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Thanks to the increased accessibility of multimedia technology, video texts have been widely used in teaching English in Chinese foreign language classrooms. This trend provides great impetus for changes in the means of assessing listening in both achievement and proficiency tests, and suggests the potential possibility of supplanting the audio-only with a video-mediated listening test. This paper aims to explore such a possibility in the Foreign Language Admission Test for Medical Doctoral Students (FATMD) administered by the National Medical Examination Center in China. A total of 148 MD and PhD students who had just passed the equivalent of a language admissions test voluntarily enrolled. Participants were divided into an experiment group for a video-mediated listening test and a control group for an audio-only test. The results indicated no significant differences on average scores between the video-mediated and audio-only group. However, they did suggest the potential of supplanting the audio-only listening test with a video-mediated equivalent in FATMD without upsetting its well-established credibility and reliability, in light of the increasing use of computer-assisted English proficiency testing in China.

The loess hilly region is one of the most fragile areas in China. Many ecological restoration projects in this region are equivalent to simple afforestation and grass planting, with large investment and low benefits. Based on the concept of reference ecosystem, this study uses remote sensing data and vegetation community survey of Wanhuigou catchment, and applies methods such as redundancy analysis and GeoDetector to explore the characteristics of topography, soil, and vegetation of reference ecosystem, so as to provide restoration standards for damaged or degraded ecosystems in a small watershed. Thirteen typical and representative areas are selected to evaluate the degree of ecosystem damage and resilience, and divided into four categories according to the evaluation results and characteristics of ecosystems. Corresponding restoration measures such as protection and conservation, natural restoration, auxiliary regeneration, and ecological reconstruction are adopted for ecosystems under different scenarios with reference ecosystems as the target, and the effectiveness of implementation is assessed. The results show that the combination conditions of elevation and slope have a very important influence on the distribution of ecosystems. In the process of ecological restoration, it is necessary to deeply grasp the characteristics of soil and species diversity within the same community and among different communities, as well as their interrelationships. Adaptive restoration measures for ecosystems in different situations are conducive to the sustainability and effectiveness of ecosystem restoration. Given the complexity and diversity of habitat conditions and plant community types in Wanhuigou catchment, the results have certain universality, which can provide reference for the comprehensive management of other small watersheds in the loess hilly region, so as to achieve sustainable construction and restoration of ecosystems as well as harmonious development between humans and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Objective To analyze the epidemiological trends of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly population in China from 1990 to 2019, and to provide a scientific basis for the specific formulation of prevention and treatment measures. Methods Based on data obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database, we analyzed quantitative changes in the number of incidences and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of Alzheimer's disease among people aged 60 to 89 years in China from 1990 to 2019. Trend changes over the period were assessed by calculating the annual percentage change (AAPC) and linkage regression analysis, age-period-cohort models were constructed by Statal7 to analyze trends in DALY incidence and rates along three dimensions: age, period, and cohort. Results The number of DALY and Alzheimer's disease incidence cases in the Chinese elderly population in 2019 was 1 526 516 and 5 034 024 person-years, respectively, with 5 829 523 and 1 956 623 person-years of DALY and Alzheimer's disease incidence in elderly men, and 943 563 and 3 077 401 person-years of DALY and Alzheimer's disease incidence in elderly women, respectively. The Chinese elderly population in 2019 Incidence and DALY rates were 600.49 per 100 000 and 1 980.23 per 100 000, respectively, increasing at an average rate of 1.12% and 0.81% per year, with a more pronounced increase in elderly men than in elderly women. Conclusion China's elderly population faces a heavy burden of disease from Alzheimer's disease, and the government should take immediate action to alleviate the heavy morbidity and financial burden on patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantitatively analyze the impact of climate variability and human activities on grassland productivity of China's Qilian Mountain National Park, this study used Carnegic-Ames-Stanford Approach model (CASA) and Integrated Vegetation model improved by the Comprehensive and Sequential Classification System (CSCS) to assess the trends of grassland NPP from 2000 to 2015, the residual trend analysis method was used to quantify the impact of human activities and climate change on the grassland based on the NPP changes. The actual grassland NPP accumulation mainly occurred in June, July and August (autumn); the actual NPP showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average increase of 2.2 g C·m-2 a-1, while the potential NPP increase of 1.6 g C·m-2 a-1 and human-induced NPP decreased of 0.5 g C·m-2 a-1. The annual temperature showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average increase of 0.1°C 10a-1, but annual precipitation showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average annual increase of 1.3 mm a-1 from 2000 to 2015. The area and NPP of grassland degradation caused by climate variability was significantly greater than that caused by human activities and mainly distributed in the northwest and central regions, but area and NPP of grassland restored caused by human activities was significantly greater than that caused by climate variability and mainly distributed in the southeast regions. In conclusion, grassland in Qilian Mountain National Park showed a trend of degradation based on distribution area, but showed a trend of restoration based on actual NPP. Climate variability was the main cause of grassland degradation in the northwestern region of study area, and restoration of grassland in the eastern region was the result of the combined effects of human activities and climate variability. Under global climate change, the establishment of Qilian Mountain National Park was of great significance to the grassland's protection and the grasslands ecological restoration that have been affected by humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SM4 cryptographic algorithm is a block cipher algorithm issued by China's state cryptographic administration and has become an international standard. We implement the quantum circuits of SM4 block cipher by optimizing the number of qubits and the value of depth-times-width. The quantum circuits of the S-box are first studied. According to the algebraic structure of the S-box, four kinds of improved quantum circuits of S-box are presented for different phases in SM4 based on composite field arithmetic. In order to optimize the number of qubits, we implement the quantum circuit of SM4 by connecting the quantum subcircuits in series. The implemented quantum circuit of SM4 only uses 260 qubits, which is the least number of qubits used not only in implementing the SM4 quantum circuit, but also in implementing the block cipher algorithms with 8-bit S-box, 128-bit plaintext and 128-bit secret key. When optimizing the value of depth-times-width, we achieve it through parallel implementation. The trade-off quantum circuit uses a total of 288 quantum bits, and the Toffoli depth is 1716. The depth-times-width is 49,4208, which is less than the existing best value 82,5792. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northernmost area influenced by the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is named the EASM northern marginal zone (ENMZ). The ENMZ is an important area lying in northern and northeastern China with scarce precipitation and a vulnerable environment. However, the existing monsoon indices have weaknesses in characterizing the ENMZ precipitation variability, which limits our ability to understand and forecast local climate changes. In this study, a new index, named the ENMZ index (ENMZI), is proposed to represent the variability in ENMZ summer precipitation. The ENMZI is defined by the meridional shear of 200-hPa zonal wind anomalies, expressing the meridional displacement of the East Asian jet and the trough anomaly over Lake Baikal. The ENMZI serves as a regional monsoon index complementing the existing monsoon indices and representing the variabilities in the EASM northward advance and rainfall over northern and northeastern China. The higher the ENMZI is, the higher latitude the EASM reaches, and the more rainfall the ENMZ has. The physical mechanism for the ENMZI representing the ENMZ precipitation variability is explicated by anomalous vorticity and temperature advection associated with the ENMZI and positive feedback between vertical motion and diabatic heating anomalies. The variability of ENMZI is jointly modulated by variabilities in air–sea coupling modes from the North Atlantic, tropical Pacific, and North Indian Ocean and in atmospheric wave trains over Eurasia. Thus, the ENMZI can be a reliable benchmark for studies in climatically sensitive areas in northern and northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution is a research hotspot around the world. This study investigated the characteristics of microplastic pollution in the freshwater environments of 21 major cities across China. Through indoor and outdoor experimental analysis, we have identified the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of microplastic pollution in China's freshwater environments. Our findings indicate that the average concentration of microplastics in China's freshwater environments is 3502.6 n/m3. The majority of these microplastics are fibrous (42.5%), predominantly smaller than 3 mm (28.1%), and mostly colored (64.7%). The primary chemical components of these microplastics are polyethylene (PE, 33.6%), polyvinyl chloride (PVC, 21.5%), polypropylene (PP, 16.8%), and polystyrene (PS, 15.6%). The abundance of microplastics in China's freshwater environments generally tends to increase from west to east and from south to north, with the lowest concentration found in Xining, Qinghai (1737.5 n/m3), and the highest in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang (5650.0 n/m3). The distribution characteristics of microplastics are directly related to land use types, primarily concentrated in areas of intense human activity, including agricultural, transport, and urban land. Seasonal changes affect the abundance of microplastics, peaking in summer, followed by spring and autumn, mainly due to variations in rainfall, showing a positive correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Siganus oramin, as a commercial species, is a well-received table fish in southeastern China. However, valuable reproduction-related data are still scarce. In the present study, gonad transcriptome analysis was first performed using Illumina Novaseq technology. Comparative transcriptome analysis of adult male and female gonads identified a large number of differentially expressed genes. Among them, many reproduction-related genes that play important roles in gonad differentiation and development were found. These data may contribute greatly to the regulation of rabbitfish reproduction. The rabbitfish, Siganus oramin, is a commercially important table fish in southeastern China. However, there have been few studies on its gonad development and reproduction regulation. Comparative transcriptome analysis was first performed on adult male and female gonads of S. oramin. In total, 47,070 unigenes were successfully assembled and 22,737 unigenes were successfully annotated. Through comparative transcriptome analysis of male and female gonads, a total of 6722 differentially expressed genes were successfully identified, with 3528 upregulated genes and 3154 downregulated genes in the testes. In addition, 39 differentially expressed reproduction-related genes were identified. Finally, quantitative real-time PCR was used to validate the expression levels of several differentially expressed genes. These results provide important data for further studying the function of reproduction-related genes and the molecular mechanism regulating gonad development and reproduction in S. oramin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In China, the world's largest developing country, low back pain (LBP) is a common public health issue affecting workability. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically assess the risk factors of LBP in the Chinese population. Methods: Four English language and four Chinese databases were searched, and cross-sectional studies on the risk factors for LBP in Chinese populations were identified and collected. The search timeframe covered the period from the establishment of the database to November 2023. Two researchers independently reviewed the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias. Begg's and Egger's tests were used to evaluate publication bias. Results: Fifteen cross-sectional studies involving 86,575 people were included. Seven risk factors for LBP were identified. Six risk factors were statistically significant: Cigarette smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15, 2.08, P = 0.004, I2 = 72%), body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m² (OR = 4.51; 95% CI: 3.36, 6.07, P < 0.00001, I2 = 8%), female sex (OR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.25, 1.90, P < 0.0001, I2 = 63%), vibration exposure at work (OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.16, 2.34, P = 0.006, I2 = 84%), working overtime (OR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.12, 5.91, P = 0.03, I2 = 85%), and lack of exercise (OR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.62, 3.78, P < 0.0001, I2 = 0%). One risk factor that was not statistically significant was standing for long periods (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.82, 1.26, P = 0.88, I2 = 73%). Conclusions: This study found that smoking, a BMI ≥ 28 kg/m², female sex, vibration exposure at work, working overtime, and lack of exercise may be risk factors for LBP in the Chinese population. Because the included studies were cross-sectional and the certainty of the evidence was very low, the results need to be interpreted cautiously. Multicentre, high-quality studies should be conducted in the future. To reduce the prevalence of LBP, the Chinese government and hospitals must develop early screening programs and implement effective preventive and interventional measures. Trial registration: This study is registered in the PROSPERO database (No. CRD42023447857). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delineating the process of hydrothermal alteration is crucial for effectively enhancing exploration strategies and better understanding the gold mineralization process. Rutile, with its capacity to accommodate a wide range of trace elements including high-field-strength elements and base metals, serves as a reliable fluid tracer in ore systems. As one of the most significant gold ore concentrations globally, Jiaodong boasts a gold reserve exceeding 5500 t. The Xincheng gold deposit is a world-class high-grade mine, boasting a proven gold reserve exceeding 200 t, and stands as one of the largest altered-type gold deposits in the vast gold province of the Jiaodong Peninsula, Eastern China. In this study, rutile (Rt1,2,3) was identified in the K-feldspar alteration, sericitization, and pyrite–sericite–quartz alteration stages of the Xincheng gold deposit in Jiaodong based on petrographic characteristics. Rt1 coexists with hydrothermal K-feldspar and quartz, while Rt2 coexists with minerals such as sericite, quartz, muscovite, and pyrite. Rt3 is widely distributed in hydrothermal veins and is primarily associated with minerals including quartz, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sericite. Raman spectroscopy, EPMA, and LA-ICP-MS analysis were conducted to investigate the characteristics and evolution of altered hydrothermal fluids. This study indicates that the Zr vs. W and Nb/V vs. W diagrams suggest that Rt1 is of magmatic–hydrothermal origin, while Rt2 and Rt3 are of metamorphic–hydrothermal origin. Notably, the W content in Rt2 and Rt3 is significantly higher than in Rt1 (<100 ppm), suggesting a close relationship between the W content in rutile and mineralization. The three types of rutile exhibit significantly different concentrations of trace elements such as W, V, Nb, Zr, Sn, and Fe, displaying distinct bright spots and elemental zoning characteristics in backscattered electron images and surface scans. These features arise from the isomorphic substitution of Ti4+. While Rt1 exhibits no significant element exchange with the hydrothermal fluids, Rt2 and Rt3 show a stronger substitution of W, Nb, V, and Fe, indicating a gradual enrichment of F and Cl in the fluids. This process activates and transports these elements into the fluids, leading to their continuous accumulation within the system. From Rt1 to Rt3, the increasing concentrations of Fe and W, along with the negative Eu anomaly, suggest a decrease in fluid temperature and oxygen fugacity during the alteration and mineralization process. The gradual increase in the contents of REEs and high-field-strength elements such as W, V, Nb, and Sn indicates that the hydrothermal fluids are enriched in F and Cl, exhibiting weak acidity. The nature of the fluids during hydrothermal alteration is closely related to the composition of rutile, making it a promising tool for studying hydrothermal alteration and related mineralization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the wheel polygon wear problems in high-speed trains, an iterative model of wheel wear was established based on $ 1) $ 1) the train-track rigid-flexible coupling dynamics model, $ 2) $ 2) Kik-Piotrowiski + Fastsim wheel-rail contact model, and $ 3) $ 3) Archard wear model to predict the developing process of wheel polygon. Taking a certain type of high-speed train in China as an example, the developing process of the 20-order wheel polygon is simulated. Compared with the Hertz model, the results of the Kik-Piotrowiski model are more consistent with the actual situation, and the prediction of the wheel polygon is more accurate. The results show that with the increase of vehicle running speed, the dominant order of the final wheel polygon decreases gradually, while the excitation frequency always locates between 550 and 600 Hz, which verifies the 'frequency fixed' mechanism. By comparing the development of wheel polygon wear results under three working conditions $ 1) $ 1) flexible wheelset + flexible rail, $ 2) $ 2) rigid wheelset + flexible rail, and $ 3) $ 3) flexible wheelset + rigid rail), and by analysing the harmonic response of rail, it is concluded that the third-order bending modal vibration of rail plays an important role in the forming of wheel polygon.