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Jiujiang Folk Songs, from Jiujiang County in Jiangxi Province, is a traditional Chinese folk genre with unique musical styles and themes focusing on daily life, labor, love, and historical narratives. Beginning with an introduction that highlights the cultural significance of these songs, the study's objective is to propose strategies for education and literacy in the preservation and transmission of Jiujiang folk songs in Jiangxi Province. Focusing on Jiujiang County, known for its rich cultural heritage, the research involves key informants with deep roots in the region and extensive experience in performing and teaching Jiujiang folk songs. Through qualitative data analysis, including live performance observations and structured interviews, the study identifies key challenges such as an aging population of practitioners, language barriers, and a lack of modern promotion. Drawing from these findings, the research suggests strategies at multiple levels, including legislative protection, cultural promotion, and school involvement, to bridge these gaps and ensure the continued preservation and transmission of Jiujiang folk songs. This study contributes to the broader discourse on the preservation of traditional cultural heritage in the face of modernization and serves as a model for safeguarding similar treasures worldwide.

The research on the correlation or causality between gut microbiota and the occurrence, development, and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) is receiving increasing emphasis. At the same time, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer vary among individuals and regions, as does the gut microbiota. In order to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of the gut microbiota in CRC patients and the differences between different regions, we initially compared the gut microbiota of 25 CRC patients and 26 healthy controls in the central region of China (Hubei Province) using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia-Shigella were significantly enriched in CRC patients. In addition, we also compared the potential differences in functional pathways between the CRC group and the healthy control group using PICRUSt's functional prediction analysis. We then analyzed and compared it with five cohort studies from various regions of China, including Central, East, and Northeast China. We found that geographical factors may affect the composition of intestinal microbiota in CRC patients. The composition of intestinal microbiota is crucial information that influences colorectal cancer screening, early detection, and the prediction of CRC treatment outcomes. This emphasizes the importance of conducting research on CRC-related gut microbiota in various regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines China's national security review regime of foreign investment and compares it with that of the United States. Over the years, China has gradually established a comprehensive legal framework for national security review of foreign investment. Recent efforts were made to refine the public enforcement mechanism of the review in tandem with a new "pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list" system under the 2020 Foreign Investment Law. The United States also enacted the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 to enhance its national security review regime. By analyzing the law and practices of China and the United States, this paper finds that the national security review regimes of the two jurisdictions have functional convergences despite some formal divergences caused by diverse political-economy landscapes. Their functional convergences are highlighted by China's local practices, such as the de-facto national security screening in the name of anti-monopoly review. There are many factors affecting China's national security review regime for foreign investment, including the ongoing (and escalating) US-China competition (or conflict) at the international level and the evolution of state or party capitalism at the domestic level. These research findings will not only contribute to the existing comparative law scholarship but also benefit multinational enterprises that seek to enter Chinese and the US markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPCC) issued the "Measures for the Management of Human Sperm Banks," which was revised in 2003 and is still in effect today. One of the standard guidelines is that potential donors undergo laboratory testing to exclude infectious and genetic diseases and karyotype analysis. However, patient demands for donor genetic testing have also increased, and only karyotype analysis to exclude genetic diseases is not sufficient to meet these demands. Objective: To examine donor genetic screening practices at sperm banks in China and to evaluate the qualifications and skills of genetic counselors at the banks. Materials and methods: An electronic survey was distributed to twenty-seven sperm banks to examine donor genetic screening practices at sperm banks in China and to evaluate the qualifications and skills of genetic counselors at the banks. Twenty-six human sperm banks responded to a 32-question survey about their current practices related to genetic testing of sperm donors. Results: The 26 sperm banks reported that all qualified sperm donors undergo karyotype analysis; 22 banks (84.6%) collected three generations of family history from each qualified sperm donor; 10 (38.5%) reported that they attempted to accommodate special requests from donor semen recipients for particular genetic tests. Only 2 of the 26 (7.7%) sperm banks reported that they performed whole-exome sequencing. At all the sperm banks, consent for genetic testing was obtained as part of the overall contract for sperm donors. Nineteen (73.1%) sperm banks had genetic counselors on their staff, while six (23.1%) had no genetic counselors on their staff but had access to genetic counselors at the hospital. Only one (3.8%) sperm bank had no genetic counselors on their staff or at the