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• Spatial differences of environmental variables and macrozoobenthos were found. • A phenomenon of patchy distribution for macrozoobenthos was found in the sea areas. • Water depth contributed most to the spatial macrozoobenthic community differences. • The Changjiang Diluted Water was an important driving factor for the differences. • Macrozoobenthos in the north suffered more disturbance than those in the south. Main environmental variables of the bottom water and the macrozoobenthic community were compared between northern and southern adjacent sea areas of the Yangtze River estuary, China, using data of ten months from 2015 to 2016. The PCA (principal component analysis) results showed significant north-south differences in the environmental variables. Results of PCO (principal coordinates) analysis and cluster analysis revealed an obvious north-south distribution pattern of the macrozoobenthic community, and a phenomenon of patchy distribution of macrozoobenthos was also found in the study area. Relationships of environmental variables and the macrozoobenthic community dissimilarities were analysed by BIOENV analysis and CCA (canonical correspondence analysis). Depth, salinity and turbidity were revealed as major environmental factors related to the north-south differences in the macrozoobenthic community in adjacent sea areas of the Yangtze River estuary, and among them, depth contributed most to the differences. The CDW (Changjiang Diluted Water) was suggested as an important driving factor related to the north-south differences of both environmental variables and the macrozoobenthic community. ABC (abundance/biomass comparison) curves indicated that macrozoobenthos in the north suffered a higher level of disturbance than those in the south, probably due to suffering more interference from the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacology relevance The decoction of the flowers of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medic was traditionally used for the treatment of jaundice and various types of chronic and acute hepatitis in Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces of China for hundreds of years. Phytochemical studies have indicated that total flavonoids extracted from flowers of A. manihot (L.) Medic (TFA) were the major constituents of the flowers. Our previous studies have investigated the hepatoprotective effects of the TFA against carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) induced hepatocyte damage in vitro and liver injury in vivo . This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of TFA on α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestatic liver injury in rats. Material and methods The hepatoprotective activities of TFA (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) were investigated on ANIT-induced cholestatic liver injury in rats. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were used as indices of hepatic cell damage and measured. Meanwhile, the serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), and total bile acid (TBA) were used as indices of biliary cell damage and cholestasis and evaluated. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione transferase (GST), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured in the liver homogenates. The bile flow in 4 h was estimated and the histopathology of the liver tissue was evaluated. Furthermore, the expression of transporters, bile salt export pump (BSEP), multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), and Na + -taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) were studied by western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to elucidate the protective mechanisms of TFA against ANIT-induced cholestasis. Results The oral administration of TFA to ANIT-treated rats could reduce the increases in serum levels of ALT, AST, LDH, ALP, GGT, TBIL, DBIL and TBA. Decreased bile flow by ANIT was restored with TFA treatment. Concurrent administration of TFA reduced the severity of polymorphonuclear neutrophil infiltration and other histological damages, which were consistent with the serological tests. Hepatic MDA and GSH contents in liver tissue were reduced, while SOD and GST activities, which had been suppressed by ANIT, were elevated in the groups pretreated with TFA. With TFA intervention, levels of TNF-α and NO in liver were decreased. Additionally, TFA was found to increase the expression of liver BSEP, MRP2, and NTCP in both protein and mRNA levels in ANIT-induced liver injury with cholestasis. Conclusion TFA exerted protective effects against ANIT-induced liver injury. The possible mechanisms could be related to anti-oxidative damage, anti-inflammation and regulating the expression of hepatic transporters. It layed the foundation for the further research on the mechanisms of cholestasis as well as the therapeutic effects of A. manihot (L.) Medic for the treatment of jaundice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Caesalpinia sappan is a medicinal plant native to China popularly used to treat chronic pelvic inflammation, dysmenorrhea and hysteromyoma. Its main bioactive component is brazilin which had presented antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet aggregation activities. To establish a sensitive, selective, reproducible, and accurate high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the quantitative determination of brazilin in plasma, and study the pharmacokinetics of brazilin in rats