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil temperature directly affects the germination of seeds and the growth of crops. In order to accurately predict soil temperature, this study used RF and MLP to simulate shallow soil temperature, and then the shallow soil temperature with the best simulation effect will be used to predict the deep soil temperature. The models were forced by combinations of environmental factors, including daily air temperature (Tair), water vapor pressure (Pw), net radiation (Rn), and soil moisture (VWC), which were observed in the Hejiashan watershed on the Loess Plateau in China. The results showed that the accuracy of the model for predicting deep soil temperature proposed in this paper is higher than that of directly using environmental factors to predict deep soil temperature. In testing data, the range of MAE was 1.158–1.610 °C, the range of RMSE was 1.449–2.088 °C, the range of R2 was 0.665–0.928, and the range of KGE was 0.708–0.885 at different depths. The study not only provides a critical reference for predicting soil temperature but also helps people to better carry out agricultural production activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Homegardens are small-scale land use systems with significant implications for local livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development due to their diverse flora and fauna. Conducting homegarden surveys enables researchers to gain insights into the traditional ecological knowledge of indigenous communities, preserve homegarden biodiversity, and promote sustainable livelihoods. This study has two objectives: first, to collect, record, and organize data on homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge from three communities in the Laershan Plateau, and second, to analyze the species and functional diversity of homegarden plants in the region while exploring the factors that contribute to the heterogeneous distribution of these plants among the communities of three townships. Methods: This research employed field surveys in the Laershan Miao Autonomous Region in Xiangxi, China, from September 2021 to August 2023. Data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews. The study utilized descriptive statistics and quantitative analysis, including the Relative Importance Value (RI), Use Value Index (UV), Jaccard Index (JI), and Comprehensive Index of Land Use Degree (La), to examine the diversity of local homegarden plants and related traditional knowledge, as well as community heterogeneity. Results: The study area exhibited rich biodiversity, with 152 plant species recorded belonging to 62 families and 124 genera. These findings highlight the importance of homegarden plants in maintaining ecological balance and enhancing system resilience against disturbances. Homegarden plants serve multiple functions such as food, ornamental, medicinal, and fodder purposes, with edible and trade plants having the most abundant knowledge. Furthermore, this research revealed that communities with similar forest resource compositions may have similar homegarden plant compositions, demonstrating the connection between cultural exchange among different communities and patterns of plant species distribution. Conclusions: The Laershan region boasts diverse homegarden plant species crucial for ecological balance and resilience. Their multifunctionality reflects human impact. Plant diversity varies with residents' lifestyles, needs, and cultural exchanges. The close connection between plants and local life is clear. Factors like resource distribution, cultural exchange, and lifestyle influence plant distribution. Further research is needed for conservation and sustainable development. Future research should focus on culturally valuable plant species and traditional knowledge applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permafrost is one of the essential carbon pools in the world. Due to limited studies on historical soil moisture changes and the coupling relationship between soil moisture and temperature in permafrost regions, significant uncertainty exists in the carbon loss in permafrost predicted by different models under global warming scenarios. Based on the tree‐ring width chronology of Pinus sylvestris var. mongholica Litv. growing in the southern edge of the Eurasian continuous permafrost zone, we reconstructed the summer (June–September) 0–1 m soil moisture variations from 1705 to 2009, which could explain 45.6% of the variance in the observed soil moisture. Overall, local precipitation and temperature exhibited statistically significant positive feedback (p < 0.001) to soil moisture before the 1950s, indicating that the warm/humid climate pattern was conducive to soil moisture conservation before the Anthropocene Epoch. However, the effect of temperature on soil moisture has shifted suddenly to negative since the 1950s, implying that the positive soil moisture‐temperature relationship during the past three centuries has been disrupted by the unprecedented warming in the Modern Warm Period. Furthermore, we found that the temporal relationship of the soil moisture‐temperature (15‐year sliding correlation) in the study area is negatively regulated by the global mean temperature variations (p < 0.01). The regime shift between soil moisture and temperature might be attributed to the superimposed influence of natural and anthropogenic factors since the 1950s. Although the warming leads to the melting of the permafrost layer, and thus the increase in soil moisture content, the enhanced evapotranspiration caused by warming up results in more water loss and drier soil. This study provides historical evidence of shifted soil moisture‐temperature coupling in the permafrost zone, warning that soil moisture in the permafrost region may further decline under global warming scenarios, thereby affecting vegetation growth and forest carbon sequestration potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newly built back-streaming white neutron beam line (Back-n) at China spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) makes a breakthrough for China's domestic nuclear data measurement, which is pushing nuclear data measurement in China towards higher precision and wider energy range. The neutron flux of the facility was measured at the first beginning since it is an extremely important characterization for the experiment proposal and data analysis. The neutron fluxes under big collimators in end station 1 (ES#1) and end station 2 (ES#2) had been characterized by a fission chamber. In this paper, the first measurement of the neutron flux of Back-n ES#1 with small collimators is reported. The neutron flux from 0.5 eV to 300 MeV was measured by three detectors: a silicon monitor based on a 6LiF sample for the energy range below 200 keV, a fast multi-layer fission ionization chamber for the range from 10 keV to 300 MeV, and a proton recoil telescope for the high energy region from 10 to 70 MeV. The flux and its uncertainty with 50 bins per decade were finally evaluated by combining the data of the three detectors. The integrated flux in the full energy range at CSNS beam power of 100 kW is 1.642 × 106 n/cm2/s, which is consistent with the FLUKA simulation within a difference of about 4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The paper mainly introduces the development of the educational administration agency in China, including the evolution of the educational administration agency, the Course of instituting legal system of education in China, the missions of the now Minister of Education, questions emerged in the development of the educational administration system, and measures taken to reform the educational administration system. By the description of the development of the educational administration system from Oct. 1949 to 1998, the questions of the educational administration system are pointed out and measures taken to resolve those questions are brought forward, as follow: to reconstruct the educational administration functions, to provide the opportunity for the citizens to participate in educational management, and to improve the legal system for education needs to strengthen the supervision and evaluation of education.