hospital. Conclusions: The need for larger scale genetic testing of donors and recipients and an extensive panel of genetic tests specific to the Chinese population. Additionally, professionally trained geneticists must be employed as genetic counsellors so that the results of genetic tests and their implications can be explained to donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The consequences and impact of violent behavior in schizophrenia are often serious, and identification of risk factors is of great importance to achieve early identification and effective management. Methods: This follow-up study sampled adult patients with schizophrenia in primary mental health care in a rural area of southern China, in which 491 participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire at baseline and the 2-year follow-up. Sociodemographic, clinical and psychological assessment data were collected from all participants. Paired sample T-Tests and the McNemar Test were performed to examine changes over the follow-up period. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to analyze the risk factors for violent behavior. Results: The results showed that about two in five community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia reported violent behavior in the past year. At follow-up, participants were significantly less employed, had more times of hospitalization, more psychotropic medication, and severer depressive symptoms, but had better health-related quality of life than at baseline. Use of clozapine and better insight into medication decreased the possibility of violent behavior, while more severe positive symptoms, insomnia, as well as use of second-generation antipsychotics other than clozapine, antidepressants and mood stabilizers increased the possibility of violent behavior. Conclusions: Risk evaluation, prevention and management of violence in patients with schizophrenia are demanded in primary mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although an important greenhouse gas, methane flux in hilly forest ecosystems remains unclear. By using closed-path eddy covariance systems, methane flux was measured continuously from 2017 to 2019 in a mixed plantation in the Xiaolangdi area of the Yellow River in North China. The methane flux footprint and its diurnal and monthly variations were analysed, and its characteristics on rainy days are discussed. The results showed that: (a) the observation data were reliable with good spatial representation (b) The methane flux in the mixed plantation ecosystem had obvious diurnal and seasonal variations: the monthly average diurnal variation of the methane flux had a single-peak; the methane flux value was source in the daytime and sink at night. The daily mean maximum value of methane flux in growing season was lower than that in non-growing season with the maximum value appearing in March, and the minimum value in October. (c) The forest is an atmospheric CH4 source with the annual emission in 2017 of (3.31 g C·m-2·year-1) >2019 (2.94 g C·m-2·year-1) >2018 (2.81 g C·m-2·year-1), and the main influencing factor was precipitation. Rainfall affected CH4 flux with a lag period of approximately three days. Rainfall also changed the balance of CH4 flux between sink or source according to precipitation intensity and frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical internship is an indispensable stage for nursing students to graduate successfully and become qualified nurses. However, COVID-19, a novel coronavirus disease with strong human-to-human transmission, hit China in late 2019 and forced the Chinese government to suspend classes and clinical internships. To cope with this situation, e-internship, which facilitate varied interactions without the need for direct contact, is used as an alternative strategy to help nursing students continue their internships. Objectives: To describe the perceptions and experiences of undergraduate nursing students in e-internships during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was adopted. Seventeen undergraduate nursing students in a major teaching hospital in Changsha, China, were recruited into the study. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi's approach. Results: Four themes were captured from the data analysis: perceived images of clinical nurses in e-internships, psychological experience, perceived benefits of e-internships, and perceived limitations of e-internships. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that e-internship is a suitable method for training and cultivating undergraduate nursing students during a crisis. To enhance the efficiency of e-internships, guidelines and standards should be formulated, and effective measures should be taken to build better e-internship platforms. In the future, we suggest combine on-site internships with e-internships, thereby fully using their advantages, and improve the efficiency of internships as much as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has attracted more and more attention from schools, mental health workers and even the whole society in China. The aim of this study was to explore influencing factors and clinical characteristics of NSSI in adolescent psychiatric patients in China, and provide valuable information for the intervention and treatment of NSSI. Methods: The sample included 157 adolescents, 114 were female (72.6%), aged 12-18 years (M = 15.39, SD = 1.81). Assessments were performed using Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, the modified version of Adolescents Self-Harm Scale, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Clinical characteristics were collected fromelectronicmedical record system. Results: Adolescent patients with NSSI experienced more adverse life events including peer bullying, childhood trauma and romantic relationship trouble. They had more times of hospitalization, higher dosage of psychotic medication, and more severe depressive symptoms. Conclusions: It is very necessary to evaluate negative life events, including childhood trauma, peer bullying etc., in