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In the current context of carbon neutrality, afforestation is an effective means of absorbing carbon dioxide. Stock can be used not only as an economic value index of forest wood resources but also as an important index of biomass and carbon storage estimation in forest emission reduction project evaluation. In this paper, we propose a data-driven machine learning framework and method for predicting plantation stock based on airborne LiDAR + satellite remote sensing, and carried out experimental verification at the site of the National Forest emission reduction project in Southern China. We used step-up regression and random forest (RF) to screen LiDAR and Landsat 8 OLI multispectral indicators suitable for the prediction of plantation stock, and constructed a plantation stock model based on machine learning (support vector machine regression, RF regression). Our method is compared with traditional statistical methods (stepwise regression and partial least squares regression). Through the verification of 57 plantation field survey data, the accuracy of the stand estimation model constructed using the RF method is generally better (ΔR2 = 0.01~0.27, ΔRMSE = 1.88~13.77 m3·hm−2, ΔMAE = 1.17~13.57 m3·hm−2). The model evaluation accuracy based on machine learning is higher than that of the traditional statistical method, and the fitting R2 is greater than 0.91, while the fitting R2 of the traditional statistical method is 0.85. The best fitting models were all support vector regression models. The combination of UAV point clouds and satellite multi-spectral images has the best modeling effect, followed by LiDAR point clouds and Landsat 8. At present, this method is only applicable to artificial forests; further verification is needed for natural forests. In the future, the density and quality of higher clouds could be increased. The validity and accuracy of the method were further verified. This paper provides a method for predicting the accumulation of typical Chinese plantations at the forest farm scale based on the "airborne LiDAR + satellite remote sensing" data-driven machine learning modeling, which has potential application value for the current carbon neutrality goal of the southern plantation forest emission reduction project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish dietary niche is a core focus, and it reflects the diversity of resources, habitats, or environments occupied by a species. However, whether geographic segregation among different populations triggers dietary diversification and concomitant fish niche shift remains unknown. In the present study, we selected the Black Amur bream (Megalobrama terminalis) is a migratory fish species that plays an important role in the material transfer and energy cycling of river ecosystems, inhabiting southern China drainage with multiple geographic populations. Here, we utilized the combined analyses of 18S rDNA high‐throughput sequencing in fish gut contents and fatty acid (FA) in muscle tissues to evaluate potential spatial patterns of habitat and resource use for M. terminalis in three rivers of southern China. Our results showed that prey items of the Xijiang (XR) population (Pearl River) exhibited the highest species diversity and richness among the three geographic populations. Moreover, diet composition of M. terminalis was affected by spatial differences associated with geographic segregation. Analyses of FA biomarkers indicated that the highest levels of C16:0, C18:3n‐3, and C18:2n‐6c were found in Wanquan (WS) population (Wanquan River). The XR population exhibited a distinct FA profile characterized by higher amounts of arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The Moyang (MY) population (Moyang River) acted as the linkage between WS and XR populations and consisted of middle levels of saturated FAs (SFAs) and polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs). The XR population displayed a greater FA niche width compared with WS population. Furthermore, we observed a close positive relationship between the niche width and α‐diversity indices of dietary resources for FA proflies. Our study provides valued information to develop different conservation strategies among different populations and improve fisheries management for M. terminalis and other endemic species in local rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities have reshaped biodiversity on islands worldwide. However, it remains unclear how island attributes and land-use change interactively shape multiple facets of island biodiversity through community assembly processes. To answer this, we conducted bird surveys in various land-use types (mainly forest and farmland) using transects on 34 oceanic land-bridge islands in the largest archipelago of China. We found that bird species richness increased with island area and decreased with isolation, regardless of the intensity of land-use change. However, forest-dominated habitats exhibited lower richness than farmland-dominated habitats. Island bird assemblages generally comprised species that share more similar traits or evolutionary histories (i.e. functional and/or phylogenetic clustering) than expected if assemblages were randomly assembled. Contrary to our expectations, we observed that bird assemblages in forest-dominated habitats were more clustered on large and close islands, whereas assemblages in farmland-dominated habitats were more clustered on small islands. These contrasting results indicate that land-use change interacts with island biogeography to alter the community assembly of birds on inhabited islands. Our findings emphasize the importance of incorporating human-modified habitats when examining the community assembly of island biota, and further suggest that agricultural landscapes on large islands may play essential roles in protecting countryside island biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and there is a great need for culturally relevant interventions to improve anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS. The current study aimed to analyze the factors influencing body-image satisfaction, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in Chinese women with PCOS. It also aimed to clarify the association between body-image satisfaction and anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS, and whether this association was mediated by cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. A total of 477 women with PCOS were recruited from the Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine Center of one university-affiliated tertiary hospital in China. They completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Body Image States Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The study found body-image satisfaction showed significant associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. This association was mediated by cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. The findings of this study offer new insights into the relationship between body image and anxiety and depressive symptoms in women with PCOS. They also emphasize the potential value of promoting body-image satisfaction and enhancing cognitive reappraisal abilities to improve the mental health of women with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life and civilization in arid regions depend on the availability of freshwater. Arid alpine river basins, where hydrological processes are highly sensitive to rapid warming, act as vital water towers for lowland oases. However, scientific understanding of precipitation variability and related cryosphere–hydrology processes is extremely limited because of the scarcity of in situ observations. The upper Danghe River basin (UDB; ∼14,000 km2) is an arid and westerly dominated basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and is the water source for the Dunhuang Oasis in China. We have established a comprehensive cryosphere–hydrometeorology observation network in the basin since 2014. At present, the network consists of 21 automatic rain gauges, 22 soil freeze–thaw monitoring stations, 4 automatic weather stations (AWS), and a 50-m gradient meteorological tower with an eddy covariance system. In particular, the 18 sites, located in remote areas without public networks, are equipped with new-generation BeiDou-3 communication terminals that enable the observations to be easily, safely, and reliably read and quality controlled in near–real time from offices in the city or at home. This integrated observation network over the UDB that facilitates the monitoring of cryosphere–hydrology processes, land–atmosphere interactions, and local weather processes. In addition, the observations are helpful for the objective evaluation, and continual improvement, of hydrological models, satellite-retrieval products, and reanalysis datasets. Finally, the network is expected to promote a better understanding of the status and role of water towers in arid zones and to provide basic data support for the sustainable development of the Dunhuang Oasis and the Belt and Road. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In order to investigate the effects of low oxygen stress on the survival rate, antioxidant, anaerobic metabolic enzymes, and related genes of crayfish during aquaculture. This experiment conducted a 24-h low oxygen stress experiment on juvenile and subadult crayfish, and the results showed that the higher the degree of low oxygen stress, the higher the antioxidant and anaerobic metabolic enzyme activity and gene expression levels of juvenile crayfish and subadult crayfish. Compared with subadult crayfish, the antioxidant system of crayfish larvae is more sensitive to hypoxic environments. The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is the most reared shrimp in China, but it is often affected by hypoxia stress in the process of seedling culture and adult crayfish culture. The oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point of juvenile crayfish (1.17 ± 0.03 g) and subadult crayfish (11.68 ± 0.11 g) at different temperatures (20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 °C) were studied. The survival, glycolysis, and expression of antioxidant genes were compared under 24 h acute hypoxia stress (1, 2, and 3 mg/L) and normal dissolved oxygen (7.5 mg/L). The results showed that the oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point of juvenile and subadult crayfish increased with increasing temperatures (20–28 °C). At the same temperature, the oxygen consumption rate and asphyxiation point of juvenile crayfish were significantly higher than those of subadult crayfish (p < 0.05). Within 24 h, the three hypoxia stress environments did not lead to the death of crayfish, indicating that P. clarkii has a strong ability to adapt to hypoxia. Hypoxia stress significantly affected the activities of antioxidant and anaerobic metabolic enzymes and gene expression in juvenile and subadult crayfish. The activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the content of lactic acid (LD) in the hepatopancreas of juvenile and subadult crayfish in the hypoxia stress groups increased significantly. The expression levels of SOD mRNA, CAT mRNA, Hsp70 mRNA, and crustin 4 mRNA in the hepatopancreas of juvenile and subadult crayfish in the hypoxia stress groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the higher the degree of hypoxia stress, the higher the expression of each gene. The results showed that the antioxidant system of juvenile crayfish was more sensitive to hypoxia environments, and hypoxia stress resulted in increased stress levels in juvenile crayfish and subadult crayfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucalyptus plantation forests in southern China provide not only the economic value of producing timber, but also the ecological value service of absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Based on the theory of spatial colonial modeling, this paper proposes a new method for 3D reconstruction of tree terrestrial LiDAR point clouds for determining the aboveground carbon stock of eucalyptus monocotyledons, which consists of the main steps of tree branch and trunk separation, skeleton extraction and optimization, 3D reconstruction, and carbon stock calculation. The main trunk and branches of the tree point clouds are separated using a layer-by-layer judgment and clustering method, which avoids errors in judgment caused by sagging branches. By optimizing and adjusting the skeleton to remove small redundant branches, the near-parallel branches belonging to the same tree branch are fused. The missing parts of the skeleton point clouds were complemented using the cardinal curve interpolation algorithm, and finally a real 3D structural model was generated based on the complemented and smoothed tree skeleton expansion. The bidirectional Hausdoff distance, average Hausdoff distance, and F distance were used as evaluation indexes, which were reduced by 0.7453 m, 0.0028 m, and 0.0011 m, respectively, and the improved spatial colonization algorithm enhanced the accuracy of the reconstructed tree 3D structural model. To verify the accuracy of our method to determine the carbon stock and its related parameters, we cut down 41 eucalyptus trees and destructively sampled the measurement data as reference values. The R2 of the linear fit between the reconstructed single-tree aboveground carbon stock estimates and the reference values was 0.96 with a CV(RMSE) of 16.23%, the R2 of the linear fit between the trunk volume estimates and the reference values was 0.94 with a CV(RMSE) of 19.00%, and the R2 of the linear fit between the branch volume estimates and the reference values was 0.95 with a CV(RMSE) of 38.84%. In this paper, a new method for reconstructing eucalyptus carbon stocks based on TLS point clouds is proposed, which can provide decision support for forest management and administration, forest carbon sink trading, and emission reduction policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Inherent spatial variability of properties of loess deposit along depth direction plays important roles in soil reclamation, agricultural irrigation, and risk assessment and management of geo-hazards on the Loess Plateau. This study aims to develop a database for loess deposit properties in Shaanxi Province first, followed by evaluating and reporting comprehensively the abovementioned spatial variability along depth. Materials and methods: A comprehensive literature review and numerous laboratory tests were conducted for 37, 81, and 177 loess profiles respectively for sandy, silty, and clayey loess to examine their properties in Shaanxi Province, China. For each property collected in the database, the means, coefficients of variation (COV), most suitable probability distribution functions, and spatial correlation lengths along the depth direction were evaluated and reported. Results and discussion: The physical and index properties and strength properties of the three loess soil generally exhibit relatively low variabilities with a mean COV of less than 20.0% in most cases. In contrast, the deformation properties exhibit medium to high variabilities with a mean COV varying from roughly 27.0 to 85.0%. For all of these properties mentioned above, the spatial correlation length along depth was estimated to be approximately 3 ~ 8 m. Conclusions: (1) The COV of loess properties at one site can be significantly different from that at other sites. Thus, the site-specific variabilities of loess deposit properties shall be considered in geological design and analysis. (2) When site-specific data of properties for loess deposits are not available for on-going geological/geotechnical projects, the typical ranges of loess properties obtained in this study, including their statistics and correlation lengths, can be used as guidelines for approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciation is a central topic in evolutionary biology. However, how genomic divergence originates and accumulates in the face of gene flow during ecological adaptation remains poorly understood. Closely related species that have adapted to distinct environments but inhabit some overlapping ranges provide an ideal system to evaluate this issue. Here, we combine population genomics and species distribution models (SDMs) to examine genomic divergences between two sister plant species, Medicago ruthenica and M. archiducis‐nicolai, that occur in northern China and the northeast Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, respectively, with overlapping distributions in the border of the two regions. M. ruthenica and M. archiducis‐nicolai are well‐delimited based on population genomic data, although hybrids exist in sympatric sampling locations. Coalescent simulations and SDMs suggest that the two species diverged from each other in the Quaternary but have been in continuous contact with gene flow occurring between the two species since then. We also discovered positive selection signatures associated with genes both outside and within genomic islands in both species that are probably involved in adaptations to arid and high‐altitude environments. Our findings provide insights into how natural selection and climatic changes in the Quaternary initiated and maintained interspecific divergence of these two sister species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With the acceleration of urbanization in South China, rainstorms and floods are threatening the safety of people in urban areas. The 11 April 2019 (4·11 hereafter) rainstorm in Shenzhen City was a typical pre-rainy season rainstorm that caused great damage, yet such pre-rainy season events have not attracted sufficient attention in research. Risk perception of the public may indirectly affect their disaster preparedness, which is important for disaster management. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey that considered demographic factors and the level of risk perception, knowledge of risk, impact of the 4·11 rainstorm event on public risk perception, and degree of trust in the government. We used a two-factor model of risk perception to evaluate the factors that influenced public risk perception of the 4·11 rainstorm in Shenzhen. The main conclusions are: The 4·11 rainstorm improved public awareness of both risk and impact through the medium term, but the public's perceived low probability of disaster occurrence and lack of knowledge of the pre-rainy season rainstorm phenomenon led to serious losses during this event. Although the public has high trust in the Shenzhen government, the management of rainstorm disasters in the pre-rainy season needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic screening is the widely accepted screening strategy for esophageal squmaous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, massive endoscopic screening is expensive and not cost-efficient, and novel pre-endoscopy detection used as a preliminary screening method arouses new concerns. We are planning to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) assisted sponge cytology for detecting esophageal squmaous high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and above lesions. The aim of this trail is to investigate the efficiency of AI-assisted sponge cytology in population-based screening of early esophageal squmaous epithelial lesions.Methods: The study will be prospectively conducted in five regions with a high prevalence of ESCC. AI-assisted sponge cytology and endoscopic examination will be sequentially performed. Based on our previous data, at least 864 patients with esophageal HGIN and above lesions are needed to achieve enough statistical power. And, a calculated 112,500 individuals with high risks of ESCC will be recruited. In the first stage, each 24,000 participants who meet the inclusion criteria will be recruited on a voluntary basis. Setting pathological results as standard reference, diagnostic threshold and according performance of AI-assisted detection will be evaluated. A prediction model will be constructed by co-analyzing cytological results and relevant risk factors. Then, an external validation cohort will be used for validation of the model efficiency. Also, cost-efficiency analysis will be performed. This study protocol was registered on chineseclinicaltrial.gov (ChiCTR1900028524).Discussion: Our study will determine whether this AI-assisted sponge cytology can be used as an effective pre-endoscopy detection tool for large-scale screening for ESCC in high-risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under global warming, heat stress can induce the excessive production of reactive oxygen species, causing irreversible damage to aquatic animals. It is essential to predict potentially harmful impacts on aquatic organisms under heat stress. Eriocheir sinensis , a typical crustacean crab, is widely distributed in China, American and Europe. Parent E. sinensis need migrate to the estuaries to reproduce in winter, and temperature is a key environmental factor. Herein, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic and proteomic analysis in the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis under heat stress (20 °C and 30 °C), focusing on heat shock protein family, antioxidant system, energy metabolism and immune defense. The results revealed that parent E. sinensis generated adaptative responses to maintain physiological function under 20 °C stress via the transcriptional up-regulation of energy metabolism enzymes, mRNA synthesis and heat shock proteins. The transcriptional inhibition of key enzymes related to energy metabolism implied that 30 °C stress may lead to the dysfunction of energy metabolism in parent E. sinensis. Meanwhile, parent E. sinensis also enhanced the expression of ferritin and phospholipase D at translational level, and the glutathione s-transferase and heat shock protein 70 at both transcriptional and translational levels, speculating that parent E. sinensis can strengthen antioxidant and immune capacity to resist oxidative stress under 30 °C stress. This study elucidated the potential molecular mechanism in response to heat stress of parent E. sinensis hepatopancreas. The preliminary selection of heat tolerance genes or proteins in E. sinensis can provide a reference for the population prediction and the study of evolutionary mechanism under heat stress in crabs. [Display omitted] • E. sinensis generated adaptative responses under 20 °C stress. • The 30 °C stress may lead to the dysfunction of energy metabolism in E. sinensis. • E. sinensis can enhance antioxidant and immune capacity to resist heat stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind regime is one of the main natural factors controlling the evolution and distribution of aeolian sand landforms, and sand drift potential (DP) is usually used to study the capacity of aeolian sand transport. The Badain Jaran Desert (BJD) is located where polar cold air frequently enters China. Based on wind data of eight nearby meteorological stations, this research is intended to explore the temporal variation and spatial distribution features of wind speed and DP using linear regression and cumulative anomaly method, and reveal the relationship between atmospheric circulation and wind speed with correlation analysis. We found that the wind speed and frequency of sand-blowing wind in the BJD decreased significantly during 1971–2016, and the wind speed obviously mutated in 1987. The regional wind speed change was affected by the Asian polar vortex, the northern hemisphere polar vortex and the Tibet Plateau circulation. The wind rose of the annual sand-blowing wind in this region was the "acute bimodal" type. Most of the annual wind directions clustered into the W-NW, and the prevailing wind direction was WNW. During 1971–2016, the annual DP, the resultant drift potential (RDP) and the directional variability (PDP/DP) in the desert showed an obvious downtrend, with a "cliff-like" decline in the 1980s and relative stable fluctuation thereafter. The BJD was under a low-energy wind environment with the acute bimodal wind regime. Wind speed, sand-blowing wind frequency and DP were high in the northeast and low in the southwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the efficacy and safety of recombinant human endostatin (Rh-endostatin) combined with radiotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Patients with unresectable stage III and IV NSCLC who treated with radiotherapy were enrolled. Patients who received Rh-endostatin infusion throughout the whole peri-radiotherapy period formed the Endostar group, and those who received no Rh-endostatin infusion were the control group. Results: The median progression-free survival was 8.0 and 4.4 months (hazard ratio: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32-0.90; p = 0.019) and median overall survival was 40.0 and 13.1 months (hazard ratio: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.28-0.98; p = 0.045) for the Endostar and control groups, respectively. The Endostar group exhibited a numerically lower rate of radiation pneumonitis relapse, radiation pneumonitis death and pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusion: Rh-endostatin infusion throughout the peri-radiotherapy period enhanced radiosensitivity and showed better survival outcomes and a tendency toward fewer radiation-related pulmonary events in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric neutrinos are one of the most relevant natural neutrino sources that can be exploited to infer properties about cosmic rays and neutrino oscillations. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment, a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector with excellent energy resolution is currently under construction in China. JUNO will be able to detect several atmospheric neutrinos per day given the large volume. A study on the JUNO detection and reconstruction capabilities of atmospheric ν e and ν μ fluxes is presented in this paper. In this study, a sample of atmospheric neutrino Monte Carlo events has been generated, starting from theoretical models, and then processed by the detector simulation. The excellent timing resolution of the 3" PMT light detection system of JUNO detector and the much higher light yield for scintillation over Cherenkov allow to measure the time structure of the scintillation light with very high precision. Since ν e and ν μ interactions produce a slightly different light pattern, the different time evolution of light allows to discriminate the flavor of primary neutrinos. A probabilistic unfolding method has been used, in order to infer the primary neutrino energy spectrum from the detector experimental observables. The simulated spectrum has been reconstructed between 100 MeV and 10 GeV, showing a great potential of the detector in the atmospheric low energy region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent extreme climate events have attracted considerable attention around the world. Malus sieversii in Xinjiang is the ancestor of cultivated apple, and it is mainly distributed in the Ili river valley at end of the Tianshan Mountains. Wild fruit forests have been degraded, but the cause remains unclear. In order to identify whether extreme climate events caused this degradation reanalysis data and atmospheric circulation indices were used to determine the trends and the reasons for extreme climate changes. Subsequently, we further investigated the effect of extreme climate events on wild fruit forest using characteristics of extreme climate indices and tree-ring chronology. We found increasing trends in both extreme precipitation and warm indices, and decreasing trends in cool indices. Extreme climate events were mainly associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Analysis of data of wind and geopotential height field at 500 hPa showed that strengthening wind, increasing geopotential height, cyclone and anti-cyclone circulation drivers contributed to extreme climate events. In the non-degraded region, there were significant positive correlations between tree-ring chronology and both extreme precipitation and extreme warm indices (except for warm spell duration indicator). The other extreme indices (except for heavy rain days) had a large correlation range with tree-rings in a 4–8-year period. These results indicated that extreme precipitation and extreme warm indices intensified M. sieversii growth of the non-degraded region on multi-time scales. In contrast, the degraded region showed insignificant negative relationship between tree-ring chronology and both extreme precipitation and extreme warm indices [except for warm spell duration index (WSDI)], and significant negative correlations in a 4–8-year period were detected between tree-ring chronology and most of the extreme precipitation indices, including heavy rain days, very wet days, cold spell duration indicator, simple precipitation intensity index (SDII), and annual total precipitation. Under the long disturbance of inappropriate anthropic activities, extreme climate has caused the outbreak of pests and diseases resulting in the degeneration of wild fruit forest. Our study provides scientific guidance for the ecosystem conservation in wild fruit forest in China, and also across the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of PCM into glazed envelope to enhance its thermal inertia has shown great energy-saving potential. However, this could bring indoor overheating in summer due to the insufficient heat insulation for solar radiation in pure PCM glazed units. This work proposed a composite double-glazed window incorporating PCM and solar control glass, and numerically investigated its thermal behaviors under sunny and cloudy conditions in summer of northern China. The effects of glass optical properties, involving absorption coefficient and refractive index, on the phase change cycling, indoor thermal comfort and building energy efficiency were analyzed. The results show that the increase of glass absorption coefficient facilitates the melting of PCM, but degrades the thermal comfort, even resulting in overheating risk on the sunny day. Moreover, as the absorption coefficient and refractive index of glass increase, the energy efficiency of PCM window equipped with solar control glass instead of general glass can be improved remarkably, and the influence of refractive index is more drastic than that of absorption coefficient. On the sunny day, the energy saving rate is 14.25% for the glass absorption coefficient of 160 m−1, which is 41.53% for the glass refractive index of 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicago and its relatives, Trigonella and Melilotus comprise the most important forage resources globally. The alfalfa selected from the wild relatives has been cultivated worldwide as the forage queen. In the Flora of China, 15 Medicago , eight Trigonella , and four Melilotus species are recorded, of which six Medicago and two Trigonella species are introduced. Although several studies have been conducted to investigate the phylogenetic relationship within the three genera, many Chinese naturally distributed or endemic species are not included in those studies. Therefore, the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationship of these species remains unclear. In this study, we collected samples representing 18 out of 19 Chinese naturally distributed species of these three genera and three introduced Medicago species, and applied an integrative approach by combining evidences from population-based morphological clusters and molecular data to investigate species boundaries. A total of 186 individuals selected from 156 populations and 454 individuals from 124 populations were collected for genetic and morphological analyses, respectively. We sequenced three commonly used DNA barcodes (trnH-psbA , trnK-matK , and ITS) and one nuclear marker (GA3ox1) for phylogenetic analyses. We found that 16 out of 21 species could be well delimited based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological clusters. Two Trigonella species may be merged as one species or treated as two subspecies, and Medicago falcata should be treated as a subspecies of the M. sativa complex. We further found that major incongruences between the chloroplast and nuclear trees mainly occurred among the deep diverging lineages, which may be resulted from hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting and/or sampling errors. Further studies involving a finer sampling of species associated with large scale genomic data should be employed to better understand the species delimitation of these three genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal data fusion is a methodology to generate images with both high spatial and temporal resolution. Most spatiotemporal data fusion methods generate the fused image at a prediction date based on pairs of input images from other dates. The performance of spatiotemporal data fusion is greatly affected by the selection of the input image pair. There are two criteria for selecting the input image pair: the “similarity” criterion, in which the image at the base date should be as similar as possible to that at the prediction date, and the “consistency” criterion, in which the coarse and fine images at the base date should be consistent in terms of their radiometric characteristics and imaging geometry. Unfortunately, the “consistency” criterion has not been quantitatively considered by previous selection strategies. We thus develop a novel method (called “cross-fusion”) to address the issue of the determination of the base image pair. The new method first chooses several candidate input image pairs according to the “similarity” criterion and then takes the “consistency” criterion into account by employing all of the candidate input image pairs to implement spatiotemporal data fusion between them. We applied the new method to MODIS–Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data fusion. The results show that the cross-fusion method performs better than four other selection strategies, with lower average absolute difference (AAD) values and higher correlation coefficients in various vegetated regions including a deciduous forest in Northeast China, an evergreen forest in South China, cropland in North China Plain, and grassland in the Tibetan Plateau. We simulated scenarios for the inconsistency between MODIS and Landsat data and found that the simulated inconsistency is successfully quantified by the new method. In addition, the cross-fusion method is less affected by cloud omission errors. The fused NDVI time-series data generated by the new method tracked various vegetation growth trajectories better than previous selection strategies. We expect that the cross-fusion method can advance practical applications of spatiotemporal data fusion technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wang, T.; Liu, G.; Gao, L.; Zhu, L.; Fu, Q., and Li, D., 2016. Biological and nutrient responses to a typhoon in the Yangtze estuary and the adjacent sea. Typhoon Haikui passed through the Yangtze River estuary and the adjacent sea during the summer of 2012. Three field surveys were conducted before and after the passage of this typhoon. The effects of Haikui in this area on nutrient levels