After the devastating Permo-Triassic Mass Extinction, several new groups of large reptilian predators invaded the sea in the early part of the Triassic. Among these predators, sauropterygians, consisting of placodonts, pachypleurosaurs, nothosaurs and pistosaurs (including the iconic plesiosaurs), displayed the greatest diversity at both the generic and species levels, and persisted from the Early Triassic to the Late Cretaceous. Here, we report a new species of Pachypleurosauria, Dianmeisaurus mutaensis sp. nov., from a recently discovered Lagerstätte in the Upper Member of the Anisian Guanling Formation. The only known specimen of the new species was collected from a quarry near Muta village, Luxi County, Yunnan Province, South China. Our new phylogenetic analysis based on a novel data matrix recovered the new taxon as a sister group to Dianmeisaurus gracilis—a small pachypleurosaur from the Middle Triassic Luoping biota. The new phylogenetic analysis also collapsed the monophyly of the traditionally recognized Eusauropterygia. Pistosauroidea, Majiashanosaurus, and Hanosaurus comprise the consecutive sister groups to a new clade including Pachypleurosauria and Nothosauroidea. A monophyletic Pachypleurosauria, within which the clade consisting of Dianmeisaurus and Panzhousaurus occupies the basal-most position, is recovered by this study. The clade consisting of Dawazisaurus and Dianopachysaurus forms the sister group to the remaining pachypleurosaurs included in this study. Since Dianmeisaurus, Panzhousaurus, Dawazisaurus, and Dianopachysaurus are all exclusively known from South China, our study provides further evidence to the hypothesis that pachypleurosaurs had a palaeobiogeographic origin in the eastern Tethys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have observed a 2D relationship (i.e. decoupled correlation) between leaf size (LS) and leaf economics as well as a tight correlation between leaf economics and drought tolerance. However, the underlying mechanism maintaining the relationship between LS and drought tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we measured LS, water potential at 50% loss of hydraulic conductance, hydraulic safety margin and different orders of vein traits across 28 tree species in a subtropical forest in Southern China. We found that LS and drought tolerance were in two independent dimensions (R 2 = 0.00, P  > 0.05). Primary and secondary vein traits (i.e. vein diameter and density) explained the variation of LS, with R 2 ranging from 0.37 to 0.70 (all P s < 0.01), while minor vein traits accounted for the variation of leaf drought tolerance, with R 2 ranging from 0.30 to 0.43 (all P s < 0.01). Our results provide insight into the 2D relationship between LS and drought tolerance and highlight the importance of vein hierarchy in plant leaf functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully understanding the past characteristics of climate and patterns of climate change can contribute to future climate prediction. Tree-ring stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) is crucial for high-resolution research of past climate changes and their driving mechanisms. A tree-ring δ18O chronology from 1896 to 2019 was established using Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. from the Yimeng Mountains (YMMs) in the central part of eastern China. We found that precipitation from the 41st pentad (five days) of the previous year to the 40th pentad of the current year (P41–40) was the main factor influencing the YMMs tree-ring δ18O change. We then created a transfer function between P41–40 and tree-ring δ18O. The reconstructed P41–40 explained 39% of the variance in the observed precipitation during the common period of 1960–2016. Over the past 124 years, the YMMs experienced 19 dry years and 20 wet years. The spatial correlation results indicate that the reconstructed precipitation could, to some extent, represent the precipitation changes in Shandong Province, and even the central part of eastern China, from the early 20th century to the present. In addition, it was found that the trends in YMMs tree-ring δ18O were similar at both high frequency and low frequency to those in tree-ring δ18O series from Mt. Tianmu in eastern China and from Jirisan National Park in southern South Korea. However, the YMMs tree-ring δ18O was only correlated at low frequency with the tree-ring δ18O of the Ordos Plateau in northwestern China and that of Nagano and Shiga in central Japan, which are far from the YMMs. The changes in precipitation and tree-ring δ18O in the YMMs were, to some extent, influenced by the Pacific decadal oscillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Uncertainty persists over the effects of blood pressure (BP) lowering in acute stroke. The INTEnsive ambulance-delivered blood pressure Reduction in hyper-Acute stroke Trial (INTERACT4) aims to determine efficacy and safety of hyperacute intensive BP lowering in patients with suspected acute stroke. Given concerns over the safety of this treatment in the pre-hospital setting, particularly in relation to patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, we provide an update on progress of the study and profile of participants to date. Methods: INTERACT4 is an ongoing multicentre, ambulance-delivered, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial of pre-hospital BP lowering in patients with suspected acute stroke and elevated BP in China. Patients are randomized via a mobile phone digital system to intensive (target systolic BP [SBP] <140mmHg within 30 min) or guideline-recommended BP management. Primary outcome is an ordinal analysis of the full range of scores on the modified Rankin scale scores at 90 days. Results: Between March 2020 and April 2023, 2053 patients (mean age 70 years, female 39%) were recruited with a mean BP 178/98 mmHg in whom 45% have a diagnosis of primary intracerebral hemorrhage upon arrival at hospital. At the time of presentation to hospital, the mean SBP was 160 and 170mmHg in the intensive and control groups (Δ10 mmHg), respectively. The independent data and safety monitoring board has not identified any safety concerns and recommended continuation of the trial. The sample size was reduced from 3116 to 2320 after meetings in August 2022 as the stroke mimic rate was persistently lower than initially estimated (6% vs 30%). The study is expected to be completed in late 2023 and the results announced in May 2024. Conclusions: INTERACT4 is on track to provide reliable evidence of the effectiveness of ambulance-delivered intensive BP lowering in patients with suspected acute stroke. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03790800; registered on 2 January 2019. Chinese Trial Registry ChCTR1900020534, registered on 7 January 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasingly serious environmental pollution, stakeholders are paying more attention on the environmental behavior of enterprises. Our paper investigates how institutional investors affect the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure (EID). Using a sample of A-share listed firms from the heavily polluting industries in China during 2008 to 2016, we conduct correlation analysis, OLS regression, and Tobit regression methods and find that institutional investors' shareholdings are positively correlated with the quality of EID. When institutional investors increase 1% shareholdings of the firm, the EID quality improves by 0.03%. In addition, the high concentration of institutional ownership enhances the impact of institutional investors' shareholdings on the EID quality. But this positive correlation is only observed in companies in regions with a high marketization level. Our paper extends the research on the influential factors of EID and improves the understanding of the impact of institutional investors on corporate environmental behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sweet potato, which is an important tuber crop in China, is susceptible to a variety of pathogens and insect pests during cultivation and production. Stem rot is a common sweet potato disease that seriously affects tuber yield and quality. Unfortunately, there have been relatively few studies on the mechanism mediating the stem rot resistance of sweet potatoes. In this study, a transcriptome sequencing analysis was completed using Xushu 48 samples at different stages (T1, T2, and T3) of the stem rot infection. The T1 vs. T2, T1 vs. T3, and T2 vs. T3 comparisons detected 44,839, 81,436, and 61,932 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. The DEGs encoded proteins primarily involved in alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism (ko00250), carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms (ko00710), and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism (ko00520). Furthermore, some candidate genes induced by phytopathogen infections were identified, including gene-encoding receptor-like protein kinases (RLK5 and RLK7), an LRR receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase (SERK1), and transcription factors (bHLH137, ERF9, MYB73, and NAC053). The results of this study provide genetic insights that are relevant to future explorations of sweet potato stem rot resistance, while also providing the theoretical basis for breeding sweet potato varieties that are resistant to stem rot and other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the physiological response to low-temperature stress and comprehensively evaluated the cold resistance of green prickly ash germplasms. One-year-old branches of 23 green prickly ash varieties were used as experimental materials, three branches were selected from each variety, and three replicates of single branches were established. Subsequently, the physiological responses of the 23 green prickly ash germplasm resources to low-temperature stress were analyzed based on the relative conductivity (REC), osmotic adjustment substances, and antioxidant enzyme activities. We found that as the temperature decreased, the REC of each germplasm increased. The most rapid REC increase occurred from 0 to −10 °C and continued to gradually gently increase from −10 to −30 °C. The lethal dose-50 temperature (LT50) of the germplasms was between 3.16 and −12.37 °C. The top three cold-resistant varieties were TJ, SCHJ, and CJ, and the last three cold-resistant varieties were EWJ, DYSJ, and HYXJ. The results of a correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and REC, between REC and free protein, and between