adolescent patients with NSSI. It has important clinical implications for evaluating the risk factors of NSSI and giving effective intervention treatment. Timely and effective treatment of these patients' depressive symptoms will also contribute to the relief of NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stixis yingjiangensis (Resedaceae), a new species from Yingjiang, Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It is compared with two morphologically similar species S. philippinensis, and S. villiflora. It differs from the two species by both surfaces with sparsely strigillose on lateral nerves, midrib and pustules (each pustule is formed by a multicellular cushion from which one short hair can also be produced), inflorescences axillary, racemes, 3-9 cm, filaments lower third pubescent, upper two thirds glabrous, androgynophores 2-3 mm, glabrous except apex sparsely puberulent, gynophores with densely white hairs, ovary glabrous. A complete morphological description of Stixis yingjiangensis is provided, together with photographs, a conservation assessment, and a diagnostic key to 4 species and 1 subspecies of Stixis from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of watershed ecosystem health promotes the construction of ecological civilisation in China, and assessment results are an important basis for watershed planning and management. At present, research on and application of small watershed ecosystem health assessment in China are deficient. Thus, small watershed protection and management in China are restricted. The research object of this study is a small watershed of Changqing River in Yongtai County of Fuzhou City. Using satellite image data, digital elevation data as well as field and monitoring data combined with 3S technology, the health status of the small watershed ecosystem was evaluated by three assessment systems consisting of remote sensing data, measured survey data and multi-source data. The watershed ecosystem health status was quantitatively analysed, and a comparative analysis with the results of different evaluation methods was conducted. Results show that, in general, the comprehensive indexes of ecosystem health obtained by the three evaluation methods are 70.29, 77.68 and 63.87. The evaluation results support the notion that the research status of the watershed ecosystem is satisfactory. The overall ecosystem health status of the high mountains sub-watershed in the northwest and in the southwest of the watershed is relatively acceptable but that of the middle and lower reaches is relatively poor. Finally, the evaluation results of the three methods were compared, and their differences were analysed, it can provide a basic idea for the ecosystem health evaluation of the small watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the audit oversight dispute between the U.S. and China. Topics discussed include the extraterritorial oversight power and international inspection practice of the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), role of the financial markets trend towards cross-listing and interconnection in stock exchanges in the importance of cross-border audit oversight, and possible imposition of restrictive measures for existing Chinese companies in the U.S. markets.

This Article conducts the first comprehensive and systematic empirical analysis of all relevant insider trading cases in China from the birth of Chinese securities markets in the early 1990s until mid-2017, shedding light on the way in which China's insider trading law has been enforced by the regulator and criminal courts in practice. First, the Article generates descriptive statistics on features of insider trading cases, such as the total number of cases over the study period, the temporal distribution of the cases, the identity of the insider, and the nature of the insider information. Second, it measures the intensity of insider trading enforcement and compares the Chinese situation with six overseas jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Third, using multiple regression analyses, it identifies potential factors determining the administrative and criminal penalties for insider trading. The results of the empirical study indicate that China has significantly stepped up its efforts to crack down on insider trading in recent years, resulting in a sharp increase in insider trading cases, particularly criminal cases since 2008. While the Chinese insider trading law was essentially transplanted from overseas jurisdictions, its; enforcement has exhibited distinctive features in its local environment. Judging by the type, magnitude, and frequency of the sanctions imposed, the intensity of insider trading enforcement in China seems to be at a level comparable to relevant jurisdictions overseas. Administrative and criminal penalties against insider trading are found to be significantly influenced by some factors, notably the amount of illegal proceeds, the magnitude of social impact, the presence of mitigating circumstances, and whether the trader used others' accounts to trade. The hope is that the empirical findings will help inform the policy debate over the regulation of insider trading in China and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shareholder inspection rights allow a shareholder to access the relevant documents of the company in which they hold an interest, so as to address the problem of information asymmetry and reduce the agency costs inherent in the corporate structure. While Chinese corporate governance and American corporate governance face different sets of agency cost problems, this Article shows that shareholder inspection rights play an important role in both China and the United States. On the books, while shareholder inspection rights in both countries are broadly similar, there are some important differences on issues such as the proper purpose requirement. The empirical analysis of this Article further sheds light on how inspection rights operate on the ground. A good number of inspection cases are filed in both China and in Delaware. These cases