after intravenous administration of brazilin. Materials and methods: Rats received intravenous injection of 25, 50 and 100mg/kg of brazilin. Concentrations of brazilin in plasma were determined by HPLC method at different time points and all pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by non-compartmental analysis with WinNonLin 6.2 software. Results: After single intravenous doses of 25, 50 and 100mg/kg brazilin in rats, the main PK parameters were as follows: C max were 18.1±4.1, 46.7±8.7 and 82.2±9.6µg/mL; AUC0–24 were 20.4±4.3, 48.7±6.8 and 90.4±10.3µgh/mL; and t 1/2 were 5.4±1.5, 5.8±0.9 and 6.2±1.2h, respectively. Conclusion: It showed that the brazilin was eliminated moderately in rat by intravenous injection route with t 1/2 of 6h and showed a dose-dependence profile of C max and AUC0–24 at the doses of 25~100mg/kg of brazilin for injection in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified simplified analysis method is proposed in this paper to evaluate seismic responses of subway stations in dense urban environments. Based on the dynamic analysis of the underground structure-soil-adjacent building interaction (SSSI) model, the seismic response of subway station was distinguished as the kinematic interaction (KI) effect (induced by the free-field movement) and the inertial interaction (II) effect (induced by the vibration of adjacent building). In order to comprehensively and simply consider the KI and II effects, a modified model was established after simplifying the analytical solution of underground structural seismic response. Owing to acquiring the dynamic response via static modelling and calculation, the method proposed herein requires a shorter analysis time and incurs a lower cost. In addition, a typical subway station-soil-ground building system in an east city in China was selected as the case-history to verify the modified method and further evaluate its computational accuracy. The traditional response displacement method and dynamic time history analysis method were also conducted in simulation as a comparison method and standard method, respectively. The case study demonstrates that referencing the results obtained by the dynamic time history analysis method (D-M), the maximum story drift and maximum internal force (including bending moment, axial force and shear force) errors of the traditional response displacement method (T-M) reached −28% and −48%, respectively. Obviously, this method is dangerous in designing due to its smaller computing results. In contrast, the modified method (M-M) which can accurately reflect the impacts of adjacent buildings, is a more accurate and safer analysis method (two seismic response indexes of the modified method generally exceeded the actual values, and more gratifying is that the errors were less than 12%). Therefore, the modified simplified analysis method proposed is a higher accuracy, safer design, less time consumed, and faster analysis process method, which can be used to substitute the traditional method in the aseismic performance and dynamic response analysis of subway stations in dense urban environments. • A simplified analysis method to evaluate the seismic responses of subway stations in dense urban environments. • The seismic response of subway station is distinguished as KI and II effects based on a theoretical framework. • The calculation accuracy of the simplified analysis method is greatly improved. • The computational time required for analyzing is greatly saved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) face great challenges globally, especially in China, for increasingly strict discharge standard. Abundance of AOA was found dramatically higher in a SBR WWTP in South China (ZSH) recently, which achieved extremely low ammonium concentration in effluents. Moreover, AOA equips lower half-saturation constant (K m) for dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia in comparison with AOB, which indicate AOA can oxidize ammonia to nitrite more thoroughly than AOB. Thus, AOA may play an important role for nitrogen removal in SBR WWTP. To understand the key factors for AOA dominance in SBR WWTP is of importance for designing and operating WWTP in future. In this study, a Nitrosocosmicus sp. AOA was enriched from the ZSH SBR WWTP. Growth, pH, temperature, ammonium and oxygen tolerance of AOA enrichments were explored. Moreover, ammonia-oxidizing pathway was investigated with presence of PTIO as inhibitor, and the production of middle products (NH 2 OH and N 2 O) during ammonia oxidation were monitored over time. Growth of Nitrosocosmicus sp. AOA was observed with a doubling time of 4.5 days, which was active under a wide pH range (6.0–9.0), with optimal pH of 7.5. Activity of Nitrosocosmicus sp. AOA increased with increasing of ammonium concentration below 40 mM, which was suppressed above 40 mM ammonium. Moreover, K m for ammonia and oxygen were 0.14 μM and 4.1 μM, respectively, which suggested the enriched AOA could thoroughly oxidize ammonia under low dissolved oxygen conditions. Activity of Nitrosocosmicus sp. AOA was completely inhibited by PTIO. Emission of N 2 O by AOA (0.05%) was lower than most reported AOB and Comammox bacteria. Our results demonstrated that the long sludge retention time, intermittent aeration, high ammonium and pH resistance were most probably the controlling factors for AOA dominance in WWTPs, which benefitted to lowing ammonium in effluents, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas in future. [Display omitted] • A Nitrosocosmicus