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Cultivating "wenhua dacai" (great cultural talent) is a central goal of the ongoing "dujing" (classics reading) education movement, which is an integral part of the broad Confucian revival in contemporary China. Focusing on the concept of "wenhua dacai," this article explores three interrelated issues. First, as a term used in the context of "dujing" education, "wenhua dacai" refers to an idealized Confucian subject shaped by an interweaving of nationalism and cosmopolitanism. Moreover, it is expected not only to revive Confucian/Chinese culture but also to contribute to human cultural exchange. Second, the tendency of students to embrace individualistic virtues in their experience of classics reading poses a challenge to the lofty and sacred ideal of "wenhua dacai," which reinforces the need for rigid discipline in learners. Finally, contextualizing the idea of "wenhua dacai" into the general transformation of education in China can contribute to a more thorough understanding of it. This article concludes that the cultivation of "wenhua dacai" dreamed of by Confucian "dujing" education activists is constituted by paradoxical discourses and practices embedded in the ideological complexities of Chinese education.

A population is regarded as the main non-economic driver of carbon emissions, causing the climatic crisis, especially in China experiencing a dramatic demographic transition. In contrast to aging, low fertility, the most remarkable feature of the Chinese population transition, has always been ignored when evaluating carbon emissions, due to the lack of long-run data. To narrow this gap, an integrated framework combining the continuous input–output tables from 1997 to 2018 with the Mann–Kendall test and vector auto-regression was presented to clarify the fluctuating trend of household embedded carbon emissions and the driving pattern of low fertility, aging, and urbanization. Our main findings showed that changes in household embedded carbon emissions have increased sharply in the last two decades. The growth of Chinese household embedded carbon emissions began to accelerate in 2001, which lagged 1 year behind the demographic indicators. Low fertility has a positive impact on households' embedded carbon emissions. More importantly, the impact of low fertility is more significant and far-reaching than that of aging. These suggest that aggressive policies for stimulating fertility and low-carbon lifestyles should be considered by policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid economic and energy growth in Asia has led to change in the loadings of black carbon (BC) in the last two decades. This work uses remotely sensed column absorbing aerosol optical depth to quantify BC loading day-by-day and grid-to-grid. Variance maximization is used to uniquely compute an unbiased set of observations of remotely sensed NO2 in space and time of urban and suburban sources, including regions with changing energy and industry. An inversely applied probabilistic MIE algorithm constrains the size, mixing state, and number of BC using four spectral observations. Significant differences in the particle size and mixing state are identified and attributed including: a drop around 2012 when China's national air pollution policies were adopted, a drop ahead of the 2008 Olympics, and flattening from 2015 onward. A case of simultaneous reduction in BC mass and increase in BC number demonstrates PM2.5 controls may not fully control BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the involvement of family, community, and school in citizenship education in China, particularly in terms of the tension between traditional cultural values and today's modernisation. The analysis was based on written materials acquired through a systematic search of English and Chinese scholarly literature on the subject and relevant Chinese policy documents and laws. Following a hermeneutic approach, the image formed in the literature of Chinese citizenship education was interpreted and explained in a broader historical-cultural-social context. The results show that the traditional values of Chinese civilisation continue to play a strong role in all three arenas of citizenship education, although the conflict between traditional values emphasising conformism and modern values emphasising individual self-determination is also recognisable in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death anxiety arousal, provoked by anticipating self-nonexistence, may be used as a fraud tactic by scammers on older adults; however, little is known about how it affects older adults' decision making when confronted with a scam and the mechanisms underlying these effects. This study used a questionnaire survey and experimental design to examine them. In Study 1, 307 older adults in China completed questionnaires. The results showed a positive link between death anxiety and vulnerability to fraud, partially mediated by materialism. In Study 2, 82 older adults in China were randomly assigned to the mortality salience group and control group to examine whether death anxiety arousal can increase older adults' vulnerability to fraud and the mediating role of materialism. The results indicated that death anxiety and materialism increase the risk of consumer products and services fraud; therefore, targeting these risk factors might protect older adults from fraud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: At present, the only potency assay approved in China for the in-country testing of botulinum toxin type A for injection products is the mouse bioassay (MBA). The Chinese market for neurotoxin products is rapidly expanding, but MBAs are subject to high variability due to individual variations in mice, as well as variations in injection sites, in addition to the limited number of batches tested for one MBA. Compared with the mLD50 method, the cell-based potency assay (CBPA) developed for the potency testing of onabotulinumtoxinA (BOTOX) by AbbVie not only does not use any experimental animals but also allows for significant time and cost savings. Due to the significant benefits conferred by the replacement of the mLD50 assay with CBPA in China, the CBPA method has been transferred, validated, and cross-validated to demonstrate the equivalence of the two potency methods. (2) Methods: The differentiated SiMa cells were treated with both BOTOX samples and the reference standard, and the cleaved SNAP25197 in the cell lysates was quantified using Chemi-ECL ELISA. A 4-PL model was used for the data fit and sample relative potency calculation. The method accuracy, linearity, repeatability, and intermediate precision were determined within the range of 50% to 200% of the labeled claim. A statistical equivalence of the two potency methods (CBPA and mLD50) was initially demonstrated by comparing the AbbVie CBPA data with NIFDC mLD50 data on a total of 167 commercial BOTOX lots (85 50U lots and 82 100U lots). In addition, six lots of onabotulinumtoxinA (three 50U and three 100U) were re-tested as cross-validation by these two methods for equivalence. (3) Results: The overall assay's accuracy and intermediate precision were determined as 104% and 9.2%, and the slope, R-square, and Y-intercept for linearity were determined as 1.071, 0.998, and 0.036, respectively. The repeatability was determined as 6.9%. The range with the acceptable criteria of accuracy, linearity, and precision was demonstrated as 50% to 200% of the labeled claim. The 95% equivalence statistic test using margins [80%, 125%] indicates that CBPA and mLD50 methods are equivalent for both BOTOX strengths (i.e., 50U and 100U). The relative potency data from cross-validation were within the range of ≥80% to ≤120%. (4) Conclusions: The CBPA meets all acceptance criteria and is equivalent to mLD50. The replacement of mLD50 with CBPA is well justified in terms of ensuring safety and efficacy, as well as for animal benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-compassion could safeguard well-being under challenging circumstances. Nevertheless, limited literature explored self-compassion and the general well-being of COVID-19 patients in the Chinese context. Based on the perceived control theory and the protective model, this study analyzed the connection between self-compassion and the general well-being of infected patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it explored a moderated mediation model that involved perceived control and positive coping as underlying mechanisms in this association. A number of 312 COVID-19 patients (182 females; Mage = 38.99, SD = 12.58) completed the General Well-Being Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, Psychological Security Questionnaire, and Coping Scale. Results indicated that self-compassion may contribute to improved general well-being. Additionally, perceived control played a partial mediating role in this relationship. Specifically, self-compassion exhibited a positive correlation with perceived control, which subsequently positively impacts well-being. Notably, this link between self-compassion and perceived control was solid among individuals with limited positive coping strategies. These findings emphasize the significance of self-compassion in enhancing the psychological health of COVID-19 patients in China, with perceived control playing a crucial role, especially for those with fewer coping resources. Highlights: Self-compassion may enhance the general well-being of COVID-19 patients in China. Self-compassion may contribute to a greater perceived control, which could positively impact general well-being. Particularly for individuals with limited positive coping skills, self-compassion might offer a notable boost to their perceived control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) in services on carbon productivity is examined based on Chinese province-level panel data from 2007 to 2019. We control for income level, technical level and sectoral differences and find (ⅰ) in the full sample, service FDI has no significant effect on carbon productivity; (ⅱ) the effect of income inequality: service FDI flowing into high-income regions benefits the environment, while flows to low-income regions do not support the pollution-halo effect; (ⅲ) the effect of technology inequality: service FDI in regions with high technology levels reduces the carbon emission, while the environmental effect of service FDI is insignificant in low-technology regions; (ⅳ) industrial heterogeneity: FDI inflows to different sectors show different sensitivities to income level and have different impacts on carbon productivity. The result has a strong policy implication which will be helpful for the local