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Summary: Traditional power grid investment forecasting models often ignore the cyclical characteristics of historical investment data, leading to one‐sided investment allocation results and insufficient model generalization ability. This article proposed a power network investment forecasting method based on particle swarm optimization‐gate recurrent unit (PSO‐GRU) neural network. First, the temporal attention mechanism is introduced into the traditional GRU network, which improves the ability of the network to extract temporal features. Then, in order to avoid the adverse effects of unreasonable parameter configuration on model training, an optimized particle swarm optimization algorithm was proposed to optimize the parameter set of GRU and improve the training accuracy of the model. The data provided by an electric power company in China is used for experimental analysis, and the predicted results are compared with other electric power investment models. The RMSE of the PSO‐GRU model proposed in this article is 0.1223, which is superior to other algorithms and has certain effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing concern surrounding climate change has gradually drawn attention to the influence of climate factors on drought occurrence. In order to effectively prevent the occurrence of drought and reasonably utilize water resources, the vegetation health index (VHI) was used to characterize drought in North China Plain (NCP) in this study. Furthermore, six climate factors: air temperature (AT), precipitation (P), evapotranspiration (ET), specific humidity (SH), soil moisture (SM), and soil temperature (ST) were selected. The pole symmetric mode decomposition (PSMD) and improved gridded trend test (IGT) were used to analyze the spatial–temporal characteristics of drought and climate factors in NCP from 1982 to 2020. By calculating the cumulative climatic factors of 0 months, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months, the correlation between drought and the climatic factors with different cumulative scales was analyzed. The results showed that: (1) from 1982 to 2020, the drought in NCP showed a downward trend and the climate factors showed an upward trend; (2) with the increase in AT, P, ET, SH, SM, and ST, VHI showed an upward trend, and SM showed the strongest correlation with VHI; (3) the optimal cumulative lag time (CLT) for AT, P, ET, SH, SM, and ST were 1.67 months, 1.48 months, 1.95 months, 1.69 months, 0.89 months, and 1.81 months, respectively; and (4) AT was the main driving factor of drought in NCP. This study contributes to the early warning and prediction of drought events, providing a scientific basis for water management authorities in drought management and decision making, and mitigating the negative impacts of drought on socio-economic aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong link between children's emotion regulation and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms has been documented; however, the within-person mechanisms remain unclear. Based on the self-control theory and self-regulation theory, our study investigated the longitudinal, bidirectional relationship between emotion regulation and ODD symptoms in school-age children with ODD using parent- and teacher-reported data, respectively. A total of 256 Chinese elementary school students participated in a three-wave longitudinal study spanning two years. We used the random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to investigate the concurrent and longitudinal associations between emotion regulation and ODD symptoms. Results from the RI-CLPMs revealed that ODD symptoms were negatively correlated with emotion regulation and positively correlated with emotion lability/negativity at both the between-person and within-person levels across settings. Additionally, in the school setting, emotion regulation negatively predicted subsequent ODD symptoms but not vice versa, whereas emotion lability/negativity was bidirectionally associated with ODD symptoms over time. The longitudinal associations of ODD symptoms with emotion regulation and lability/negativity were not observed in the home setting. These findings suggest a circular mechanism between children's emotion regulation and ODD symptoms and support the view that emotion regulation, particularly emotion lability/negativity, plays an important role in the development of ODD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is complex and is also one of the main disasters affecting China. Exploring the response of agricultural drought and meteorological drought to climatic factors helps us to understand the causes of drought. In this paper, we evaluated the temporal and spatial characteristics of soil drought and meteorological drought (SMD) and explored their responses to climatic factors and latent heat fluxes (LHF), and then explained their variation from the perspective of atmospheric circulation. The following results were obtained. (1) Meteorological drought has gradually increased in the Liaohe River Basin, on the North China Plain, and on the Loess Plateau while average soil moisture has been maintained at only approximately 25%. The impacts of drought are very serious in these regions. (2) LHF response to short time-scale (3-month scale) drought performance is high in the dry season, and the regions with high correlation coefficients are spatially distributed and concentrated in the monsoon climate zone. The regions with high correlation coefficients between drought and LHFs on long time scales (12-month scale) are concentrated in the coastal basin of southeast China. (3) Short- and long-term SMDs showed highly responsive and significant relationships with PDO, showing variations in the southeast coastal basin, the Pearl River basin, the northwest inland basin and the eastern part of the Heilongjiang basin, with a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.21 (p < 0.01). The short-term SMD in the northwestern inland region was significantly negatively correlated with AMO (correlation coefficient of −0.19, p < 0.01). the Nino3.4 index is significantly positively correlated with the SMD in the southeast coastal region of China, with a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.23 (p < 0.01). The decrease in convective precipitation led to a stronger association between soil and meteorological drought and climatic factors. This study helps to reveal the changing patterns of SMDs and can also be used globally to identify the local development patterns of drought under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning for marriage and childbearing is an important part of many young adults' lives. In this study, we investigated ways in which ideas about family formation among Chinese international students were associated with personal, interpersonal, and cultural factors. In total, 265 childless Chinese international students (Mage = 23 years; all cisgender) in the United States participated in an online survey; 210 self-identified as heterosexual and 55 as sexual minority individuals. Results showed that sexual minority students chose older ideal ages for marriage and parenthood than did heterosexual students. Moreover, sexual minority students were more likely to see the United States and other regions where same-sex marriage is legal as ideal places to live after marriage, but heterosexual students were more likely to describe China as ideal. In reality, however, many students expected to return home to China, and there were no differences in their expectations as a function of sexual identities. In addition, students who reported greater acculturation to culture of the United States were more likely to choose the United States as the ideal place to live. Students who endorsed the importance of filial piety and who perceived more support from family were more likely to view China as the ideal place to live. Finally, sexual minority students who wanted to become parents chose a greater variety of pathways to parenthood than did heterosexual students. Results highlighted the role of sexual orientation, social support, and cultural ideals in shaping the ways Chinese students thought about future families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between core self-evaluation (CSE) and innovative behavior and the mediating role of perceived organizational support for strengths use (POS for strengths use) in the associations of CSE with job performance, particularly, task performance and employee innovative behavior. A three-wave survey research design was applied to collect data from 157 full-time employees working in various organizations in China. Structural equation modelling was employed to examine our predictions. Results demonstrated that CSE has a positive effect on innovative behavior. More importantly, POS for strengths use significantly and partially mediated the associations of CSE with task performance and innovative behavior. This study contributes to unlocking the "black box" in the relationships between CSE and task performance and innovative behavior by investigating the mediating role of POS for strengths use in these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest emitter of carbon dioxide all over the world, China requires a rapid breakthrough and large-scale commercial application of carbon capture, utilization and sequestration (CCUS) technology to achieve the 2060 carbon neutrality target. However, the process of CCUS technology commercialization in China is quite slow. Firstly, an obstacle system with 15 factors is established based on a literature review and expert consultation, namely on economic, technical, political, market, and social obstacles. Secondly, taking into account the uncertainty and randomness inherent in subjective judgment, Vague set is introduced for the first time to improve the DEMATEL-ANP (DANP) method in order to analyze comprehensive importance and causal relationship of obstacles. According to the study, in advancing CCUS's commercialization in China, economic obstacles are simply the tip of the iceberg, with the deeper reasons rooted in political obstacles. Specifically, seven critical obstacles are lack of standards and regulations, inadequate legal and regulatory framework, insufficient incentive