sp. AOA was enriched from SBR WWTP, with grape-like shape. • The enriched AOA equips high Km for ammonia (0.14 μM) and oxygen (3.47 μM). • Emission of N2O by AOA (0.05%) was lower than most reported nitrifying bacteria. • Key factor to dominate AOA: long SRT, intermittent aeration, high ammonium and pH resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A group of 31 rabies viruses (RABVs), recovered primarily from dogs, one deer and one human case, were collected from various areas in China between 1989 and 2006. Complete G gene sequences determined for these isolates indicated identities of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of ≥87% and 93.8%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of these and some additional Chinese isolates clearly supported the placement of all Chinese viruses in Lyssavirus genotype 1 and divided all Chinese isolates between four distinct groups (I–IV). Several variants identified within the most commonly encountered group I were distributed according to their geographical origins. A comparison of representative Chinese viruses with other isolates retrieved world-wide indicated a close evolutionary relationship between China group I and II viruses and those of Indonesia while China group III viruses formed an outlying branch to variants from Malaysia and Thailand. China group IV viruses were closely related to several vaccine strains. The predicted glycoprotein sequences of these RABVs variants are presented and discussed with respect to the utility of the anti-rabies biologicals currently employed in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Low handgrip strength was associated with an increased risk of stroke. • Metabolically healthy overweight/obesity and metabolic abnormal phenotype increased the risk of stroke compared to metabolically healthy non-overweight/obesity. • The combination of abnormal obesity phenotype and low handgrip strength could further increase stroke risk more than single factor. • Weight control and muscle strength enhancement may be effective strategy to lower the risk of stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effect of handgrip strength (HGS) and obesity phenotype on the risk of stroke in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people. The data was used from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Middle-aged and older adults who participated in surveys between 2011 and 2018 were included in the study. They were divided into 4 different types of obesity phenotypes based on obesity and metabolic status: metabolically healthy non-overweight/obesity (MHNO), metabolically healthy overweight/obesity (MHO), metabolically abnormal non-overweight/obesity (MANO), and metabolically abnormal overweight/obesity (MAO). The HGS level was divided into low and high groups according to the median values. Cox proportional risk regression model was used to analyze the joint effect of HGS and obesity phenotype on the risk of stroke among participants. A total of 7904 participants aged 58.89±9.08 years were included in this study. After adjusting for potential confounders, high HGS&MHO (HR=1.86, 95 % CI=1.12–3.09), high HGS&MANO (HR=2.01, 95 %CI=1.42–2.86), high HGS&MAO (HR=2.01, 95 % CI=1.37–2.93), low HGS&MHNO (HR=1.57, 95 % CI=1.00–2.46), low HGS&MHO (HR=2.09, 95 % CI=1.29–3.38), low HGS&MANO (HR=2.02, 95 % CI=1.35–3.03), and low HGS&MAO (HR=2.48, 95 % CI=1.72–3.58) group had significantly higher risks of stroke than the high HGS&MHNO group. The coexistence of metabolically unhealthy and low HGS can synergistically increase the risk of stroke in Chinese middle-aged and elderly people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congestion and delay have become a critical challenge to the aviation industry, particularly in markets with sustained traffic growth. Despite significant investments in aviation infrastructures, congestion and delay in China have placed mounting pressure on the industry and its regulator to sustain good on-time performance (OTP). In 2017, CAAC introduced a new policy that in the case of poor OTP, reduces the allowable capacity of congested airports and forces airlines to cancel flight services. This study measures the policy's effects on congestion and delays, and quantifies the change in welfare. Empirical findings suggest that the new policy reduced flight delays considerably, bringing substantial welfare gains to the passengers even under conservative estimates. However, the new policy is inconsistent with international industry practices of slot allocation and airline service operations, and may cause operational disruptions to the aviation industry. We recommend continuation of such a policy with more detailed analysis, so that regulatory innovation can be encouraged and meanwhile extensively studied. We further argue a revised policy may be implemented in growth markets, which balances welfare gains and operation disruptions. • Congestion and delay in China has placed mounting pressure on the industry and its regulator. • China's civil aviation regulator implemented an "outcome-based" policy to cut flights in major Chinese airports. • This study measures the policy's effects on congestion and delays, and quantifies the change in welfare. • New policy reduced flight delays considerably, bringing substantial welfare gains to the passengers even under conservative estimates. • However, the new policy is inconsistent with international industry practices and may cause operational disruptions.