Search

Over two decades from 1949 until the resumption of the diplomatic relations between these two countries in 1972, West German companies never gave up on the Chinese market despite substantial difficulties caused by Cold War frictions. This paper exams the payment transactions and terms of credits for financing industrial projects between the PRC and West German companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) complicated with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) infection can aggravate the disease, but there have been few reports. Methods: Retrospective analysis was used to collect the clinical data of PTB patients with pathogen positive in a teaching hospital from 2017 to 2021. We describe the incidence, the invasive site of EPTB patients, and analyze the infection risk factors for PTB with EPTB by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. We also compared the complications, disease burden with chi-square test and rank-sum test. Results: A total of 1806 PTB were included, of which 263 (14.6%) were complicated with EPTB. The common invasive sites for EPTB were neck lymph nodes (16.49%), intestines (16.13%), and meninges (10.75%). Age ≤ 40 (OR = 1.735; 95%CI [1.267–2.376]; P = 0.001), malnutrition (OR = 2.029; 95%CI [1.097–3.753]; P = 0.022), anemia (OR = 1.739; 95%CI[1.127–2.683]; P = 0.012), and osteoporosis (OR = 4.147; 95%CI [1.577–10.905]; P = 0.004) were all independent risk factors for PTB infection with EPTB. The incidence of extrathoracic hydrothorax, intestinal bacterial infection, urinary tract bacterial infection, and abdominal bacterial infection were higher in patients with PTB with EPTB. PTB with EPTB patients also had longer median hospitalization durations (19 vs. 14 days), during which time they incurred higher total costs, laboratory test costs, imaging examination costs, and drug use costs. Conclusion: This study found important risk factors for PTB complicated with EPTB, such as age ≤ 40, malnutrition, anemia, and osteoporosis. PTB with EPTB patients have more extrapulmonary complications and higher hospitalization disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of biochar in crop production can not only improve soil quality, but also helps the field ecosystem to fix carbon and reduce emissions. Although the benefits of their application in crop production have been more and more confirmed, it is not clear when it comes to the acidic soil of tobacco and rice rotation. A tobacco–rice rotation experiment was conducted in southern China to probe the application value of biochar under these conditions. Three biochar application rates were employed in this experiment. BC0 (without biochar), BC25 (25 t ha−1), and BC50 (50 t ha−1). The findings show that biochar significantly boosted soil fertility and crop yields. Meanwhile, the soil organic carbon of tobacco rice rotation field with biochar increased by 31.76%. After a whole growth period of tobacco and rice, the cumulative emission reduction of CO2 and N2O from the soil by biochar were 15,944 kg ha−1 and 1810 g ha−1, respectively. The use of biochar not only significantly improved the bacterial diversity of tobacco and rice rotation soil, but also altered the original microbial community structure. The profusion of Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria was reduced and the abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes was enhanced in the treatments with biochar. Among them, Sphingomonadales, Planctomycotes, and Ktedonobacteria, which are beneficial to plant growth and soil health, have become key phylotypes. The carbon balance analysis data show that the net carbon sequestration of the two treatments with biochar is positive, while that of the treatment without biochar is negative. In terms of economic benefit, the application of biochar increased the average of 2.055 CNY kg−1 consumed energy (CE) in the whole tobacco–rice rotation system. The ecological benefit was 0.51 kg C kg−1 CE. In conclusion, biochar can be effectively used in the practice of tobacco–rice rotation and acidic soil improvement in southern China. To explore the application value of biochar on acidic soil in south China, the effects of different application rates of biochar on crop production, carbon sequestration, and emission reduction were compared through a tobacco and rice rotation experiment. The results show that field application of biochar is not only economically feasible in agricultural production, but also has positive ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Comprehensive Diagram Method (CDM) for a Multi-Layer Perceptron Neuron Network (MLPNN) is proposed to realize natural gas energy metering using temperature, pressure, and the speed of sound from an ultrasonic flowmeter. Training and testing of the MLPNN model were performed on the basis of 1003 real data points describing the compression factors (Z-factors) and calorific values of the three main components of natural gas in Sichuan province, China. Moreover, 20 days of real tests were conducted to verify the measurements' accuracy and the adaptability of the new intelligent method. Based on the values of the Mean Relative Errors and the Root Mean Square errors for the learning and test errors calculated on the basis of the actual data, the best-quality MLP 3-5-1 network for the metering of Z-factors and the new CDM methods for the metering of calorific values were experimentally selected. The Bayesian regularized MLPNN (BR-MLPNN) 3-5-1 network showed that the Z-factors of natural gas have a maximum relative error of −0.44%, and the new CDM method revealed calorific values with a maximum relative error of 1.90%. In addition, three local tests revealed that the maximum relative error of the daily cumulative amount of natural gas energy was 2.39%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of international cooperation, South Africa (SA) has been China's largest trading partner in Africa for several consecutive years. China and SA can build the digital "Belt and Road" to modernize the manufacturing system locally and optimize process control by benchmarking with the best-in-class manufacturers in each country. In this research, an evaluation technology of manufacturer intelligence regarding the selection of decision support system (DSS) of smart manufacturing technologies, analyzing China–South Africa relations, is described. Firstly, the three keys aspects that enable the technologies of DSS are discussed in detail. Then, one key technology, the manufacturers' intelligent evaluation system with 15 indexes, was built. The indexes and their measurements are also proposed. Finally, a fusion method based on boosting with multi-kernel function (online sequential extreme learning machine based on boosting, Boosting-OSELM) is introduced. The purpose of Boosting-OSKELM is to combine several weak learners into a strong learner (lower mean square error, MSE) through an acceptable time delay. Finally, the case study is presented to demonstrate the improvement on the MSE and process time, showing a relative MSE improvement of 96.19% and a relative time delay ratio of 31.46%. Totally, the largest contribution of the proposed evaluation method in this study is the conversion of the history data saved by the manual scoring method into knowledge in accessible MES and resealable time delay, which will free up the expert workforce in the entire process. We expect this paper will help future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syringa oblata var. alba is a shrub or a small tree from China with high ornamental, medicinal, and edible value. Here, we present its first complete chloroplast genome. The entire circular genome is 155,648 bp in length, with large single-copy (LSC) length of 86,247, small single-copy (SSC) length of 17,937, inverted repeat (IR) length of 25,732, and GC content of 37.9%. One hundred and thirty-two genes, including 88 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes were predicted. A phylogenetic tree of 25 plant species was constructed based on the maximum-likelihood method, indicating that S. oblata var. alba, S. vulgaris, and S. oblata form a sister group. This study will provide valuable basic information for phylogeny, species identification, and varieties breeding of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa growth and production in China are negatively impacted by high salt concentrations in soils, especially in regions with limited water supplies. Few reliable genetic markers are currently available for salt tolerance selection. As a result, molecular breeding strategies targeting alfalfa are hindered. Therefore, with the continuous increase in soil salinity in agricultural lands, it is indispensable that a salt-tolerant variety of alfalfa is produced. We collected 220 alfalfa varieties around the world for resequencing and performed genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Alfalfa seeds were germinated in saline water with different concentrations of NaCl, and the phenotypic differences in several key root traits were recorded. In the phenotypic analysis, the breeding status and geographical origin strongly affected the salt tolerance of alfalfa. Forty-nine markers were significantly associated with salt tolerance, and 103 candidate genes were identified based on linkage disequilibrium. A total of 2712 differentially expressed genes were upregulated and 3570 were downregulated based on transcriptomic analyses. Some candidate genes that affected root development in the seed germination stage were identified through the combination of GWASs and transcriptome analyses. These genes could be used for molecular breeding strategies to increase alfalfa's salt tolerance and for further research on salt tolerance in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple micro-organisms associated with Neuralgic Amyotrophy (NA) have been reported and Brucella species should be an important and overlooked infectious cause or trigger.We report a rare case of neuralgic amyotrophy associated with Brucella infection and is believed to be the first such case report in China. A 42-year-old male with brucellosis was confirmed serologically, who presented