combined innovation affect international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth within the holistic paradigm of systems thinking and discusses the systemic impact of industry international competitiveness and industry financing dependence. We select the unbalanced panel data of China's ICT industry international enterprises from 2010 to 2021 for empirical research, and we employ the fixed effect model for testing. The empirical results indicate that both ambidextrous balanced innovation and ambidextrous combined innovation promote international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth, that the industry's international competitiveness positively moderates the relationship between ambidextrous balanced innovation and international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth, and that the industry's financing dependence negatively moderates the relationship between ambidextrous balanced innovation and international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprise growth. The aforementioned conclusion is robust against a series of robustness tests. This study expands the theoretical research on international entrepreneurship and ambidextrous innovation strategy selection and may help in the selection of ambidextrous innovation strategies for international entrepreneurial-oriented enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer survivors are at higher risk of developing severe complications from influenza due to their compromised immune systems. Despite their increased vulnerability to influenza and the availability of vaccines, vaccine hesitancy among cancer survivors remains a significant public health concern in China. Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted among cancer survivors in China from January to December 2023. A total of 500 participants were recruited from the oncology departments of five tertiary hospitals. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, cancer-related information, medical history, lifestyle factors, and influenza vaccine hesitancy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with influenza vaccine hesitancy. Results: The response rate was 97.0% (485/500). Among all participants, 204 (42.06%) reported vaccine hesitancy. The results of multiple logistic regression showed that the longer the end of anti-cancer treatment, without a history of adverse vaccine reactions, and the level of family support played a protective role in vaccine hesitancy. Current rehabilitation status, frequent colds, not being informed by doctors about vaccination, exercising, lack of community vaccination education programs, and concerns about vaccine safety were risk factors that increase vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: A high proportion of cancer survivors in our study reported influenza vaccine hesitancy. Addressing concerns about vaccine safety, improving access to vaccination services, and enhancing doctor–patient communication are crucial for increasing influenza vaccine uptake in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and an excess of or deficiency in Se is harmful to health. Research on the selenium enrichment zone began in the late 1970s in Shuang'an, Ziyang, southern Shaanxi Province. Naore village is only one selenosis area in Shuang'an, Ziyang, China. Different scholars have conducted systematic studies on the occurrence of selenium, its organic geochemistry and biomarkers, and its content and enrichment patterns in this area. This study applied the TIMA (TESCAN integrated mineral analyzer) for the first time to conduct detailed mineralogical work. The minerals included quartz, carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite), feldspar (plagioclase, albite, and orthoclase), biotite and muscovite, clay minerals (chlorite and kaolinite), hematite, pyrite, and accessory minerals (almandine, olivine, zircon, and apatite) in Naore village, Ziyang, Shaanxi Province. The ATi index (100 × apatite/(apatite + tourmaline)) is used to determine the source of heavy minerals and the degree of heavy minerals' weathering. The content POS (100 × (pyroxene + olivine + spinel)/transparent heavy mineral) of olivine, pyroxene, and spinel in heavy minerals can reflect the contribution of basic and ultrabasic rocks in the source area. The ATi and POS indexes for the heavy minerals in the research area were 91.83~99.96 and 0.01~18.75, respectively, reflecting the abundance of volcanic rock material in their source. In addition, the migration, transformation, bioavailability, and toxicity of selenium in the environment are closely related to its species. The species of selenium in various selenium-rich areas (Naore, Wamiao, and Guanquan) mainly include unusable residues and organic forms, followed by humic-acid-bound selenium. The proportions of water-soluble, exchangeable, and carbonate-bound selenium are relatively small, and the proportion of Fe-Mn oxide-bound selenium is the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The era of digitization is revolutionizing traditional humanities research, presenting both novel methodologies and challenges. This field harnesses quantitative techniques to yield groundbreaking insights, contingent upon comprehensive datasets on historical subjects. The China Historical Christian Database (CHCD) exemplifies this trend, furnishing researchers with a rich repository of historical, relational, and geographical data about Christianity in China from 1550 to 1950. The study of Christianity in China confronts formidable obstacles, including the mobility of historical agents, fluctuating relational networks, and linguistic