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Purpose: This study aimed to examine how aging and modifications of critical acoustic parameters may affect the perception of whispered speech as a degraded signal. Method: Forty Mandarin-speaking adults were included in the study. Part 1 of the study compared the perception of Mandarin lexical tones, vowels, and syllables in older and younger adults in whispered versus phonated speech conditions. Parts 2 and 3 further examined how modification of duration and intensity cues contributed to the perceptual outcomes. Results: Perception of whispered tones was compromised in older and younger adults. Older adults identified lexical tones less accurately than their younger counterparts, particularly for phonated T2 and T3 and whispered T3. Aging also negatively affected the vowel identification of /i, u/ in the whispered condition. Syllable-level accuracy was largely dependent on the accuracy of lexical tones and vowels. Furthermore, reduced duration led to the decreased accuracy of phonated T3 and whispered T2 and T3 but increased accuracy of phonated T4. Reduced intensity lowered the recognition accuracy for phonated vowels /i, [Close-mid back unrounded vowel], o, y/ in older adults and /i, u/ in younger adults, and it also lowered the accuracy of whispered vowels /a, [Close-mid back unrounded vowel]/ in older adults. Contrary to our expectation, increased duration and intensity did not improve older adults' speech perception in either phonated or whispered conditions. Conclusions: The results suggest that aging adversely affected speech perception in both phonated and whispered conditions with more challenges in identifying whispered speech for older adults. While older adults' diminished performance may be potentially due to problems with processing the degraded temporal and spectral information of the target speech sounds, it cannot be simply compensated for by increasing the duration and intensity of the target sounds beyond the audible level.

Purpose: A fundamental feature of human speech is variation, including the manner of phonation, as exemplified in the case of whispered speech. In this study, we employed whispered speech to examine an unresolved issue about congenital amusia, a neurodevelopmental disorder of musical pitch processing, which also affects speech pitch processing such as lexical tone and intonation perception. The controversy concerns whether amusia is a pitch-processing disorder or can affect speech processing beyond pitch. Method: We examined lexical tone and intonation recognition in 19 Mandarin-speaking amusics and 19 matched controls in phonated and whispered speech, where fundamental frequency (fo) information is either present or absent. Results: The results revealed that the performance of congenital amusics was inferior to that of controls in lexical tone identification in both phonated and whispered speech. These impairments were also detected in identifying intonation (statements/questions) in phonated and whispered modes. Across the experiments, regression models revealed that fo and non-fo (duration, intensity, and formant frequency) acoustic cues predicted tone and intonation recognition in phonated speech, whereas non-fo cues predicted tone and intonation recognition in whispered speech. There were significant differences between amusics and controls in the use of both fo and non-fo cues. Conclusion: The results provided the first evidence that the impairments of amusics in lexical tone and intonation identification prevail into whispered speech and support the hypothesis that the deficits of amusia extend beyond pitch processing.

ABSTRACT Purpose The aim was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice concerning medical genetics, genetic testing, and counseling among primary care physicians (PCPs) in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. Methods The University of Hong Kong (HKU), HKU‐Shenzhen Hospital, and Shenzhen Health Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center invited PCPs from Hong Kong and Shenzhen to participate in an online survey. Results The survey was completed by 151 PCPs and 258 PCPs from Hong Kong and Shenzhen, respectively. The majority agreed it was important to keep current with genetics (91%) and that personalized medicine was the future of healthcare (86%), yet only 10% reported that they had postgraduate training in genomic medicine. Seventeen percent of Hong Kong and 40% of Shenzhen's PCPs encountered genetic‐related cases in the past 6 months, and they identified insufficient knowledge, few training opportunities, and self‐rated low confidence in their skillsets as main barriers. Conclusions Our survey shows that Hong Kong and Shenzhen's PCPs are not yet fully utilizing potential benefits of genomic medicine in their clinical practice, which could be addressed with a combination of easily accessible educational resources, clear referral pathways and guidelines on genetic diseases, and cross‐specialty collaboration between healthcare systems and professional bodies.