governments to make policies with the aim to maximize the benefit from the pollution-halo effect of service FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of information technology has created conducive conditions for the digital economy. The digital economy is regarded as a critical pathway for transforming traditional economic models. Green total factor productivity serves as an indicator for assessing the quality of economic development. During pivotal periods of economic transition, the digital economy and green total factor productivity have emerged as two prominent themes for achieving sustainable economic development. But the impact of digital economy on green total factor productivity is less discussed. Innovation environment refers to a confluence of conditions shaped by factors such as talent, funding, cultural atmosphere and government policies, all of which collectively support innovative activities within a region. The institutional environment encompasses the aggregate of economic, political, social, and legal rules. Currently, there is little discussion on bringing innovation environment and institutional environment into the impact of digital economy on green total factor productivity. To fill the research gap, this paper adopts the Slack based measure-Directional distance function model and Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index to measure green total factor productivity in each region based on the panel data collected from 30 provinces in China from 2004 to 2019. Generalized Method of Moments method is constructed to carry out an empirical study on the impact of digital economy on green total factor productivity. This paper constructs a panel threshold model with innovation environment and institutional environment as threshold variables. In further analysis, this paper employs panel quantile regression for the empirical analysis of the impact of the digital economy on green total factor productivity. Further analysis elucidates the evident disparities in the influence of the digital economy on green total factor productivity at various levels. The research results can provide a guide for discussing the green value of the digital economy and its role in fostering the development of a green economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the risk of burnout among frontline nurses. However, the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors in the post-pandemic era remain unclear. This research aims to investigate burnout prevalence among frontline nurses in the post-pandemic period and pinpoint associated determinants in China. Methods: From April to July 2023, a cross-sectional study was carried out across multiple centers, focusing on frontline nurses who had been actively involved in the COVID-19 pandemic. The data collection was done via an online platform. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey was utilized to evaluate symptoms of burnout. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to pinpoint factors associated with burnout. Results: Of the 2210 frontline nurses who participated, 75.38% scored over the cut-off for burnout. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that factors like being female [odds ratio (OR) = 0.41, 95%CI = 0.29–0.58] and exercising 1–2 times weekly[OR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.42–0.67] were protective factors against burnout. Conversely, having 10 or more night shifts per month[OR = 1.99, 95%CI = 1.39–2.84], holding a master's degree or higher[OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.59–5.15], poor health status[OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.93–3.08] and [OR = 2.82, 95%CI = 1.80–4.43], under virus infection[OR = 7.12, 95%CI = 2.10-24.17], and elevated work-related stress[OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.17-2.00] were all associated with an elevated risk of burnout. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that post-pandemic burnout among frontline nurses is influenced by several factors, including gender, monthly night shift frequency, academic qualifications, weekly exercise frequency, health condition, and viral infection history. These insights can inform interventions aimed at safeguarding the mental well-being of frontline nurses in the post-pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological conditions for coal mining in China are complex, with various structural issues such as faults and collapsed columns seriously compromising the safety of coal mine production. In‐seam wave exploration is an effective technique for acquiring detailed information on geological structures in coal seam working faces. However, the existing reflected in‐seam wave imaging technique can no longer meet the exploration precision requirements, making it imperative to develop a new reflected in‐seam wave imaging technique. This study applies the Gaussian beam summation (GBS) migration method to imaging coal seams' reflected in‐seam wave data. Firstly, with regard to the characteristics of the reflected in‐seam wave data, methods such as wavefield removal and enveloped superposition are employed for the corresponding wavefield separation, wave train compression and other processing of reflected in‐seam waves. Thereafter, imaging is performed using the GBS migration technique. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method for reflected in‐seam wave imaging are validated by conducting GBS migration tests on 3D coal‐seam fault models with different dip angles and throws. By applying the method to reflected in‐seam wave data for an actual coal seam working face, accurate imaging of a fault structure is obtained, thereby validating its practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to explore the geographic differences in psychological symptoms, sleep quality, and quality of life (QoL) among adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: A unified questionnaire was developed to collect data on psychological status and QoL of IBD patients from 42 hospitals across 22 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China's mainland from September 2021 to May 2022. Results: A total of 2478 patients with IBD were surveyed. The proportions of patients with anxiety (28.5% vs 23.1%), depression (32.3% vs 27.8%), and poor QoL (44.8% vs 32.2%) were significantly higher in patients from the northern region compared to the southern region (all P < 0.05). In the western region, the proportions of patients with anxiety (31.9% vs 23.0%), depression (37.7% vs 26.7%), sleep disturbances (64.5% vs 58.5%), and poor QoL (44.9% vs 34.8%) were significantly higher than in the eastern and central regions (all P < 0.01). Patients from inland regions had significantly higher rates of anxiety (27.1% vs 23.3%), depression (32.5% vs 26.0%), sleep disturbance (62.0% vs 57.7%), and poor QoL (43.5% vs 29.9%) compared to those from coastal regions (all P < 0.05). In economically underdeveloped areas, the proportions of patients with depression (33.1% vs 28.5%) and poor QoL (52.0% vs 32.4%) were significantly higher than in economically (relatively) developed areas (both P < 0.05). Conclusion: There are significant geographic differences in psychological symptoms, sleep quality, and QoL among Chinese patients with IBD, which might provide valuable insights for global IBD research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrolimus superans, a prominent forest pest in northeast China, exerts detrimental effects on tree growth and development, disrupts the ecological functioning of forests, and even alters the trajectory of succession. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of habitat conditions on the occurrence probability and density of overwintering D. superans, aiming to provide scientific insights for the effective prevention of and control measures against this pest infestation. The investigation encompassed 142 plots (20 m × 20 m) in various forest types within the primary distribution area of D. superans in the Great Xing' an Mountains, focusing on factors such as topography, forest vegetation, and larval density. Binary logistic regression was employed to establish models for predicting the occurrence probability of D. superans, while generalized linear models (GLMs) and categorical regression (CATREG) were utilized to develop models for estimating its population size. Subsequently, an evaluation was conducted to assess the performance of these models. The occurrence probability model showed high accuracy (AUC = 0.826) in predicting infestation. The slope aspect and herb cover were the key factors affecting the occurrence of D. superans. The occurrence probability was the lowest on shady slopes and the highest on sunny slopes. The occurrence probability of D. superans increased with the increase in herb cover. The model of quantification showed that the density of D. superans was the least on shady slopes and the highest on sunny slopes. As the slope gradient increased, the density decreased. D. superans occurred most frequently on ridges. Similarly, with the increase in canopy cover or the decrease in diameter at breast height (DBH) and stand density, the density of D. superans increased. The influence of the topography factors surpassed that of the forest vegetation factors in shaping the population dynamics of D. superans, despite both being significant contributors. The study revealed that D. superans is prone to occur on sunny slopes, flat slopes, and ridges, which should be the focus of prevention and control in forest management practices, such as replanting, thinning, and regular weeding, to help restrain the growth of the population of this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody, pembrolizumab, is a promising drug for platinum-pretreated, recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab compared with chemotherapy for Chinese patients in this NPC. Methods: The cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy was evaluated using a partitioned survival model with a 5-year boundary. Efficacy and toxicity data were derived from the KEYNOTE-122 trials. Economic indicators including life-years (LYs), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and lifetime cost were used. One-way analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) were performed to explore the uncertainties. Additionally, various scenario analyses, including different pembrolizumab price calculations and discount rates were performed. Results: Pembrolizumab or chemotherapy alone respectively yielded 2.82 QALYs (3.96 LYs) and 2.73 QALYs (3.93 LYs) with an ICER of $422,535 per QALYs ($1,232,547 per LYs). This model was primarily influenced by the price of pembrolizumab. Furthermore, PSA