recurrent fever and fatigue and suddenly developed severe pain in the right shoulder within one week, followed by the inability to lift and abduct the proximal end of the right upper limb. Based on typical clinical manifestions, MRI neuroimaging of the brachial plexus and neuro-electrophysiological studies to confirm a diagnosis of NA and presented spontaneous recovery during this period, immunomodulatory treatment with corticosteroid or intravenous immunoglobulin had not been attempted, leaving a serious movement disorder in the right upper limb. Even rare, NA and other neurobrucellosis forms should be considered as complications of Brucella infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of premature grape ripening due to global warming, inter-row peanut growing in viticulture was applied. In this two-year (2018–2019) study, the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was used to cover the ground between rows in the vineyards located in the semi-arid Northwest China, Xinjiang. The results showed that reflected solar radiation and temperature around the fruit zone with the peanuts growing were decreased. Compared with clean tillage, the grapes with covering peanuts had lower total soluble solids (TSS) and higher titratable acidity (TA) in the berries. Lower alcohol content and higher total acid (TA) was also found in their corresponding wines. Inter-row peanut growing treatment significantly decreased the contents of flavonols in the grapes and their wines in the two consecutive years, but no significant effect on flavanols was observed in the resulting wines. Norisoprenoids and esters in the grapes and the wines were increased with the peanut growing treatment, respectively. Additionally, compared to clean tillage, the peanut covering significantly improved the sensory value of the wines, especially the aroma complexity of the wines. This study helps us to better understand the feasibility of applying inter-row peanut growing in the viticulture of ground management in the semi-arid climate of Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is an emerging environmental pollutant that has attracted widespread attention. In this study, water samples were collected from the Wanggang River in the eastern coastal area of China, and the PFOA and dissolved organic matter (DOM) levels were measured. The results show that the PFOA concentration in the water bodies ranges from 3.2 to 52.9 ng·L−1, and the average value is 27.1 ± 13.4 ng·L−1, indicating an intermediate level. Two protein-like (C2, C3) and two humus-like (C1, C4) DOM components in the Wanggang River are attributed to rainfall and human activities. Differences are observed in the DOM components before and after the flood season. The humus-like components are higher in the post-flood season, and are one of the factors affecting PFOA distribution and concentration in the Wanggang River. The results provide data support for monitoring and evaluating PFOA in rivers and help formulate PFOA pollution management strategies. In future research, it might be better to define the interaction between DOM and emerging organic pollutants by using 17 PFASs as subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to population growth and environmental pollution, freshwater aquaculture has been rapidly shrinking in recent years. Aquaculture in saline-alkaline waters is a crucial strategy to meet the increasing demand for aquatic products. The Chinese mitten crab is an important economic food in China, but the molecular mechanism by which it tolerates carbonate alkalinity (CA) in water remains unclear. Here, we found that enzyme activities of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in the gills, such as citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase, were markedly reduced under CA stress induced by 40 mM NaHCO 3. Secondly, the TCA cycle in the gills is inhibited under acute CA stress, according to proteomic and metabolomic analyses. The expressions of six enzymes, namely aconitate hydratase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase, succinate-CoA ligase, and malate dehydrogenase, were downregulated, resulting in the accumulation of phosphoenolpyruvic acid, citric acid, cis-aconitate, and α-ketoglutaric acid. Finally, we testified that if the TCA cycle is disturbed by malonate, the survival rate increases in CA water. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that the TCA cycle in the gills is inhibited under CA stress. Overall, the results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of tolerance to saline-alkaline water in crabs, which helped us expand the area for freshwater aquaculture and comprehensively understand the physiological characteristics of crab migration. [Display omitted] • Multi-omics approach provides a better understanding of carbonate alkalinity exposure effects. • The TCA cycle in the gills was inhibited under acute stress of carbonate alkalinity • The disturbed TCA cycle could increase the survival rate of crabs in carbonate alkalinity water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covering crops was a commonly used viticultural technique to adjust the vineyard microclimate, thus affecting the grape and wine quality. In this two-year study, the purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) was used to cover the lands between rows in the vineyards located in the semi-arid Northwest China, Xinjiang. Results showed that the photosynthetically active radiation around the fruit zone and the temperature with the purslane covering treatment decreased. Compared with the clean tillage, covering purslane had lower TSS and higher TA in the grape berries, while lower alcohol content and higher TA was also found in their corresponding wines. Covering purslane treatment significantly increased the contents of anthocyanin and flavonol in the grapes and wines in the year 2018, but no significant effect on flavanols was observed in the wines. Norisoprenoids, esters, and C6 alcohols in the grapes and wines were increased in the purslane covering treatment, respectively. Additionally, compared to the clean tillage, the purslane covering treatment significantly improved the sensory value of the wines, especially the floral aroma and the complexity of the wines. This study helped us to better understand the feasibility of applying covering purslane in viticulture in the semi-arid climate of Northwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the great journey to Mars, China's first planetary exploration mission, the Tianwen-1 came within 26 million kilometers of Mars from 31 October 2020 to 25 January 2021 and was getting closer to its destination, the red planet, in search of answers to the cataclysmic climate change that occurred in Martian history. Both the escape of the Martian atmosphere and the loss of surface water were firmly influenced by solar activities. Tianwen-1 provided a unique chance to depict the solar wind streams between Earth and Mars during the minimum of Solar Cycle 25. During the three-month cruise phase of Tianwen-1, the solar wind flows were successively observed at Earth, Tianwen-1, and Mars. After the field of view correction and noise reduction, the solar wind velocity and density measured by Tianwen-1 show good agreement with those at Earth and Mars. The results indicate that the performance of the ion analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter is reliable and stable. It is worth looking forward to the joint observations of ion escape with other Mars probes in the following Martian years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double cropping system has been widely applied in many subtropical viticultural regions. In the 2-year study of 2014–2015, four grape varieties were selected to analyze their fruit volatile compounds in four consecutive seasons in the Guangxi region of South China, which had a typical subtropical humid monsoon climate. Results showed that berries of winter seasons had higher concentrations of terpenes, norisoprenoids, and C6/C9 compounds in "Riesling," "Victoria," and "Muscat Hamburg" grapes in both of the two vintages. However, in the "Cabernet Sauvignon" grapes, only the berries of the 2014 winter season had higher terpene concentrations, but lower norisoprenoid concentrations than those of the corresponding summer season. The Pearson correlation analysis showed the high temperature was the main climate factor that affected volatile compounds between the summer and winter seasons. Hexanal, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, cis -furan linalool oxide, and trans -pyran linalool oxide were all negatively correlated with the high-temperature hours in all of the four varieties. Transcriptome analysis showed that the upregulated VviDXSs , VviPSYs , and VviCCDs expressions might contribute to the accumulations of terpenes or norisoprenoids in the winter berries of these varieties. Our results provided insights into how climate parameters affected grape volatiles under the double cropping system, which might improve the understanding of the grape berries in response to the climate changes accompanied by extreme weather conditions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple interventions have been tested to promote well‐being in high school students, often focusing on depression prevention. Aims: To test the impact of a one‐semester active learning curriculum covering the modern science and philosophy of well‐being and happiness on attitudinal measures related to the curriculum and standard measures of depression and well‐being. Sample: Subjects were first‐year students in an urban high school in Beijing, China (equivalent to US tenth grade). Methods: Nine classrooms were randomly assigned to the intervention curriculum (n = 252), and nine classrooms were randomly assigned to a traditional psychology curriculum (n = 263). Students completed questionnaires pre‐ and post‐semester including a Positive Attitude Scale (PAS, concerning Relatedness, Competence, Autonomy, Gratitude, Calmness, Mindfulness, and Hope), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D), Life Satisfaction Scale (LS), Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and a test