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The selection of disaster-inducing factors and the construction of assessment models are two important stages in landslide susceptibility assessment. Existing research has neglected the influence of time-varying dynamic factors on landslide susceptibility. On the contrary, the best assessment model that fits the characteristics of disaster-pregnant environment in a certain area needs to be determined through a large number of comparative studies. In this paper, Boshan District, China was taken as the research area, and the assessment factor combination of static disaster-inducing factors and the change value of dynamic disaster-inducing factors in the current year was constructed. Landslide susceptibility modeling was carried out by random forest (RF), logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), stacking ensemble and convolutional neural network (CNN), and the assessment model with the highest accuracy was determined based on the area under the curve (AUC) method. Based on the geodetector, the interpretation degree of land use to landslide susceptibility and the relationship between the change information of dynamic disaster-inducing factors and the spatial distribution of landslide susceptibility were analyzed. The results show that CNN outperforms other models in the performance of modeling, with an AUC value of 0.920. The extremely high sensitive zones for landslides in the Boshan District were mainly distributed in the northwest, south, and east regions. The overall explanatory power of land use on landslide susceptibility shows a declining trend, suggesting that the spatial layout of land use in the Boshan District has been optimized. The rapidly growing population has destroyed the geological and hydrological environment and increased the probability of landslide susceptibility; Multiple acute changes of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in the opposite direction were more likely to trigger landslides, so it is not suitable to carry out logging, planting and other work repeatedly in a short time. This research can provide a theoretical foundation for land use planning and landslide prevention policies in the Boshan District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transient rainfall infiltration and grid-based regional slope-stability (TRIGRS)-Scoops three-dimensional (3D) coupling model combines the influences of rainfall infiltration and 3D topography on slope safety. However, the Scoops 3D model defines the physical and mechanical parameters of underground materials with a uniform or layered method, which cannot describe the variability in the horizontal direction. To address this limitation, a method of creating a 3D distribution file of physical and mechanical parameters for underground materials was proposed. This method was applied to a mountainous area in Chishang Town, China. Based on the TRIGRS-Scoops 3D coupling model, the stability of slopes in the study area was assessed under different rainfall conditions. The dangerous slopes were located where the proportion of unstable grids exceeded 1%. The TRIGRS-Scoops 3D coupling model was repeatedly used to determine the curve of the rainfall threshold for landslide activation. This curve is based on the intensity (I) and duration (D) of rainfall. The results show that the 3D distribution file can effectively reflect the variability of parameters in the horizontal direction. The landslide activating rainfall threshold curves for the 13 dangerous slopes in the study area exhibit a linear relationship between lgI and lgD. This study can reveal slope stability under different rainfall conditions and provide a theoretical basis for landslide warnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes the chairman as the starting point to study whether the chairman-CEO duality can affect the performance, with a sample of 3568 the board of directors of the listed company leadership characteristics and performance during 2008–2018 in NEEQ market. The results found that the chairman as CEO is conducive to improving the business performance. Through the sample study of enterprise size division, it is found that in small enterprises, the chairman as CEO has a more significant positive impact on business performance than in large enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Valuable insight into impact of past climate changes on range dynamics of M. insignis. • Additional evidence of glacial expansion for montane species at low latitudes. • Offer protection strategy for low latitudes montane species respond to climate change. The Pleistocene Epoch, marked by significant climatic fluctuations and glaciations, profoundly impacted plant populations. However, our understanding of the influences of last glaciations on tropical-subtropical flora and vegetation remains limited due to insufficient data. Here, we present mummified wood of Magnolia insignis (Wall.) Bl. from the Upper Pleistocene (33–30 ka cal. BP) of Maoming, South China, providing direct evidence of a broader historical range for this species during the period prior to the LGM in the last glaciation. Combining these findings with results from MaxEnt modeling, we demonstrate an expanded range of M. insignis into lower latitudes during last glaciation with subsequent interglacial contraction. This represents the second documented case of such a scenario for a cold-tolerant high-elevation plant species at low latitudes. The results of MaxEnt modeling and a comparison of climatic data across different time periods indicate that the contraction of M. insignis from the Maoming and other low latitude regions of East Asia was driven by the increase in summer temperatures during Holocene. This study not only sheds light on the responses of cold-adapted mountainous species at low latitudes of East Asia to last glaciation, but also justifies the importance of their protection in the view of nowadays and future climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: This study suggests that jugular bulb–vestibular aqueduct dehiscence (JBVAD) does not affect the hearing or balance functions of the inner ear. Objectives: Since JBVAD may cause impairment of the inner ear and induce hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo, this study was to investigate the effect of JBVAD on hearing and balance. Method: Patients undergoing temporal bone computed tomography (TBCT) scans from May 2013 to December 2013 at a tertiary referral hospital were reviewed. The topographic relationship between the jugular bulb (JB) and the vestibular aqueduct was assessed. The findings were classified as normal when there was always a bony structure between the two structures and as dehiscent when the bony coverage separating the two structures was absent. Clinical data were collected via electronic records and clinical follow-up. Results: A total of 1313 out of 8325 patients were diagnosed with a HJB. Forty-six patients showed JBVAD. The prevalence of dehiscence was 0.6% in patients undergoing temporal bone CT scans and 3.5% in patients with HJB. Of the 46 patients with JBVAD, 23 (50%) had sensorineural hearing loss, three (6.5%) had