SOD activity and catalase. The results of the PCA revealed that the first category includes 5 pepper varieties of CJ, LFJ, and XYTJ with higher cold-resistance score indexes; the second category includes 13 pepper varieties of YQ2 H, WCFZ, and TZJ with appropriate scores; and the third category includes 5 pepper varieties of HYXJ, HNJ, and DYSJ with lower scores. Cluster analysis was performed to classify the cold-resistance physiological indices, and four groups were obtained. The most cold-resistant groups included CJ and LFHJ, whereas the most cold-sensitive groups included HYXJ, DYSJ, and HNJ. Finality, the subordinate function method was used to determine the cold resistance from strong to weak. The varieties with the strongest cold resistance were LFJ, EWJ, and CJ, and the weakest varieties were DYSJ, YQ1H, and HYXJ. The strongest cold-resistant varieties were LFHJ and CJ, followed by DYSJ, YQ1H, and HYXJ. Based on multiple lines of evidence, the most cold-resistant varieties were CJ and LFJ, while the most cold-sensitive varieties were DYSJ and HYXJ. In conclusion, in this study, we elucidated the low-temperature tolerance of different varieties of green prickly ash, and varieties with high cold resistance were selected. These findings provide theoretical guidance and technical support for the screening of cold-resistant green prickly ash germplasms, which will facilitate their introduction to northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Yili Basin represents a typical region influenced by the Westerlies, and as a result of the substantial precipitation delivered by these winds, it has emerged as a significant hub for agricultural and animal husbandry activities in Central Asia. This study established a 419-year tree-ring width chronology, utilizing living Picea schrenkiana samples from two sampling sites in the Yili Basin. Correlation analysis showed that the standard tree-ring width chronology had the best correlation with the Palmer Drought Severity Index from the previous August to the current May (PDSIP8C5) (r = 0.614, n = 59, p < 0.001). Therefore, we reconstructed PDSIP8C5 variations from 1673 to 2018. The reconstruction results reveal eight wet and seven dry periods during the past 346 years. In the reconstructed series, droughts are particularly pronounced around 1770 and 1920, and the PDSI shows a significant long-term wetting trend since the 1980s. The solar activity, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) jointly influenced the regional moisture variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important characteristic crop in China, sweetpotato plays an important role in the intake and supplement of nutrients. The saccharification characteristics of sweetpotato determine the edible quality and processing type. Exploring the saccharification characteristics of sweetpotato is of great significance to the selection of processing materials and the formation mechanism of service quality, but there are few relevant studies. A comparison study of two high saccharification varieties (Y25 and Z13) and one low saccharification variety (X27) was conducted to analyze their storage roots physical and chemical properties. The results show that the dry matter content, starch, and amylose content of Y25 and Z13 were significantly different from those of X27. Furthermore, the total amylase activity was significantly higher than that of X27. On the other hand, the starch gelatinization temperature was significantly lower than that of X27. The starch reduction in Y25 and Z13 is four times more than that in X27, and the maltose content of Y25 and Z13 is more than two times that of X27. Finally, the scores of sensory evaluation and physiological sweetness were significantly higher than those of X27. The results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the saccharification characteristics of sweetpotato varieties and are of guiding significance for the selection of sweetpotato parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, innovative approaches utilizing Internet data have emerged in the field of syndromic surveillance. These novel methods aim to aid in the early prediction of epidemics across various scenarios and diseases. It has been observed that these systems demonstrate remarkable accuracy in monitoring outbreaks even before they become apparent in the general population. Therefore, they serve as valuable complementary tools to augment existing methodologies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of migraine in China by leveraging Baidu Index (BI) data. Methods: Migraine-related BI data from January 2014 to December 2022 were leveraged, covering 301 city-level areas from 31 provincial-level regions by using the keyword "migraine (偏头痛)". Prevalence data from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) were attracted to ensure the reliability of utilizing migraine-related BI data for research. Comprehensive analytical methods were then followed to investigate migraine's spatiotemporal distribution. The Seasonal-Trend decomposition procedure based on Loess (STL) was used to identify the temporal distribution. Spatial distribution was explored using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic, standard deviation ellipse analysis, Moran's Index, and Ordinary Kriging. The top eight migraine-related search terms were analyzed through the Demand Graph feature in the Baidu Index platform to understand the public's concerns related to migraine. Results: A strong association was observed between migraine-related BI and the prevalence data of migraine from GBD with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.983 (P = 4.96 × 10− 5). The overall trend of migraine-related BI showed a gradual upward trend over the years with a sharp increase from 2017 to 2019. Seasonality was observed and the peak period occurred in spring nationwide. The middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River were found to be hotspots, while the eastern coastal areas had the highest concentration of migraine-related BI, with a gradual decrease towards the west. The most common search term related to migraine was "How to treat migraine quickly and effectively (偏头痛怎么办最快最有效的方法)". Conclusions: This study reveals important findings on migraine distribution in China, underscoring the urgent need for effective prevention and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The natural abundances of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) are extensively used to indicate the C and N biogeochemical cycles at large spatial scales. However, the spatial patterns of δ13C and δ15N in plant-soil systems of grasslands in northern China and their main driving factors across regional climatic gradient are still not well understood. Methods: We measured plant and soil δ13C and δ15N compositions as well as their associated environmental factors across 2000 km climatic gradient (-0.2 to 9 °C; 152 to 502 mm) in grasslands of northern China. Results: The soil δ13C and δ15N values in surface were lower than those in bottom for temperate typical steppe but had no significant differences for temperate meadow steppe and temperate desert steppe. Soil δ13C values declined with increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) but increased as mean annual temperature (MAT). These changes were attributed to the microbial decomposition rate. The δ15N values in soil and plant were negatively correlated with MAT and mean annual precipitation (MAP), which were mainly related to the low soil organic matter mineralization rate and the shift of dominant species from C4 to C3. Conclusions: Our results indicate the spatial patterns and different influencing factors on δ13C and δ15N values along the climatic gradient in grasslands of northern China. The findings will provide scientific references for future research on the C and N biogeochemical cycles of temperate grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, COVID-19 vaccination is an effective method to stop the spread of the epidemic and reduce disease severity and mortality. It has been reported that COVID-19 vaccine can activate several autoimmune diseases. However, whether it can affect development of vitiligo remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible risk factors of vitiligo disease activity or recurrence after COVID-19 vaccination. We recruited 383 vitiligo patients, of whom 126 were not vaccinated and 257 had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Vitiligo disease activity (VIDA) score was used to analyze key risk factors of vitiligo in patients who underwent COVID-19 vaccination. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the risk factors associated with VIDA. Compared with patients without history of undergoing vaccination, the VIDA score of vaccinated patients increased significantly (3(2, 4) vs. 3(2, 3) scores, P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis identified COVID-19 vaccination (odds ratio (OR): 3.040, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.649–5.603) as an independent risk factor for VIDA. The data showed that COVID-19 vaccination aggravated the development of vitiligo, which is a key risk factor for recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of future chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations is of great importance for effective management and early warning of marine ecological systems. However, previous studies primarily focused on chlorophyll-a inversion and reconstruction, while methods for predicting Chl-a concentrations remain limited. To address this issue, we adopted four deep learning approaches, including Convolutional LSTM Network (ConvLSTM), Convolutional Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory (CNN-LSTM), Eidetic 3D LSTM (E3D-LSTM), and Self-Attention ConvLSTM (SA-ConvLSTM) models, to predict Chl-a over the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea (YBS) in China. Furthermore, 14 environmental variables obtained from the remote sensing data of Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) were utilized to predict the Chl-a concentrations in the study area. The results showed that all four models performed satisfactorily in predicting Chl-a concentrations in the YBS, with SA-ConvLSTM exhibiting a closer approximation to true values. Furthermore, we analyzed the impact of the Self-Attention Memory Module (SAM) on the prediction results. Compared to the ConvLSTM model, the SA-ConvLSTM model integrated with the SAM module better captured subtle large-scale variations within the study area. The SA-ConvLSTM model exhibited the highest prediction accuracy, and the one-month Pearson correlation coefficient reached 0.887. Our study provides an available approach for anticipating Chl-a concentrations over a large area of sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of local officials' political capital on poverty alleviation by using a manually compiled database of county party secretaries (CPSs) in impoverished counties in China. The empirical results reveal that CPSs with political capital positively affect poverty alleviation. Mechanism tests indicated that CPSs with political capital contribute to greater agricultural and financial development, attract more enterprise investment, and increase fiscal expenditure. The promotional effect of local officials' political capital on poverty alleviation was influenced by CPSs' characteristics (e.g., tenure, education level, and age) and was less pronounced during central government inspection and when the provincial government was less concerned about local officials' poverty alleviation. Our results suggest that local officials' political capital can alleviate poverty in emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence and related risk factors of malocclusion in permanent dentition among adolescents in Shanghai, and provide basic data for government's preventive strategies and intervention plans. Methods: 1799 adolescents aged 11–15 years old from 18 middle schools in 6 districts of Shanghai were recruited to investigate oral health status and related risk factors using cluster random sampling method in 2021. Malocclusion and caries were examined by on-site inspection. The investigation criteria referred to Bjoerk and the recommendation of the WHO. The malocclusion inspection items included molars relationship, canine relationship, overbite, overjet, midline displacement, anterior crossbite, posterior crossbite, scissors bite, crowding and spacing. The subjects were asked to fill in a questionnaire including parents' education level, oral health behaviors and dietary habits. The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between malocclusion and risk factors. Results: 1799 adolescents were included in the study and the prevalence of malocclusion in adolescents in Shanghai was 83.5%, and the proportion of molar relationship class I, class II, and class III was 48.9%, 14.7%, and 19.0%, respectively. The most common occlusal characteristic of malocclusion was anterior crowding, followed by midline irregularities and deep overbite, with prevalence rates of 44.8%, 39.0% and 38.6%, respectively. The prevalence rate of adolescents with caries was 34.3%. Those who had dental caries and preferred soft food were more likely to have abnormal occlusal characteristics (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of malocclusion in adolescents in Shanghai is high, so it is of great significance to strengthen oral health education, allocate proper preventive strategies and carry out the early correction if necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flax is an economic crop with a long history. It is grown worldwide and is mainly used for edible oil, industry, and textiles. Here, we reported a high-quality genome assembly for "Neiya No. 9", a popular variety widely grown in China. Combining PacBio long reads, Hi-C sequencing, and a genetic map reported previously, a genome assembly of 473.55 Mb was constructed, which covers ~94.7% of the flax genome. These sequences were anchored onto 15 chromosomes. The N50 lengths of the contig and scaffold were 0.91 Mb and 31.72 Mb, respectively. A total of 32,786 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 95.9% of complete BUSCOs were found. Through morphological and cytological observation, the male sterility of flax was considered dominant nuclear sterility. Through GWAS analysis, the gene LUSG00017705 (cysteine synthase gene) was found to be closest to the most significant SNP, and the expression level of this gene was significantly lower in male sterile plants than in fertile plants. Among the significant SNPs identified in the GWAS analysis, only two were located in the coding region, and these two SNPs caused changes in the protein encoded by LUSG00017565 (cysteine protease gene). It was speculated that these two genes may be related to male sterility in flax. This is the first time the molecular mechanism of male sterility in flax has been reported. The high-quality genome assembly and the male sterility genes revealed, provided a solid foundation for flax breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gonghe-Guide Basin is situated in the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, one of China's main targets for geothermal research and exploitation. We present a new crustal structure of the entire basin by using EIGEN-6C4 satellite gravity and aeromagnetic data aimed to further recognize the geothermal mechanisms. The data are processed using the wavelet multi-scale decomposition method and the iterative compact depth from extreme points imaging method. The gravity inversion results reveal distinct low-density regions in the middle-upper crust at 15–35 km depth, which is most likely caused by partial melting. The magnetic inversion results show negative or no magnetism within a similar depth range. But at shallow depths of the same horizontal positions, there is high positive magnetism, which can be interpreted as granite. The results correspond well with the magnetotelluric and seismic results and can be an effective supplement. To confirm and validate this conclusion, a 2D geological model of a profile from a typical area is created to show the detailed tectonic. Based on the new crustal structure results, the suggested geothermal target is the low/negative density corresponding to low/negative magnetism located at deep depths and high/positive magnetism located at shallow depths. Then we established a geological conceptual model to illustrate this process. This indicates that tectonic movement is taking place in the deep part of the earth in the Gonghe-Guide Basin. The research on the geological structure and geothermal heat source mechanism in the Gonghe-Guide Basin can provide a primary reference for research on geothermal resources in other areas with similar geological structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind and water erosion processes can lead to soil degradation. Topographic factors also affect the variation of soil properties. The effect of topographic factors on soil properties in regions where wind and water erosion simultaneously occur remains complicated. To address this effect, we conducted this study to determine the relationships between the changes in wind–water erosion and soil properties in different topographic contexts. We collected soil samples from conical landforms with different slope characteristics and positions in the wind–water erosion crisscross region of China. We examined the soil 137Cs inventory, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), soil particles, soil water content (SWC), and biomass. 137Cs was applied to estimate soil erosion. The results show that the soil erosion rate followed the order of northwest slope > southwest slope > northeast slope > southeast slope. The soil erosion rate on the northwest slope was about 12.06–58.47% higher than on the other. Along the slopes, the soil erosion rate decreased from the upper to the lower regions, and was 65.65% higher at the upper slope than at the lower one. The change in soil erosion rate was closely related to soil properties. The contents of SOC, TN, clay, silt, SWC, and biomass on the northern slopes (northwest and northeast slopes) were lower than those on the southern slopes (southeast and southwest slopes), and they were lower at the upper slope than at the lower one. Redundancy analysis showed that the variation in soil properties was primarily affected by the slope aspect, and less affected by soil erosion, accounting for 56.1% and 30.9%, respectively. The results demonstrate that wind–water erosion accelerates the impact of topographic factors on soil properties under slope conditions. Our research improves our understanding of the mechanisms of soil degradation in gully regions where wind and water erosion simultaneously occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an increased concern that statins may have an unintended effect of elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. We conducted a large sample real-world study to test the association. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from an integrated SuValue database, which includes 221 hospitals across China covering more than 200,000 of population with longitudinal follow-up to 10 years. Propensity score matching was applied to identify two comparable cohorts with statin users and non-statin users. Detailed follow-up information such as Lp(a) levels were extracted. The hazard ratio was calculated on Lp(a) changes based on the statin usage cohorts. Detailed subgroup and different characteristic cohorts' analyses were also conducted. Results: After baseline propensity score matching, a total of 42,166 patients were included in a 1:1 matched ratio between statin users and non-statin users. In the case of no difference in low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), Lp(a) was increased significantly with the use of statins (adjusted HR 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43–1.50). Lp(a) increase was observed in various subgroup analyses and different cohorts. The dose intensity of statin was positively associated with the evaluated Lp(a) level. Conclusion: The use of statins was associated with an increased risk of Lp(a) elevation compared with non-statin use counterparts. The clinical relevance of these increases needs to be addressed in surrogate marker trials and/or large, cardiovascular outcomes trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the relationships between the microorganism communities and the edaphic factors in rhizosphere soil along the plantation chronosequence have been widely reported, few researches have appeared on the interrelationship about rhizospheric soil microorganism community and soil organic carbon (SOC) under multi-root Cerasus humilis plantations of different age. In our study, the rhizospheric soil microbial communities, soil physicochemistry, and SOC molecular groups in plantations of 1-, 3-, and 5-year-old Cerasus humilis were investigated in karst rocky desertification control area of southwest China. It was found that karst rhizospheric soil moisture, total nitrogen, available potassium, and 46–60 ppm N-alkyl/methoxyl C decreased; however, SOC and fungal:bacterial ratio decreased along multi-root Cerasus humilis plantation chronosequence. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, and Ascomycota were recognized as the top 4 phyla in the karst rhizospheric soil microbial co-occurrence network. Moreover, Cerasus humilis plantations exerted significantly direct effect on rhizospheric soil microbial communities and soil physicochemical properties exerted significantly direct effects on SOC molecular groups. Our results suggested that the increased Cerasus humilis plantation years will promote C sequestration (e.g., SOC) with the continued input of root litter, root exudates, and plant litter. The inputted and activated C can be preferentially consumed by rhizospheric soil microorganisms and converted into microbial-derived compounds, which are finally incorporated into recalcitrant SOC pools. Hence, Cerasus humilis redistributed SOC molecular groups via rhizospheric soil microorganisms, and increased ratio of fungi:bacteria in rhizosphere was associated with C sequestration which could not be regarded as a widespread rule. Though our study is the first attempt to recognize the interaction between rhizospheric soil microbial community and SOC molecular groups at the karst rocky desertification control area, it provides a baseline for further research that ecological restoration can promote soil C sequestration via soil microorganisms in the early period of eco-restoration at karst area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) is one of the most dominant species in shrimp farming in China, which is a rich source of protein and contributes to a significant impact on the quality of human life. Thus, more complete and accurate annotation of gene models are important for the breeding research of oriental river prawn. Results: A full-length transcriptome of oriental river prawn muscle was obtained using the PacBio Sequel platform. Then, 37.99 Gb of subreads were sequenced, including 584,498 circular consensus sequences, among which 512,216 were full length non-chimeric sequences. After Illumina-based correction of long PacBio reads, 6,599 error-corrected isoforms were identified. Transcriptome structural analysis revealed 2,263 and 2,555 alternative splicing (AS) events and alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites, respectively. In total, 620 novel genes (NGs), 197 putative transcription factors (TFs), and 291 novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were identified. Conclusions: In summary, this study offers novel insights into the transcriptome complexity and diversity of this prawn species, and provides valuable information for understanding the genomic structure and improving the draft genome annotation of oriental river prawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the precision of fault diagnosis for high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) systems by effectively extracting various types of fault characteristics, a fault diagnosis method based on the long short-term memory network (LSTM) is proposed in this paper. The method relies on a knowledge graph platform and is developed using measured data from four fault types in an HVDC substation located in southwest China. Firstly, a knowledge graph for the HVDC systems is constructed, then the fault waveform data is preprocessed and divided into a training set and a test set. Various optimizers are employed to train and test the LSTM. The proposed strategy's accuracy is calculated and compared with recurrent neural network (RNN), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), support vector machine (SVM), Naive Bayes classifier, probabilistic neural networks (PNN), and classification learner (CL), which are commonly used in fault diagnosis. Results indicate that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of over 95%, which is 30% higher than RNN, 8% higher than XGBoost, 4% higher than SVM, 7% higher than Naive Bayes, 40% higher than PNN, and 42% higher than classification learner (CL), respectively; the method also has the minimum time cost, fully demonstrating its superiority and effectiveness compared to other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-head dams are becoming a ubiquitous feature of the landscape of headwater streams. The ecological effects of low-head dams have long been studied; however, most studies have ignored the invasion of native-invasive species commonly occurring in large streams. Based on fish data from 25 first-order streams within an important tributary of the Yangtze River, we investigated whether and how low-head dams facilitate the invasion of native-invasive fish to headwater streams in regions where native fish species are completely dominant. We found that the ratio of native-invasive species (Ratio) was significantly higher in impoundments than in free-flowing segments, suggesting that low-head dams facilitate the invasion of native-invasive fish. We demonstrated that the niche and dispersal processes affected the seasonal variation in Ratio differently. In addition, changes in the Ratio using abundance data were significantly related to landscape conditions and dam size in the dry season and only to landscape conditions in the wet season, suggesting that the latter greatly underestimated the blocking effect of low-head dams on fish dispersal. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that increasing anthropogenic landscape disturbances in catchments where low-head dams were located exacerbated the invasion of native-invasive species are commonly found in large streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black glazed wares (Wujin wares) and hare fur's decorated black glazed wares (HF wares) are ones of typical production of Jian kilns, China during Song Dynasty. In this work, Wujin wares and HF wares excavated in Jian kiln complex (Yulinting kilns, Daluhoumen kilns and Luhuaping kilns) were systematically analyzed by optical microscope, X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy and micro‐Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the index of glassy polymerization (Ip) of Wujin wares is smaller than black areas of HF wares, indicating the higher firing temperature used for HF wares. Several pseudobrookite, rutile, hematite and quartz crystals were detected in glazes of Wujin wares while a great number of ɛ‐Fe2O3 crystals was observed in brown stripes of HF wares. Besides, wares in different kiln sites present obviously differences in bubble distribution and glassy structure, indicating a lower firing temperature used for Yulinting kilns than those of Daluhoumen kilns and Luhuaping kilns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global warming, the "divergence problem" phenomenon in the climate response of tree growth has been observed. Here, we use tree-ring stable oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to examine the response under current warming in Tsuga chinensis Pritz. and Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. growing on the south slope (SS) and north slope (NS) of the Qinling Mountains, a boundary between subtropical and warm temperate zones in China. Both δ18O series are significantly correlated with several hydroclimate reconstructions in the surrounding area since 1750, suggesting that tree-ring δ18O could capture large-scale characteristics of climate change in the Qinling Mountains. However, a difference arises in the two δ18O series since the early 1980s. At the SS site, the increasing δ18O is closely related to the increased warming (0.30℃/year) from 1981. This