of knowledge about well‐being (Knowledge Test, KT). Results: In a hierarchical linear model, there were statistically significant intervention effects on six of the seven subscales of the PAS, on PANAS balance, and on the KT. CES‐D, LS, SHS, and MLQ were improved but not significantly so. Notable overall secular trends in measures of well‐being were observed, with a peak in September and nadir in April. Conclusions: A one‐semester course for high school students regarding well‐being and happiness demonstrated significant changes in positive attitudes, affective balance, and knowledge about happiness. Circannual trends in well‐being measures over the academic year have implications for those designing school intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage crop worldwide. However, little is known about the effects of breeding status and different geographical populations on alfalfa improvement. Here, we sequenced 220 alfalfa core germplasms and determined that Chinese alfalfa cultivars form an independent group, as evidenced by comparisons of FST values between different subgroups, suggesting that geographical origin plays an important role in group differentiation. By tracing the influence of geographical regions on the genetic diversity of alfalfa varieties in China, we identified 350 common candidate genetic regions and 548 genes under selection. We also defined 165 loci associated with 24 important traits from genome‐wide association studies. Of those, 17 genomic regions closely associated with a given phenotype were under selection, with the underlying haplotypes showing significant differences between subgroups of distinct geographical origins. Based on results from expression analysis and association mapping, we propose that 6‐phosphogluconolactonase (MsPGL) and a gene encoding a protein with NHL domains (MsNHL) are critical candidate genes for root growth. In conclusion, our results provide valuable information for alfalfa improvement via molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pu‐erh tea is very popular in Southwestern China and South Asian countries and is now becoming increasingly popular in Europe due to its well‐documented beneficial effects on human health. Pu‐erh tea aqueous extracts can maintain intestinal homeostasis. However, the mechanism of its beneficial effects on intestinal flora disorder is not clear. In this study, we focused on the effects of ripe Pu‐erh tea aqueous extracts on the intestinal microbiota in an intestinal flora disorder mouse model. Physiological indexes and the tissue section staining results showed that feeding Pu‐erh tea extract could help mice regain weight and alleviate intestinal inflammation. Further assessment of the intestinal microflora found that Pu‐erh tea extract could promote the growth of intestinal probiotics and inhibit pathogenic bacteria, thereby achieving a treatment effect for enteritis. This study provides new evidence for the therapeutic effect of Pu‐erh tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater lakes are subject to variable degrees of eutrophication. Within lakes, the planktonic bacterial community (PBC) and sediment bacterial community (SBC) are both significant participants in biogeochemical processes of lake ecosystems. However, how the assembly patterns of bacterial communities vary seasonally along a trophic gradient in freshwater lakes is poorly understood.Here, we collected and analysed water and sediment samples from 13 shallow lakes located in an urban region of China during summer and winter, the trophic states of which ranged from mesotrophic to middle eutrophic in summer and oligo‐mesotrophic to light eutrophic in winter. High‐throughput sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes was used to determine the diversity and composition of bacterial communities.Our results indicated that bacterial communities derived from different habitats and seasons did not exhibit a uniform response to lake trophic states. Linear and nonlinear mixed effect models suggested that the α‐diversity of PBC and SBC, respectively, showed a unimodal and monotonically decreasing trend with increasing eutrophication in summer, whereas that of PBC and SBC, respectively, exhibited no obvious trend or an increased pattern along the trophic gradient in winter. In addition, the taxonomic compositional dissimilarity of the PBC was most significantly related to lake trophic differences in summer. Phylogenetic structure analysis revealed that mostly environmental selection regulated the SBC and PBC in both seasons. Moreover, dispersal limitation and homogenising dispersal contributed more to the assembly of SBC and PBC in both seasons, respectively. Water temperature, associated with seasonal variability, was the most important variable driving the PBC assembly, while sediment pH overwhelmed nutrients in regulating the seasonal patterns of SBC assemblages.Overall, we highlighted that the water and sediments, as well as the seasons, differentiated the diversity patterns and assembly processes of bacterial communities along a trophic gradient of freshwater lakes. Our findings provide novel information for understanding the ecological responses of lacustrine bacterial communities to trophic gradients and seasonal variations. This study also contributes an important reference for predicting the changes of microbial community biodiversity under future scenarios of eutrophication. ​ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcz. 1842 is a medicinal plant of China. Its dry root bark is called BAIXIANPI, which is a common traditional Chinese medicine. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome of D. dasycarpus. The length of the genome, large single-copy (LSC), small single-copy (SSC), inverted repeat (IR), and GC content was 157,056 bp, 84,497 bp, 18,487 bp, 27,036 bp, and 38.5%, respectively. A total of 132 genes were annotated, including 87 protein coding, eight rRNA, and 37 tRNA genes. Interestingly, 15 genes contained single intron while two others contained two introns. The phylogenetic tree showed the two D. dasycarpus (D. albus) clustered in a clade, which was sister to clade formed by the species of Melicope, Tetradium, Phellodendron, and Zanthoxylum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate at which plants grow is a major functional trait in plant ecology. However, little is known about its evolution in natural populations. Here, we investigate evolutionary and environmental factors shaping variation in the growth rate of Arabidopsis thaliana. We used plant diameter as a proxy to monitor plant growth over time in environments that mimicked latitudinal differences in the intensity of natural light radiation, across a set of 278 genotypes sampled within four broad regions, including an outgroup set of genotypes from China. A field experiment conducted under natural conditions confirmed the ecological relevance of the observed variation. All genotypes markedly expanded their rosette diameter when the light supply was decreased, demonstrating that environmental plasticity is a predominant source of variation to adapt plant size to prevailing light conditions. Yet, we detected significant levels of genetic variation both in growth rate and growth plasticity. Genome-wide association studies revealed that only 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms associate with genetic variation for growth above Bonferroni confidence levels. However, marginally associated variants were significantly enriched among genes with an annotated role in growth and stress reactions. Polygenic scores computed from marginally associated variants confirmed the polygenic basis of growth variation. For both light regimes, phenotypic divergence between the most distantly related population (China) and the various regions in Europe is smaller than the variation observed within Europe, indicating that the evolution of growth rate is likely to be constrained by stabilizing selection. We observed that Spanish genotypes, however, reach a significantly larger size than Northern European genotypes. Tests of adaptive divergence and analysis of the individual burden of deleterious mutations reveal that adaptive processes have played a more important role in shaping regional differences in rosette growth than maladaptive evolution. Author summary: The rate at which plants grow is a major functional trait in plant ecology. However, little is known about its genetic variation in natural populations. Here, we investigate genetic and environmental factors shaping variation in the growth rate of Arabidopsis thaliana and ask whether genetic variation in plant growth contributes to adaptation to local environmental conditions. We grew plants under two light regimes that mimic latitudinal differences in the intensity of natural light radiation, and measured plant diameter as it grew over time. When the light supply was decreased, plant diameter grew more slowly but reached a markedly larger final size, confirming that plants can adjust their growth to prevailing light conditions. Yet, we also detected significant levels of genetic variation both in growth rate and in how the growth dynamics is adjusted to the light conditions. We show that this variation is encoded by many loci of small effect that are hard to locate in the genome but overall significantly enriched among genes associated with growth and stress reactions. We further observe that Spanish genotypes tended to reach, on average, a significantly larger rosette size than Northern European genotypes. Tests of adaptive divergence indicate that these differences may reflect adaptation to local environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Gibberellic acid (GA3), a plant‐growth regulator, is often used to obtain enlarged table grape berries and induce seedlessness in them. However, the effects of GA3 on rachis elongation and bunch compactness have seldom been reported in wine‐grape production. We assessed the effects of GA3 spraying on wine‐grape inflorescences and bunches and their practical implications for viticulture in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China. RESULTS: Various GA3 concentrations were sprayed on field‐grown Vitis vinifera L. 