Search

Habitat selection in animals results from a careful balance of individual requirements, environmental conditions, and ecological disturbances. Preferences can vary across sexes and ages due to differences in survival and reproductive priorities. Despite this variability, most studies have traditionally focused on isolated aspects of either sex or age‐related differences in habitat selection, rather than considering a comprehensive range of influencing factors. The mountain dragon lizard (Diploderma splendidum) exemplifies a species adapted to shrub habitats in the dry‐hot river valleys of the lower Jinsha River, Western China, playing a crucial role in regional ecosystem stability. In this study, we examined the influence of 11 ecological factors on habitat selection by male and female D. splendidum across two distinct age classes (adult and juvenile) to explore sex and age‐related disparities. The lizards showed considerable similarity in habitat preferences, but notable differences in their selection of specific ecological factors. Compared to adult females, adult males displayed a preference for higher tree positions, lower light intensity, and moderate vegetation density. Compared to juvenile females, juvenile males favored higher tree positions, low rock formations, and shrubby grassland and forest. Compared to juvenile females, adult females preferred higher tree positions and habitats further from water. Compared to juvenile males, adult males preferred higher tree habitats. Overall, habitat selection complexity in D. splendidum was significantly influenced by sex and age factors. This study contributes to our understanding of how these lizards respond to different physiological structures and resource requirements. These findings enhance current knowledge on reptile habitat selection and provide theoretical insights crucial for ecological restoration and species protection in the hot and dry valley areas of Hengduan Mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, neonatal hearing screening (NHS) has gained rapid traction in both developed and developing nations. However, the efficacy of these efforts depends on comprehensive standardization across all screening facets. This study aimed to assess the status and quality of NHS by investigating the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of hearing screening practitioners regarding NHS. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, and an online questionnaire based on the knowledge-attitude/belief (A/B)-practice model was distributed to all NHS practitioners in Luzhou, western China. Valid questionnaires were examined and uniformly graded. Results: A total of 63 valid questionnaires were collected. The practitioners were mainly female (96.83%), with nursing backgrounds (63.49%), and undergraduate degrees (66.67%). Most had ≤5 years of experience (74.60%) and had junior/intermediate titles (93.65%). The NHS within the Luzhou area started in 2006 with provincial institutions, expanding to 42 institutions by 2022. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the A/B score and the conducting years of each NHS institution (p <.05) as well as between the Knowledge (K) and Practice (P) scores (p <.01). No significant correlation was found between the K score, P score, A/B score, and working years of practitioners (p >.05), or in the total score of NHS institutions at different levels or in different counties by one-way ANOVA (p >.05). Conclusions: It has been 17 years since the first medical institution in Luzhou launched NHS, and the overall performance of practitioners from different institutions has been consistent in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, or level of practice. However, there is room for further improvement in both the professional development of individuals and aspects related to work, such as health education and long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) presents a significant threat to global public health security. China bears a substantial burden of RR-PTB cases globally, with Guizhou Province experiencing particularly alarming trends, marked by a continual increase in patient numbers. Understanding the population characteristics and treatment modalities for RR-PTB is crucial for mitigating morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Methods We gathered epidemiological, diagnostic, and treatment data of all RR-PTB cases recorded in Guizhou Province from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023. Utilizing composition ratios as the analytical metric, we employed Chi-square tests to examine the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of RR-PTB patients and the evolving trends among different patient classifications over the study period. Results In our study, 3396 cases of RR-PTB were analyzed, with an average age of 45 years. The number of RR-PTB patients rose significantly from 176 in 2017 to 960 in 2023, peaking notably among individuals aged 23–28 and 44–54, with a rising proportion in the 51–80 age group (P

Background: Rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (RR-PTB) presents a significant threat to global public health security. China bears a substantial burden of RR-PTB cases globally, with Guizhou Province experiencing particularly alarming trends, marked by a continual increase in patient numbers. Understanding the population characteristics and treatment modalities for RR-PTB is crucial for mitigating morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Methods: We gathered epidemiological, diagnostic, and treatment data of all RR-PTB cases recorded in Guizhou Province from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023. Utilizing composition ratios as the analytical metric, we employed Chi-square tests to examine the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of RR-PTB patients and the evolving trends among different patient classifications over the study period. Results: In our study, 3396 cases of RR-PTB were analyzed, with an average age of 45 years. The number of RR-PTB patients rose significantly from 176 in 2017 to 960 in 2023, peaking notably among individuals aged 23–28 and 44–54, with a rising proportion in the 51–80 age group (P < 0.001). Since 2021, there has been a notable increase in the proportion of female patients. While individuals of Han ethnic group comprised the largest group, their proportion decreased over time (P < 0.001). Conversely, the Miao ethnicity showed an increasing trend (P < 0.05). The majority of patients were farmers, with their proportion showing an upward trajectory (P < 0.001), while students represented 4.33% of the cases. Geographically, most patients were registered in Guiyang and Zunyi, with a declining trend (P < 0.001), yet household addresses primarily clustered in Bijie, Tongren, and Zunyi. The proportion of floating population patients gradually decreased, alongside an increase in newly treated patients and those without prior anti-tuberculosis therapy. Additionally, there was a notable rise in molecular biological diagnostic drug sensitivity (real-time PCR and melting curve analysis) (P < 0.001). However, the cure rate declined, coupled with an increasing proportion of RR-PTB patients lost to follow-up and untreated (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Enhanced surveillance is crucial for detecting tuberculosis patients aged 23–28 and 44–54 years. The distribution of cases varies among nationalities and occupations, potentially influenced by cultural and environmental factors. Regional patterns in RR-PTB incidence suggest tailored prevention and control strategies are necessary. Despite molecular tests advances, challenges persist with low cure rates and high loss to follow-up. Strengthening long-term management, resource allocation, and social support systems for RR-PTB patients is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As it is an important industrial base in China, it is of great significance to improve the industrial carbon emission efficiency in the western region to promote the low-carbon sustainable development of the region. This paper selects the input–output panel data of 11 provinces in western China from 2010 to 2021, and adopts the three-stage DEA model to measure the industrial carbon emission efficiency in western China under a non-traditional geographic division at the overall and regional levels and analyze its influencing factors. The Dagum Gini coefficient, its decomposition method, and the kernel density estimation method are used to analyze the regional differences and dynamic evolution process of industrial carbon emission efficiency in the western region. The results of the study show that (1) after removing environmental and random factors, the industrial carbon emission efficiency in western China has been improved, but there are inter-regional differences, characterized by "the third region > the second region > the first region"; (2) the levels of green development, shared development, innovative development, and coordinated development have a positive impact on the improvement of industrial carbon emission efficiency in western China, while the level of industrialization has a relatively smaller influence, and economic development, government support, open development level, and energy consumption structure have not yet played a significant role; (3) the spatial differences in the efficiency of industrial carbon emissions in western China have generally increased during the sample period, with inter-regional differences being the main source; and (4) the industrial carbon emission efficiency in western China is characterized by overall improvements in time and space but with stage differences and multi-polarization of regional differences. This study has a certain reference value for improving industrial carbon emission efficiency in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burnout is prevalent among pediatric residents. Self-efficacy and resilience, as concepts of positive psychology, may be protective factors for burnout. However, no current data demonstrates the mechanism of their interaction. Objectives: To investigate the pediatric residents' status of self-efficacy, resilience, and job burnout in a university-affiliated hospital in western China. To explore relationships among them, especially the mediating effects of resilience. Methods: The study was conducted with 190 pediatric residents from an A-Class women's and children's hospital in western China. Data included demographic characteristics, status of pediatric residents, measures of burnout (using the Physicians' Career Burnout Questionnaire), self-efficacy (using the General Self-Efficacy Scale) and resilience (using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale). Multiple regression analysis and mediation analysis with bootstrapping were used to identify whether resilience mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout. Results: Female pediatric residents exhibited significantly lower self-efficacy (t = 2.53, p<0.05) and higher levels of job burnout (t=-2.64, p<0.01) compared to male residents. Residents in the standardized training stage experienced higher levels of job burnout compared to those who had completed the training, as indicated by t-values of -3.21, -2.13, and − 2.80 (p<0.05). Significant correlations (p ≤ 0.01) were found among self-efficacy, resilience, and burnout. Additionally, our findings indicated that pediatric residents' self-efficacy can positively predict job burnout and its three dimensions through a major mediating effect of resilience. Conclusions: The findings regarding the mediating effect of resilience on the influence of self-efficacy on burnout, and their association with gender and residency status, have practical implications for interventions aimed at reducing burnout and improving the well-being of pediatric residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of psychological symptoms in adolescents has become an important problem faced by all countries in the world. The increased sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption and the decreased muscle strength had a serious negative impact on adolescent health. However, previous studies have mainly focused on adolescents in developed countries and fewer studies have been conducted in developing countries, especially in rural areas of western China. This study aims to explore the association of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption, and relative grip strength with psychological symptoms among rural adolescents in western China.MethodsIn this study, 11,018 adolescents aged 13–18 years from rural areas of Xinjiang and Tibet in western China were recruited using stratified randomized whole-cluster sampling in 2023. The participants were assessed for sugar-sweetened beverages consumption, relative grip strength, and psychological symptoms. Non-parametric tests, t-tests, logistic regression analyses, and ordered logistic regression analyses of generalized linear models were used to analyze the associations of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and relative grip strength with psychological symptoms in adolescents.ResultsThe proportions of adolescents with sugar-sweetened beverages consumption of 4 times/week in rural areas of western China were 34.6, 52.7, and 12.7%, respectively. The prevalence of adolescents’ emotional problems, behavioral problems, social adjustment difficulties, and psychological symptoms were 28.7, 27.0, 20.2, and 22.1%, respectively. The mean and standard deviation of grip strength among adolescents was assessed as (32.52 ± 10.13) kg and the relative grip strength was (0.60 ± 0.16) in rural areas of western China. Taking participants with sugar-sweetened beverages consumption 4 times/week and relative grip strength at the first quartile had the highest risk (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 2.09–3.67, p