disparities among scattered sources. The CHCD addresses these challenges by curating an open-access database built in neo4j that records information about Christian institutions in China and those that worked inside of them. Drawing on historical sources, the CHCD contains temporal, relational, and geographic data. The database currently has over 40,000 nodes and 200,000 relationships, and continues to grow. Beyond its utility for religious studies, the CHCD encompasses broader interdisciplinary inquiries including social network analysis, geospatial visualization, and economic modeling. This article introduces the CHCD's structure, and explains the data collection and curation process. Dataset:  https://github.com/chcdatabase/data Dataset License: CC BY 4.0 DEED [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a thematic analysis of firsthand posts from 258 abuse survivors in online forums from 2016 to 2023, this research examines the barriers that Chinese children encounter when disclosing sexual abuse. The anonymous narratives shed light on the motives behind survivors' reluctance to reveal abuse, the outcomes following disclosure, and the wider implications for survivors and their families under culture. The findings underscore the need for early intervention upon disclosure, aiming to safeguard children from further harm and foster the development of an effective child protection framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Flowers are attractive to many people mainly due to their colourful and conspicuous perianth, which is closely related to successful insect pollination in extant angiosperms. The Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (125 million years ago) in Northeastern China is famous for its great diversity of early angiosperms. However, unlike typical flowers in extant angiosperms, the previously documented fossil flowers are usually famous for their "nakedness", namely, they do not have typical petals (corolla), suggesting a pollination strategy for early angiosperms that is different than that of the extant angiosperms. However, without fossil evidence, whether there are petals (corolla) and whether androecium and gynoecium are protected in early flowers are rarely addressed questions. Here, we document a flower bud fossil, Archaebuda cretaceae sp. nov., from the Yixian Formation, which is the second case in the Formation. While reinforcing the truthful occurrence of fragile flower buds in the Early Cretaceous, new fossil evidence demonstrates the existence of gynoecium and possible androecium within the flower bud, suggestive of the possible bisexuality and the protection function of petals in Archaebuda, just as in extant flowers. In addition, it is very likely that conspicuous petals may have played an important role in attracting insects for successful pollination in early angiosperms. Therefore, the occurrence of petals (corolla) in Archaebuda cretaceae sheds a new light on the reproduction of early angiosperms. The Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in China is famous worldwide for its fossils of early angiosperms, but there has been only one record of flower buds (Archaebuda lingyuanensis) hitherto, in which only the surface of the flower bud was documented while no internal details were known. Such a partial knowledge of flower buds hinders our understanding of the evolution of flowers, and this knowledge lacuna needs to be filled. Our new specimen was collected from an outcrop of the Yixian Formation (Barremian–Aptian, Lower Cretaceous) near Dawangzhangzi, Lingyuan, Liaoning, China. Our observations reveal a new fossil flower bud, Archaebuda cretaceae sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous of China. This new record of Archaebuda in the Yixian Formation not only confirms the truthful existence of the expected gynoecium (plus possible androecium) in a flower bud but also underscores the occurrence of typical flowers in the Early Cretaceous. This new information adds first-hand data to flower sexuality, pollination, and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating healthy street environments to encourage physical activity is an effective strategy against non-communicable diseases exacerbated by rapid urbanization globally. Developing countries face more significant health challenges than developed ones. However, existing research predominantly focuses on the perspective of developed countries. To address the health challenges in developing nations, studies should not only draw on the findings from developed countries but also clearly define unique research processes and pathways. Consequently, this study conducts a comparative analysis between China, representing developing countries, and developed nations, using databases like China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Web of Science (WOS) and tools such as Citespace, Bicomb, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to explore research hotspots, developmental trajectories, thematic categories, and trends. The findings reveal a shift in developed countries from macro-material to micro-environmental elements under multidisciplinary scrutiny, while future topics may include street space evaluations and psychological healing. In China, research has been dominated by different disciplines at various stages, starting with medical attention to chronic disease prevention, which then shifted to traffic engineering's focus on constructing green travel environments, and finally expanded to disciplines like landscape architecture examining the impact of street environment elements on pedestrian behavioural