'Cabernet Franc' (CF) and 'Cabernet Sauvignon' (CS) grapevines before anthesis in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China, in 2015 and 2016. Inflorescence length during berry development was measured, and flavonoids and aroma compounds in the fruit were detected by high‐performance liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS) and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC‐MS), respectively. For both cultivars, 50 and 100 mg L−1 GA3 caused significant elongation of the rachis, whereas there was no significant effect on inflorescence growth and berry seed number. Anthocyanin, flavonol, and flavan‐3‐ol levels in mature berries were not significantly influenced by GA3 spraying, whereas C13‐norisoprenoids were modified. CONCLUSION: The application of 50‐100 mg L−1 GA3 prior to grapevine anthesis caused elongation of inflorescences and bunches, and eased cluster compactness in CF and CS, and no negative effects were observed on the yield and seed numbers. The concentration and composition of flavonoids and most aroma compounds were not influenced, except that the norisoprenoids were increased by 50 mg L−1 GA3 applications. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) was developed to improve the health security for rural residents. This study aimed to assess the trend of disparity between coastland and inland in medical expenditure burden for rural inpatients with malignant tumor from 2007 to 2016 under the effect of NRCMS.Methods: The data from medical records of 1,306,895 patients with malignant tumor who had NRCMS in 2932 hospitals was collected. The relative differences [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] between coastland and inland in four medical expense indicators were calculated using generalized linear models to assess the trend of disparity over time.Results: In total, there were 769,484 (58.88%) coastland patients and 537,411 (41.12%) inland patients. Male and patients aged older than 44 years accounted for 56.87 and 80% of 1,306,895 patients, respectively. After adjusting for gender, age, tumor site and hospital level, coastland patients had higher hospitalization expenses which were all medical expenses incurred during the hospitalization, lower reimbursement ratio and ratio of out-of-pocket expenses to disposable income than inland patients in most years. The surgery expenses of coastland patients were lower than those of inland patients in 2016. The relative differences (95% CIs) between coastland and inland in medical expense indicators were moving closer to 1.0 from 2007 to 2010 among patients without surgery, implying that the disparity between two areas significantly narrowed. The range of change was similar between two areas from 2011 to 2016 whether among patients without or with surgery, implying that the disparity did not significantly change. The disparity between coastland and inland depended on the household income situation. For low-income patients, the differences between two areas in medical expense indicators were not statistically significance in most cases and the disparity between two areas did not significantly change over time.Conclusions: Under the effect of NRCMS, the medical expenditure burden of rural inpatients reduced but suffering from malignant tumor was still catastrophic. As a whole, the inland patients had heavier medical expenditure burden than coastland patients. Because of economic factors and medical assistance policies, the medical expenditure burden was similar between coastland and inland low-income patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate whether human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with primary lung cancer among the Fujian population. Methods: HPV infection was detected in 140 pairs of lung cancer tissues and matched paracancerous tissues by examining the 21 clinically relevant HPV types using a combination of viral highly conserved L1 region PCR amplification and specific probe reverse hybridization. Paired χ2 test was used to analyze differences in detection rates of HPV between lung cancer and paracancerous tissues. Differences in detection rates of HPV in lung cancer tissues were analyzed using χ2 test or the exact probability method. The rank sum test was used to analyze differences in the distributions of routine indices of blood and pulmonary function in lung cancer tissues between the HPV negative and positive groups. Results: HPV infection was detected in 13 of the 140 tumor specimens and in 16 of the paired normal lung tissues. There was no significant correlation between HPV infection and lung cancer (P > 0.05). The diagnosed HPV infection rates did not differ significantly among lung cancer tissues with different stratification (P > 0.05). However, the platelet count, platelet pressure, residual gas volume, functional residual volume, and residual gas volume/lung total distribution may differ between HPV‐negative and HPV‐positive lung cancer tissues (0.000625 < P < 0.05). Conclusions: We concluded that HPV infection may not be associated with the risk of primary lung cancer in the Fujian population. However, HPV infection may affect platelet and residual lung function in primary lung cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the accuracy and cost‐effectiveness of three vision screening models among preschool children in rural China. Methods: Vision screening was carried out among children aged 4–5 years in 65 preschools in two counties in Northwest China, using Crowded Single Lea Symbols to test visual acuity. Children were assigned randomly by school to one of three screening models: screening by teachers (15 schools, 1835 children), local optometrists (30 schools, 1718 children) or volunteers (20 schools, 2183 children). Children identifying ≥2 symbols incorrectly in either eye failed screening. Accuracy of screening was compared with screenings executed by experienced optometrists among 141 children selected randomly from the three screening models. Direct and indirect costs for each model were assessed. Costs to detect a true case failed screening were estimated. Results: The sensitivity for three models ranged from 76.9% to 87.5%, specificity from 84.9% to 86.7% and standardized positive predictive value from 83.7% to 85.7%. None differed significantly between models. The costs per case detected were $37.53, $59.14 and $52.19 for the teachers, local optometrists and volunteers. In producing the cost estimates for teacher screening and local optometrist screening models, we used a salary payment that was identical for both models (with the salary being equal to that of the optometrist). The teacher screening model was the most cost‐effective. Conclusion: Accuracy of screening by teachers, local optometrists and volunteers was the same in this setting, but the use of teachers was most cost‐effective, reducing the cost per case detected by almost 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited evidence is available regarding the impact of ambient inhalable particulate matter (PM) on mental disorder (MD) or dementia-related deaths, particularly PM 1 , PM 1–2.5, and coarse particles (PM 2.5–10). Moreover, individual confounders have rarely been considered. In addition, evidence from low-pollution areas is needed but is inadequate. Using death records from the Death Registration System during 2015–2021 in Ningde, a coastal city in southeast China, we combined a conditional quasi-Poisson model with a distributed lag nonlinear model to estimate the nonlinear and lagged associations of PM exposure with MD or dementia-related deaths in Ningde, China, comprehensively controlling for individual time-invariant confounders using a time-stratified case-crossover design. The attributable fraction and number were calculated to quantify the burden of MD or dementia-related deaths that were related to PMs. We found J-shaped relationships between MD or dementia-related deaths and PMs, with different thresholds of 13, 9, 19, 33 and 12 μg/m3 for PM 1 , PM 1–2.5 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 and PM 2.5–10. An inter-quartile range increase for PM 1 , PM 1–2.5 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 and PM 2.5–10 above the thresholds led to an increase of 31.8% (95% confidence interval, 14.3–51.9%), 53.7% (22.4–93.1%), 32.6% (15.0–53.0%), 35.1% (17.7–55.0%) and 25.9% (13.0–40.3%) in MD-related deaths at lag 0–3 days, respectively. The associations were significant in the cool season rather than in the warm season and were significantly greater among people aged 75–84 years than in others. The fractions of MD-related deaths attributable to PM 1 , PM 1–2.5 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 and PM 2.5–10 were 5.55%, 6.49%, 7.68%, 10.66%, and 15.11%, respectively; however, only some of them could be protected by the concentrations recommended by the World Health Organisation or China grade I standard. Smaller associations and similar patterns were observed between PMs and dementia-related death. These findings suggest stricter standards, and provide evidence for the development of relevant policies and measures. • Different particulate matter (PM) impact on mental disorders (MDs) death is unclear. • There were J-shaped associations between PMs and MDs or dementia deaths. • Part of PMs-related deaths could be protected by the recommended concentrations. • PMs-related risks were higher in people aged 75–84 years old and in cool season. • The findings are essential for development of policies and standard concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: While previous studies have examined the association between health‐related behaviors and hypertension, comparatively little attention has been paid to the role of social participation (i.e. participating in community organizations). The aim of the present study was to investigate the longitudinal association between social participation and hypertension among the middle‐aged and older population (aged ≥45 years) in China where the prevalence of hypertension has been increasing rapidly in the past few decades. Methods: Data came from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study waves 2011 and 2013. Information was obtained from 5483 participants on blood pressure, social participation and covariates. A sex‐stratified Poisson regression model with a robust variance estimator was used to examine the associations. Results: During the period between 2011 and 2013, 20.6% of men and 17.2% of women developed hypertension. A Poisson regression model showed that participating in community organizations once a week or more frequently was inversely associated with the onset of hypertension in women (incidence rate ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.67–0.95, P = 0.012). Among men, no such association was found. Conclusion: The present study suggests that promoting social participation might help mitigate the disease burden associated with hypertension in China, particularly among women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1093–1099. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the health risks resulting from exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is limited by the lack of environmental exposure data among different subpopulations. To assess the exposure cancer risk of particulate carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollution for the elderly, this study conducted a personal exposure measurement campaign for particulate PAHs in a community of Tianjin, a city in northern China. Personal exposure samples were collected from the elderly in non-heating (August-September, 2009) and heating periods (November-December, 2009), and 12 PAHs individuals were analyzed for risk estimation. Questionnaire and time-activity log were also recorded for each person. The probabilistic risk assessment model was integrated with Toxic Equivalent Factors (TEFs). Considering that the estimation of the applied dose for a given air pollutant is dependent on the inhalation rate, the inhalation rate from both EPA exposure factor book was applied to calculate the carcinogenic risk in this study. Monte Carlo simulation was used as a probabilistic risk assessment model, and risk simulation results indicated that the inhalation-ILCR values for both male and female subjects followed a lognormal distribution with a mean of 4.81 × 10 and 4.57 × 10, respectively. Furthermore, the 95 % probability lung cancer risks were greater than the USEPA acceptable level of 10 for both men and women through the inhalation route, revealing that exposure to PAHs posed an unacceptable potential cancer risk for the elderly in this study. As a result, some measures should be taken to reduce PAHs pollution and the exposure level to decrease the cancer risk for the general population, especially for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn wounds have a significant impact on the mental health of patients. This study aimed to investigate the impact of perceived social support and dispositional optimism on depression of burn patients. A total of 246 burn patients accomplished the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Revised Life Orientation Test, and Depression Scale. The results revealed that both perceived social support and optimism were significantly correlated with depression. Structural equation modeling indicated that optimism partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and depression. Implications for prevention of depression in burn patients were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of fungal community composition and diversity and their dynamic patterns driving forces under different successional forest will contribute to the maintenance and preservation of natural ecosystems. The aim of this study was to compare soil fungal communities and soil microbial activities among three successional temperature Quercus mongolica forest stands (20, 30 and 40 years old) in Northeast China to investigate the maintenance mechanism of fungal diversity and provide the basic theory basis for the functions of fungus in nutrient cycle. Based on the sequences of rRNA with Illumina Miseq, 508 different fungal phylotypes were identified and grouped into Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota and Zygomycota. Russula was the dominant genus in these three successional stages of Q. mongolica forests. Fungal communities differed across these three stands and the fungal diversity and richness was significantly lower in the 30 years stand than in the 20 years and 40 years stands. Meanwhile, a total of 93 ectomycorrhizal fungus (EMF) phylotypes were observed and the EMF diversity was similar across the three successional stands. The activity of soil urease increased with forest development ages and cellulase activity first decreased and then increased from 20 years stand to 40 years stand. Both nitrogen mineralization and nitrification were the lowest in September in the 30 years stand and reached the maximum value in August. Both soil net N mineralization and N nitrification were the lowest in 40 years forest stage in October. The Redundance analysis showed that fungal community was strongly affected by stand ages and environmental factors and the nine plots in the three successional forest stands were significantly clustered across successional forest stands. The dominant Lachnum in Ascomycota positively, while the dominant Russula in Basidiomycota negatively, correlated with total P, available P, Soil organic carbon (SOC), NO 3 − -N, soil moisture or pH. Our results could provide insights into relationships between taxonomic fungal diversity and soil chemical properties along different stages of forest. The findings also imply the functions of soil fungi in sustaining soil biogeochemical cycling were driven by the secondary succession in temperate ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe trends in irrigation investment in China’s rural villages in the 2000s, identify the types of villages in which investment occurred and examine whether this investment had an impact on agricultural land. Design/methodology/approach – This study makes use of longitudinal survey data from a nearly nationally representative sample of 101 villages spread across five provinces. The outcome variables are cultivated area, sown area and effectively irrigated area, and ordinary least squares regression and fixed effects models are used for the analysis. Findings – In spite of sustained investments into irrigation from 1998 to 2011, there has been almost no impact on agricultural land. Cultivated area and sown area have fallen across all five sample provinces while effectively irrigated area remains largely unchanged. The authors also show that there is no relationship between investment into irrigation and agricultural land. Irrigation facilities also have the lowest rate of rural resident satisfaction of any of the major public services provided. Research limitations/implications – More research is needed to understand the impact of irrigation investment on crop yields and water savings. Practical implications – Policymakers may need to rethink the current pattern of investment into irrigation. Originality/value – This is the first study to quantitatively model the impact of investment into irrigation at the village level all over China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relationship between worry tendency and sleep quality and the mediating effect of state–trait anxiety, 1072 adolescents and young adults from Jiangxi and Fujian Provinces in China were administered questionnaires pertaining to worry tendency, sleep quality, and state–trait anxiety. The results showed significant grade differences for worry tendency, sleep quality, and state–trait anxiety. Worry tendency was negatively associated with sleep quality, which was mediated by state anxiety and trait anxiety. There is a need for interventions that aim to reduce the level of worry tendency to ensure good sleep quality and the progression from worry tendency to anxiety and to poor sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are accompanied with increased systemic inflammation, which accelerate the pulmonary function injury and impair the quality of life. Prompt and effective treatments for COPD exacerbations slow down the disease progression, but an objective instrument to assess the efficacy of the treatments following COPD exacerbations is lacking nowadays. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is an 8-item questionnaire designed to assess and quantify health status and symptom burden in COPD patients. We hypothesize that the change in CAT score is related to the treatment response following COPD exacerbations. Methods: 78 inpatients with clinician-diagnosed acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) completed the CAT, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale both at exacerbation and the 7th day of therapy, and a subgroup of 39 patients performed the pulmonary function test. Concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and plasma fibrinogen were assayed at the same time. Correlations between the CAT and other measurements were examined. Results: After 7 days' therapy, the CAT and SGRQ scores, mMRC grades, as well as the concentrations of CRP and fibrinogen all decreased significantly (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the FEV1% predicted had a significant improvement (P < 0.001). The CAT scores were significantly correlated with concurrent concentrations of CRP and fibrinogen, SGRQ scores, FEV1% predicted and mMRC grades (P < 0.05). The change in CAT score was positively correlated with the change of CRP (r = 0.286, P < 0.05), SGRQ score (r = 0.725, P < 0.001) and mMRC grades (r = 0.593, P < 0.001), but not with fibrinogen (r = 0.137, P > 0.05) or FEV1% predicted (r = -0.101, P > 0.05). No relationship was found between the changes of SGRQ score and CRP and fibrinogen (P>0.05). Conclusions: The CAT is associate with the changes of systemic inflammation following COPD exacerbations. Moreover, the CAT is responsive to the treatments, similar to other measures such as SGRQ, mMRC dyspnea scale and pulmonary function. Therefore, the CAT is a potentially useful instrument to assess the efficacy of treatments following COPD exacerbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution of flavonols from the onset of ripening to commercial harvest was compared in seven grape cultivars ( Vitis vinifera L.) in Qilian region of Gansu Province in northwest China for two consecutive years. The cultivars were three white-skinned (Chardonnay, Semillon, Italian Riesling), one pink-skinned (Gewurztraminer) and three red-skinned (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Gernischt and Merlot). Isorhamnetin-3- O-glucoside was found in the pink 'Gewurztraminer' grape and the three red cultivars, but not in the whites, while myricetin derivatives were found to be specific to the red grapes. Our results indicate that the flavonol synthesis in Gewurztraminer should be similar to that in white cultivars that do not have a flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase-mediated branch pathway. In comparison with the white and pink grapes, the type and level of quercetin and kaempferol derivatives detected in red grapes were relatively variable, which may be attributable to the presence of an additional myricetin branch in flavonol biosynthesis pathway of red grape cultivars, consequently expanding the range of metabolite variation. We also consider that rain during the sampling period may be a major factor causing these changes in the flavonol profile found between the two vintages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental behavior of the residents depends on their perception of environmental pollution. Hence, it is important for scientific and policy experts to research on the impact of the environmental pollution perception of local residents. Owing to the richness of natural resources, Hancheng coal mine areas are abound in heavy industries, and environmental pollution is serious and typical in this area, thus, the residents are anxious about their health. Using questionnaires, this paper surveys the perception of residents living in the coal mine area. The influential factors of environmental perception were analyzed by the Rank Sum Test. The results were: (1) the majority of the residents in the coal mine area are not satisfied with their living environment. The perception order of pollution severity is: air pollution > noise pollution > sanitation > water pollution. The residents think that pollution is mainly caused by coal processing. Hence, coal mining is not the main reason of the pollution in the coal mine area. (2) Age and length of residence have significant positive effects on perceptions of air, water, and noise pollutions; whereas education has a significant negative effect on perceptions of water and noise pollutions, as well as sanitation. This phenomenon can be explained by the various cultural groups having varied perceptions on the environmental pollution. In addition, proximity to mine has significant negative effect on perceptions of water and noise pollution. In conclusion, the paper discusses the effects of demographical and social factors on the perception of environmental pollution and gives suggestions on the planning and management of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There are about 235 outcropped anticlines in Qiangtang Basin, Tibet that are dominantly of Jurassic age. Based on geophysical exploration, surface geologic survey, and regional tectonic stress, these anticlines can be classified into four types, that is, simple structure, united structure, complex structure, and twisted structure. These four types of structures are distributed in different places in the basin and are mainly formed in the two deformation phases during the late Yanshan movement and Himalayan movement. As the two phases match with the two periods of hydrocarbon generation, the structures provide good conditions for hydrocarbon accumulation. The new tectonic movement of Qinghai-Tibet plateau is generally thought to be the important factor causing reservoir damage. However, the analysis of fault nature, effective seal rock distribution, and plateau uplifting indicates that the faults in the basin are mainly compressive, the internal structure is stable, and the intervals of interest are well preserved and have a good exploratory potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The balloon-borne Planetary Atmosphere Spectroscopic Telescope (PAST), China's first planetary optical remote-sensing project, will be launched for testing and conducting scientific flights during 2021 and 2022. Images of the planetary atmosphere and plasma in ultraviolet and visible wavelengths will be used to investigate the diversity of the planetary space environment in the solar system and their different drivers. Because simultaneous observation of multiple target planets in the solar system is possible, effective observation scheduling is critical to acquire high scientific merit spectroscopic imaging data. Herein, we demonstrate an automatic scheduling tool (AST) to aid the planning of observation schedules. The AST is primarily based on a planetary ephemeris and is realized on the basis of the geometrical information and optical requirements of the telescope. The temporal variations of the planetary reference frames can also be obtained to assist in the positioning and data processing of the telescope. As a part of the Chinese deep-space exploration plan, several ground-based planetary optical telescopes will be constructed in China in the future. With the use of the proposed AST, such telescopes can achieve maximum efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone marrow smear examination is an indispensable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of hematological diseases, but the process of manual differential count is labor extensive. In this study, we developed an automatic system with integrated scanning hardware and machine learning-based software to perform differential cell count on bone marrow smears to assist diagnosis. The initial development of the artificial neural network was based on 3000 marrow smear samples retrospectively archived from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine between June 2016 and December 2018. The preliminary field validating test of the system was based on 124 marrow smears newly collected from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between April 2019 and November 2019. The study was performed in parallel of machine automatic recognition with conventional manual differential count by pathologists using the microscope. We selected representative 600,000 marrow cell images as training set of the algorithm, followed by random captured 30,867 cell images for validation. In validation, the overall accuracy of automatic cell classification was 90.1% (95% CI, 89.8–90.5%). In a preliminary field validating test, the reliability coefficient (ICC) of cell series proportion between the two analysis methods were high (ICC ≥ 0.883, P < 0.0001) and the results by the two analysis methods were consistent for granulocytes and erythrocytes. The system was effective in cell classification and differential cell count on marrow smears. It provides a useful digital tool in the screening and evaluation of various hematological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep space exploration is one of the Chinese scientific strategies in the future. As two examples, China has successfully implemented the Chang'E Project and approved the Mars in-situ detection program. Orbiter exploration programs to Jupiter are being discussed in Chinese communities. Moreover, Earth-based planetary optical remote sensing, such as balloon-borne telescopes and ground-based telescopes, could also provide unique value in resolving planetary environments. Compared with space-based missions, the advantages of these telescopes include low costs, maintainability, long-term continuous observation, and rapid response to space events. As supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, that is the Scientific Experimental system in Near-SpacE (SENSE), the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS (IGGCAS) is leading a project to carry out coordinated balloon-borne planetary optical remote sensing and ground-based monitoring of planetary geological activity. In this program, a balloon-borne planetary atmospheric spectral telescope (PAST) with 0.8-m aperture in spectral range from 280 nm to 680 nm will be floated at 35-40 km altitude to observe and investigate the global space environment of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. At the same time, two ground-based telescopes both with 1-m aperture will be established to monitor the geological activities of Jupiter's moons (e.g., the volcanic activity on Io). Using the coordinated observations by PAST and ground-based telescopes and other satellite measurements when available, we will investigate mass transport and energy dissipation in space environments for solar system planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate acceptance and willingness to pay for HPV vaccination among adult women in China. An online survey was sent to mothers aged 27–45 years of primary school pupils in the Fujian province, China. Participants completed questions about HPV related knowledge and health beliefs, intention to take the HPV vaccine and the willingness to pay for bivalent vaccine (2vHPV), quadrivalent vaccine (4vHPV), and 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV). Of a total of 2339 complete responses, 58.3% reported intent to obtain HPV vaccine. Mothers who were younger in age, residing in urban, working in managerial or professional occupations, who knew someone with cervical cancer and who were able to make independent decisions about the HPV vaccine (vs. joint decision with spouse) were more likely to express intent to have HPV vaccination. Perceived barriers, cues to action and self-efficacy were three of the constructs in the health belief model that significantly influenced HPV vaccination intent. A higher proportion of participants expressed willingness to pay for 2vHPV (81.2%) and 4vHPV (75.9%), as compared to 9vHPV (67.7%). Adults women expressed moderate intention to receive the HPV vaccine. Intervention to address barriers to uptake of the HPV vaccine among adult women in China