and biological production were studied by combining model data and several satellite observations. During the typhoon's passage, the water column was affected mainly by vertical mixing, which was caused by the strong wind. As the wind subsided, terrestrial runoff and offshore water intrusion became more important for changing the physical and chemical parameters. The Yangtze Diluted Water extended into the upper layer by 4 days after Haikui's landfall, largely because of the heavy typhoon-associated precipitation and considerably increased surface concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, silicate, and phosphate (by 53%, 27%, and 97%, respectively). Meanwhile, the strong onshore wind induced a strong intrusion of high-salinity offshore water in the bottom layer, and this process somewhat decreased the bottom nutrient concentrations (except for phosphate) after the typhoon. The changes in nutrient concentrations in the middle layer were quite complex because of the multiple effects of the processes described above. The increased nutrient concentrations, particularly those of phosphate, greatly promoted the growth of the upper phytoplankton in the offshore areas, although the phytoplankton biomass was found to decline rapidly a few days after the typhoon had passed. The results of this study suggest that Haikui had a profound influence on water circulation and on the chemical and biological responses in the Yangtze River estuary and its adjacent sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacillus (B.) anthracis is the pathogen that causes fatal anthrax. Guizhou Province is an old foci of anthrax in the southwest of China. Human anthrax has also been frequently reported in Guizhou in recent year. However, there is limited information on the genetic background of local B. anthracis isolates in Guizhou Province. Strain-specific detection of this bacterium using molecular approaches has enhanced our knowledge of microbial genetics. In the present study, we employed Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) assay to analyze the genetic characteristics of B. anthracis strains isolated in Guizhou Province and their relationships to worldwide distributed isolates. Results: A total of 32 isolates of B. anthracis from soil, human, cattle, dog and water of different anthrax epidemics in Guizhou Province from 2006 to 2011 were confirmed with phage lysis test, penicillin inhibition test and PCR. MLVA-8 discriminated them into 28 unique MLVA types (MT G1 - G28), which were novel MTs compared with the previous reports. Cluster tree based on 32 isolates from Guizhou Province and 76 worldwide distributed isolates (30 MTs) showed they were divided into three clusters, designated A, B and C. All the 32 isolates were distributed in cluster A, which were further grouped into A1, A2, A3 and A4 sub-clusters. 32 isolates from Guizhou Province were closely grouped in each of the sub-clusters, respectively. Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) based on the MLVA data showed that the 28 MLVA profiles of isolates from Guizhou Province and 30 MLVA profiles of worldwide distributed isolates formed three clonal complexes (CCs) and ten singletons. Conclusions: 28 novel MTs of B. anthracis from Guizhou were revealed and their relationships to worldwide isolates were showed. The results will provide important information for prevention of anthrax and also enhances our understanding of genetic characteristics of B. anthracis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shigella flexneri is one of the major etiologic causes of shigellosis in Guizhou Province, China. However, the genetic characteristics of circulating isolates are unknown. Phenotypic and molecular profiles of 60 S. flexneri isolates recovered in Guizhou between 1972 to 1982 and 2008 to 2010 were determined. Nine serotypes (1a, 2a, 3a, 1b, 2b, X, Y, 4av and Yv) were identified. Multi-locus sequence typing differentiated the isolates into 20 sequence types (STs); 18 were novel. Four STs, ST 129, ST 100, ST 126 and ST 18, were most abundant, accounting for 65% of the isolates. Thirty-nine NotI-pulsed field gel electrophoresis patterns (pulsotypes, PTs) were observed; eight PTs were represented by more than one isolate with six isolates sharing the PT 13 profile. Multi-locus variable-nucleotide tandem-repeat analysis recognized 44 different types (MTs); seven MTs were represented by more than one isolate and MT 1 was most commonly encountered. Correlation between genetic relationships and serotypes was observed among the isolates studied; the majority of isolates belonging to the same serotype from different years clustered together based on the molecular data. These clustered isolates were also from similar geographical origins. These results enhance our understanding of genetic relationships between S. flexneri in Guizhou Province and can be used to help understand the changing etiology of shigellosis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sustained human leptospirosis as well as death cases has been reported in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Southeast of Guizhou, China, recently, but these human patients were only clinically diagnosed, and leptospires have never been isolated from patients in these epidemic regions, In order to track the source of infection and understand the etiologic characteristic of leptospirosis, we performed rodent carrier surveillance for leptospirosis in the epidemic area in 2011. The population distribution of rodents in the epidemic regions was revealed. Results: Four strains of leptospire were isolated from Apodemus agrarius. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) confirmed the four isolates belonged to leptospiral serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) indicated that all the four strains were defined as sequence type 1(ST1), which is identical to the three strains isolated from Rattus tanezumi in Rongjiang County in 2007. Clustering analysis of the MLST data indicated that the local isolates exactly matched with reference strain of leptospiral serovar Lai strain 56601, which is consistent with anti-Leptospira antibody detection of patients using MAT. Conclusions: Apodemus agrarius may be the potentially important carrier of leptospirosis and the potential source of leptospiral infection in human, and serovar Lai maybe the epidemic serovar of Leptospira in the localities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Fir species are mainly distributed across the high latitudes, preferring cold climates. The phylogeographic origins of those subtropical fir species that occur in low latitudes in southern China remain elusive, as does the nature of any inter-lineage hybridization. Aims: In fir species, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is maternally inherited and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) is paternally inherited, and the genetic variations in the two make them particularly useful for examining species' hybridizations and evolutionary histories. Materials and methods: We sequenced four DNA fragments: two of mtDNA and two of cpDNA for 161 individuals from four subtropical endangered fir species ( Abies beshanzuensis, Abies ziyuanensis, Abies yuanbaoshanensis, and Abies fanjingshanensis) and two more northerly distributed ones ( Abies recurvata and Abies fargesii) from central and southwest China. Results: Three mitotypes and four chlorotypes were recovered from the four southern species. In most populations, individuals share a single fixed mitotype and chlorotype. Three mitotypes clustered into two distinct clades, each associated with one of the northern species examined. For four chlorotypes, one occurred in A. ziyuanensis, A. beshanzuensis, A. fargesii, and A. recurvata, another in A. ziyuanensis and A. recurvata, the remaining two differed from others by two mutations exclusively in A. fanjingshanenis and A. yuanbaoshanensis. Conclusion: Phylogeographic origins of the subtropical fir species are complex, and genetic admixtures occurred during the evolutionary history of A. ziyuanensis. The genotyped populations further provide basic frames for genetic delimitation and effective conservation of these endangered species in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgroud: Populus euphratica Oliv., a long-lived woody perennial plant, is the only forest species naturally distributed in desert regions. Severe desertification has resulted in this species becoming endangered, and its populations are seriously fragmented in northwest China. Objectives: We investigated the within-population and long-distance separated population diversity in northwest China using eight pairs of simple sequence repeat markers. Results: Our results reveal that this species has high overall genetic diversity with a mean of 12.125 alleles per