Patents as proxy for technological trends is well noted. The rapid increase of patents in China, however, has aroused debates on its technological progress: 'few original innovations' are produced in advanced areas, and true 'breakthroughs' are disproportionate to the quantity of the applications. As different technological fields contributions vary to technological progress, a nuanced understanding towards technological composition is in need to help reveal China's strength in technological innovation. This research takes the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), one of China's most inventive city-regions, as an epitome to examine the issue via three steps: (1) valid patent inventions applied from 2010 to 2018 are sorted to capture the concentration and colocation features of 35 technological fields defined by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); (2) four types (intensive, extensive, distinctive, and supportive) of technologies exemplifying technology intensity and interactivity are identified by the cross-classification method and further analyzed by spatial autocorrelation; (3) how urban factors relate to innovation of these four types of technologies are explored. This research unveils a mixed but polarized structure of technological composition in the YRD where the spatial concentration of technologies is as analogous to the nation's but colocation is not; though quite a few technologies fall into the intensive (usually high-tech) category which assumes to be more likely to breed 'breakthroughs', their numbers are limited and far less than extensive (usually labor intensive) or supportive. Knowledge exchange is frequent in core inventive cities where economic performance measured by GDP is most eminently linked to patent inventions of categorized technologies, the exception is intensive technology for which the significance of university students overrides other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of geriatric disease prevention and treatment in China has not yet been able to meet the urgent needs brought about by an aging population, and specific dietary patterns can significantly improve or exacerbate the risk of certain diseases. However, the relationship between geriatric diseases and the dietary patterns of the Chinese elderly population has not been fully explored. CLHLS 2018 were analyzed in the present study. Principal component analysis was employed to identify the main dietary patterns of the Chinese elderly, and binary logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between these dietary patterns and the 16 common diseases. Four main dietary patterns were identified in the Chinese elderly population: Egg-Milk Pattern, Salt-preserved vegetable-Nut Pattern, Vegetable-Fruit Pattern, and Fish-Meat Pattern. Higher scores for the Egg-Milk Pattern were associated with a greater risk of heart disease, stroke or cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, glaucoma, prostate tumor, and Parkinson's disease in older adults (p<0.05). Higher scores for Salt-preserved vegetable-Nut Pattern correlated with a greater risk of hypertension, heart disease, and uterine tumors and a lower risk of rheumatism or rheumatoid disease in older adults (P<0.05). The higher scores of the Vegetable-Fruit Pattern were associated with a lower risk of heart disease in older adults (p<0.05). Finally, higher scores of the Fish-Meat Pattern correlated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease and a greater risk of rheumatic or rheumatoid disease in older adults (p<0.05). The same dietary pattern may have contrasting effects on different diseases. The correlations between dietary patterns and diseases derived from this study may provide a basis for the prevention and individualized management of diseases in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the climate change risks' effects on social development increase, how to deal with these challenges has become extremely urgent, and it is necessary for companies to adapt to the changing circumstances. This paper estimates the impact of climate policy uncertainty on corporate innovation using unbalanced panel data with 2,449 listed companies from 2009 to 2020. The findings show a significant positive correlation between climate policy uncertainty and corporate innovation investment. Specially, two possible mechanisms are explored. Government environmental regulations force companies to produce cleanly. Optimistic market expectations encourage firms to shift to a green development model. Further, the renewable energy industry and state-owned enterprises' powers of innovation are more robust. Jointly, our findings offer the government a clear direction for policy making by identifying the effects of climate policy uncertainty on corporate innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are vulnerable and participate less in everyday activities compared to their peers with typical development. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators related to the participation in everyday activities of children with IDs in China. Methods: Twenty semi‐structured interviews were conducted with primary caregivers of children with IDs from special schools in Tianjin, China. The data were transcribed and analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results: Four categories of barriers to participation in everyday activities for children with IDs were identified: insufficient knowledge, attitudes and skills in primary caregivers; ID‐related characteristics of children; stigma and Chinese culture; and lack of support from society. Four categories describing facilitators of participation in everyday activities for children with IDs were also identified: the optimistic attitude of the primary caregiver; adequate family support; active environment in school and policy; and attractive characteristics of children with IDs. Conclusions: The findings in this study add knowledge on important barriers and facilitators affecting the participation of children with IDs in everyday activities in China. The primary caregivers' voices need to be heard by government and society. Appropriate and effective changes in family‐oriented services and the legal, social, political and economic context of the child welfare management system for the scale‐up of improving participation should be implemented for children with IDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to identify the important capacities that were most urgently needed during emergency response and factors associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) professionals' field coping-capacity for public health emergency. Methods: Professional workers (N = 1854) from 40 CDC institutions were chosen using the stratified cluster random sampling method in all 13 municipalities of Heilongjiang Province, China. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used. Results: Of 10 key capacities, the 3 that were most urgently needed during emergency response fieldwork as identified by respondents were crisis communication capacity, personal protection capacity, and laboratory detection capacity. Overall, 38.1% of respondents self-rated as "poor" on their coping-capacity. The logistic regression found that proficiency in emergency preparedness planning, more practical experiences in emergency response, effectiveness in training and drills, a higher education level, and a higher professional position were significantly associated with the individual's field coping-capacity. Conclusion: This study identified CDC professionals' most urgent capacity need and the obstructive factors and highlighted the importance of enhancing the capacity in crisis communication, personal protection, and laboratory detection. Intervention should be targeted at sufficient fund, formalized, and effective emergency training and drills, more operational technical guidance, and all-around supervision and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study examines the influence of digital technology innovation on total factor productivity. • Digital technology significantly increases total factor productivity. • This effect is particularly favorable in state-owned enterprises. • This effect is particularly favorable in companies located in less market-oriented regions. • Digital technology innovation can optimize enterprise innovation and resource allocation efficiency. This study investigates the influence of digital transformation on total factor productivity of enterprises, along with the mechanisms driving this impact. The results suggest that innovation in digital technology can increase total factor productivity. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that this effect is particularly favorable in state-owned enterprises. Moreover, the study of mechanisms uncovers that digital transformation can enhance corporate innovation. Our findings provide timely policy implications for governments concerning digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of high rates of 2019 novel coronavirus disease in Wuhan, China, Wuhan Blood Center began screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA on January 25, 2020. We screened donations in real-time and retrospectively and found plasma samples positive for viral RNA from 4 asymptomatic donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Deteriorations in the patient-provider relationship in China have attracted increasing attention in the international community. This study aims to explore the role of trust in patient satisfaction with hospital inpatient care, and how patient-provider trust is shaped from the perspectives of both patients and providers. Methods: We adopted a mixed methods approach comprising a multivariate logistic regression model using secondary data (1200 people with inpatient experiences over the past year) from the fifth National Health Service Survey (NHSS, 2013) in Heilongjiang Province to determine the associations between patient satisfaction and trust, financial burden and perceived quality of care, followed by in-depth interviews with 62 conveniently selected key informants (27 from health and 35 from non-health sectors). A thematic analysis established a conceptual framework to explain deteriorating patient-provider relationships. Findings: About 24% of respondents reported being dissatisfied with hospital inpatient care. The logistic regression model indicated that patient satisfaction was positively associated with higher level of trust (OR = 14.995), lower levels of hospital medical expenditure (OR = 5.736–1.829 as compared with the highest quintile of hospital expenditure), good staff attitude (OR = 3.155) as well as good ward environment (OR = 2.361). But patient satisfaction was negatively associated with medical insurance for urban residents and other insurance status (OR = 0.215–0.357 as compared with medical insurance for urban employees). The qualitative analysis showed that patient trust—the most significant predictor of patient satisfaction—is shaped by perceived high quality of service delivery, empathic and caring interpersonal interactions, and a better designed medical insurance that provides stronger financial protection and enables more equitable access to health care. Conclusion: At the core of high levels of patient dissatisfaction with hospital care is the lack of trust. The current health care system reform in China has yet to address the fundamental problems embedded in the system that caused distrust. A singular focus on doctor-patient inter-personal interactions will not offer a successful solution to the deteriorated patient-provider relationships unless a systems approach to accountability is put into place involving all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus now represents a global viral pandemic and is the fourth most commonly reported infectious disease in China. Information on China's national HCV epidemic was