indicated that pembrolizumab had none probability of being cost-effective compared with chemotherapy at a willingness-to- pay (WTP) of $38223. Scenario analyses revealed that irrespective of any potential price reduction or adjustments in the discount rate, no discernible impact on the ultimate outcome was observed. Conclusion: Pembrolizumab was less cost-effective for patients with platinum-pretreated, recurrent or metastatic NPC compared with chemotherapy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is associated with transient ischemia attack (TIA) or stroke, paradoxical embolism, and migraines. PFO closure decreases the recurrent incidence of cerebral ischemic events and reduces the incidence of syncope in adults. However, whether PFO is associated with syncope in pediatric patients has not been investigated. Methods: 1001 pediatric patients (aged 4 to 17 years, mean age 10.31 ± 2.61 years, 519 males) who complained of unexplained syncope, palpitation, headache, dizziness and chest pain and were hospitalized in the Syncope Ward, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University between January 2013 and April 2022 were recruited. Children with definite etiology of syncope, neurological, cardiogenic, psychological and other system diseases were excluded. PFO was measured by transthoracic echocardiography and right-heart contrast echocardiography was performed to identify the presence of right-to-left shunting. The demographic data and medical records were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Results: 276 cases were included in the simple syncope group, 379 cases in the headache/dizziness group, 265 cases in the chest pain group, and 81 cases in the palpitation group. The incidence of PFO between the four groups was insignificant (4.71%, 4.74%, 4.15%, 6.17%, respectively, P = 0.903). Multivariate Logistic regression demonstrated that PFO is not associated with the increased risk of syncope (P = 0.081). Conclusion: PFO may not increase the risk of syncope in pediatric patients. Further study may include a large and multicenter sample to investigate the association between PFO and unexplained syncope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locust plagues and tidal disasters are primary natural hazards in China's eastern coastal regions, yet their interrelationship remains unclear. This study, drawing on historical documents from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1911 AD), focuses on Zhejiang Province and its Hangzhou Bay coastline, areas typically affected by tidal disasters. Employing advanced quantitative analysis and spatiotemporal models, the research aims to reveal the mechanisms behind tidal disasters and their impact on locust population dynamics. The findings indicate a limited spatiotemporal correlation between locust plagues and tidal or drought disasters but a significant association with flooding. The relationship between locust infestations and floods is notably strong in the unique geographical context of Hangzhou Bay's northern shore. The 'hydromarginal' nature of the north coast creates an ideal habitat for locusts. This study pioneers in identifying flooding as a crucial mediator between tidal disasters and locust plagues, shedding light on the 'typhoon-tidal-flood-locust' disaster sequence and offering new insights into understanding and mitigating natural disasters in the region. In this study, we primarily employ a quantitative methodology, utilizing advanced data analysis and sophisticated spatiotemporal modeling to investigate the interplay between locust plagues and tidal disasters. Although some progress has been made in the study of historical natural disasters, systematic studies of the relationship between tidal floods and locust breeding sites along the east coast of China during the Ming and Qing dynasties are still scarce. This study fills this gap by employing advanced GIS and time series analysis techniques, combining traditional historical documentary studies with modern scientific methods and providing a new methodological approach to the analysis of historical disaster patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though China Antarctic medical care has made huge progress, dental care has always been a neglected area. Dental health is well-known to be closely related with life quality and work efficiency. Hence, knowing the dental care situation there and providing ways to improve are urgently needed. We choose doctors who worked in China Antarctic station as a window to see the whole picture by sending questionnaire. The results showed dental visits ranked second high, the ratio of doctors who got pre-departure dental knowledge education and screen is low. What is worse, none of them got any after-departure dental check. Their dental knowledge is not as good as we expect, and they were troubled by dental problems in Antarctic. Interestingly, most dental problems were treated by non-dentist with no essential equipment, but 2/3 of them were satisfied with the outcome. As for the dental-related diet and behaviour, snacks eating and alcohol drinking are the strongest predictors of dental pain and gum problem. Those findings are crucial to Antarctic dental care and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-family conflict had an adverse effect on adolescent mental health problems. However, to date, few studies using the longitudinal-design have examined the underlying mechanism of this relationship. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to extend previous study from a longitudinal perspective, and further explore the mediating role of sleep quality that were shown to underlie these relationships. Data came from a longitudinal survey of 932 adolescents (54.0% female; mean of age at baseline = 13.25 years, SD = 0.66). The adolescents were recruited from two junior high school in Guangzhou city, China. A battery of standardized measures was used to assess intra-family conflict, sleep quality, internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms for three times with an interval of one year. After adjusting for family demographics, sleep quality at T1 and mental health problems at T1, T1 intra-family conflict had significant effects on sleep quality at T2, and T2 sleep quality mediated the association between T1 intra-family and mental health problems at T3. In addition, this mediation of sleep quality was consistent across gender. Sleep quality was an important mediator in explaining the relationship between intra-family conflict and mental health problems in adolescents. Prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving their sleep quality may be critical to prevent mental health problems when adolescents are involved in family conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation drive differs from investment drive and resource drive in that it focuses on knowledge and skills to promote productivity growth. By integrating technical standards within the framework of an innovation-driven development system in this work, theoretical implications for this development strategy may be revealed. Following our theoretical study, we built a PECM utilizing China's inter-provincial panel data from 2007 to 2020 to investigate the long and short-term relationships between standardization, R&D, and innovation-driven development. The following are the key findings: First, both standardization and R&D are the nation's critical engines of innovation-driven development. Second, standardization has the greatest impact on TFP through improving technical efficiency, whereas R&D drives both technical development and technical efficiency improvement. Third, while the influence of technical standard drafters' production scale on scale efficiency was insignificant from 2007 to 2013, it became substantial after 2014 with China's macroeconomic reform of "transforming the mode and changing the structure." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on previous findings in a U.S. sample, the present study validated the relationship between childhood trauma and dissociation, as well as the mediating role of disorganized attachment and the moderating role of mentalizing (i.e. self-concept clarity and reflective functioning) in a group of 569 Chinese adults (i.e. a community sample). Results demonstrated a mediating role for disorganized attachment relationships in linking childhood maltreatment and dissociative symptoms. Moreover, self-concept clarity moderated this mediating relationship. An interesting finding that differs from the U.S. sample is that reflective functioning did not play a moderating role between insecure attachment and dissociation in Chinese adults. Chinese culture places greater emphasis on collectivism, altruism, and other-oriented, and thus the protective effect of the reflective function may not be as effective as in an individualistic culture. This study provides evidence for a better understanding of the relationship between childhood trauma, attachment, dissociation, and the moderating role of mentalizing in an Eastern culture, and it opens the door to further research examining whether more Western (such as the U.S.) and Eastern (particularly Chinese) relationships are similar in both social and clinical psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how drought is impacted by both natural and human influences is crucial to the sustainable utilization and protection of water resources. We established a drought severity index (DSI) based on the terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA) derived from the GRACE satellite to detect drought characteristics and trends over ten major river basins in China from 2002 to 2017. The influence of natural factors (terrestrial water storage components, precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, NDVI, and teleconnection factors (ENSO, PDO, NAO, and AO)) and a human factor (LULC) on drought were investigated and quantified from the perspective of water storage components based on the Theil–Sen trend and Mann–Kendall test method, the perspective of climate change based on cross wavelet transforms, and the perspective of water balance based on Random Forest. The results indicated that (1) almost all humid and arid basins experienced major drought periods during 2002–2006 and 2014–2017, respectively. The southern IRB and central YZRB regions exhibited notable declines in DSI trends, while the majority of the HLRB, IRB, LRB, YRB, HRB, and SWRB experienced significant increases in DSI trends; (2) abnormal groundwater decreases were the main cause of drought triggered by insufficient terrestrial water storage in most basins; (3) ENSO was the strongest teleconnection factor in most humid basins, and