Food, water, and energy (FWE) are foundational resources that sustain human well-being and societal advancement. The examination of climate change effects on FWE resources is imperative, particularly in regions abundant in natural resources but ecologically fragile. In this context, we investigated the spatiotemporal changes of FWE resources in China’s western frontiers, where both resource wealth and climate vulnerability are critical. This study proposes an innovative approach to comprehensively analyze the dynamics of food production, surface water, and solar energy from 2010 to 2021 by integrating easily accessible and widely applicable variables, and utilizing remote sensing and statistical data within a sustainable development framework. The results show that: (1) both crop yield and cropland area display an upward trend; (2) the expansion of overall surface water area in Xinjiang is mainly driven by changes in precipitation and temperature, while in Xizang, such a relationship is not evident; (3) Xinjiang and Xizang have advantages in solar photovoltaic (PV) development due to their abundant solar resources. Our results suggest that such spatiotemporal dynamics in food production, surface water and solar energy resources can intuitively reflect the sustainable development status of FWE resources in China’s western frontiers.

Abstract Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are tick-borne protozoan parasites with veterinary importance. In China, epidemiological and genetic investigations on many Babesia and Theileria species were still absent in many areas and many tick species. From Aug 2021 to May 2023, 645 ticks were collected from the body surface of domestic animals (camels, goats, sheep, and cattle) using tweezers in seven counties in three provinces including Xinjiang (Qitai, Mulei, Hutubi, and Shihezi counties), Chongqing (Youyang and Yunyang counties), and Qinghai (Huangzhong county). Three tick species were morphologically and molecularly identified (334 Hyalomma asiaticum from Xinjiang, 245 Rhipicephalus microplus from Chongqing, and 66 Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from Qinghai). A total of three Babesia species and two Theileria species were detected targeting the 18S gene. The COI and cytb sequences were also recovered from Babesia strains for further identification. In R. microplus from Chongqing, Babesia bigemina, the agent of bovine babesiosis, was detected. Notably, in H. asiaticum ticks from Xinjiang, a putative novel genotype of Babesia caballi was identified (0.90%, 3/334), whose COI and cytb genes have as low as 85.82% and 90.64–90.91% nucleotide identities to currently available sequences. It is noteworthy whether the sequence differences of its cytb contribute to the drug resistance of this variant due to the involvement of cytb in the drug resistance of Babesia. In addition, Theileria orientalis and Theileria annulata were detected in R. microplus from Chongqing (12.20%, 31/245) and H. asiaticum from Xinjiang (1.50%, 5/334), respectively. These results suggest that these protozoan parasites may be circulating in domestic animals in these areas. The pathogenicity of the novel genotype of B. caballi also warrants further investigation.

Abstract Background Burnout is prevalent among pediatric residents. Self-efficacy and resilience, as concepts of positive psychology, may be protective factors for burnout. However, no current data demonstrates the mechanism of their interaction. Objectives To investigate the pediatric residents’ status of self-efficacy, resilience, and job burnout in a university-affiliated hospital in western China. To explore relationships among them, especially the mediating effects of resilience. Methods The study was conducted with 190 pediatric residents from an A-Class women’s and children’s hospital in western China. Data included demographic characteristics, status of pediatric residents, measures of burnout (using the Physicians’ Career Burnout Questionnaire), self-efficacy (using the General Self-Efficacy Scale) and resilience (using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale). Multiple regression analysis and mediation analysis with bootstrapping were used to identify whether resilience mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout. Results Female pediatric residents exhibited significantly lower self-efficacy (t = 2.53, p

In the context of studying the history of the Orthodox presence of Russia in Central Asia and Western China, we have analyzed the well-known narrative source – the note of schema-abbot Parthenius (Aggeyev 1806–1878) “First news of the Russians in Ghulja” from the point of view of its objectivity and correspondence to the historical events of the 3rd quarter of the XIXth century, associated with the annexation of Central Asian territories to the Russian Empire, such as the establishment of Russian consulates in Kuldzha and Chuguchak (1851), the fate of Russian trading posts during the Dungan uprising (1850s – 1860s), the Kuldzha campaign of General G. A. Kolpakovsky and the annexation of the Kuldzha region to the Turkestan General Government (1871), the first stages of negotiations on its return to China (1870s). We pay particular attention to the main plot of Parthenius’s narrative – the Orthodox Christianization of the Central Asian peoples who accepted Russian citizenship. The methodological basis was the methods of historical science (chronological, comparative, content analysis, etc.) with the involvement of the results of research by authoritative historians and archival documents from Russian archives that were not introduced into scientific circulation in order to comply with the principles of historicism and objectivity. In the process of research based on linking plots from the text of schema-abbot Parthenius (Ageev) to specific events from the history of the acquisition of Central Asian possessions by the Russian Empire, it was possible to reconstruct the picture described by Parthenius and correct the shortcomings made by the author. As the results of the analysis have shown, the picture presented by Parthenius, despite the deviations from the chronological and geographical framework, corresponds in the main to the real events and can serve as evidence of the voluntary acculturation of the population of the accession territories. In this respect, the Fr. Parthenius’ narrative is a valuable historical source that should be taken into account when reconstructing the processes of migration, assimilation and Christianization of the peoples of the Kyrgyz steppe and Western China.