perceptions. Future themes will focus on promoting elderly health and urban health transport systems. Generally, research in developed countries exhibits a "bottom-up" approach, with practical issues at a "post-evaluation" stage, primarily based on the "socio-ecological model" and emphasizing multidisciplinary collaboration. Chinese research shows a "top-down" characteristic, driven by national policies and at a "pre-planning" stage, integrating theories such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs and attention restoration theory, with relatively loose disciplinary cooperation. Overall, research is shifting from macro to human-centric scales and is progressively utilizing multi-source and multi-scale big data analysis methods. Based on this, future research and development recommendations are proposed for developing countries, with China as a representative example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to advancements in information technology and growing eco-tourism demand, National Park Network Attention (NPNA) has emerged as a novel indicator of tourism appeal and ecological value recognition. Utilizing Baidu search index (accessed in 2023) data from 2013 to 2022, this study employs time series analysis, index analysis, and spatial statistics to measure and differentiate the spatial and temporal aspects of NPNA across 31 provinces, regions, and municipalities in mainland China, while systematically assessing the impact of various factors from both source and destination perspectives. Over the period of 2013 to 2022, NPNA has increased annually, peaking around holidays and during spring and autumn, demonstrating pronounced seasonality and precursor effects, while exhibiting volatility due to external events. Influenced by factors from both source and destination perspectives, the spatial distribution of NPNA displays a trend of being "high in the east and low in the west" and "high in the south and low in the north", though regional disparities are diminishing. The population size in the source areas remains the dominant factor influencing NPNA, while the concept of national parks is not yet widely recognized. The destination's tourism resource endowment, media publicity, accessibility, and level of informatization are significant influences. An effective integration of resources and marketing is essential for boosting NPNA. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the spatial layout of national parks, enhancing the tourism service system, innovating communication and promotional strategies, and improving national park governance effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a challenge worldwide, including in China. The dendrogeomorphic method was applied, for the first time, at Xiaolong Mts in Gansu Province to obtain a quantitative estimate of the soil erosion rate. The dataset built in this pilot study allowed the identification of exhumation texture in exposed roots between 1967 and 2002. The calculated mean erosion rate estimates (Era) ranged from 2.6 to 16.5 mm yr−1 and showed an increase with the slope steepness (s). The best fitting linear model (Era = 0.043(±0.017) × s + 3.09(±1.04); R² = 0.20; R²adj = 0.16; F = 6.18; p = 0.02) could be used in future research to determine and to map soil denudation in this part of the Xiaolong Mts. Notable associations were found between erosive rainfalls and root exhumation events. Daily (Rx1day) and 5-day (Rx5day) precipitation totals of 56 and 73 mm, respectively, seem to be critical thresholds which if exceeded will always induce root exhumation in the same year or in the consecutive season in the forest of the Xiaolong Mts in the studied period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The definition of cities from the physical view in China is lacking. Most research regarding Chinese cities relies on the definition from the administrative view, which is often inconsistent as there are serious discrepancies between the administrative boundaries and the physical extent of Chinese cities. This study aims to delineate Chinese urbanised areas using population census data at the township level and analyse the identified urbanised areas' characteristics. The results show that the numbers of Chinese urbanised areas in 2000, 2010, and 2020 were 758, 942, and 1058, respectively, indicating there are several 'cities outside the system' that meet the requirements of urban agglomeration but are constrained by the city designation system. The degree of population aggregation and the growth rate of urbanised areas are greater than those of administrative cities. This indicates that the geographical scopes of administrative cities cannot accurately reflect the 'real' urban areas. Additionally, the city-size distribution follows Zipf's law, with the Zipf coefficient moving closer to one if we fit the Zipf model based on the urbanised areas. It is necessary to establish official urbanised areas and publish statistical data based on urbanised areas, which could have significant implications both for policymakers and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shouyang Block was selected as the research subject. Comprehensive analysis was conducted using coalbed methane (CBM) well production data, geochemical test data on water produced from the coalbed methane well, and fundamental geological information. The findings reveal the water dynamics in the Shouyang Block are characterized by weak groundwater runoff or retention in most areas. The groundwater head height exhibits a gradual decrease from the north to south, which is closely associated with the monoclinic structure of the Shouyang Block. Overall, water production is relatively high. As the average water production increases, the average gas production gradually decreases. A concentration of high water production wells is observed in the northern part of the Shouyang Block, which gradually increases towards the southeast direction. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the factors influencing water production, including total water content of coal seams, coal seam porosity, groundwater stability index, groundwater sealing coefficient, D value of the fracture fractal dimension, fault fractal dimension, and sand–mud ratio. The correlation degree was calculated and ranked in order of magnitude through grey correlation analysis. The order of factors that influence water production, from strongest to weakest, is as follows: sand–mud ratio > porosity > fractal dimension of fault > fracture fractal dimension D value > groundwater sealing coefficient > groundwater stability index > total water content of coal seams. The dissolution amounts of carbonate and sulfate are both small, and the water source may mainly come from the sandstone aquifer. Attention should be paid to the distribution and lithological combination of sandstone aquifers in coal-bearing strata in the future exploration and development process of the Shouyang Block. This will help to avoid the potential influence of fault structures and enable the identification of favorable areas for low water and high gas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of the Energy-related Uncertainty Index (EUI) on corporate investment among Chinese non-financial listed companies, focusing on two aspects: the effect of EUI fluctuations on investment behavior, and its differential impact on energy versus non-energy sectors. Utilizing a dataset of 2487 firms from 2007 to 2022, encompassing 22,346 firm-year observations, our analysis reveals that a 1% increase in the EUI leads to a 0.045% decrease in overall corporate investment. Notably, this effect is more pronounced in energy-related firms, where a 1% increase in EUI leads to a 0.057% reduction in investment. In comparison, non-energy-related firms exhibit a milder response, with a 1% increase in EUI resulting in a 0.026% decrease in investment. Given the average annual change in EUI over the sample period [2007–2022] of 27.710%, a 0.045% decrease in investment implies a substantial 1.246% per annum change in investment. This highlights the economically significant impact of EUI fluctuations on corporate investment decisions, particularly during periods of heightened uncertainty. These findings, validated through alternative EUI measures and investment metrics, provide crucial insights for understanding investment behavior under energy uncertainty. Conclusively, our study contributes to the literature by highlighting how energy uncertainty uniquely impacts corporate investment, taking into account the specific financial and operational conditions within different sectors. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating energy policy considerations into corporate strategic planning, particularly for energy-intensive industries within transitional economies like China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary tropical cyclones (BTCs) typically refer to the coexistence of two tropical cyclones (TCs) within a specific distance range, often resulting in disastrous rainstorms in coastal areas of China. However, the differences in rainfall and underlying causes between BTC-influenced typhoons and general typhoons remain unclear. In this article, the TC closer to the rainfall center in the BTC is referred to as the target typhoon (tTC), while the other is termed the accompanying typhoon (cmp_TC). This study compares and analyzes the rainfall differences and potential causes of tTCs and similar typhoons (sim_TC) with a comparable track but which are unaffected by BTCs from 1981 to 2020. The results show that: (1) On average, tTCs and cmp_TCs experience 18.79% heavier maximum daily rainfall compared to general TCs, with a significantly increased likelihood of rainfall ≥250 mm. (2) Given similar tracks, the average rainfall for tTCs (212.62 mm) is 30.2% heavier than that for sim_TCs (163.30 mm). (3) The analysis of potential impact factors on rainfall (translation speed, intensity, direction change) reveals that sim_TCs move at an average of 21.38 km/h, which is about 19.66% faster than the 17.87 km/h of tTCs, potentially accounting for the observed differences in rainfall. (4) Further investigation into the causes of west–east oriented BTC rainfall in the Northern Fujian (N_Fujian) region suggests that water vapor transport and slowing down of the translation speed are the possible mechanisms of BTC influence. Specifically, 80% of tTCs receive water vapor from the direction of their cmp_TC, and the steering flow for tTC is only 59.88% of that for sim_TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity for climate governance is crucial for sustainable advancement, with data elements being a pivotal production factor in contemporary governance. This study examines the trajectory and strategy of digital transformation in climate governance, creating a three-dimensional dataset encapsulating 11 primary and 36 secondary indicators to facilitate the assessment of digital climate governance. Employing spatiotemporal analysis and coupling coordination models, this study evaluates the digitalization levels in climate governance across 30 regions in China, examining how to progress digital integration from governmental and market perspectives. Findings reveal a consistent improvement