NAO, PDO, and AO were the strongest teleconnection factors in the arid basins and PRB. Most significant resonance cycles lasted 12–64 months in 2005–2014; and (4) the influence of an anthropogenic driver (LULC) has become as important as, or more important than, natural factors (runoff and teleconnection factors) on hydrological drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal freezing depth change is important in many environmental science and engineering applications. However, such changes are rare at region scales, especially over China, in the long time series. In this study, we evaluated the annual changes in seasonal maximum freezing depth (MFD) over China from 1971 to 2020 using an ensemble-modeling method based on support vector machine regression (SVMR) with 600 repetitions. Remote sensing data and climate data were input variables used as predictors. The models were trained using a large amount of annual measurement data from 600 meteorological stations. The main reason for using SVMR here was because it has been shown to perform better than random forests (RF), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), and generalized linear regression (GLR) in these cases. The prediction results were generally consistent with the observed MFD values. Cross validation showed that the model performed well on training data and had a better spatial generalization ability. The results show that the freezing depth of seasonally frozen ground in China decreased year by year. The average MFD was reduced by 3.64 cm, 7.59 cm, 5.54 cm, and 5.58 cm, in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, respectively, compared with the decade before. In the last 50 years, the area occupied by the freezing depth ranges of 0–40 cm, 40–60 cm, 60–80 cm, 80–100 cm, and 120–140 cm increased by 99,300 square kilometers, 146,200 square kilometers, 130,300 square kilometers, 115,600 square kilometers, and 83,800 square kilometers, respectively. In addition to the slight decrease in freezing depth range of 100–120 cm, the reduced area was 29,500 square kilometers. Freezing depth ranges greater than 140 cm showed a decreasing trend. The freezing depth range of 140–160 cm, which was the lowest range, decreased by 89,700 square kilometers. The 160–180 cm range decreased by 120,500 square kilometers, and the 180–200 cm range decreased by 161,500 square kilometers. The freezing depth range greater than 200 cm, which was the highest reduction range, decreased by 174,000 square kilometers. Considering the lack of data on the change in MFD of seasonally frozen ground in China in recent decades, machine learning provides an effective method for studying meteorological data and reanalysis data in order to predict the changes in MFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic syndromes (MetS) are clinical syndromes involving multiple pathological states with distinct gender-specific clinical patterns. As a serious disorder associated with psychiatric conditions, the prevalence of MetS is significantly higher in the population with schizophrenia (Sch). The aim of this paper is to report gender differences in the prevalence, associated factors and severity-related factors of MetS in first-treatment and drug-naïve (FTDN) patients with Sch. Methods: A total of 668 patients with FTDN Sch were included in this study. We collected socio-demographic and general clinical information on the target population, measured and evaluated common metabolic parameters and routine biochemical indicators, and assessed the severity of psychiatric symptoms using Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). Results: In the target group, the prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (13.44%, 57/424) than in men (6.56%, 16/244). In the males, waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and triglycerides (TG) were risk factors for MetS, while systolic blood pressure (SBP), TG, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and platelet (PLT) were risk factors for the females. More importantly, for the females, we found that age, LDL-C, PANSS scores and blood creatinine (CRE) were risk factors for higher MetS scores, while onset age and hemoglobin (HGB) were protective factors. Conclusion: There are significant gender differences in the prevalence of MetS and its factors among patients with FTDN Sch. The prevalence of MetS is higher and the factors that influence MetS are more numerous and extensive in females. The mechanisms of this difference need further research and clinical intervention strategies should be formulated with gender differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, as well as the driving factors, of carbon emissions in the prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin (YB). The paper's findings will aid in promoting ecological conservation and high-quality development in the region. The initiatives undertaken in the YB are a significant national strategy towards achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. To fully investigate the spatiotemporal evolution process, as well as the typical characteristics of their carbon emissions, conventional, and spatial Markov transition probability matrices were developed utilizing YB's panel data for 55 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2019. The generalized Divisia index decomposition method (GDIM) cleverly uses this data to conduct a complete analysis of the dynamics and driving processes influencing the change in carbon emissions in these cities. However, the evolution of carbon emissions in prefecture-level cities has reached a point of stability that maintains the original state, making it challenging to make meaningful short-term progress. The data indicates that prefecture-level cities in the YB are emitting more carbon dioxide on average. Neighborhood types in these cities significantly influence the transformation of carbon emissions. Low-emission areas can encourage a reduction in carbon emissions, whereas high-emission areas can encourage an increase. The spatial organisation of carbon emissions exhibits a "high-high convergence, low-low convergence, high-pulling low, low-inhibiting high" club convergence phenomenon. Carbon emissions rise with per capita carbon emissions, energy consumed, technology, and output scale, whereas it falls with carbon technology intensity and output carbon intensity. Hence, instead of enhancing the role of increase-oriented variables, prefecture-level cities in the YB should actively engage these reduction-oriented forces. The YB's key pathways for lowering carbon emissions include boosting research and development, promoting and applying carbon emission reduction technologies, lowering output carbon intensity and energy intensity, and improving energy use effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simultaneous occurrence of droughts and floods in neighboring regions amplifies the threats posed by droughts and floods individually. Nonetheless, few studies have been conducted to investigate the simultaneous occurrence of drought and flood events. Here we explore the spatiotemporal characteristics and the shift pattern of droughts and pluvials over Eastern China from a three‐dimensional perspective, using the self‐calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index and the Climate Research Unit data set as well as four regional climate model simulations. We find that Eastern China experienced droughts and pluvials simultaneously in different locations during boreal summer, and it is projected to simultaneously experience more frequent and more intense droughts and pluvials under a warming climate. Specifically, we investigate the pattern of more pluvials in Southeast China and more droughts in Northeast China for the historical period of 1975–2004. This pattern dynamically evolves under climate warming: the pluvial‐dominated regime shifts from Southeast to Northeast China, while the drought‐dominated regime shifts from Northeast to Southeast China. The weakening strength of the western Pacific subtropical high and a northward displacement of the monsoon rain belt may both contribute to the pattern of more pluvials in Northeast China and more droughts in Southeast China. These findings provide insights into the development of adaptation strategies and emergency response plans for enhancing society's resilience to the spatial co‐occurrence of dry and wet extremes. Plain Language Summary: The spatial co‐occurrence of drought and flood events has been receiving widespread attention in recent years since the superimposed condition of drought and flood has brought unprecedented challenges to disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief work. Eastern China is prone to droughts and floods, but their spatial interconnections are not yet well understood. Thus, we explore the historical evolution and the future change of simultaneous occurrence of droughts and floods over Eastern China under a warming climate. The spatial co‐occurrence of droughts and floods is projected to affect more land areas and become more frequent as climate warms. Eastern China experienced a pattern of more floods in Southeast China and more droughts in Northeast China during 1975–2004. We find that droughts tend to become more intense in Southeast China and the severity of floods is expected to increase in the northern region of East China, resulting in a shift pattern of more droughts in Southeast China and more floods in Northeast China. The shift pattern may be attributed to the weakening of western Pacific subtropical high strength and a northward displacement of the monsoon rain band in a changing climate. Key Points: Eastern China is projected to experience more frequent and more intense droughts and pluvials simultaneouslyThe spatial pattern of more pluvials in Southeast China and more droughts in Northeast China is expected to become an opposite pattern under a warming climateThe weakening strength of the western Pacific subtropical high and a northward displacement of the monsoon rain belt may contribute to the pattern of more pluvials in Northeast China and more droughts in Southeast China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground surface ozone (O3) is an emerging concern in China due to its complex formation process. In August 2020, field measurements of O3, NOx, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out in Hefei's western suburbs. The pollution features of VOCs and O3 formation were thoroughly analyzed. The total VOC concentration was 42.26 ppb, with the dominant contributor being oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs). Seven emission sources were recognized using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, including