limited to cross -sectional seroprevalence studies of special populations, and a national surveillance effort had been launched to inform prevention and control. We analysed novel data from two national databases: (i) China's national medical HCV case report system and (ii) the national disease sentinel surveillance system. Between 1997 and 2012, reporting incidence of medical cases for HCV infection rose from 0.7 to 15.0 cases per 100 000 with the largest burden of disease concentrated among individuals over 35 years of age, rural residents and those tested as part of routine screening. Between 2010 and 2012, disease sentinel surveillance identified the highest HCV seropositive rates among persons who use drugs and haemodialysis patients, with far lower but not negligible rates among sexually active population. The concentration of cases among older age groups is consistent with past studies of age-specific prevalence rates in Asia. Differences across regions and testing modes suggest diverse biological and social forces driving the spread of HCV in China. Surveillance data show ongoing transmission, particularly among persons who use drugs and persons undergoing invasive medical treatments, particularly haemodialysis. Improvements in case detection and data reporting systems will be critical for understanding current drivers of transmission and identifying key areas for prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To describe trends in the HIV epidemic among drug users ( DUs) in China from 1995 to 2011. Design, Setting and Participants Data sets from China's national HIV/ AIDS case reporting and sentinel surveillance systems as of December 2011 were used separately for descriptive analysis. Measures Changes in the geographic distribution of the number of HIV cases and HIV prevalence among injecting drug users ( IDUs) and non- IDUs were examined. We also analysed changes in HIV prevalence among the broader DU population, and drug use-related behaviours including types of drugs used, recent injecting and recent needle sharing in the context of the rapid scale-up of DU sentinel sites and national harm reduction programmes. Findings The HIV epidemic among China's DUs is still highly concentrated in five provinces. Here, HIV prevalence peaked at 30.3% [95% confidence interval ( CI) = 28.6, 32.1] among IDUs in 1999, and then gradually decreased to 10.9% (95% CI = 10.6, 11.2) by 2011. We observed a rapid increase in the use of 'nightclub drugs' among DUs from 1.3% in 2004 to 24.4% in 2011. A decline in recent needle sharing among current IDU from 19.5% (95% CI = 19.4, 19.6) in 2006 to 11.3% (95% CI = 11.2, 11.4) in 2011 was found to be correlated with the rapid scale-up of methadone maintenance treatment ( MMT; r(4) = −0.94, P = 0.003) harm reduction efforts. Conclusions While HIV prevalence and needle sharing among current injecting drug users in China have declined dramatically and are correlated with the scale-up of national harm reduction efforts, the recent, rapid increased use of 'nightclub drugs' presents a new challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using CASA model, biomass within the Haihe River basin during 2002 – 2007 was estimated based on remote sensing images, corresponding data of temperature, precipitation and solar radiation, and 1:400 000 0 maps of vegetation coverage in China. Variations in the biomass with vegetation type and vegetation coverage in 2007 were analyzed. Meanwhile, its temporal and spatial changes were discussed. The results validate the applicability of CASA model in the estimation of biomass within the Haihe River basin. During the past 6 years, annual average biomass within the basin was 405.5 Tg in total; annual average biomass in the basin was high in the southeast but low in the northwest, namely plains > mountains > plateaus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to systematically review published literature on heterosexual transmission among HIV discordant couples in China. We conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of 32 published articles in both Chinese and English. The summarized overall HIV seroconversion rate among discordant couples in China is 1.2 per 100 person-years (95% CI 0.9–1.7/100 PY). The overall estimate for HIV prevalence through heterosexual transmission in discordant couples is 11.5% (95% CI 8.2%–15.2%) in China. In a stratified meta-analysis by region, Henan province showed an HIV seroconversion rate of 0.9/100 PY (95% CI 0.6–1.2/100 PY) and an HIV prevalence rate of 3.9% (95% CI 2.5–5.7%). Yunnan province showed an HIV seroconversion rate of 1.7/100 PY (95% CI 1.2–2.3/100 PY) and an HIV prevalence rate of 17.0% (95% CI 13.7–20.6%). Other provinces collectively showed a HIV seroconversion rate of 3.9/100 PY (95% CI 1.0–8.7/100 PY) and an HIV prevalence rate of 21.5% (95% CI 9.6–36.5%). In a stratified meta-analysis by time, the subgroup from 1994 to 2004 had a seroconversion rate of 3.9/100 PY (95% CI 1.0–8.7/100 PY) and the subgroup from 2005 to 2011 had a seroconversion rate of 1.1/100 PY (95% CI 0.8–1.5/100 PY). These data show that China's free national HIV prevention and treatment program has been successful at limiting transmission in discordant couples. Because heterosexual transmission is now the dominant method of HIV transmission in China, it is important to understand seroconversion and prevalence rates in discordant couples to develop more effective prevention and treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Deep-lacustrine transformation of sandy debrites into turbidites in the downslope direction is evident in the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation of the