policies, limited carbon dioxide conversion efficiency, high energy consumption, low rate of return on investments and low investment enthusiasm of enterprise. We conclude with a series of recommendations to address these obstacles, and these findings can be used as a guide for government regulation and business practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly prominent ecological environmental problems, the ecological drought phenomenon will become the focus of drought research. The spatial–temporal pattern of ecological drought and its complicated propagation dynamics are still unclear in the North China Plain (NCP). In this study, the spatio–temporal patterns and gridded trend characteristics of ecological drought were investigated from 1999 to 2019 in the NCP. Subsequently, the propagation dynamics from meteorological to ecological drought were identified for the study period. The results indicated that: (1) the ecological drought showed a downward trend from 1999 to 2019 in the NCP, with a 4.2-year and 7-year period on the inter-annual scale; (2) the most serious ecological drought occurred in the year of 2002, with an average monthly vegetation condition index (VCI) ranging from 0.17 (in December) to 0.59 (in January); (3) ecological droughts were decreasing in each month and season at the grid scale; (4) the propagation time from meteorological to ecological drought was 2.67 months in winter and 1.33 months in summer, which is helpful for predicting the occurrence of ecological drought. This study sheds new viewpoints into the spatial–temporal patterns and propagation dynamics of ecological drought in the NCP, which can also be applied in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine disinfectants have been widely used in the poultry supply chain but this exposure can also result in the development of bacterial tolerance to chlorine and this is often linked to antibiotic cross-resistance. The objectives of this study were to investigate sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) tolerance of Salmonella isolated from poultry supply chains and evaluate cross-resistance. We collected 172 Salmonella isolates from poultry farms, slaughter houses and retail markets in China during 2019–2020. We found that S. Enteritidis, S. Kentucky, and S. Typhimurium constituted > 80% of our Salmonella isolates. Overall, 68% of Salmonella isolates were resistant to > 3 antibiotics and S. Kentucky displayed a significantly (p > 0.05) higher frequency (93.2%) of multidrug resistance than the other serovars. Tolerance to chlorine at MIC > 256 mg/L was detected in 93.6% of isolates (161/172) and tolerant isolates displayed higher decimal reduction times (D value) and less ultrastructural damage than did the suspectable strains under chlorine stress. Spearman analysis indicated significant positive correlations between chlorine tolerance (evaluated by the OD method) and antibiotic resistance (p < 0.05) to ceftiofur, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and florfenicol and this was most likely due to efflux pump over-expression. The most frequently detected chlorine resistance gene was qacE Δ 1 (83.1%, n = 143) and we found a positive correlation between its presence and MIC levels (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001). Besides, we found weak correlations between chlorine-tolerance and antibiotic resistance genes. Our study indicated that chlorine disinfectants most likely played an important role in the emergence of chlorine tolerance and spread of antibiotic resistance and therefore does not completely control the risk of food-borne disease. The issue of disinfectant resistance should be examined in more detail at the level of the poultry production chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, mercury (Hg) discharged into the coastal bays of China has significantly increased; however, long-term trends regarding the pollution status and sources of Hg in these bays have yet to be clear. Focusing on this issue, surface sediments and core sediments were collected in the Jiaozhou Bay (JZB), a typical bay highly affected by human activities in China, to analyze the concentrations and stable isotopic composition of Hg. Total mercury (THg) concentrations in surface sediment varied from 7 to 163 ng/g, with higher levels located in the eastern JZB, possibly attributed to intensive industrial and population density. THg in sediment cores 14 and 20 displayed fluctuating increasing trends from 1936 to 2019, reflecting the deterioration of Hg pollution. In contrast, THg in sediment core 28 near the river mouth exhibited a declining trend, possibly due to the river dam construction. Using a stable isotope mixing model, contributions of various sources (atmospheric, riverine, and industrial emissions) to Hg in the JZB were estimated. The results showed that industrial emissions were the main source (over 50%) of mercury in the JZB in 2019. Sediment cores recorded an increase in industrial Hg due to early industrialization and Reform and Opening-up before 2000. In addition, sediment core 20 demonstrated a rise in the percentage of riverine Hg due to land reclamation at the bay's mouth during 2000–2007. [Display omitted] • Higher Hg levels were observed in the eastern part of the Jiaozhou Bay (JZB). • Bay system is more susceptible to industrial Hg emission compared to marginal seas. • Sediment cores recorded the increase in Hg originated from industry with time. • Reclamation activities increased the riverine input of Hg in the bay mouth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Family factors including parental emotion dysregulation and harsh parenting practices place children at high risk for malfunctioning in emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, and aggressive behaviors. This study investigated the associations among parental emotion dysregulation, harsh parenting practices (i.e., emotional abuse and corporal punishment), and child emotion regulation and child oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms and co-occurring depressive symptoms and aggressive behaviors. Participants included 239 parent–child dyads from 14 primary schools in Mainland China. All children were diagnosed with ODD. Parental emotion dysregulation, harsh parenting practices, and child emotion regulation were reported by parents; child ODD symptoms were reported by parents and teachers; child depressive symptoms were reported by children; and child aggressive behaviors were reported by teachers. Data indicated that parental emotion dysregulation was related to child ODD symptoms in the home and depressive symptoms indirectly through harsh parenting practices and child emotion regulation. Harsh parenting practices were related to child ODD symptoms in the home directly and indirectly through child emotion regulation. Moreover, emotional abuse was associated with child depressive symptoms directly and indirectly through child emotion regulation. Our findings highlighted the need for prevention and intervention targeting parent emotion dysregulation and harsh parenting practices among children with ODD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine monitoring in Bohai Sea is delivered within three networks by lacking appropriate sampling and assessment methodologies. Water-quality response grid (WRG)-based sampling design using optimization and multi-factors assessment can reliably detect a variety of environmental impacts. Which includes 5 steps: selects environmental reference factors, divides the sampling grid, sets the initial stations, optimizes the sampling stations, and assesses the proposed network's reproducibility and efficiency. We applied this method to the Bohai Sea, the networks proposed here have 225 stations for optimized special surveys (OSS) and 181 stations for optimized operational monitoring (OOM), accounting for 46.5% and 37.4% of the original station totals, respectively. Besides, the reproducibility and efficiency index (REI) of OSS and OOM stations approximately 15.4% and 13.3% higher than three current monitoring networks on average among multi-factors in 4 seasons. Thus, the method can improve the reproducibility, efficiency and land-sea spatial matching of monitoring network. • We present a new method for optimizing coastal sampling design • The water-quality response grid sampling design method improves on past approaches • We present a reproducibility and efficiency index with multi-factors for assessment • Our method designed a more efficient integrated network with improved reproducibility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accommodate the increased demand for electric vehicle(EV) charging in China, this paper examines electric vehicle charging station(EVCS) location strategies from the perspective of private investors, taking full account of the competitive environment of existing EVCSs in the region. First of all, a three-level location model considering dynamic pricing is developed, which includes user decisions, EVCS pricing, and EVCS location decisions. Then, the soft actor-critic(SAC) reinforcement learning algorithm is used to train the optimal pricing strategy for EVCS to guarantee the maximum cumulative revenue. The proposed methodology is verified through case studies based on an industrial park in China. The results show that the proposed methodology can make more economical and scientific location decisions than the traditional method. The dynamic pricing method based on reinforcement learning can provide a reference for the location and operation of more EVCSs. • A dynamic pricing mechanism for EV charging station is constructed. • The location decision of EV charging station is studied from the perspective of investors. • A three-layer model of EV charging station investment is formulated. • User decision, charging price and location of EV charging station are considered. • SAC reinforcement learning algorithm is used to solve the real-time pricing decision of EV charging stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the carbon peak and neutrality targets, the power generation industry in China is facing an urgent demand for a low carbon transition and participation in the electricity-carbon market. This paper novelty proposes a near-zero carbon emission power plant (NZCEP) integrating gas turbines, wind