are resolved by the courts relatively quickly. While inspection rights in both countries are frequently used as a presuit discovery device, the types of subsequent litigation that can be filed in each country are quite different. Efforts are made to explain, and draw implications from, the similarities and differences on shareholder inspection rights between the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the relationship between industrial ownership and environmental performance by investigating whether foreign direct investment (FDI) harms the environment. We investigate the potential differences in pollution costs among foreign-owned firms (FOEs), state-owned firms (SOEs), and privately owned firms (POEs) by using firm-level data in China. Results from the Tobit model indicate that FOEs tend to have relatively low pollution costs in most industries, whereas POEs have relatively high pollution costs in all industries. Moreover, the estimated impact of labor skill on pollution cost varies among different ownerships, with FOEs exhibiting a higher skill level than SOEs and POEs, implying that FOEs are more skill efficient and pollute less than SOEs and POEs. The result indicates that perceived advanced technology from FDI reduces environmental pollution in China, thereby supporting the pollution halo hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore the feeding response of tropical copepods to short-term thermal shock and provide insight into the potential impact of coastal power plants on the trophic dynamics of tropical coastal ecosystems. Feeding experiments were conducted at three different temperatures (29 °C, 33 °C, and 35 °C) using the copepod Acartia erythraea, collected from Sanya Bay, China. The grazing rate of A. erythraea decreased dramatically in the high temperature treatment. Analysis of 18S rDNA clone libraries revealed that the diet of copepods from different treatments was mainly comprised of diatoms, metazoans, and protozoans; A. erythraea exhibited an obvious feeding preference shift with temperature, with a change from a diatom-dominated diet at 29 °C to a metazoan-dominated diet at 35 °C, and the omnivory index shifted from 0.1 to 2.84 correspondingly. Furthermore, A. erythraea showed a positive feeding response to plant food (i.e., phytoplankton and land plants) in the control treatment (29 °C), but a positive response to animal prey (i.e., metazoans and protozoans) at temperatures exceeding 33 °C, as evaluated by the Ivlev's selectivity index. Our results suggest that copepods could regulate their food intake by considering their energy demands when exposed to short-term thermal stress, which might influence the pathway of materials moving up the trophic system. However, further studies are required to elucidate the effects of elevated temperature on feeding of different organisms in order to predict the influence of thermal pollution on the food web of tropical coastal ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the sustainable development background and in order to meet the economic transformation, energy structure adjustment and environment demand, energy services industry has attracted more and more attention and got rapid development, but the current theoretical system of energy services industry is still not perfect now. The economic contribution degree analysis of each factor input in the energy service industry can help the industry to break growth bottleneck, promote development, and achieve more social and environmental benefits. By constructing the economic growth model for various elements in the industry, the paper analyzes the contribution rate of input factors and the influence of industrial economic growth on the society economy. The results showed that the factor of enterprise growth ability has the highest contribution rate to the energy service industry's economic growth, followed by the capital input and labor input, and the contribution rate of human capital, knowledge capital and policy factors is relatively small. The result has practical significance to China's energy service industry development at the present stage, at the same time, the research framework and method put in the paper can give certain reference for the study of other industrial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although increasing evidence suggests that estrogen receptor α (ESRα) genetic variation could modify bone damage caused by environmental fluoride exposure, little is known about epigenetic mechanisms in relation to bone changes. A case-control study was conducted among farmers aged 18-55 years in Henan Province, China. X-ray was used to detect bone changes. Methylation status was determined by methylation-specific PCR. Genotypes were identified by Taqman probe and real-time PCR. In this study, we found that methylation status in the promoter region of the ESRα gene was lower in bone change cases than that in controls, which was only observed in male farmers after stratification by gender. Furthermore, methylation level was negatively associated with the urinary fluoride concentration in male farmers. No significant association was found between the distribution of ESRα rs2941740 genotypes and the risk of bone changes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age and gender, increased serum calcium and methylation status were protective factors for bone changes. No interaction effect was observed between fluoride exposure and ESRα rs2941740 polymorphism on bone changes. In conclusion, the current work suggests that bone changes are associated with methylation status, which might be modulated by fluoride exposure in male farmers. Methylation status and bone changes were not modified by ESRα gene rs2941740 polymorphism in the promoter region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heterosexual intercourse accounted for 93% of reported HIV cases in Guangxi, and Guangxi had 10% of China's total number of reported HIV cases. Older men are particularly vulnerable to STIs, for example, 46% of Guangxi's HIV cases were men over 50 years of age. As this is