aged air masses, combustion sources, fuel evaporation, industrial emissions, vehicular emission, solvent utilization, and biogenic emission. Ozone generation mainly occurred under an NOx-limited regime based on the zero-dimensional box model analysis. According to the scenario analysis, the 13% cut in O3 might be achieved by the 10% and 30% reduction in NOx and VOCs, respectively. The O3 budget analysis demonstrates its high ozone production rate during the pollution period. The influence of regional transport cannot be ignored for high O3 pollution. This paper provides scientific evidence for O3 production and the strategies of reducing O3 by controlling its precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disorganized attachment is a predictor of psychopathology. Given that no scale has been developed in China that can detect disorganized attachment and help prevent related psychological disorders, this study aimed to translate and examine the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Adult Disorganized Attachment Scale (ADAS). The sample consisted of 345 Chinese adult residents (as sample 1), 356 Chinese university students (as sample 2; Mage = 19.72, SDage = 1.32), and 109 Chinese university students selected from sample 2 (as test-retest sample). Results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggested that the one-factor model of ADAS fit well. Furthermore, the criterion validity of ADAS validity was good. Specifically, ADAS was significantly related to Experiences in the Close Relationship Scale-Relationship Structures Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Buss-Perry Aggression Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The internal consistency reliability and retest reliability of ADAS was good. Thus, the Chinese version of the 9-item ADAS is a reliable and effective tool, which may promote the studies and interventions of adult disorganized attachment in China. This study is the first to investigate the characteristics of disorganized attachment in Chinese adults, thus expanding the cross-cultural exploration of adult disorganized attachment. Limitations and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have updated the guideline for preventing and managing perioperative infection in China, given the global issues with antimicrobial resistance and the need to optimize antimicrobial usage and improve hospital infection control levels. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the evidence for prevention and management of perioperative infection, based on the concepts of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The strength of recommendations was graded and voted using the Delphi method and the nominal group technique. Revisions were made to the guidelines in response to feedback from the experts. Results: There were 17 questions prepared, for which 37 recommendations were made. According to the GRADE system, we evaluated the body of evidence for each clinical question. Based on the meta‐analysis results, recommendations were graded using the Delphi method to generate useful information. Conclusions: This guideline provides evidence to perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis that increased the rational use of prophylactic antimicrobial use, with substantial improvement in the risk‐benefit trade‐off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most remarkable change in historical studies in China during the last two decades has been the rise of new social history. It challenges the traditional historiography in three ways: in the objects studied, in the sources used, and in methodology. Consequently the rise of new social history has profoundly impacted women's history in China. For thousands of years, Chinese history has been basically men's history. The main reason women were ignored related to their political, economic, and social position in the society. In this article, the author discusses women's history as an important new field of social history in China. As a new field of social history, women's history in China is still in its infancy. There are at least two areas that need to be further developed. First, current works on women's history, especially in the pre-modern period, primarily focus on family life, marriage, childbearing, and sexuality. Needless to say, these are indeed the important areas women make their dramas, but the study of women's lives and their contribution to society should go beyond the inner-quarter. Women's roles in society at large, such as women's labor, education, and religious practices, should also be studied. Another problem in the field is that some historians are still using a sinocentric approach to conduct their research and overlook ethnic distinctions among the people of China. When studying Chinese women in history, one should understand and view them as diverse ethnically. Women's identities and behaviors can be very different according to the diversities of ethnicity and social status. In conclusion, while the author believes that as a new field of social history, Chinese women's history has a very bright future, its development must be based on a deep understanding of Chinese history and culture, solid primary sources, and an open-minded attitude to new theories and methodology. (Contains 26 notes.)

Simple Summary: Intertidal snails can survive freezing (i.e., tolerate the formation of ice in their body) at very low subzero temperatures. The temperature at which body fluids spontaneously freeze (supercooling point, SCP) varies among intertidal snails, potentially depending on their geographic and vertical distributions. The objective of this study was to understand the variations of SCP in common intertidal snails in China. We compared nine intertidal species with different geographic and vertical distributions. Results indicated that at the intraspecies level, the higher the cooling rate of an individual was, the higher the SCP was. High-shore species living in Northern China showed lower SCPs, while southern high-shore species had higher SCPs. These results suggested that cooling rate and local winter temperatures contribute to the difference in SCPs within and between species and might be useful for evaluating and predicting species distribution. Winter low-temperature confines species distribution. Intertidal gastropods are distributed from tropical to polar zones, facing variable intensities and durations of low temperatures. They usually set their supercooling points (SCPs) at high subzero temperatures to stimulate freezing. However, the variations in SCP in intertidal gastropods at intraspecific and interspecific levels remain poorly understood. Here, we measured the body size, cooling rate, and SCP of nine intertidal gastropod species in China. These species were distributed in high or middle intertidal zone with different geographic distributions. The average SCPs (−4.27~−7.10 °C) and the coefficients of variation of SCP (22.6%~45.9%) were high in all species. At the intraspecific level, the supercooling capacity was positively correlated with the cooling rate. Interspecifically, the supercooling capacity was closely related to the cooling rate, and also to the species' geographical distribution. Northern high-shore species showed lower SCPs, while southern high-shore species had higher SCPs. There was no difference in SCP between widespread high- and mid-shore species. Our results indicated that the supercooling capability is potentially an adaptative response to the local winter temperatures, and the cooling rate is a factor in determining the difference in SCP at the intraspecific and interspecific levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xiejiaba and Fuqiangbei plutons form part of the newly identified Neoproterozoic Niushan complex, which is located in the southern South Qinling belt (SQB). The plutons are compositionally similar, were emplaced at 750–711 Ma, and provide insights into Neoproterozoic tectonism within the South Qinling belt. The Xiejiaba pluton contains diorite, quartz diorite, granodiorite, and granite phases, all of which are sub‐alkaline and have variable major element compositions with negative correlations between SiO2 and MgO, TFe2O3, Al2O3, CaO, TiO2 and P2O5. These rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and have negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies, all of which are indicative of arc‐type magmatism. The Fuqiangbei pluton contains granitoids that are compositionally similar to the rocks in the Xiejiaba pluton. Samples from these plutons have similar ɛNd(t) values (1.24–5.99) but very variable (87Sr/86Sr)i values (0.7010–0.7054). Combining these data with the geochemical data for these rocks suggests that the magmas that formed the Niushan complex were derived from the crust–mantle boundary. This, combined with the results of previous research, suggests that the transition from low pressure‐low temperature to low pressure‐high temperature conditions within a subduction zone caused melting during a period of late subduction and backarc extension. This constrain the timing of subduction within the South Qinling belt and the northern Yangtze Block (YB) to 750–711 Ma, with this Neoproterozoic subduction associated with an ocean to the north overprinting an existing continental rift‐type tectonic setting within the northern margin of the Yangtze Block and the South Qinling belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Little Ice Age was concurrent with frequent natural disasters in China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368–1911 AD). Using historical documents created in the Yangtze River Delta during these dynasties, we reconstructed the severity and frequency of locust plagues. We uncovered their temporal and spatial patterns, the relevant influencing factors, and the applied control measures. These locust plagues occurred in the Yangtze River Delta during summer and autumn and were considered moderate-degree disasters. The locust plagues during the Qing Dynasty were less harmful than those during the Ming Dynasty. The locust plagues occurred north of 31°N and were concentrated around lakes and rivers. Regarding long-term changes, three periods of frequent locust plagues were identified: 1520–1540 AD, 1610–1670 AD, and 1850–1870 AD. The locust plague cycles were dominated by long-term changes of 100 and 350 years, alternating with short-term changes of 10–30 years. Locust growth and development typically occur under suitable climate conditions. However, in the Yangtze River Delta, the relationship between locust outbreaks and temperature changes was insignificant, whereas flood disasters provided suitable humidity conditions for locust nymph growth. Locust