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood traceability is an important means of ensuring the quality of local seafood. Jellyfish are an important edible resource with a large yield on a global scale. Different species of pickled jellyfish, a traditional Chinese food, cannot be differentiated solely from the appearance of the product due to its special processing methods. In this paper, two species of jellyfish, R. esculentum and S. meleagris , were identified by PCR-RFLP technique. The genetic identification of the jellyfish R. esculentum and S. meleagris was based on PCR amplification of a common 651 bp fragment of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by digestion of four restriction enzymes, Hind III, Hpa I, Xho I and Dra I, respectively. The results showed that the two species of fresh jellyfish could be identified clearly, as could the pickled R. esculentum. To verify this result, PCR-RFLP was applied to authenticate four kinds of commercial pickled jellyfish. The electrophoretogram clearly showed that R. esculentum and S. meleagris were easily and accurately authenticated. This PCR-RFLP system has the potential to become an effective method for identifying the jellyfish products from Liaoning Province of China. • Seafood traceability is an important means to ensure the quality of local featured seafood. • Jellyfish is an important edible resource as palatable food for thousands years. • Fresh jellyfish must be processed into dry goods sales, known as pickled jellyfish. • PCR-RFLP method have high sensitivity and validity for provenance identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper explores network effects in Point-to-Point airline networks by examining the spatial patterns of Southwest airlines' route network during Southwest's major network expansionary period for completing continental US geographic coverage between 1990 and 2006. Estimation results from a spatial probit model reveal clear spatial dependence in profitability across different routes served by the carrier. Detailed investigation suggests two main sources of network effects, namely: (1) airport and regional presence, and (2) substitutability between airport-pair markets. Findings of the paper suggest also that the network effects embedded in Southwest's Point-to-Point network have many distinguishing features as compared to those identified in a typical Hub-and-Spoke network. The results of this study on Southwest's network expansionary period help us to predict how emerging LCC networks in other large aviation market, such as China, are likely to be developed over time if regulators give carriers reasonable freedom to develop their service network efficiently. Highlights • This paper explores network effects in Point-to-Point airline networks. • We examine the spatial patterns of Southwest airlines' route network between 1990 and 2006. • Estimation results from a spatial probit model reveal clear spatial dependence in profitability across different routes. • The network effects have many distinguishing features as compared to those in a typical Hub-and-Spoke network. •This help predict how emerging LCC networks in other large aviation market, such as China, are likely to be developed over time if regulators give carriers reasonable freedom to develop their service network efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wulonggou Pluton is located in Wulonggou area, eastern segment of the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt, NW China, and consists of mainly alkali-feldspar granites covering an area of about 150 km 2 . Petrogenesis of these granitoids has been investigated through an integrated study of petrography, zircon U Pb ages, whole-rock geochemistry, and Hf Nd isotopic compositions. U Pb dating of magmatic zircons indicated these granites crystallized during 426–424 Ma in the middle Silurian. The granites display high SiO 2 (75.26–77.55 wt%), K 2 O + Na 2 O (7.98–9.03 wt%), extremely low MgO (0.04–0.19 wt%), CaO (0.28–0.61 wt%), and TiO 2 (0.05–0.09 wt%) contents showing metaluminous, calcic-alkali and ferroan features; enrichment in Rb and some HFSEs (Zr, U, Nb, Ta, and Y), depletion in Sr, Ba, P, and Ti, mostly right-inclined REE curve, flat HREE patterns, high 10,000 ∗ Ga/Al and intensively negative Eu anomalies, exhibiting an A 2 -type granite affinity with Y/Nb > 1.2 mostly. The primitive magma of these large quantities of granites was generated under a high temperature, low pressure, reduced and anhydrous environment indicating intense upwelling of asthenosphere. Combining with the positive uniform zircon ε Hf (t) values of −0.2 to +3.8 and decoupled ε Nd (t) values of −4.9 to −2.1 at t  = 424 Ma, it can be concluded that subduction-related juvenile materials, probably calc-alkaline granitoids, are the source of these A-type granites. Geochemical studies of Wulonggou granites, spatial and temporal distributions of regional magmatism, metamorphism, and sedimentary records throughout the Eastern Kunlun Orogen Belt jointly indicate that the whole orogenic belt was in a typical post-collision extension setting and experienced an isostatic uplift during the middle Silurian triggered by delamination after the convergence of the northeastern margin of Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China lags behind other liberalized aviation markets in low cost carrier (LCC) development, its largest LCC, Spring Airlines, has achieved rapid growth in traffic volume and revenue, as well as consistent profitability, since its inauguration in 2005. Our empirical