an under-studied population in China, effective prevention and control policies have yet to be developed. Thus, the aim of this study was to use a large-scale cross-sectional survey to understand the demographic and behavior factors associated with HIV and syphilis infections among older male clients of female sex workers (FSWs) in a high epidemic area of rural Guangxi, China.Methods: A large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012 among older male clients of FSWs in low-cost commercial sex venues. Questionnaire interviews were administered to collect sociodemographic and sexual behavior information. Blood samples were collected for HIV and syphilis infection tests.Results: Of the 3485 participants, 2509 (72.0%) clients had a steady sex partner and 976 (28.0%) clients had no steady sex partner. The overall prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection were 3.0% and 3.2%, respectively. Compared to those with a steady sex partner, clients with no steady partner had higher odds of HIV infection (AOR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.27-2.86), syphilis infection (AOR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.02-2.30), and having factors associated with HIV or syphilis infection, including non-commercial casual sex encounters in last month (AOR: 3.29, 95% CI: 2.42-4.46), >10 years of commercial sex history (AOR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.12-1.53), >2 incidents of commercial sex in last month (AOR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19-1.96), and aphrodisiac use in last month (AOR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.16-1.70). Clients with no steady partner had lower odds of having heterosexual intercourse (AOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.56-0.79), awareness and knowledge of HIV/AIDS (AOR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64-0.88), and having had HIV tests (AOR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44-0.98).Conclusion: Older male clients of low-cost commercial sex venues in rural southwestern China are at high risk for HIV and syphilis infection, especially those with no steady sex partner. Improved interventions are urgently needed for this neglected risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the effects of situation features on the governance structure types (GSTs) of farmer cooperatives in China. The "Situation-Structure" analytical framework is used to understand the relationship between situation features and governance structures in the field of industry economics. Four categories of GSTs of cooperatives are identified, i.e., common farmer-led, rural elite-led, enterprise-led, and related organization-led. The sample comprises 266 farmer cooperatives collected via a field survey in three provinces in China. A logit probability model is applied to address the effects of various situation features on GSTs. The results reveal that both technical and institutional environments have significant effects on the governance structure of cooperatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous researches has depicted that the performance of the recommended glomerular filtration rate (GFR)-estimating equations in the type 2 diabetic population is inferior to that in the non-diabetic population. We attempted to develop new GFR-predicting models for use in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes in this study.Methods: We enrolled 519 type 2 diabetic patients including a development data-set (n = 276), an internal validation data-set (n = 138) and an external validation data-set (n = 105) to establish new GFR-predicting models. 99mTc-DTPA-GFR revised by the dual sample method was referred to as the gold GFR standard.Results: Based on sex, age, serum creatinine and new predictor variables [body mass index (BMI), hemoglobinA1C, and urinary albumin creatinine ratio], eight new regression models and eight artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed. In the external validation group, only ANN3 was superior in both precision and accuracy over the original CKD-EPI equation (precision, 20.5 vs. 24.2 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P < 0.001; 30 % accuracy, 88.6 vs. 80.6 %, P = 0.02).Conclusions: ANN3 based on sex, age, serum creatinine and BMI is the optimal model for GFR estimation in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By learning the PM2.5 readings and meteorological records from 2010-2015, the severity of PM2.5 pollution in Beijing is quantified with a set of statistical measures. As PM2.5 concentration is highly influenced by meteorological conditions, we propose a statistical approach to adjust PM2.5 concentration with respect to meteorological conditions, which can be used to monitor PM2.5 pollution in a location. The adjusted monthly averages and percentiles are employed to test if the PM2.5 levels in Beijing have been lowered since China's State Council set up a pollution reduction target. The results of the testing reveal significant increases, rather than decreases, in the PM2.5 concentrations in the years 2013 and 2014 as compared with those in year 2012. We conduct analyses on two quasi-experiments--the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in November 2014 and the annual winter heating--to gain insight into the impacts of emissions on PM2.5. The analyses lead to a conclusion that a fundamental shift from mainly coal-based energy consumption to much greener alternatives in Beijing and the surrounding North China Plain is the key to solving the PM2.5 problem in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the legislative framework for the shadow banking in China. Topics discussed include impact of shadow banking on China's financial regulation; different models of shadow banking implemented by different countries such as sectors-based by the U.S., twin-peaks model by Australia and integrated regulation by Great Britain; reforms made by the U.S. in its financial policy through implementing the Dodd-Frank Act; and need of reform in Chinese policy for the banking.