is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has been conducted on the intention to obtain HPV vaccine now that the vaccine is approved for use in China. Acceptance of the three HPV vaccines, which differ in valency and price, has never been investigated. An online cross-sectional survey assessing female undergraduate students' intention to obtain the HPV vaccine and their acceptability of 2-, 4- and 9-valent HPV vaccines (2vHPV, 4vHPV, and 9vHPV, respectively). Of a total of 997 complete responses, 55.2% reported intent to obtain the HPV vaccine. Some of the significant factors exerting influence on intent to obtain HPV vaccination were high knowledge score (OR = 1.469, 95% CI:1.087–1.987), perceived high risk of HPV infection (OR = 1.466, 95%CI:1.017–2.114), perception of no serious side effects (OR = 1.562, 95%CI:1.150–2.121), and mass media exposure to HPV vaccination information (OR = 2.196, 95%CI: 1.625–2.966). Socioeconomic status indicators did not significantly influence intent to obtain the HPV vaccine. A higher proportion of respondents were willing to pay for 2vHPV (78.6%) and 4vHPV (68.0%) compared with 9vHPV (49.3%). Socioeconomic status indicators were the strongest correlates of acceptability for all the three vaccines. Exposure to mass media reporting about HPV vaccination is the factor which exerts the most influence on acceptance of 9vHPV after socioeconomic status indicators. It is important to improve knowledge and health beliefs, and to establish a mass media marketing strategy to promote HPV vaccination in order to enhance HPV vaccine uptake. Undergraduate female students should be provided with detailed information about the different valency vaccine choices to help them make informed decisions about immunization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experiments were conducted to investigate rock breaking using high-pressure, high traverse speed water jets, matching the movement speed of the TBM disc cutter. • The relationship between traverse speed and the depth of water jet cutting was examined. • A deeper groove depth than penetration depth leads to a more effective rock-breaking outcome. • A water jet zoning arrangement method for eight-meter class TBM cutters is introduced. The disc cutting load of a TBM is insufficient to induce crack propagation in hard rock tunnels due to the high strength of the rock. High-pressure water jets, considered an auxiliary rock-breaking method, enhance the disc cutter's capacity to penetrate cracks by creating pre-existing fissures. In order to examine the correlation between cutting depth achieved by a high-pressure water jet operating at high traverse speeds and the penetration capability of TBM disc cutters, we conducted rock cutting experiments employing varying traverse velocities for the water jet. Additionally, we performed linear disc cutting experiments using full-size disc cutters equipped with grooves. These experiments were conducted using high-strength granite from China's Bei Shan region. We utilized the Discrete Element Software PFC2D to construct a rock breaking model based on Tyson polygons, enabling us to investigate the microfine influence mechanism of grooves with symmetry. The experiments involving high-pressure water jet grooving at high traverse velocities revealed a logarithmic decrease in groove depth as the nozzle's traverse velocity increased. These findings suggest that when high-pressure water jets are employed as an auxiliary method in TBM operations, increased distance from the center of the disc hob leads to higher traverse velocities, resulting in less efficient rock breaking. Nonetheless, increasing the nozzle diameter can enhance the rock-breaking effect. Linear disc cutting experiments indicate that, at a penetration depth of 4 mm, grooves with depths less than 4 mm have minimal impact on assisting in disc cutter rock breaking. However, when the groove depth exceeds 4 mm, there is a noticeable improvement in the disc cutter's breaking performance. The numerical simulation results provide initial validation for the linear disc cutting experiment. Lastly, considering the specific conditions of the Beishan tunnel, we propose a design scheme that involves the zoned arrangement of water jets. Additionally, we recommend appropriately reducing the rotational speed when employing high-pressure water jets as an auxiliary method for rock breaking. The research findings presented in this paper can serve as valuable references for the design and implementation of high-pressure water jet-assisted TBM cutter rock breaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Junior high dropout rates are up to 25% in poor, rural areas of China. Although existing studies have examined how factors such as high tuition and opportunity costs contribute to dropout, fewer studies have explored the relationship between dropout rates and mental health in rural China. The overall goal of this study is to examine the relationship between dropout and mental health problems in rural Chinese junior high schools. Methods Correlational analysis was conducted among 4840 students across 38 junior high schools in rural China. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions were used to determine the types of students most at risk for mental health problems and whether mental health problems are correlated with dropout behavior. Our measure for mental health is based on the Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. Results Mental health problems are widespread in the sample of rural children, with 74% of students at risk for mental health problems. The student and family characteristics that correlate with dropout (poverty and low achievement) also correlate with mental health problems. More importantly, even after controlling for these background characteristics, mental health problems remain correlated with dropout rates. Conclusions Mental health problems, especially among low-achieving poor students, may be contributing to the high dropout rates in rural China today. This finding suggests that interventions focusing on mental health in rural areas may also help reduce dropout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster thinning (CT) is a common practice to prevent overcropping in viticulture. CT affects vine balance between vegetative and productive growth and further modifies grape composition. This study investigated the effects of cluster thinning treatments applied at pea-size stage (CT-AF) and the onset of veraison (CT-V), respectively, on volatile compounds of Cabernet Sauvignon in two seasons (2013–2014). The experimental vineyard was located in the north-west of China with semi-arid and monsoon climate. CT exhibited limited effects on the evolutions of volatile compounds. CT-AF exhibited an inhibition on 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one accumulation. There were no differences in terpene concentrations between CT-treated and control grapes regardless of CT time. Regarding C 6 /C 9 compounds and their derivatives, CT-AF decreased nonanal concentration whilst CT-V increased (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol concentration. Additionally, there were increases in nonanal, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-2-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol concentrations in grapes with delayed CT. Among benzene derivatives, earlier CT resulted in lower phenol concentrations. Unlabelled Image • Effects of cluster thinning (CT) on volatiles compounds in grapes were evaluated. • CT had limited effects on the evolution of volatile compounds. • CT applied at pea-size stage inhibited 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one accumulation. • CT modified the concentrations of C 6 /C 9 compounds and their derivatives. • Phenol was negatively responsive to CT applied at pea-size stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic synthesis through carbon dioxide (CO 2) reduction may provide the prebiotic organic compounds needed for the emergence of life, whereas petroleum geologists pay more attention to whether abiotic gas generated by purely chemical reactions plays a prominent role in the formation of industrial gas pools like biotic gas. The Cretaceous reservoir associated with volcanic rocks of the Songliao Basin in northeastern China is suspected of possessing abiotic gas due to some abnormal geochemical characteristics, such as abundant 13C-enriched CO 2 , 13C-enriched CH 4 , 13C-depleted C 2 H 6 , and an isotopic trend of decreasing 13C content with growing carbon number. To understand further the genesis of deep natural gas, we examined the molecular and isotopic compositions of C 1 –C 4 alkanes, CO 2 , and light hydrocarbons (LHs) of equal number (four) of gas samples collected from the Yingcheng (K 1 yc) volcanic and Denglouku (K 1 d) clastic reservoirs in the Changling (CL-I) gas field. Compared with the products of abiotic polymerization composed of 13C-depleted straight-chain alkanes, various 13C-enriched LH isomers that are highly compatible with the molecular and isotopic compositions of coal-derived thermogenic gas are confirmed in our samples, such as 2-methylhexane (2-MH), 2,3-dimethylpentane (2,3-DMP), cyclohexane (CH), methylcyclohexane (MCH), and other branched-chain alkanes or cycloalkanes. The striking invariable K 1 ratio and resemblance of isotopic curves of LHs further indicate that the natural gas in different reservoirs is derived from underlying homologous source rocks, regardless of the variation of CO 2 content (K 1 yc > 15% and K 1 d < 1%). Combining geological conditions, we propose that C 1 –C 4 and LHs that have no inherent correlation with the concentration of CO 2 , which is predominantly derived from mantle degassing, are generated from the thermal decomposition of 13C-enriched type III organic matter during burial and diagenesis rather than sourced from mantle degassing, abiotic polymerization, or mixing of thermogenic gas. In addition, we also suggest that the geochemical anomalies consisting of 13C-enriched methane and 13C-depleted ethane are the products of the chemical mechanisms controlled by high temperature, and mantle-derived non-hydrocarbon gas (e.g., CO 2 and He) are simply added