study on the Chinese domestic market suggests that Spring adopts a “cream skimming” strategy to enter high-priced routes, allowing the carrier to achieve both a very high load factor and considerable profitability. Spring’s capacity and market share on individual routes are constrained to low levels, likely due to government regulation and/or a “puppy dog” strategy adopted by the carrier. As a result, Spring is able to achieve fast growth without triggering price wars. To incumbent full service carriers, high speed rail (HSR) services impose much more significant competitive pressure than low cost carriers. Similar to LCCs in developed markets, Spring prefers to serve markets with high traffic volumes out of its operational base in Shanghai. Overall, Spring’s entry decision is not significantly affected by competition, either from full service airlines or HSR services. Our investigation suggests that LCCs have potential to introduce more competition but are yet to be a “game changer” in China. Further deregulation of the domestic market is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three tuffaceous layers from North China are dated by CA-TIMS method. • Permo-Carboniferous weathering trends are reconstructed for the southern North China. • A rapid climate warming is documented at the Permo-Carboniferous transition. • The climate fluctuation is causally linked to the Skagerrak-Centered large igneous province. Tracking climate change and its relationships with chemical weathering and massive volcanic activity in deep-time greatly improves our understanding of the Earth's climate system. The Permo-Carboniferous period is a critical time interval with million year-scale glacial-deglacial cycles and massive basaltic volcanism, such as the Skagerrak-Centered (also named Skagerrak or Jutland) large igneous province. To explore the volcanism-climate interactions in this period, we obtained high precision CA-TIMS U-Pb zircon ages for three tuffaceous layers from a cored upper Pennsylvanian-lower Permian marginal marine succession in southern North China. These ages calibrate the Permo-Carboniferous biostratigraphy between ∼301–296 Ma in North China. From this dated core succession, mudrock samples and their calculated weathering index values were screened to constrain the weathering trends for the source landscapes and demonstrate a rapid increase with a subsequent decrease in source chemical weathering intensity during the period of ∼299 to 296.5 Ma. These trends coincide with the southern Gondwana glacial records, low latitude temperature changes, relative sea-level variations, and shifts in atmospheric p CO 2 that together document an earliest Permian climate warming-cooling perturbation with a temperature maximum at ∼298 Ma. This climate warming in the Permo-Carboniferous icehouse correlates with the emplacement of the Skagerrak-Centered large igneous province, which likely released voluminous CO 2 that led to climate warming during the Permo-Carboniferous transition. The immediately following cooling could possibly result from the rapid post-eruptional weathering of the massive basaltic rocks of this province in tropical latitudes, which would have sequestered atmospheric CO 2 and promoted return to cooler icehouse conditions. This study supports the assertation that massive basaltic volcanism could first cause rapid climate warming and then may have an overall net cooling effect as previously suggested for the Deccan Traps and the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Primary CH 4 -rich aqueous fluid inclusions are identified. • The CH 4 -bearing ore fluids are exsolved directly from the magma. • The CH 4 was initially generated by reduction of carbonate in subduction zone. Although most of the methane on Earth is of biogenic origin, significant abiogenic methane has been identified in a variety of geological environments. Moreover, the presence of methane has been reported recently in fluid inclusions from a number of reduced porphyry deposits. The genesis of this methane, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we present results of a study of magma-exsolved CH 4 -rich aqueous fluid inclusions in the Seleteguole reduced porphyry–skarn Cu–Mo–Au deposit, NW China. Four types of fluid inclusions, namely intermediate-density two-phase aqueous inclusions, low-density vapor inclusions, brine inclusions and aqueous liquid inclusions, have been distinguished on the basis of the phases present at room temperature. The intermediate-density inclusions were trapped as a single phase and contain 3.8–10.4 mol/kg CH 4, corresponding to an oxygen fugacity between ΔFMQ − 1 and ΔFMQ − 0.5. This attests to the remarkably reduced nature of the fluid. The δ13C value of the CH 4 -hosted fluid inclusions ranges from –29.4‰ to –19.1‰ (PDB), which distinguishes this methane from biogenic methane. Indeed, the high homogenization temperature of the CH 4 -rich inclusions (~400 °C) implies that the CH 4 was exsolved directly from the magma. Given the environment in which the magma was likely generated, i.e., at or immediately above a subducting plate, we propose that the methane was produced by reactions involving organic matter-bearing carbonate rocks in the subduction zone. Although Cu, Mo and Au in most porphyry systems are interpreted to have been transported under oxidizing conditions, our results indicate that reduced aqueous liquids and vapors are also capable of transporting appreciable concentrations of these metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]