turbines, power-to-gas and the carbon capture, utilization and storage system. And a two-stage Data-driven Set based robust optimization (DSRO) model, including a day-ahead dispatching phase and a real-time adjustment phase, is conducted to ensure the consumption of renewable energy resources and to develop the optimal operating strategy for NZCEP participation under the electricity-carbon market. The results demonstrated the following outcomes: (1) NZCEP shows better environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions and consuming renewable energy resources. (2) the DSRO model can resist the interference of wind power output uncertainties and address the issue of traditional robust models being overly conservative. (3) under the electricity-carbon market, NZCEP shows better economic benefits, which can generate additional revenue from selling surplus carbon emission allowances (CEA). Moreover, when the annual average CEA price reaches 355 CNY/t, the NZCEP will achieve full capital cost recovery. • Optimal operation of near-zero carbon emission power plant (NZCEP) is studied. • A Data-driven robust optimization model is proposed for NZCEP operating. • Carbon emissions reduction and wind power accommodation of NZCEP are verified. • The economy of NZCEP participation in the electricity-carbon market is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are increasing evidences that the biodilution effect can significantly reduce the biomagnification of mercury (Hg) in fish. The significant antagonism of selenium (Se) -Hg may have a potential diluting effect on Hg in fish; however, there is still lack of knowledge on such effect. To reveal the Se-Hg interaction and its role in controlling the biodilution effect of Hg, we investigated levels of Hg and Se in the muscle and liver of redlip mullet from Jiaozhou Bay, China, an urbanized semi-enclosed bay highly impacted by human activities. In general, Hg levels in fish muscle were significantly negatively correlated to the levels of Se in the liver and fish size for fish with a size of < 200 mm, indicating that the antagonistic effect of Se on Hg increased with fish growth. This relationship was not significant for fish with a size of > 200 mm, possibly because the normal metabolism of Hg in muscle was hindered by homeostatic regulation or physiological activities such as gonadal development in vivo. Furthermore, the molar ratio of Se in the liver/Hg in the muscle was significantly increasing with Se/Hg in the liver, suggesting that the liver may be the key organ involved in Se-Hg antagonism. Moreover, both ratios continued to decrease with increasing fish size, implying that the antagonistic effect weakens with fish growth. These results indicate that Hg sequestration by liver may be a key mechanism of Se-Hg antagonism in fish and function as a driver for the biodilution effect of Hg, especially at a size of < 200 mm. These findings are further supported by the established linear model of Se-Hg antagonism at different developmental stages. [Display omitted] • Se and Hg concentrations in the liver were higher than those in the muscle. • Sequestration of Hg Muscle by Se Liver may be the mechanism of antagonistic effect. • Se-Hg antagonism may be the driving for Hg biodilution in muscle of redlip mullet. • Interaction of Se with Hg varies with the body length of the redlip mullet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant of public concern because of its high toxicity and capability for worldwide distribution via long-range atmospheric transportation. Wet atmospheric deposition is an important source of Hg in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Concentrations of various Hg species in precipitation were monitored from March 2016 to February 2017 in a coastal urban area of Qingdao, and their wet deposition fluxes were estimated. The results showed that the volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentrations of total mercury (THg), reactive mercury (RHg), dissolved THg (DTHg), particulate THg (PTHg), total methylmercury (TMeHg), and dissolved and particulate MeHg (DMeHg and PMeHg) in Qingdao's precipitation were 13.6, 1.5, 5.4, 8.2, 0.38, 0.15, and 0.22 ng L −1 , respectively, and their annual deposition fluxes were estimated to be 5703.0 (THg), 666.6 (RHg), 2304.0 (DTHg), 3470.4 (PTHg), 161.6 (TMeHg), 64.0 (DMeHg), and 95.7 (PMeHg) ng m −2 y −1 , respectively. A relatively high proportion of MeHg in THg was observed in precipitation (3.0 ± 2.6%) possibly due to higher methylation and contributions from an oceanic source to MeHg in the precipitation. Obvious seasonal variations in Hg concentrations and deposition fluxes were observed in the precipitation in Qingdao. Correlation analyses and multiple regression analyses showed that SO 2 , pH, and NO 3 − were the controlling factors for THg in precipitation, whereas the MeHg concentration was primarily controlled by the SO 2 , WS, Cl − , and THg concentrations. PM2.5 and Cl − were the major controlling factors for PMeHg/TMeHg, whereas the TMeHg/THg ratio was mainly influenced by Cl − . The THg and MeHg fluxes were primarily controlled by precipitation, whereas Cl − was also an important factor for the MeHg wet deposition flux. The results of a 72-h backward trajectory analysis in the study region with the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model indicated that Hg deposition in Qingdao mainly originated from four major sources, i.e., the local area, northwestern China, southeastern China and an oceanic source. This oceanic source is an important source of Hg (especially MeHg) in the precipitation in Qingdao. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a developmental disorder characterized by serious and persistent social impairment, especially stressful interactions with parents. Although previous studies demonstrated associations between parent mental health and children's ODD symptoms, less attention has been paid to integrating both parent and child risk factors. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the associations among parent emotion regulation, child emotion regulation, parental depression, and child depression in Chinese children with ODD. A total of 234 children with ODD ranging in age from 6 to 13 years, along with their fathers or mothers, completed questionnaires. Results indicated that: (1) Parent emotion regulation, parental depression and child emotion regulation were significantly correlated with children's depressive symptoms. (2) Parent emotion regulation was related to children's depression indirectly through parental depression and child emotion regulation. (3) Child emotion regulation fully mediated the relationship between parent emotion regulation and child depression, and also fully mediated the relationship between parental and child depression. These findings highlight the need to improve parent emotion regulation and pay attention to parental mental health, because both risk factors may exacerbate their children's emotion regulation difficulties and further associate the high level of depressive symptoms among children with ODD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Created a refined water resource allocation model. • Combining grid idea and remote sensing technology. • It reflects the change of water supply and demand in space and numerical value. • PSO algorithm is introduced to reduce the difficulty in solving the model. • It changes the extensive consideration in water supply nodes and water use nodes. The traditional optimal allocation of water resources mostly focuses on the allocation of different water supply sources to various types of water users in life, production, and ecology, and cannot reflect the differences in time and space of a certain type of water users. Therefore, this paper constructs a refined model for the optimal allocation of water resources, and further explores the optimal allocation of water resources with multiple water sources, multiple users, and multiple objectives. The main steps of the model construction are: (1) Regional gridding. The planting structure map and land use type map of the same resolution in the study area are selected and superimposed on them, the application attributes of each cell can be directly obtained. (2) Water demand gridding. On the basis of gridding in the study area, according to the application attributes of each cell, the quota method is used to predict the water demand of each cell. Then the water demand forecast result for the entire research area is obtained. (3) Water supply gridding. It is possible to reflect the types of water supply sources that a certain or a certain type of cell can accept, as well as the types of water supply sources that can be supplied by a certain type of water supply sources, by determining the types of water supply sources in the research area. The supply ranges that various water supply sources can reach, followed by the completion of the water supply grid. (4) According to the results of water demand gridding and water supply gridding, the water demand of each cell and the corresponding water supply source and water supply topological relationship are established, and the objective function is to minimize water shortage and maximize economic benefits to build a refined model for the optimal allocation of water resources.