Knowledge of copepod in situ diet is critical for accurate assessment of trophic linkages and transfer efficiencies of the marine food web but is limited due to technical challenges. Here we report, using a recently developed eukaryote-universal copepod-excluding ectobiotic ciliate-blocking protocol, to investigate the natural diets of the copepods Temora turbinata, Subeucalanus subcrassus and Canthocalanus pauper in coastal waters in Sanya Bay, China. Analysis of the resultant 18S rDNA clone libraries revealed diverse diet composition for all the three copepod species, with 11 prey species for C. pauper, 9 for T. turbinata and 9 for S. subcrassus. The ingested materials included land plants, green algae, Metazoa, Euglenozoa and Rhizaria, although species numbers from each of these lineages differed. Broussonetia sp. (land plant), which might have been ingested in the form of pollen or fresh detritus were common among all three copepods, and accounted for a significant proportion (>55%) of the clones sequenced. These results suggest that copepods in Sanya coastal waters might use terrigenous detritus as supplementary food sources when phytoplankton production is limited. However, the significance of the plant detritus as a nutrition source of these copepods remains to be determined by analyzing carbon-based proportion and digestion/assimilation rate of the ingested plant materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mantle transition zone (MTZ) structure beneath eastern China is studied by using P-wave receiver functions. The 410 km discontinuity is relatively flat whereas the depth of the 660 km discontinuity varies significantly under the study area. This indicates that the 660 is more influenced by laterally varying temperature. The 520 km discontinuity is continuously observed at ~520 km depth under a limited area. Within the South China Block, the MTZ thickness under the Yangtze Craton is larger than normal whereas that under the Cathaysia Block is nearly normal. This indicates colder temperature affecting the MTZ beneath the Yangtze Craton. Combined with seismic tomography, our result suggests that the stagnant ancient slab beneath eastern China is mainly trapped around the base of the MTZ beneath the Yangtze Craton in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of wastewater treatment costs is an important aspect of the operation and management of municipal wastewater treatment plants. People usually focus on the treatment cost per cubic meter of wastewater. However, this indicator is far too simple as it only considers the economics and so does not reasonably evaluate the operation conditions within the wastewater treatment plants. In view of this, this work considers two other measures, the pollutant consumption oxygen equivalent (PCOE), and the PCOE treatment cost (PCOETC). PCOETC not only reflects the total pollutant removal, but also how much the wastewater treatment costs. The feasibility and practicality of PCOETC usage is verified by the study of wastewater treatment costs in 18 wastewater treatment plants in southwest China. The obtained results show that PCOETC is a better indicator than the common statistical indicator (i.e. the treatment cost of per cubic meter of wastewater) for expressing the wastewater treatment cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To evaluate eight modified equations developed in Asiatic populations in type 2 diabetic patients in China. Methods. A total of 209 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited. Using the technetium--99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid--glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to act as the reference, comparisons of their efficiency to estimate GFR in the subjects were made between various equations. Results. Median of difference of the Chinese equation 1 was the lowest (median of difference, 0.51 mL/min/1.73 m²). Median percent of absolute difference of the Chinese equation 2 was less than those of the other equations (26.97 versus ranged from 32.54 to 37.61 mL/min/1.73 m², [P < 0.001 for all]). Precision of the simplified reexpressed MDRD equation was the best (92.9 mL/min/1.73 m²). Accuracies of the Chinese equation 2 were greater (P < 0.05 for all). There was also an improvement in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage misclassification of the Chinese equation 2 (55.0 versus ranged from 61.2 to 64.6%, [P < 0.001 for all]). However, the 30% accuracies of all the equations were less than 70%. Conclusions. Our study highlighted a limitation in the use of the above equations in the majority of Chinese diabetic subjects. A better equation is needed in order to give an accurate estimation of GFR in type 2 diabetic patients in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis (Diels) T.Shimizu is a medicinal plant in China. Here, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of A. trifoliata subsp. australis was assembled and characterized as a resource for future genetic studies. The whole cp genome was 157,952 bp in length, containing of a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,596 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 19,060 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,148 bp. The new sequence possessed total 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The nucleotide composition was asymmetric (30.3% A, 19.7% C, 19.0% G and 31.0% T) with an overall GC content of 38.7%. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on 10 cp genomes indicated that A. trifoliata subsp. australis was closely related to Akebia trifoliata subsp. trifoliata. However, Akebia quinata was closely related to Stauntonia obovatifoliola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper undertakes the first comprehensive study of the nature and extent of private securities litigation in China, examining whether private securities litigation has been effectively carried out during the first decade since it was formally permitted by China's highest court in 2002. Methodologically, it goes beyond the doctrinal analysis as commonly seen in the extant literature on the subject. Instead it empirically investigates both the quantity and quality of securities civil actions in China. There has been a much lower number than expected of securities civil suits in China during the ten-year study period, but the percentage of recovery in China is significantly higher than that in the United States. The policy implications of the empirical findings are discussed with a view to improving the Chinese legal regime for private securities litigation. In particular, it casts doubt on the popular belief that China should adopt the U.S. -style class action. Furthermore, as the local courts are found to be dysfunctional in handling securities civil cases, a reform proposal is made to give investors more freedom in choosing the court for bringing securities civil actions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the shareholder derivative suit and the Company law of China. The enforcement and effectiveness of the law, the interpretation on the law by the Chinese courts and the related case laws are also discussed. The protection of ownership interest, need of effective remedy for the shareholders and the shifting of corporate governance from the directors to the shareholders is also discussed.