There is little available attenuation relationship for Arias Intensity (AI) in China. Empirical relationships between AI and peak ground acceleration (PGA) provide another option for predicting AI. We establish empirical relationships for AI and PGA for western China, utilizing 3,169 horizontal and 979 vertical strong motion records with PGA >0.01 g from 274 earthquakes (M[sub S] 4.0-8.0), originating in eight provinces in southwest (Yunnan, Sichuan) and northwest China (Gansu, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang). The influences of M[sub S] epicenter distance, and site conditions indicators V[sub S30], generic site classes (i.e., rock and soil) are explored. The results show that the logarithm of AI increases linearly with the increase of the logarithm of PGA and M[sub S], and decreases with the logarithm of V[sub S30]. However, the influence of site conditions on AI-PAG relationships can't be recognized by the simple generic rock and soil site classes. The epicenter distance has little effect on the AI-PAG relationships. Empirical relationships are developed to estimate horizontal or vertical AI as a function of PGA (basic model), PGA and M[sub S] (model 2) for southwest, northwest, and western China, using all the records. Empirical relationships for AI as a function of PGA, M[sub S], and V[sub S30] (model 1) are established using the 2,248 horizontal (70.9% of the total) and 670 vertical (68.4% of the total) records with V[sub S30] between 148 and 841m/s. The notable disparity between model 1 of the southwest and northwest regions is chiefly attributed to local site conditions, indicating that the AI-PGA correlation is region-dependent. These findings enable one way of estimating AI for western China and will contribute to a better understanding of AI attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are tick-borne protozoan parasites with veterinary importance. In China, epidemiological and genetic investigations on many Babesia and Theileria species were still absent in many areas and many tick species. From Aug 2021 to May 2023, 645 ticks were collected from the body surface of domestic animals (camels, goats, sheep, and cattle) using tweezers in seven counties in three provinces including Xinjiang (Qitai, Mulei, Hutubi, and Shihezi counties), Chongqing (Youyang and Yunyang counties), and Qinghai (Huangzhong county). Three tick species were morphologically and molecularly identified (334 Hyalomma asiaticum from Xinjiang, 245 Rhipicephalus microplus from Chongqing, and 66 Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis from Qinghai). A total of three Babesia species and two Theileria species were detected targeting the 18S gene. The COI and cytb sequences were also recovered from Babesia strains for further identification. In R. microplus from Chongqing, Babesia bigemina, the agent of bovine babesiosis, was detected. Notably, in H. asiaticum ticks from Xinjiang, a putative novel genotype of Babesia caballi was identified (0.90%, 3/334), whose COI and cytb genes have as low as 85.82% and 90.64–90.91% nucleotide identities to currently available sequences. It is noteworthy whether the sequence differences of its cytb contribute to the drug resistance of this variant due to the involvement of cytb in the drug resistance of Babesia. In addition, Theileria orientalis and Theileria annulata were detected in R. microplus from Chongqing (12.20%, 31/245) and H. asiaticum from Xinjiang (1.50%, 5/334), respectively. These results suggest that these protozoan parasites may be circulating in domestic animals in these areas. The pathogenicity of the novel genotype of B. caballi also warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market circulation system for agricultural products in less-developed regions lags behind; it fails to meet the requirements for efficient circulation. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the dynamic relationship between the Agricultural Products Circulation (APC) service industry and circulation efficiency. Using panel data from 29 regions in China, the entropy method measured the Development Level (DL) of the APC service industry, while the non-oriented super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model was employed to assess the APC efficiency. A Panel Vector Autoregressive (PVAR) model was built for estimation. The impulse response function and variance decomposition were utilized to analyze the differences in the DL of the APC service industry, circulation efficiency, and their interaction mechanism across the Western, Central, and Eastern regions of China. The findings indicate that the DL of the APC service industry and APC efficiency in the less-developed regions of the West have a positive driving effect on each other. However, the magnitude of this effect was asymmetric and transient. The APC service industry’s DL and APC efficiency are more dependent on their inertia, and no efficient two-way feedback mechanism has been formed. This study provides a reference for the construction and sustainable development of modernized APC systems in less-developed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cambrian Terreneuvian Yuertusi Formation of the Tarim Basin, regarded as a potential hydrocarbon source rock (TOCmax = 29.8 wt%), preserves the record of the Ediacaran to Cambrian Series 2 transition. This study presents a highresolution multi-proxy investigation of the Sugaitebulake and Yutixi sections of the NW Tarim Basin. Evidence of hydrothermal activity and euxinic conditions in the earliest Cambrian has been delineated by samples from the lower part of the Yuertusi Formation group A, featured by weakly positive Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce*avg = 0.46), extremely positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*avg = 26.39), Y/Ho ratios (Y/Hoavg = 40.48) and several barite layers. Mo and U covariation suggests that the Yuertusi Formation group A and Xiaoerbulake Formation were deposited under sulfidic conditions, whereas the Ediacaran Qigebulake Formation, and Yuertusi Formation groups B and C and D accumulated under suboxic to anoxic conditions. The basin has been weakly restricted and characterized by elevated productivity (Ba-excessavg = 6,410.42 ppm) during Terreneuvian time. Suboxic conditions in late Ediacaran time (Qigebulake Formation) became euxinic conditions in association with increased sea level and productivity sustained by hydrothermal activity and upwelling, which have been preserved in the organic-rich lower part of the Yuertusi Formation. Suboxic conditions were reestablished during the Cambrian Terreneuvian time as reflected in the geochemistry of the upper part of the Yuertusi Formation. Euxinic conditions were once again established early in Cambrian Series 2 Xiaoerbulake Formation. Euxinic conditions were coincident with transgressions of the South Tianshan Ocean during that interval. The accumulation and preservation of organic matter of the Early Cambrian northern Tarim Platform reflect the interaction of hydrothermal activity, coastal upwelling, and sea level change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of low‐FODMAPs diet on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Western China has not been reported. We aimed to investigate the effect of low‐FODMAPs diet on IBS patients in the area and whether low‐FODMAPs diet‐induced alterations of microbiota could be improved through probiotics. IBS patients were randomized to the control group, low‐FODMAPs diet group, probiotics group, or combined group. IBS Symptom Severity Score questionnaire (IBS‐SSS) and IBS Quality of Life Score questionnaire (IBS‐QOL) were completed at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks to evaluate the severity of symptoms. Fresh feces were collected for analyses of gut microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids at baseline and 4 weeks after intervention. Seventy‐three patients were included in the per protocol analysis. After intervention, there was significant improvement in IBS‐SSS in the low‐FODMAPs group (37.5%, 44.2%), probiotics group (51.4%, 62.0%), and combined group (34.1%, 40.4%) at both 2 weeks and 4 weeks, compared with the baseline (p <.05). In the low‐FODMAPs group, the abundance of several microbiota (Lachnoclostridium, Enterococcus, etc.) was significantly decreased. Furthermore, after the supplementation of probiotics in the combined group, the abundance of Genus_Ruminococcus, Coprococcus, Acidaminococcus, Ruminiclostridium, Akkermansia, Eggerthella, and Oxalobacter was significantly increased, which was associated with the improvements of symptoms score in the Pearson correlation analysis. Our study confirmed the effectiveness and safety of short‐term low‐FODMAPs diet in IBS symptoms based on the Chinese diet in Western China. The combination of low‐FODMAPs and probiotics plays a beneficial role in gut microbiota in IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, China has entered the development stage of a "low birth rate" demographically. There is a huge contradiction between the unbalanced and inadequate distribution of preschool education facilities (PEFs) and the people's expectations for "full and good education for children". This study took the Lingui New District, a typical new urban area in West China as the research area, and through the introduction of POI big data and GIS analysis methods, supplemented by GeoDA Bivariate Moran index analyses, established a kindergarten spatial database. The study found that preschool education facilities have problems such as insufficient quantity, uneven quality, low service coverage, poor accessibility, etc. Therefore, it is suggested to increase the proportion of public affordable preschool education facilities including kindergartens and nurseries, optimize the spatial distribution of preschool education, and improve the accessibility of preschool services to promote affordable, safe, and high-quality development of preschool education and to provide reference suggestions for the revision of relevant standards and the adjustment of the layout of preschool education in undeveloped regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is a key factor in regional economic, social, and environmental development. In this study, we constructed a regional sustainability system of 24 indicators by combining the Sustainable Development Goals and triple-bottom-line model to evaluate sustainability in the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities (12 regions) of western China. We further propose a novel three-stage difference-driven model, which includes a dynamic objective weighting method that considers the correlation between indicators' status and development trends, introducing a time factor to highlight the difference in indicator values among different periods. Based on this model, the dynamic indicator weight, comprehensive sustainability performance, sustainability trends, and coordination among the various dimensions were analysed. The evaluation results indicated that regional sustainability was differentiated at the spatial level from 2000 to 2019. The sustainability performance and average annual growth rate in southwest China were superior to those in northwest China. The 12 regions performed better in social and environmental dimensions than in economic dimensions, implying that the economy is the main point of restriction for regional sustainable development. The coordinated development of these regions was not particularly high, with all coordination degrees below 0.7. Additionally, the average growth rates of the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree in the southwest were higher than those in the northwest. These findings can guide regional policymakers in formulating sustainable development measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Publishing Journal is the property of Wuhan University, School of Information Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Along with the rapid development of Chinese modern design since the 1980s, modern design education has grown in China. Many studies have already been conducted to examine the key aspects of this historical phenomenon, e.g., heroic figures and well-known institutes. This article, however, investigates the anonymous activities of modern design education in Western China that have long been ignored because of their mundane function. Methods such as document analysis, questionnaire, interview, and subjective understanding are used to achieve the goal of this article. Through research on the School of Fine Arts in a University of Science and Engineering in Western China, as a typical case, this article reveals that although the school lags behind many other design schools, modern design education at the school has experienced sustained growth since its rise in the twenty-first century. The school has made achievements in a difficult situation but suffers from a series of disadvantages and problems. Additionally, modern design education at the school is facing new challenges resulting from changes related to raised standards and intense competition. In conclusion, the value of relatively unknown educational organisations of modern design is becoming clearer, since they are closely connected to the everyday life of ordinary people in Western China and take on a great deal of responsibility in serving the general populace and the vulnerable groups in society. This article, therefore, tries to call attention to anonymous modern design education whose aspects are disclosed through a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological environment is an effective way to improve agricultural productivity. The primary focus of the current research is how the two can work together to promote regional economic development in rural areas and in related fields. This study takes the western region as the research object, constructs an evaluation index system for rural infrastructure and ecological environment, and uses the Min-max Scaling method, coupling coordination model, gray GM (1, 1) model, and standard deviation elliptical model for evaluation. The trends and driving factors for the coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological coupling in the region from 2012 to 2021 are analyzed. The main results are as follows: (1) Except for Tibet, Qinghai, and Ningxia, the coupling degree of rural infrastructure and the ecological environment in western China reached the maximum level during the research period, also the coordination degree showed a gradual upward trend. (2) A prediction for the development and evolution of rural infrastructure and the ecological environment in western China indicates a trend of agglomerative development in the southern region. (3) By strengthening the construction of reservoirs, improving sanitary conditions, improving cultivated land use area and forest coverage, and controlling soil erosion, the coordinated development of the two can be effectively promoted. The purpose of this study is to promote the sustainable and coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological environment, and to provide a reference for policy formulation in the relevant sectors and other countries and regions with similar situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our studying of the fauna of Tibet, China, many specimens of the subfamily Tachininae (Diptera, Tachinidae) were collected and examined. Three species are described here as new to science, Leskia latisurstyla sp. nov., Trichoformosomyia cuonaensis sp. nov., and Tachina jilongensis sp. nov., and two species, Nemoraea javana (Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1894) and N. echinata Mesnil, 1953, are newly recorded from Tibet. In addition to their descriptions, illustrations, and diagnoses, three identification keys are provided. The specimens in this study are kept in the Insect Collection of Shenyang Normal University, China (SYNU). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) represent a major threat to patient safety and are associated with significant economic burden. Calculating the costs attributable to HAIs is challenging given the various sources of bias. Although HAIs as a reasonably preventable medical harm should have been closely linked to medical insurance incentives, there was little linkage between HAIs and medicare in western China owing to the lack of economic evaluation data. The present study aimed to generate estimates of the attributable costs associated with HAIs and the magnitude of costs growth. In this cohort study designed horizontally and vertically from 2016 to 2022, we compared outcomes of randomly sampling patients with HAIs and individually matched patients without HAIs in two cohorts at a 6-year interval at 34 hospitals in western China. The primary outcome was the direct medical cost for the entire hospital stay, converted to US dollars ($ for the benchmark year), discounted at 3% annually, and estimated separately in the full analysis set (FAS) and the per protocol set (PPS). We used multiple linear regression to adjust the discounted costs and to assess subgroups effects within each cohort. We nested a dynamic vertical comparison of costs attributable to HAIs between the front and rear cohorts. A total of 230 patients with HAIs in 2016 and 204 patients with HAIs in 2022 were enrolled. After a 1:1 match, all 431 pairs were recruited as FAS, of which 332 pairs as PPS met all matching restrictions. Compared to the 2016 cohort in FAS, the patients with HAIs in 2022 had a significantly older age (64.40 ± 16.45 years), higher repeat hospitalization rate (65 [32.02%] of 203), and lower immune function (69 [33.99%] of 203). The discounted costs and adjusted-discounted costs for patients with HAIs in the 2022 cohort were found to be significantly higher than those of patients without HAIs (discounted costs: $5484.60 [IQR 8426.03] vs $2554.04(4530.82), P < 0.001; adjusted-discounted costs: $5235.90 [3772.12] vs $3040.21(1823.36), P < 0.001, respectively), and also higher than those of patients with HAIs in the 2016 cohort (discounted costs: $5484.60 [8426.03] vs $3553.00 [6127.79], P < 0.001; adjusted-discounted costs: $5235.90 [3772.12] vs $3703.82 [3159.14], P < 0.001, respectively). In vertical comparison of PPS, the incremental costs of the 2022 cohort are 1.48 times higher than those of the 2016 cohort ($964.63(4076.15) vs $652.43 [2533.44], P = 0.084). This meticulously designed study in western China has successfully and accurately examined the economic burden attributable to HAIs. Their rapidly increasing tendency poses a serious challenge to patients, hospitals, and the medical insurance. A closer linkage between HAIs and ongoing motivating system changes is urgently needed in western China. • Rapidly increasing tendency of the economic burden attributable to HAIs poses a serious challenge. • A closer linkage between HAIs and ongoing reform of medical insurance payment is urgently needed. • Dynamic evaluation was beneficial for eliminating blindly optimistic views of low healthcare expenditures in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little available attenuation relationship for Arias Intensity (AI) in China. Empirical relationships between AI and peak ground acceleration (PGA) provide another option for predicting AI. We establish empirical relationships for AI and PGA for western China, utilizing 3,169 horizontal and 979 vertical strong motion records with PGA ≥0.01 g from 274 earthquakes (MS 4.0–8.0), originating in eight provinces in southwest (Yunnan, Sichuan) and northwest China (Gansu, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang). The influences of MS epicenter distance, and site conditions indicators VS30, generic site classes (i.e., rock and soil) are explored. The results show that the logarithm of AI increases linearly with the increase of the logarithm of PGA and MS, and decreases with the logarithm of VS30. However, the influence of site conditions on AI-PAG relationships can't be recognized by the simple generic rock and soil site classes. The epicenter distance has little effect on the AI-PAG relationships. Empirical relationships are developed to estimate horizontal or vertical AI as a function of PGA (basic model), PGA and MS (model 2) for southwest, northwest, and western China, using all the records. Empirical relationships for AI as a function of PGA, MS, and VS30 (model 1) are established using the 2,248 horizontal (70.9% of the total) and 670 vertical (68.4% of the total) records with VS30 between 148 and 841m/s. The notable disparity between model 1 of the southwest and northwest regions is chiefly attributed to local site conditions, indicating that the AI-PGA correlation is region-dependent. These findings enable one way of estimating AI for western China and will contribute to a better understanding of AI attenuation.