tinnitus, and two (4.3%) had vertigo. The correlation between JBVAD and these clinical symptoms did not achieve statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivore damage patterns on fossil leaves are essential to explore the evolution of plant-herbivore interactions under paleoenvironmental changes and to better understand the evolutionary history of terrestrial ecosystems. The Eocene–Oligocene transition (EOT) is a period of dramatic paleoclimate changes that significantly impacted global ecosystems; however, the influences on plant-herbivore interactions during this period are largely unknown. We identified taxonomic composition of the flora, and investigated well-preserved herbivore damage on fossil leaves from two layers of the Lawula Formation in Markam County, southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), China. Besides, paleoclimate conditions were reconstructed using fossil plant assemblages. The plant assemblage from the latest Eocene layer (MK-3, ~34.6 Ma) was dominated by Fagaceae and Betulaceae, whereas Rosaceae and Salicaceae were the most abundant in the earliest Oligocene layer (MK-1, ~33.4 Ma). In MK-3, 932 out of 2428 fossil leaves were damaged and presented 41 damage types (DTs). The richest functional feeding groups (FFGs) in this layer were hole feeding, margin feeding, and galling. In MK-1, 144 out of 599 leaves were damaged and presented 20 DTs, with the major FFGs being hole feeding, margin feeding, and skeletonization. Generally, MK-3 had a significantly higher damage frequency (DF) and more DTs compared to MK-1. The decline in temperature, accompanied by the mountain uplift during the EOT on the QTP margin, led to changes in plant composition, with a consequent decrease in herbivory quantity and diversity. Our results shed new light on the influence of paleoenvironmental changes in shaping the evolution of biodiversity as well as the ecosystem on the plateau. • This is the first report of plant-herbivore interactions on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP); • Both floristic components and plant-herbivore interactions changed during the Eocene–Oligocene Transition (EOT); • Biota and ecosystem were shaped by climate change at the EOT and the southeastern QTP uplift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The latest information regarding the awareness of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains limited in China., Objectives: The present study aimed to understand the variation and disparity in awareness of AF in China., Methods: The cross-sectional study used data from the 2020 nationwide epidemiology survey on AF among adults aged 18 years or older in mainland China to assess the prevalence of AF awareness. The awareness of AF diagnostic methods and outcomes was also assessed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire., Results: Of the 114,039 adults responding to the survey, 1463 (age-standardized prevalence, 55.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.7-62.9%) and 10,202 (8.2%, 95%CI 5.4-10.9%) were aware of AF in participants with and without AF, respectively. Of these, 36.4% (95%CI 30.0-42.9%) and 6.3% (95%CI 3.6-9.1%) considered electrocardiogram as a method of diagnosing AF, and 30.0% (95% CI 3.2-8.2%) and 5.2% (95%CI 2.7-7.6%) considered stroke as an outcome of AF. The proportion of participants who being aware of AF varied significantly across sociodemographic and cardiovascular disease subgroups, and was almost consistently lower in rural areas than those in urban areas. Overall, lack of AF awareness was associated with rural areas, geographical region, lower education levels, and without history and had no risk factors of cardiovascular disease., Conclusions: Nearly half of adults with AF, and >90% non-AF population are unaware of AF in China, with significant variation and disparity. Focused public health initiatives are needed to improve awareness and knowledge of AF among high-risk populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors have no conflict to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study examined the association between anthropometric measurements, lifestyle factors and the prevalence of thyroid nodules among adults in Northeast China., Design: We employed a cross-sectional approach involving a questionnaire survey, which focused on participants' living habits, and a physical examination that included anthropometry and ultrasound imaging., Setting: The data were procured during multiple trips by medical teams from the first hospital of China Medical University to towns in Northeast China., Participants: Of the 1092 participants, 489 did not have thyroid nodules (mean age: 54.02±11.49 years; 297 females (60.7%)), 99 had single thyroid nodules (mean age: 58.19±10.77 years; 59 females (59.6%)) and 504 had multiple thyroid nodules (mean age: 60.05±10.68 years; 394 females (78.2%)). Inclusion criteria mandated participants be over 20 years old without other medical conditions. We excluded individuals who had undergone surgical resection for thyroid nodules., Results: The prevalence of thyroid nodules was significantly associated with being female (OR 2.569, 95% CI 1.937 to 3.405, p<0.001) and increased age (OR 1.054, 95% CI 1.041 to 1.066, p<0.001). This association was more pronounced in those with multiple thyroid nodules. For males under 60, non-smoking was inversely correlated with the prevalence of multiple thyroid nodules (OR 0.321, 95%CI 0.149 to 0.69, p<0.05). For females under 60, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly linked with the prevalence of thyroid nodules (OR 0.978, 95% CI 2.614 to 2.705, p<0.05)., Conclusions: Besides gender and age, the prevalence of thyroid nodules in Northeast China correlates with smoking habits and DBP., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a disorder characterized by enhanced intestinal absorption of dietary iron. Here, we report a heterozygous genotype at two mutation sites in hemojuvelin (HJV) present in two brothers with middle-age-onset hemochromatosis in a Chinese family. To date, only homozygous or compound heterozygous states of HJV gene have been reported as associated with iron overload. However, the patients here were heterozygous for two mutations in one HJV allele in cis: a premature termination mutation (962G>A and 963C>A; C321X) and a mutation in the signal peptide (18G>C; Q6H). Previously unrecognized environmental or other genetic factors may have interacted with the heterozygous genotype in these patients.

Individual and joint toxicity of three chloroacetanilide herbicides to a freshwater cladoceran were studied. The 48 h-LC50 values of alachlor, acetochlor and butachlor to Daphnia carinata Dc42 were 11.1, 11.8 and 3.45 mg L(-1), respectively. The toxicity was significantly (p < 0.05) related to hydrophobicity. The additive indexes of binary mixtures of three herbicides were less than zero and it showed antagonism. The body length of D. carinata treated with high concentration of herbicides was shorter than that of control group significantly (p < 0.05). It suggests that joint actions must be considered when assessing the acute toxicity of chloroacetanilide herbicides to D. carinata.