This Paper presents the results of the first comprehensive empirical study of China's cases adjudicated under the statutory veil piercing regime introduced as part of the 2005 corporate law reform. It provides insights into the way Chinese courts have interpreted and applied the veil piercing doctrine, an area of law renowned for its complexity and uncertainty. Some comparisons are drawn between the results of this study and similar studies undertaken in common law jurisdictions, which served as a model for the new Chinese veil-piercing regime. The empirical findings are analyzed in an attempt to answer the question whether and how China's veil-piercing law has fulfilled its stated mission, namely to protect creditors. A number of suggestions are offered with a view to improve its efficacy. The Paper also applies the interest-group theory to explain and project the development of China's veil-piercing rules. The outcome of the research can be of considerable significance, especially to foreign lenders, business partners or investors in Chinese companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the resolution of financial disputes in China with respect to the arbitrations and in-court litigations. It discusses the growth of financial and banking related disputes in China and also discusses the specialized financial courts and the national arbitration commission for facing these disputes. Information on the impact of the expansion of the market economy on the financial disputes of China is also presented.

Background: The relationship between ambient air pollution exposure and mortality of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in human is controversial, and there is little information about how exposures to ambient air pollution contribution to the mortality of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among Chinese. The aim of the present study was to examine whether exposure to ambient-air pollution increases the risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Methodology/Principal Findings: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among humans to examine the association between compound-air pollutants [particulate matter <10 &mgr;m in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)] and mortality in Shenyang, China, using 12 years of data (1998-2009). Also, stratified analysis by sex, age, education, and income was conducted for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality. The results showed that an increase of 10 &mgr;g/m3 in a year average concentration of PM10 corresponds to 55% increase in the risk of a death cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio [HR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51 to 1.60) and 49% increase in cerebrovascular disease (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.45 to 1.53), respectively. The corresponding figures of adjusted HR (95%CI) for a 10 &mgr;g/m3 increase in NO2 was 2.46 (2.31 to 2.63) for cardiovascular mortality and 2.44 (2.27 to 2.62) for cerebrovascular mortality, respectively. The effects of air pollution were more evident in female that in male, and nonsmokers and residents with BM<18.5 were more vulnerable to outdoor air pollution. Conclusion/Significance: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with the death of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases among Chinese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines China's critical regulation for securities offerings based on the findings and policy recommendations in the wake of the global financial crisis. It proves that China's merit-based regulation has suffered serious problems on the efficacy of the securities market. The author argues against the idea of an immediate switch for China to the disclosure-based regulation as it takes advantages on its weakness during the global financial crisis.

The article discusses research done on the trends in the phytoplankton community structure under the influence of nuclear power plant thermal effluent in the Daya Bay (DYB) in China. The potential ecological consequences of global warming may be addressed by understanding the impact of nuclear power plant thermal effluents on the phytoplankton community. Temperature has an impact on the contribution of dinoflagellates and diatoms to the total phytoplankton. Among the types of dinoflagellates that grew to prominence were Protoperidinium depressum, Dinophysis caudate, and Ceratium trichoceros.

This article aims to identify and examine the key issues affecting China's financial regulation in light of the recent global financial crisis (GFC). The investigation generates a number of important findings. First, the effects of the GFC on China's financial system have been relatively mild but this is largely owing to its lack of financial sophistication and isolation from the global markets. Second, China's domestic responses to the GFC have been quite effective, but at the same time it has serious side-effects for China's financial regulation. Third, China is well positioned to embrace new international standards such as those contained in the Basel III Accord. This article sets forth suggestions for reform of China's domestic financial regulatory structure and evaluates the steps China has taken towards playing a bigger role in the future development of international financial regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of understanding the seasonal distribution of deposition fluxes of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) in South China, a main acid deposition region in China, precipitation samples were collected and analyzed from Guangzhou area, between March 2005 and February 2006. The estimated wet deposition of N (including ammonium nitrogen (NH-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO-N)) and S (sulfate sulfur (SO-S)) during the monitoring period were 40.47 kg N ha and 65.29 kg S ha, respectively. The average deposition of NH-N was ∼1.5 times of the NO-N deposition, suggesting that the reduced and oxidized N depositions were comparable in the study area. The S and N depositions in the rainy season were greater than those in the dry season, showing great seasonal variation, which was consistent with both the distribution of precipitation and the period of fertilizer application for agriculture. The N and S wet deposition fluxes in Guangzhou were greater than those in Beijing and Zhengzhou, located in the northern China, but comparable to the level of Chongqing, located in the southwestern China, another major acid deposition region. The atmospheric N and S depositions in these cities from north to south were affected by both intensive agricultural and industrial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines Chinese communication studies including the similarities and differences of its theoretical approach, the common grounds of such theoretica perspectives, and the commonalities on its different perspectives.