The Cambrian Terreneuvian Yuertusi Formation of the Tarim Basin, regarded as a potential hydrocarbon source rock (TOCmax = 29.8 wt%), preserves the record of the Ediacaran to Cambrian Series 2 transition. This study presents a high-resolution multi-proxy investigation of the Sugaitebulake and Yutixi sections of the NW Tarim Basin. Evidence of hydrothermal activity and euxinic conditions in the earliest Cambrian has been delineated by samples from the lower part of the Yuertusi Formation group A, featured by weakly positive Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce*avg. = 0.46), extremely positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*avg. = 26.39), Y/Ho ratios (Y/Hoavg. = 40.48) and several barite layers. Mo and U covariation suggests that the Yuertusi Formation group A and Xiaoerbulake Formation were deposited under sulfidic conditions, whereas the Ediacaran Qigebulake Formation, and Yuertusi Formation groups B and C and D accumulated under suboxic to anoxic conditions. The basin has been weakly restricted and characterized by elevated productivity (Ba-excessavg. = 6,410.42 ppm) during Terreneuvian time. Suboxic conditions in late Ediacaran time (Qigebulake Formation) became euxinic conditions in association with increased sea level and productivity sustained by hydrothermal activity and upwelling, which have been preserved in the organic-rich lower part of the Yuertusi Formation. Suboxic conditions were reestablished during the Cambrian Terreneuvian time as reflected in the geochemistry of the upper part of the Yuertusi Formation. Euxinic conditions were once again established early in Cambrian Series 2 Xiaoerbulake Formation. Euxinic conditions were coincident with transgressions of the South Tianshan Ocean during that interval. The accumulation and preservation of organic matter of the Early Cambrian northern Tarim Platform reflect the interaction of hydrothermal activity, coastal upwelling, and sea level change.