locus; its expected heterozygosity ( H) ranged from 0.713 to 0.878. However, there was a high level of genetic diversity within the species (when compared within congeneric species) and low genetic differentiation between populations (average F = 0.093). Analyses of molecular variance suggested that 5.21% of the total molecular variance was attributable to between-population diversity ( P < 0.001), while the remainder of the variance was associated with differences within populations. There was no distinct correlation between geographical distributions and genetic variation. Conclusions: We found no evidence to support our initial hypothesis of low genetic diversity within the species and high differentiation between populations separated by long distances. The recent fragmentations of this species due to anthropologic and environmental effects resulted in its endangered status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dairy industry plays an important role in the agricultural economy of China. To estimate the prevalence and public health significance of cryptosporidiosis in post-weaned and adult dairy cattle in China, during four consecutive years (from 2006 to 2009), a total of 1315 fecal samples from 22 dairy cattle farms in ten prefectures in Henan Province were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 7.9%, with the highest infection rate (11.3%) in 3 to 11-month-old calves and the lowest infection rate (1.0%) in >2-year-old cows (p<0.01). Cryptosporidium-positive samples (n=104) were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, and 25 representative samples were further analyzed by DNA sequencing of the PCR products. Cryptosporidium bovis and Cryptosporidium andersoni were identified. C. andersoni (84/104) was the predominant species and was found in all age groups, whereas C. bovis (20/104) was only detected in 3 to 11-month-old calves. Thus, C. andersoni appears to be the dominant species in weaned dairy calves and heifers in China, in contrast with its common occurrence in adult cattle in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust storm originates from arid and semiarid areas and could cause worldwide lasting effects along varying trajectories. As an extreme weather hazard, dust storm is usually induced by strong winds. In this paper, an aerodynamic parameter, defined as the ratio between dust storm frequency (DSF) and strong wind frequency (SWF), was calculated for quantifying dust storm susceptibility (DSS). The characteristic value and temporal change of DSS in five typical land surface areas, including cultivated land, grassland, sand desert, Gobi desert, and salt crust, were analyzed with dust storm and strong wind records at 15 weather stations. The spatial distribution of DSS in the arid and semiarid regions of northern China was described using dust storm and strong wind records at 102 meteorological stations. There are positive correlations between SWF and DSF for any identical land surface type. Land surface conditions have a great influence on dust storm susceptibility. According to DSS value, the five land surface types can be divided into two categories: (1) Cultivated land and sand desert, with DSS between 0.64 and 0.53, about 2.6–10 times higher than that of the other three land surfaces, are prone to forming dust storm under strong wind conditions; (2) Gobi desert, grassland and salt crust, with average DSS from 0.06 to 0.2, exhibit lower probability of dust storm occurrence under strong wind conditions. The DSF in the surrounding areas of the arid Taklimakan desert in Xinjiang are much larger than SWF, and dust storms take place readily even at normal erosive wind conditions. The areas with high DSF are not spatially consistent with SWF distribution but more coincide with high DSS areas where sand deserts and farmland are concentrated. In the nearly four past decades, the DSS showed an overall increasing trend on different ground surfaces which may be related to local human activities and climatic warming. • There is positive correlation between strong wind and dust storm frequency • Dust storm susceptibility is the ratio between dust storm and strong wind frequency • Land surface conditions have great influences on dust storm susceptibility • Farmland, sand desert have higher dust storm susceptibility than other land surface • Dust storm frequency is spatially consistent with dust storm susceptibility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During swine influenza virus surveillance in pigs in China during 2006-2009, we isolated subtypes H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 and found novel reassortment between contemporary swine and avian panzootic viruses. These reassortment events raise concern about generation of novel viruses in pigs, which could have pandemic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strong laboratory capacity is essential for detecting and responding to emerging and re-emerging global health threats. We conducted a quantitative laboratory assessment during 2014-2015 in two resource-limited provinces in southern China, Guangxi and Guizhou in order to guide strategies for strengthening core capacities as required by the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).Methods: We selected 28 public health and clinical laboratories from the provincial, prefecture and county levels through a quasi-random sampling approach. The 11-module World Health Organization (WHO) laboratory assessment tool was adapted to the local context in China. At each laboratory, modules were scored 0-100% through a combination of paper surveys, in-person interviews, and visual inspections. We defined module scores as strong (> = 85%), good (70-84%), weak (50-69%), and very weak (< 50%). We estimated overall capacity and compared module scores across the provincial, prefecture, and county levels.Results: Overall, laboratories in both provinces received strong or good scores for 10 of the 11 modules. These findings were primarily driven by strong and good scores from the two provincial level laboratories; prefecture and county laboratories were strong or good for only 8 and 6 modules, respectively. County laboratories received weak scores in 4 modules. The module, 'Public Health Functions' (e.g., surveillance and reporting practices) lagged far behind all other modules (mean score = 46%) across all three administrative levels. Findings across the two provinces were similar.Conclusions: Laboratories in Guangxi and Guizhou are generally performing well in laboratory capacity as required by IHR. However, we recommend targeted interventions particularly for county-level laboratories, where we identified a number of gaps. Given the importance of surveillance and reporting, addressing gaps in public health functions is likely to have the greatest positive impact for IHR requirements. The quantitative WHO laboratory assessment tool was useful in identifying both comparative strengths and weaknesses. However, prior to future assessments, the tool may need to be aligned with the new WHO IHR monitoring and evaluation framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The genus Ostrya (Betulaceae) contains eight species and four of them are distributed in China. However, studies based on limited informative sites of several chloroplast markers failed to resolve interspecific delimitation and relationships among the four Chinese species. In this study, we aimed to use the whole chloroplast genomes to address these two issues. Results: We assembled and annotated 33 complete chloroplast genomes (plastomes) of the four Chinese species, representing 17 populations across most of their geographical distributions. Each species contained samples of several individuals that cover most of geographic distributions of the species. All plastomes are highly conserved in genome structure and gene order, with a total length of 158–159 kb and 122 genes. Phylogenetic analyses of whole plastomes, non-coding regions and protein-coding genes produced almost the same topological relationships. In contrast to the well-delimitated species boundary inferred from the nuclear ITS sequence variations, three of the four species are non-monophyletic in the plastome trees, which is consistent with previous studies based on a few chloroplast markers. Conclusions: The high incongruence between the ITS and plastome trees may suggest the widespread occurrences of hybrid introgression and incomplete lineage sorting during the divergence of these species. In addition, the plastomes with more informative sites compared with a few chloroplast markers still failed to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of the four species, and further studies involving population genomic data may be needed to better understand their evolutionary histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice phenology was determined by temperature and agronomic management. It was essential to quantify the interaction between warming temperatures and rice phenology to understand the impact of climate change in rice farming systems. Based on the quantitative analysis of data from double-cropping rice in the south of China in the last 20 years, we found that the average temperature of the whole growth periods of early rice and late rice increased by an average of 0.76 °C and 0.49 °C decade−1, respectively. The whole growth period (WGP) change trend of early rice decreased by 0.07 d decade−1, but the WGP of late rice increased 1.26 d decade−1. The vegetative growth period (VGP) and the reproductive growth period (RGP) of early rice and late rice were all shorted. Regression analysis showed that the VGP of early rice and late rice decreased by 2.99 days and 2.82 days, and the RGP decreased by 1.67 days and 1.81 days, respectively, as the mean air temperature increased by 1 °C during the corresponding stages. The WGPs of early rice and late rice decreased by 3.81 days and 5.31 days, respectively, with the mean air temperature increased by 1 °C during growth duration. According to our studies, the rising mean air temperature could lead to a shortening of the double-rice growth period. Therefore, we must adjust the planting pattern of the double-rice system to mitigate and adapt to future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, Procambarus clarkii has grown to be one of the most important cultivated crustacean species due to its excellent resistance ability against viral and bacterial infection. However, this broad-spectrum mechanism of disease resistance is less well known. In this study, a new LGBP known as Pc LGBP was cloned and described. Its full-length cDNA is 1200 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1086 bp, encoding a 361 amino acid polypeptide. The transcripts of Pc LGBP were widely dispersed in P. clarkii tissues, with particularly elevated expression levels in hemocytes. Furthermore, Aeromonas hydrophila and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) challenge dramatically increased its mRNA expression in hemocytes and gills. The purified recombinant Pc LGBP protein could bind to different kinds of pathogenic microorganisms, demonstrating a broad-spectrum pathogen recognition ability. Besides, Pc LGBP knockdown by RNA interference and r Pc LGBP injection experiments confirmed that the protein could apparently accelerate the bacterial clearance and inhibit the WSSV proliferation in vivo , thus increase the survival rate of A. hydrophila or WSSV infected P. clarkii. Further studies revealed that silencing of Pc LGBP resulted in inactivation of prophenoloxidase (proPO) system, decreased the expression levels of Toll/IMD pathway components, as well as some antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Taken together, Pc LGBP may protect P. clarkii from diverse invading pathogens through activating the proPO system, NF-κB pathway and the expression of AMPs. These findings would contribute to the exploration of the crustacean immunity regulatory mechanisms and hold potential for the disease resistance breeding of P. clarkii. • A novel member of LGBP family named Pc LGBP was identified in Procambarus clarkii. • Pc LGBP was involved in both anti-bacterial and anti-viral immune response. • Pc LGBP exhibited broad-spectrum resistance ability in vivo. • Pc LGBP participate in the activation of the proPO system and NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dilution of groundwater DOC driven by upstream hydrological processes. • No spatial variation of groundwater DIC in the upstream. • High evapotranspiration drives the increase of groundwater DOC. • Rise of groundwater DIC driven by downstream hydrological processes. Due to its potentially important role in the global carbon cycle, the dissolved carbon of groundwater systems is severely affected by climate change and oasisization in desert inland river basins. However, the spatial distribution and driving mechanisms of groundwater dissolved carbon are still poorly understood. Here, we use groundwater data from 72 monitoring wells to reveal the spatial variations in the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations of the shallow groundwater in the Tarim River basin, an arid region in northwest China. Due to the unsaturated characteristics of the groundwater recharge, the DOC concentration of groundwater increased significantly with greater lateral distance from the downstream river, rather than the DIC concentration of groundwater. There was a significant positive linear correlation between DOC and DIC. Redundancy analysis showed that groundwater depth (GD) and evapotranspiration influenced the DOC concentration, while the DIC concentration was greatly affected by the total salinity of groundwater and farmland. Likewise, both DOC and DIC concentrations were most affected by Ca2+. Further analysis showed that a decrease in the GD will lead to a decrease in the DOC concentration (dilution effect), but it has no obvious influence on the DIC concentration. High evapotranspiration in the desert region drives an increase in the DOC concentration (concentration effect) and a decrease in the DIC concentration. Our study highlights that average annual evapotranspiration and GD jointly drive the differences in the DOC and DIC concentration changes in the shallow groundwater of the Tarim River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swimming performance is extremely important to critical activities of fishes, such as foraging, anti-predator, and migration. As one of primary stock enhancement fish species in China, it is imperative to study on swimming performance of the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). In the present study, the swimming performance of juvenile large yellow croaker was investigated, including the behavior, muscle morphology, stress physiology, and genetic mechanisms underlying the individual difference. Juveniles of the croaker were individually subjected to the critical swimming speed (U crit) test, and thereby divided into fast (36.47 cm/s) and slow (18.65 cm/s) groups. The juveniles in the fast group had significantly higher tail beat frequency, smaller muscle fiber diameter and more muscle fiber number, as well as lower plasma cortisol and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) levels than those in the slow group. Meanwhile, expression levels of hsp70 and pcna in the brain were significantly higher in the fast group than in the slow group, however no significant difference was observed in syt1a expression. Furthermore, the key genes and pathways involved in the swimming performance were assessed by mapping the white skeletal muscle transcriptome. We found that a total of 157 transcripts was differentially expressed between the fast and slow groups, enriched in oxidative phosphorylation, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, cellular senescence, and cardiac muscle contraction pathways. A multitude of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunits and solute carrier family genes were especially related. In conclusion, we for the first time found that fish swimming performance directly links to muscle fiber plasticity, stress physiology, and molecular base divergence in the large yellow croaker. The present results lay a foundation for ethological-character-based selective breeding for the large yellow croaker in the regards of swimming performance. • Large yellow croakers have inter-individual difference of swimming performance. • Muscle fiber plasticity and stress physiology affect the swimming performance. • Molecular divergence in energy metabolism determines the swimming performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the biogeochemical effects of global warming on large lakes is central to managing aquatic resources. The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) presents an excellent paleo-analog for potential impacts arising from current global warming. e, we reconstructed dynamic redox changes in a large lake located in modern Central China during the PETM, using carbonate-associated sulfate sulfur and oxygen isotopes. Three major anoxic episodes (AE) associated with intensive microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) were identified, as indicated by higher sulfur and oxygen isotope compositions, and/or decreased sulfate contents. Thermal stratification in the lake was the likely main cause of the anoxia and associated changes in sulfur geochemical cycles. The first two AEs occurred during the initial stage of PETM. They are characterized by low sulfate and total organic carbon-minus-black carbon (TOC-BC) contents, suggestive of low biological productivity related to limited nutrient cycling in a stratified and anoxic