(5) The particle swarm algorithm is introduced to solve it, and the Pareto optimal solutions is obtained to determine the optimal water distribution for each cell. (6) Taking Guantao County, China as an example, the model was applied. In terms of minimum water shortage, the total water demand in Guantao County is predicted to be 118.8719 million m3 in the planning year (P = 50 %), while the total water supply is 125.2818 million m3. The water supply can meet the demand for water. In terms of financial advantages, the planned level of water Annual economic benefits will amount to 4.0865 million yuan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal power is the major force behind the flexible peaking of China's power system. Its complete phaseout is unrealistic and may cause multiple problems related to social stability. Therefore, how to guarantee a steady and orderly transition of coal power is critical. To promote coal power to transform smoothly, this study applies a modified fuzzy Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach to identify key influencing factors and their influence-influenced connection in Chinese coal power transition, basing on a state-owned coal-fired plant. Firstly, by surveying literatures and consulting experts, an index system of 12 main factors is identified, which includes 4 dimensions (management capability, market price, resource allocation, society environment). Then, the Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets (IT2FSs), Ordered Weighted Average (OWA) operator, and K-means clustering algorithm are used to optimize the approach. Six factors are judged as key influencing factors in coal power plant's transition according to the findings, among which policy, units' configuration, and market prices are included with high scores. Finally, political solutions are proposed to facilitate the efficient transition of coal plant. • Influencing factors to the transition of coal power enterprises in China are summarized. • The significance of each factor and the cause-effect relationships among them are identified by a fuzzy DEMATEL. • Six factors are regarded as key influencing factors affecting coal power plants' transition. • Policy measures are formulated to facilitate the efficient transition of coal power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the interrelatedness of river and bay ecosystems, river and bay water quality management is shifting to integrated management across coastlines. Here, an integrated management indicator for the coordinated and efficient nitrogen abatement of the Bohai Sea and its basin was proposed. The terrigenous total nitrogen (TN) allocated load was optimized under the dual water quality constraints for both river and bay using a simulation–optimization method. The contributing jurisdictions were identified by their TN overload rates, and their responsibility apportionment rate for specific nitrogen-polluted segment was quantified. Integrated TN reduction scheme resulted in a 29 % greater reduction in bay and river nitrogen pollution than the equal proportion reduction approach. In 18 % of the watersheds in the Bohai basin, the water quality standards of the river were more restrictive than the standards of the bay. Integrated management scheme has higher coordination of river and sea management objectives. [Display omitted] • Allocated load is for water quality objectives of both Bohai Sea and its basin. • Contributing jurisdictions for each nitrogen-polluted segment was indentified. • Integrated nitrogen management scheme for bay and its basin is high-efficient. • Simulation-optimization method is suitable for multi-objective management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing with great pressure to feed the demand outstripping the supply situation as well as alleviate the energy pollution problem, China has accelerated the pace of shale gas exploration. During the 12th Five-Year-Plan (FYP) period, Chinese government and petroleum enterprises actively promoted the development of shale gas industry, and made certain progresses in various aspects. Meanwhile, a series of preferential and supportive policies were developed to encourage shale gas exploration. However, as the shale gas industry is still in the initial stage in China, there are many challenges and difficulties existing in shale gas development. This paper presents a systematical review on the current status and policies of shale gas industry in China, aiming to provide important reference to the policy-makers for introducing and improving policies. Firstly, the current status including progresses and difficulties is presented. Subsequently, the recent policies for shale gas development are reviewed. The analyses of current policies and implementation barriers are followed. Finally, specific policy suggestions are proposed and a general conclusion is drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower is known as a typical renewable energy with maturely developed technology as well as large-scale exploitation. The average hydropower exploitation has exceeded 60% of the total resources in developed countries. With plentiful water energy and an exploitable hydropower of 542 million kW h, China ranks the world׳s first of hydropower resources. By the end of 2012, the installed capacity of China׳s hydropower had reached 249 million kW h, accounting for 46% of total exploitable amount. Due to the gradual deficiency of fossil energy and serious concern of environmental protection, hydropower was defined as one of the key power sources for the power industry development during the 12th Five-year Plan Period. However, owing to the influence of project approval system, relocation policy, on-grid price, taxes and development costs, China׳s hydropower development still did not achieve the expected target during the 11th Five-year Plan Period. To overcome the current challenges and promote a rapid and sound development of the industry, it is necessary to comprehensively carry out investigations on the systems, working procedures and protective policies for hydropower development at the state level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the global attention and continuous investment in the field of clean energy and carbon emission reduction, the renewable energy occupies an increasingly large proportion in the power system. China, as the world׳s fastest developing country, the development of renewable energy becomes an inevitable path in the context of low-carbon economy. However, due to the intermittent and stochastic property of renewable energy, the renewable energy system cannot be widely used without the configuration of energy storage system. The aforementioned requirement precipitates the industrial application of energy storage technology becomes increasingly urgent. However, according to the present status of energy storage industry in China, there are enormous difficulties to be overcome promptly. In this work, the development status of China׳s energy storage industry is analyzed from the perspectives of technology, application and policy, by referring to a large number of statistical literatures. Subsequently, the existing problems are categorized in terms of technology, cost, promotion, policy mechanisms. In the end, suggestions to solve the above problems are put forward, aiming at facilitating the rapid development of energy storage industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomonitoring is an effective way to assess the effects of pollutants on marine ecosystems. As an important fishing region in China, the Chinese Bohai Sea has been contaminated with heavy metals, posing great risks to seafood safety and human health. Herein, the spatiotemporal variations in the concentrations of seven heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in 11 species of mollusks (658 samples) collected from the Chinese Bohai Sea were studied during 2006–2016. The concentrations of Cr, As, Cd, and Pb in approximately 41%, 100%, 71%, and 18% of the sampled mollusks exceeded the maximum permissible levels in aquatic products set by China, indicating that the mollusks were contaminated with varied concentrations of heavy metals. Except for slight fluctuations, no significant temporal variations were observed during the sampling period, suggesting a relatively stable status of these metals. Cluster analysis showed that oyster had higher bioaccumulation potential for Zn and Cu, whereas Mactra veneriformis, Rapana venosa , Meretrix meretrix , Chlamys farreri , and Mya arenaria had higher bioaccumulation potentials for Cr, As, Ni, Cd, and Pb, respectively. These findings are useful for biomonitoring and developing guidelines for seafood consumption in coastal regions. Significant relationships were observed between heavy metal concentrations in mollusks and socioeconomic indices (gross domestic product, per capita gross domestic product, and population amount), suggesting the effects of anthropogenic activities on heavy metal contamination. Our study established a good model to evaluate the risks of heavy metals and provided a sound scientific basis for controlling seafood safety in coastal regions. [Display omitted] • Higher heavy metal contents were detected in mollusks along the Chinese Bohai Sea. • No temporal variations of heavy metal levels were observed in sampled mollusks. • Coastal regions of Huludao and Tianjin are facing more serious heavy metal pollution. • Species-specific accumulation potential of mollusks for heavy metals was clarified. • Anthropogenic activities play important roles in heavy metal contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to examine the roles of emotional factors of trait emotional intelligence and emotional exhaustion in the relationship between employee core self-evaluations and employee innovative behaviour. Data were from a sample of 299 employees of three manufacturing companies in China (female = 45.80%; mean age = 34.81 years, SD = 7.10). Bootstrapping analyses showed that employee core self-evaluations was positively associated with innovative behaviour. Employee trait emotional intelligence mediated the relationship between employee core self-evaluations and their innovative behaviour, boosting innovation behaviour scores. Emotional exhaustion lessened the direct relationship of trait emotional intelligence with innovative behaviour. In addition, emotional exhaustion indirectly reduced the relationship between employee core self-evaluations and innovative behaviour, through trait emotional intelligence. These findings imply a need for emotional exhaustion reduction interventions for employees to increase their work innovation potential across the trait emotional intelligence continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, China proposed the goal of achieving carbon emission peaks by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. For China, whose energy consumption structure has long been dominated by fossil energy, carbon trading and new energy are crucial for the realization of the emission target. By establishing a connectedness network model, this paper studies the static and dynamic spillovers between the Hubei carbon trading market, new energy stock market, crude oil market, coal market, and natural gas market in China, and draws the following conclusions: (1) the static