The public health level in a country is closely related to national development and quality of life. In order to appraise the level of health services in the western region of China, panel data of 124 prefecture-level units covering the period 2011 to 2021 was used together with a health evaluation index system based on four dimensions: quality of life, environmental situation, the level of health services and longevity. To assess this, we used entropy weights, standard deviation and coefficient of variation together with the geographical detector model that measures the stratified spatial heterogeneity. The results show that although public health services have improved overall, the various dimensions are still not balanced as longevity did not match up everywhere. While the developmental level of the various health dimensions presents a pattern of a relatively smooth increasing gradient in the west-central- east direction, the situation with respect to the north-centralsouth is more uneven with both ups and downs. However, a trend of continuous enhancement of all health dimensions was found with a significant positive correlation of spatial clustering, with hotspots and ‘sub-hotspots’ contracting from north to south, while coldspots and ‘sub-coldspots’ expanded from west to east. This can be seen as the result of multiple factors, with the level of urbanization and economic level as the dominant factors and government guidance, agglomeration capacity and industrial structure being auxiliary.

Rapidly expanding urban areas constitute places of high-intensity energy consumption and, hence, major carbon emissions. There is an urgent need to systematically review the relationship between urban spatial expansion and carbon emissions at the city level, especially for cities in western China where development lags behind compared to other parts of the country, and differences among resource availability exist. Here, we conducted a systematic comparative analysis of carbon emissions and urban expansion indicators for urban spatial development. We introduce and apply an extension of the STIRPAT model to quantify the impact of urban spatial expansion on carbon emissions for the cities of Xi’an and Chengdu located in western China. The model findings indicate that both cities have reached the absolute and relative goal of carbon emissions, although they experienced a sprawling pattern. Moreover, population density for both cities displayed a negative relationship with carbon emissions, whereas road area per capita displayed a positive relationship. Since western cities have a later starting point for development, the empirical research on influencing variables of carbon emissions for western cities is important to local and regional urban spatial planning and governance. We propose further empirical studies regarding the gaps of existing urban spatial structure and low-carbon urban areas, in order to construct a systematic and scientifically sound approach to further low-carbon strategies in urban development.

BackgroundThis study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of drug use among residents in western China and its influencing factors for accurately designing the knowledge, contents, and methods of popular science activities for safe drug use among residents to provide a reference for conducting rational drug use educational activities and improving residents’ level of safe drug use.MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the KAP of medication among western China residents and its influencing factors from March to April 2023. Each question option was assigned a score according to logic, and the risk factors for resident medication safety KAP were explored through univariate and logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 7,557 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective recovery rate of 96.7%. The average scores of KAP were 72.77 ± 22.91, 32.89 ± 10.64, and 71.27 ± 19.09, respectively. In the evaluation criteria of the questionnaire, the score of medication knowledge reached “good,” and the score of attitude and practice was “average.” Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that male sex and low education level were significant factors affecting the lack of drug knowledge among residents. Old age and low education level were the factors of poor attitude toward medication. The low condition of medical security was a factor in residents’ irregular drug use behavior.ConclusionThe overall level of rational drug use among residents in western China is good, but there are still some inconsistencies. Rational drug use education should be conducted according to the risk points of residents in drug safety KAP to further improve the level of rational drug use of residents.

Currently, China has entered the development stage of a “low birth rate” demographically. There is a huge contradiction between the unbalanced and inadequate distribution of preschool education facilities (PEFs) and the people’s expectations for “full and good education for children”. This study took the Lingui New District, a typical new urban area in West China as the research area, and through the introduction of POI big data and GIS analysis methods, supplemented by GeoDA Bivariate Moran index analyses, established a kindergarten spatial database. The study found that preschool education facilities have problems such as insufficient quantity, uneven quality, low service coverage, poor accessibility, etc. Therefore, it is suggested to increase the proportion of public affordable preschool education facilities including kindergartens and nurseries, optimize the spatial distribution of preschool education, and improve the accessibility of preschool services to promote affordable, safe, and high-quality development of preschool education and to provide reference suggestions for the revision of relevant standards and the adjustment of the layout of preschool education in undeveloped regions of China.