result mainly because temperature is the most significant climate factor (r = 0.465, n = 51, p < 0.001) in determining tree-ring δ18O by affecting the δ18O of soil water before and after the increased warming at the SS site. Although the warming trend is also significant (0.31℃/year) at the NS site since 1981, the δ18O variation shows no obvious fluctuation, which may indicate that relative humidity is the dominant controlling factor (r=-0.603, n = 48, p < 0.001) but not temperature for the δ18O of Pinus tabulaeformis. The results imply that tree-ring δ18O is still sensitive to its dominant climatic controlling factor under the current warming, suggesting that it has the potential to infer past climate change by using tree-ring δ18O in a future warming scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthworms modulate carbon and nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, but their effect may be compromised by the deposition of pollutants from industrial emissions. However, studies investigating how deposited compounds affect the role of earthworms in carbon cycling such as litter decomposition are lacking, although the interactions of earthworms and deposited compounds are important for understanding the impact of pollutants on ecosystems and the potential of earthworms in bioremediation. We performed a 365‐day in situ litterbag decomposition experiment in a deciduous (Quercus variabilis) and coniferous (Pinus massoniana) forest in southeast China. We manipulated nitrogen (N), sodium (Na), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as model compounds during litter decomposition with and without earthworms (Eisenia fetida). After one year, N, Na, and PAH all slowed down litter mass loss, with the effects of Na being the strongest. By contrast, E. fetida generally increased litter mass loss, and the positive effects were uniformly maintained irrespective of the type of compounds added. However, the pathways to how earthworms increased litter mass loss varied among the compounds added and the two forests studied. As indicated by structural equation modeling, earthworms mitigated the negative effects of deposited compounds by directly increasing litter mass loss and indirectly increasing soil pH and microbial biomass. Overall, the results indicate that the acceleration of litter mass loss by earthworms is little affected by deposited compounds, and that earthworms have the potential to mitigate negative impacts of pollutants on litter decomposition and ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the loss of forest vegetation is a significant concern due to the crucial roles that forests play in the Earth's system, including the provision of ecosystem services, participation in biogeochemical cycles, and support for human well-being. Forests are especially critical in mountains environments, where deforestation can lead to accelerated biodiversity loss, soil erosion, flooding, and reduced agricultural productivity, as well as increased poverty rates. In response to these problems, China has implemented a series of ecological restoration programs aimed at restoring forests. However, there is a lack of knowledge as to whether the forest cover is increasing or decreasing, as well as the relative roles played by natural and human factors in forest change. Here, we aim to address these issues by analyzing the pattern and process of the forest changes in Guizhou province, a typical mountainous karst area with a fragile environment in southwestern China, between 1980 and 2018, and evaluating the extent to which these forest changes were influenced by natural and anthropogenic driving forces. Using a temporal sequence of satellite images and a Markov model, we found that the forest cover increased by 468 km2, and that over 33% of the cropland in Guizhou province was converted into forest between 1980 and 2018, with the most significant increases in the forest cover occurring in Qiandongnan. Through correlation analyses and generalized linear model (GLM) regression, we demonstrate that management factors exerted a more significant positive impact on the forest cover than climate change. While the mean annual precipitation and temperature were mostly stable during the period studied, the effects of population and gross domestic product (GDP) on the forest changes weakened, and the influence of land-use change markedly increased. These findings provide valuable information for resource managers engaging in forest protection, deforestation prevention, and ecological restoration in similar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Xinjiang in Northwest China is an important part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and is characterized by Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, W, Mo, Au and rare metal deposits. Cobalt is a critical mineral resource and new energy material, but cobalt resources are scarce in China. Many by-product cobalt deposits have been found in the CAOB of Xinjiang. In addition to cobalt-dominant minerals that contain essential Co, cobalt mainly occurs in sulphides, with minor amounts present in arsenic, oxides, and natural metal elements in the form of isomorphic substitutions. Co deposits are mainly distributed in East Tianshan and Beishan, and minor deposits occur in Junggar and West Tianshan. We recognize five types of Co deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt of Xinjiang: magmatic, magmatic-hydrothermal, volcanogenic, skarn, and sedimentary. Of these types, magmatic deposits are the most common. The ore formation in Co deposits can be divided into five mineralization phases: Early Cambrian, Early Silurian, Early Devonian, early Carboniferous, and Early Permian. Among these phases, the Early Permian was the main mineralization phase, in which magmatic-type (Cu–Ni–Co and Ni–Co) and skarn-type (Fe–Co and Ag–Cu–Pb–Zn–Co) deposits formed. The evolution of subduction, collision, and postcollision in the Paleo-Asian oceanic plate resulted in the formation of diverse types of Co deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstruction of relative humidity changes in the upper Tarim River using carbon isotopic tree-ring chronology bridges the gap in historical observations on the Tarim River Basin in Arid Central Asia. Populus euphratica Olivier (P. euphratica), growing in the Tarim River Basin of Xinjiang, is an excellent record of past climate change. Based on precise dating, we analysed alpha-cellulose stable carbon isotopes in four cores of P. euphratica taken from the Alaer region of the upper Tarim River Basin. The four stable carbon isotope series records were corrected by the "pin method" and then combined into a carbon isotopic discrimination (Δ13C) series by the "numerical mix method". The discrimination (Δ13C) series were clearly correlated with the mean relative humidity (RHAS) in April–September of the growing season (n = 60, r = −0.78, p < 0.001), and according to the climate response analysis, we designed a simple regression equation to reconstruct the mean relative humidity (RHAS) in April–September from 1824 to 2018 on the Alaer region. The reconstructed sequence showed mainly dry periods in the last 195 years, 1857–1866 and 1899–1907, while primarily wet periods from 1985 to 2016. Due to increased global warming and human activities, the climate shifted from "warm–dry" to "warm–wet" in the mid-to-late 1980s, when there were signs of a shift from "warm–wet" to "warm–dry" in the 2010s, with an increasing trend towards aridity. The RHAS series of Alaer compares well to other hydroclimate series' surrounding the research area, and the spatial correlation analysis indicates that the reconstructed series has good regional representativeness. On an interdecadal scale, the revamped RHAS series is positively correlated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and negatively correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), reflecting the influence of westerly circulation on regional wet and dry variability. At the same time, the RHAS may also be influenced by The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel water inrush risk index (WIRI) evaluation model based on principal component analysis (PCA), criteria importance though inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). Treating Xinyugou coal mine as the study area, the water inrush risk of coal mining on confined water was evaluated. Seven factors were selected to construct the water inrush evaluation system. The PCA, the CRITIC and the kullback information concept (KIC) were adopted to determine the combination weights of water inrush evaluation indicators. Combined with the TOPSIS method, a WIRI evaluation model was constructed. Also, the geographic information system (GIS) was used to partition the water inrush risk in the study area. The results show that the PCA and the CRITIC were applied in the determination of each evaluation index weight, ensuring the objective presentation of the original information included in the evaluation indicators. Meanwhile, the KIC ensured the scientific construction of combination weight without the occurrence of the weight bias phenomenon; the prediction accuracy of WIRI evaluation model is more than 90%, with a good fitting effect with the actual water inrush points. Compared with the water inrush coefficient method, the model, with five regions classified in the study area, can more intuitively reflect the water inrush risk of each region. This model has a guiding role in preventing water inrush from coal seam floor above confined water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]