spillover index of the carbon–energy–stock system is 3.57% and the dynamic spillover index fluctuates between 7.67% and 22.62%, indicating that the spillover effect of the system is low; (2) for the whole system, whether from a static or dynamic perspective, the carbon market always plays the role of net information receiver, while new energy is the net information transmitter; (3) the new energy stock market and the coal market always act as net information transmitters to the carbon market; and (4) the spillover effect of the system is asymmetric, wherein the system is more sensitive to negative information about price returns, and this asymmetry is much greater when the system is active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ecological dynamic model for the simulation of two pelagic phytoplankton groups is developed in this article. Model parameters were adjusted and validated based on the light-limited field culture experiments and the mesocosm experiments in the East China Sea (ECS). The calculation comparisons from the proposed model, along with field experiment observations, show that the model simulate the datasets very well, qualitatively and quantitatively. The parameters’ sensitivity analysis indicates that the competition between the diatoms and dinoflagellates is most sensitive to the photosynthetic process, followed by the exudation process of the phytoplankton, while the autolysis and respiration processes of phytoplankton and the grazing and exudation processes of zooplankton can also influence this competition to some extent. The sensitive parameters include: the photosynthetic optimal specific rate; the optimal irradiance and optimal temperature for phytoplankton growth; and the half-saturation constant for limiting nutrients, etc. Results of the sensitivity analysis also indicate that light, temperature and limiting nutrients are the controlling environmental factors for the competition between the diatoms and dinoflagellates in the ECS. In order to explore the effects of light and nutrients on the phytoplankton competition, simulations were carried out with varying light and nutrient conditions. Model simulations suggest that the diatoms favor higher irradiance, lower DIN/PO4–P ratios, higher SiO4–Si/DIN ratios and higher nutrient concentrations, as compared to the dinoflagellates. These results support the speculation that the increase in the DIN/PO4−P ratio and the decrease in the SiO4–Si/DIN ratio in the ECS may be responsible for the composition change in the functional Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) groups from the diatom to the dinoflagellate communities over the last two decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) emitted from East Asian has increased the risk of Hg in China Marginal Seas for decades. However, the speciation of Hg (especially the bioavailable Hg) in these regions remains unclear. To address this problem, we analyzed total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in the sediment and porewater of Yellow sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS) and determined the speciation of Hg using both improved BCR sequential extraction and isotope dilution (ID) techniques. Nearshore areas of YS and ECS exhibited higher THg levels in sediments and porewater, suggesting the significant contribution of terrestrial inputs. The spatial distribution of MeHg showed similar trends with THg, but the sites with higher MeHg concentrations did not align with those of THg. The improved BCR sequential extraction method showed the residual fraction dominated Hg content (∼44 %) in both systems, with a minor bioavailable carbonate fraction (1 %). The Spearman correlation analysis indicates that E h and pH are the two factors significantly affected Hg bioavailability in the sediment. The bioavailability of Hg (estimated by the BCR method) showed a significant positive correlation with MeHg levels in the sediment (R²=0.47, P < 0.05), suggesting that BCR can be used to estimate the potential of Hg methylation in the sediment. However, the extent of bioavailable Hg in BCR and ID method were 1.15 ± 0.38 % and 29.5 ± 14.8 %, respectively, implying that Hg bioavailability may be underestimated by BCR techniques compared to ID methods (T-test, P < 0.01). [Display omitted] • THg and MeHg distributions were examined in the sediment/porewater of YS and ECS. • The E h and pH were critical factors affecting Hg bioavailability in sediment. • Bioavailable Hg using BCR was significantly positively correlated with sediment MeHg. • Hg bioavailability may be underestimated by BCR techniques compared to ID methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The three-dimensional identification method is helpful for the objective description on the dynamic process of drought event. • Drought event pairs matched using a novel spatiotemporal connection procedure can profoundly reveal the complex linkage between two drought types. • Drought propagation features under various response categories are comprehensively depicted from a higher dimension. Studies show that meteorological and agricultural droughts are inherently correlated, and understanding the spatiotemporal propagation mechanism between these two drought types is crucial for drought early warning and mitigation. In this study, the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and standardized soil moisture index (SSMI) are used to evaluate meteorological drought and agricultural drought in northwestern China from 1960 to 2018. A three-dimensional clustering method is then adopted to capture drought events, and analyze drought dynamics. Furthermore, meteorological-agricultural drought event pairs are matched from a higher dimension (i.e., space and time), offering profound insights into drought propagation mechanisms on both temporal and spatial scales. The results indicate that agricultural drought exhibits longer duration but smaller magnitude compared to meteorological drought based on identification results, and the dynamic migration process of individual drought event is visually and explicitly described from a three-dimensional perspective. Using a novel spatiotemporal matching procedure, 53 drought event pairs are successfully matched. Following matching, the magnitude of drought events escalates, characterized by prolonged duration, expanded area, increased severity, and lengthened migration distance. Minor meteorological drought events are less likely to cause agricultural drought events, while drought events with larger magnitudes are prone to induce agricultural drought events in various ways. The propagation of most paired drought events involved in the C1, C2 and C4 categories moves in the lateral direction with the relatively long average propagation distance, while moving in the vertical direction for the C3 category. Additionally, the season of paired drought events with the highest occurrence is spring, spring, summer, and autumn for the C1, C2, C3 and C4 categories, respectively. From a higher perspective, the propagation process from meteorological to agricultural drought is effectively and visually depicted, characterized by pooling effect, lengthening effect, lagging effect, and attenuation effect. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of drought development and propagation mechanisms, providing solutions to the application restrictions of traditional methods in regions with broad spatial coverage. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current ecological risk assessment and controlling element identification methods of harmful algal blooms (HABs) are not connected. Here, we identified the controlling elements by correlation and principal component analyses, and the analytic hierarchy process. A compound eutrophication index (CEI) integrating risk assessment with controlling element identification was constructed and verified using data collected from Jiaozhou Bay, China. The CEI results agreed with the chlorophyll-a concentration and the main eutrophication assessment results. The HAB risk assessment of the CEI was more efficient than that of the nutrient quality index and Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status. The contribution ratio of the loads and concentrations of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand) to HABs in Jiaozhou Bay was 70%. In the high-risk areas, the contribution ratio of nutrients to HABs was 77%. Therefore, terrestrial nutrient inputs must be reduced to prevent and control HABs in the north-eastern areas of Jiaozhou Bay. • A compound eutrophication index is proposed linking the critical factors of HAB. • Embedding CEI into risk index makes HAB risk assessment considerable reliability. • HAB control measures are associated with the major factors contributing to risk. • Human activities contribute 70% to HAB in Jiaozhou Bay, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power grid investment behavior (PGIB) is a necessary prerequisite to ensure safe and reliable power supply. The supervision of PGIB is an important measure to reduce electricity price. It helps to release the dividends of the new power system reform and promote the sustainable development of the power industry. However, for a long time, China's regulation of PGIB was relatively weak, lacking clear supervision awareness and effective supervision methods. On the basis of clarifying the contents of PGIB supervision, this paper establishes an evaluation index system for the compliance of PGIB from the government supervision perspective, involving four dimensions and 14 secondary indicators. Furthermore, a hybrid evaluation model based on the combined decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method (DEMATEL-ANP), analytical network process method, and vague set is proposed. The results reveal that the control over cost and efficiency of the PGIB in China is not enough. According to the results, this paper puts forward the indicators that close attention should be paid to and the work priorities in China's supervision of PGIB, which has certain practical value for the implementation of new power system reform and the sustainable development of Chinese power industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to establish a predictive model for reduction and cross-contamination of Salmonella on chicken in chilling process. Reduction of Salmonella on chicken was 0.75 ± 0.04, 0.74 ± 0.08, and 0.79 ± 0.07 log CFU/g with 20, 50, and 100 mg/L of chlorine, respectively. No significant differences of bacterial reductions with 20–100 mg/L of chlorine were found and a Normal (−0.75, 0.1) distribution could describe the uncertainty of bacterial reductions. Inoculated and non-inoculated chicken samples were washed together and bacterial transfer rates among them were 0.13%–0.004% with 20–100 mg/L of chlorine. No significant differences of transfer rates with 50–100 mg/L of chlorine were observed and a Triangle (−2.5, −1.5, −1.1) distribution could describe the log transfer rate. Additionally, a 3-factor response surface model based on the central composite design was developed to evaluate the effects of initial contamination level (1–5 log CFU/g), pre-chill incidence (3%–40%) and chlorine concentration (0–100 mg/L) on post-chill incidence. The post-chill incidences in these treatments were within 30%–91.7%. The developed model showed a satisfactory performance to predict the post-chill incidence as evidenced by statistical indices (pseudo-R2 = 0.9; p < 0.0001; RMSE = 0.21) and external validation parameters (Bf = 1.02; Af = 1.11). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the convening of the annual global climate conference, the issue of global climate change has gradually become the focus of attention of the international community. As the largest carbon emitter in the world, China is facing a serious situation of carbon emission reduction. This paper uses the IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) method to calculate the carbon emissions of energy consumption in China from 1996 to 2016, and uses it as a dependent variable to analyze the influencing factors. In this paper, five factors, total population, per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product), urbanization level, primary energy consumption structure, technology level, and industrial structure are selected as the influencing factors of carbon emissions. Based on the expanded STIRPAT (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) model, the influencing degree of different factors on carbon emissions of energy consumption is analyzed. The results show that the order of impact on carbon emissions from high to low is total population, per capita GDP, technology level, industrial structure, primary energy consumption structure, and urbanization level. On the basis of the above research, the carbon emissions of China′s energy consumption in the future are predicted under eight different scenarios. The results show that, when the population and economy keep a low growth rate, while improving the technology level can effectively control carbon emissions from energy consumption, China′s carbon emissions from energy consumption will reach 302.82 million tons in 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition is an important factor when dealing with climate change and energy crisis under resource constraints. The performance evaluation of it is significant for improving and promoting the process of energy transition. This paper explores the application of the support vector machine improved by the artificial bee colony algorithm (IABC-SVM) method in the energy transition performance evaluation process. It provides an intelligent evaluation tool for the evaluation of the regional energy transition performance. Firstly, the evaluation indicator system of energy transition is constructed from five dimensions: energy supply, demand, efficiency, institution, and environment. Then, the technique for order preference by a similar to ideal solution improved by a combination weighting (CW-TOPSIS) method and IABC-SVM are constructed. After that, according to the evaluation values of 30 provinces in China calculated by CW-TOPSIS, 10-fold cross validation is used to compare the errors of support vector machine (SVM), support vector machine optimized by the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC-SVM), and IABC-SVM, which proves the effectiveness and accuracy of IABC-SVM in evaluating the performance of energy transition. Finally, the IABC-SVM is used to evaluate the energy transition performance of 30 provinces in 2016. Through a comparative analysis, the relevant suggestions of energy transition are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MeHg photodegradation commonly occurs in paddy water during rice growth. • The photodegradation rates are comparable to those found in natural waters. • pH and DOC contents negatively impact MeHG degradation in paddy water. • MeHg photodegradation in paddy water moderately reduces MeHG accumulation in rice. • MeHg photodegradation in paddy water greatly limits its export to downstream systems. Photodegradation is critical to reduce the potent neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) in water and its subsequent accumulation along food chains. However, this process has been largely ignored in rice paddies, which are hotspots of MeHg production and receive about a quarter of the world's developed freshwater resources. Here, we reported that significant MeHg photodegradation, primarily mediated by hydroxyl radicals, occurs in the overlying water during rice growth. By incorporating field-measured light interception into a rice paddy biogeochemistry model, as well as photodegradation rates obtained from 42 paddy soils stretching ∼3500 km across China, we estimated that photodegradation reduced MeHg concentrations in paddy water and rice by 82 % and 11 %, respectively. Without photodegradation, paddy water could be a significant MeHg source for downstream ecosystems, with an annual export of 178 − 856 kg MeHg to downstream waters in China, the largest rice producer. These findings suggest that photodegradation in paddy water is critical for preventing greater quantities of MeHg entering human food webs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main target of the energy revolution in the new period is coal, but the proportion of coal in primary energy consumption will gradually decrease. As coal is a major producer and consumer of energy, analyzing the trend of coal demand in the future is of great significance for formulating the policy of coal development planning and driving the revolution of energy sources in China. In order to predict coal demand scientifically and accurately, firstly, the index system of influencing factors of coal demand was constructed, and the grey relational analysis method was used to select key indicators as input variables of the model. Then, the kernel function of SVM (support vector machine) was optimized by taking advantage of the fast convergence speed of GSA (gravitational search algorithm), and the memory function and boundary mutation strategy of PSO (particle swarm optimization) were introduced to improve the gravitational search algorithm, and the improved GSA (IGSA)–SVM prediction model was obtained. After that, the effectiveness of IGSA–SVM in predicting coal demand was further proven through empirical and comparative analysis. Finally, IGSA–SVM was used to forecast China's coal demand in 2018–2025. According to the forecasting results, relevant suggestions about coal supply, consumption, and transformation are put forward, providing scientific basis for formulating an energy development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to develop predictive models for describing the inoculated Salmonella reductions on chicken during the scalding process in China. Salmonella reductions on chicken breasts at a 100 s treatment were 1.12 ± 0.07, 1.38 ± 0.01, and 2.17 ± 0.11 log CFU/g at scalding temperatures of 50, 60 and 70 °C, respectively. For chicken wingettes, 0.87 ± 0.02, 0.99 ± 0.14 and 1.11 ± 0.17 log CFU/g reductions were obtained at 50, 60 and 70 °C after the 100 s treatment, respectively. Greater bacterial reductions were observed on chicken breasts than on chicken wingettes (p < 0.05). A logistic (−1.12, 0.06) distribution could describe the bacterial reductions on chicken breasts at 50–60 °C. Weibull, exponential and log-linear models were compared for describing the bacterial reduction on chicken breasts at 70 °C and the Weibull model showed the best fit as indicated by the pseudo-R2, root mean square error (RMSE) and standard error of prediction (SEP) values. For chicken wingettes, a logistic (−0.95, 0.07) distribution could be used to describe the bacterial reduction at 50–70 °C. The developed predictive models could provide parts of the input data for microbial risk assessment of the poultry supply chain in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought evolution is a complex dynamic process, showing continuous characteristics in space-time. Currently, the researches on drought dynamics from multiple dimensions are limited and should be improved further. Therefore, a three-dimensional identification method was adopted to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of classified drought events (namely two-month drought events, within-year drought events, and cross-year drought events) in northwest China during1961–2018. Furthermore, more spatial variables of drought event, such as start and end location, drought orientation and rotation, were extracted to describe the dynamic migration trajectories of drought events. Significantly, drought rotation helped to reveal the forcing mechanisms (such as the influence of climate and land surface) behind their spatial development. The results showed that a total of 169 drought events were identified over 1961–2018, and drought variables (duration, area, severity, and migration distance) represented fluctuating decreasing trend with the rate of − 0.135/10a, − 0.006/10a, − 0.16/10a, and − 5.67/10a. The dynamic migration process of individual drought event was objectively and effectively depicted from a three-dimensional perspective, which was consistent with the historical drought records in study area. Regarding the classified events, drought magnitude was more severe in 1961–1980 than that in 1981–2018, and three primary migration patterns (east-to-east, west-to-west, and south-to-south) were identified in northwest China. Within-year drought events mostly started in the first three quarters and finished in the second half year, whilst the situation was reversed