In light of the recent global financial crisis, this article aims to critically examine China's financial regulatory structure and, based on the results of such examination, set out reform proposals for China. At present, China adopts a traditional sectoral system of financial regulation, which has exhibited several inadequacies in meeting the regulatory challenges in a rapidly changing market. In quest of a solution to the problem, a comparative analysis is conducted of the financial regulatory regimes in some advanced economies, including the US, the UK and Australia, each of which is representative of a distinct regulatory model. When looking to these overseas experiences for guidance, regard is taken not only of their objective advantages and disadvantages, but also of the local conditions in China. It is concluded that the US model merits consideration in the short term and, with the further growth of China's financial markets in the long run, the Australian model provides the preferred direction for reform over the UK model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 504 Taiwanese participants (312 women, 192 men) responded to a pool of translated Attitudes Towards Gossip (ATG) scale items. Factor analyses identified two factors reflecting attitudes about gossip's Social Value (SV) and Moral Value (MV), which provided the basis for constructing a 10-item Chinese (C) ATG scale. C-ATG scale scores were negatively correlated with social approval needs; the SV subscale was positively associated with self-reports of being good at influencing other people, while both SV and MV scores were negatively related to perceptions of how successfully coworkers interacted with others, indicative of self-enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a political economy analysis of the regulation of foreign direct investments (FDI) after China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). It discusses the types of investments such as equity joint venture, contractual joint venture (CJV) and wholly owned foreign enterprises. According to the article, the dual systems of foreign investment regulation are likely to occur in the foreseeable short term.

Abstract: With the aim of understanding the origin of acid rains in South China, we analyzed rainwaters collected from Guangzhou, China, between March 2005 and February 2006. The pH of rainwater collected during the monitoring period varied from 4.22 to 5.87; acid rain represented about 94% of total precipitation during this period. The rainwater was characterized by high concentrations of SO4 2−, NO3 −, Ca2+, and NH4 +. SO4 2− and NO3 −, the main precursors of acid rain, were related to the combustion of coal and fertilizer use/traffic emissions, respectively. Ca2+ and NH4 + act as neutralizers of acid, accounting for the decoupling between high SO4 2− concentrations and relatively high pH in the Guangzhou precipitation. The acid rain in Guangzhou is most pronounced during spring and summer. A comparison with acid precipitation in other Chinese cities reveals a decreasing neutralization capacity from north to south, probably related to the role and origin of alkaline bases in precipitation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Resorption of nitrogen (N) from senescing leaves is an important conservation mechanism that allows plants to use the same N repeatedly. Seasonal variations in leaf nitrogen of mature green and senescing leaves and N resorption in Salix gordejevii Chang, a sandy shrub in northern China, were studied. Our objective was to compare N resorption of this Salix species that successfully occupy different habitats (shifting sandland, fixed sandland and lowland) with differences in soil N availability and moisture. Nitrogen concentrations in green and senescing leaves were higher in June and July. N resorption efficiency (percentage reduction of N between green and senescing leaves) was highest at shifting sandland, intermediate at fixed sandland, and lowest at lowland. There was a clear seasonal variation in N-resorption efficiency, with a lower value at the early growing season and a higher value during summer. N resorption efficiency was lower at the sites with higher soil N availability, suggesting that the efficiency of the resorption process is determined by the availability of the nutrient in the soil. Resorption from senescing leaves may play an important role in the nitrogen dynamics of sandy plants and reduce the nitrogen requirements for plant growth. We conclude that N resorption from senescing leaves in S. gordejevii was correlated to soil characteristics and higher N resorption on poor soils is a phenotypic adjustment by this species to maximize N-use at low availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) resorption from senescing tissues enables plants to conserve and reuse this important nutrient. As such, it is expected that plant species adapted to infertile soils could have a higher N-resorption efficiency (percentage reduction of nitrogen between green and senescing tissues) and/or higher N-resorption proficiency (absolute reduction of nitrogen in senescing tissues) than those adapted to fertile soils. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationships among soil characteristics (total N, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, pH and moisture) and N resorption inStipa kryloviiRoshev., a species occurred widely in natural grasslands of northern China. N contents in green and senescing tissues were 6.7?±?0.1 and 3.3?±?0.1 mg g-1, respectively. The mean value of N-resorption efficiency was found to be 72.1%. The N-resorption efficiency inS. kryloviiwas independent of soil characteristics. The N-resorption proficiency inS. kryloviiwas dependent on soil nitrate- and ammonium-N, but it was relatively independent of soil total N. The N-resorption proficiency was negatively correlated with soil pH and moisture. There was a positive correlation between N concentration in green tissues and resorption efficiency. However, N-resorption efficiency was not correlated significantly with N concentration in senescing tissues. These results indicate that the intraspecific variation in N resorption ofStipa kryloviiRoshev. is associated with soil regimes and that higher N resorption on N-poor soils is an adaptive strategy forS. kryloviito maximize N use under conditions of limited N supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]