Ordos Basin, central China. This facies trend is used as a template for predicting the distribution of reservoir facies of the Huaqing oilfield, which contains 100-million-tonnes of oil reserves. Based on examination of conventional cores from 30 wells, four major types of lithofacies have been recognized: (1) fine-grained massive sandstone with floating mudstone clasts and planar clast fabric (sandy debrite); (2) fine-grained sandstone and siltstone showing contorted bedding, sand injection, and ptygmatic folding (sandy slump), (3) fine-grained sandstone with thin layers of normal grading and flute casts (turbidite), and (4) mudstone with faint laminae (suspension fallout). Thick sandy debrite units occur beneath the delta-front facies, implying progradation. The lake margin is dominated by sandy debrites, whereas the lake center is dominated by turbidites. In our study area, sandy debrites constitute the producing petroleum reservoirs, but turbidites are non reservoirs. The proposed model is characterized by (1) delta-fed multiple source (line source), (2) absence of channels, and (3) downslope transformation of proximal sandy debrites into distal turbidites. This downslope transformation of sandy debrites into turbidites may be applicable to other deep-lacustrine basins worldwide for predicting reservoir distribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article is part of a special issue with the aim of assessing the potential for Sustainable Development – Policies and Measures (SD-PAM) to stimulate developing country commitments in a future climate regime. In China, agricultural waste products, particularly manure from animal husbandry, represent a local source of rural energy, which can possibly be utilised through simple biogas digesters, thereby promoting rural development. For at least 50 years China has promoted this among farmers’ not only with the goal of providing local clean energy for rural development, but also to improve health and reduce pressure on fuelwood. Until the early 2000s these policies failed or had limited impact, although substantial subsidy-based programmes in the past decade have led to considerable growth. However, our field trip interviews suggest that this growth hides deep-rooted problems. For biogas to fulfil its potential, it is crucial that the policy adapts to the changing realities of Chinese livestock production. Arguably, policies to promote rural biogas combine development goals with mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in a way that matches well with an SD-PAM mechanism. There are two main ways in which China could benefit from submitting its rural biogas policies to an SD-PAM-based regime. Such a biogas programme could get access to technology and funding for large-scale biogas systems and/or opportunities to sell credits. However, it would need to adapt to the international requirements and to accept international monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV). Alternatively, China could register its rural biogas programme as a unilateral SD-PAM, with less strict MRV requirements. This may win China recognition for its domestic policies, but would then not provide a mechanism for bringing international knowhow or possible financing to China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. (1) To explore the prognostic factors of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (2) To calculate the recrudescence time (the time from discharge to acute exacerbation again) of postdischarge patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an airflow limitation illness that is preventable and treatable. To find out the prognostic factors will make effective postdischarge care, which can help patients reduce readmission times and prolong recrudescent time. Design. Cohort study. Method. From November 2007-October 2008, 136 patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were analysed by gender, age, career, education level, body mass index, smoking, oxygen therapy, drug-taken compliance, respiratory function exercise, blood gas, lung function, six-minute walking test and degree of dyspnoea. Factors related to prognosis were analysed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and log-rank test for comparison of survival curve. Results. A total of 121 patients recrudesced up to October 2009. Recrudescence rate was 7·35% in a month, 25·00% in three months, 55·62% in six months and 88·23% in 12 months. Higher drug-taken compliance and respiratory function exercise were the factors influencing patients' acute exacerbation ( p < 0·05). The median recrudescence time of drug taken or not was six and four months, and doing respiratory function exercise or not was eight and six months. Conclusion. Respiratory function exercise and higher drug-taken compliance can prolong recrudescence time and reduce recrudescence rate. Relevance to clinical practice. Clinical nurses who know more risk factors about acute exacerbation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can provide effective discharge planning, which will increase patients' quality of life and decrease mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine the prevalence of HIV-1, syphilis, relative factors associated with HIV-1 and syphilis infection among drug users in China. Methods Chinese HIV/AIDS comprehensive surveillance is a routine work; the data on drug users in 2005 were analysed; HIV-1 and syphilis antibody status was obtained from blood tests; demographic and behavioural data were collected through standardized interviews. Logistic regression was used to analyse independent association between HIV-1 and syphilis status and risk behaviours. Results HIV-1 antibody prevalence was 5.0% ,with large regional differences. Syphilis positive rate was 2. 