water mass. The third AE occurred during the peak of the PETM. It was characterized by extremely low sulfate and high TOC-BC contents, possibly the product of increased near-surface productivity coupled with anoxia in the lower water column. An intensified hydrological cycle triggered by severe warming may have enhanced terrestrial nutrient fluxes to the lake, leading to increased surficial lake productivity. Upward expansion of the anoxic/sulfidic zone, however, may have suppressed the lake ecosystem by contracting its livable space. Our results suggest that current global warming could trigger similar ecological stress in large lakes. [Display omitted] • Three anoxic episodes arose during the PETM in a lake located in modern central China. • Warming induced long-term year-round lake stratification and a large euxinic zone. • Euxinic water caused lake ecological crises by inhibiting intra-lake nutrient cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) is an important part of forest healthcare effect, while it has not received enough attention in urban greenspace construction. Consequently, the aim of this study was to analyze BVOC emission rates and compositions released from leaves and flowers of landscape species in urban greenspace and to make suggestions for species selection and planting configuration in urban greenspace construction. BVOC emissions were collected and analyzed using dynamic flow enclosure technique with GC-MS in summer months (for leaf) and spring months (for flower) from 14 woody landscape species in northern China, which are 2 coniferous species (Pinus tabuliformis and Sabina vulgaris) and 12 broad-leaved species (Viburnum opulus , Kolkwitzia amabilis , Philadelphus pekinensis , Lonicera maackii , Cercis chinensis , Deutzia parviflora , Berberis thunbergia , Kerria japonica , Rosa xanthina , Syringa oblata , Syringa reticulata , and Cerasus serrulata). We found leaf emission rates of coniferous species were more than 20 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1 and mainly consisted of monoterpenes, while that of sampled broad-leaved species were less than 10 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1 and mainly consisted of fatty acid derivatives. Most broad-leaved species had relatively high emission rates of flowers, ranging from 15 to 115 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1. Flower emissions of Syringa oblata and Syringa reticulata contained large amounts of aldehydes, and that of other broad-leaved species mainly contained terpenes, alcohols, and esters. We suggest the species with leaves that release large amounts of monoterpenes, and species with flowers that release large amounts of fragrant compounds are classified as healthcare species, while species with a dense crown and low emission rates of pungent compounds are classified as space-creation species. Based on this, planners could design urban greenspace with healthcare effects, and develop multi-functional, innovative, and sustainable urban greenspaces. • Biogenic volatile organic compounds can play a significant role in healthcare effects urban greenspace. • Pinus tabuliformis and Sabina vulgaris emit large amounts of compounds with healthcare effects. • Lonicera maackii and Philadelphus pekinensis emit large amounts of pleasant odorous compounds. • Syringa oblata and Syringa reticulata emit large amounts of pungent compounds. • Analysis of flower and leaf emissions should be performed for tree selection in the construction of urban greenspace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses play a vitally important role in promoting equitable and essential care. China undertook bold reforms in its education and healthcare systems since 1990s. The effect of these reforms on the nursing workforce has not been assessed systematically. This study aims to assess the changing trends and the underlying challenges of the nursing workforce in Mainland China in the period of 1998–2018. Retrospective data analysis. Data were acquired from the National Health Statistics Yearbook from 1999 to 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the nature of the nursing workforce in terms of quantity, quality, and structure. Non-parametric tests were used to compare doctors and nurses in terms of number and work experiences. Global Moran's I index and hotspot analysis were applied to compare the equity in distribution of nurses at national and provincial levels. From 1998 to 2018, the number of nurses increased from 1.22 to 4.10 million with an average rate of increase of 6.3% per annum. The ratio of doctors to nurses changed from 1: 0.61 to 1: 1.14, reaching 1: 1 in 2013. The main educational level of registered nurses elevated to associated degree (48.9%), and nurses with advanced titles increased at the most rapid rate. In 2018, 60.3% of nurses were younger than 35 years old. The Global Moran's I index ranged from 0.211 to 0.198 (Z > 1.96, P < 0.05). Hotspot analysis showed the distribution of nurses was unequally concentrated in the northern region and with the highest distribution in Beijing. Great improvement on the scale and the quality of nursing workforce over the past 20 years has been witnessed in China. However, the shortage of nurses, outflow of younger nurses and the imbalance distribution of nursing workforce among the country are emerging challenges. Plans should not be ignored on continuously cultivating more qualified nurses, retaining younger nurses, attracting nurses to work in rural areas and the northeast region. Tweetable abstract: Numbers of Chinese nurses finally outstrip the number of doctors but do limited educational opportunities limits their contribution to the nation's health? New article in @ijnsjournal [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: H3N2 is one of the main subtypes of influenza virus which circulates in human and swine population throughout the world. Objectives: To investigate the genetic correlation between H3N2 human and swine influenza viruses from the same region during the same season. Study design: Five H3N2 human and four H3N2 swine influenza viruses were isolated from Guangdong province of China in the winter of 2005. The molecular evolution of eight gene segments was analyzed. Results: In the phylogenetic trees of gene segments, all H3N2 human isolates along with the 2000''s human isolates formed a cluster, and most of the H3N2 swine isolates along with the 1990''s human isolates formed another cluster except that the M and NS gene of A/Swine/Guangdong/01/2005 and the PA gene of A/Swine/Guangdong/02/2005 fell into the cluster of the classical swine influenza virus, indicating the reassortment between H3N2 human and H1N1 swine influenza viruses. Conclusions: In this study, H3N2 swine influenza viruses in 2005 did not originate from the 2000''s H3N2 human influenza viruses, but from the 1990''s H3N2 human isolates. In addition, the reassortment of H3N2 human and H1N1 swine influenza virus in pigs was common in recent years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background In China, in 2010, a high proportion of pregnant women were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). However, the preventive actions taken following screening were unclear. We followed up infants who were born to HBsAg positive mothers to describe the management that took place after screening. Methods We selected eight counties with a probability proportional to population size in the Qiandongnan prefecture, Guizhou province. In each county, we selected a hospital at random. In each hospital, we (a) reviewed records to estimate the proportion of pregnant women who had been screened for HBsAg in 2010 and (b) sampled 10 screened women at random to assess management after one year in 2011. We calculated proportions and confidence intervals (CI) using standard formulae. Results Among the 7232 women who delivered in 2010 in the 8 hospitals, 98% (95% CI: 97%–99%) had been tested for HBsAg. Among 82 HBsAg women sampled for follow-up, 45 (55%; 95% CI: 44%–65%) knew they had been tested during pregnancy and 60 (73%; 95% CI: 63%–82%) knew they were HBsAg positive. The 82 infants had received three doses of hepatitis B vaccines and 79 (96%; 95% CI: 90%–99%) had received the first dose within 24 h. However, only 11 infants (13%; 95% CI: 9%–25%) had received HBIG in addition to hepatitis B vaccine and 16 (20%; 95% CI: 12%–29%) had been tested for HBsAg upon completion of the vaccine series as part of their routine management. Conclusions HBsAg testing of pregnant women was common in Qiandongnan, Guizhou, but post-screening management was limited. There is a need to ensure continuity of care through engaging women in HBsAg testing and following up infants with comprehensive management, including immunoprophylaxis and serological testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]