plague outbreaks had a series of social impacts, one direct result was rising food prices. When facing locust plagues, the Ming and Qing Dynasties formed effective top-down preventative measures corresponding to local conditions. The locust plagues in the Yangtze River Delta during the Ming and Qing Dynasties occurred with regularity, were responsive to local hydrological conditions, and impacted social economies and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Qinling orogenic belt (WQOB) is one of the most important prospective gold districts in China, with widely distributed Indosinian intermediate–acidic intrusions. The Liziyuan Au deposit is a representative orogenic deposit in the northern WQOB, hosting several sections spatially associated with igneous rocks. The Au deposit is hosted by meta-sedimentary volcanic rocks of the Cambrian–Ordovician Liziyuan Group and the Tianzishan monzogranite. Two periods, including five stages of mineralization, are recognized in this area: an early metamorphic mineralization period (PI), including quartz–pyrite (Stage I) and banded quartz–polymetallic sulfide (Stage II) veins, and a later magmatic mineralization period (PII) including quartz–K-feldspar–pyrite–molybdenite veins (Stage III), quartz–polymetallic sulfide–chlorite ± calcite veinlets and stockwork (Stage IV), and late calcite–quartz veinlets (Stage V). Geochronological studies indicate a SHRIMP zircon U-Pb age of 236.1 Ma for the Tianzishan monzogranite, and our published ages of ore-bearing diorite porphyrite of the Suishizi section and granite porphyry of the Jiancaowan section being 213 and 212 Ma, respectively. Pyrites formed in association with PI and PII mineralization have well-defined Rb–Sr ages of 220 ± 7.5, 205.8 ± 8.7, and 199 ± 15 Ma, with close temporospatial coupling between mineralization and magmatism. The δ18O and δD values of fluid inclusions in Stage IV auriferous quartz veins range from −0.03‰ to +5.24‰ and −93‰ to −75‰, respectively, suggesting that mineralizing fluid was likely of magmatic origin. Three distinct ranges of δ34S values are identified in the studied sections (i.e., 7.04‰–9.12‰, −4.95‰ to −2.44‰, and 0.10‰–3.08‰), indicating a source containing multiple sulfur isotopes derived from magmatic and metamorphic fluids. The Liziyuan Au deposit is thus likely an orogenic deposit closely related to magmatism. Geochemical characteristics indicate that Tianzishan monzogranite is adakitic and was derived from thickened lower crust during Triassic orogenesis. The ore-bearing diorite porphyrite and granite porphyry formed in a post-collision extensional setting. Together with previous geological and geochemical data, our results indicate that the Liziyuan orogenic Au deposit was formed by early collisional–compressional metamorphism and late post-collision extensional magmatic fluids related to the evolution of the WQOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remnant cholesterol (RC) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) are associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the association between RC, non-HDL-C, and CHD patients with T2DM has not been comprehensively investigated. We analyzed the association between RC, non-HDL-C, and cardiac function in CHD patients with T2DM. Of the 22 022 CHD patients from six hospitals in Tianjin, 5373 (24.4%) patients with T2DM had higher levels of RC and non-HDL-C (P <.001) than those without T2DM. Among CHD patients with T2DM, RC and non-HDL-C were positively associated with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class Ⅱ [RC: odds ratio (OR), 1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.50–2.01; P <.01; non-HDL-C: OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15–1.31; P <.01]. After adjusting for confounding factors, this association remained (RC: OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03–1.45; P <.05; non-HDL-C: OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.17; P <.05). These findings provide evidence of an independent positive association between RC, non-HDL-C, and NYHA functional classes. More research is warranted to confirm these findings and determine the mechanisms involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rich financial knowledge of small and micro business owners helps to enhance the formal credit demand of small and micro enterprises and change the credit channel preference of small and micro enterprises. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between financial knowledge and the credit practices of 290 small and micro enterprises in China's Jiangsu and Shandong provinces based on their formal credit needs and preferred channels of credit. Design/methodology/approach: To measure the degree of the credit constraints of small and micro enterprises, this study applied questionnaire surveys to obtain information on the credit demand and supply of 363 small and micro enterprises in the Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. Firstly, a probit model is used to study the influence of financial knowledge on the formal credit demand and credit acquisition possibility of small and micro enterprises, and tool variables and a biprobit model are used to deal with the possible errors of endogenesis and sample selection. Secondly, a tobit model is used to study the influence of financial knowledge on the credit access of small and micro enterprises in different channels, and tool variables and a Heckman two-stage model are used to deal with endogenesis and possible errors in sample selection. Finally, this study carried out a series of robustness tests to make the conclusions more reliable. Findings: This study is based on the perspective of the knowledge-based view to explore the impact of financial knowledge on the credit behaviour of small and micro enterprises. This study found that financial knowledge can increase a small and micro enterprise's formal credit needs and drive the small and micro enterprise to actively apply for loans. Furthermore, financial knowledge has a significant and positive influence on the acquisition of formal credit and approved lines of formal credit and a significant and negative influence on the acquisition of informal credit and approved lines of informal credit. Research limitations/implications: The results indicated that increased financial knowledge can increase the likelihood of a small and micro enterprise to prefer formal credit and reduce the likelihood of it to prefer informal credit channels. Originality/value: Financial knowledge is the ability to master basic economic knowledge and financial concepts as well as the ability to use knowledge to manage and allocate financial resources. The rich financial knowledge of small and micro business owners helps to enhance the formal credit demand of small and micro enterprises and change their credit channel preference. This paper offers a new perspective on the problems of credit constraint, low participation in formal credit markets and high participation in private credit markets among China's small and micro enterprises and valuably supplements the research literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstetrical infection is one of the causes of maternal death and a difficult problem for many clinicians. Changes in the demographic and obstetric background of pregnant women following the Universal Two-Child Policy may have an impact on some fertility phenomena. And with the increase in the number of deliveries, the limited medical resources become more scarce. How will China's health system quickly adapt to the growing needs and expectations for maternal health and ensure the provision of qualified and accessible medical services? In addition, what social support measures should be provided to reduce preventable obstetric complications? Given the relatively low per capita share of medical resources in China, how should China deal with the impact of the Universal Two-Child Policy? Therefore, more studies based on the change of fertility policy are needed. We try to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of obstetric infection before and after the Universal Two-Child Policy, with a view to providing reference for the prevention and control of obstetric infection in regions after the change of fertility policy, and also hope to make corresponding contributions to the solution of the above problems through relevant studies.Methods: The subjects of the survey were 268,311 pregnant women from Hebei Province Maternal Near Miss Surveillance System (HBMNMSS) of Hebei Women and Children's Health Center from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017. We analyzed the region, time and population distribution characteristics of obstetric infection, compared the epidemiological factors of obstetric infection before and after the Universal Two-Child Policy, and analyzed the relevant risk factors of obstetric infection.Results: The incidence of obstetric infection increased nearly twice after the Universal Two-Child Policy. The incidence of obstetric infection was highest in Chengde (1.9%), a city with a northward geographical distribution, Baoding (1.6%), Cangzhou (1.5%) followed; The higher the hospital grade, the higher the incidence; The incidence of obstetric infections in hospitals at all levels has increased; The age of onset before the Universal Two-Child Policy was (27.82 ± 5.047) years old, and the age after the Universal Two-Child Policy was (28.97 ± 4.880) years old; The incidence of obstetric infections is higher in winter. The rate of abortion-related infection (increased from 0.61 to 1.65%) and the rate of pregnant women with high school education (increased from 0.35 to 0.74%) increased significantly. The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis after the Universal Two-Child Policy showed that anemia (OR = 1.249, 95%CI: 1.071-1.458), chronic hypertension (OR = 1.934, 95%CI: 1.375-2.722), mild preeclampsia (OR = 2.103, 95%CI: 1.323-3.344) and severe preeclampsia (OR = 2.228, 95%CI: 1.703-2.916) were independent risk factors for obstetric infection. Gestational age ≥ 37 weeks was a protective factor.Conclusion: After the Universal Two-Child Policy, the prevention and control of obstetric infections should be strengthened, especially for abortion-related infections and elderly maternal with obstetric complications and complication in high-grade hospitals in winter. Educational background is also one of the factors that should be considered in the prevention of obstetric sensation. Prolonging gestational age is helpful to reduce the incidence of obstetric infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the main control factors of volcanic reservoirs with complex oil–water relationships, the