in China's regional digital climate governance, bolstering economic and social progress. Nonetheless, regional disparities and developmental lags persist, with convergence analysis indicating a divergence trend in provincial climate governance capabilities. Moreover, kernel density and Markov chain analyses suggest an ongoing evolution in regional digital climate governance efforts, aiming at achieving a higher development plateau. The study emphasizes the dual role of government and market dynamics in boosting digital governance levels, deducing from two-stage regression that effective government-market interplay is vital for elevating governance quality and fostering new productive forces, recommending an integrated governance mechanism for optimal synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over five centuries, the History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China, written by Spanish missionary Juan González de Mendoza and published in 1585 in Rome, has captured the interest of the international academic community. However, scholarship has primarily focused on Mendoza's depiction of China as rich and powerful, potentially overlooking the evangelical purpose of his narrative and failing to explain the correlation between the positive Chinese image and the author's evangelical intention. This study aims to clarify the image of China presented by the Spanish author through a detailed textual analysis, concluding that Mendoza portrayed China as a rich and great nation that also had misguided beliefs and was open to evangelization. The Spanish author's identity as an Augustinian preacher and ambassador of King Philip II of Spain to the Ming dynasty of China, as well as the global and evangelistic social context in which he lived, significantly influenced his perceptions of China. Furthermore, his hybrid profile of China was accepted in Europe at the time and became a collective memory because it embodied the spiritual context shared by the European community in the 16th century. This spiritual purpose was achieved through the idealized imagination, which serves as an affective medium in the formation of collective memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued urban expansion (UE) has long been regarded as a huge challenge for climate change mitigation. However, much less is known about how UE affects carbon emissions (CEs), especially in the urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin (UAYRB), China. In this regard, this study introduced kernel density analysis, the Gini coefficient, and Markov chains to reveal the UE patterns and carbon emissions intensity (CEI) in the UAYRB at the county level, and explored the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of UE on CEI with the geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The results show that both CEI and UE in the UAYRB showed a steady growing trend during the study period. The kernel density of CEI and UE revealed that CEI in the UAYRB was weakening, while the UE rate continuously slowed down. The Gini coefficients of both CEI and UE in the UAYRB region were at high levels, indicating obvious spatial imbalance. The Markov transfer probability matrix for CEI with a time span of five years showed that CEI growth will still occur over the next five years, while that of UE was more obvious. Meanwhile, counties with a regression coefficient of UE on CEI higher than 0 covered the majority, and the distribution pattern remained quite stable. The regression coefficients of different urban landscape metrics on CEI in the UAYRB varied greatly; except for the landscape shape index, the regression coefficients of the aggregation index, interspersion and juxtaposition index, and patch density overall remained positive. These findings can advance the policy enlightenment of the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic resilience is crucial for urban sustainability as it ensures stability and growth in the face of external shocks, promotes social cohesion and inclusivity, fosters environmental sustainability, and enhances cities' adaptability to future challenges. This study expands the conventional perspective on economic resilience beyond the context of shocks, focusing on the inherent resilience of regional economic systems. A novel method for quantifying economic resilience is introduced, emphasizing system sensitivity and adaptability. Using Chinese prefecture-level city data and an econometric model, we empirically examine how Fintech, a major digital transition in current urban systems, affects economic resilience. The findings reveal that Fintech has a substantial positive effect on economic resilience, primarily through the upgrading of industrial structures and technological innovation. Furthermore, there is significant regional heterogeneity in the impact of Fintech on economic resilience, with more pronounced contributions in the east, central, and western regions of China, as opposed to the northeast. Additionally, the impact of Fintech on economic resilience is more substantial in large-scale cities. The promotion of economic resilience through digital transformation serves as a potent risk prevention measure. Understanding the role of economic resilience in urban systems holds valuable implications for countries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logistics land is the spatial carrier for the development of logistics enterprises. Its evolution mode and driving mechanism determine the level of high-quality development of the logistics industry, and serve as an important basis for urban planning and territorial spatial planning. This