Abstract Background Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of severe antibody-mediated brain diseases. The understanding of clinical management of AE has developed rapidly. However, the knowledge level of AE and barriers to effective treatment among neurologists remains unstudied. Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey among neurologist in western China on knowledge of AE, treatment practices, and perspectives on barriers to treatment. Results A total of 1113 neurologists were invited and 690 neurologists from 103 hospitals completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 61.9%. Respondents correctly answered 68.3% of medical questions about AE. Some respondents (12.4%) never assayed for diagnostic antibodies if patients had suspected AE. Half (52.3%) never prescribed immunosuppressants for AE patients, while another 7.6% did not know whether they should do so. Neurologists who never prescribed immunosuppressants were more likely to have less education, a less senior job title, and to practice in a smaller setting. Neurologists who did not know whether to prescribe immunosuppressants were associated with less AE knowledge. The most frequent barrier to treatment, according to respondents, was financial cost. Other barriers to treatment included patient refusal, insufficient AE knowledge, lack of access to AE guidelines, drugs or diagnostic test, etc. Conclusion Neurologists in western China lack AE knowledge. Medical education around AE is urgent needed and should be more targeted to individuals with less educated level or working in non-academic hospitals. Policies should be developed to increase the availability of AE related antibody testing or drugs and reduce the economic burden of disease.

The author analyzes the features and results of trade, economic and political relations of the Chinese province of Xinjiang with Soviet Russia and the USSR in 1921-1922. The main sources for the preparation of the article were historical and archival materials on the trade and economic relations of Xinjiang with Russia and the Soviet Union (1896-1949) in Chinese, as well as documents from a number of Moscow archives (the Russian State Archive of Economics, the Russian State Military Archive, the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation). The analysis showed that during the period under review the Soviet-Xinjiang trade, economic and political relations were rather ambiguous. This is evidenced by statistical data on the volume of trade for 1921 and 1922, which, despite the measures taken by Moscow, did not increase. In addition, it should be emphasized that the range and list of goods supplied by the parties changed significantly. The author comes to the conclusion that in 1921-1922 there did not take place the final restoration and development of all-round ties between the Soviet Union and the Chinese province of Xinjiang. It was the Soviet leadership that was the initiator of the bilateral rapprochement.

Objective To investigate the knowledge acquisition status for blood transfusion of transfusion related medical staff in underdeveloped cities in western China and explore its influencing factors. Methods A questionnaire consisted of blood transfusion laws and regulations, clinical blood transfusion theory and blood transfusion technology was designed, randomly distributed to medical staff and blood transfusion departmenttechnicians of 17 secondary/tertiary hospitals in Wuwei and then collected on the spot. The knowledge acquisition of blood transfusion of each group was compared using statistical description method, and its influencing factors were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 507 questionnaires were issued, and 498 valid questionnaires (98.22%) were collected. The scores of transfusion related laws and regulations, blood transfusion theory and blood transfusion technology of doctor group(n=158), nurse group(n=239) and transfusion technician group(n=101)were 4.56-5.97(5.06±0.73)(P

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to examine the levels of physical activity (PA) among children and adolescents in western China, and the influence of parents on their PA, in the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods This cross-sectional study used a multistage questionnaire to evaluate 4800 children and adolescents of grades 4–12 (9–17 years old) from 48 primary and secondary schools across 16 districts and counties in western China. In addition to PA, questionnaires collected data on demography, family structure, and exercise habits. Data were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and analyzed using chi-square tests, t-tests, Spearman’s correlation, and logistic regression models in SPSS. Results In this study, a minority (42.1%, n = 1553) of children and adolescents met the daily exercise target (60 min) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) level of boys was significantly higher than that of girls. Regardless of sex, children with the highest MVPA levels were those in grades 4–6, and PA levels decreased with increasing age. Furthermore, for every hour of increase in the daily MVPA of parents, the MVPA also increased by 6.1–13.9 min in children and adolescents. Moreover, areas of higher economic development were associated with lower levels of MVPA. Conclusions Overall, this study found a low level of MVPA in children and adolescents of western China; both family structure and parental activity have a significant influence on the children's PA levels. Besides, the impact of COVID-19 on PA levels has not been entirely negative.

Swertia mussotii is the most authentic raw material used in Tibetan medicine in China for its various bioactivities. This natural medicine resource is at risk of being exhausted due to the double interference of climate change and anthropogenic over-collection. Little is known about habitat characteristics and the crucial environmental factors that influence the levels of active ingredients. The goal of this study is to understand the variability in the bioactive compound content of a wide range of wild S. mussotii as it adapts to changing environmental conditions. The target compound content of the whole plant material was analyzed with the environmental explanatory variables of the field sample sites using a constrained ordination method for their correlation analysis. The results show that 16.3 percent of the sampled wild S. mussotii populations with the highest bioactive content can be grouped into the elite type. The most prominent environmental variables affecting the content of major bioactive products include altitude, aspect, soil TK content, Fe content, and C/N and N/P ratios. Altitude and aspect put indirect effects that are mediated by plant height and density, N/P ratio puts a direct effect, while soil TK content, Fe content and C/N ratio have both direct and indirect effects on the bioactivity of S. mussotii. In addition to the total negative effects of altitude and C/N ratio, the remaining factors play a driving role. These findings demonstrate variation by geographical conditions across S. mussotii accessions for physiologic responses and secondary compounds in wild populations. The knowledge gained from this study can be used for environmental and plant physiology research, efficient collection of naturally active compounds, and conservation strategies for rare natural plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's highly complex world, urban security has become a focus of attention for people in various positions due to its enormous uncertainty. As an essential path towards urban safety, resilient development can effectively provide emergency management capability for cities when they are exposed to unknown risks. In this study, an evaluation-index system for urban-safety resilience was constructed from the perspective of sustainable urban development. The urban-safety-resilience evaluation model was established with the help of catastrophe theory to study and analyze urban-safety resilience. The corresponding spatial–temporal-evolution analysis used the geographic information system (GIS) and Moran index to evaluate the urban-security resilience of 10 regions in western China. Finally, it was concluded that (1) the urban-safety resilience of most regions in western China showed an increasing trend over time in 2017, 2019, and 2021; (2) the urban-safety resilience of Chongqing, Sichuan, and Shaanxi provinces is at a relatively high level compared to the western region overall; and (3) regions such as Ningxia and Gansu are disaster-prone, and urban infrastructure conditions are relatively backward. Therefore, urban planning and governance should be flexibly transformed to explore and apply appropriate urban-safety-resilience models, with sustainable development as the cornerstone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological environment is an effective way to improve agricultural productivity. The primary focus of the current research is how the two can work together to promote regional economic development in rural areas and in related fields. This study takes the western region as the research object, constructs an evaluation index system for rural infrastructure and ecological environment, and uses the Min-max Scaling method, coupling coordination model, gray GM (1, 1) model, and standard deviation elliptical model for evaluation. The trends and driving factors for the coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological coupling in the region from 2012 to 2021 are analyzed. The main results are as follows: (1) Except for Tibet, Qinghai, and Ningxia, the coupling degree of rural infrastructure and the ecological environment in western China reached the maximum level during the research period, also the coordination degree showed a gradual upward trend. (2) A prediction for the development and evolution of rural infrastructure and the ecological environment in western China indicates a trend of agglomerative development in the southern region. (3) By strengthening the construction of reservoirs, improving sanitary conditions, improving cultivated land use area and forest coverage, and controlling soil erosion, the coordinated development of the two can be effectively promoted. The purpose of this study is to promote the sustainable and coordinated development of rural infrastructure and ecological environment, and to provide a reference for policy formulation in the relevant sectors and other countries and regions with similar situations.