8%. Logistic regression analysis showed demographic and behavioural factors significantly associated with HIV prevalence were: minority versus Han-Chinese (OR 4.10; P <0.001), education ≤9 years versus >9 years (OR 1.61; P = 0.001), IDU with needle-sharing versus non-IDU (OR 4.44; P <0.001); demographic and behavioral factors significantly associated with syphilis prevalence were : sample source detoxification center versus others (OR 3.49; P < 0.01), female versus male (OR 5.14; P <0.001), education ≤9 years versus >9 years (OR 2.27; P <0.001). Conclusion HIV-1 prevalence among drug users in China is relatively high (5%) and the risk of HIV-1 infection is associated predominantly with minority status, low education and injecting drug use. Special interventions among drug users in China are strongly warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying environmental determinants of health and clarifying their variations is crucial for health promotion in different cities by providing tailored intervention strategies. Although the association between perceived urban environment and health (e.g., self-rated health) has been repeatedly explored, most studies have focused on cities of a specific size, and it is still unknown whether either significant environment variables or the magnitude of the association would vary across different-sized cities. This study investigated how perceived urban environment variables significantly associated with individuals' self-rated health varied from small cities to mega cities in China, based on a national survey including 5963 valid respondents. The results showed that the relationship between self-rated health and city size was U-shaped, with respondents in medium and large cities reporting a low-level self-rated health. Perceived greenness, public facilities, housing supply, and medical services were positively and significantly associated with self-rated health, with the odds ratio (OR) of 1.37 (95%CI: 1.29–1.46), 1.27 (95%CI: 1.19–1.35), 1.14 (95%CI: 1.09–1.20), and 1.17 (95%CI: 1.10–1.24), respectively. Furthermore, the magnitude of the association was significantly larger in mega cities. These findings provide useful evidence for promoting public health in cities of different sizes for achieving health equity and indicate that smaller cities and their health-supportive environment need further attention. • The study was based on a national survey in China with 5963 respondents. • The association between city size and SRH was U-shaped. • City size moderated the association between perceived urban environment and SRH. • Perceived environmental factors presented stronger impact in mega cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study described the prevalence and trend of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis among female sex workers (FSWs) in China, and we tried to identify the correlation between HIV, HCV and syphilis. Disparity of the epidemics were found between lower-tier and higher-tier FSWs.Background. Studies on the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted diseases in female sex workers (FSWs) have been limited primarily to inferences drawn by focusing on defined geographical areas.Methods and Findings. This serial cross-sectional study was conducted in mainland China from 2008 through 2012. Data for 827 079 participants was analyzed. We classified venues such as karaoke bars and hotels as high tier and venues such as hair salons and barbershops, massage parlors, and other public outdoor venues as low tier based on the participants’ socioeconomic status. FSWs who worked at the venues and those who were present on the days of the survey were recruited.The prevalence of HIV decreased from 0.6% in 2008 to 0.3% in 2012, the syphilis prevalence ranged from 2.4% to 3.2% between 2008 and 2012, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence decreased from 0.9% in 2008 to 0.8% in 2012. Further, we found that HIV, syphilis, and HCV prevalence proportions were high in FSWs from low tiers.Conclusions. HIV, syphilis, and HCV prevalence among FSWs in our study decreased during the study period. Comprehensive intervention strategies, particularly those that focus on low-tier and older FSWs, are needed in order to decrease the disease burden in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Organic-matter-rich shales are the main target rocks for unconventional oil and gas exploration and development across the world. In China, shale-gas geological resources are estimated as approximately 110 × 1012 m3, with recoverable gas reserves of ca. 20 × 1012 m3. Recoverable shale-oil reserves are estimated as ca. 5 × 109 t. A total 35 important organic-matter-rich shale units have been recognized from Mesoproterozoic to Cenozoic strata across the entire China. These shales are categorized according to their origin under marine, marine–nonmarine transitional and lacustrine conditions. Shales of marine origin, with ca. 9 × 1012 m3 recoverable resources, dominate China's potential in terms of total volume of organic-carbon. Currently, the most favorable marine shales for oil and gas exploration are found in the Sichuan Basin within the lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation and in the Wufeng-Longmaxi formations of uppermost Ordovician through lower Silurian. A fortuitous combination of of sea-level variations, of paleo-productivity, of tectonic activity causing development and migration of partially closed deep basin depocenters, and of sediment accumulation rates controlled the extensive deposition and distribution