Carboniferous in the Chepaizi Uplift of the Junggar Basin was taken as an example and the lithofacies characteristics, main control factors, and hydrocarbon accumulation model of volcanic reservoirs were investigated by combining the petroleum geology with field testing (data of core analysis, well logging, formation testing, and production testing). The results show that the Carboniferous in the Chepaizi Uplift experienced three stages of volcanic activities and developed seven volcanic lithofacies bodies, distributed in a bead-string connected planar form along the Hongche fault. There is no unified oil–water interface across the whole study area and there are multiple oil–water systems within one fault block. The Carboniferous volcanic reservoir experienced two stages of hydrocarbon accumulation from two different source rocks. The distribution of faults penetrating hydrocarbon kitchens and source rocks controls the macro-scale distribution of reservoirs. The physical properties of reservoirs affect the pattern of oil and water differentiation in volcanic rock bodies, while the lithofacies body-controlled hydrocarbon accumulation mode highlighting "one rock body for one reservoir" determines the distribution of reservoirs. The matching between the paleo-structure and hydrocarbon accumulation stage controls the accumulation and adjustment of hydrocarbon distribution. The Permian source rocks in the Shawan Sag serve as the lateral hydrocarbon supply and hydrocarbons accumulate in the Carboniferous structural-lithologic traps, which are summarized as the two stages of hydrocarbon accumulation of newly generated hydrocarbons into older reservoir rocks. This study of the hydrocarbon accumulation pattern in volcanic rocks aims at guiding the development of Carboniferous reservoirs with complex oil and water relationships in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals pollution in pharmaceutical industries received increasing attention. A total of 94 soil samples were collected in this study. Results showed the mean contents of Hg, Cd, As, Pb, Ni and Cu were 0.21, 0.26, 9.59, 55.06, 51.52 and 50.81 mg·kg−1, respectively. The spatial distribution of metals in topsoil largely attributed to the pharmaceutical production process. The distribution of Hg and As were related to the production of medical absorbent cotton. While Ni was related to the fuel supply of Ni-rich coal. Cr, Cu and Pb mainly distributed in the process which they were used as catalysts. The vertical migration of metals was complex in soil. To a great extent, it was related to the texture of the soil and the properties of metals in this filed. The total non-cancer and cancer human health risk were within the limits of USEPA (10–6 a−1). This demonstrated the health risks of individual's exposure to heavy metals in this factory was acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves play a crucial role in the design and planning of urban infrastructure to reduce the risk of urban flooding and rainfall‐triggered landslides. However, changing rainfall characteristics in a warming climate render conventional IDF curves inappropriate due to the statistical assumption of stationarity. In this study, we develop vine copula‐based projections of future IDF curves at sub‐daily to multi‐day time scales with a multi‐model ensemble of five regional climate simulations over China. Stochastic spatiotemporal downscaling of precipitation is achieved to generate extreme precipitation simulations at a high spatial (0.1°) and temporal (3 hourly) resolution. These downscaled simulations are combined by the vine copula to improve the reliability and accuracy of climate‐model‐based IDF curves relative to historical observations. Our findings reveal that climate‐model‐based stochastic downscaling of precipitation reproduces the IDF curves well based on historical observations in China. The vine copula multi‐model ensemble approach outperforms Bayesian model averaging by generating more accurate and reliable IDF curves. The urban areas of 196 Chinese cities are projected to experience an increase in extreme precipitation of up to 30% in intensity and nearly two times the frequency of historical events under a high emission scenario (RCP8.5). The current urban infrastructure of more than half of the 196 cities would thus be inadequate to prevent losses caused by rainfall‐triggered hazards if designed solely based on historical precipitation observations. Compared to the climate‐model‐based IDF curves, we find that statistical IDF curves based on a nonstationary time covariate (i.e., extrapolating historical trends) are likely to underestimate the risk of urban infrastructure failures under a warming climate. This work highlights that urban infrastructure design guidelines in China should be upgraded to adapt existing IDF curves to the changing climate. Key Points: Stochastic spatiotemporal downscaling of precipitation is achieved to derive intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves at sub‐daily to multi‐day time scalesA vine copula multi‐model ensemble approach is proposed to improve the accuracy and reliability of climate‐model‐based IDF curvesExtreme precipitation is projected to increase by up to 30% in intensity and nearly two times in frequency over 196 Chinese cities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial nitrate reduction can be driven by organic carbon oxidation, as well as by inorganic electron donors, such as reduced forms of sulfur and iron. An apparent inverse oxygen isotope fractionation effect was observed during nitrate reduction in sediment incubations from five sampling sites of a freshwater lake, Hongze Lake, China. Incubations with organic and inorganic electron donor additions were performed. Especially, the inverse oxygen isotope effect was intensified after glucose addition, whereas the incubations with sulfide and Fe2+ showed normal fractionation factors. Nitrate reductase encoding genes, napA and narG, were analysed with metagenomics. Higher napA/narG ratios were associated with higher oxygen fractionation factors. The most abundant clade (59%) of NapA in the incubation with glucose was affiliated with Rhodocyclales. In contrast, it only accounted for 8%–9% of NapA in the incubations with sulfide and Fe2+. Differences in nitrate reductases might explain different oxygen isotope effects. Our findings also suggested that large variance of O‐nitrate isotope fractionations might have to be considered in the interpretation of natural isotope records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize sheath rot is a prevalent maize disease in China. From 2020 to 2021, symptomatic samples were collected from the main maize-growing regions of Heilongjiang province. To clarify the population and genetic diversity, as well as the virulence of pathogens responsible for maize sheath rot, a total of 132 Fusarium isolates were obtained and used for follow-up studies. Ten Fusarium species were identified based on morphological characteristics, and phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the TEF-1α gene sequences, including F. verticillioides (50.00%), F. subglutinans (18.94%), the Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (14.39%), F. temperatum (5.30%), F. acuminatum (3.03%), F. solani (2.27%), F. sporotrichioides (2.27%), F. tricinctum (1.52%), F. asiaticum (1.52%), and F. proliferatum (0.76%). All 10 Fusarium species could produce oval-to-annular lesions on maize sheath, and the lesions were grayish yellow to dark brown in the center and surrounded by a dark gray-to-dark brown halo. Of these, F. tricinctum and F. proliferatum showed significantly higher virulence than the other Fusarium species. In addition, haplotype analysis based on the concatenated sequences of the ITS and TEF-1a genes showed that 99 Fusarium isolates which belonged to the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex—consisting of F. verticillioides isolates, F. subglutinans isolates, F. temperatum isolates, and F. proliferatum isolates—could be grouped into 10 haplotypes, including 5 shared haplotypes (Haps 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6) and 5 private haplotypes (Haps 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10). Furthermore, the F. verticillioides clade in the haplotype network was radial with the center of Hap 2, suggesting that population expansion occurred. This research showed that Fusarium species associated with maize sheath rot in Heilongjiang province are more diverse than previously reported, and this is the first time that F. subglutinans, F. temperatum, F. solani, F. sporotrichioides, F. tricinctum, and F. acuminatum have been confirmed as the causal agents of maize sheath rot in Heilongjiang province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folk art is a "living fossil" of hisory, whose existence and evolution reflect the way people live and think. It is a one-of-a-kind way of communicating the process of human development to the rest of the world. However, as China's economic development and cultural globalization accelerate, many folk arts are being severely harmed and lost. The emergence of virtual reality technology, which benefits from the advantages of virtual reality technology, has greatly strengthened the utilization and protection of folk art resources in recent years, with the rapid development of Internet technology. Virtual reality technology is a human-computer interaction experience technology that uses complex calculations to provide corresponding operational feedback to the senses of touch, hearing, vision, and balance. It is more reasonable and perfect to reconstruct and integrate the resource content and realize the digital utilization of folk art resources in this paper, which is based on the ALS collaborative filtering algorithm. This paper will make some necessary improvements to the original algorithm, which has met the requirements of virtual reality technology, through the comparison of algorithms. Finally, experiments show that the proposed algorithm's accuracy is 85 percent higher than the original algorithms, and the data retrieval processing interval is more reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Existing evidence suggests that chronic inflammation promotes the progression of human intracranial aneurysm (IA) and many cytokines have been detected to participate in the process of inflammation. However, rare cytokines in plasma have been used as proxies for progression of IA. This study aimed to identify novel cytokines as biomarkers to predict the development of IA. Methods: Patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) undergoing microsurgical clipping were prospectively recruited from January 2017 to June 2020 and were separated into two groups based on their ELAPSS score (low risk group < 10, intermediate-high risk group ≥ 10). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce imbalances in the baseline characteristics between groups. All blood samples were collected before surgery. A human serum 48-cytokines examination was performed to analyze the concentrations of serological cytokines. Clinical data and cytokines were compared between groups. Results: A total of 184 patients were enrolled in this study. The low risk group contained 77 patients and 107 patients were included in the intermediate-high risk group. Finally, there were 69 patients in each group after PSM with a matching rate of 1:1. The concentrations of 3 serum cytokines were significantly increased in intermediate-high risk patients, namely, interleukin-15 (IL-15), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β) (P < 0.05, |log2 fold change| > 2). The result of receiver operator characteristic (ROC)curve revealed that TNF-β had the highest predictive accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.725 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.639–0.811, P < 0.001] followed by IL-15 (AUC = 0.691, 95% CI 0.602–0.781, P < 0.001) and MCP-1 (AUC = 0.661, 95% CI 0.569–0.753, P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated high IL-15 [odds ratio (OR), 3.23; 95% CI, 1.47–7.12; P = 0.004] and high TNF-β (OR, 8.30; 95% CI, 3.25–21.25; P < 0.001) as the risk factors that correlated with intermediate-high risk of IA progression. Conclusion: UIA patients with intermediate-high growth risk exhibited increased serum levels of IL-15, MCP-1, and TNF-β. Serum IL-15, and TNF-β could serve as biomarkers to predict the progression of UIAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, the treatment of radiation pneumonitis (RP) remains a clinical challenge. Although glucocorticoids are used for RP treatment, they have associated side effects. Xuebijing injection (XBJ) has been widely used for RP treatment in China, but so far no meta-analysis has evaluated its efficacy and safety. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WANFANG database, SinoMED, and China Science and Technology J Database were searched for randomized controlled trials related to XBJ in RP treatment. Two researchers independently conducted literature screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment. The outcomes were synthesized and analyzed using the Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan 5.3) software, and a forest plot generated. Result: Eight articles met the eligibility criteria for further data extraction and meta-analysis. A total of 578 patients with RP participated in these studies, including 296 in the experimental group (XBJ+BT), and 282 in the control group (BT). The results of the meta-analysis revealed that compared to the BT group, XBJ+BT significantly increased the total effective rate (n = 578; RR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.30 to 1.61, p<0.0001), and IL-10 expression (n = 296; MD = 17.62, 95% CI:13.95 to 21.29, p<0.00001), decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression (n = 296; MD = -21.56, 95% CI:-27.37 to -15.76, p<0.00001), that of tumor necrosis factor alpha (n = 246; MD = -25.63, 95% CI:-30.77 to -20.50, p<0.00001), and that of C-reactive protein (n = 296; MD = -48.61, 95% CI:-56.49–40.73, p< 0.00001). Conclusion: Based on our results, we do not recommend XBJ as an adjuvant treatment for RP. Further randomized controlled trials with rigorous design, strict implementation, and standard reporting are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of XBJ for RP treatment. Systematic review registration: INPLASY registration number: INPLASY2020120037. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) models have been widely used for hydrological simulation. Previous studies have reported that conventional ML models fail to accurately simulate extreme flows which are crucial for design flood estimation and associated risk analysis in the context of climate change. Therefore, this study proposes a joint probabilistic rainfall‐runoff model (JPRR) for improving high‐to‐extreme flow projection. With the aid of paired copula constructions, bootstrap aggregation, and multi‐model ensemble approaches, the proposed model is able to effectively characterize the dependence relationships of predictors (i.e., precipitation time series with different moving sums) with various probability distributions. JPRR has been applied to four pristine basins in China, representing different climate zones and landscapes. The results reveal that JPRR significantly outperforms three well‐known ML models (i.e., random forest, artificial neural networks, and long short‐term memory) in high‐to‐extreme flow simulations. In JPRR, the copulas exhibiting the right tail dependence play a more important role in streamflow simulations at mountainous basins. Moreover, a significant difference in streamflow projections (from 2030 to 2099) derived from JPRR and benchmark models imply that flood risks from conventional ML models may be underestimated under changing climatic conditions. Key Points: A joint probabilistic rainfall‐runoff model is proposed for improving the high‐to‐extreme flow projection in a changing climateCopulas exhibiting the right tail dependence play a more important role in flow simulations at mountainous basinsConventional machine learning models may underestimate the extreme flows, and such an issue may be even exacerbated under climate change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most concentrated area of human activities, cities consume many natural resources and discharge a large amount of waste into the natural environment, which has a huge environmental impact. Most of the ecological and environmental problems, such as environmental pollution, global climate change, and loss of biodiversity, are related to urban systems. How to coordinate urban development with the urban ecological carrying capacity is related to the destiny of the city itself, and also to whether its surrounding areas can successfully achieve the goal of high environmental quality and sustainable development. At present, the theory and methods of urban ecological carrying capacity research are relatively new, which has caused problems for policy makers in practical applications. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for urban ecological carrying capacity assessment based on the analysis of ecosystem services supply and demand. Combined with multi-source spatial data and spatial model methods, the supply and demand of ecosystem services were spatially quantified. The capital city of China, Beijing, was the case study area for this research. The spatial differentiation of the supply–demand relationship of ecosystem services is formed. The priority areas for ecological carrying capacity improvement at pixel scale and at the administrative level are obtained, respectively. The results show that the first priority area is concentrated in the center of the urban area, accounting for 31.11% of the total area of Beijing. According to the secondary zone and the specific ecosystem service type, the ecological carrying capacity improvement strategy of different zones is proposed. This study provides a new perspective for investigating urban ecological carrying capacity and for identifying the priority areas for ecological carrying capacity improvement, and helps the policy-makers to design tailored policy actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Preterm birth (PTB) was one of the leading causes of neonatal death. Predicting PTB in the first trimester and second trimester will help improve pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study is to propose a prediction model based on machine learning algorithms for PTB. Method. Data for this study were reviewed from 2008 to 2018, and all the participants included were selected from a hospital in China. Six algorisms, including Naive Bayesian (NBM), support vector machine (SVM), random forest tree (RF), artificial neural networks (ANN), K-means, and logistic regression, were used to predict PTB. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to assess the performance of the model. Results. A total of 9550 pregnant women were included in the study, of which 4775 women had PTB. A total of 4775 people were randomly selected as controls. Based on 27 weeks of gestation, the area under the curve (AUC) and the accuracy of the RF model were the highest compared with other algorithms (accuracy: 0.816; AUC = 0.885, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.873–0.897). Meanwhile, there was positive association between the accuracy and AUC of the RF model and gestational age. Age, magnesium, fundal height, serum inorganic phosphorus, mean platelet volume, waist size, total cholesterol, triglycerides, globulins, and total bilirubin were the main influence factors of PTB. Conclusion. The results indicated that the prediction model based on the RF algorithm had a potential value to predict preterm birth in the early stage of pregnancy. The important analysis of the RF model suggested that intervention for main factors of PTB in the early stages of pregnancy would reduce the risk of PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have consistently identified MAP2K5 as an obesity susceptibility gene. To deepen our understanding of the potential causal genetic variants of this region, a fine-mapping study of MAP2K5 was conducted. Methods and Results: SNPs rs7175517 (G > A) and rs4776970 (T > A) were identified as the leading SNPs associated with BMI in both Chinese and the United Kingdom populations. Second, colocalization of GWAS and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses and bioinformatic analyses indicated that rs7175517 is the functionally leading variant in the MAP2K5 gene region. Dual-luciferase assays indicated that the G allele of rs7175517 reduced the mRNA expression of MAP2K5 in HEK293T cells. The possible mechanism was that the G allele interacted with more RNA repressors from nuclei extracts, which was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). Furthermore, the pathway enrichment analyses of the products from DNA pull-down and protein mass spectrometry demonstrated that the G allele of rs7175517 might interact with RNA catabolic or splicing transcription factors, which consequentially increased adiposity deposition. Conclusion: SNP rs7175517 of the MAP2K5 gene was the putative causal variant associated with BMI. More precisely designed in vitro or animal experiments are warranted to further delineate the function of MAP2K5 in adipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]