to thermogenic gas. • Light hydrocarbons associated with natural gas are used to elucidate the gas origin. • CO 2 predominantly sourced from mantle degassing is simply added to thermogenic gas. • LHs are derived from homologous humic organic matter rather than abiotic processes. • Isotopic anomaly of natural gas is caused by coal-derived gas in over-mature stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Grape and wine quality varied from different cluster growing spatial positions. • Microclimate and vine growth of different positions lead to the heterogeneity. • Light promotes the accumulation of flavonols and 3′-hydroxylated anthocyanins. • Wines made from upper clusters had higher alcohol degree and lightness. • Lower clusters give the wine a higher total acidity and red color component. The fan training system with multiple trunks (F-MT) is widely used in the northern China winegrape region with high yield and convenience for burying soil to prevent winter cold. However, the wide distribution of clusters under F-MT usually leads to variations in berry compositions. In two consecutive years, clusters from different spatial positions were collected to determine the phenolic composition in grapes and resultant wines by HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS. Results showed that light exposure promotes the accumulation of flavonols and 3′-hydroxylated anthocyanins in berries. Wines made from upper clusters had higher alcohol degree, lightness, monomeric anthocyanins and flavonols, whereas wines made from lower clusters had relatively higher total acidity, red color component, polymeric anthocyanin and total flavanols. Most of the wine parameters were also significantly affected by vintage. In conclusion, the quality of grapes and wines varied from different cluster positions, graded harvesting helps to maximize the characteristics of grape berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins and flavonols are important flavonoid metabolites in grapes, making a dominant contribution to the color, the mouth feel and even the flavor of grapes and wines. The accumulation of these flavonoids in grapes is greatly influenced by a many, diverse but interacting factors, of which variety and climate are among the most important ones. In the present study, the anthocyanin and flavonol profiles of four grape varieties ( Vitis vinifera L.), Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah and Merlot, from five major wine regions in China were examined for two consecutive years (2006 and 2007). The results showed that the total anthocyanin content of the berry skins in these cultivars tended to increase from east to west in China, yet the proportion of the acylated anthocyanins displayed the opposite trend. It seemed possible that the western grape regions, with their high altitude and low annual rainfall, had an advantage in producing high level of anthocyanins. In addition, a high proportion of trihydroxylated flavonols were always found in the western region grapes, whereas dihydroxylated flavonols were more prominent in the lower altitude eastern regions. This suggested that the relative amounts of these flavonoid compounds may depend on their corresponding cultivar characteristics, while the amounts are more affected by the environmental factors where they were growing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Particle Exposure Assessment for Community Elderly (PEACE) in Tianjin, China was to characterize personal PM10 exposure, and provide data support for an epidemiological study investigating potential health effects of PM pollution on Chinese elderly population. In this study, a total of 80 elderly participants were recruited for a two-consecutive-day personal exposure measurement, and simultaneously residential indoor, residential outdoor and community PM10 were monitored in the summer and winter of 2009. Personal PM10 concentrations were 192.8 ± 100.6 μg m−3 in summer and 154.6 ± 105.4 μg m−3 in winter. Modeled personal exposures were less than measured personal exposures while a high coefficient of determination (R 2) of 0.71 was obtained. Based on measured and modeled exposures, a mean personal cloud of 30.2 μg m−3 was estimated in summer and 16.5 μg m−3 in winter. Moderate correlation emerged between personal and community PM10 concentrations in summer (r = 0.39), and stronger correlation was found in winter (r = 0.82). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shown that smoking, cooking and cleaning activities did not produce significant effect on personal exposures. Further more, multivariate regression analysis performed in this study revealed that community PM10 level contributed most of personal PM10 exposure, 32% in summer and 64% in winter, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that PM10 personal exposures were considerably influenced by outdoor particulate matter rather than typical indoor sources, and ambient PM10 level measured at community monitoring sites may be used as a surrogate of personal exposure to PM10. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The period following Late Jurassic continental collision but preceding Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic arc magmatism represents a significant, yet poorly understood tectonic transition in central Tibet, western China. The Asa basin (31°00′–32°40′, 84°30′–87°05′) in central Tibet, which crosses the southern margin of the Qiangtang block, the Bangong-Nujiang suture zone, and the northern half of the Lhasa block, is characterized by up to 5000 m of continental-marine elastic-carbonate sediments and is ideally positioned to provide constraints on this transition. Sedimentary and volcanic data from recent field studies suggest that contraction controlled Berriasian-Valanginian tectonics, whereas back-arc extension may have controlled Hauterivian-Early Cenomanian basin evolution. Berriasian-Valanginian strata occur over the northern half of the Asa basin (approximately north of 31°40′) and unconformably overlie a varied basement. Sediment transport and fining directions are generally toward the south. The sandstones (Q78F11L11, Qm72F11Lt17, Qp38Lvm8Lsm54) in the central Bangong-Nujiang suture zone are dominated by monocrystalline quartz grains with undulose extinction but also contain abundant chert grains and some ultrabasic lithic fragments and radiolarian fragments. Hauterivian-Lower Barremian strata are characterized by siliciclastic rocks deposited in high-energy tidal environments, and barrier-bank skeletal bioclastic grainstone and wackestone. Intraformational limestone breccia or conglomerate and bimodal volcanic rocks are in places found within the sedimentary sequences in the southern margin of the basin (approximately south of 31°35°). Sandstones (Q54F20L26, Qm45F20Lt35, QP20Lvm59Lsm21) are characterized by complex derivations from both recycled orogen and volcanic arc provenances. Widespread thick carbonate is a characteristic feature of Upper Barremian-Lower Cenomanian lithofacies, possibly formed in both restricted platform and platform interior environments. Lithic fragments in the sandstones (Q34F24L42, Qm33F24Lt43, Qp3Lvm87Lsm10) interbedded with the carbonates predominantly reflect volcanic source areas (65%). The Berriasian-Valanginian sequence is interpreted to represent molasse sediments from a northern orogen and indicates that the collision between the Qiangtang and Lhasa blocks could have extended into the Valanginian. The change from orogenic to magmatic arc source areas for sandstones during the beginning of the Hauterivian, along with a coeval extensive marine transgression in central-southern Tibet, normal faulting, and rich intercalations of bimodal volcanic rocks, are interpreted to be related to back-arc extension of the Gangdese arc during the Middle Cretaceous (ca. 120–95 Ma). This may have occurred in response to a rollback of the Tethyan oceanic slab. During the Middle Cretaceous, the entire southern Eurasian margin could have been characterized by a series of back-arc rift basins (including those in Kohistan and Ladakh). Some basins may have been floored by oceanic crust whereas others remained underlain by continental or transitional basement, much like the present western Pacific margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sun irradiation was varied with cluster positions in the canopy. • The interior clusters had lower flavonols concentration than the exterior clusters. • Cluster positions in the canopy had limited effect on free volatile compounds. • Bound terpenoids and norisoprenoids were influenced by cluster positions in the canopy. Sunlight conditions around grape clusters vary with their positions, and can have a significant effect on grape berry compounds. This study investigated the influence of cluster positions in the canopy (interior and two exterior canopy sides) and vineyard row orientation (north–south and east–west) on flavonoid and volatile compound profiles of Vitis vinifera L. cvs 'Cabernet franc' (CF) and 'Chardonnay' (CH) berries in two consecutive years. The experimental vineyard was located in Jiaodong Peninsula of China, which is characterized by a temperate monsoon-type climate and relatively short sunlight duration. Clusters located in the interior of the canopy received less sunlight irradiation than the exterior positions, and the average temperature around clusters located in different positions differed slightly. The results showed that over two years, the positions of clusters in the canopy had no consistent impact on cluster weight, berry weight, juice total soluble solids or titratable acidity for either cultivar. For both cultivars, the interior clusters had lower total flavonol concentrations than the exterior clusters, while the position of clusters in the canopy had no major impacts on the composition of anthocyanins and flavan-3-ols. The volatile compounds were somewhat influenced by the positions of clusters in the canopy, while some bound norisoprenoids and terpenoids had lower levels in interior clusters than in exterior clusters. These results will help winegrowers make decisions regarding harvest strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]