study introduced a Boston consulting group (BCG) matrix and geographically weighted regression (GWR) spatial econometric models to carry out empirical research on the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), in an effort to provide scientific information for evidence-based decision-making by governments and enterprises. The scale and ratio of logistics land (LLS and LLR) in the YRD showed significant spatial heterogeneity and autocorrelation, cities with large logistics land use converging from clusters to belts from 2000 to 2020, and agglomerations with high logistics land ratio (LLR) migrating from inland to coastal areas. Diversified models of logistics land evolution also emerged, such as high scale–high speed cities, low scale–low speed cities, high scale–low speed cities, and low scale–high speed cities. In addition, the driving mechanism of LLS and LLR was very complex, with a great difference in the intensity, nature and spatial effects of the influence of different factors. The inspiration from empirical case studies is urgent to revise the planning norms and clarify the LLS and LLR control standards for logistics land use. Meanwhile, the synergistic development target of the logistics industry in the new era is changing from the manufacturing industry to the commerce and trade industry; the establishment of planning zoning and the designing of differentiated management policies significantly improve the planning applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of world education digitalization, the Chinese government has formulated China's education digitalization strategy. The education digitalization policy tools of provincial governments are an important factor affecting the effectiveness of education digitalization policies. In this study, a text quantification and content analysis is conducted on educational digital policy documents released by eight provinces of China during the 14th Five-Year Plan period in China. This is based on a two-dimensional analysis framework of "instruments-value" using instrument types and policy principles, and NVivo software. The research outcomes reveal the following: (1) The distribution of educational digital policy instrument types is uneven, with an excess of supply-side instruments and a noticeable shortage of demand-side instruments. (2) Different policy instruments exhibit varying degrees of preference in implementing policy principles. There is a stronger emphasis on technology application and balanced development, while the emphasis on service principles promoting diverse participation is relatively weaker. (3) The policy instruments that facilitate interaction between policymakers and educational entities require further strengthening. In light of these findings, local governments in China should strengthen the use of demand-side policy instruments to achieve comprehensiveness and sustainability in educational digitalization. Policymakers should pay more attention to the demands of educational entities to shift educational digitalization from being technology driven to being demand driven. Furthermore, policy instrument selection should adhere to the value of serving and supporting individuals and reinforce the concept of multi-participation in their development, ultimately improving the precision and coordination of policies, and achieving a harmonious integration of technological and value aspects of policy instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions pose a significant challenge to sustainable development, particularly for China, which is the world's largest emerging economy and is under pressure to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce emissions amid escalating human activities. The variation in economic development levels and carbon sequestration capacities among its provinces poses a significant hurdle. However, previous research has not adequately examined this dual discrepancy from the perspective of spatial heterogeneity, resulting in a lack of differentiated management of forest carbon sinks across diverse regions. Therefore, to mitigate this discrepancy, this study presents an assessment methodology that analyzes over 100 types of natural and plantation forests using forest age and biomass expansion factors. This study presents a model that can significantly support the efforts of both China and the whole world to achieve carbon neutrality through the improved management of forest carbon sinks. This approach facilitates the assessment of carbon offsets required to meet reduction targets, the development of a provincial framework for carbon intensity and sequestration, and the exploration of their potential for trading markets. Analysis is conducted using MATLAB. Key achievements of this study include the following: (1) The collection of a comprehensive carbon stock dataset for 50 natural and 57 plantation forest types in 31 provinces from 2009 to 2018, highlighting the significant role of new forests in carbon sequestration. (2) The development of a provincial carbon status scoring system that categorizes provinces as carbon-negative, carbon-balancing, or carbon-positive based on local forest sink data and carbon credit demand. (3) The formulation of the carbon intensity–carbon sink assessment (CISA) model, which suggests that provinces with middle- to upper-middle-level economies may have a prolonged need for carbon sink credits during their peak carbon phase. Furthermore, the results show that carbon trading may benefit Guangxi and Yunnan, but may also bring opportunities and risks to Hunan and Hubei. To address regional imbalances, this study advocates