Abstract Background Neonatal survival is a public health concern globally. However, the regional disparity in neonatal mortality between rural counties of western China and urban areas of eastern provinces remains high. Early essential newborn care (EENC), recommended by World Health Organization, refers to a set of cost-effective interventions to improve neonatal health and development outcomes. In this study, we aimed to explore the effectiveness of EENC implementation in four counties of western China. Methods Pre- and post-intervention investigations were conducted in four selected EENC intervention counties and four control counties of four western provinces of China, from June to August 2017 and from December 2020 to April 2021 respectively. A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was used for data collection and analysis. Data on the coverage of EENC practices were collected via a post-intervention face-to-face questionnaire survey with postpartum mothers before hospital discharge. Hospital-reported data on neonatal health indicators were obtained through mail surveys in both investigations. We also performed semi-structured interviews with policymakers, health staff and postpartum mothers to understand their perceptions about the usefulness of EENC implementation. Results Overall, 599 mother-newborn pairs in the intervention group and 699 pairs in the control group participated in the post-intervention survey. Controlling for the confounding factor of province, the proportion of newborns receiving EENC interventions was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P

ObjectiveThis study was designed to establish the cut-off value and diagnostic utility of the Ishii test, which gauges the odds of severe sarcopenia based on the results of an equation based upon age, grip strength, and calf circumference among middle-aged and older adults in Western China.MethodsThis study incorporated adults ≥ 50 years of age from the West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT) study. Severe sarcopenia was defined as per the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus (AWGS2019) recommendations, with the odds of severe sarcopenia being estimated with the Ishii test score chart. The diagnostic utility of the Ishii test in this patient cohort was assessed by analyzing its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the area under the ROC curve (AUC).ResultsIn total, 4,177 individuals ≥ 50 years of age were included in this study including 2668 females (63.9%) and 1,509 males (36.1%). These included 568 (13.6%) participants affected by severe sarcopenia, of whom 237 were male (15.7%) and 331 were female (12.4%). Optimal Ishii test cut-off values established based on Youden’s index were ≥ 114 for males and ≥ 120 for females when using the AWGS2019 reference standard. The sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV of the Ishii test when screening for severe sarcopenia were 89.45%/77.15%/0.42/0.98 in males and 90.03%/77.05%/0.36/0.98 in females. The AUC values for the Ishii test in males and females were 0.899 (95% CI, 0.883–0.916) and 0.905 (95% CI, 0.892–0.917), respectively.ConclusionThese data indicate that the Ishii test offers value as a candidate diagnostic test that can be used to screen for severe sarcopenia, with recommended diagnostic cut-off values of ≥ 114 for males and ≥ 120 for females.

In this study, we use the spatial econometric model with panel data to investigate the mechanism and effect of economic growth on public health in Western China. The research results show that the spatial agglomeration effects are significant on the public health performance in Western China. Economic growth significantly promotes local public health status during the range of our sample data, leading to reduced human mortality. Environmental pollution significantly increases human mortality not only in local province but also in neighboring provinces. As GRP per capita of a province continues to increase, the impact of environmental pollution on increasing human mortality has diminished gradually. Moreover, improving the level of technological progress and healthcare services significantly improve public health. Interestingly, as GRP per capita of a province continues to increase, the impact of technological progress and healthcare services on decreasing human mortality has gradually weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are associated with countrywide ecological security, and there are significant differences in the forests of different regions. Based on the DPSIR model, 25 indicators were selected from five dimensions to determine the index system, and the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method and gray correlation were applied to determine the index of western China's forests. The spatial distribution map was used to observe the spatial changes of forests. The results show that first, Inner Mongolia (0.466) has the best forest ecological security status and Ningxia (0.124) has the worst forest resource status. Second, the first and most frequent correlation is the area of planted forests (I1). The last and most frequent correlation is sulfur dioxide emission (P2). Thirdly, Inner Mongolia and Szechwan belong to the high ecological safety–high economic level, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Tibet belong to the high ecological safety–low economic level, and Gansu and Guizhou belong to the low ecological safety–low economic level. The rest of the regions are classified in the low ecological security–high economic level. Fourth, the forest ecological security in western China has gradually become better, with the security index increasing from 0.417 to 0.469, with an average annual increase of 12.47%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of severe antibody-mediated brain diseases. The understanding of clinical management of AE has developed rapidly. However, the knowledge level of AE and barriers to effective treatment among neurologists remains unstudied. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey among neurologist in western China on knowledge of AE, treatment practices, and perspectives on barriers to treatment. Results: A total of 1113 neurologists were invited and 690 neurologists from 103 hospitals completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 61.9%. Respondents correctly answered 68.3% of medical questions about AE. Some respondents (12.4%) never assayed for diagnostic antibodies if patients had suspected AE. Half (52.3%) never prescribed immunosuppressants for AE patients, while another 7.6% did not know whether they should do so. Neurologists who never prescribed immunosuppressants were more likely to have less education, a less senior job title, and to practice in a smaller setting. Neurologists who did not know whether to prescribe immunosuppressants were associated with less AE knowledge. The most frequent barrier to treatment, according to respondents, was financial cost. Other barriers to treatment included patient refusal, insufficient AE knowledge, lack of access to AE guidelines, drugs or diagnostic test, etc. Conclusion: Neurologists in western China lack AE knowledge. Medical education around AE is urgent needed and should be more targeted to individuals with less educated level or working in non-academic hospitals. Policies should be developed to increase the availability of AE related antibody testing or drugs and reduce the economic burden of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that glaciers are good indicators of climate change, it is of great scientific significance to study glacier change for regional environmental protection and water resource development and utilization. Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, we obtained the distribution of glaciers in western China in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. Then, we analyzed the temporal and spatial evolutions of the glacier areas and their responses to climate change. The results showed that there were 52,384 glaciers in western China in 2020, with an area of 42,903.57 km2, among which those belonging to the headwater of the Tarim River are the largest, accounting for 35.25% of the total area. From 2000 to 2020, the glaciers indicated an overall trend of retreat, with the total area decreasing by 15,575.94 km2 at a change rate of 1.46%/a. From 2000 to 2010, glaciers in the southeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and Qilian Mountains saw the fastest area loss (>4%/a), followed by the Tianshan Mountains (3.31%/a), while those in the Pamir-Karakoram-West Kunlun regions and the Qiangtang Plateau had the slowest loss. From 2010 to 2020, the glacier retreat rate exhibited an accelerating trend in southeast QTP and the western Himalayas, while it slowed down in the Tianshan Mountains. The change in glaciers was greatly attributed to the combination of snowfall and summer temperature trends. The glaciers in southeast QTP showed an accelerated retreat tendency, probably due to the accelerating snowfall decrease and continuous temperature rise. The decreasing temperature mitigated the loss of glacier area in the Pamir-Karakoram-West Kunlun regions with continuously decreasing snowfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orderly transfer of the manufacturing industry is a major action in China's industrial restructuring. From the perspective of industrial transfer, we used the concentration ratio to depict the trend of the industrial transfer of energy-intensive manufacturing in the eastern, central, and western regions since the policy of large-scale development of western China was implemented. We measured the total factor productivity (TFP) of western China using the DEAMalmquist index method. We conducted a regression analysis to measure the effect of western China's undertaking of the transfer of the energy-intensive manufacturing industry. The findings of this study show that during 2000-2019, eleven provinces (as well as autonomous regions and municipalities) in western China undertook the transfer of the energy-intensive manufacturing industry from the eastern and central regions to varying degrees, exhibiting significant phase features regarding the rate and scale of transfers. Further investigation also demonstrated that the transfer of energy-intensive manufacturing industries has a U-shaped enabling effect on TFP in western China with the scale effect greater than the technology effect. Therefore, it is necessary to transition from "extensive industrial transfer" at the cost of the labor force, land, and resources to "modern industrial transfer" featured by technology and efficiency improvements to contribute to industrial restructuring in western China effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) is often used to assess dietary intake in large-scale epidemiological studies. This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility and validity of the FFQ newly developed for children aged 6 to 12 in western China. A total of 133 children were included in the analysis, and all the children and their caregivers completed the FFQs twice with a three-month interval period, and three 24 h recalls were carried out one month after the first FFQ. We assessed the relative validity and reproducibility using various methods, such as the Spearman correlation coefficient, intra-class correlation coefficient, weighed Kappa, quartile agreement, and Bland–Altman analysis. The Spearman correlation coefficients for food ranged from 0.30 to 0.84, and for nutrients from 0.46 to 0.82 regarding reproducibility. The food intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.20 to 0.85, while nutrients' ranged from 0.37 to 0.75. In terms of relative validity, the average Spearman correlation coefficients for food were 0.20, and 0.30 for energy and nutrients. The energy-adjusted and de-attenuation coefficients were calculated. Moreover, the average percentage of participants misclassified into the extreme quartile for food and nutrients was 8.0% and 7.0%, respectively. Weighted Kappa values indicated acceptable agreement between the FFQs and 24 h recalls. Furthermore, the percentage of results in the limits of agreement (LOA) were all above 93.0%. In conclusion, The FFQ showed good reproducibility and acceptable relative validity for assessing the dietary intake of children aged 6–12 in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed the accelerated retreat of alpine glaciers, which likely portends a decline in the glacial ice melt on which large downstream populations rely for freshwater. Thus, estimating water storage in alpine glaciers is critical for predicting the trend of glacier melting. This study compiled a rich set of ice thickness observations for glaciers of varying sizes in western China. We here presented a first-order assessment of the various errors involved in interpreting ice thickness from ground-penetrating radar (GPR) observations. An empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK) method was used for ice thickness interpolation and volume estimation. We then established a new volume-scaling law specific to western China glaciers based on these 36 volume-area pairs. And together with the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory (SCGI), we obtain a regional volume estimate of 4451 ± 298 km3. By comparison, we believed that this result is the most reliable estimate of the total ice storage in western China and more reliably predicts gross glacier melting. However, our results show that the method of glacier division can strongly affect the total volume estimation, which previous studies ignored. This emphasizes the need for more surveyed glaciers data and more accurate glacier inventory to improve the evaluation of the climate impact on glacier melting water resources and to help ensure the future survival of these alpine glaciers.