for the cross-year drought events. Spatially, Alxa League of Inner Mongolia and northwest Qinghai Province were two main drought centers. Additionally, drought events characterized by clockwise rotation migration were mostly distributed in the plateau and southeast climate zones, and that was anticlockwise rotation in the westerly climate zone. Noticeably, the east-to-east pathways were mainly located in the east part of the study area, while the west-to-west and south-to-south trajectories were dominated in the west part. • The dynamic migration process of drought events are described effectively from a three-dimensional perspective. • Drought rotation is significant for revealing the forcing mechanisms behind their spatial development. • There are obvious rules for the spatiotemporal migration patterns of the classified drought events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing pollution from municipal solid waste due to economic growth and urbanization has brought great challenge to China. The main method of waste disposal has gradually changed from landfill to incineration, because of the enormous land occupation by landfills. The paper presents the results of a study of the development status of the upstream and downstream of the waste incineration industry chain in China, reviews the government policies for the waste incineration power industry, and provides a forecast of the development trend of the waste incineration industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetland soils play a critical role in the global mercury (Hg) cycle, serving as both an important repository for total mercury (THg) and a hotspot for methylmercury (MeHg) production. This study investigated Hg pollution in soils dominated by Phragmites australis (PA) and Spartina alterniflora (SA) across five representative China's coastal wetlands (Yellow River (YR), Linhong River (LHR), Yangtze River (CJR), Min River (MR), and Nanliu River (NLR)). The THg concentrations ranged from 16.7 to 446.0 (96.3 ± 59.3 ng g−1, dw), while MeHg concentrations varied from 0.01 to 0.81 (0.12 ± 0.12 ng g−1, dw). We further evaluated Hg risk in these wetlands using potential ecological risk index (E r) and geographical enrichment factor (I geo). Most wetlands exhibited low to moderate ecological risk, except the PA habitat in the YR wetland, showing moderate to high risk. Soil organic matter significantly influenced THg and MeHg distribution, while MeHg% correlated well with soil salinity and pH. These findings highlight the importance of organic-rich coastal wetland soils in THg and MeHg accumulation, with the soil properties influencing net MeHg production. Furthermore, SA habitat generally exhibited higher MeHg%, suggesting its invasion elevates the ecological risk of MeHg in coastal wetlands. Mercury (Hg), a global pollutant, poses great risks to wildlife and humans. Since industrialization, anthropogenic Hg release surpassed natural sources. Long-term exposure leads to biomagnification of Hg. This study assessed Hg and methylmercury pollution and risks in soils of five China's coastal wetlands dominated by Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora. Environmental factors (total carbon, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, salinity, pH) were analyzed to reveal key variables influencing Hg pollution and methylation. Essential for quantifying Hg pollution in coastal wetlands, the findings provide a scientific basis for effective wetland conservation policies and addressing environmental health in these regions. [Display omitted] • Extensive soil sampling in typical coastal wetlands in China. • There are significant differences in soil THg and MeHg in coastal wetlands with different regions and vegetation in China. • Organic carbon dominates soil Hg enrichment in coastal wetlands. • Salinity and pH affect the methylation degree of Hg in coastal wetland soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lower MeHg/THg ratio was observed in BS and YS compared with other coastal systems. • Net in situ production and degradation are major source and sink of MeHg in BS and YS. • Low system efficiency of MeHg production results in low MeHg/THg ratio in BS and YS. • Reasons for the low MeHg system production efficiency were elucidated. Coastal seas contribute the majority of human methylmercury (MeHg) exposure via marine fisheries. The terrestrial area surrounding the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea (BS and YS) is one of the mercury (Hg) emission "hot spots" in the world, resulting in high concentrations of Hg in BS and YS seawater in comparison to other marine systems. However, comparable or even lower Hg levels were detected in seafood from the BS and YS than other coastal regions around the word, suggesting a low system bioaccumulation of Hg. Reasoning a low system efficiency of MeHg production (represented by MeHg/THg (total Hg) in seawater) may be present in these two systems, seven cruises were conducted in the BS and YS to test this hypothesis. MeHg/THg ratios in BS and YS seawater were found to be lower than that in most coastal systems, indicating that the system efficiency of MeHg production is relatively lower in the BS and YS. The low system efficiency of MeHg production reduces the risk of Hg in the BS and YS with high Hg discharge intensity. By measuring in situ production and degradation of MeHg using double stable isotope addition method, and MeHg discharge flux from various sources and its exchange at various interfaces, the budgets of MeHg in the BS and YS were estimated. The results indicate that in situ methylation and demethylation are the major source and sink of MeHg in the BS and YS. By comparing the potential controlling processes and environmental parameters for MeHg/THg in the BS and YS with the other coastal seas, estuaries and bays, lower transport efficiency of inorganic Hg from water column to the sediment, slower methylation of Hg, and rapid demethylation of MeHg were identified to be major reasons for the low system efficiency of MeHg production in the BS and YS. This study highlights the necessity of monitoring the system efficiency of MeHg production, associated processes, and controlling parameters to evaluate the efficiency of reducing Hg emissions in China as well as the other countries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power industry in China has experienced a rapid development from 2005 to 2010. However, in recent years, with the slowing down of growth in the new installed capacity, the competition among wind turbine manufacturers has become increasingly fierce. In order to comprehend the performance of wind power industry in China, in the article, we analyzed the status quo of wind power industry and the development process of wind power feed-in tariff in China, and then we used the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to analyze the performance of wind power industry from 2008 to 2012. According to the analysis result, we found that: (1) the performance of wind power generation industry is rising, and it has reached an optimal state in 2012. (2) In 2009 and 2010, the performance of wind turbine manufacturing industry was in the best state, but it started to decline from 2011. (3) The trends of performance of wind power generation industry and that of wind turbine manufacturing industry are not synchronized. The growth in installed capacity of wind power has an important influence on the performance of wind turbine manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of climate warming, the global water cycle is gradually accelerating, which will lead to increased drought frequency and severity. China is one of the countries with the highest drought risk and the most serious drought impact, accompanied by abnormal and variable drought characteristics in recent decades. However, the dynamic variation of meteorological drought and its complicated relationships with agricultural drought are still unclear across China. In this study, the characteristics of meteorological drought were comprehensively identified across China during 1960–2019. The spatio-temporal variations and gridded trend characteristics of meteorological drought were revealed during the study period. Subsequently, the return period of meteorological drought was quantitatively determined based on copula models. Finally, the relationships between meteorological and agricultural drought were explicitly clarified. The results indicated that: (1) meteorological drought showed an increasing trend across China from 1960 to 2019, especially since the 1990s; (2) the most serious meteorological drought occurred in 2011, with a minimum standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) value of –0.81; (3) the percentage of drought area (PDA) with an increasing trend in spring, summer, autumn and winter was 85.8%, 77.4%, 97.7% and 12.9%, respectively; (4) the most appropriate copula model of meteorological drought severity and duration was Frank copula; and (5) the propagation time from meteorological to agricultural drought was longer in winter and shorter in summer, which can determine the appropriate irrigation period and predict the occurrence of agricultural drought. This study sheds new viewpoints into the identification of meteorological drought variation and its relationships with agricultural drought, which can also be applied in other areas. [Display omitted] • Meteorological drought showed an increasing trend during 1960–2019 across China. • The most serious meteorological drought occurred in the year of 2011. • The most appropriate copula model was Frank copula. • The propagation time was 7–8 months in winter and 2–3 months in summer. • The severity and duration of the worst drought were 5.88 and 10 months, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's development model of relying on heavy industry has brought huge environmental costs. Serious haze pollution has posed a threat to high-quality economic development and people's healthy life. Exploring the relationship between air pollution and industrial development and promoting the coordinated governance of economy and environment has become an important task in China's new era. Based on the satellite inversion PM2.5 concentrate data and micro industrial enterprise data in China's county-level areas, this