of organic-matter-rich shales in these Wufeng and Longmaxi formations. Organic-matter-rich shales in marine-nonmarine transitional facies associated with coal measures occur in North China within the Carboniferous and Permian, and in South China within the Permian. These Carboniferous-Permian organic-matter-rich shales are important source rocks for the gas fields in the Ordos and Sichuan Basins. Abundant organic-rich shales are also widely distributed within coal-bearing clastics and coal-measure shales of fluvial, lacustrine, and swamp facies in Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic successions of many basins. Lacustrine organic-rich shales were deposited during the Permian through Neogene in various freshwater to saline lake settings. Lacustrine organic-matter-rich shales are the main oil source rocks in the Songliao, Bohai Bay, Ordos and Junggar basins. Lacustrine algae contributed to the rain of organic matter; and the preservation of organic matter and distribution of organic-rich shale was controlled by lake currents, water depth and oxygen-poor conditions, with enhanced preservation when buried by turbidity currents. Algal blooms were partly induced by trace nutrients from volcanic ash falls in all of these lacustrine basins. Seawater intrusion into the freshwater lake of the Songliao Basin promoted some episodes of black shales. Saline lacustrine basins, such as middle Permian Junggar Basin, contain organic-rich dolomite mudstone that mainly formed during hot climate conditions when the lakes had high salinity and stratified water columns that deprived the bottom waters of oxygen, thereby preserving massive amounts of organic matter. Laminated calcite-rich mudstone in the saline lacustrine settings formed in more brackish waters under stable warm conditions and weak biological activity. The modeling of the factors controlling the distribution of organic-matter-rich shales within China's basins is important for the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has a long history of utilizing biogas technology for the treatment of waste and the production of energy. This paper reviews the development and technology of the three types of biogas digesters used in China: household-scale digesters, biogas septic tanks, and biogas plants for the treatment of municipal, industrial, and agricultural waste. The structure of household-scale digesters is simple and practical; the basic type is the fixed-dome digester, also called the hydraulic digester. The biogas septic tank for sewage treatment is a combination of the traditional digester, an anaerobic filter, and a facultative filter. Biogas plants apply several different processes depending on the type of waste treated. The treatment of municipal waste biogas is conducted using the completely stirred tank rector (CSTR). The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) is the most common technology used in the anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater, followed by the CSTR and the anaerobic contact (AC) process. The treatment of agricultural waste mainly employs traditional hydraulic digesters, while newer biogas plants use advanced anaerobic processes such as CSTR and UASB as well as upflow solids reactors (USR) and upflow blanket filter (UBF) reactors. Biogas plants for agricultural waste are classified as small, medium, large and super large based on the scale of biogas production and digester volume. Although small-scale biogas plants are the most common, large-scale biogas plants produce the largest biogas output. With the changes associated with socio-economic development, the growth of household-scale digesters will slow down in the future. As central sewage treatment networks become more widespread, biogas septic tanks will be confined to villages and small towns. The development of biogas plants holds the most growth potential for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting green city development has become a core measure to deliver eco-civilization in China, and China's practice in this regard could provide an insightful reference for the sustainable transformation of cities in other countries. However, multi-city empirical research on green city assessment in China has so far been limited, leaving plenty of room for improvement in the understanding of the issues regarding (1) characterization of disparities in the green development status among cities; (2) identification of key factors leading to the disparities; and (3) exploration of potential approaches to promoting green city development. This study integrates comprehensive index analysis, coordination analysis, difference analysis, and correlation analysis into an analytical toolbox, and investigates the green development of 36 major cities in China in 2015. The overall performance of these cities was not high, and showed clear regional imbalance. Relatively small cities, and the green transformation of consumption, deserve more concern in the near future. Other than a conventional comprehensive index, coordination degree brings a novel perspective to understand the green development status of cities. The key indicators contributing to the performance difference among the cities were generally related to sustainable lifestyles and decoupling consumption from resources and environmental pressures. In the end, increase of economic development quality, stimulation of social innovation, improvement of urban infrastructure, and appropriate urban density are proposed as policy suggestions to facilitate cities' green transition. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the epidemiology of sleep problems and insomnia among the community older individuals in Hebei Province, China, and to investigate the potential sociodemographic and clinical correlates and medication use.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with community adults, aged 60 years or older, who resided in four major cities in Hebei province. Basic sociodemographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed. A total of 3176 older adults (1292 men, 70.2 ± 6.8 years; 1884 women, 68.8 ± 6.7 years) were interviewed. All of the participants were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire and underwent insomnia screening.Results: The prevalence of insomnia was 37.75%. The most common type of sleep disturbance was difficulty maintaining sleep, followed by difficulty initiating sleep and early morning awakening. Never smoking, experiencing the loss of a parent, a history of coronary heart disease, and depression symptoms were independent risk factors for insomnia in men. Occasional drinking was an independent protective factor against insomnia in men. Older age, depression symptoms, a history of cerebral hemorrhage, hyperlipidemia, living without a spouse, and having mild cognitive impairment were independent risk factors for insomnia in women. Only 11.1% of the sample with insomnia were taking sleeping medications regularly.Conclusion: Insomnia is highly prevalent among the community older population in Hebei Province. The percentage of individuals regularly taking sleeping medication is low among those with insomnia. Individuals with complaints of insomnia frequently have poor physical and mental health and may need more medical attention. Comprehensive measures that involve psychosocial and personal behaviors should be implemented to alleviate insomnia in older individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River is the second largest river in China and is well-known for its high sediment load. Since 2002, water-sediment regulation has been performed annually to scour the silted river channel in the lower reaches and to promote release of sediment from the large reservoirs. Here we present a comprehensive study of the variations in distribution and emission of dissolved N 2 O in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and its estuary based on: (i) monthly sampling at a lower-river station (Kenli) from November 2008 to December 2009, (ii) daily monitoring at this station during the water-sediment regulation event in summer of 2009, and (iii) field surveys of the estuary before, during, and after the regulation event. N 2 O concentrations in the lower reaches of the Yellow River ranged from 8.78 to 24.26 nmol/L, and had high values in winter and spring. N 2 O flux from the Yellow River to the Bohai Sea was about 2.27 × 10 5 mol/year. Water-sediment regulation had a strong impact on N 2 O distribution and transportation in the lower Yellow River. A sharp increase of N 2 O (8-fold) occurred at the beginning of water-sediment regulation, and this excessive N 2 O was likely from stimulation of nitrification in the water column. A total of 55.9% of the annual N 2 O input from the Yellow River to the Bohai Sea occurred during water-sediment regulation, but the corresponding water discharge during this period accounted for only 26.9% of total runoff. N 2 O concentrations in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and its estuary were almost all super-saturated, and this region acted as a net source of atmospheric N 2 O. High N 2 O saturations and air-sea fluxes were present in the Yellow River estuary during water-sediment regulation. These results indicate that water-sediment regulation in the Yellow River has a great impact on the estuarine distribution and atmospheric emission of N 2 O, and that this effect lasts for several weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cement is a primary component of concrete and is consumed extensively for construction and transportation infrastructures worldwide. Cement is largely produced and consumed locally but has global impact in terms of both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. China is both the largest producer of cement and the biggest emitter of CO2 emissions in the world. It has been widely recognized that uncertainties of China׳s CO2 emissions were poorly quantified and clear discrepancies can be identified among different sources. These discrepancies arise from many uncertainties, including system boundary and statistical standards, availability of production data (especially for the clinker and cement outputs), and emission factors. We argue that the emission factors (EFs, either default values or adjusted ones) are the most important here and highlight the importance of clearly defining the CO2 accounting and reporting boundaries for determining the emission factors. We therefore developed a factory-level measurement for different types of clinker and cement production, primarily using onsite surveys and sampling, with the objective of distinguishing process-, combustion- and electricity-related emission factors on a factory level. It is a bottom-up CO2 emission inventory for China using the uniform formula and calculators and the first time factory-level sampling method (BFSM) based on three tiers of production lines, provincial and national integrations. Our results indicate that China׳s carbon emissions from cement production might be overestimated in the previous estimates because they overlooked the technology transition from the wet process to the dry process, differences in lime content and clinker-to-cement ratios, raw materials and fuels substitutions, and usages of blend additives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]