tailored policies: carbon-negative and carbon-balancing provinces should enhance carbon sink management, while carbon-positive provinces must focus on energy structure transformation to achieve sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deformation along a subway rail network is related to the safe operation of the subway and the stability of construction facilities on the surface, making long-term deformation monitoring imperative. Long-term monitoring of surface deformation along the subway network and statistical analysis of the overall deformation situation are lacking in China. Therefore, targeting 35 Chinese cities whose subway mileage exceeds 50 km, we extracted their surface deformation along subway networks between 2018 and 2022, using spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (InSAR) technology and Sentinel-1 satellite data. We verified the results with the continuous global navigation satellite system (GNSS) stations' data and found that the root mean square error (RMSE) of the InSAR results was 3.75 mm/year. Statistical analysis showed that ground subsidence along the subways was more prominent in Beijing, Tianjin, and other areas in the North China Plain, namely Kunming (which is dominated by karst landforms), as well as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao, and other coastal cities. In addition, an analysis revealed that the severity of surface subsidence correlated positively with a city's gross domestic product (GDP) with a Pearson correlation of 0.787, since the higher the GDP, the more frequent the construction and maintenance of subway, and the more commuters there are, which in turn exacerbates the disturbance to the surface. Additionally, the type of land cover also affects the ground deformation. Our findings provide a reference for constructing, operating, and maintaining the urban subway systems in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the data of 2254 daily meteorological stations in China from 1961 to 2021, this study calculated the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) of the national multi-time scale by using the FAO Penman–Monteith model to quantify the changes in dry and wet conditions. The Mann–Kendall mutation test, wavelet analysis, and other methods were used to study the spatial pattern and temporal evolution of drought. The results showed: (1) In the past 61 years, there were obvious spatial and temporal differences in drought in China, and the interannual variation in drought severity in SPEI-1, SPEI-3, and SPEI-12 gradually decreased at a rate of 0.005/10a, 0.021/10a, and 0.092/10a, respectively. (2) The time point of dry and wet mutation was 1989 according to the MK mutagenicity test. (3) Wavelet analysis showed that the drought cycle on the annual scale and the seasonal scale was consistent, and the main period was about 30 years. (4) In the past 61 years, the drought intensity of different degrees in China has shown a weakening trend, and the drought intensity reached the highest value in 61 years in 1978, at 1836.42. In 2020, the drought intensity was the lowest, at 261.55. (5) The proportion of drought stations has shown a decreasing trend. The proportion of drought-free stations has fluctuated greatly, ranging from 42.12% to 89.25%, with 2020 being the highest. This study provides a scientific basis for further research on the causes and coping strategies of drought and is of great significance for strengthening China's drought monitoring, early warning ,and adaptation capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and new species of the euthemistid, Kidaneuthemis ningchengensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. It can be assigned to the Euthemistidae by the several long intercalary veins between RP1 and IR1, IR1 and RP2, as well as between RP2 and IR2 and between IR2 and RP3/4. Kidaneuthemis ningchengensis gen. et sp. nov. distinguishes from the other two genera of this family by the presence of not less than eight intercalary veins between MP and wing margin; about three rows of cells in the distal part between MA and MP; the base of IR2 is two cells distal to that of RP3/4. In addition, a revision of the family Euthemistidae has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model has significantly contributed to global infrastructure and public service provision. The evolution of the PPP model closely aligns with policy directives. China's PPP policy evolution has included five stages: budding (1986–2000), fluctuating (2001–2008), steady (2009–2012), expanding (2013–2018), and stagnating (2019–present). This study employs bibliometric analysis and co-word analysis to examine 407 policies enacted by the Chinese government from 1986 to 2018. By extracting policy text keywords at various stages and constructing a co-word network matrix, this study delineates the distinctive characteristics of Chinese PPP policies across different epochs. It can be found that critical areas such as "government credit", "contract spirit", and "power supervision" are still underappreciated. The challenges confronting China's PPP model are multifaceted, stemming from policy gaps that have led to substantial project difficulties. Although the government proposed a new mechanism for franchising in 2023, the new mechanism is only for new PPP projects, and the difficulties of existing PPP projects have not been solved. This study advocates for enhancements in project bankability, regulatory clarity, institutional environment improvement, contract spirit defense, and the development of the PPP-REITs model to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]