paper uses the instrumental variable and two-stage least square (2SLS) method to test the impact of regional air pollution (RAP) on the regional industrial structure upgrading (RISU), and further reveals its impact mechanism. The results show that: (1) RAP has a negative impact on the RISU, and the introduction of instrumental variable and 2SLS method can overcome the endogenous problem of regression. (2) on average, for every 1% increase in PM2.5 concentration, the regional industrial structure height will decrease by 2%. (3) RAP hinders the RISU by affecting enterprises' fixed assets investment and innovation activities. And the sensitivity of innovation activities of state-owned enterprises to RAP is lower than that of other ownership enterprises. According to the research of this paper, some pertinent policies and suggestions are proposed to provide new decision-making basis for national policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional groundwater drought monitoring method relies on the ground observation data, which is difficult to reflect the large-scale groundwater drought information. Thus, Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity satellite technology is applied to estimate large-scale groundwater drought condition, which can provide a new data source for drought investigation. However, the dynamic variations of GRACE-based groundwater drought were still unclear across China. In this study, the evolutions of groundwater drought were investigated from a high-resolution GRACE mass concentration (mascon) model perspective. The spatio-temporal variations and gridded trend characteristics of groundwater drought were comprehensively identified across China during 2003–2018. Subsequently, the relationships between groundwater and meteorological drought were quantitatively revealed. The results indicated that: (1) the verification results of GRACE were credible and reliable for groundwater drought evaluation; (2) the most serious groundwater drought occurred in April 2011, with an average groundwater drought index (GDI) value of –0.86; (3) the gridded drought trend characteristic showed that groundwater drought presented an upward trend during 2003–2018; and (4) the propagation dynamics from meteorological to groundwater drought were shorter in summer (5–6 months), and longer in winter (14–15 months) across China. This study sheds new viewpoints into groundwater drought variations from a perspective of high-resolution GRACE mascon model, which can also be applied in other areas. [Display omitted] • The reliability verification results of GRACE were robust. • The worst groundwater drought event occurred in 2011. • The groundwater drought showed an upward trend during 2003–2018 in China. • Groundwater drought had delayed responses on meteorological drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine and its derivatives, such as sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and chlorine dioxide, are frequently employed as disinfectants throughout the pork supply chain in China. Nevertheless, the extensive use of NaClO has the potential to cause the creation of 'chlorine-tolerant bacteria' and accelerate the evolution of antibiotic resistance. This study evaluated the efficacy of NaClO disinfection by examining alterations in the microbiome and resistome of a pork wholesale market (PWM), and bacteria isolation and analysis were performed to validate the findings. As expected, the taxonomic composition s of bacteria was significantly different before and after disinfection. Notably, Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) , Salmonella bongori (S. bongori), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were observed on all surfaces, indicating that the application of NaClO disinfection treatment in PWM environments for pathogenic bacteria is limited. Correlations were identified between antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) associated with aminoglycosides (aph(3′')-I, aph(6′)-I), quinolone (qnrB, abaQ), polymyxin (arnA, mcr-4) and disinfectant resistance genes (emrA/BD , mdtA/B/C/E/F). Furthermore, correlations were found between risk Rank I ARGs associated with aminoglycoside (aph(3′)-I), tetracycline (tetH), beta_lactam (TEM-171), and disinfectant resistance genes (mdtB/C/E/F, emrA, acrB, qacG). Importantly, we found that Acinetobacter and Salmonella were the main hosts of disinfectant resistance genes. The resistance mechanisms of the ARGs identified in PWM were dominated by antibiotic deactivation (38.7%), antibiotic efflux (27.2%), and antibiotic target protection (14.4%). The proportion of genes encoding efflux pumps in the PWM resistome increased after disinfection. Microbial cultures demonstrated that the traits of microbial contamination and antibiotic resistane were consistent with those observed by metagenomic sequencing. This study highlights the possibility of cross-resistance between NaClO disinfectants and antibiotics, which should not be ignored. [Display omitted] • Taxonomic compositions of bacterial were changed before and after disinfection. • The application of NaClO disinfection treatment on pathogenic bacteria was limited. • The Acinetobacter and Salmonella were main hosts of disinfectant resistance genes. • Significant correlations were found between ARGs and disinfectant resistance genes. • The proportion of genes encoding efflux pumps increased in the PMW disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The vegetation drought was alleviating during 1982–2020 across China. • Spring drought and summer drought were more likely to occur in South China. • NPI-NAO-AO had the most significant impact on vegetation drought. • Soil moisture was the primary driving factor of vegetation drought. Vegetation drought can reduce the net ecosystem productivity, resulting in disturbances to the sustainable development of humans and nature. In this study, Vegetation Health Index (VHI) was used to identify vegetation drought. The spatial and temporal evolution of vegetation drought was characterized using the Pixel-based Trend Identification Method (PTIM) in China from 1982 to 2020. Moreover, multiple cross-wavelet techniques were used for revealing the correlations between atmospheric circulation factors and their combinations with vegetation drought. The results indicates that: (1) there is a decreasing trend of vegetation drought in China during the study period, while it will show an increasing trend in the future; (2) the South China is prone to spring drought and summer drought, and the Sichuan Basin is prone to autumn drought and winter drought; (3) in spring, the most obvious trend of vegetation drought mitigation appears; (4) a combination of atmospheric circulation factors, North Pacific Index (NPI)-North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)-Arctic Oscillation (AO), has the most significant impact on vegetation drought across China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A data-driven framework is proposed to optimize the sizing of a hybrid energy system. • A modified NSGA-II based on reinforcement learning is utilized to obtain Pareto set. • CRITIC-TOPSIS is used to decide the weight of objectives and select the best solution. • A optimal system with LCOE of 0.226 $/kWh, LPSP of 4.01% and PAR of 2.15% is obtained. This paper proposes a data-driven two-stage multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to investigate the optimal configuration of a stand-alone wind/PV/hydrogen system. In the first stage, a modified non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA)-II based on reinforcement learning is utilized to determine a set of Pareto solutions. The objectives considered are to minimize the levelized cost of energy (LCOE), the loss of power supply possibility (LPSP) and the power abandonment rate (PAR), simultaneously. In the second stage, the Criteria Importance Though Intercrieria Correlation (CRITIC) method is utilized to determine the weight of the three objectives, while the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach is employed to select the unique best solution from Pareto solutions. To verify the effectiveness, the framework is applied to the wind/PV/hydrogen system located in Aksay Kazak Autonomous County, Gansu Province, China to meet an off-grid industrial park's load demand of 1603 kWh/day and peak load of 117.17 kW. The result states that the optimal system, which consists of 83.2 kW PV panels, 160 kW wind turbines, 20 kW fuel cells, 54 kW electrolyzers and 450 m3 hydrogen storage tanks, owns the LCOE of 0.226 $/kWh, the LPSP of 4.01% and the PAR of 2.15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riverine mercury (Hg) is the largest global source of Hg in coastal oceans. The Yellow River delivers the majority of Hg to the semi-enclosed Bohai Sea, where Hg contamination adversely affects the surrounding heavily populated provinces in northern China. Mercury distribution patterns in the river-estuary interacting area provides essential information to understand the riverine Hg transport and biogeochemical cycling of Hg in the estuary. Analyzing the spatial distributions of total- (THg) and methyl-Hg (MeHg) in the lower end of Yellow River (∼105 km) and adjacent estuary, we found the dominant role of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in Hg transport, with 99.1% and 86.3% of THg and MeHg being in particulate phase. The SPM dynamics, such as transport, retention, sorting and sedimentation, governs Hg transport with water flow and particle-water partition of Hg. While THg decreased along the water flow to the river mouth with the settlement of particulate THg (about 27.5% onto the riverbed and the rest entering the sea), MeHg and particulate MeHg increased by 110% and 117%, respectively. This study highlights the distinct patterns in THg and MeHg distribution and transport and suggests potential Hg methylation and external MeHg input in the river-estuary mixed zone. [Display omitted] • Mercury distribution patterns were revealed in the river-estuary interacting area. • Particulate THg and MeHg played dominant roles in the surface water. • SPM dynamics governs the transport and particle-water partition of Hg. • The distinct patterns in THg and MeHg show Hg methylation and external MeHg input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]