A Regional Air Quality Model System (RAQMS) driven by WRF was applied to explore the emission, transport, deposition, and direct radiative effect of mineral dust over western China in July 2022, with focus on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Model validation against ground and satellite observations demonstrated the model reproduced meteorological variables, PM 10 concentration, aerosol optical depth (AOD), and extinction coefficients in the vertical reasonably well. There was a dust event during 3–7 July 2022, which was originated from the Taklimakan Desert (TKD) and affected eastern and central TP under anticyclonic flows, resulting in the maximum hourly PM 10 concentration exceeding 50 μg m−3 in Lhasa. Shortwave radiation was reduced considerably by dust aerosols over eastern TP, with the maximum decrease in daytime mean shortwave radiation reaching 30 W m−2 around Nyingchi on 5 July. Anthropogenic aerosols dominated PM 10 mass in the capital cities of western China (54–67 %), while dust aerosols were dominant in the cities near the deserts. During this dust event, dust aerosols from TKD and Qaidam Desert (QDD) significantly influenced eastern TP, with dust contributions to PM 10 mass concentration of 52 %, 76 % and 69 %, respectively, in Chamdo, Lhasa and Nyingzhi, respectively. The total dust emission in western China was about 10.6 Tg in July 2022, with the largest contribution from TKD (63.5 %), followed by Gobi Desert (GB) (26 %). The total deposition of dust was estimated to be 6.2 Tg, in which TKD and GB contributed 66 % and 22 %, respectively. During the study period, about 418 Gg dust aerosols were deposited on TP, 49 % of which was from TKD and 25 % from QDD. Foreign dust sources contributed approximately 7 % and 9 % to dust concentration and total deposition over TP, respectively. Over southern TP, the source contribution to dust deposition was estimated to be 42 %, 24 % and 21 % from TKD, foreign sources and QDD, respectively, suggesting potentially important impact of long-range transboundary dust transport on deposition, surface albedo and climate over TP. [Display omitted] • A dust event from the Taklimakan desert to eastern TP on 3–7 July 2022 was explored. • This event led to evident changes in PM 10 concentration and solar radiation over eastern TP. • Foreign dust sources contributed 24 % of the total deposition amounts over southern TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This analysis was designed to explore the utility of body mass index (BMI) and calf circumference (CC) values in the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling adults ≥50 years old was conducted. An InBody 770 bioimpedance analysis (BIA) device was used for measuring muscle mass, a grip-strength dynamometer was used to assess muscle strength, and a 4 m gait speed (GS) analysis was used to gauge physical function. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria were used to define sarcopenia. The cut-off values for BMI and CC were based on the computed Younden’s index values and AWGS 2019 criteria, respectively. The area under the ROC curves (AUC), specificity, sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were calculated to establish the value of BMI and CC for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Results: In total, the data of 4177 participants ≥50 years of age were analyzed. These included 2668 (63.9%) females and 1509 (36.1%) males. Of these participants, 946 (22.6%) met the criteria for sarcopenia, including 408 (27%) males and 538 (20.2%) females. The sensitivity, specificity, and NPVs obtained when using BMI and CC values to predict sarcopenia were as follows: 84.03%/65.51%/0.90 and 74.76%/83.51%/0.87, respectively, in males; 87.36%/64.12%/0.94 and 78.25%/82.09%/0.93, in females. The respective AUC values for BMI and CC in males were 0.83 (0.80–0.85) and 0.85 (0.83–0.88), while in females they were 0.85 (0.83–0.87) and 0.88 (0.87–0.90). Conclusions: These data suggest that BMI and CC can both serve as accurate predictors of sarcopenic incidence in a multi-ethnic population ≥50 years of age. The specificity values for BMI were relatively low in both males and females, however, underscoring the relative advantages of measuring CC when assessing individual sarcopenia risk.

International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) is a new corridor connecting Western China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has a great impact on the development of transportation, trade, and economy of these regions. This study first overviews the research on ILSTC and analyzes the research trend using literature analysis tools. Some selected studies are then reviewed following three research clusters namely transportation and logistics, economy and trade, and development status and significance analysis. We investigate the main research topics and findings of the literature to show the research progress on ILSTC. Finally, this study analyzes the characteristics of the up-to-date research and proposes some future research directions based on the literature analysis.

Chinese scholarship conducting/attempting critical discourse analysis (CDA) on the doctor–patient relationship in China has, to date, predominantly relied on the use of analytical tools from systemic functional linguistics and pragmatics. This methodological orientation, by prioritizing the linguistic structure and functions of the textual data, does not tend to take into consideration the sociocultural contexts, complex power relations, genealogy of discourse, and practice-orientedness of discourse that CDA approaches usually touch on. This protocol article proposes a research design that constructs a systematic-dynamic CDA approach in the context of the doctor–patient relationship in western China in order to incorporate the aforementioned factors that previous Chinese scholarship has ignored. Physicians, cancer patients and their family members, and CDA methodologists are to be recruited to participate in focus groups and interviews to discuss the doctor–patient relationship from their own experience and to inform the construction of an integrated CDA approach. Qualitative context analysis will be adopted to analyze texts transcribed from interviews and focus groups, in order to generate themes and new concepts for the design of a novel systematic-dynamic CDA framework. By establishing an integrated CDA approach tailored to the doctor–patient relationship in western China, we will be able to provide empirical evidence and valuable insights to practitioners and policymakers to ease doctor–patient conflicts, which have intensified in recent years, and facilitate more harmonious relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]